'Near-miss' obstetric enquiry

Severe Life-Threatening Pregnancy Complications, "Near Miss" and Maternal Mortality in a Tertiary Hospital in Southern Nigeria: A Retrospective Study

Background

Investigating severe life-threatening pregnancy complications that women encounter and the maternal morbidities (near miss) may help to evaluate the quality of care in health facility and recommend ways to improve maternal and infant survival especially in low-income countries. The aim of this review was to identify, classify, and determine the frequency and nature of maternal near miss events and the maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective facility-based review of cases of near miss and maternal mortality occurring between 1^st January 2012 and 31^st December 2016 at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital was conducted. Near miss case definition was based on the WHO disease specific criteria. The main outcomes included the maternal mortality ratio (MMR), maternal near miss ratio (MNMR), mortality index, maternal morbidities, and perinatal outcome.

Results

There were 10,111 pregnancy-related admissions, 790 life-threatening pregnancy complications that resulted in 99 maternal deaths, and 691 near miss cases. The maternal mortality ratio was 979 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and the maternal near miss ratio was 6,834 per 100,000 maternities. The MMR to MNMR ratio was 1 : 8. Sepsis and severe anaemia had high case-specific mortality indices of 0.4 and 0.53, respectively. The perinatal outcome was poor compared to that of uncomplicated pregnancies: perinatal mortality rate (PMR) 266 per 1000 live births (OR 7.74); neonatal intensive care (NIC) admissions 11.6 percent (OR 1.83); and low birth weight (LBW) (<2.5 kg) 12.19 percent (OR 1.89).

Conclusion

Antenatal care and early recognition of danger signs in pregnancy as well as prompt referral and early institution of essential obstetrics care are important for maternal and infant survival.

Analysis of near-miss and maternal mortality at tertiary referral centre of rural India

OBJECTIVE

(1) To determine the incidence of near-miss, maternal death and mortality index; (2) to compare near-miss cases as per WHO criteria with that of maternal mortality; and (3) to study the causes of near-miss and maternal deaths.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Shri Vasantrao Naik Govt. Medical College, Yavatmal, India.

STUDY POPULATION

All cases of near-miss as per newer WHO criteria and maternal deaths.

METHODOLOGY

A cohort of emergency obstetric admission in the study setting during the study period was followed till 42 days after delivery, and cases fulfilled WHO set of severity markers for near-miss cases for severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM) and mortality. All maternal deaths during the same period were analysed and compared with near-miss ones.

RESULTS

During the study period, there were 29,754 emergency obstetric admissions, 21,992 (73.91 %) total deliveries with 18,630 (84.71 %) vaginal deliveries and 3360 (15.28 %) caesarean deliveries. There were 161 near-miss cases and 66 maternal deaths occurred. The maternal near-miss incidence ratio was 7.56/1000 live births, while maternal mortality ratio was 2.99/1000 live births. Mortality index was 29.07, lower index indicative of better quality of health care. Maternal near-miss-to-mortality ratio was 3.43:1. Amongst near-miss cases, haemorrhage n = 43 (26.70 %), anaemia n = 40 (24.84 %), hepatitis n = 27 (16.77 %) and PIH n = 19 (11.80 %) were leading causes, while causes for maternal mortality were PIH n = 18 (27.27 %), haemorrhage n = 13 (19.79 %), sepsis n = 12 (18.18 %), anaemia n = 11 (16.16 %) and hepatitis n = 11 (16.66 %).

CONCLUSION

Despite improvements in health care, haemorrhage, PIH, sepsis and anaemia remain the leading obstetric causes of near-miss and maternal mortality. All of them are preventable. The identification of maternal near-miss cases using new WHO set of severity markers of SAMM was concurrently associated with maternal death. Definite protocols and standards of management of SAMM should be established, especially in rural Indian settings.

Maternal outcomes in critically ill obstetrics patients: A unique challenge

Background:

A pregnant woman is usually young and in good health until she suffers from some acute injury. Her prognosis will hopefully be better if she receives timely intensive care.

Materials and Methods:

The aims of this study were to study the indications of medical intensive care unit (MICU) transfers for critically ill pregnant and postpartum females, biochemical and hematological profile, organ failure, ICU interventions, outcome of mother/fetus, APACHE II score and its correlation with mortality.

Study Design and Setting:

It is a prospective observational study, carried out in the MICU of a tertiary care teaching hospital over a period of 18 months. One hundred and twenty-two pregnant and postpartum females (up to 42 days after delivery) were studied.

Results and Conclusion:

Maternal age >30 years was associated with high mortality (68.2%). Majority of the females were admitted in the third trimester (50 patients) and postpartum period (41 patients), and mortality was highest in the postpartum period (39%). Increasing parity and gravida was associated with significantly high mortality (59.5%). Acute viral hepatitis E (45 patients) was most common indication for MICU transfer, followed by malaria and pregnancy-induced hypertension. The mortality rate was 30.3%. The most common cause of death was acute viral hepatitis E (24 patients), with hepatic failure (53 patients) being the most common organ failure. Majority of the females (88 patients) were ANC registered. Low Glasgow coma score and high APACHE II score on admission were associated with significantly high mortality (85.2%). Prompt treatment with oseltamivir in H1N1 infection was associated with good maternal and fetal outcomes.

Human immunodeficiency virus and AIDS and other important predictors of maternal mortality in Mulago Hospital Complex Kampala Uganda

Background

Women with severe maternal morbidity are at high risk of dying. Quality and prompt management and sometimes luck have been suggested to reduce on the risk of dying. The objective of the study was to identify the direct and indirect causes of severe maternal morbidity, predictors of progression from severe maternal morbidity to maternal mortality in Mulago hospital, Kampala, Uganda.

Methods

This was a longitudinal follow up study at the Mulago hospital's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Participants were 499 with severe maternal morbidity admitted in Mulago hospital between 15^th November 2001 and 30^th November 2002 were identified, recruited and followed up until discharge or death. Potential prognostic factors were HIV status and CD4 cell counts, socio demographic characteristics, medical and gynaecological history, past and present obstetric history and intra- partum and postnatal care.

Results

Severe pre eclampsia/eclampsia, obstructed labour and ruptured uterus, severe post partum haemorrhage, severe abruptio and placenta praevia, puerperal sepsis, post abortal sepsis and severe anaemia were the causes for the hospitalization of 499 mothers. The mortality incidence rate was 8% (n = 39), maternal mortality ratio of 7815/100,000 live births and the ratio of severe maternal morbidity to mortality was 12.8:1.

The independent predictors of maternal mortality were HIV/AIDS (OR 5.1 95% CI 2-12.8), non attendance of antenatal care (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.3-9.2), non use of oxytocics (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.7-9.7), lack of essential drugs (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.1-11.3) and non availability of blood for transfusion (OR 53.7, 95% CI (15.7-183.9) and delivery of amale baby (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.6-10.1).

Conclusion

The predictors of progression from severe maternal morbidity to mortalitywere: residing far from hospital, low socio economic status, non attendance of antenatal care, poor intrapartum care, and HIV/AIDS.

There is need to improve on the referral system, economic empowerment of women and to offer comprehensive emergency obstetric care so as to reduce the maternal morbidity and mortality in our community.

Pregnant and postpartum admissions to the intensive care unit: a systematic review

PURPOSE

To determine the incidence and characteristics of pregnant and postpartum women requiring admission to an intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS

Medline, PubMed, EMBASE and CINAHL databases (1990-2008) were systematically searched for reports of women admitted to the ICU either pregnant or up to 6 weeks postpartum. Two reviewers independently determined study eligibility and abstracted data.

RESULTS

A total of 40 eligible studies reporting outcomes for 7,887 women were analysed. All studies were retrospective with the majority reporting data from a single centre. The incidence of ICU admission ranged from 0.7 to 13.5 per 1,000 deliveries. Pregnant or postpartum women accounted for 0.4-16.0% of ICU admissions in study centres. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were the most prevalent indication for ICU admission [median 0.9 cases per 1,000 deliveries (range 0.2-6.7)]. There was no difference in the profile of ICU admission in developing compared to developed countries, except for the significantly higher maternal mortality rate in developing countries (median 3.3 vs. 14.0%, p = 0.002). Studies reporting patient outcomes subsequent to ICU admission are lacking.

CONCLUSIONS

ICU admission of pregnant and postpartum women occurs infrequently, with obstetric conditions responsible for the majority of ICU admissions. The ICU admission profile of women was similar in developed and developing countries; however, the maternal mortality rate remains higher for ICUs in developing countries, supporting the need for ongoing service delivery improvements. More studies are required to determine the impact of ICU admission for pregnant and postpartum women.

Severe maternal morbidity in Canada, 1991-2001

BACKGROUND

Although death rates are often used to monitor the quality of health care, in industrialized countries maternal deaths have become rare. Severe maternal morbidity has therefore been proposed as a supplementary indicator for surveillance of the quality of maternity care. Our purpose in this study was to describe severe maternal morbidity in Canada over a 10-year period, among women with or without major pre-existing conditions.

METHODS

We carried out a retrospective cohort study of severe maternal morbidity involving 2,548,824 women who gave birth in Canadian hospitals between 1991 and 2000. Thirteen conditions that may threaten the life of the mother (e.g., eclampsia) and 11 major pre-existing chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes) that could be identified from diagnostic codes were noted.

RESULTS

The overall rate of severe maternal morbidity was 4.38 per 1000 deliveries. The fatality rate among these women was 158 times that of the entire sample. Rates of venous thromboembolism, uterine rupture, adult respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary edema, myocardial infarction, severe postpartum hemorrhage requiring hysterectomy, and assisted ventilation increased substantially from 1991 to 2000. The presence of major pre-existing conditions increased the risk of severe maternal morbidity to 6-fold.

INTERPRETATION

Severe maternal morbidity occurs in about 1 of 250 deliveries in Canada, with marked recent increases in certain morbid conditions such as pulmonary edema, myocardial infarction, hemorrhage requiring hysterectomy, and the use of assisted ventilation.

WHO systematic review of maternal morbidity and mortality: the prevalence of severe acute maternal morbidity (near miss)

Aim

To determine the prevalence of severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM) worldwide (near miss).

Method

Systematic review of all available data. The methodology followed a pre-defined protocol, an extensive search strategy of 10 electronic databases as well as other sources. Articles were evaluated according to specified inclusion criteria. Data were extracted using data extraction instrument which collects additional information on the quality of reporting including definitions and identification of cases. Data were entered into a specially constructed database and tabulated using SAS statistical management and analysis software.

Results

A total of 30 studies are included in the systematic review. Designs are mainly cross-sectional and 24 were conducted in hospital settings, mostly teaching hospitals. Fourteen studies report on a defined SAMM condition while the remainder use a response to an event such as admission to intensive care unit as a proxy for SAMM. Criteria for identification of cases vary widely across studies. Prevalences vary between 0.80% – 8.23% in studies that use disease-specific criteria while the range is 0.38% – 1.09% in the group that use organ-system based criteria and included unselected group of women. Rates are within the range of 0.01% and 2.99% in studies using management-based criteria. It is not possible to pool data together to provide summary estimates or comparisons between different settings due to variations in case-identification criteria. Nevertheless, there seems to be an inverse trend in prevalence with development status of a country.

Conclusion

There is a clear need to set uniform criteria to classify patients as SAMM. This standardisation could be made for similar settings separately. An organ-system dysfunction/failure approach is the most epidemiologically sound as it is least open to bias, and thus could permit developing summary estimates.

Incidence and predictors of severe obstetric morbidity: case-control study

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the incidence and predictors of severe obstetric morbidity.

DESIGN

Development of definitions of severe obstetric morbidity by literature review. Case-control study from a defined delivery population with four randomly selected pregnant women as controls for every case.

SETTING

All 19 maternity units within the South East Thames region and six neighbouring hospitals caring for pregnant women from the region between 1 March 1997 and 28 February 1998.

PARTICIPANTS

48 865 women who delivered during the time frame.

RESULTS

There were 588 cases of severe obstetric morbidity giving an incidence of 12.0/1000 deliveries (95% confidence interval 11.2 to 13.2). During the study there were five maternal deaths attributed to conditions studied. Disease specific morbidities per 1000 deliveries were 6.7 (6.0 to 7.5) for severe haemorrhage, 3.9 (3.3 to 4.5) for severe pre-eclampsia, 0.2 (0.1 to 0.4) for eclampsia, 0.5 (0.3 to 0.8) for HELLP (Haemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelets) syndrome, 0.4 (0.2 to 0.6) for severe sepsis, and 0.2 (0.1 to 0.4) for uterine rupture. Age over 34 years, non-white ethnic group, past or current hypertension, previous postpartum haemorrhage, delivery by emergency caesarean section, antenatal admission to hospital, multiple pregnancy, social exclusion, and taking iron or anti-depressants at antenatal booking were all independently associated with morbidity after adjustment.

CONCLUSION

Severe obstetric morbidity and its relation to mortality may be more sensitive measures of pregnancy outcome than mortality alone. Most events are related to obstetric haemorrhage and severe pre-eclampsia. Caesarean section quadruples the risk of morbidity. Development and evaluation of ways of predicting and reducing risk are required with particular emphasis paid on the management of haemorrhage and pre-eclampsia.