Readiness of emergency obstetric and newborn care in public health facilities in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2016.

OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in readiness to provide emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) in health facilities in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2016. METHODS: A secondary analysis was performed of a subset of data from cross-sectional health facility assessments conducted in December 2009 to February 2010 and May 2016 to January 2017. Interviews with health providers, facility inventory, and record review were conducted in both assessments. Descriptive statistics and χ2 tests were used to compare readiness of EmONC at 59 public health facilities expected to provide comprehensive EmONC. RESULTS: The proportion of facilities reporting provision of uterotonic drugs, anticonvulsants, parenteral antibiotics, newborn resuscitation, and cesarean delivery did not change significantly between 2010 and 2016. Provision of assisted vaginal deliveries increased from 78% in 2010 to 98% in 2016 (P<0.001). Fewer health facilities had amoxicillin (61% in 2016 vs 90% in 2010; P<0.001) and gentamicin (74% in 2016 vs 95% in 2010; P<0.002). The number of facilities with at least one midwife on duty 24 hours a day/7 days a week significantly declined (88% in 2016 vs 98% in 2010; P=0.028). CONCLUSION: Despite a few positive changes, readiness of EmONC services in Afghanistan in 2016 had declined from 2010 levels.

Association of Timing of Plasma Transfusion With Adverse Maternal Outcomes in Women With Persistent Postpartum Hemorrhage.

Importance: Early plasma transfusion for women with severe postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is recommended to prevent coagulopathy. However, there is no comparative, quantitative evidence on the association of early plasma transfusion with maternal outcomes. Objective: To compare the incidence of adverse maternal outcomes among women who received plasma during the first 60 minutes of persistent PPH vs women who did not receive plasma for similarly severe persistent PPH. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter cohort study used a consecutive sample of women with persistent PPH, defined as PPH refractory to first-line measures to control bleeding, between January 1, 2011, and January 1, 2013. Time-dependent propensity score matching was used to select women who received plasma during the first 60 minutes of persistent PPH and match each of them with a woman who had shown the same severity and received the same treatment of PPH but who had not received plasma at the moment of matching. Transfusions were not guided by coagulation tests. Statistical analysis was performed from June 2018 to June 2019. Exposures: Transfusion of plasma during the first 60 minutes of persistent PPH vs no or later plasma transfusion. Main Outcomes and Measures: Incidence of adverse maternal outcomes, defined as a composite of death, hysterectomy, or arterial embolization. Results: This study included 1216 women (mean [SD] age, 31.6 [5.0] years) with persistent PPH, of whom 932 (76.6%) delivered vaginally and 780 (64.1%) had PPH caused by uterine atony. Seven women (0.6%) died because of PPH, 62 women (5.1%) had a hysterectomy, and 159 women (13.1%) had arterial embolizations. Among women who received plasma during the first 60 minutes of persistent PPH, 114 women could be matched with a comparable woman who had not received plasma at the moment of matching. The incidence of adverse maternal outcomes was similar between the women, with adverse outcomes recorded in 24 women (21.2%) who received early plasma transfusion and 23 women (19.9%) who did not receive early plasma transfusion (odds ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.57-2.09). Results of sensitivity analyses were comparable to the primary results. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, initiation of plasma transfusion during the first 60 minutes of persistent PPH was not associated with adverse maternal outcomes compared with no or later plasma transfusion, independent of severity of PPH.

Clinical characteristics of women captured by extending the definition of severe postpartum haemorrhage with 'refractoriness to treatment': a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The absence of a uniform and clinically relevant definition of severe postpartum haemorrhage hampers comparative studies and optimization of clinical management. The concept of persistent postpartum haemorrhage, based on refractoriness to initial first-line treatment, was proposed as an alternative to common definitions that are either based on estimations of blood loss or transfused units of packed red blood cells (RBC). We compared characteristics and outcomes of women with severe postpartum haemorrhage captured by these three types of definitions. METHODS: In this large retrospective cohort study in 61 hospitals in the Netherlands we included 1391 consecutive women with postpartum haemorrhage who received either ≥4 units of RBC or a multicomponent transfusion. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of women with severe postpartum haemorrhage defined as persistent postpartum haemorrhage were compared to definitions based on estimated blood loss or transfused units of RBC within 24 h following birth. Adverse maternal outcome was a composite of maternal mortality, hysterectomy, arterial embolisation and intensive care unit admission. RESULTS: One thousand two hundred sixty out of 1391 women (90.6%) with postpartum haemorrhage fulfilled the definition of persistent postpartum haemorrhage. The majority, 820/1260 (65.1%), fulfilled this definition within 1 h following birth, compared to 819/1391 (58.7%) applying the definition of ≥1 L blood loss and 37/845 (4.4%) applying the definition of ≥4 units of RBC. The definition persistent postpartum haemorrhage captured 430/471 adverse maternal outcomes (91.3%), compared to 471/471 (100%) for ≥1 L blood loss and 383/471 (81.3%) for ≥4 units of RBC. Persistent postpartum haemorrhage did not capture all adverse outcomes because of missing data on timing of initial, first-line treatment. CONCLUSION: The definition persistent postpartum haemorrhage identified women with severe postpartum haemorrhage at an early stage of haemorrhage, unlike definitions based on blood transfusion. It also captured a large majority of adverse maternal outcomes, almost as large as the definition of ≥1 L blood loss, which is commonly applied as a definition of postpartum haemorrhage rather than severe haemorrhage.

Fluid resuscitation during persistent postpartum haemorrhage and maternal outcome: A nationwide cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between increasing volumes of crystalloids and colloids administered before transfusion of packed red blood cells in women with persistent postpartum haemorrhage and adverse maternal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study in the Netherlands. Women with persistent postpartum haemorrhage and known clear fluids volume for resuscitation were included. Women who received ≤2 L of clear fluids were the reference group. We determined the effect of every additional litre of clear fluids on total blood loss, severe maternal morbidity and mortality. Results were adjusted for patient and bleeding characteristics. RESULTS: Of the 883 included women, 199 received ≤2 L of clear fluids. Median blood loss for the reference group was 2.9 L (interquartile range 2.2-3.4). Adjusted mean difference in blood loss compared with the reference group was 0.2 L (95% confidence interval -0.1 to 0.5) for women in the >2 to ≤3 L, 0.4 L (0.1-0.7) for the >3 to ≤4 L category, 0.6 L (0.5-0.7) for the >4 to ≤5 L category, and 1.9 L (1.5-2.3) for the >5 to ≤7 L category. Adjusted odds ratios for adverse maternal outcomes were 1.0 (0.7-1.6), 1.2 (0.8-1.9), 1.8 (1.1-3.1) and 4.4 (2.6-7.5) for women in the 2 to ≤3 L category, >3 to ≤4 L, >4 to ≤5 L, and >5 to ≤7 L volume categories respectively. Results were similar in strata of different severities of bleeding. CONCLUSION: Clear fluids volume >4 L was independently associated with adverse maternal outcome in women with persistent postpartum haemorrhage.

Association between fluid management and dilutional coagulopathy in severe postpartum haemorrhage: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The view that 2 l of crystalloid and 1.5 l of colloid can be infused while awaiting compatible blood for patients with major postpartum haemorrhage is based on expert opinion documents. We describe real-world changes in levels of coagulation parameters after the administration of different volumes of clear fluids to women suffering from major postpartum haemorrhage. METHODS: We performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study in the Netherlands among 1038 women experiencing severe postpartum haemorrhage who had received at least four units of red cells or fresh frozen plasma or platelets in addition to red cells. The volume of clear fluids administered before the time of blood sampling was classified into three fluid administration strategies, based on the RCOG guideline: < 2 L, 2-3.5 L and > 3.5 L. Outcomes included haemoglobin, haematocrit, platelet count, fibrinogen, aPTT and PT levels. RESULTS: Haemoglobin, haematocrit, platelet count, fibrinogen and aPTT were associated with volumes of clear fluids, which was most pronounced early during the course of postpartum haemorrhage. During the earliest phases of postpartum haemorrhage median haemoglobin level was 10.1 g/dl (IQR 8.5-11.6) among the women who received < 2 L clear fluids and 8.1 g/dl (IQR 7.1-8.4) among women who received > 3.5 L of clear fluids; similarly median platelet counts were 181 × 109/litre (IQR 131-239) and 89 × 109/litre (IQR 84-135), aPTT 29 s (IQR 27-33) and 38 s (IQR 35-55) and fibrinogen 3.9 g/L (IQR 2.5-5.2) and 1.6 g/L (IQR 1.3-2.1). CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort of women with severe postpartum haemorrhage, administration of larger volumes of clear fluids was associated with more severe deterioration of coagulation parameters corresponding to dilution. Our findings provide thus far the best available evidence to support expert opinion-based guidelines recommending restrictive fluid resuscitation in women experiencing postpartum haemorrhage. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register ( NTR4079 ), registration date July 17, 2013.

Coagulation parameters during the course of severe postpartum hemorrhage: a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

We describe the pattern of change in coagulation parameters during the course of severe postpartum hemorrhage in a retrospective cohort study among 1312 women experiencing severe postpartum hemorrhage necessitating blood transfusion. Levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, fibrinogen, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and prothrombin time (PT) per categorized volume of blood loss during severe postpartum hemorrhage were described and compared between women with and without the composite adverse outcome. Need for surgical intervention, severe acute maternal morbidity, and maternal mortality were jointly considered the composite adverse outcome. Of the 1312 women, 463 (35%) developed the composite adverse outcome. The incidence of a fibrinogen level <2 g/L was 26% (342 per 1312). Low fibrinogen and prolonged aPTT during the first 2 L of hemorrhage were associated with a subsequent composite adverse outcome; median fibrinogen and aPTT among women with and without the composite end point after 1.5 to 2 L of hemorrhage were 1.5 g/L (interquartile range [IQR], 1.0-1.9) vs 2.7 g/L (IQR, 1.9-3.4) and 39 s (IQR, 30-47) vs 32 s (IQR, 28-36), respectively. PT and platelet count as assessed during the first 2 L of hemorrhage were not associated with morbidity or mortality. Our results suggest that detection of low levels of fibrinogen and elevated aPTT levels during early postpartum hemorrhage can contribute to the identification of women that may benefit from targeted hemostatic treatment. Essential in this identification process is the moment of reaching a level of fibrinogen of <2 g/L during the course of postpartum hemorrhage.

The golden hour of sepsis: An in-depth analysis of sepsis-related maternal mortality in middle-income country Suriname.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis was the main cause of maternal mortality in Suriname, a middle-income country. Objective of this study was to perform a qualitative analysis of the clinical and management aspects of sepsis-related maternal deaths with a focus on the 'golden hour' principle of antibiotic therapy. METHODS: A nationwide reproductive age mortality survey was performed from 2010 to 2014 to identify and audit all maternal deaths in Suriname. All sepsis-related deaths were reviewed by a local expert committee to assess socio-demographic characteristics, clinical aspects and substandard care. RESULTS: Of all 65 maternal deaths in Suriname 29 (45%) were sepsis-related. These women were mostly of low socio-economic class (n = 23, 82%), of Maroon ethnicity (n = 14, 48%) and most deaths occurred postpartum (n = 21, 72%). Underlying causes were pneumonia (n = 14, 48%), wound infections (n = 3, 10%) and endometritis (n = 3, 10%). Bacterial growth was detected in 10 (50%) of the 20 available blood cultures. None of the women with sepsis as underlying cause of death received antibiotic treatment within the first hour, although most women fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of sepsis upon admission. In 27 (93%) of the 29 women from which sufficient information was available, substandard care factors were identified: delay in monitoring in 16 (59%) women, in diagnosis in 17 (63%) and in treatment in 21 (78%). CONCLUSION: In Suriname, a middle-income country, maternal mortality could be reduced by improving early recognition and timely diagnosis of sepsis, vital signs monitoring and immediate antibiotic infusion (within the golden hour).

Mode of birth and medical interventions among women at low risk of complications: A cross-national comparison of birth settings in England and the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVES: To compare mode of birth and medical interventions between broadly equivalent birth settings in England and the Netherlands. METHODS: Data were combined from the Birthplace study in England (from April 2008 to April 2010) and the National Perinatal Register in the Netherlands (2009). Low risk women in England planning birth at home (16,470) or in freestanding midwifery units (11,133) were compared with Dutch women with planned home births (40,468). Low risk English women with births planned in alongside midwifery units (16,418) or obstetric units (19,096) were compared with Dutch women with planned midwife-led hospital births (37,887). RESULTS: CS rates varied across planned births settings from 6.5% to 15.5% among nulliparous and 0.6% to 5.1% among multiparous women. CS rates were higher among low risk nulliparous and multiparous English women planning obstetric unit births compared to Dutch women planning midwife-led hospital births (adjusted (adj) OR 1.89 (95% CI 1.64 to 2.18) and 3.66 (2.90 to 4.63) respectively). Instrumental vaginal birth rates varied from 10.7% to 22.5% for nulliparous and from 0.9% to 5.7% for multiparous women. Rates were lower in the English comparison groups apart from planned births in obstetric units. Transfer, augmentation and episiotomy rates were much lower in England compared to the Netherlands for all midwife-led groups. In most comparisons, epidural rates were higher among English groups. CONCLUSIONS: When considering maternal outcomes, findings confirm advantages of giving birth in midwife-led settings for low risk women. Further research is needed into strategies to decrease rates of medical intervention in obstetric units in England and to reduce rates of avoidable transfer, episiotomy and augmentation of labour in the Netherlands.

Development and Measurement of Guidelines-Based Quality Indicators of Caesarean Section Care in the Netherlands: A RAND-Modified Delphi Procedure and Retrospective Medical Chart Review.

BACKGROUND: There is an ongoing discussion on the rising CS rate worldwide. Suboptimal guideline adherence may be an important contributor to this rise. Before improvement of care can be established, optimal CS care in different settings has to be defined. This study aimed to develop and measure quality indicators to determine guideline adherence and identify target groups for improvement of care with direct effect on caesarean section (CS) rates. METHOD: Eighteen obstetricians and midwives participated in an expert panel for systematic CS quality indicator development according to the RAND-modified Delphi method. A multi-center study was performed and medical charts of 1024 women with a CS and a stratified and weighted randomly selected group of 1036 women with a vaginal delivery were analysed. Quality indicator frequency and adherence were scored in 2060 women with a CS or vaginal delivery. RESULTS: The expert panel developed 16 indicators on planned CS and 11 indicators on unplanned CS. Indicator adherence was calculated, defined as the number of women in a specific obstetrical situation in which care was performed as recommended in both planned and unplanned CS settings. The most frequently occurring obstetrical situations with low indicator adherence were: 1) suspected fetal distress (frequency 17%, adherence 46%), 2) non-progressive labour (frequency 12%, CS performed too early in over 75%), 3) continuous support during labour (frequency 88%, adherence 37%) and 4) previous CS (frequency 12%), with adequate counselling in 15%. CONCLUSIONS: We identified four concrete target groups for improvement of obstetrical care, which can be used as a starting point to reduce CS rates worldwide.

Feasibility of pulse oximetry for assessment of infants born in community based midwifery care.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the feasibility of using pulse oximetry (PO) for evaluating infants born in community-based midwifery care. DESIGN: a prospective, observational study of infants born after midwifery supervised (home) births. SETTING: 27 midwives from seven practices providing primary care in (home) births used PO at birth or the early puerperal period over a ten-month period. Data were obtained on the effect of PO on outcome, interventions and decision-making. Midwives were surveyed about applicability and usefulness of PO. PARTICIPANTS: 153 infants born in primary midwifery care. FINDINGS: all births were uncomplicated except for one infant receiving supplemental oxygen and another was mask ventilated. In 138/153 (90%) infants PO was successfully used and 88% of midwives found PO easy to use. In 148/153 (97%) infants PO did not influence midwives' clinical judgment and referral policy. In 5/153 (3%) infants, midwives were uncertain of the infant's condition, but PO measurements were reassuring. In case of suboptimal neonatal condition or resuscitation, 100% of midwives declared they would use PO again. KEY CONCLUSIONS: it is feasible to use PO in community based midwifery care, but not considered an important contribution to routine evaluation of infants. Midwives would like to have PO available during suboptimal neonatal condition or when resuscitation is required. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: PO can be applied in community based midwifery care; it does not lead to insecurity or extra referral. Further research on a larger group of infants must show the effect of PO on neonatal outcomes.

Maternal near miss and mortality in a rural referral hospital in northern Tanzania: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa remains high despite global efforts to reduce it. In order to lower maternal morbidity and mortality in the immediate term, reduction of delay in the provision of quality obstetric care is of prime importance. The aim of this study is to assess the occurrence of severe maternal morbidity and mortality in a rural referral hospital in Tanzania as proposed by the WHO near miss approach and to assess implementation levels of key evidence-based interventions in women experiencing severe maternal morbidity and mortality. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was performed from November 2009 until November 2011 in a rural referral hospital in Tanzania. All maternal near misses and maternal deaths were included. As not all WHO near miss criteria were applicable, a modification was used to identify cases. Data were collected from medical records using a structured data abstraction form. Descriptive frequencies were calculated for demographic and clinical variables, outcome indicators, underlying causes, and process indicators. RESULTS: In the two-year period there were 216 maternal near misses and 32 maternal deaths. The hospital-based maternal mortality ratio was 350 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (95% CI 243-488). The maternal near miss incidence ratio was 23.6 per 1,000 live births, with an overall case fatality rate of 12.9%. Oxytocin for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage was used in 96 of 201 women and oxytocin for treatment of postpartum haemorrhage was used in 38 of 66 women. Furthermore, eclampsia was treated with magnesium sulphate in 87% of all cases. Seventy-four women underwent caesarean section, of which 25 women did not receive prophylactic antibiotics. Twenty-eight of 30 women who were admitted with sepsis received parenteral antibiotics. The majority of the cases with uterine rupture (62%) occurred in the hospital. CONCLUSION: Maternal morbidity and mortality remain challenging problems in a rural referral hospital in Tanzania. Key evidence-based interventions are not implemented in women with severe maternal morbidity and mortality. Progress can be made through up scaling the use of evidence-based interventions, such as the use of oxytocin for prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage.