Further to a research project into the accuracy of death given on the causes of death given on the death certificates of women of fertile age (10-49), resident in the City of S. Paulo, SP, Brazil, in 1986, the main causes of death for the population according to age, with remarks on the mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD), malignant neoplasms and external causes are presented. The CVD were responsible for 23.6% of all deaths in this age group, strokes occupying the position of greatest importance (51.1% of all CVD deaths) and coronary heart disease coming second (18.2% of all CVD deaths, the greater number of them being due to acute myocardial infarction). Comparing these results with those of a similar research project undertaken in the 60s, in the same place and using the same methodology, a decline of mortality from chronic rheumatic disease of the heart is to be noted, as also a rise in the mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease, but with a global reduction in age-adjusted rates for CVD overall. There was also a great number of references to arterial hypertension both combined with stroke (78.3% of all deaths due to this cause were of hypertensives) and with coronary heart disease (where this proportion was of 63.4%). The importance of the supposedly high prevalence of high blood pressure in the fertile female population and the indiscriminate use of oral contraceptives are discussed.
Maternal mortality; Cause of death; Cardiovascular diseases