Pregnancy-related mortality surveillance--United States 1987-1990.

This report summarizes surveillance data for pregnancy-related deaths in the United States for 1987-1990....During 1987-1990 1459 deaths were determined to be pregnancy-related. The overall pregnancy-related mortality ratio was 9.2 deaths per 100000 live births. The pregnancy-related mortality ratio for black women was consistently higher than for white women for every risk factor examined by race....Older women particularly women aged [35 years or over] were at increased risk of pregnancy-related death. The gestational age-adjusted risk for pregnancy-related death was 7.7 times higher for women who received no prenatal care than for women who received `adequate prenatal care. (EXCERPT)