Improved surveillance of maternal deaths.

This study explains and verifies an apparent increase in the New Jersey resident maternal mortality rate from 1.7 per 10,000 live births by the state's traditional method to 3.1 per 10,000 live births by a new method of surveillance instituted in late 1974. In 1975, the maternal mortality rate by the traditional method was 1.5 per 10,000 and by the expanded method, 3.0 per 10,000. The traditional method compiled data from death certificates submitted to the State Vital Statistics Office. The expanded method found additional deaths by review of Annual Maternity Services Reports from hospitals and by close follow-up of individual reports of maternal deaths from medical examiners, physicians and hospitals.