Maternal morbidity refers to illness, complications, or health problems that occur during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period, while maternal mortality refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy or within a specified period after the end of pregnancy from causes related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management. Maternal morbidity and mortality are major indicators of the health status of women and the quality of maternal healthcare services. Most maternal deaths are preventable when women receive timely antenatal care, skilled assistance during childbirth, emergency obstetric services, and appropriate postnatal care. The causes of maternal morbidity and mortality can broadly be classified into direct obstetric causes and indirect causes. Direct obstetric causes are complications resulting directly from pregnancy, childbirth, or the puerperium. The important causes include: 1. Haemorrhage: Severe bleeding is one of the most important causes of maternal death. Postpartum haemorrhage may occur after delivery because of uterine atony, retained placental tissue, genital tract trauma, uterine rupture, or coagulation disorders. Antepartum haemorrhage may result from placenta previa or placental abruption. Severe blood loss can rapidly lead to shock, severe anaemia, organ failure, and death if treatment is delayed. 2. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: Pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and eclampsia are important causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. Severe hypertension can damage the kidneys, liver, brain, and cardiovascular system. Eclampsia is characterized by seizures associated with pre-eclampsia and may result in unconsciousness, cerebral haemorrhage, aspiration, and death. Regular monitoring of blood pressure, urine protein, and warning signs is therefore essential. 3. Sepsis and infections: Maternal sepsis may develop during pregnancy, labour, delivery, or after childbirth. Poor hygiene, prolonged labour, prolonged rupture of membranes, retained products of conception, unsafe abortion, and inadequate infection-control practices increase the risk. Severe infection may progress to septic shock, multiple-organ failure, and death. 4. Obstructed and prolonged labour: Obstructed labour occurs when the fetus cannot pass normally through the birth canal. It may be associated with an abnormal fetal position, cephalopelvic disproportion, or abnormalities of the birth canal. Prolonged labour can cause maternal exhaustion, dehydration, infection, uterine rupture, postpartum haemorrhage, and fetal complications. Timely recognition and appropriate obstetric intervention are necessary. 5. Unsafe abortion: Unsafe abortion can result in severe bleeding, infection, uterine perforation, cervical injury, and damage to other pelvic organs. Complications become particularly serious when abortion is performed by untrained persons or under unhygienic conditions. Delayed treatment of complications can lead to septic shock and maternal death. 6. Complications of anaesthesia and surgery: Caesarean section and other obstetric procedures may occasionally cause complications such as haemorrhage, infection, thromboembolism, adverse reactions to anaesthetic drugs, aspiration, or injury to surrounding organs. Lack of adequate surgical facilities, trained personnel, blood transfusion services, and