Facility-based maternal deaths: Their prevalence, causes and underlying circumstances. A mixed method study from the national referral hospital of Somaliland.

OBJECTIVE: Somaliland has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths in the world. An estimated 732 women die for every 100,000 live births. This study aims to identify the prevalence of facility-based maternal deaths, the causes and their underlying circumstances by interviewing relatives and health care providers at the main referral hospital. METHOD: A hospital-based mixed method study. The prospective cross-sectional design of the WHO Maternal Near Miss tool was combined with narrative interviews with 28 relatives and 28 health care providers in direct contact with maternal deaths. The quantitative data was analysed with descriptive statistics using SPSS and the qualitative part of the study was analysed with content analysis using NVivo. RESULTS: From the 6658 women included 28 women died. The highest direct cause of maternal death was severe obstetric haemorrhage (46.4%), followed by hypertensive disorders (25%) and severe sepsis (10.7%). An indirect obstetric cause of death was medical complications (17.9%). Twenty-five per cent of these cases were admitted to ICU and 89% had referred themselves to the hospital for treatment. The qualitative data identifies two categories of missed opportunities that could have prevented these maternal mortalities: poor risk awareness in the community and inadequate interprofessional collaboration at the hospital. CONCLUSION: The referral system needs to be strengthened utilizing Traditional Birth Attendants as community resource supporting the community facilities. The communication skills and interprofessional collaboration of the health care providers at the hospital needs to be addressed and a national maternal death surveillance system needs to be commenced.

Scaling Up Misoprostol to Prevent Postpartum Hemorrhage at Home Births in Mozambique: A Case Study Applying the ExpandNet/WHO Framework.

BACKGROUND: Mozambique has a high maternal mortality ratio, and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal deaths. In 2015, the Mozambican Ministry of Health (MOH) commenced a program to distribute misoprostol at the community level in selected districts as a strategy to reduce PPH. This case study uses the ExpandNet/World Health Organization (WHO) scale-up framework to examine the planning, management, and outcomes of the early expansion phase of the scale-up of misoprostol for the prevention of PPH in 2 provinces in Mozambique. METHODS: Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted between February and October 2017 in 5 participating districts in 2 provinces. Participants included program stakeholders, health staff, community health workers (CHWs), and traditional birth attendants (TBAs). Interviews were analyzed using the ExpandNet/WHO framework alongside national policy and planning documents and notes from a 2017 national Ministry of Health maternal, newborn, and child health workshop. Outcomes were estimated using misoprostol coverage and access in 2017 for both provinces. RESULTS: The study revealed a number of barriers and facilitators to scale-up. Facilitators included a supportive political and legal environment; a clear, credible, and relevant innovation; early expansion into some Ministry of Health systems and a strong network of CHWs and TBAs. Barriers included a reduction in reach due to a shift from universal distribution to application of eligibility criteria; fear of misdirecting misoprostol for abortion or labor induction; limited communication and understanding of the national PPH prevention strategy; inadequate monitoring and evaluation; challenges with logistics systems; and the inability to engage remote TBAs. Lower coverage was found in Inhambane province than Nampula province, possibly due to NGO support and political champions. CONCLUSION: This study identified the need for a formal review of the misoprostol program to identify adaptations and to develop a systematic scale-up strategy to guide national scale-up.

[Maternal deaths due to anesthesia complications. Results from the French confidential enquiry into maternal deaths, 2010-2012]. / Mortalité maternelle liée à l'anesthésie-réanimation. Résultats de l'ENCMM, France 2010­2012.

Over the period 2010-2012, maternal mortality linked to anesthesia accounted for 2% of maternal deaths, with no significant change since 2007-2009. Of the 7 maternal deaths analyzed by the expert committee, anesthetic complications were in 5 cases the main cause of death: 4 attributed to direct causes related to anesthetic procedures during childbirth and 1 to indirect cause in connection with an ENT complication during pregnancy. The anesthetic causes of maternal mortality were for the 2010-2012 period: cardiac arrest under spinal anesthesia during caesarean section, local anesthetic intoxication with unsuccessful resuscitation after cardiac arrest without intralipid administration, acute respiratory distress syndrome in the postpartum period after pulmonary aspiration during caesarean section, cardiac arrest during caesarean section under general anesthesia in a context of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with mediastinal syndrome, unsuccessful endotracheal intubation in a context of cellulitis of the oral cavity floor. In two other cases, anesthetic complications were identified as associated causes of death, the primary cause being intracerebral hemorrhage stroke and pulmonary hypertension. In most of the cases analyzed over the period 2010-2012, anesthesia and resuscitation have been involved in the occurrence of maternal deaths, mainly through strategic errors in the management of patients with severe pathology before delivery, as well as through insufficient cardiac resuscitation duration after cardiac arrest.

Clinical performance and patient outcome after simulation-based training in prevention and management of postpartum haemorrhage: an educational intervention study in a low-resource setting.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a major cause of maternal mortality. Prevention and adequate treatment are therefore important. However, most births in low-resource settings are not attended by skilled providers, and knowledge and skills of healthcare workers that are available are low. Simulation-based training effectively improves knowledge and simulated skills, but the effectiveness of training on clinical behaviour and patient outcome is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of obstetric simulation-based training on the incidence of PPH and clinical performance of basic delivery skills and management of PPH. METHODS: A prospective educational intervention study was performed in a rural referral hospital in Tanzania. Sixteen research assistants observed all births with a gestational age of more than 28 weeks from May 2011 to June 2013. In March 2012 a half-day obstetric simulation-based training in management of PPH was introduced. Observations before and after training were compared. The main outcome measures were incidence of PPH (500-1000 ml and >1000 ml), use and timing of administration of uterotonic drugs, removal of placenta by controlled cord traction, uterine massage, examination of the placenta, management of PPH (>500 ml), and maternal and neonatal mortality at 24 h. RESULTS: Three thousand six hundred twenty two births before and 5824 births after intervention were included. The incidence of PPH (500-1000 ml) significantly reduced from 2.1% to 1.3% after training (effect size Cohen's d = 0.07). The proportion of women that received oxytocin (87.8%), removal of placenta by controlled cord traction (96.5%), and uterine massage after birth (93.0%) significantly increased after training (to 91.7%, 98.8%, 99.0% respectively). The proportion of women who received oxytocin as part of management of PPH increased significantly (before training 43.0%, after training 61.2%). Other skills in management of PPH improved (uterine massage, examination of birth canal, bimanual uterine compression), but these were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of obstetric simulation-based training was associated with a 38% reduction in incidence of PPH and improved clinical performance of basic delivery skills and management of PPH.

Maternal near-miss and death incidences - Frequencies, causes and the referral chain in Somaliland: A pilot study using the WHO near-miss approach.

Background Somaliland is a self-declared country with a population of 3.5 million. Most of its population reside in rural areas. The objective of this pilot near-miss study was to monitor the frequency and causes of maternal near-miss and deaths and the referral chain for women to access Skilled Birth Attendants (SBA). METHOD: A facility-based study of all maternal near-miss and mortality cases over 5months using the WHO near-miss tool in a main referral hospital. Reasons for bypassing the Antenatal Care facility (ANC) and late arrival to the referral hospital were investigated through verbal autopsy. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-eight (138) women with severe maternal complications were identified: 120 maternal near-miss, 18 maternal deaths. There were more near-miss cases on arrival (74.2%) compared with events that developed inside the hospital (25.8%). Likewise, there were more maternal deaths (77.8%) on arrival than was the case during hospitalization (22.2%). The most common mode of referral among maternal near-miss events was family referrals (66.7%). Of 18 maternal deaths, 15 were family referrals. Reasons for bypassing ANC were as follows: lack of confidence in the service provided; lack of financial resources; and lack of time to visit ANC. Reasons for late arrival to the referral hospital were as follows: lack of knowledge and transportation; and poor communication. Conclusion and clinical implication: To increase the utilization of ANC might indirectly lower the number of near-miss and death events. Collaboration between ANC staff and referral hospital staff and a more comprehensive near-miss project are proposed.

Preventing deaths due to the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

In this chapter, taking a life cycle and both civil society and medically oriented approach, we will discuss the contribution of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) to maternal, perinatal and newborn mortality and morbidity. Here we review various interventions and approaches to preventing deaths due to HDPs and discuss effectiveness, resource needs and long-term sustainability of the different approaches. Societal approaches, addressing sustainable development goals (SDGs) 2.2 (malnutrition), 3.7 (access to sexual and reproductive care), 3.8 (universal health coverage) and 3c (health workforce strengthening), are required to achieve SDGs 3.1 (maternal survival), 3.2 (perinatal survival) and 3.4 (reduced impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs)). Medical solutions require greater clarity around the classification of the HDPs, increased frequency of effective antenatal visits, mandatory responses to the HDPs when encountered, prompt provision of life-saving interventions and sustained surveillance for NCD risk for women with a history of the HDPs.

Preventing deaths due to haemorrhage.

Prevention of deaths from obstetric haemorrhage requires effective health systems including family planning, commodities, personnel, infrastructure and ultimately universal access to comprehensive obstetric care for women giving birth. The main causes of death associated with antepartum haemorrhage are placental abruption, placenta praevia and uterine rupture. Preventive measures include preconceptual folate supplementation, management of hypertensive disorders, early diagnosis of placenta praevia and use of uterine stimulants cautiously, particularly misoprostol. Preventive measures for post-partum haemorrhage include routine active management of the third stage of labour. Treatment involves a cascade of increasingly invasive interventions in rapid sequence until the bleeding is stopped. These interventions include fluid resuscitation, removal of the placenta, bimanual uterine compression, uterotonics, tranexamic acid, suturing of lower genital tract injury, blood product replacement, balloon tamponade, laparotomy, stepwise uterine devascularization, uterine compression sutures and hysterectomy. Emergency temporizing measures include application of the non-pneumatic anti-shock garment, and at laparotomy, aortic compression and uterine tourniquet application. The effectiveness of treatment methods and the optimal dosage of misoprostol are research priorities. Interesting new approaches include transvaginal uterine artery clamping and suction uterine tamponade.

Misoprostol for Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage at Home Birth in Afghanistan: Program Expansion Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Afghanistan has a maternal mortality ratio of 400 per 100,000 live births. Hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death. Two-thirds of births occur at home. A pilot program conducted from 2005 to 2007 demonstrated the effectiveness of using community health workers for advance distribution of misoprostol to pregnant women for self-administration immediately following birth to prevent postpartum hemorrhage. The Ministry of Public Health requested an expansion of the pilot to study implementation on a larger scale before adopting the intervention as national policy. The purpose of this before-and-after study was to determine the effectiveness of advance distribution of misoprostol for self-administration across 20 districts in Afghanistan and identify any adverse events that occurred during expansion. METHODS: Cross-sectional household surveys were conducted pre- (n = 408) and postintervention (n = 408) to assess the effect of the program on uterotonic use among women who had recently given birth. Maternal death audits and verbal autopsies were conducted to investigate peripartum maternal deaths that occurred during implementation in the 20 districts. RESULTS: Uterotonic use among women in the sample increased from 50.3% preintervention to 74.3% postintervention. Because of a large-scale investment in Afghanistan in training and deployment of community midwives, it was assumed that all women who gave birth in facilities received a uterotonic. A significant difference in uterotonic use at home births was observed among women who lived farthest from a health facility (> 90 minutes self-reported travel time) compared to women who lived closer (88.5% vs 38.9%; P < .0001). All women who accepted misoprostol and gave birth at home used the drug. No maternal deaths were identified among those women who used misoprostol. DISCUSSION: The results of this study build on the findings of the pilot program and provide evidence on the effectiveness, primarily measured by uterotonic use, of an expansion of advance distribution of misoprostol for self-administration.

Abortion legislation, maternal healthcare, fertility, female literacy, sanitation, violence against women and maternal deaths: a natural experiment in 32 Mexican states.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether there is an association between abortion legislation and maternal mortality outcomes after controlling for other factors thought to influence maternal health. DESIGN: Population-based natural experiment. SETTING AND DATA SOURCES: Official maternal mortality data from 32 federal states of Mexico between 2002 and 2011. MAIN OUTCOMES: Maternal mortality ratio (MMR), MMR with any abortive outcome (MMRAO) and induced abortion mortality ratio (iAMR). INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Abortion legislation grouped as less (n=18) or more permissive (n=14); constitutional amendment protecting the unborn (n=17); skilled attendance at birth; all-abortion hospitalisation ratio; low birth weight rate; contraceptive use; total fertility rates (TFR); clean water; sanitation; female literacy rate and intimate-partner violence. MAIN RESULTS: Over the 10-year period, states with less permissive abortion legislation exhibited lower MMR (38.3 vs 49.6; p<0.001), MMRAO (2.7 vs 3.7; p<0.001) and iAMR (0.9 vs 1.7; p<0.001) than more permissive states. Multivariate regression models estimating effect sizes (ß-coefficients) for mortality outcomes showed independent associations (p values between 0.001 and 0.055) with female literacy (ß=-0.061 to -1.100), skilled attendance at birth (ß=-0.032 to -0.427), low birth weight (ß=0.149 to 2.166), all-abortion hospitalisation ratio (ß=-0.566 to -0.962), clean water (ß=-0.048 to -0.730), sanitation (ß=-0.052 to -0.758) and intimate-partner violence (ß=0.085 to 0.755). TFR showed an inverse association with MMR (ß=-14.329) and MMRAO (ß=-1.750) and a direct association with iAMR (ß=1.383). Altogether, these factors accounted for (R(2)) 51-88% of the variance among states in overall mortality rates. No statistically independent effect was observed for abortion legislation, constitutional amendment or other covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Although less permissive states exhibited consistently lower maternal mortality rates, this finding was not explained by abortion legislation itself. Rather, these differences were explained by other independent factors, which appeared to have a more favourable distribution in these states.

Issues in prevention of iron deficiency anemia in India.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) continues to be major public health problem in India. It is estimated that about 20% of maternal deaths are directly related to anemia and another 50% of maternal deaths are associated with it. The question, therefore, is why, despite being the first country to launch the National Nutritional Anemia Prophylaxis Programme in 1970, the problem of IDA remains so widespread. As is to be expected, the economic implications of IDA are also massive. The issues of control of IDA in India are multiple. Inadequate dietary intake of iron, defective iron absorption, increased iron requirements due to repeated pregnancies and lactation, poor iron reserves at birth, timing of umbilical cord clamping, timing and type of complementary food introduction, frequency of infections in children, and excessive physiological blood loss during adolescence and pregnancy are some of the causes responsible for the high prevalence of anemia in India. In addition, there are other multiple programmatic and organizational issues. This review, therefore, is an attempt to examine the current burden of anemia in India, its epidemiology, and the various issues regarding its prevention and control, as well as to offer some innovative approaches to deal with this major health problem.

Place of birth or place of death: an evaluation of 1139 maternal deaths in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: to describe the incidence of maternal death by age, marital status, timing and place of death in Ibadan North and Ido Local Government Areas of Oyo State, Nigeria. DESIGN: a retrospective study using multistage sampling with stratification and clustering to select local government areas, political wards and households. We included one eligible subject by household in the sample. Data on maternal mortality were collected using the principles of the indirect sisterhood method. SETTING: Ibadan city of Oyo state, Nigeria. We included eight randomly selected political wards from Ibadan North LGA (urban) and Ido LGA (rural). PARTICIPANTS: 3028 participants were interviewed using the four questions of the indirect sisterhood method: How many sisters have you ever had who are ever married (or who survived until age 15)? How many are dead? How many are alive? How many died while they were pregnant, during childbirth, or within six weeks after childbirth (that is, died of maternal causes)? We also included other questions such as place and timing of death, age of women at death and number of pregnancies. FINDINGS: 1139 deaths were reported to be related to pregnancy, childbirth or the puerperium. Almost half were aged between aged 25-34 years. More deaths occurred to women who were pregnant for the first time (33.4%, n=380) than for any other number of pregnancies, with 49.9% (n=521) dying within 24 hours after childbirth or abortion and 30.9% (n=322) dying after 24 hours but within 72 hours after childbirth or abortion. Only 71.5% (n=809) were reported to have been admitted to health-care facilities before their death, the percentage being higher in the urban LGA (72.4%, n=720) than the rural LGA (65.4%, n=89). The percentage being admitted varied from one political ward to another (from 42.9% to 80.4%), the difference being statistically significant (χ(2)=17.55, df=7, p=0.014). The majority of the deaths occurred after childbirth (63.5%, n=723). Most deaths were said to have occurred in the hospital (38.6%) or private clinic (28.2%), with 16.0% dying at home and 6.5% on the way to hospital. KEY CONCLUSIONS: maternal mortality in Nigeria is still unacceptably high. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: ensure adequate training, recruitment and deployment of midwives and others with midwifery skills. Ensure midwives and other skilled birth attendants are backed up with functioning and well equipped health-care facilities. Provide health education and information to the public with regard to reproductive health and ensure the development and dissemination of a policy regarding attendance at birth by only health workers who have midwifery skills.

Assessing health and economic outcomes of interventions to reduce pregnancy-related mortality in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Women in Nigeria face some of the highest maternal mortality risks in the world. We explore the benefits and cost-effectiveness of individual and integrated packages of interventions to prevent pregnancy-related deaths. METHODS: We adapt a previously validated maternal mortality model to Nigeria. Model outcomes included clinical events, population measures, costs, and cost-effectiveness ratios. Separate models were adapted to Southwest and Northeast zones using survey-based data. Strategies consisted of improving coverage of effective interventions, and could include improved logistics. RESULTS: Increasing family planning was the most effective individual intervention to reduce pregnancy-related mortality, was cost saving in the Southwest zone and cost-effective elsewhere, and prevented nearly 1 in 5 abortion-related deaths. However, with a singular focus on family planning and safe abortion, mortality reduction would plateau below MDG 5. Strategies that could prevent 4 out of 5 maternal deaths included an integrated and stepwise approach that includes increased skilled deliveries, facility births, access to antenatal/postpartum care, improved recognition of referral need, transport, and availability quality of EmOC in addition to family planning and safe abortion. The economic benefits of these strategies ranged from being cost-saving to having incremental cost-effectiveness ratios less than $500 per YLS, well below Nigeria's per capita GDP. CONCLUSIONS: Early intensive efforts to improve family planning and control of fertility choices, accompanied by a stepwise effort to scale-up capacity for integrated maternal health services over several years, will save lives and provide equal or greater value than many public health interventions we consider among the most cost-effective (e.g., childhood immunization).