Objective: To identify and describe the epidemiological characteristics of maternal deaths that occured between 2000-2012 in a reference hospital in the state of São Paulo in order to contribute to the analysis of compliance with the fifth Millennium Development Goal.
Method: Epidemiological, retrospective and cross-sectional study with a population of 58 maternal deaths. Data were collected in the second half of 2013, through medical records and death certificates, and analyzed by SPSS version 13.0.
Results: An average age of 29.11 years was identified, 56.9% with 1-3 previous pregnancies, 56.9% cesarean deliveries, 84.5% of maternal complications occurred during pregnancy and the postpartum period, 81% of deaths occurred in postpartum, 56.9% of deaths were classified as direct causes, with 44.8% of deaths being attributed to high blood pressure.
Conclusion: There is a need for investment in obstetric care to optimize the reduction of complications during the gestation and puerperal period, thereby influencing the reduction of maternal mortality.