A gap between policy and practice: A case study on maternal mortality reports, Kerman, Iran

Objectives: Maternal mortality, a preventable tragedy, is an indicator of development, poverty and democracy. Therefore, prevention of maternal deaths is one of the main goals in many countries. Iran is one of the developing countries which aim to reduce maternal mortality through introduction of a new policy at national level. This study aimed to explore the extent to which this policy is practiced at peripheral levels. Methods: The data were collected through interviews with relevant people, observation, and review of the documents. Results: The results showed that there is a gap between policy and practice which can be explained by inadequate training programs, inadequate collaboration, lack of guidelines and instigation of a specific investigation into maternal deaths. Conclusions: This study suggests a number of considerations such as an initiative to collaborate, developing a guideline and presenting training programs before such policies are launched.