OBJECTIVEData collected during a period of six years in implementation of the Health VI Project sponsored by the World Bank were used to analyze maternal mortality rates (MMR) at county level and its related factors, so as to decrease MMR further.

METHODSRoutine data on maternal deaths, as well as its related economic, social and cultural factors, during 1995 to 2000 were collected at county level, and univariate analysis was conducted for them.

RESULTSAverage MMR reduced remakably by 51.33% from 159.74/100 000 in 1995 to 77.75/100 000 in 2000 in the areas with implementation of the Health VI Project. However, there was still a gap in MMR between the Project areas and the nation as a whole. MMR correlated with local topography, economic and cultural levels, traffic and communication, health resource, and quality of obstetric care service.

CONCLUSIONSIn order to lower MMR further, it is necessary to increase financial investment for health, to improve health care service establishments, to strengthen health education for pregnant women and to increase their health awareness so as to improve their use of maternal care and health care services, to improve quality of obstetric care service, to strengthen training for health professionals and to improve their knowledge and skills, and to accelerate construction of traffic and communication.