Maternal Near-miss Ratio Research Articles

Severe maternal morbidity among women with a history of cesarean section at a tertiary referral teaching hospital in the southeast of Iran

ObjectivesAlthough the cesarean section (C-section) is known as a lifesaving procedure, it can also increase the risk of maternal mortality and morbidity. This study was conducted to achieve two objectives: (1) determination of maternal near miss (MNM) indicators and pregnancy outcomes among women with a history of C-section and (2) investigation of the women's experience of near miss events during childbirth to provide a deeper understanding of the weaknesses of care delivery process. Study designThe present study was conducted using a prospective cross-sectional study using the World Health Organization (organ system dysfunction–based) criteria. MethodsAll subjects were women at more than 22 weeks of gestation who gave birth in Ali ibn Abi Talib Hospital, Zahedan, Iran, and were referred to this hospital for childbirth or those within 42 days of pregnancy termination. Logistic regression was used to predict the risk factors for severe maternal outcomes (SMOs). ResultsNearly 58% of all MNM cases were related to women with a history of C-section. The MNM ratio was estimated at 8.04 per 1000 live births. Moreover, the frequent causes of SMOs were reported as severe hemorrhage (58.3%), severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (27.8%), medical condition (8.3%), and sepsis or severe systemic infection (5.6%). Abnormally invasive placenta (61%) was the most common cause of severe hemorrhage. After adjustment for potential confounder variables, the hemoglobin level of <11 g/dl (odds ratio [OR] = 0.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.09–0.36) and place of residence (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.19–0.90) remained as independent risk factors for SMOs in the final model of multivariate analysis. ConclusionA risk assessment system is needed to diagnose and manage the risk factors for SMOs during prenatal care. In addition, there should be a continuous audit of the indication and number of C-sections performed across health facilities.

Skin Color and Severe Maternal Outcomes: Evidence from the Brazilian Network for Surveillance of Severe Maternal Morbidity.

Background Taking into account the probable role that race/skin color may have for determining outcomes in maternal health, the objective of this study was to assess whether maternal race/skin color is a predictor of severe maternal morbidity. Methods This is a secondary analysis of the Brazilian Network for Surveillance of Severe Maternal Morbidity, a national multicenter cross-sectional study of 27 Brazilian referral maternity hospitals. A prospective surveillance was performed to identify cases of maternal death (MD), maternal near miss (MNM) events, and potentially life-threatening conditions (PLTC), according to standard WHO definition and criteria. Among 9,555 women with severe maternal morbidity, data on race/skin color was available for 7,139 women, who were further divided into two groups: 4,108 nonwhite women (2,253 black and 1,855 from other races/skin color) and 3,031 white women. Indicators of severe maternal morbidity according to WHO definition are shown by skin color group. Adjusted Prevalence Ratios (PRadj - 95%CI) for Severe Maternal Outcome (SMO=MNM+MD) were estimated according to sociodemographic/obstetric characteristics, pregnancy outcomes, and perinatal results considering race. Results Among 7,139 women with severe maternal morbidity evaluated, 90.5% were classified as PLTC, 8.5% as MNM, and 1.6% as MD. There was a significantly higher prevalence of MNM and MD among white women. MNMR (maternal near miss ratio) was 9.37 per thousand live births (LB). SMOR (severe maternal outcome ratio) was 11.08 per 1000 LB, and MMR (maternal mortality ratio) was 170.4 per 100,000 LB. Maternal mortality to maternal near miss ratio was 1 to 5.2, irrespective of maternal skin color. Hypertension, the main cause of maternal complications, affected mostly nonwhite women. Hemorrhage, the second more common cause of maternal complication, predominated among white women. Nonwhite skin color was associated with a reduced risk of SMO in multivariate analysis. Conclusion Nonwhite skin color was associated with a lower risk for severe maternal outcomes. This result could be due to confounding factors linked to a high rate of Brazilian miscegenation.

The burden of severe maternal outcomes and indicators of quality of maternal care in Nigerian hospitals: a secondary analysis comparing two large facility-based surveys.

To compare severe maternal outcomes (SMOs) from two multi-centre surveys in Nigerian hospitals, and to evaluate how the SMO burden affects quality of secondary and tertiary hospital care. Two facility-based surveys of women experiencing SMO (maternal near-miss or maternal deaths). Sixteen secondary and five tertiary facilities in Nigeria [WHO Multi-Country Survey on Maternal and Newborn Health (WHOMCS)] and 42 public tertiary facilities in Nigeria (Nigeria Near-Miss and Maternal Death Survey). 371 women in WHOMCS-Nigeria and 2449 women in Nigeria Near-Miss and Maternal Death Survey who experienced SMO. Secondary analysis and comparison of SMO data from two surveys, stratified by facility level. Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) per 100000 livebirths (LB), maternal near-miss (MNM) ratio per 1000 LB, SMO ratio per 1000 LB and mortality index (deaths/SMO). Maternal mortality ratio and mortality indices were highest in tertiary facilities of the WHOMCS-Nigeria (706 per 100000; 26.7%) and the Nigeria Near-Miss and Maternal Death Survey (1088 per 100000; 40.8%), and lower in secondary facilities of the WHOMCS-Nigeria (593 per 100000; 17.9%). The MNM ratio and SMO ratio were highest in secondary WHOMCS-Nigeria facilities (27.2 per 1000 LB; 33.1 per 1000 LB). Tertiary-level facilities in Nigeria experience unacceptably high maternal mortality rates, but secondary-level facilities had a proportionately higher burden of severe maternal outcomes. Common conditions with a high mortality index (postpartum haemorrhage, eclampsia, and infectious morbidities) should be prioritised for action. Surveillance using SMO indicators can guide quality improvement efforts and assess changes over time. 2820 Nigerian women with severe maternal outcomes: high mortality in tertiary level hospitals, higher burden in secondary level.

Maternal mortality and 'near miss' morbidity at a tertiary hospital in Timor-Leste.

Assessment of severe maternal morbidity is increasingly being undertaken to understand the aetiology and factors which lead to adverse maternal outcomes. Their use in conjunction with maternal deaths may allow a comprehensive assessment of care provided, highlight areas for improvement within the health system and allow benchmarking of care against other institutions. Timor-Leste has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the Asia-Pacific region; however, there has been limited research into the level of severe obstetric morbidity in the country. To determine the aetiology and rates of severe obstetric morbidity and mortality at Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares, Timor-Leste. Cases of maternal 'near misses' and deaths were prospectively identified over a period of 12months using the World Health Organization maternal near-miss criteria. Cases of maternal death and near miss were combined (severe maternal outcomes) for descriptive analysis. During the audit period, 69 severe maternal outcomes were identified: 30 maternal deaths and 39 'near misses'. The maternal mortality ratio and the maternal near-miss ratio were 662/100000 live births and 8/1000 live births, respectively. The main identified obstetric aetiologies were haemorrhage and pre-eclampsia, while 22% of severe maternal outcomes did not have a clearly identified cause. The high institutional maternal mortality ratio requires urgent attention and identification of areas for improvement. Auditing and benchmarking using the WHO near-miss criteria provide a mechanism for standardised comparison of obstetric care but require further refinement to the local context.

Effect of Delay in Postpartum Hemorrhage Management on the Rate of Near-Miss and Maternal Death Cases

Objective: To recognize the effect of delay in the management of postpartum bleeding to the occurrence of near-miss and maternal death cases. Method: Prospective cohort. The study population was patients with postpartum hemorrhage. All PPH cases from thirteen hospitals (Sardjito and 12 affiliated hospitals) were recorded. The study was carried out from January 1st to June 30th 2009. The study group was those who experienced delay and the control group was those withoutdelay. The outcome was measured as the number of near-miss and death cases. Near-miss was defined as those who experienced severe shock, demonstrated by systolic blood pressure 90 mmHg or less. Chi square test, t-test and logistic regressions were used to analyze our data.Result: From January 1st to June 30th 2009 we identified 139 cases of PPH from 8,924 deliveries (1.6%). From the 80 referred cases, as much as 22 cases (27.5%) were delayed, and 12 from 139 (8.6%) experienced delay in the hospital. A total of 30 cases among 139 (21.6%) experienced delay both outside and in the hospital. There were 74 near-miss cases, 9 of which ended in death of the patient. This means the real occurrence of near-miss cases is 65 from 139 cases or 46.8% while the occurrence of maternal death was 9 out of 139, or 6.47%. Case fatality rate was 9 from 139 or 6.47%; maternal near-miss ratio was 6.22; mortality index was 13.84% and maternal mortality ratio is estimated as 103/100.000 live births. Multivariate analysis showed delay in referral increased the risk of near-miss cases as much as 8.37 folds, while bleeding &gt;1500 ml increased risk of near-miss by 12.12 folds. Delay in both referral and management in the hospital increased the risk of maternal death rate as much as 25.34 folds, hemoglobin &lt;6 g/dl and unavailability of blood increase maternal death by 31.58 folds and 13.39 folds, respectively.Conclusion: Delay in referral and delay of in-hospital management ncreased the occurrence of near-miss and maternal mortality cases significantly. Multivariate analysis showed that the amount of bleeding, hemoglobin level and lack of blood availability influenced the occurrence of near-miss and maternal death more than the delay itself.Keywords: delay, maternal death, maternal near-miss, PPH

Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury requiring dialysis as an indicator of severe adverse maternal morbidity at a tertiary center in Southwest Nigeria

ObjectiveDespite being a Critical Intervention in the WHO Near-miss concept, the indications and clinical outcomes of patients with Pregnancy-Related Acute Kidney Injury (PRAKI) requiring dialysis at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Nigeria remain unknown. This retrospective review was conducted to facilitate counselling, prognostication and introduction of preventative measures by providing contemporary data on the aetiology and clinical outcomes of women with PRAKI. Study designA retrospective review. The indications for dialysis and feto-maternal outcomes of women with PRAKI requiring dialysis between January 2007 and December 2016 were reviewed. Analysis was performed with IBM SPSS 21.0. ResultsThere were 43 patients with PRAKI that required dialysis and 11,242 live births, with Maternal Near Miss Ratio (MNMR) of 3.8/1000 live births. Preeclampsia/ecclampsia (40%), Sepsis (37.5%) and Haemorrhage (20%) were the leading aetiologies of kidney injury, while oligo-anuria (100%) was the commonest clinical presentation. Majority (78%) of them had ≤four dialysis sessions before recovery of renal function. The mean (±SD) gestational age and birth weight at delivery were 36 (±3.1) weeks and 2.9 (±0.6)kg, while the Maternal Mortality Index and Perinatal mortality rates were 18% and 34% respectively. Delayed referral, and lower number of dialysis sessions were the significant predictors of mortality, while four women discontinued care due to cost. ConclusionThe high rate of Pregnancy-related acute kidney injury requiring dialysis, with its attendant morbidity and mortality are largely preventable. The prognosis is however good with standardised care. Functional emergency obstetric services, and a review of the Nigerian healthcare financing system are advocated.

"Near-Miss obstetric events" and its clinico-social correlates in a secondary referral unit of Burdwan District in West Bengal.

Near-miss obstetric events (NMEs) refers to the situations where women experience severe, life-threatening obstetric complications during pregnancy, delivery, or postpregnancy (up to 42 days) which they survive either by chance or because they receive good care at a facility. A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2016 at the subdivisional hospital of West Bengal. The WHO near-miss criteria were followed for case identification. Data were collected by interview and record review. No maternal deaths were reported during data collection period; however, the frequency of NMEs was quite high (38%). Maternal near-miss ratio was 379.51/1000 live births, and maternal mortality index was 0%. Higher age group, below poverty line status, term pregnancy, and higher gravid and higher parity significantly favored the occurrence of NMEs, while ANC registration and Iron and Folic Acid consumption were significantly protective against it. Early identification of risk factors for NMEs and prompt initiation of treatment plays a critical role in the management of NMEs.

Maternal near-misses at a provincial hospital in Papua New Guinea: A prospective observational study.

Maternal near-miss indices are World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised indicators that may improve our understanding of factors associated with maternal morbidity and mortality. In Papua New Guinea (PNG) where maternal mortality is among the highest in the world, only one study has documented near-miss indices in a tertiary-level hospital, but none from provincial hospitals where the majority of under-privileged women access healthcare services. To determine the near-miss ratio, maternal mortality index (MMI), and associated maternal indices for Modilon Hospital in Madang Province of PNG. All women attending Modilon Hospital who met the WHO maternal near-miss definition and/or a WHO-modified (PNG-specific) near-miss definition, were prospectively enrolled. There were 6019 live births during the audit period; 163 women presented with life-threatening conditions (153 near-misses and 10 maternal deaths). The maternal near-miss ratio was 25.4/1000 live births and the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) was 166/100000 live births, with a maternal death to near-miss ratio of 1:15.3. The severe maternal outcome ratio was 27.1/1000 live births and the total mortality index was 6.8%. Higher proportions of near-miss women were aged ≥30years, nulliparous, illiterate, from rural communities, lacked formal employment, referred from peripheral health facilities, unbooked, had history of still births and were anaemic. Sociodemographic factors such as women's rights, education level and status in society, in addition to appropriate health reforms with greater financial and political support are urgently needed to ensure underprivileged women in rural PNG have access to family planning, supervised deliveries and skilled emergency obstetric care.

"Near-Miss" Obstetric events and maternal mortality in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Obstetric near-miss or severe acute maternal morbidity is gaining interest internationally as a new indicator of the quality of obstetric care. This is a retrospective study conducted using "The WHO Near-Miss Approach" to provide insight into obstetric emergencies, near-miss cases, and maternal deaths in our hospital. The maternal near-miss ratio was 8.4/1000 live births, maternal near-miss to mortality ratio was 5.3:1. Hemorrhage was the leading cause (43.7%) of morbidity in near-miss cases while hypertensive disorders were the leading cause in maternal deaths (66.6%). Among women with potentially life-threatening conditions, severe preeclampsia was the most common complication (50.54%). The near-miss approach helps to evaluate and improve the quality of care provided by health system by identifying the pattern of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, strengths and weakness in the referral system and the clinical interventions available and the ways in which improvements can be made.

Maternal Near Miss and Quality of Obstetric Care in a Tunisian Tertiary Level Maternity

This study aimed to determine the frequency and the nature of maternal near miss (NM) events in a population of women attending a tertiary level maternity hospital in Tunisia and to evaluate the care level of this institution according to indicators proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). We opted for a retrospective medical chart review of cases of NM and maternal mortality that occurred in the year 2010 at the Farhat Hached Maternity University Hospital. NM cases were defined based on the WHO criteria 2009. There were 9957 deliveries, 58 NM events and one case of maternal death. Haemorrhagic (74.1%) and hypertensive disorders (20.7%) were the leading causes of NM. The study showed a low Maternal NM Ratio of 5.86/1000 live births, a relatively low mortality index of 1.7 % and Severe Maternal Outcome Ratio of 5.96/1000 live births. This was the first study to document NM in a Tunisian public maternity. The WHO approach allowed a systematic monitoring of quality of maternal health care. There is a low frequency of maternal morbidity and mortality at the level of this facility. But, more efforts are still needed to document NM events in other types of care facilities in Tunisia.

Maternal near miss approach to evaluate quality of care in Alborz province, Iran

Objectivethe maternal near miss approach has been developed by World Health Organization for assessing and improving the quality of care. This study aimed to examine the incidence, characteristics, and features of the care provided for maternal near-miss cases in public and private hospitals in Alborz province, Iran. Methodsa cross sectional, facility-based study was conducted in all 13 public and private hospitals of Alborz province between April 2012 and December 2012. The World Health Organization near miss criteria were applied to gather and analyse the data, and indicators related to maternal near miss, access to and quality of maternal care. Findings38,715 deliveries were assessed. There were 38,663 live births, 419 (1.08%) had potentially life-threatening conditions and 199 had severe maternal outcomes (SMO) (192 near miss cases and 7 maternal deaths). The maternal near-miss ratio was 4.97 cases per 1000 live births. The incidence of severe maternal outcome was 5.15 cases per 1000 live births. Severe mortality outcomes index within 12 hours of hospital stay from admission (SMO12) was 3.52%. The proportion of SMO12 cases from the total SMO cases was 99.5%. The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission rate among women with SMO was 72.7%, while the overall admission rate was 0.7%. Overall, hypertensive disorder was the most frequent condition among women with potentially life-threatening conditions and maternal near-miss cases. Cardiovascular dysfunction and respiratory dysfunction were the most prevalent dysfunctions among maternal near miss (MNM) cases and maternal death cases respectively. Key conclusions and implications for practicethe WHO maternal near miss criteria help to identify issues that may lead to life threatening conditions and can be used to monitor and improve the quality of care in maternity settings. Hypertensive disorders related to near miss conditions need more attention to prevent maternal severe outcomes in Alborz province. Most of the process indicators were not satisfactory. The WHO tool enables health managers to improve maternal health care.

Maternal near-miss at university hospitals with cesarean overuse: an incident case-control study.

Cesarean section carries a substantial risk of maternal near-miss morbidity. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency, causes, risk factors, and perinatal outcomes of maternal near-miss at three university hospitals with a high rate of cesarean section in Tehran, Iran. An incident case-control study was conducted from March 2012 to May 2014. The modified WHO near-miss criteria were used to identify cases. A control sample of 1024 women delivering at the study hospitals was recruited to represent the source population. Near-miss ratio, crude and adjusted odds ratios with confidence intervals were assessed. Among 12 965 live births, 82 mothers developed near-miss morbidities and 12 died. The maternal near-miss ratio was 6.3/1000 live births. Severe postpartum hemorrhage (35%, 29/82), severe preeclampsia (32%, 26/82), and placenta previa/abnormally invasive placenta (10%, 8/82) were the most frequent causes of maternal near-miss. Women with antepartum cesarean section (adjusted odds ratio 7.4, 95% confidence interval 3.7-15.1) and co-morbidity (adjusted odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.4-3.8), uninsured Iranians (adjusted odds ratio 3.4, 95% confidence interval 1.7-7.1) and uninsured Afghans (adjusted odds ratio 4.7, 95% confidence interval 2.4-9.2) had increased risks of near-miss morbidity. Stillbirth and extremely preterm birth were the most prominent adverse perinatal outcomes associated with maternal near-miss. Overutilization of cesarean section clearly influenced the causes of maternal near-miss. A lack of health insurance had a measurable impact on near-miss morbidity. Tailored interventions for reducing unnecessary cesarean section and unrestricted insurance cover for emergency obstetric care can potentially improve maternal and perinatal outcomes.

The Ability of ICU Admission to Detect Maternal Near Misses as Defined By The Who Near-Miss Criteria

Objective: to assess the ability of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in pregnancy, or the postpartum period, to detect cases of obstetric near-miss. Methods: All obstetric admissions to the ICU were included retrospectively and data collected as specified by 2011 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on evaluating obstetrics near-misses between 2010 and 2013 in a Sri Lankan Hospital. Proportion of ICU admissions which fulfilled the WHO criteria for Severe Acute Maternal Morbidity (SAMM), maternal mortality ratio (MMR), maternal near-miss mortality ratio (MNM: MM)), and maternal near-miss ratio (MNMR) were analysed. Results: A total of 9,608 live births were reported. 118 ICU admissions and four maternal deaths were analysed. MMR was 42 per 100,000. MNMR was 9.7 per 1000, and MNM: MM was 23:1. From all ICU admissions 99 cases (79.8%) met additional WHO near-miss criteria and were classified as true SAMM. Pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders accounted for majority of ICU admissions (37.7%). Out of eight published studies from our region none of them had a MNM: MM higher than ours. Conclusions: Obstetric near-misses may be over-diagnosed if ICU admission is considered an independent inclusion criterion for SAMM. Reporting the proportion of patients admitted to ICU which are true near-miss may illustrate differing admission thresholds for a given institution. Sri Lanka Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vol.37(3) 2015: 31-37

Maternal near-miss and mortality in Sayaboury Province, Lao PDR.

BackgroundMaternal near-miss (MNM) incidence is the indicator reflecting maternal healthcare services. This study aimed to determine the burden of maternal near-miss and maternal deaths in Sayaboury Province, Lao PDR.MethodsA descriptive study was done in a cohort of 1215 pregnant women, who had their last normal menstrual period (LMP) between 1 August and 31 December, 2010. WHO criteria for MNM were used to identify near-miss cases and maternal deaths during February – November 2011. Data of maternal characteristics, MNM, and maternal deaths were prospectively collected by primary health care workers in the villages under supervision of health staff in local health centers and by the head nurses of the gynecology - obstetric wards in the studied hospitals. Frequencies with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to describe maternal near-misses and maternal deaths.ResultsOverall, 92.5% of the 1215 pregnancies were delivered, 7.5% were aborted. Eleven women were identified as near-miss cases, giving a maternal near miss (MNM) ratio of 9.8 (95% CI: 4.9 -17.5)/1,000 live births. With two maternal deaths, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) was 178 (95% CI: 50–650)/100,000 live births. Together, these constituted 13 cases of severe maternal outcome (SMO) and given the SMO ratio of 11.6 (95% CI: 6.2 - 19.8)/1,000 live births.ConclusionThe study shows a surprisingly low MNM ratio and MMR in Sayaboury Province, Lao PDR. Generalization of the results is limited by problems in applying standard criteria for the identification of near-misses in the communities and local hospitals. However, the findings are considered to have important implications for the improvement of maternal health services in low resource settings, e.g. to obtain valid and reliable maternal near miss and maternal deaths for the whole country.

Maternal near-miss and death and their association with caesarean section complications: a cross-sectional study at a university hospital and a regional hospital in Tanzania.

BackgroundThe maternal near-miss (MNM) concept has been developed to assess life-threatening conditions during pregnancy, childhood, and puerperium. In recent years, caesarean section (CS) rates have increased rapidly in many low- and middle-income countries, a trend which might have serious effects on maternal health. Our aim was to describe the occurrence and panorama of maternal near-miss and death in two low-resource settings, and explore their association with CS complications.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study, including all women who fulfilled the WHO criteria for MNM or death between February and June 2012 at a university hospital and a regional hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Cases were assessed individually to determine their association with CS. Main outcome measures included MNM ratio; maternal mortality ratio; proportion of MNM and death associated with CS complications; and the risk for such outcomes per 1,000 operations. The risk ratio of life-threatening CS complications at the university hospital compared to the regional hospital was calculated.ResultsWe identified 467 MNM events and 77 maternal deaths. The MNM ratio was 36 per 1,000 live births (95% CI 33–39) and the maternal mortality ratio was 587 per 100,000 live births (95% CI 460–730). Major causes were eclampsia and postpartum haemorrhage, but we also detected nine MNM events and five deaths from iatrogenic complications. CS complications accounted for 7.9% (95% CI 5.6–11) of the MNM events and 13% (95% CI 6.4–23) of the maternal deaths. The risk of experiencing a life-threatening CS complication was three times higher at the regional hospital (22/1,000 operations, 95% CI 12–37) compared to the university hospital (7.0/1,000 operations, 95% CI 3.8–12) (risk ratio 3.2, 95% CI 1.5–6.6).ConclusionsThe occurrence of MNM and death at the two hospitals was high, and many cases were associated with CS complications. The maternal risks of CS in low-resource settings must not be overlooked, and measures should be taken to avoid unnecessary CSs. More comprehensive training of staff, improved postoperative surveillance, and a more even distribution of resources within the health care system might reduce the risks of CS.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2393-14-244) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Evaluation of severe maternal outcomes to assess quality of maternal health care at a tertiary center.

Maternal mortality and near-miss index reflect the quality of care provided by a health facility. The World Health Organization recently published near-miss approach where strict near- miss criteria based on markers of organ dysfunction are defined. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of severe maternal complications, maternal near-miss cases and maternal deaths, to analyze causes of near-miss and maternal mortality and to determine the values of maternal near-miss indicators. This was a prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care centre in North India from January 2012 - March 2013. WHO's near-miss approach was implemented for evaluation of severe maternal outcomes and to assess the quality of maternal health care. The number of women attending our facility with severe maternal complications was low (205 in 6,767 live births); as a result maternal near-miss ratio (MNMR) was low; 3.98/1,000 live births; Overall Maternal near-miss mortality ratio (MNM:1MD) was also low, 3.37:1, because of strict criterion of labeling near-miss and delay in referral to the hospital. Hypertensive disorder (37.5%) was the commonest underlying cause for maternal mortality. Basic implementation of WHO near-miss approach helped in the systematic identification and evidence-based management of severe maternal complications thereby improving the quality of maternal health in a developing country.

Severe acute maternal morbidity in a tertiary care institution

Introduction: As the absolute numbers of maternal deaths in an institution are few, maternal death audits may not provide the true picture of service provision. Therefore severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM), also referred to as near misses, has been proposed as a supplementary indicator for the assessment of the quality of maternity care. Objective: To study SAMM in order to identify strategies which could be adopted to improve quality of care. Design, Setting and Methods: Using the WHO near-miss criteria, a clinical audit was carried out in all five consultant units of the Castle Street Hospital for Women (CSHW), Colombo from 1st February 2011 to 31st January 2012. Of the admissions to the intensive care, only those who conformed to the WHO near-miss inclusion criteria were studied. Results: There were 91 cases of SAMM and five maternal deaths out of 16511 live births, giving a maternal mortality ratio of 30.3/100,000 live births, a maternal near-miss ratio of 5.5/1000 live births and a maternal near miss: mortality ratio of 18.2. Of the 91 cases of SAMM, there were 35 (38.5%) cases of major post partum hemorrhage (PPH), 18 (19.8%) cases of thrombocytopenia and coagulopathy due to Dengue fever, nine (9.9%) cases with cardiac dysfunction, five (5.5%) cases of liver disease and six (6.6%) cases of eclampsia. There were 45 cases who had more than one inclusion criterion. Suboptimal management processes identified included incomplete documentation in some cases, non documentation of estimated blood loss in PPH, deficiencies in monitoring in labor and instrumental delivery, non use of uterine tamponade prior to proceeding to hysterectomy, and inadequate knowledge and experience of uterine tamponade insertion. Conclusions: SAMM is approximately 18 times greater than maternal deaths in the CSHW and approximately 39% of SAMM is due to major PPH. Dengue fever is an important course of SAMM in the CSHW. Appropriate steps should be adopted to correct the sub optimal practices identified. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljog.v34i4.5930 Sri Lanka Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2012; 34 : 135-143

Obstetric near-miss and maternal mortality in maternity university hospital, Damascus, Syria: a retrospective study

BackgroundInvestigating severe maternal morbidity (near-miss) is a newly recognised tool that identifies women at highest risk of maternal death and helps allocate resources especially in low income countries. This study aims to i. document the frequency and nature of maternal near-miss at hospital level in Damascus, Capital of Syria, ii. evaluate the level of care at maternal life-saving emergency services by comparatively analysing near-misses and maternal mortalities.MethodsRetrospective facility-based review of cases of near-miss and maternal mortality that took place in the years 2006-2007 at Damascus Maternity University Hospital, Syria. Near-miss cases were defined based on disease-specific criteria (Filippi 2005) including: haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, dystocia, infection and anaemia. Main outcomes included maternal mortality ratio (MMR), maternal near miss ratio (MNMR), mortality indices and proportion of near-miss cases and mortality cases to hospital admissions.ResultsThere were 28 025 deliveries, 15 maternal deaths and 901 near-miss cases. The study showed a MNMR of 32.9/1000 live births, a MMR of 54.8/100 000 live births and a relatively low mortality index of 1.7%. Hypertensive disorders (52%) and haemorrhage (34%) were the top causes of near-misses. Late pregnancy haemorrhage was the leading cause of maternal mortality (60%) while sepsis had the highest mortality index (7.4%). Most cases (93%) were referred in critical conditions from other facilities; namely traditional birth attendants homes (67%), primary (5%) and secondary (10%) healthcare unites and private practices (11%). 26% of near-miss cases were admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU).ConclusionNear-miss analyses provide valuable information on obstetric care. The study highlights the need to improve antenatal care which would help early identification of high risk pregnancies. It also emphasises the importance of both: developing protocols to prevent/manage post-partum haemorrhage and training health care professionals to manage infrequent but fatal conditions like sepsis. An urgent review of the referral system and the emergency obstetric care in Syria is highly recommended.