Indirect causes of maternal deaths (except stroke, cardiovascular diseases and infections) in France 2013-2015

Maternal deaths from indirect obstetric causes are the result of a pre-existing disease or condition that appeared during pregnancy without obstetric causes, but which was aggravated by the physiological effects of pregnancy. Twenty-six deaths from indirect causes related to a pre-existing pathology, excluding disease of the circulatory system or infection, were analysed by the committee of experts. Pre-existing pathology during pregnancy was documented in 13 women (asthma, n=3, genetic diseases, n=3, previous breast cancer, n=2, major sickle cell syndrome, n=2, epilepsy, n=1 and brain tumour, n=1). In 13 women, the pathology was not known before pregnancy (breast cancer, n=6, brain tumours, n=3, uterine sarcoma, n=1, cervical cancer, n=1, malignant melanoma, n=1 and acute myeloid leukaemia, n=1). For 16 women (61%), the death is related to a neoplastic pathology. Although the majority were considered inevitable for 11/16 women, 5 deaths were considered possibly preventable, the main preventable factor being a delay in diagnosis, and/or a delay in starting a specific treatment. For 10 women, the death is related to a chronic non-neoplastic pathology, known before pregnancy for 9 women, judged most often as possibly preventable, the main preventable factor being the failure of the medical team or the patient to take the pathology and/or its treatment into account. A preconception medical consultation with a specialist should be recommended to all patients with pre-existing disease. A clinical examination of the breasts is strongly recommended at the first visit and then during pregnancy.

Published by Gynecologie, obstetrique, fertilite & senologie, 2021. The guideline itself is at the source linked here.

doi.org/10.1016/j.gofs.2020.11.015