TY - JOUR
T1 - Maternal deaths in Denmark 2002-2006
AU - Bødker, Birgit
AU - Hvidman, Lone
AU - Weber, Tom
AU - Møller, Margrethe
AU - Aarre, Annette
AU - Nielsen, Karen Marie
AU - Sørensen, Jette Led
AU - Bødker, Birgit
AU - Hvidman, Lone
AU - Weber, Tom
AU - Møller, Margrethe
AU - Aarre, Annette
AU - Nielsen, Karen Marie
AU - Sørensen, Jette Led
N1 - Keywords: Adult; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cause of Death; Death Certificates; Denmark; Female; Humans; Maternal Age; Maternal Health Services; Maternal Mortality; Population Surveillance; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Quality of Health Care; Registries; Risk Assessment; Young Adult
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To describe a method for identification, classification and assessment of maternal deaths in Denmark and to identify substandard care. DESIGN: Register study and case audit based on data from the Registers of the Danish Medical Health Board, death certificates and hospital records. SETTING: Denmark 2002-2006. POPULATION: Women who died during a pregnancy or within 42 days after a pregnancy. METHODS: Maternal deaths were identified by notification from maternity wards and data from the Danish National Board of Health. A national audit committee assessed hospital records of direct and indirect deaths. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal mortality ratio, causes of death and suboptimal care. RESULTS: In the study period, 26 women died during pregnancy or within 42 days from direct or indirect causes, leading to a maternal mortality ratio of 8.0/100,000 live births. Causes of death were cardiac disease, thromboembolism, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, Streptococcus A infections, suicide, amniotic fluid embolism, cerebrovascular hemorrhage, asthma and diabetes. CONCLUSION: Our method proved valid and can be used for future research. Causes of death could be identified and learning points from the assessments could form the basis of focused education and guidelines. Future complementary 'near miss' studies and cooperation with other countries with comparable health systems are expected to improve the benefits of the enquiries, contributing to improved management of life-threatening conditions in pregnancy and childbirth.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To describe a method for identification, classification and assessment of maternal deaths in Denmark and to identify substandard care. DESIGN: Register study and case audit based on data from the Registers of the Danish Medical Health Board, death certificates and hospital records. SETTING: Denmark 2002-2006. POPULATION: Women who died during a pregnancy or within 42 days after a pregnancy. METHODS: Maternal deaths were identified by notification from maternity wards and data from the Danish National Board of Health. A national audit committee assessed hospital records of direct and indirect deaths. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal mortality ratio, causes of death and suboptimal care. RESULTS: In the study period, 26 women died during pregnancy or within 42 days from direct or indirect causes, leading to a maternal mortality ratio of 8.0/100,000 live births. Causes of death were cardiac disease, thromboembolism, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, Streptococcus A infections, suicide, amniotic fluid embolism, cerebrovascular hemorrhage, asthma and diabetes. CONCLUSION: Our method proved valid and can be used for future research. Causes of death could be identified and learning points from the assessments could form the basis of focused education and guidelines. Future complementary 'near miss' studies and cooperation with other countries with comparable health systems are expected to improve the benefits of the enquiries, contributing to improved management of life-threatening conditions in pregnancy and childbirth.
U2 - 10.1080/00016340902897992
DO - 10.1080/00016340902897992
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 19353337
SN - 0001-6349
VL - 88
SP - 556
EP - 562
JO - Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
JF - Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica
IS - 5
ER -
