Evaluation of Obstetric Near Miss and Maternal Deaths in a Tertiary Care Hospital in North India: Shifting Focus from Mortality to Morbidity

Objective Near miss audit improves understanding of determinants of maternal morbidity and mortality and identifies areas of substandard care. It helps health professionals to revise obstetric policies and practices. Methods A retrospective review of obstetric case records was performed to assess frequency ad nature of maternal near miss (MNM) cases as per WHO criteria. For each case, primary obstetric complication leading to maternal morbidity was evaluated. Obstetric complications were analyzed to calculate prevalence ratio, case fatality ratio, and mortality index. Results There were 6,357 deliveries, 5,273 live births, 247 maternal deaths, and 633 MNM cases. As per WHO criteria for Near miss, shock, bilirubin >6mg%, and use of vasoactive drugs were the commonest clinical, laboratory, and management parameters. Hemorrhage and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were leading cause of MNM (45.7 and 24.2 %) and maternal deaths (28.7 and 21.5 %). Highest prevalence rate, case fatality ratio, and mortality index were found in hemorrhage (0.53), respiratory diseases (0.46), and liver disorders (51.9 %), respectively. Conclusion Developing countries carry a high burden of maternal mortality and morbidity which may be attributed to improper management of obstetric emergencies at referring hospitals, poor referral practices, and poor access/utilization of health care services.