5 Conditions that cause the mother to die after giving birth

Every couple wants the mother and baby to be safe after going through the delivery process. However, sometimes the mother can experience a critical condition during childbirth that causes her to die. Maternal mortality during childbirth can be caused by the condition of the mother during pregnancy, at the time of delivery, or within 42 days after giving birth (during the puerperium).

In Indonesia alone, the maternal mortality rate in 2015 was 305 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) recorded that in 2017 there were 810 deaths of pregnant women, both due to pregnancy and childbirth, per day from all over the world.

There are many reasons why mothers die after giving birth. Anything?

There are various reasons why mothers die after giving birth

Maternal mortality is caused by many things related to pregnancy and its treatment. Based on the Ministry of Health's report, the biggest cause of maternal death in 2010-2013 is bleeding. In addition, there are also other causes such as high blood pressure, infections, heart disease, tuberculosis, and others.

The following are the most common causes of mothers dying after childbirth.

1. Heavy bleeding (hemorrhagic)

Bleeding is common during childbirth. However, if it is not handled properly, this bleeding can get worse and can even cause the mother to die after giving birth. Bleeding can occur when you choose to give birth the normal way or caesarean section .

Bleeding after childbirth occurs because the vagina or cervix is torn. Bleeding can also occur when the uterus doesn't contract after giving birth. However, usually heavy bleeding is caused by placental problems during pregnancy, such as placental abruption. Placental abruption is a condition in which the placenta separates from the uterus before the time of birth.

2. Infection

Infection can occur when bacteria enter the body of a pregnant woman and her body cannot fight back. Some infections can cause the mother to die after giving birth. Pregnant women infected with the Streptococcal B bacteria group can experience sepsis (blood infection).

This sepsis can then attack the immune system and cause severe problems until death. Sometimes, sepsis can cause blood clots in pregnant women, thus blocking blood flow to important organs of the mother, such as the brain and heart. This in turn can lead to organ failure and even death.

3. Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia usually occurs when pregnant women have high blood pressure during pregnancy. Usually, preeclampsia occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy. Preeclampsia is treatable but it can also be severe and cause a separated placenta, seizures, or HELLP syndrome.

Mothers with HELLP syndrome can experience rapid liver damage. Without proper treatment, preeclampsia can also cause maternal death after delivery.

4. Pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that blocks a blood vessel in the lung. This usually occurs when a blood clot in the leg or thigh (known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT)) breaks and flows into the lungs.

Pulmonary embolism can cause oxygen levels in the blood to be low, so symptoms that usually appear are shortness of breath and chest pain. Organs that don't get enough oxygen can be damaged, and this can then cause death to the mother after childbirth.

To prevent pulmonary embolism and DVT, it's a good idea to get up and walking as soon as possible after giving birth. So, blood can flow smoothly and blood clots do not occur.

5. Cardiomyopathy

During pregnancy, a woman's heart function changes quite a lot. This makes pregnant women who have heart disease at high risk of dying. Cardiomyopathy is one of the heart diseases that can cause the death of pregnant women.

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes the heart bigger, thicker, or stiffer. This disease can make the heart weak, so it can't pump blood properly. Ultimately, cardiomyopathy can cause problems, such as heart failure or fluid buildup in the lungs. This condition can cause the mother to die after giving birth.