EVALUATION OF OBSTETRIC NEAR MISS & MATERNAL DEATHS IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

Background: Maternal Mortality is a critical indicator to assess the quality of services provided by a health care system.The concept of severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM) has been found to complement the assessment of maternal health services, since pregnant women’s health status is not reflected by mortality indicators alone . Maternal near miss cases are more common than maternal deaths. Methods: A Retrospective analysis of maternal near miss cases and maternal deaths was undertaken in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Narayana Medical College and Hospital, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh over a period of two years. This study was conducted to find out maternal near miss and maternal deaths. Results: There were 2000 deliveries, 66 MNM cases and 2 maternal deaths during the study period. The Maternal Near Miss Incidence Ratio (MNMIR) ratio was 33%.The maternal near miss to mortality ratio was 33% for each maternal death. The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) was 100 per 1 lakh live births in our study. Conclusion: We suggest near miss approach to evaluate and improve the quality of care provided by the health care system. By reviewing the near miss cases we can learn about the processes and their deficiencies that are in place for the care of pregnant women.