Effectiveness of the facility-based maternal near-miss case reviews in improving maternal and newborn quality of care in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Audit as a tool for improving obstetric care in low- and middle-income countries

Maternal and/or perinatal death review or audits aim to improve the quality of health services and reduce deaths due to causes identified. A death review audit cycle identifies causes of deaths and possible modifiable factors, these can point to potential breaks in the continuity of health care and other health systems faults and challenges. It is an important function of audit cycles to develop, implement, monitor, and review action plans to improve the service. The WHO has produced two handbooks (Making Every Baby Count and Monitoring Emergency Obstetric Care) to guide maternal and perinatal death reviews. Health worker related factors accounts for two thirds of aspects that, if done differently may have prevented the adverse outcome. This emphasises the need for skilled health care workers at every delivery and for deliveries to take place in health facilities.

A mixed methods study on continuity and care coordination based on the obstetric near miss approach

Background

The near-miss approach assumes that mothers facing life-threatening conditions such as severe pre-eclampsia and postpartum haemorrhage share common risk factors. Among these women, those who survive (near-miss cases) can offer insights into the determinants, providing valuable lessons for understanding underlying factors.

Aim

To investigate elements of continuity and coordination leading to obstetric near misses.

Setting

A major referral hospital and its referral pathway in Kenya.

Methods

Explanatory sequential mixed-methods design.

Results

Near-miss survivors had lower continuity and coordination of care indices during antenatal visits (COCI = 0.80, p = 0.0026), (modified continuity of care index [MCCI] = 0.62, p = 0.034), and those with non-life-threatening morbidity in the first trimester were more likely to experience a near miss (aOR = 4.34, p = 0.001). Facilities in the western region had a higher burden of near misses compared to the Eastern region. Qualitatively, three deductive themes were identified: sequential coordination, parallel coordination and continuity, along with factors classified as access. In mixed integration, poor continuity indices were explained by quality of interpersonal relationships and woman centredness. Poor coordination was explained by inadequate teamwork between providers in referring and referral facilities and between primary health facilities and the community. Higher near-miss rates in the western region resulted from differences in human and physical resources.

Conclusion

Promoting woman-centred care, teamwork, improving communication and introducing innovative coordination roles like case and care managers can enhance continuity and coordination of maternal healthcare.

Contributions

This study contributes to our understanding of the challenges of continuity and coordination in maternal healthcare in resource-poor settings by applying the WHO operationalisation of continuity and coordination using mixed methodology.

Using the WHO individual near miss case review (NMCR) cycle to improve quality of emergency obstetric care and maternal outcome in Keren hospital, Eritrea: an interrupted time series analysis

BACKGROUND

In 2016, the WHO regional office for Europe prepared a manual for conducting routine facility based individual near miss case review cycle. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the individual near miss case review (NMCR) cycle in improving quality of emergency obstetric care and maternal outcome in Keren hospital.

METHODS

An interrupted time series design was used to achieve the objectives of this study. Monthly data on women with potentially life-threatening conditions (PLTCs) admitted between April 2018 and October 2022 (i.e. 33 months pre-implementation and 22 months post-implementation) were collected from medical records. Segmented regression analysis was used to assess the intervention's effect on three process and outcome measures, namely, SMO, delayed care, and substandard care. The intervention was expected a priori to show immediate improvements without time-lag followed by gradual increment in slope. Segmented regression analyses were performed using the "itsa' command in STATA.

RESULTS

During the entire study period, 4365 women with potentially life threatening conditions were identified. There was a significant reduction in the post-implementation period in the proportion of mothers with PLTC who experienced SMO (- 8.86; p <  0.001), delayed care (- 8.76; p <  0.001) and substandard care (- 5.58; p <  0.001) compared to pre-implementation period. Results from the segmented regression analysis revealed that the percentage of women with SMO showed a significant 4.75% (95% CI: - 6.95 to - 2.54, p <  0.001) reduction in level followed by 0.28 percentage points monthly (95% CI: - 0.37 to - 0.14, p <  0.001) drop in trend. Similarly, a significant drop of 3.50% (95% CI: - 4.74 to - 2.26, p <  0.001) in the level of substandard care along with a significant decrease of 0.21 percentage points (95% CI: - 0.28 to - 0.14, p < 0.001) in the slope of the regression line was observed. The proportion of women who received delayed care also showed a significant 7% (95% CI: - 9.28 to - 4.68, p < 0.001) reduction in post-implementation level without significant change in slope.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the WHO individual NMCR cycle was associated with substantial improvements in quality of emergency obstetric care and maternal outcome. The intervention also bears a great potential for scaling-up following the guidance provided in the WHO NMCR manual.

Magnitude of maternal near-misses and associated factors in Arsi Zone public hospitals in Oromia, Ethiopia, 2022

Background

Investigation of maternal near-misses is useful for monitoring and evaluating the quality of obstetrics care services. Despite its importance, data has been limited in Arsi Zone public hospitals.

Objective

To assess the magnitude of maternal near-miss and associated factors in Arsi Zone public hospitals, Ethiopia, 2022.

Method

Institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted on 327 study participants from December 2021 to June 2022. The study participants were selected through systematic random sampling. Trained data collectors used pre-tested structured questionnaires to collect data from study participants. Pertinent data were also extracted from clients' logbook. The data were entered to Epi Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25.0 for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression were employed to control for possible confounders where a significance level was set to a P-value of 5 %.

Result

A total of 326 study participants responded, resulting in a 99.7 % response rate. The magnitude of maternal near-miss was 34.4 % [95 % CI (29.2-39.8)]. Hypertensive disorders (35 %), hemorrhage (35 %), ruptured uterus (11 %), unsafe abortion (8 %), obstructed labour (7 %), and infection/sepsis (4.5 %) were the direct while anemia (20 %) was one of the indirect causes of maternal near-misses. ANC visit received (AOR = 2.5, 95 % CI: 1.04-5.84), First ANC booked trimester (AOR = 0.26, 95 % CI: 0.1-0.9), delay in seeking care (AOR = 3.1, 95 % CI: 1.2-8.1), delay two (AOR = 2.7, 95 % CI: 1.0-6.8) and mode of delivery (AOR = 2.8, 95 % CI: 1.3-6.1) were factors associated with maternal near-misses.

Conclusion

The prevalence of maternal near-miss was high. To improve the identified factors and minimize their consequences, appropriate interventions are required at all levels to improve the quality of obstetrics care services aimed at improving positive pregnancy outcomes.

A realist review of interventions targeting maternal health in low- and middle-income countries

Maternal mortality is disproportionately higher in low- and middle-income countries compared to other parts of the world. International research efforts are reflective of the urgency to improve global maternal outcomes. The existing literature of maternal health interventions in low- and middle-income countries targets a variety of populations and intervention types. However, there is a notable lack of systemic reviews that examine the wider contextual and mechanistic factors that have contributed to the outcomes produced by interventions. This article aims to use realist synthesis design to identify and examine the relationships between the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes of maternal health interventions conducted in low- and middle-income countries. This will inform evidence-based practice for future maternal health interventions. In May 2022, we searched four electronic databases for systematic reviews of maternal health interventions in low- and middle-income countries published in the last 5 years. We used open and axial coding of contexts, mechanisms and outcomes to develop an explanatory framework for intervention effectiveness. After eligibility screening and full-text analysis, 44 papers were included. The majority of effective interventions reported good healthcare system contexts, especially the importance of infrastructural capacity to implement and sustain the intervention. Most intervention designs used increasing knowledge and awareness at an individual and healthcare-provider level to produce intended outcomes. The majority of outcomes reported related to uptake of healthcare services by women. All mechanism themes had a relationship with this outcome. Health system infrastructure must be considered in interventions to ensure effective implementation and sustainability. Healthcare-seeking behaviours are embedded within social and cultural norms, environmental conditions, family influences and provider attitudes. Therefore, effective engagement with communities and families is important to create new norms surrounding pregnancy and delivery. Future research should explore community mobilization and involvement to enable tailored interventions with optimal contextual fit.

Incidence & factors influencing maternal near miss events in tertiary hospitals of Maharashtra, India

Background & objectives

Government of India (GoI) released operational guidelines for maternal near miss-review (MNM-R) in 2014 for use by programme managers of public health system to assist them for conducting MNM-R. The objective of the present study was to review the incidence and factors influencing MNM events in two tertiary hospitals of Maharashtra, India, as per the operational guidelines of the GoI released in 2014 and identify delays based on three-delay model to prevent such events in future.

Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals of Maharashtra, from July 2018 to November 2020. All women during pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum upto 42 days meeting the eligibility criteria of MNM as per the 2014 GoI guidelines were included as cases (n=228), interviewed and discussed during the monthly MNM meetings at these hospitals.

Results

The incidence of MNM was 11/1000 live births; the ratio of MNM to maternal deaths was 1.2:1. Leading causes of MNM were haemorrhage (36.4%) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (30.3%). Haemorrhage was maximum (70.6%) in abortion and ectopic pregnancies. Majority of the women (80.2%) were anaemic, of whom 32.4 per cent had severe anaemia. Eighty six per cent of women included in the study had MNM events at the time of admission and 81 per cent were referred from lower facilities. Level one and two delays were reported by 52.6 and 32.5 per cent of women, respectively. Level three delay at referral centres and at tertiary hospitals was reported by 69.7 and 48.2 per cent of women, respectively.

Interpretation & conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that MNM-R should be undertaken at all tertiary hospitals in India as per GoI guidelines to identify gaps based on three-delay model. These hospitals should implement interventions as per the identified gaps with emphasis on strengthening the infrastructure, facilities and manpower at the first-referral units.

Determinants of Obstetric Near Miss in a Tertiary Hospital in Kenya: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Kenya has a high burden of facility maternal deaths but there is scarce utilization of the near miss approach to understand facility related determinants of maternal mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate determinants of near miss in a major refferal hospital in Kenya using the World Health Organization near miss approach.

METHODS

A retrospective study design was used in a referral hospital in Kenya. Prevalence, direct and indirect causes of near miss were determined. Binomial logistic regression was used to determine associations between maternal characteristics and maternal near miss.

RESULTS

Maternal near miss ratio was 8.7 per 1000 live births. The most prevalent direct factors were: Severe post-partum hemorrhage (35%), eclampsia (18.9%) severe pre-eclampsia (17.4%), blood transfusion (79%), and hepatic dysfunction (3.7%). Anemia, previous ceaserean section and prolonged/obstructed labor were the most important contributory factors. The prevalence of organ dysfunction at admission was 39%. Only 74% of eclampsia cases had received magnesium sulphate on referral. Higher gestation at delivery (AOR = 0.640, 95% C.I =0.477–0.858) and those who received antenatal care from a level two or three facility (AOR = 0.190, 95% CI = 0.042–0.856) were less likely to experience a near miss.

CONCLUSION

Obstetric hemorrhage and pregnancy induced hypertension were the most important direct determinants of near miss, while anemia was the most important indirect determinant. Organ dysfunction on admission to the tertiary referral facility was high, suggesting delays in interventions at lower level facilities. Interventions addressing obstetric hemorrhage, pregnancy induced hypertension and pre-natal anemia may reduce the burden of near miss and mortality.

Safety in fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable settings: An evidence scanning approach for identifying patient safety interventions

Background

The number of people living in fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable (FCV) settings is growing rapidly and attention to achieving universal health coverage must be accompanied by sufficient focus on the safety of care for universal access to be meaningful. Healthcare workers in these settings are working under extreme conditions, often with insufficient contextualized evidence to support decision-making. Recognising the relative paucity of, and methodological issues in gathering evidence from these settings, the evidence scanning described in this paper considered which patient safety interventions might offer the ‘better bet’, eg, the most effective and appropriate intervention in FCV settings.

Methods

An evidence scanning approach was used to examine the literature. The search was limited to FCV settings and low-income settings as defined by the World Bank, but if a systematic review included a mix of evidence from FCV/low income settings, as well as low-middle income settings, it was included. The search was conducted in English and limited to studies published from 2003 onwards, utilising Google Scholar as a publicly accessible database and further review of the grey literature, with specific attention to the outputs of non-governmental organisations. The search and subsequent analysis were completed between April and June 2020.

Results

The majority of studies identified related to strengthening infection prevention and control which was also found to be the ‘better bet’ intervention that could generalise to other settings, be most feasible to implement, and most effective for improving patient care and associated outcomes. Other prioritized interventions include risk management, with contributing elements such as reporting, audits, and death review processes.

Conclusions

Infection prevention and control interventions dominate in the literature for multiple reasons including strength of evidence, acceptability, feasibility, and impact on patient and health worker well-being. However, there is an urgent need to further develop the evidence base, specialist knowledge, and field guidance on a range of other patient safety interventions such as education and training, patient identification, subject specific safety actions, and risk management.

A retrospective study of maternal near miss in the Critical Maternal Care Center in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, China: A single-center study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Through a retrospective study of maternal near miss (MNM) cases treated by the Suqian Critical Maternal Care Center in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, we summarized the most common diseases that caused MNM, treatment measures, and short-term prognosis in this region. The purpose of the research is to improve the clinical evidence of maternal health care in the region.

METHODS

The study is a retrospective descriptive study. Among the pregnant women admitted to the Critical Maternal Care Center from 1 January 2015, to 31 December 2019, the pregnant women with severe pregnancy complications or comorbidities were identified as the research subjects. The study subjects were divided into an MNM group and a control group according to the MNM criteria recommended by the WHO.A retrospective analysis of the study subject data, including causes and clinical manifestations of MNM, treatment measures, and short-term prognosis, was conducted.

RESULTS

The total number of deliveries was 27 619. There were 145 women in the control group and 65 women in the MNM group. The number of MNM cases accounted for 2.4% (65/27619) of the total number of deliveries. Placenta previa, postpartum hemorrhage, and hypertension accounted for 72.3% (47/65) of the causes of MNM cases observed. In the MNM group, the most common clinical manifestation was bleeding (80.0%, 52/65). Sixty-three patients underwent massive blood transfusion (96.9%, 63/65), and 36 underwent hysterectomy (55.4%,36/65). The prevalence of interventional procedures and unplanned secondary operations in the MNM group was higher than that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

The top three causes of MNM were placenta previa, postpartum hemorrhage, and hypertension in pregnancy in Suqian area. Sufficient blood sources, convenient and fast blood transfusion procedures, and the use of large amounts of blood transfusion technology have an important impact on the success of treatment. Hysterectomy is still the main method of MNM treatment.

Effect of maternal near miss on neonatal mortality in selected hospitals: Prospective cohort study, Southeast Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess effect of maternal near miss on neonatal mortality.

METHODS

Prospective cohort study was conducted on 384 pregnant women who came for delivery to purposely selected hospitals. The cohort was made up of 128 exposed (near miss) mothers and 256 non-exposed (non-near-miss) mothers. Women who came for delivery were only included. Those who came for services other than delivery such as abortion care, women who developed life-threatening condition not related to delivery, and those who come from no phone network area were excluded. A purposive sampling technique was used by including all mothers with near miss consecutively until the required sample size was obtained. Two non-near-miss mothers were selected using lottery for every near-miss mother. Survival analysis was done for both groups using Cox regression to look for effect of maternal near miss on neonatal mortality. Verbal informed consent from study participants was obtained.

RESULTS

A total of 354 (118 with near miss and 236 without near miss) women completed the follow-up time, yielding response rate of 92.2%. Of all, 55 (15.5%) of them have previous history of abortion, 44 (12.4%) were admitted to the intensive care unit during delivery, and 22 (6.2%) have history of past delivery of still birth. Severe preeclampsia with intensive care unit admission and severe anemia with transfusion of greater than 2 units of blood were common complications leading to maternal near miss. There were 17 (48 per 1000 live birth) neonatal death at the end of the study, of which 15 occurred among mothers with near miss. Monthly income (adjusted hazard ratio = 998, 95% confidence interval = 0.996-0.999), fetal presentation (adjusted hazard ratio = 6.48, 95% confidence interval = 1.84-22.73), APGAR score (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.746, 95% confidence interval = 0.620-0.898), and being near miss mother (adjusted hazard ratio = 8.40, 95% confidence interval = 1.638-43.118) were significantly affecting neonatal mortality.

CONCLUSION

Maternal near miss and other fetal and general maternal characteristics have effect on occurrence of neonatal mortality. Therefore, due attention should be given to these factors for improvement of neonatal survival.

Approaches, enablers, barriers and outcomes of implementing facility-based stillbirth and neonatal death audit in LMICs: a systematic review

PURPOSE

To identify approaches, enablers, barriers and outcomes of facility stillbirth and neonatal death audit in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).

DATA SOURCES

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, Academic Search Index, Science Citation Index, Complementary index and Global health electronic databases.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies were considered eligible when reporting the approaches, enablers, barriers and outcomes of facility-based stillbirth and neonatal death audit in LMICs.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two authors independently performed the data extraction using predefined templates made before data extraction.

RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS

A total of 10 articles from 7 countries were included in the final analysis. Facility or external multidisciplinary teams performed death audits on a weekly or monthly basis. A total of 1018 stillbirths and neonatal deaths were audited. Of 18 audit enablers identified, nine were at the health provider level while 18 of 23 barriers to audit that were identified occurred at the facility level. The facility-level barriers cited by more than one study included: failure to implement change; inadequate training; limited time; increased workload; too many cases and poor documentation. Six studies reported that death audits resulted in structural improvements in physical structure, training, service organisation, supplies and equipment in the wards. Five studies reported that death audits improved the standard of care, with one study showing a significant improvement in measured standards. One study reported a significant reduction in newborn mortality rate of 29.4% (95% CI 0.6% to 2.4%; p=0.0015) and one study a reduction in perinatal mortality of 4.9% (52.8% in 2007 to 47.9% in 2008) before and after perinatal audit implementation.

CONCLUSION

Stillbirth and neonatal death audit improves facility structures, processes of care and health outcomes in neonatal care. There is a need to enhance enablers and address barriers identified at both health provider and facility levels to improve the audit process.

Worldwide Original Research Production on Maternal Near-Miss: A 10-year Bibliometric Study

OBJECTIVE

 To evaluate the global productivity regarding original articles on maternal near-miss (MNM).

METHODS

 We conducted a bibliometric analysis of original articles published from 2008 to November 2019 in the journals indexed in the Scopus database. The averages of the number of articles by author, of the number of authors by article, of the number of citations by article, and the total number of documents with one or more authors were obtained. An analysis of the co-citation of authors and a co-occurrence analysis of the terms included in the titles and abstracts were performed and were presented as network visualization maps.

RESULTS

 A total of 326 original articles were analyzed. There was an increase in the number of articles (p < 0.001; average annual growth rate = 12.54%). A total of 1,399 authors, an average number of articles per author of 4.29, with an index of authors per document of 0.23, and an index of co-authors per document of 8.16 were identified. A total of 85 countries contributed with original articles on MNM. Among the top ten countries regarding the contribution of articles, five were low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Brazil had the highest volume of production (31.1%), followed by the US (11.5%). Terms related to countries and the measurement of the rates and cases of MNM and the associated factors were found in recent years in the analysis of the co-occurrence of terms.

CONCLUSION

 There was an increase in the production of original articles on MNM, with a significant participation of authors and institutions from LMICs, which reveals a growing interest in the use of MNM indicators to improve the quality of maternal health care.

Association between maternal satisfaction and other indicators of quality of care at childbirth: a cross-sectional study based on the WHO standards

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the association between maternal satisfaction and other indicators of quality of care (QoC) at childbirth, as defined by WHO standards.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Referral hospital in Northeast Italy.

PARTICIPANTS

1244 consecutive mothers giving birth in the hospital participated in a survey.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Univariate analyses were performed to evaluate the association between maternal satisfaction and 61 variables, including measures of 'provision of care', 'experience of care', 'availability of resources' and other maternal characteristics. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to create groups of correlated variables, which were used in multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, 509 (40.9%) of women were >35 years of age, about half (52.7%) were highly educated, most (95.2%) were married/living with partner and employed (79.3%) and about half (52.9%) were primiparous. Overall, 189 (15.2%) were not born in Italy and 111 (8.9%) did not have Italian citizenship. Most women (84.2%) were highly satisfied (score ≥7/10) with the care received. Among the 61 variables explored, 46 (75.4%) were significantly associated with women's satisfaction, 33 with higher satisfaction and 13 with lower satisfaction. Multivariate analysis largely confirmed univariate findings, with six out of eight groups of correlated variables being statistically significantly associated with women's satisfaction. Factors most strongly associated with women's satisfaction were 'effective communication, involvement, listening to women's needs, respectful and timely care' (OR 16.84, 95% CI 9.90 to 28.61, p<0.001) and 'physical structure' (OR 6.51, 95% CI 4.08 to 10.40, p<0.001). Additionally, 'victim of abuse, discrimination, aggressiveness' was inversely associated with the wish to return to the facility or to recommend it to a friend (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.70, p<0.003).

CONCLUSION

This study suggested that many variables are strongly associated with women's satisfaction with care during childbirth and support the use of multiple measures to monitor the QoC at childbirth.

Prediction of Severe Maternal Outcome Among Pregnant and Puerperal Women in Obstetric ICU

OBJECTIVE

World Health Organization recommends the use of maternal near miss as a tool to monitor and improve quality of obstetric care. Severe maternal outcome corresponds to the sum of maternal near miss and maternal death cases. This study was aimed at validating Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and IV, Simplified Acute Physiology Score III, and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment in pregnant and postpartum women in predicting severe maternal outcome.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Obstetric ICU in a tertiary care hospital in Brazil.

PATIENTS

Pregnant and postpartum women admitted to the obstetric ICU during a 3-year period.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 279 women were admitted to ICU, an admission rate of 34.6/1,000 live births, and the mortality index to severe maternal outcome (maternal death/maternal near miss + maternal death) was 7.7%. Total Sequential Organ Failure Assessment had a better overall performance than remaining scores for total hospitalizations (area under the curve, 0.86; standardized mortality ratio, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.74-1.22), for hypertensive direct causes (area under the curve, 0.81; standardized mortality ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.31-1.43), and indirect causes (area under the curve, 0.89; standardized mortality ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.59-1.19). The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II had a better overall performance than total Sequential Organ Failure Assessment for hemorrhagic causes (area under the curve, 0.75; standardized mortality ratio, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.61-1.54).

CONCLUSIONS

Total Sequential Organ Failure Assessment may be used to predict severe maternal outcome in obstetric populations admitted to ICU. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II may be applied to predict severe maternal outcome in hemorrhagic complications. We do not recommend Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IV and Simplified Acute Physiology Score III for the prediction of severe maternal outcome.

Impact of Training on Awareness and Knowledge of Service Providers About Maternal Near-Miss Events in Maharashtra, India

Objective

To improve the awareness and knowledge regarding Maternal Near Miss (MNM) among health service providers in the selected districts and women's hospitals in Maharashtra, India.

Methods

A one-day training programme on MNM was conducted at four Family Welfare Training Centres in the state of Maharashtra, India, for the health service providers, viz. gynaecologists, pathologists, anaesthesiologists, medical officers, staff nurses, other paramedical workers of the selected 29 districts/women's hospitals in Maharashtra. A total of 147 participants participated in the training programme. The participants filled a questionnaire before (pretest) and after the training (post-test) with the same set of questions pertaining to knowledge on the basic and operational aspects of MNM.

Results

There was a significant improvement in the level of knowledge (post-test responses vs pretest responses) about the correct definition and classification of MNM, as per the instructions in the MNM-R guidelines by the Government of India. The service providers informed regarding the challenges in the implementation of the MNM-R guidelines at their hospitals such as shortage of manpower in terms of specialists and need of quality assurance.

Conclusion

The training programme improved the knowledge of the service providers about MNM, which would help them to implement the MNM-R guidelines effectively at their hospitals. This training effectively upgraded the knowledge level, and therefore, such trainings should be organized for all obstetricians, high-dependency unit (HDU) personnel and critical care teams.

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

OBJECTIVE

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.

DESIGN

Two facility-based surveys of women experiencing SMO (maternal near-miss or maternal deaths).

SETTING

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).

POPULATION

371 women in WHOMCS-Nigeria and 2449 women in Nigeria Near-Miss and Maternal Death Survey who experienced SMO.

METHODS

Secondary analysis and comparison of SMO data from two surveys, stratified by facility level.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) per 100 000 livebirths (LB), maternal near-miss (MNM) ratio per 1000 LB, SMO ratio per 1000 LB and mortality index (deaths/SMO).

RESULTS

Maternal mortality ratio and mortality indices were highest in tertiary facilities of the WHOMCS-Nigeria (706 per 100 000; 26.7%) and the Nigeria Near-Miss and Maternal Death Survey (1088 per 100 000; 40.8%), and lower in secondary facilities of the WHOMCS-Nigeria (593 per 100 000; 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).

CONCLUSIONS

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.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

2820 Nigerian women with severe maternal outcomes: high mortality in tertiary level hospitals, higher burden in secondary level.

Adverse perinatal outcomes are associated with severe maternal morbidity and mortality: evidence from a national multicentre cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

To assess the association between maternal potentially life-threatening conditions (PLTC), maternal near miss (MNM), and maternal death (MD) with perinatal outcomes.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study in 27 Brazilian referral centers from July, 2009 to June, 2010. All women presenting any criteria for PLTC and MNM, or MD, were included. Sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics were evaluated in each group of maternal outcomes. Childbirth and maternal morbidity data were related to perinatal adverse outcomes (5th min Apgar score < 7, fetal death, neonatal death, or any of these). The Chi-squared test evaluated the differences between groups. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for the clustering design effect identified the independently associated maternal factors with the adverse perinatal outcomes (prevalence ratios; 95% confidence interval).

RESULTS

Among 8271 cases of severe maternal morbidity, there were 714 cases of adverse perinatal outcomes. Advanced maternal age, low level of schooling, multiparity, lack of prenatal care, delays in care, preterm birth, and adverse perinatal outcomes were more common among MNM and MD. Both MNM and MD were associated with Apgar score (2.39; 1.68-3.39); maternal hemorrhage was the most prevalent characteristic associated with fetal death (2.9, 95% CI 1.81-4.66) and any adverse perinatal outcome (2.16; 1.59-2.94); while clinical/surgical conditions were more related to neonatal death (1.56; 1.08-2.25).

CONCLUSION

We confirmed the association between MNM and MD with adverse perinatal outcomes. Maternal and perinatal issues should not be dissociated. Policies aiming maternal care should include social and economic development, and improvements in accessibility to specialized care. These, in turn, will definitively impact on childhood mortality rates.

Implementation of the WHO manual for Robson classification: an example from Sri Lanka using a local database for developing quality improvement recommendations

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed at describing the use of a prospective database on hospital deliveries for analysing caesarean section (CS) practices according to the WHO manual for Robson classification, and for developing recommendations for improving the quality of care (QoC).

DESIGN

Observational study.

SETTING

University Obstetric Unit at De Soysa Hospital for Women, the largest maternity unit in Sri Lanka.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

For each childbirth, 150 variables were routinely collected in a standardised form and entered into a database. Data were routinely monitored for ensuring quality. Information on deliveries occurring from July 2015 to June 2017 were analysed according the WHO Robson classification manual. Findings were discussed internally to develop quality improvement recommendations.

RESULTS

7504 women delivered in the hospital during the study period and at least one maternal or fetal pathological condition was reported in 2845 (37.9%). The CS rate was 30.0%, with 11.9% CS being performed prelabour. According to the Robson classification, Group 3 and Group 1 were the most represented groups (27.0% and 23.1% of population, respectively). The major contributors to the CS rate were group 5 (29.6%), group 1 (14.0%), group 2a (13.3%) and group 10 (11.5%). The most commonly reported indications for CS included abnormal cardiotocography/suspected fetal distress, past CS and failed progress of labour or failed induction. These suggested the need for further discussion on CS practices. Overall, 18 recommendations were agreed on. Besides updating protocols and hands-on training, activities agreed on included monitoring and supervision, criterion-based audits, risk management meetings and appropriate information for patients, and recommendations to further improve the quality of data.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides an example on how the WHO manual for Robson classification can be used in an action-oriented manner for developing recommendations for improving the QoC, and the quality of data collected.

Facilitators and barriers to the effective implementation of the individual maternal near-miss case reviews in low/middle-income countries: a systematic review of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

The maternal near-miss cases review (NMCR), a type of clinical audit, proved to be effective in improving quality of care and decreasing maternal mortality in low/middle-income countries (LMICs). However, challenges in its implementation have been described.

OBJECTIVES

Synthesising the evidence on facilitators and barriers to the effective implementation of NMCR in LMICs.

DESIGN

Systematic review of qualitative studies.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, LILACS, Global Health Library, SCI-EXPANDED, SSCI, Cochrane library and Embase were searched in December 2017.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES

Qualitative studies exploring facilitators and/or barriers of implementing NMCR in LMIC were included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Two independent reviewers extracted data, performed thematic analysis and assessed risk of bias.

RESULTS

Out of 25 361 papers retrieved, 9 studies from Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, Tanzania, Uganda could be included in the review. The most frequently reported barriers to NMCR implementation were the following: absence of national guidelines and local protocols; insufficient training on how to perform the audit; lack of leadership, coordination, monitoring and supervision; lack of resources and work overload; fear of blame and punishment; poor knowledge of evidenced-based medicine; hierarchical differences among staff and poor understating of the benefits of the NMCR. Major facilitators to NMCR implementation included: good leadership and coordination; training of all key staff; a good cultural environment; clear staff's perception on the benefits of conducting audit; patient empowerment and the availability of external support.

CONCLUSIONS

In planning the NMCR implementation in LMICs, policy-makers should consider actions to prevent and mitigate common challenges to successful NMCR implementation. Future studies should aim at documenting facilitators and barriers to NMCR outside the African Region.

What is the quality of the maternal near-miss case reviews in WHO European Region? Cross-sectional study in Armenia, Georgia, Latvia, Republic of Moldova and Uzbekistan

OBJECTIVES

The maternal near-miss case review (NMCR) cycle is a type of clinical audit aiming at improving quality of maternal healthcare by discussing near-miss cases. In several countries this approach has been introduced and supported by WHO and partners since 2004, but information on the quality of its implementation is missing. This study aimed at evaluating the quality of the NMCR implementation in selected countries within WHO European Region.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS

Twenty-three maternity units in Armenia, Georgia, Latvia, Moldova and Uzbekistan.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

A predefined checklist including 50 items, according to WHO methodology. Quality in the NMCR implementation was defined by summary scores ranging from 0 (totally inappropriate) to 3 (appropriate).

RESULTS

Quality of the NMCR implementation was heterogeneous among different countries, and within the same country. Overall, the first part of the audit cycle (from case identification to case analysis) was fairly well performed (mean score 2.00, 95% CI 1.94 to 2.06), with the exception of the 'inclusion of users' views' (mean score 0.66, 95% CI 0.11 to 1.22), while the second part (developing recommendations, implementing them and ensuring quality) was poorly performed (mean score 0.66, 95% CI 0.11 to 1.22). Each country had at least one champion facility, where quality of the NMCR cycle was acceptable. Quality of the implementation was not associated with its duration. Gaps in implementation were of technical, organisational and attitudinal nature.

CONCLUSIONS

Ensuring quality in the NMCR may be difficult but achievable. The high heterogeneity in results within the same country suggests that quality of the NMCR implementation depends, to a large extent, from hospital factors, including staff's commitment, managerial support and local coordination. Efforts should be put in preventing and mitigating common barriers that hamper successful NMCR implementation.