Maternal Mortality in the United States: Trends and Opportunities for Prevention.

Maternal mortality is unusually high in the United States compared to other wealthy nations and is characterized by major disparities in race/ethnicity, geography, and socioeconomic factors. Similar to other developed nations, the United States has seen a shift in the underlying causes of pregnancy-related death, with a relative increase in mortality resulting from diseases of the cardiovascular system and preexisting medical conditions. Improved continuity of care aimed at identifying reproductive-age women with preexisting conditions that may heighten the risk of maternal death, preconception management of risk factors for major adverse pregnancy outcomes, and primary care visits within the first year after delivery may offer opportunities to address gaps in medical care contributing to the unacceptable rates of maternal mortality in the United States.

Anesthetic Care of the Pregnant Patient With Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

The pregnancy-related mortality rate in the United States is excessively high. The American Heart Association is dedicated to fighting heart disease and recognizes that cardiovascular disease, preexisting or acquired during pregnancy, is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States. Comprehensive scientific statements from cardiology and obstetrics experts guide the treatment of cardio-obstetric patients before, during, and after pregnancy. This scientific statement aims to highlight the role of specialized cardio-obstetric anesthesiology care, presenting a systematic approach to the care of these patients from the anesthesiology perspective. The anesthesiologist is a critical part of the pregnancy heart team as the perioperative physician who is trained to prevent or promptly recognize and treat patients with peripartum cardiovascular decompensation. Maternal morbidity is attenuated with expert anesthesiology peripartum care, which includes the management of neuraxial anesthesia, inotrope and vasopressor support, transthoracic echocardiography, optimization of delivery location, and consideration of advanced critical care and mechanical support when needed. Standardizing the anesthesiology approach to patients with high peripartum cardiovascular risk and ensuring that cardio-obstetrics patients have access to the appropriate care team, facilities, and advanced cardiovascular therapies will contribute to improving peripartum morbidity and mortality.

Mothers of twins had higher old-age survival than mothers of singletons in Estonian 19th-century birth cohorts.

STUDY QUESTION: Do the mothers of twins and singletons differ regarding post-partum and old-age mortality? SUMMARY ANSWER: Twin deliveries were associated with higher post-partum maternal mortality than singleton deliveries, but the lifetime post-partum mortality risk was similar for mothers of twins and singletons; survival of twinners was higher than survival of the mothers of singletons after the 67th lifespan percentile. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Twinning is typically associated with higher post-partum maternal mortality. The evidence about whether twinning incurs long-term survival costs of reproduction or is a trait pertinent to long-lived women is scarce and contradictory. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: The study is based on the data of the Estonian Family Register (operating from 1926 to 1943) and involves 5565 mothers of twins and 119 613 mothers of singletons born between 1850 and 1899. The subset for comparing maternal lifespans included 1703-1884 mothers of twins and 19 747-36 690 mothers of singletons. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Post-partum maternal mortality was analyzed in the whole sample (including mothers of a single child) by logistic regression. Most of the analyses were performed in samples where each mother of twins was matched against mothers of singletons based on parity (or number of deliveries), urban versus rural and inland versus coastal origin, whether their lifespan was known, date of birth and age at first birth. Lifespans were compared in linear mixed models. Quantile regression was used to analyze age-dependent variations in maternal mortality rates. All models were adjusted for relevant biodemographic covariates. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The twinning rate in the whole sample was 4.4%. During the year after giving birth, maternal mortality for twin deliveries was 0.75% (17/2273) and 0.37% (449/122 750) for singleton deliveries (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.21-3.23). However, the lifetime post-partum mortality risk for mothers of twins (0.51%; 28/5557) and singletons (0.37%; 438/119 466) did not differ significantly (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 0.91-1.98). The life spans of the mothers of twins and singletons did not differ in matched samples. Past the 67th lifespan percentile, the odds of survival were significantly higher for mothers of twins than mothers of singletons, as indicated by non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Relatively low number of individuals (22 802-28 335) with known age at death in matched datasets due to discontinuation of the register after 1943. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The finding that mothers of twins had higher odds of old-age survival than mothers of singletons is consistent with the contention that twinners represent a non-random subset of women whose robust phenotypic quality allows them to outlive the mothers of singletons in old age. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): The study was funded by the Estonian Research Council grants PRG1137, PRG2248, and PSG669. The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: N/A.

Shortcomings and disparities in contraception counseling and use by hypertensive individuals at risk for unintended pregnancy: a comparative analysis of the National Survey of Family Growth.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a leading cause of adverse pregnancy outcomes. These outcomes disproportionately affect Black individuals. Reproductive life planning that includes patient-centered contraception counseling could mitigate the impact of unintended pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of the study is to compare contraception counseling and use between hypertensive and nonhypertensive individuals at risk for unintended pregnancy. Our secondary objectives are the following: (1) to evaluate the effect of race on the probability of counseling and the use of contraception, and (2) to evaluate the methods used by individuals with hypertension. METHODS: Data from the 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 National Survey of Family Growth Female Respondent Files were used to analyze whether individuals who reported being informed of having high blood pressure within the previous 12 months received counseling about contraception or received a contraceptive method. Covariates considered in the analysis included age, race, parity, educational attainment, body mass index, smoking, diabetes, and experience with social determinants of health. The social determinants of health covariate was based on reported experiences within 5 social determinants of health domains: food security, housing stability, financial security, transportation access, and childcare needs. Linear probability models were used to estimate the adjusted probability of receiving counseling and the use of a contraceptive. Using difference-in-difference analyses, we compared the change in counseling and use between hypertensive and nonhypertensive respondents by race, relative to White respondents. RESULTS: Of the 8625 participants analyzed, 771 (9%) were hypertensive. Contraception counseling was received by 26.2% (95% confidence interval, 20.4-31.9) of hypertensive individuals and 20.7% (95% confidence interval, 19.3-22.2) of nonhypertensive individuals. Contraception use was reported by 39.8% (95% confidence interval, 33.2-46.5) of hypertensive and 35.3% (95% confidence interval, 33.3-37.2) of nonhypertensive individuals. The linear probability model adjusting for age, parity, education attainment, body mass index, smoking, diabetes, and social determinants of health indicated that hypertensive individuals were 8 percentage points (95% confidence interval, 3-18 percentage points) more likely to receive counseling and 9 percentage points (95% confidence interval, 3-16 percentage points) more likely to use contraception. Hypertensive Black individuals did not receive more counseling or use more contraceptives compared with nonhypertensive Black individuals. The difference in counseling when hypertension was present was 13 percentage points lower than the difference observed for White respondents when hypertension was present (P=.01). The most frequently used contraceptive method among hypertensive individuals was combined oral contraceptive pills (54.0%; 95% confidence interval, 44.3%-63.5%). CONCLUSION: Despite the higher likelihood of receiving contraception counseling and using contraception among hypertensive individuals at risk for unintended pregnancy, two-thirds of this population did not receive contraception counseling, and <40% used any contraceptive method. Furthermore, unlike White individuals, Black individuals with hypertension did not receive more contraception care than nonhypertensive Black individuals. Of all those who used contraception, half relied on a method classified as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Medical Eligibility Criteria Category 3. These findings highlight a substantial unmet need for safe and accessible contraception options for hypertensive individuals at risk for unintended pregnancy, emphasizing the importance of targeted interventions to improve contraceptive care and counseling in this population.

Maternal mortality in the United States: are the high and rising rates due to changes in obstetrical factors, maternal medical conditions, or maternal mortality surveillance?

BACKGROUND: National Vital Statistics System reports show that maternal mortality rates in the United States have nearly doubled, from 17.4 in 2018 to 32.9 per 100,000 live births in 2021. However, these high and rising rates could reflect issues unrelated to obstetrical factors, such as changes in maternal medical conditions or maternal mortality surveillance (eg, due to introduction of the pregnancy checkbox). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess if the high and rising rates of maternal mortality in the United States reflect changes in obstetrical factors, maternal medical conditions, or maternal mortality surveillance. STUDY DESIGN: The study was based on all deaths in the United States from 1999 to 2021. Maternal deaths were identified using the following 2 approaches: (1) per National Vital Statistics System methodology, as deaths in pregnancy or in the postpartum period, including deaths identified solely because of a positive pregnancy checkbox, and (2) under an alternative formulation, as deaths in pregnancy or in the postpartum period, with at least 1 mention of pregnancy among the multiple causes of death on the death certificate. The frequencies of major cause-of-death categories among deaths of female patients aged 15 to 44 years, maternal deaths, deaths due to obstetrical causes (ie, direct obstetrical deaths), and deaths due to maternal medical conditions aggravated by pregnancy or its management (ie, indirect obstetrical deaths) were quantified. RESULTS: Maternal deaths, per National Vital Statistics System methodology, increased by 144% (95% confidence interval, 130-159) from 9.65 in 1999-2002 (n=1550) to 23.6 per 100,000 live births in 2018-2021 (n=3489), with increases occurring among all race and ethnicity groups. Direct obstetrical deaths increased from 8.41 in 1999-2002 to 14.1 per 100,000 live births in 2018-2021, whereas indirect obstetrical deaths increased from 1.24 to 9.41 per 100,000 live births: 38% of direct obstetrical deaths and 87% of indirect obstetrical deaths in 2018-2021 were identified because of a positive pregnancy checkbox. The pregnancy checkbox was associated with increases in less specific and incidental causes of death. For example, maternal deaths with malignant neoplasms listed as a multiple cause of death increased 46-fold from 0.03 in 1999-2002 to 1.42 per 100,000 live births in 2018-2021. Under the alternative formulation, the maternal mortality rate was 10.2 in 1999-2002 and 10.4 per 100,000 live births in 2018-2021; deaths from direct obstetrical causes decreased from 7.05 to 5.82 per 100,000 live births. Deaths due to preeclampsia, eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, puerperal sepsis, venous complications, and embolism decreased, whereas deaths due to adherent placenta, renal and unspecified causes, cardiomyopathy, and preexisting hypertension increased. Maternal mortality increased among non-Hispanic White women and decreased among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women. However, rates were disproportionately higher among non-Hispanic Black women, with large disparities evident in several causes of death (eg, cardiomyopathy). CONCLUSION: The high and rising rates of maternal mortality in the United States are a consequence of changes in maternal mortality surveillance, with reliance on the pregnancy checkbox leading to an increase in misclassified maternal deaths. Identifying maternal deaths by requiring mention of pregnancy among the multiple causes of death shows lower, stable maternal mortality rates and declines in maternal deaths from direct obstetrical causes.

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Position Statement: Access to abortion care.

POSITION: The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine supports the right of all individuals to access the full spectrum of reproductive health services, including abortion care. Reproductive health decisions are best made by each individual with guidance and support from their healthcare providers. The Society opposes legislation and policies that limit access to abortion care or criminalize abortion care and self-managed abortion. In addition, the Society opposes policies that compromise the patient-healthcare provider relationship by limiting a healthcare provider's ability to counsel patients and provide evidence-based, medically appropriate treatment.

Agnostic identification of plasma biomarkers for postpartum hemorrhage risk.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum hemorrhage is difficult to predict, is associated with significant maternal morbidity, and is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. The identification of maternal biomarkers that can predict increased postpartum hemorrhage risk would enhance clinical care and may uncover mechanisms that lead to postpartum hemorrhage. OBJECTIVE: This retrospective case-control study employed agnostic proteomic profiling of maternal plasma samples to identify differentially abundant proteins in controls and postpartum hemorrhage cases. STUDY DESIGN: Maternal plasma samples were procured from a cohort of >60,000 participants in a single institution's perinatal repository. Postpartum hemorrhage was defined as a decrease in hematocrit of ≥10% or receipt of transfusion within 24 hours after delivery. Postpartum hemorrhage cases (n=30) were matched by maternal age and delivery mode (vaginal or cesarean) with controls (n=56). Mass spectrometry was used to identify differentially abundant proteins using integrated peptide peak areas. Statistically significant differences between groups were defined as P<.05 after controlling for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: By study design, cases and controls did not differ in race, ethnicity, gestational age at delivery, blood type, or predelivery platelet count. Cases had slightly but significantly lower predelivery and postdelivery hematocrit and hemoglobin. Mass spectrometry detected 1140 proteins, including 77 proteins for which relative abundance differed significantly between cases and controls (fold change >1.15, P<.05). Of these differentially abundant plasma proteins, most had likely liver or placental origins. Gene ontology term analysis mapped to protein clusters involved in responses to wound healing, stress response, and host immune defense. Significantly differentially abundant proteins with the highest fold change (prostaglandin D2 synthase, periostin, and several serine protease inhibitors) did not correlate with predelivery hematocrit or hemoglobin but identified postpartum hemorrhage cases with logistic regression modeling revealing good-to-excellent area under the operator receiver characteristic curves (0.802-0.874). Incorporating predelivery hemoglobin with these candidate proteins further improved the identification of postpartum hemorrhage cases. CONCLUSION: Agnostic analysis of maternal plasma samples identified differentially abundant proteins in controls and postpartum hemorrhage cases. Several of these proteins are known to participate in biologically plausible pathways for postpartum hemorrhage risk and have potential value for predicting postpartum hemorrhage. These findings identify candidate protein biomarkers for future validation and mechanistic studies.

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Position Statement: Extending Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum.

Position: The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine supports federal and state policies that expand Medicaid eligibility and extend Medicaid coverage through 12 months postpartum to address the maternal morbidity and mortality crisis and improve health equity. Access to coverage is essential to optimize maternal health following pregnancy and childbirth and avoid preventable causes of maternal morbidity and mortality that extend throughout the first year postpartum. The Society opposes policies such as work requirements or limitations on coverage for undocumented individuals that unnecessarily impose restrictions on Medicaid eligibility.

Reducing maternal mortality in low- and middle-income countries: the Nepalese approach of helicopter retrieval.

Ninety-four percent of global maternal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The UN has a goal of reducing maternal deaths to <70 per 100,000 live births by 2030, but progress is minimal. Maternal deaths in LMICs are associated with 3 delays in the care of women with obstetrical emergencies: 1) in the family of the woman realizing that her life is at risk, 2) in the transport of the woman to a hospital, and 3) in providing care after arrival at the hospital. These 3 delays function like links in a chain, and failure of any link leads to maternal death. LMICs have characteristics that make it likely that the chain will break. Women in LMICs frequently have low standing, and cultural beliefs often lead to delay in the recognition of obstetrical emergencies. LMICs are characterized by poor roads and long distances to hospitals leading to transport delays. Cultural and other factors also lead to treatment delays when a woman reaches a suitably-equipped and staffed hospital. Nepal has addressed these delays and reduced maternal mortality. Firstly, we have reported in the Journal the use of culturally acceptable approaches to improving the knowledge about antenatal care in remote villages. In the case of Nepal, singing songs related to maternal care proved to be a highly effective strategy. We now report that the government of Nepal has repurposed military helicopters to overcome the tyranny of poor roads to allow rapid transport of women with obstetrical emergencies to a small number of fully-equipped and staffed hospitals. As of June 2023, this service has successfully retrieved 625 women in four and half years. The Nepalese government has included questions on maternal mortality in the 2021 national census, followed by a verbal autopsy. These data indicate a fall in the maternal mortality ratio from 239 in 2016 to 151 in 2021. The efficiency of the triage service continues to improve, suggesting that maternal mortality will continue to fall. This may provide a model that can be implemented in other LMICs and highlights factors that may be responsible for recent increases in the US maternal mortality ratio.

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Consult Series #68: Sickle cell disease in pregnancy.

Pregnant individuals with sickle cell disease have an increased risk of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. However, prepregnancy counseling and multidisciplinary care can lead to favorable maternal and neonatal outcomes. In this consult series, we summarize what is known about sickle cell disease and provide guidance for sickle cell disease management during pregnancy. The following are Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommendations.

Effectiveness of care bundles for prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Care bundles are a promising approach to reducing postpartum hemorrhage-related morbidity and mortality. We assessed the effectiveness and safety of care bundles for postpartum hemorrhage prevention and/or treatment. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Maternity and Infant Care Database, and Global Index Medicus (inception to June 9, 2023) and ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (last 5 years) using a phased search strategy, combining terms for postpartum hemorrhage and care bundles. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Peer-reviewed studies evaluating postpartum hemorrhage-related care bundles were included. Care bundles were defined as interventions comprising ≥3 components implemented collectively, concurrently, or in rapid succession. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, interrupted time series, and before-after studies (controlled or uncontrolled) were eligible. METHODS: Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 (randomized trials) and ROBINS-I (nonrandomized studies). For controlled studies, we reported risk ratios for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences for continuous outcomes, with certainty of evidence determined using GRADE. For uncontrolled studies, we used effect direction tables and summarized results narratively. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included for analysis. For prevention-only bundles (2 studies), low-certainty evidence suggests possible benefits in reducing blood loss, duration of hospitalization, and intensive care unit stay, and maternal well-being. For treatment-only bundles (9 studies), high-certainty evidence shows that the E-MOTIVE intervention reduced risks of composite severe morbidity (risk ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.50) and blood transfusion for bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage, severe postpartum hemorrhage, and mean blood loss. One nonrandomized trial and 7 uncontrolled studies suggest that other postpartum hemorrhage treatment bundles might reduce blood loss and severe postpartum hemorrhage, but this is uncertain. For combined prevention/treatment bundles (11 studies), low-certainty evidence shows that the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative care bundle may reduce severe maternal morbidity (risk ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.72). Ten uncontrolled studies variably showed possible benefits, no effects, or harms for other bundle types. Nearly all uncontrolled studies did not use suitable statistical methods for single-group pretest-posttest comparisons and should thus be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSION: The E-MOTIVE intervention improves postpartum hemorrhage-related outcomes among women delivering vaginally, and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative bundle may reduce severe maternal morbidity. Other bundle designs warrant further effectiveness research before implementation is contemplated.

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Consult Series #71: Management of previable and periviable preterm prelabor rupture of membranes.

Previable and periviable preterm prelabor rupture of membranes are challenging obstetrical complications to manage given the substantial risk of maternal morbidity and mortality, with no guarantee of fetal benefit. The following are the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommendations for the management of previable and periviable preterm prelabor rupture of membranes before the period when a trial of neonatal resuscitation and intensive care would be considered appropriate by the healthcare team and desired by the patient: (1) we recommend that pregnant patients with previable and periviable preterm prelabor rupture of membranes receive individualized counseling about the maternal and fetal risks and benefits of both abortion care and expectant management to guide an informed decision; all patients with previable and periviable preterm prelabor rupture of membranes should be offered abortion care, and expectant management can also be offered in the absence of contraindications (GRADE 1C); (2) we recommend antibiotics for pregnant individuals who choose expectant management after preterm prelabor rupture of membranes at ≥24 0/7 weeks of gestation (GRADE 1B); (3) antibiotics can be considered after preterm prelabor rupture of membranes at 20 0/7 to 23 6/7 weeks of gestation (GRADE 2C); (4) administration of antenatal corticosteroids and magnesium sulfate is not recommended until the time when a trial of neonatal resuscitation and intensive care would be considered appropriate by the healthcare team and desired by the patient (GRADE 1B); (5) serial amnioinfusions and amniopatch are considered investigational and should be used only in a clinical trial setting; they are not recommended for routine care of previable and periviable preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (GRADE 1B); (6) cerclage management after previable or periviable preterm prelabor rupture of membranes is similar to cerclage management after preterm prelabor rupture of membranes at later gestational ages; it is reasonable to either remove the cerclage or leave it in situ after discussing the risks and benefits and incorporating shared decision-making (GRADE 2C); and (7) in subsequent pregnancies after a history of previable or periviable preterm prelabor rupture of membranes, we recommend following guidelines for management of pregnant persons with a previous spontaneous preterm birth (GRADE 1C).

Estimating causes of maternal death in data-sparse contexts.

Understanding the underlying causes of maternal death across all regions of the world is essential to inform policies and resource allocation to reduce the mortality burden. However, in many countries there exists very little data on the causes of maternal death, and data that do exist do not capture the entire population at risk. In this article, we present a Bayesian hierarchical multinomial model to estimate maternal cause of death distributions globally, regionally, and for all countries worldwide. The framework combines data from various sources to inform estimates, including data from civil registration and vital systems, smaller-scale surveys and studies, and high-quality data from confidential enquiries and surveillance systems. The framework accounts for varying data quality and coverage, and allows for situations where one or more causes of death are missing. We illustrate the results of the model on three case-study countries that have different data availability situations.

History of multifetal gestation and long-term maternal mortality.

BACKGROUND: Multifetal gestation could be associated with higher long-term maternal mortality because it increases the risk of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and preterm birth, which are in turn linked to postpartum cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVES: We examined whether spontaneously conceived multifetal versus singleton gestation was associated with long-term maternal mortality in a racially diverse U.S. METHODS: We ascertained vital status as of 2016 via linkage to the National Death Index and Social Security Death Master File of 44,174 mothers from the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP; 1959-1966). Cox proportional hazards models with maternal age as the time scale assessed associations between history of spontaneous multifetal gestation (in the last CPP observed pregnancy or prior pregnancy) and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, adjusted for demographics, smoking status, and preexisting medical conditions. We calculated hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality over the study period and until age 50, 60, and 70 years (premature mortality). RESULTS: Of eligible participants, 1672 (3.8%) had a history of multifetal gestation. Participants with versus without a history of multifetal gestation were older, more likely to have a preexisting condition, and more likely to smoke. By 2016, 51% of participants with and 38% of participants without a history of multifetal gestation had died (unadjusted all-cause HR 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07, 1.23). After adjustment for smoking and preexisting conditions, a history of multifetal gestation was not associated with all-cause (adjusted HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.93, 1.08) or cardiovascular mortality (adjusted HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.87, 1.11) over the study period. However, history of multifetal gestation was associated with an 11% lower risk of premature all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82, 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort with over 50 years of follow-up, history of multifetal gestation was not associated with all-cause mortality, but may be associated with a lower risk of premature mortality.

The quality of routine data for measuring facility-based maternal mortality in public and private health facilities in Kampala City, Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Routine health facility data are an important source of health information in resource-limited settings. Regular quality assessments are necessary to improve the reliability of routine data for different purposes, including estimating facility-based maternal mortality. This study aimed to assess the quality of routine data on deliveries, livebirths and maternal deaths in Kampala City, Uganda. METHODS: We reviewed routine health facility data from the district health information system (DHIS2) for 2016 to 2021. This time period included an upgrade of DHIS2, resulting in two datasets (2016-2019 and 2020-2021) that were managed separately. We analysed data for all facilities that reported at least one delivery in any of the six years, and for a subset of facilities designated to provide emergency obstetric care (EmOC). We adapted the World Health Organization data quality review framework to assess completeness and internal consistency of the three data elements, using 2019 and 2021 as reference years. Primary data were collected to verify reporting accuracy in four purposively selected EmOC facilities. Data were disaggregated by facility level and ownership. RESULTS: We included 255 facilities from 2016 to 2019 and 247 from 2020 to 2021; of which 30% were EmOC facilities. The overall completeness of data for deliveries and livebirths ranged between 53% and 55%, while it was < 2% for maternal deaths (98% of monthly values were zero). Among EmOC facilities, completeness was higher for deliveries and livebirths at 80%; and was < 6% for maternal deaths. For the whole sample, the prevalence of outliers for all three data elements was < 2%. Inconsistencies over time were mostly observed for maternal deaths, with the highest difference of 96% occurring in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: Routine data from childbirth facilities in Kampala were generally suboptimal, but the quality was better in EmOC facilities. Given likely underreporting of maternal deaths, further efforts to verify and count all facility-related maternal deaths are essential to accurately estimate facility-based maternal mortality. Data reliability could be enhanced by improving reporting practices in EmOC facilities and streamlining reporting processes in private-for-profit facilities. Further qualitative studies should identify critical points where data are compromised, and data quality assessments should consider service delivery standards.

The contribution of suicide to maternal mortality: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the incidence and characteristics of maternal suicide. DESIGN: Nationwide population-based cohort study. SETTING: The Netherlands, 2006-2020. POPULATION: Women who died during pregnancy or within 1 year postpartum, and a reference population of women aged 25-45 years. METHODS: The Cause of Death Register and Medical Birth Register were linked to identify women who died within 1 year postpartum. Data were combined with deaths reported to the Audit Committee for Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (ACMMM), which performs confidential enquiries. Maternal suicides were compared with a previous period (1996-2005). Risk factors were obtained by combining vital statistics databases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of incidence and proportion of maternal suicides among all maternal deaths over time, sociodemographic and patient-related risk factors and underreporting of postpartum suicides. RESULTS: The maternal suicide rate remained stable with 68 deaths: 2.6 per 100 000 live births in 2006-2020 versus 2.5 per 100 000 in 1996-2005. The proportion of suicides among all maternal deaths increased from 18% to 28%. Most suicides occurred throughout the first year postpartum (64/68); 34 (53%) of the women who died by suicide postpartum were primiparous. Compared with mid-level, low educational level was a risk factor (odds ratio 4.2, 95% confidence interval 2.3-7.9). Of 20 women reported to the ACMMM, 11 (55%) had a psychiatric history and 13 (65%) were in psychiatric treatment at the time of death. Underreporting to ACMMM was 78%. CONCLUSIONS: Although the overall maternal mortality ratio declined, maternal suicides did not and are now the leading cause of maternal mortality if late deaths up to 1 year postpartum are included. Data collection and analysis of suicides must improve.

Burden and outcomes of postpartum haemorrhage in Nigerian referral-level hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), risk factors, and maternal and neonatal outcomes in a multicentre study across Nigeria. DESIGN: A secondary data analysis using a cross-sectional design. SETTING: Referral-level hospitals (48 public and six private facilities). POPULATION: Women admitted for birth between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020. METHODS: Data collected over a 1-year period from the Maternal and Perinatal Database for Quality, Equity and Dignity programme in Nigeria were analysed, stratified by mode of delivery (vaginal or caesarean), using a mixed-effects logistic regression model. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of PPH and maternal and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: Of 68 754 women, 2169 (3.2%, 95% CI 3.07%-3.30%) had PPH, with a prevalence of 2.7% (95% CI 2.55%-2.85%) and 4.0% (95% CI 3.75%-4.25%) for vaginal and caesarean deliveries, respectively. Factors associated with PPH following vaginal delivery were: no formal education (aOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.8-2.6, P < 0.001); multiple pregnancy (aOR 2.7, 95% CI 2.1-3.5, P < 0.001); and antepartum haemorrhage (aOR 11.7, 95% CI 9.4-14.7, P < 0.001). Factors associated with PPH in a caesarean delivery were: maternal age of >35 years (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.5-2.0, P < 0.001); referral from informal setting (aOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.0, P = 0.002); and antepartum haemorrhage (aOR 3.7, 95% CI 2.8-4.7, P < 0.001). Maternal mortality occurred in 4.8% (104/2169) of deliveries overall, and in 8.5% (101/1182) of intensive care unit admissions. One-quarter of all infants were stillborn (570/2307), representing 23.9% (429/1796) of neonatal intensive care unit admissions. CONCLUSIONS: A PPH prevalence of 3.2% can be reduced with improved access to skilled birth attendants.

Association between pregnancy affected by vaginal bleeding and women's mortality: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between vaginal bleeding (VB) in pregnancy and women's mortality, using VB-unaffected pregnancies, terminations and miscarriages as comparators. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: Nationwide registries of Denmark linked at an individual level. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: 1 354 181 women and their 3 162 317 pregnancies (1979-2017), including 70 835 VB-affected pregnancies and comparators: 2 236 359 VB-unaffected pregnancies ending in childbirth; 589 697 terminations; and 265 426 miscarriages. METHODS: We followed pregnancies until the earliest date of woman's death, emigration or end of data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause and cause-specific mortality rates per 10 000 person-years (PY) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted using Cox proportional hazards regression for age, calendar year, pre-existing chronic conditions and socio-economic factors. RESULTS: There were 2320 deaths from any cause among women following VB-affected pregnancy (mortality rate 15.2, 95% CI 14.6-15.9 per 10 000 PY); 55 030 deaths following VB-unaffected pregnancy (mortality rate 12.7, 95% CI 12.6-12.8); 27 500 deaths following a termination (mortality rate 21.9, 95% CI 21.6-22.1), and 10 865 deaths following a miscarriage (mortality rate 19.2, 95% CI 18.8-19.6). For comparison of VB-affected versus VB-unaffected pregnancies, associations with all-cause (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.09-1.19), natural causes (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.22) and non-natural causes (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.08-1.48) mortality were attenuated in a sensitivity analysis of pregnancies recorded in 1994-2017 (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.90-1.12, HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.85-1.14 and HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.72-1.51, respectively). Contrasts with remaining comparators did not suggest increased risks of all-cause, natural or non-natural mortality causes. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence of an increased risk of women's mortality following VB-affected versus VB-unaffected pregnancy, termination or miscarriage.

Maternal mortality during war time in Tigray, Ethiopia: A community-based study.

OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to examine the impact of war on maternal mortality following an exacerbation in the dynamics of inequality in maternal health caused by the continuing conflict. DESIGN: Community-based cross-sectional study. SETTING: Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia, between November 2020 and May 2022. POPULATION: This study surveyed a total of 189 087 households from six of the seven zones of Tigray in 121 tabiyas from 31 districts selected. A multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select the districts and tabiyas. METHODS: The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, reproductive-age deaths that occurred during the study period were screened. In the second phase, verbal autopsies were conducted at the screened households. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal mortality ratio level and cause-specific mortality. RESULTS: The results of the study showed that the maternal mortality ratio was 840 (95% CI 739-914) per 100 000 live births. Haemorrhage, 107 (42.8%), pregnancy-induced hypertension, 21 (8.4%), and accidents, 14 (5.6%), were the main causes of mortality. Additionally, 203 (81.2%) of the mothers died outside of a health facility. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown a higher maternal mortality ratio following the dynamics of the Tigray war, as compared with the pre-war level of 186/100 000. Furthermore, potentially many of the pregnancy-related deaths could have been prevented with access to preventive and emergency services. Given the destruction and looting of many facilities, the restoration and improvement of the Tigray health system must take precedence.

Cardiac implantable electronic devices in pregnancy: A position statement.

The aim of this document is to provide guidance for the management of women and birthing people with a permanent pacemaker (PPM) or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Cardiac devices are becoming more common in obstetric practice and a reference document for contemporary evidence-based practice is required. Where evidence is limited, expert consensus has established recommendations. The purpose is to improve safety and reduce the risk of adverse events relating to implanted cardiac devices during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.