Five Italian women died in childbirth during the last week of 2015, causing widespread concern across the country, AFP reports. Italy otherwise has an extremely low rate of maternal mortality.
The causes of death were all clear, though many question whether staffing in hospitals was not up to standards due to the holiday season.
The Health Minister has sent experts to investigate the incidents. "We have to understand if the recommended procedures were followed or if there were organizational deficiencies," he said. "The priority is identifying any errors and preventing other tragedies."