Maternal morbidity and mortality in Slovak Republic in the years 2007-2015.

Objective: Analysis of maternal morbidity and mortality in Slovak Republic in the years 2007-2015.

Design: Prospective epidemiological perinatological nation-wide.

Settings: 1st Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.

Methods: The analysis of selected maternal morbidity and mortality data prospective collected in the years 2007-2015.

Results: Cesarean section rate progressively increased from 24.1% in the year 2007 up to 30.8% in the year 2013 and up to year 2015 decreased to 30.2%. Vacuum-extraction frequency was 1.3% in the year 2007 and to the year 2015 increased up to 1.6%. Forceps frequency was the same in the year 2007 and 2015: 0.6%. In the years 2008-2015 frequency of perineal tears 3th and 4th degree increased from 0.44% to 0.68% and frequency of episiotomies decreased from 74.7% to 57.2%. In the years 2012-2015 incidence of total severe acute maternal morbidity per 1,000 births was 5.85, peripartum hysterectomy 0.78, severe postpartum bleeding 2.03, transport to anaesthesiology department/intensive care unit 1.26, eclampsia 0.2, HELLP syndrome 0.6, abnormal placental invasion 0.38, uterine rupture 0.45, severe sepsis in pregnancy and puerperium 0.14 and frequency of nonfatal amniotic fluid embolism was 2/100,000 maternities. Total maternal mortality ratio in this period was 11.5 and pregnancy-related deaths ratio 9.9 per 100,000 live births.

Conclusion: The highest cesarean section rate in Slovakia, 30.8 %, was in the year 2013, but in the next years slowly decreased. Frequency of episiotomies decreased in followed period too. Incidence of severe acute maternal morbidity was 5.85 per 1,000 births. Maternal mortality ratio in Slovakia was one of the highest in European Union and not corresponding with good level of perinatal mortality. Improving of cesarean section rate and episiotomy, incidence of severe acute maternal morbidity and maternal mortality still need to be improved in Slovak Republic.