Recent publication of report into maternal deaths in Ireland in 2012-2014

Maternal Death Enquiry (MDE) Ireland has announced the publication of a data brief to coincide with the latest report of the UK-based Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (CEMD). This data brief presents surveillance data on maternal deaths in Ireland for the years 2012 to 2014.

MDE Ireland Data Brief No 2 is available at http://www.ucc.ie/en/mde/publications/.

The UK CEMD report, published by MBRRACE-UK, Saving Lives, Improving Mothers' Care; and surveillance of maternal deaths in the UK 2012-14 and lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2009-14 is available at https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk/reports.

What's new in this data brief?

Historically, the UK Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (CEMD) classified maternal mortality as direct or indirect using a disease-based classification system. Within this classification, deaths due to suicide were classified as indirect maternal deaths.

In recognition of the importance of maternal suicide and its direct link to pregnancy, the most recent WHO guidance on classification of maternal mortality (ICD-MM, WHO 2012) has recommended that maternal deaths due to suicide are classified as direct rather than indirect maternal deaths.2 In line with WHO2 and MBRRACE-UK1, MDE Ireland has adopted this changed classification.

Similar to the UK, cardiac disease remains the single most common cause of maternal death in Ireland. Thrombosis continues to feature prominently as a cause of direct maternal death. However, with the introduction of the ICD-MM classification system, suicide was the most common cause of direct maternal death for the triennium 2012-2014. Further, suicide was also the most common cause of late maternal deaths (4 of 7) occurring between 42 days and one year of pregnancy end.