Perfil epidemiológico da mortalidade materna durante a pandemia de COVID-19 entre os anos de 2020 e 2021 no estado do Pará

Abstract

Introduction: Maternal mortality is an important indicator of the population's quality of life, as it is directly linked to living and working conditions, the valorization of women in society, and social inequalities, discrimination, and injustices. Most deaths are preventable, affecting mostly the population with low economic power, low education, adolescents, and women living in rural areas and/or with difficult access to health services. Due to the high risk of morbidity and mortality, the WHO classified pregnant women as a risk group for COVID-19. Objective: To assess the causes and describe the epidemiological profile of maternal mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 in the State of Pará. Methodology: Cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive study with a quantitative approach. The research was carried out on the Ministry of Health's Integrated Health Surveillance Platform (IVIS), which allows analyses of the indicators monitored by the survey through disaggregation by year, capital, region, sex, age group and education level. Data extracted from IVIS, accessed through the MM monitoring panel, were included, considering the period from January 2020 to December 2021 with data from all registered pregnant women in the State of Pará. No pregnant women were excluded. The data were collected with the help of a form prepared by the researchers. The data obtained were organized and tabulated in an electronic spreadsheet in Microsoft Office Excel® 2021 software, where they were processed and presented in descriptive tables and graphs. Results: The analysis of maternal deaths that occurred in the State of Pará in 2020 and 2021 revealed a worrying scenario, marked by significant regional inequalities, structural weaknesses in health services, and barriers to access to qualified obstetric care. The highest concentration of deaths in macro-regions I and III, especially in cities such as Belém, Santarém, and Redenção, highlights the overload of urban reference centers in terms of records. Conclusion: The study reinforces the need for public policies aimed at improving the maternal care network, with an emphasis on decentralizing services, expanding access to quality prenatal care, training health teams, and implementing effective strategies for monitoring and preventing pregnancy risks.