Maternal death and orphans in Cluj County.

UNLABELLED: The communist government that led Romania before the 1989 Revolution practiced a demographic policy which claimed to protect the family and encouraged women to have minimum five children.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The complex implications of maternal death rate, as a negative demographic phenomenon, were investigated through a descriptive, observational retrospective study made in the Cluj County, Romania, between 1970 and 2004. The study covers all deceased mothers (n = 263 cases) recorded in Cluj County from 1970 to 2004. The data were collected from the primary evidence documents of the Obstetrics-Gynecology Clinics and were analyzed on socio-demographic variables, causes and consequences of death before and after 1990.

RESULTS

Up to 1989, the majority of maternal deaths were caused by abortion and its complications. After the changes in the demographic policy in 1990, this cause of maternal death decreased dramatically, the first cause now being obstetrical risk. The age group most affected by mother death was married women between 20-39 years old, coming from the country side and with a low level of education. These deaths left 520 children orphan.

CONCLUSIONS

The death of these mothers generated a considerable number of orphans, who were likely to become socially dependent. Since orphans have equal rights to life and social integration with other children, the society should become actively engaged in their upbringing, supervision and special education.