Purpose: to evaluate the avoidable mortality among women in reproductive age, living in Campinas, SP, comparing two five-year periods: 1985-89 and 1990-94. Methods: death certificates of 3.086 women aged 10 to 49 years were studied, representing the total number of deaths during the period from January 1985 through December 1994. The criteria for avoidance were applied to these deaths using preventive, sanitary, early diagnosis and treatment, and mixed measures. The deaths were also classified as: with hardly avoidable causes, not well-defined causes and other causes. The specific mortality coefficient for each period of five years and the ratio between these coefficients were calculated. Results: there was a 20% increase in the avoidable mortality rate from the first to the second period. The main failure was observed among the group of avoidable causes by preventive and sanitary measures. The main increase in death causes by preventive measures resulted from AIDS. Among the causes of death avoidable by mixed measures, the increase of 50% in maternal mortality caused by abortion, as well as causes due to violence specially homicides, are emphasized. Conclusion: there was an increase in the proportion of avoidable death causes. Measures to prevent AIDS, abortion and to reduce violent deaths, specially homicides, should be political and social priorities in our Country.
AIDS; Avoidable mortality; Women mortality; Reproductive health
