[Risk factors associated with maternal mortality in the State of Morelos, Mexico].

INTRODUCTION: Maternal mortality is a public health issue. The causes of maternal mortality are directly related to accessibility, opportunity, costs and quality of obstetric and perinatal services.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of maternal deaths and analyze the risk factors associated with these deaths in the State of Morelos (Mexico).

MATERIAL AND METHOD: a cross-sectional epidemiological, observational, descriptive, retrospective study of 94 cases of maternal deaths registered in the Morelos health services, from 2000 to 2004. Hospitalized and non-hospitalized maternal deaths characteristics were compared.

RESULTS: Of 94 maternal deaths, 81.9% were classified as hospitalized (66.7% in public hospitals) and 13.8% as non-hospitalized. 73 (77.6%) deaths occurred during the postpartum period. Most women did not have any medical service (76.7%). There were 77 cases (81.9%) of direct maternal death and 12 (18.1%) indirect. The risk of non-hospitalized maternal death in women 35 to 40 years old was three times higher, with incomplete primary education or none 10.9 and without medical service 3.6 times.

CONCLUSIONS: Most deaths were in hospitals, the main causes were hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum and obstetric hemorrhage, events related to the quality of health services. It is necessary to develop more efficient prenatal programs, with focus in maternal and child risk.