population, hypertensive diseases of pregnancy were the main causes of
maternal morbidity [21], followed by hemorrhage [21]. These findings
are important because both studies used the same WHO definitions
and criteria for diagnosis and to assess clinical characteristics [16], al-
though the predominance of hypertensive disorders in Brazil indicates
a transition to improved obstetric care, whereas hemorrhagic complica-
tions are predominant in low-resource settings. Furthermore, both
studies were prospective, enrolled large numbers of women, and
collected information on SMM and PPH in a standardized manner.
Most of the variables found to be related to increased risk of SMO
secondary to PPH in the present study (increasing maternal age,
multiparity, and previous cesarean delivery) were in accordance with
previously published data [1,4,22]. By contrast, some findings were un-
expected—for example, university education, having a partner, and
health insurance coverage of prenatal care were all associated with
SMO.
However, two points should be taken into account. First, the present
study focused on PPH and assessed risk of a poor outcome. Such out-
comes might reflect limited and untimely intervention at health facili-
ties for women covered by health insurance, whereas public facilities
that participated in the present study were mainly large referral tertiary
university hospitals, which were expected to provide a good standard of
care. Second, most risk factors already described are mainly related to
maternal mortality or any kind of general maternal morbidity, and not
specifically to MNM as defined by WHO. For MNM due to PPH, risk
factors have not yet been identified.
One of the most interesting findings of the present study relates to
the use of WHO MNM criteria to identify cases of PPH. Management
criteria, such as blood transfusion and hysterectomy, were found to be
the most important, which might explain the difficulty in using blood-
loss estimation for accurate diagnosis of PPH. Laboratory findings are
not always timely or accurate, whereas clinical findings have yet to be
rigorously tested in the obstetric population, especially in primary
and secondary healthcare settings. Identification of early clinical
signs to allow timely diagnosis and treatment of PPH, especially
among high-risk populations, is urgently required [12].
In the present study, criteria for severity management that were
significantly associated with PPH were blood transfusion and return to
the operating theater. These findings were not surprising, because
both interventions are specifically recommended for completion of the
standard procedures for management of severe PPH [9].
Specific mortality owing to PPH alone does not fully describe obstet-
ric care, its characteristics, and its quality. Consequently, WHO health
indicators might also be considered [16]. The MNM ratio and SMO
ratio are both designed to estimate the complexity of care: high values
imply that increasing numbers of women require high-complexity
care. As receiving such care depends on the availability of resources
and access to them, the proportion of maternal deaths can be lower or
higher. The ratio of MNM to maternal deaths represents the proportion
of all MNM cases that progressed to maternal death; the higher this
ratio, the better the quality of care that the women received. The mor-
tality index represents a performance estimate. Thus, when this index
is higher than 20%, the quality of obstetric care provided to women
with any severe morbidity was not adequate [16,23]. The present
study incorporated these indicators to assess PPH. Hopefully, the resul-
tant data can be used for comparison with other population studies of
SMO secondary to PPH [1].
The multivariate analyses showed that factors independently associ-
ated with SMO among women experiencing PPH were generally the
same as those previously identified, including low gestational age,
high maternal age, cesarean delivery, and a previous uterine scar [4,
22]. Surprisingly, history of medical conditions before pregnancy was
negatively associated with SMO. The reasons behind this observation
are unclear; however, women identified as high risk of PPH might
have received good quality obstetric care and so avoided a poor
outcome. If proven, this notion would reinforce the recommendation
of using MNM criteria for the evaluation of quality of care [23].
The strength of the present study was that it prospectively assessed
PPH in terms of PLTC, MNM, and maternal death according to WHO
criteria in a large, well defined cohort of women, using a robust system
of nationwide data collection. Nevertheless, some possible limitations
must be considered. As a secondary subgroup analysis of a larger
population, hypertensive diseases of pregnancy were the main causes ofmaternal morbidity [21], followed by hemorrhage [21]. These findingsare important because both studies used the same WHO definitionsand criteria for diagnosis and to assess clinical characteristics [16], al-though the predominance of hypertensive disorders in Brazil indicatesa transition to improved obstetric care, whereas hemorrhagic complica-tions are predominant in low-resource settings. Furthermore, bothstudies were prospective, enrolled large numbers of women, andcollected information on SMM and PPH in a standardized manner.Most of the variables found to be related to increased risk of SMOsecondary to PPH in the present study (increasing maternal age,multiparity, and previous cesarean delivery) were in accordance withpreviously published data [1,4,22]. By contrast, some findings were un-expected—for example, university education, having a partner, andhealth insurance coverage of prenatal care were all associated withSMO.However, two points should be taken into account. First, the presentstudy focused on PPH and assessed risk of a poor outcome. Such out-comes might reflect limited and untimely intervention at health facili-ties for women covered by health insurance, whereas public facilitiesthat participated in the present study were mainly large referral tertiaryuniversity hospitals, which were expected to provide a good standard ofcare. Second, most risk factors already described are mainly related tomaternal mortality or any kind of general maternal morbidity, and notspecifically to MNM as defined by WHO. For MNM due to PPH, riskfactors have not yet been identified.One of the most interesting findings of the present study relates tothe use of WHO MNM criteria to identify cases of PPH. Managementcriteria, such as blood transfusion and hysterectomy, were found to bethe most important, which might explain the difficulty in using blood-loss estimation for accurate diagnosis of PPH. Laboratory findings arenot always timely or accurate, whereas clinical findings have yet to berigorously tested in the obstetric population, especially in primaryand secondary healthcare settings. Identification of early clinicalsigns to allow timely diagnosis and treatment of PPH, especiallyamong high-risk populations, is urgently required [12].In the present study, criteria for severity management that weresignificantly associated with PPH were blood transfusion and return tothe operating theater. These findings were not surprising, becauseboth interventions are specifically recommended for completion of thestandard procedures for management of severe PPH [9].Specific mortality owing to PPH alone does not fully describe obstet-ric care, its characteristics, and its quality. Consequently, WHO healthindicators might also be considered [16]. The MNM ratio and SMOratio are both designed to estimate the complexity of care: high valuesimply that increasing numbers of women require high-complexitycare. As receiving such care depends on the availability of resourcesand access to them, the proportion of maternal deaths can be lower orhigher. The ratio of MNM to maternal deaths represents the proportionof all MNM cases that progressed to maternal death; the higher thisratio, the better the quality of care that the women received. The mor-tality index represents a performance estimate. Thus, when this indexis higher than 20%, the quality of obstetric care provided to womenwith any severe morbidity was not adequate [16,23]. The presentstudy incorporated these indicators to assess PPH. Hopefully, the resul-tant data can be used for comparison with other population studies ofSMO secondary to PPH [1].The multivariate analyses showed that factors independently associ-ated with SMO among women experiencing PPH were generally thesame as those previously identified, including low gestational age,high maternal age, cesarean delivery, and a previous uterine scar [4,22]. Surprisingly, history of medical conditions before pregnancy wasnegatively associated with SMO. The reasons behind this observationare unclear; however, women identified as high risk of PPH mighthave received good quality obstetric care and so avoided a pooroutcome. If proven, this notion would reinforce the recommendationof using MNM criteria for the evaluation of quality of care [23].The strength of the present study was that it prospectively assessedPPH in terms of PLTC, MNM, and maternal death according to WHOcriteria in a large, well defined cohort of women, using a robust systemof nationwide data collection. Nevertheless, some possible limitationsmust be considered. As a secondary subgroup analysis of a larger
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