ABSTRACT
Maternal deaths remain a significant global health problem. While the mortality rate has vastly decreased in developed countries over the last century, it remains a significant issue and it is still necessary for a multidisciplinary approach to try and reduce the global health burden caused by these deaths. Forensic pathology plays a key role in the analysis of maternal deaths. In this chapter, the accepted global definitions and classifications are discussed along with some of the difficulties involved in the classification and recording of maternal death cases. A discussion of the approach to the maternal death autopsy is presented along with some of the more complex conditions and case types. There are multiple issues surrounding embolic conditions including thromboembolic disease, amniotic fluid embolism and vascular air/gas embolism. Hypertensive conditions associated with pregnancy and the broad spectrum of cases that make up unascertained maternal death cases are also presented.
