Maternal deaths | da Silva Brito, Conceição; da Costa, Carmélia B; A e Sousa, Ma de Fatima

This study sought to recover the reality of maternal deaths in a capital city in northeastern Brazil between 2009 and 2013. Although significant improvements in women's healthcare have been observed, Piauí still has very high maternal mortality rates. In Teresina, the MMR in 2012 was 60.06 deaths per 100,000 live births. Research conducted in Brazil shows that the MMR is high and significant, and that its true extent is difficult to determine due to underreporting of deaths. Despite joint efforts by health agencies, the MMR remains at levels well above what is acceptable, which makes research on such an important topic necessary, since the available studies paint an unacceptable picture, revealing that a large proportion of reported maternal deaths are preventable. On the other hand, identifying the main risk factors associated with maternal death will enable the definition of strategies to prevent new occurrences. This book was prepared with the aim of assisting professionals, institutions, managers, and others working especially in women's health in creating preventive measures to reduce maternal deaths.