Grant: Project Grant

Maternal deaths are tragic and are one of the most devastating events a family can experience. Many people have difficult pregnancies each year in Canada, and some unfortunately do not survive. However, the number of maternal deaths in Canada is undercounted as the information sources that are used to find these deaths are not ideal. What is considered a maternal death also varies from one province to another. Some provinces only include deaths within 42 days of pregnancy, instead of one year as recommended by the World Health Organization. We have very little information on the factors leading to maternal deaths. Other countries have found that mental health issues and heart problems may be important factors, but we do not know if this is the case in Canada. Also, little is known about how maternal death affects the health of surviving children and partners. This project seeks to measure maternal death rates, study how mental health and heart disease contribute, and assess the impact on family members. To carry out this research, we will use a dataset containing all pregnant individuals who were hospitalized in Québec between 1989 and 2023. We will determine whether patients died during pregnancy or in the year after pregnancy and will calculate death rates. We will identify patients with mental and heart problems, and will determine how these conditions contribute to maternal death. Finally, we will assess the health outcomes of surviving children and partners to see the impact of maternal death on the family. The project will help us understand how maternal deaths affect Canadians. The findings will help prevent maternal deaths, improve the care of pregnant patients, and improve the lives of surviving family members.