Project description:BackgroundMaternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) was a pilot program introduced in Tigray, Ethiopia to monitor maternal and perinatal death. However; its implementation and operation is not evaluated yet. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the implementation and operational status and determinants of MPDSR using a programmatic data and stakeholders involved in the program.MethodsInstitutional based cross-sectional study was applied in public health facilities (75 health posts, 50 health centers and 16 hospitals) using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data were entered in to Epi-info and then transferred to SPSS version 21 for analysis. All variables with a p-value of ? 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were included in to multivariable logistic regression model to identify the independent predictors. For the qualitative part, manual thematic content analysis was done following data familiarization (reading and re-reading of the transcripts).ResultsIn this study, only 34 (45.3%) of health posts were practicing early identification and notification of maternal/perinatal death. Furthermore, only 36 (54.5%) and 35(53%) of health facilities were practiced good quality of death review and took proper action respectively following maternal/perinatal deaths. Availability of three to four number of Health Extension Workers (HEWs) (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 6.09, 95%CI (Confidence Interval): 1.51-24.49), availability of timely Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) reports (AOR = 4.39, 95%CI: 1.08-17.80) and participation of steering committee's in death response (AOR = 9.19, 95%CI: 1.31-64.34) were the predictors of early identification and notification of maternal and perinatal death among health posts. Availability of trained nurse (AOR = 3.75, 95%CI: 1.08-12.99) and health facility's head work experience (AOR = 3.70, 95%CI: 1.04-13.22) were also the predictors of quality of death review among health facilities. Furthermore; availability of at least one cluster review meeting (AOR = 4.87, 95%CI: 1.30-18.26) and uninterrupted pregnant mothers registration (AOR = 6.85, 95%CI: 1.22-38.54) were associated with proper response implementation to maternal and perinatal death. Qualitative findings highlighted that perinatal death report was so neglected. Community participation and intersectoral collaboration were among the facilitators for MPDSR implementation while limited human work force capacity and lack of maternity waiting homes were identified as some of the challenges for proper response implementation.ConclusionThis study showed that the magnitude of: early death identification and notification, review and response implementation were low. Strengthening active surveillance with active community participation alongside with strengthening capacity building and recruitment of additional HEWs with special focus to improve the quality of health service could enhance the implementation of MPDSR in the region.
Project description:Maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR), or any form of maternal and/or perinatal death review or audit, aims to improve health services and pre-empt future maternal and perinatal deaths. With expansion of MPDSR across low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), we conducted a scoping review to identify and describe implementation factors and their interactions. The review adapted an implementation framework with four domains (intervention, individual, inner and outer settings) and three cross-cutting health systems lenses (service delivery, societal and systems). Literature was sourced from six electronic databases, online searches and key experts. Selection criteria included studies from LMIC published in English from 2004 to July 2018 detailing factors influencing implementation of MPDSR, or any related form of MPDSR. After a systematic screening process, data for identified records were extracted and analysed through content and thematic analysis. Of 1027 studies screened, the review focuses on 58 studies from 24 countries, primarily in Africa, that are mainly qualitative or mixed methods. The literature mostly examines implementation factors related to MPDSR as an intervention, and to its inner and outer setting, with less attention to the individuals involved. From a health systems perspective, almost half the literature focuses on the tangible inputs addressed by the service delivery lens, though these are often measured inadequately or through incomparable ways. Though less studied, the societal and health system factors show that people and their relationships, motivations, implementation climate and ability to communicate influence implementation processes; yet their subjective experiences and relationships are inadequately explored. MPDSR implementation contributes to accountability and benefits from a culture of learning, continuous improvement and accountability, but few have studied the complex interplay and change dynamics involved. Better understanding MPDSR will require more research using health policy and systems approaches, including the use of implementation frameworks.
Project description:INTRODUCTION:Maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR), or any related form of audit, is a systematic process used to prevent future maternal and perinatal deaths. While the existence of MPDSR policies is routinely measured, measurement and understanding of policy implementation has lagged behind. In this paper, we present a theory-based conceptual framework for understanding MPDSR implementation as well as a scoping review protocol to understand factors influencing MPDSR implementation in low/ middle-income countries (LMIC). METHODS AND ANALYSIS:The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research will inform the development of a theory-based conceptual framework for MPDSR implementation. The methodology for the scoping review will be guided by an adapted Arksey and O'Malley approach. Documents will include published and grey literature sourced from electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, JSTOR, LILACS), the WHO Library, Maternal Death Surveillance and Response Action Network, Google, the reference lists of key studies and key experts. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full studies for inclusion. All discrepancies will be resolved by an independent third party. We will include studies published in English from 2004 to July 2018 that present results on factors influencing implementation of MPDSR, or any related form. Qualitative content and thematic analysis will be applied to extracted data according to the theory-based conceptual framework. Stakeholders will be consulted at various stages of the process. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:The scoping review will synthesise implementation factors relating to MPDSR in LMIC as described in the literature. This review will contribute to the work of the Countdown to 2030 Drivers Group, which seeks to explore key contextual drivers for equitable and effective coverage of maternal and child health interventions. Ethics approval is not required. The results will be disseminated through various channels, including a peer-reviewed publication.
Project description:Background: The Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) proposed by the World Health Organization recognises the importance for health systems to understand the reasons underpinning the death of a pregnant woman or her newborn as an essential first step in preventing future similar deaths. Data for the surveillance component of the MPDSR process are typically collected from health facility sources and post-mortem interviews with affected families, though it may be traumatising to them. This brief report aimed to assess the potential utility of an augmented data collection method for mapping journeys of maternal and perinatal deaths, which does not require sourcing additional information from grieving family members. Methods: A descriptive analysis of maternal and perinatal deaths that occurred across 24 public hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria, between 1 st November 2018 and 30 th October 2019 was conducted. Data on their demographic, obstetric history and complication at presentation, travel to the hospital, and mode of birth were extracted from their hospital records. The extracted travel data was exported to Google Maps, where driving distance and travel time to the hospital for the period of the day of travel were also extracted. Results: Of the 182 maternal deaths, most presented during the week (80.8%), travelled 5-10 km (30.6%) and 10-29 minutes (46.9%), and travelled to the nearest hospital to their places of residence (70.9%). Of the 442 pregnant women who had perinatal deaths, most presented during the week (78.5%), travelled <5 km (26.9%) and 10-29 minutes (38.0%). For both, the least reported travel data was the mode of travel used to care (>90.0%) and the period of the day they travelled (approximately 30.0%). Conclusion: An augmented data collection approach that includes accurate and complete travel data and closer-to-reality estimates of travel time and distance can be beneficial for MPDSR purposes.
Project description:We conducted a systematic review and 3-part meta-analysis to characterize the relationship between smoking and perinatal death, defined as the combination of stillbirth and neonatal death. The PubMed database was searched (1956-August 31, 2011) with keywords, and manual reference searches of included articles and Surgeon Generals' reports were conducted. The full texts of 1,713 articles were reviewed, and 142 articles that examined the associations between active or passive smoking and perinatal death were included in the meta-analyses. Data were abstracted by 2 reviewers. Any active maternal smoking was associated with increased risks of stillbirth (summary relative risk (sRR) = 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.38, 1.54 (n = 57 studies)), neonatal death (sRR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.30 (n = 28)), and perinatal death (sRR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.41 (n = 46)). The risks of stillbirth, neonatal death, and perinatal death increased with the amount smoked by the mother. Biases in study publication, design, and analysis were present but did not significantly affect the results. These findings strengthen the evidence that women should not smoke while pregnant, and all women of reproductive age should be warned that smoking increases the risks of stillbirth, neonatal death, and perinatal death.
Project description:Maternal death surveillance and response (MDSR) constitutes a quality improvement approach to identify how many maternal deaths occur, what the underlying causes of death and associated factors are, and how to implement actions to reduce the number of preventable stillbirths and maternal and neonatal deaths. This requires a coordinated approach, ensuring both national- and district-level stakeholders are enabled and supported and can implement MDSR in a "no name, no blame" environment. This field action report from Kenya provides an example of how MDSR can be implemented in a "real-life" setting by summarizing the experiences and challenges faced thus far by maternal death assessors and Ministry of Health representatives in implementing MDSR. Strong national leadership via a coordinating secretariat has worked well in Kenya. However, several challenges were encountered including underreporting of data, difficulties with reviewing the data, and suboptimal aggregation of data on cause of death. To ensure progress toward a full national enquiry of all maternal deaths, we recommend improving the notification of maternal deaths, ensuring regular audits and feedback at referral hospitals lead to continuous quality improvement, and strengthening community linkages with health facilities to expedite maternal death reporting. Ultimately, both a top-down and bottom-up approach is needed to ensure success of an MDSR system. Perinatal death surveillance and response is planned as a next phase of MDSR implementation in Kenya. To ensure the process continues to evolve into a full national enquiry of all maternal deaths, we recommend securing longer-term budget allocation and financial commitment from the ministry, securing a national legal framework for MDSR, and improving processes at the subnational level.
Project description:BackgroundDespite the adoption of Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) by Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health to track and rectify the causes of maternal mortality, very limited documentation exists on experiences with the method and its outcomes at institutional and policy levels.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to identify through the MPDSR process, the medical causes and contributory factors of maternal mortality, and to elucidate the policy response that took place after the dissemination of the results.MethodsThe study was conducted at the Central Hospital, Benin between October 1, 2017, and May 31, 2019. We first developed a strategic plan with the objective to reduce maternal mortality by 50% in the hospital in two years. An MPDSR committee was established and the members and all staff of the Maternity Department of the hospital were trained to use the nationally approved protocol. All consecutive cases of maternal deaths in the hospital were then reviewed using the MPDSR protocol. The results were submitted to the hospital Management and its supporting agencies for administrative action to correct the identified deficiencies.ResultsThere were 18 maternal deaths in the hospital during the period, and 4,557 deliveries giving a maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 395/100,000 deliveries. This amounted to a seven-fold reduction in MMR in the hospital at the onset of the project. The main medical causes identified were obstetric hemorrhage (n = 10), pulmonary embolism (n = 2), ruptured uterus (n = 2), eclampsia (n = 1), anemic heart failure (n = 1) and post-partum sepsis (n = 2). Several facility-based and patient contributory factors were identified such as lack of blood in the hospital and late reporting with severe obstetric complication among others. Response to the recommendations from the committee include increased commitment of hospital managers to immediately rectify the attributable causes of deaths, the establishment of a couples health education program, mobilization and sensitization of staff to handle pregnant women with great sensitivity, promptness and care, the refurbishing of an intensive care unit, and the increased availability of blood for transfusion through the intensification of blood donation drive in the hospital.ConclusionWe conclude that the results of MPDSR, when acted upon by hospital managers and policymakers can lead to an improvement in quality of care and a consequent decline in maternal mortality ratio in referral hospitals.
Project description:Performing whole genome sequencing (WGS) for the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance offers the ability to determine not only the antimicrobials to which rates of resistance are increasing, but also the evolutionary mechanisms and transmission routes responsible for the increase at local, national, and global scales. To derive WGS-based outputs, a series of processes are required, beginning with sample and metadata collection, followed by nucleic acid extraction, library preparation, sequencing, and analysis. Throughout this pathway there are many data-related operations required (informatics) combined with more biologically focused procedures (bioinformatics). For a laboratory aiming to implement pathogen genomics, the informatics and bioinformatics activities can be a barrier to starting on the journey; for a laboratory that has already started, these activities may become overwhelming. Here we describe these data bottlenecks and how they have been addressed in laboratories in India, Colombia, Nigeria, and the Philippines, as part of the National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit on Genomic Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance. The approaches taken include the use of reproducible data parsing pipelines and genome sequence analysis workflows, using technologies such as Data-flo, the Nextflow workflow manager, and containerization of software dependencies. By overcoming barriers to WGS implementation in countries where genome sampling for some species may be underrepresented, a body of evidence can be built to determine the concordance of antimicrobial sensitivity testing and genome-derived resistance, and novel high-risk clones and unknown mechanisms of resistance can be discovered.
Project description:ObjectiveTo assess capacity to develop routine monitoring of maternal health in the European Union using indicators of maternal mortality and severe morbidity.DesignAnalysis of aggregate data from routine statistical systems compiled by the EURO-PERISTAT project and comparison with data from national enquiries.SettingTwenty-five countries in the European Union and Norway.PopulationWomen giving birth in participating countries in 2003 and 2004.MethodsApplication of a common collection of data by selecting specific International Classification of Disease codes from the 'Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium' chapter. External validity was assessed by reviewing the results of national confidential enquiries and linkage studies.Main outcome measuresMaternal mortality ratio, with distribution of specific obstetric causes, and severe acute maternal morbidity, which included: eclampsia, surgery and blood transfusion for obstetric haemorrhage, and intensive-care unit admission.ResultsIn 22 countries that provided data, the maternal mortality ratio was 6.3 per 100,000 live births overall and ranged from 0 to 29.6. Under-ascertainment was evident from comparisons with studies that use enhanced identification of deaths. Furthermore, routine cause of death registration systems in countries with specific systems for audit reported higher maternal mortality ratio than those in countries without audits. For severe acute maternal morbidity, 16 countries provided data about at least one category of morbidity, and only three provided data for all categories. Reported values ranged widely (from 0.2 to 1.6 women with eclampsia per 1000 women giving birth and from 0.2 to 1.0 hysterectomies per 1000 women).ConclusionsCurrently available data on maternal mortality and morbidity are insufficient for monitoring trends over time in Europe and for comparison between countries. Confidential enquiries into maternal deaths are recommended.
Project description:The objective of this study was to determine whether arrhythmia in the setting of maternal cardiac disease (MCD) affects perinatal outcomes.This is a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women with MCD who delivered during 2008 to 2013. Perinatal outcomes among women with an arrhythmia were compared with those without.Among 143 women, 36 (25%) had an arrhythmia. Those with an arrhythmia were more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal delivery (64 vs 43%, P<0.05) and required fewer operative vaginal births (8 vs 27%, P=0.02). Pregnancies were more likely to be complicated by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (17 vs 5%, P<0.05), although there were no differences in the rate of small for gestational age. The risk of IUGR remained increased after controlling for confounding (adjusted odds ratio 6.98, 95% confidence interval 1.59 to 30.79, P=0.01). Two cases of placental abruption were identified among mothers with arrhythmia while none were identified in the controls (P<0.05).Patients with arrhythmias were more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal delivery. Our data suggest that these pregnancies were an increased risk for IUGR.