J Clin Obstet Gynecol Infertil | Volume 1, Issue 1 | Case Series | Open Access

Seven Year Evaluation of Maternal Mortality: Impact of Maternal and Fetal Disease

Laura I Parikh^1*, Elizabeth Coviello¹, Sara N Iqbal¹, Chun-Chih Huang² and Melissa H Fries¹

¹Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Columbia, Washington, USA
²MedStar Health Research Institute, Hyattsville, Maryland, USA

^*Correspondance to: Laura I Parikh 

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Abstract

We performed an institutional review of maternal mortality to identify risk factors, improve obstetric safety, and develop a template for institutional maternal death review citywide. There were fourteen cases of maternal mortality between 2008 and 2015. Autopsy reports and electronic medical records were reviewed. Causes of death varied widely, but three main themes arose in our cohort: pulmonary embolus following stillbirth, hemolysis elevated liver enzyme low platelet syndrome with eclampsia, and complications of human immunodeficiency virus. Barriers to institutional review included lack of standardized method of tracking medical records and differences in city, state, and institutional reporting of maternal death. Despite these barriers, with a standardized approach to maternal death review, we were able to identify a potential association between stillbirth, maternal death, and pulmonary embolism. Large, national epidemiological studies are urgently needed, as physicians have an opportunity to intervene with thrombosis prophylaxis after stillbirth if such prevention is indicated

Keywords:

Maternal mortality; Pregnancy; Postpartum period; Risk factors; Stillbirth

Citation:

Parikh LI, Coviello E, Iqbal SN, Huang C-C, Fries MH. Seven Year Evaluation of Maternal Mortality: Impact of Maternal and Fetal Disease. J Clin Obstet Gynecol Infertil. 2017; 1(1): 1006.