Journal
HEALTH POLICY AND PLANNING
Volume 17, Issue 3, Pages 296-303Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/heapol/17.3.296
Keywords
perinatal audit; perinatal death classification; avoidable perinatal death; intrapartum death; health policy; Sudan
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In a 3-month period, May to August 2000, the perinatal mortality rate at Omdurman Maternity Hospital (OMH), Sudan, was 8.2%. Two groups of perinatal deaths, intrapartum deaths of non-malformed infants and neonatal deaths of mature infants above 34 weeks, both considered to be potentially avoidable by improved care, were in excess when compared with other regions. It was therefore decided to perform in-depth assessment of cases in these two groups. An interdisciplinary internal audit was designed in collaboration with two external obstetricians. The audit activity was preceded by a 2-day workshop at the hospital. Individual assessments based on 43 detailed narratives were followed by regular consensus meetings. This structure seemed useful for interdisciplinary discussions, and the audit process resulted in several specific suggestions for quality improvement in data collection, interdisciplinary collaboration, and obstetric and neonatal care. The present audit activity is not very resource demanding and therefore a good starting point for quality assurance in a developing country. However, since adverse outcome audit only focuses on selected cases and may encourage interventions without considering the full impact on the population, it should not stand alone. Audit of perinatal deaths should be combined with other quantitative and qualitative quality assessment activities for improvement of perinatal care.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available