Table 1 Case histories, including mode of pregnancy termination, of maternal deaths in Sweden 1988–2010

Median age at death in years (range)

32.0 (21–45)

29.0 (21–42)

32.5 (21–45)

Died during first pregnancy or after first delivery

32

11

21

Early pregnancy death

 Miscarriage

8

4

4

 Ectopic pregnancy

4

1

3

Mode of delivery

 Unassisted vaginal delivery

13

7

6

 Vacuum extraction

6

2

4

 Elective caesarean

2

1

1

 Urgent/emergency caesarean

20

4

16

 Peri-mortem caesarean¹

12

4

8

Death during pregnancy

 <24 weeks

5

1

4

 ≥24 weeks

3

1

2

Place of death

 Outside hospital

4

1

3

 Declared dead at hospital²

14

4

10

 District hospital

6

2

4

 County hospital

16

6

10

 University hospital

33

12

21

BMI (kg/m²⁾

 <18.5

4

1

3

 18.5–34.9

44

16

28

 ≥35

5

1

4

 Information missing

20

7

13

Autopsy

 Clinical

38

8

30

 Forensic

23

10

13

 Relatives opposed

7

6

1

 Not performed other reasons

4

0

4

 Information missing

1

1

0