Critical cases of maternal mortality - a severe obstetrical complication, reflecting the quality of medical services provided
Maternal near miss and maternal death audit has become an esssential process in the context of obstetric care in both developed and developing countries. The objective: of the present study was to assess the quality of medical services provided within the multilevel regionalized Perinatal Health System in the Republic of Moldova, by identifying the inconsistencies with existing standards of medical care, in cases of severe obstetric complications and maternal deaths. Materials and methods. All cases of maternal near miss cases and maternal deaths recorded in the Secondary and Tertiary Perinatal Centers of the Republic of Moldova during the period 2009–2014 were analyzed retrospectively. To assess the quality of obstetric care, the following indices have been calculated: maternal near miss/ maternal deaths ratio; the mortality index for each obstetric condition/ complication. Results. During a period of 6 years, in 11 Secondary and Tertiary Perinatal Centers of the Republic of Moldova there were registered 154 651 births, 2881 cases of maternal near miss and 21 maternal deaths. The General Mortality index was 0.72%, and the Mortality Index by direct obstetric morbidity was 0.48%. 92.86% of maternal deaths through direct obstetric causes were avoidable, and the proportion of near miss cases with substandard care was 81.85%. The most frequent gaps (82.48%) were caused by human factors, such as insufficient team work, communication deficiency, lack of knowledge and clinical skills necessary to properly recognize and treat critical obstetric patients, delay and errors in diagnosis and treatment, non-compliance with clinical protocols. Conclusions. The excessively high proportion of avoidable factors highlighted in the study is alarming and implies the need for more extensive activities and the development of strategies focused on ensuring the presence of qualified medical workers in medical institutions, which will allow the provision of qualitative care and safety for patients in the Republic of Moldova, reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Key words: severe maternal morbidity, maternal near miss, maternal death, maternal mortality.