Critical incident audit and feedback to improve perinatal and maternal mortality and morbidity

Pattinson RC, Say L, Makin J, Bastos MH

Published Online:

February 16, 2011

Recording the number and the causes of deaths of pregnant women and babies is essential health information to identify problem areas. Effective management of the health of a population is dependent on basic statistics that allow for the identification of problem areas. Recording the number and causes of deaths of pregnant women and babies falls into this category and is essential. No randomised controlled trials were identified; therefore, the depth of examination of these deaths and the methods of feeding back that information to health workers to obtain the most beneficial effect is not known.

Abstract (click to read)

Background:

Audit and feedback of critical incidents is an established part of obstetric practice. However, the effect on perinatal and maternal mortality is unclear. The potential harmful effects and costs are unknown.

Objectives:

Is critical incident audit and feedback effective in reducing the perinatal mortality rate, the maternal mortality ratio, and severe neonatal and maternal morbidity?

Search strategy:

We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (30 November 2010) and the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Group's Trials Register (18 November 2010).

Selection criteria:

Randomized trials of audit (defined as any summary of clinical performance over a specified period of time) and feedback (method of feeding that information back to the clinicians) that reported objectively measured professional practice in a healthcare setting or healthcare outcomes.

Data collection and analysis:

No suitable trials were found.

Main results:

None.

Authors' conclusions:

The necessity of recording the number and cause of deaths is not in question. Mortality rates are essential in identifying problems within the healthcare system. Maternal and perinatal death reviews should continue to be held, until further information is available. The evidence from serial data clearly suggests more benefit than harm. Feedback is essential in any audit system. The most effective mechanisms for this are unknown, but it must be directed at the relevant people.

This record should be cited as:

Pattinson RC, Say L, Makin J, Bastos MH. Critical incident audit and feedback to improve perinatal and maternal mortality and morbidity. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD002961. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002961.pub2

Assessed as up to date:

January 12, 2011

Find the research

Get full text at The Cochrane Library

Primary Review Group:

Pregnancy and Childbirth Group

Health topics:

Pregnancy & childbirth > Basic care during pregancy

Cochrane Summaries^beta

Independent high-quality evidence for health care decision making

Critical incident audit and feedback to improve perinatal and maternal mortality and morbidity

More like this

Copyright © 2012 - The Cochrane Collaboration