title: Capacity to monitor severe maternal morbidity in Australia.
abstract: Maternal mortality has traditionally been the key element in the monitoring of maternal health and adequacy of obstetric services in Australia and around the world. In developed countries, the ability of maternal mortality to serve this purpose is reduced because of the rarity of maternal mortality, reflected in very low maternal mortality ratios. Internationally, there has been increasing interest in severe maternal morbidity as an indicator to monitor maternal health and maternity services. The aim of this paper is to critically examine the capacity to measure and monitor maternal morbidity in Australia. There is a paucity of reliable maternal morbidity data in Australia; Australia is lagging behind peer countries that are endeavouring to monitor severe maternal morbidity. Dedicated efforts and adequate resources are needed in order to monitor severe maternal morbidity in Australia.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia. w.pollock@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pollock
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Sioban
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D011247:Pregnancy; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care