[Medical-social characteristics of maternal deaths in a Mayan community of Yucatan, Mexico].

Objective: To describe clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of maternal deaths occurred from 1997 to 2001, so as the access and availability of services of health, in the municipality of Chemax, Yucatan, Mexico.

Material And Methods: Acts and certificates of death of women born in the municipality of Chemax were reviewed. The maternal deaths were classified in direct and indirect obstetrical deaths, according to criteria of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (tenth revision).