Facility-based care for delivery and management of complications related to pregnancy and childbirth in Mexico.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the incidence and management of severe maternal and newborn complications in selected health facilities in Mexico.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

As part of the WHO Multicountry Survey on Maternal and Newborn health, information was collected from medical records of women with deliveries and/or severe maternal complications during pregnancy or puerperium in 14 hospitals in Mexico City and the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.

RESULTS

Of 13 311 women, 157 (12 per 1 000 live births) had severe maternal complications including 4 maternal deaths. The most frequent complications were preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, and chronic hypertension. Adverse perinatal outcomes were more frequent among women with severe maternal complications. A high use of uterotonics and parenteral antibiotics was found. A small proportion of women with eclampsia received magnesium sulfate.

CONCLUSION

This study provides indicators on the incidence and management of maternal and neonatal complications in Mexico, which may be useful in studying and evaluating the performance of obstetric services.