The role of the maternal death review

Abstract

Maternal mortality review committees are statutory authorities involved in data collection and research. They undertake reviews of all cases of maternal mortality and increasingly examine instances of significant maternal morbidity. Their bailiwick includes all maternal deaths occurring during pregnancy and within a year of birth. Cases of significant morbidity are identified based on intensive care admissions during pregnancy and the 42 days of the puerperium. The committees classify deaths as direct (relating to the pregnancy or birth, e.g., amniotic fluid embolism), indirect (relating to pre-existing medical conditions, e.g., valvular heart disease), incidental (unrelated to the pregnancy or birth, e.g., motor vehicle collisions) or late (deaths occurring between 42 days and 1 year).