Gaps in obstetric care processes - we can only improve what is being measured.

A multifaceted intervention at all six obstetric units in the Stockholm Health Region was performed in 2008-2011 in order to increase safety for the newborn infants. Case-controlled criterion-based reviews of care processes during labor and delivery have been used to assess factors associated with suboptimal care during labor and delivery. Categories of increased risk of adverse outcome during labor and delivery were defined. Cases with low Apgar scores and healthy controls were scrutinized and compared to data from a study with an identical design performed before the intervention. The risk of suboptimal care increased twice among controls and three times among cases when reviewing specific criteria after a multifaceted intervention. There are still gaps in care processes that need attention. Improving guidelines is important but not enough alone, and the management of fetal surveillance needs further improvement. The complexity of reviewing care processes using criterion-based research methodology is highlighted.

Neonatal resuscitation assessment: documentation and early paging must be improved!

OBJECTIVE: The authors had previously found flaws in resuscitation after severe neonatal asphyxia in cases selected on the grounds of suspected malpractice and financial compensation claims. The aim of the present study was to evaluate neonatal resuscitation in the general obstetric population in a setting with skilled attendance at birth. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING AND PATIENTS: All infants born in the Stockholm County during 2004-2006 with a gestational age of ≥33 weeks, planned as vaginal delivery, with a normal cardiotocographic recording on admission to hospital and with an Apgar score of <7 at 5 min were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adherence to guidelines for neonatal resuscitation. RESULTS: Documentation was unsatisfactory in 142 (45%) infants. Other important shortcomings identified were delayed initiation of extensive resuscitation due to late paging or late arrival of attending paediatrician/neonatologist (n=48), and unsatisfactory ventilation related to late intubation and late securing of free airway (n=15). CONCLUSIONS: Substandard care in neonatal resuscitation is not limited to cases of severe asphyxia related to claims for medical malpractice. The overall documentation of neonatal resuscitation needs to be much better to enable accurate and reliable evaluation. Obvious actions to improve standards of care include the paging of skilled personnel at an earlier stage in cases of complicated deliveries and team and skills training in neonatal ventilation.

"Every case of asphyxia can be used as a learning example". Conclusions from an analysis of substandard obstetrical care.

AIM: To propose suggestions for improvements in care based on conclusions from studies on low Apgar scores and substandard care during labor. SETTING AND PATIENTS: Studies on infants with low Apgar scores in a general obstetric population 2004-2006 and claims for financial compensation on the behalf of infants, based on the suspicion that substandard care in conjunction with childbirth has caused severe asphyxia or neonatal death in Sweden 1990-2005. RESULTS: The most common flaws were related to insufficient fetal surveillance, defective interpretation of cardiotocography (CTG) tracings, not acting in a timely fashion on abnormal CTG, and the incautious use of oxytocin. Besides, in half of the infants a suboptimal mode of delivery added further trauma to the already asphyxiated infant. Additionally, resuscitation was unsatisfactory in many of these infants. The most critical flaw was defective compliance with the guidelines concerning ventilation and the early paging of skilled personnel in cases of imminent asphyxia or known complications during labor. In many case reports, the documentation of the neonatal resuscitation was insufficient to enable accurate and reliable evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Examples of proposed improvements in care during labor are the introduction of a permanent educational atmosphere with aside time for daily educational rounds and discussion, cooperation around the use of standardized terminology in CTG interpretation, the cautious use of oxytocin, and the routine paging of a pediatrician before birth in cases of complicated delivery or imminent asphyxia. The proposed interventions need to be evaluated in clinical trials in the future.

Risk factors for asphyxia associated with substandard care during labor.

OBJECTIVE: To identify maternal, pregnancy, delivery and infants characteristics related to neonatal asphyxia and associated with substandard care. DESIGN AND SETTING: A nation-wide case-control study in Sweden. POPULATION: Infants born between 1990 and 2005 with a gestational age > or = 33 weeks and a spontaneous or induced onset of labor. METHODS: Cases were 177 previously identified infants suffering from encephalopathy caused by asphyxia where there was suspected substandard care during labor, and where claims for financial compensation were filed. Controls were identified from the population-based Swedish Medical Birth Register, had an Apgar score of 10 at five minutes, and were alive at 28 days of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Severe asphyxia associated with substandard care during childbirth. RESULTS: Maternal and delivery factors associated with asphyxia included maternal age > or = 30 years, short maternal stature (< or =159 cm), previous cesarean delivery, insulin-dependent diabetes before pregnancy and gestational diabetes, induced deliveries and delivery at night, with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) ranging from a two- to fourfold increase in risk. Compared with non-dystocic deliveries, the OR for dystocic deliveries was fivefold higher, and was further increased if epidural anesthesia or opioids were used. Small- and large-for-gestational age infants, post-term (> or =42 weeks) births, twins and breech deliveries had a three- to eightfold increase in risk of asphyxia when there was substandard care during labor. CONCLUSION: Dystocia of labor, especially if epidurals and/or opioids are used, is the strongest risk factor associated with substandard care causing severe asphyxia during labor.

Neonatal resuscitation after severe asphyxia--a critical evaluation of 177 Swedish cases.

AIM: To evaluate neonatal resuscitation of infants born with severe asphyxia. METHOD: All case records of the 472 claims for financial compensation due to suspected medical malpractice in conjunction with childbirth in Sweden between 1990 and 2005 were scrutinized. Inclusion criteria were: gestational age > or =33 completed weeks, planned vaginal onset of delivery, a reactive CTG at onset of labour, neonatal asphyxia (defined as metabolic acidosis [pH of < 7.05 and/or a base excess of < -12]), or an Apgar score <7 at 5 min. It was assessed that 177 infants suffered from cerebral palsy or early death due to severe asphyxia presumably caused by malpractice around labour. RESULTS: Median Apgar score at 5 min was 3, indicating that all infants needed immediate and extensive resuscitation. There was insufficient adherence to guidelines concerning neonatal resuscitation, including delayed initiation of excessive resuscitation in 19 infants, lack of satisfactory ventilation in 79 infants, and untimely interruption of resuscitation in 38 infants. CONCLUSIONS: Compliance with guidelines for resuscitation of severely asphyctic newborn may be improved, especially concerning ventilation and prompt paging for skilled personnel in cases of imminent asphyxia. Documentation of neonatal resuscitation must be improved to enable reliable evaluation.