Geographic accessibility to obstetric care and maternal mortality in a large metropolitan area of Brazil.

Objective: To assess maternal mortality and its association with accessibility to obstetric care in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Methods: Maternal mortality was assessed from 2 national databases, one administrative and the other designed for epidemiologic purposes. Distances traveled from residence to hospital via the transit network were calculated using a specialized information system. Deaths were grouped by area of residence, and maternal mortality ratios (number of deaths per 100,000 live births) as well as death incidence ratios (deaths/live births in 2 regions or hospital types) were calculated for these areas.

Results: We identified 236 deaths and estimated under-reporting at 30%. The most common causes of death were hypertension-related disorders, "other obstetric conditions," and complications from abortion; the longest traveled distance was 66.43 km (mean, 13.65 km); and maternal mortality ratios varied between 25.54% and 56.45%, the highest values being for areas with the lowest municipal human development index. The highest death incidence ratios were found at general hospitals without specialized obstetric care.

Conclusion: Maternal mortality is still a serious problem in the studied region. The wide variations among areas of different socioeconomic conditions suggest the need for a better allocation of health care resources.