Self-reported exposure to severe events on the labour ward among Swedish midwives and obstetricians: A cross-sectional retrospective study.
BACKGROUND
The process of delivery entails potentially traumatic events in which the mother or child becomes injured or dies. Midwives and obstetricians are sometimes responsible for these events and can be negatively affected by them as well as by the resulting investigation or complaints procedure (clinical negligence).


OBJECTIVE
To assess the self-reported exposure rate of severe events among midwives and obstetricians on the delivery ward and the cumulative risk by professional years and subsequent investigations and complaints.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
Members of the Swedish Association of Midwives (SFB) and the Swedish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (SFOG).


METHODS
A questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, experiences of self-reported severe events on the delivery ward, and complaints of medical negligence was developed. Potential consequences of the complaint was not reported. A severe event was defined as: 1) the death of an infant due to delivery-related causes during childbirth or while on the neonatal ward; 2) an infant being severely asphyxiated or injured at delivery; 3) maternal death; 4) very severe or life threatening maternal morbidity; or 5) other stressful events during delivery, such as exposure to violence or aggression.


RESULTS
The response rate was 39.9% (n=1459) for midwives and 47.1% (n=706) for obstetricians. Eighty-four percent of the obstetricians and almost 71% of responding midwives had experienced one or more self-reported severe obstetric event with detrimental consequences for the woman or the new-born. Fourteen percent of the midwives and 22.4% of the obstetricians had faced complaints of medical negligence from the patient or the family of the patient.


CONCLUSIONS
A considerable proportion of midwives and obstetricians will, in the course of their working life, experience severe obstetric events in which the mother or the new-born is injured or dies. Preparedness for such exposure should be part of the training, as should managerial and peer support for those in need. This could prevent serious consequences for the health care professionals involved and their subsequent careers.
Department of Women's and Children's Health/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. Electronic address: asa.wahlberg@kbh.uu.se.
Åsa
Å
Wahlberg
LIME/Medical Management Centre, Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
Magna
M
Andreen Sachs
Neuroscience/Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Kerstin
K
Bergh Johannesson
Department of Women's and Children's Health/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Akademiska Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Gunilla
G
Hallberg
Department of Women's and Children's Health/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Akademiska Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
Maria
M
Jonsson
Department of Women's and Children's Health/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Agneta
A
Skoog Svanberg
Department of Women's and Children's Health/Obstetrics & Gynecology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Ulf
U
Högberg
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008318:Malpractice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D009774:Obstetrics; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D013548:Sweden
Event; Midwives; Obstetricians; Occupational exposure; Traumatic