Although preventable, acute renal failure (ARF) of obstetrical origin continues to be common in developing countries. During the year 1994, we treated a total of 238 cases of ARF. Of these cases, 43 (18%) were of obstetrical origin. All of the patients were known to be previously healthy. Acute renal failure occurred in association with antepartum hemorrhage in 15, postpartum hemorrhage in 10, intrauterine death of fetus in 11, preeclampsia or eclampsia in 9, and septic abortions or puerperal sepsis in 7. Thirty-six patients required dialysis therapy because of moderate to severe azotemia. Renal histology was studied in 12 cases. Acute cortical necrosis was present in 9, extensive tubular necrosis in 2, and 1 patient had membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Twenty-two (51%) patients recovered normal renal function, while 11 (26%) developed irreversible renal dysfunction and 10 (23%) expired. Mortality and morbidity in this region is still quite high in obstetrical situations. Poor health infrastructure and lack of antenatal health clinics leads to development of major complications at the time of childbirth, which is mostly conducted at home by untrained personnel in quite a few cities of the country.