Increased risk of maternal deaths associated with foreign origin in Spain: a population based case-control study

In Europe, different studies have identified immigrant women coming from developing countries as a risk group for maternal death. In Spain, an ecological study showed higher maternal mortality rates among foreign mothers compared with Spanish mothers during 2003-04. To examine whether the maternal death risk among foreign mothers in Spain is increased, we performed a population-based matched case-control study. Each case of maternal death during 1999-2006 was matched with four mothers who had given birth during the same year the case occurred. The National Statistics Institute provided the data. The variables in the study were maternal age and country of origin. We used a conditional logistic regression analysis. Adjusted by age, the risk of maternal death was 87% higher among foreign mothers. This study confirms that there is an increased risk of maternal death among foreign mothers in Spain. It would be desirable to analyse the socio-economic and healthcare circumstances surrounding the deaths.