OBJECTIVES: to examine the correlation between maternal mortality rates and race/color in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso between 2000 and 2006. METHODS: an epidemiological study was carried out using the death certificates, DATASUS and SIM/SES-MT to provide a time series for these years. The race/color of the women who died during childbirth was related to the variables age, level of education, marital status, primary cause of death and type of obstetric cause. In combination with the Χ2 test and the odds rati were used. RESULTS: the Χ2 test showed a significant association between race/color and maternal mortality, with a level of significance of 95%. The odds ratio revealed that such deaths were 5.13 times more likely among black women and 5.71 times more likely among indigenous women, compared to white women. "Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, childbirth or puerperium" were the main cause of maternal mortality among African Brazilian women and women of mixed race; 45.4% and 29.93% respectively. Indigenous women died more of "complications during labor" with 27.2%. White women died more (30.7%) of "other obstetric complications". CONCLUSIONS: in the state of Mato Grosso a high maternal mortality rate from direct obstetric causes are found among black and indigenous women.
Maternal mortality; Ethnic group and health; Vital statistics; Information systems
