title: Quantifying severe maternal morbidity: a Scottish population study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the incidence of severe maternal morbidity in Scotland and determine the feasibility of doing so.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 22 consultant led maternity units in Scotland, between 1 October 2001 and 30 September 2002.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women during pregnancy and the puerperium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Definitions for 13 categories of severe maternal morbidity were developed from published work. Recruitment of maternity units, and training of staff, took place at a national meeting. Each month, every unit reported cases meeting the agreed definitions, the category of incident and date. Data were collated centrally and analysed to determine the frequency of incidents. The number of maternal deaths occurring in Scotland over the same period was obtained from the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number and rate of defined events being reported. A subjective view of the feasibility of collecting national data routinely.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severe morbidity was reported in 196 women, out of 51,165 deliveries in Scotland (rate 3.8 per 1000 deliveries). Thirty percent of cases fell into more than one defined category. Major obstetric haemorrhage accounted for 50% of events. Only a third of identified patients were admitted to intensive care units. Four relevant maternal deaths occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Categories of severe maternal morbidity can be defined and may provide a useful measure of the quality of maternity services, particularly in developed countries where maternal mortality is very rare. It appears feasible to set up a national reporting system for maternal morbidity, as well as mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brace
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Penney
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology