<qa>  What is the most common cause of maternal death in the developed world?Pregnancy is associated with an overall 5-10 fold increased risk of venous thromboembolism VTE. VTE remains the most common cause of maternal death in the developed world. It is up to 10 times more common in pregnant women than non-pregnant women of comparable age. More than a third of pregnancy-related VTE occurs during the six weeks after delivery. When compared with vaginal delivery, cesarean delivery further increases the risk of pregnancy associated VTE by three-fold. 