Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 Mar;117(3):596-602.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31820ac074.

Maternal morbidity during hospitalization for delivery

Jennifer E Lutomski  1 , John J Morrison, Richard A Greene, Mona T Lydon-Rochelle
Affiliations

Maternal morbidity during hospitalization for delivery

Jennifer E Lutomski et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2011 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate nationally representative incidence rates of maternal morbidities and to examine if the incidence of maternal morbidity increased during a 4-year study period.

Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study of women delivering in hospitals in Ireland between 2005 and 2008 using nationally representative hospital discharge data from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry data set. Using singleton deliveries, we categorized International Classification of Diseases 10, Australian Modification diagnostic codes into 38 clinically relevant maternal morbidity groups and assessed the incidence of morbidities potentially affecting labor, delivery, and the puerperium. Significant trends in morbidity over the course of the study period were determined using Cochran-Armitage tests.

Results: Exclusive of cesarean delivery, approximately one in six women (17.2%) had a maternal morbidity diagnosed during Hospitalization. When cesarean delivery was included as an additional indicator of morbidity, more than one third (35.6%) had a maternal morbidity diagnosed. The percentage of women with either hemorrhage and genital tract trauma (6.5%) or pregnancy-induced conditions (6.4%) diagnosed were similar. Overall, 4.5% of women had nonacute or chronic conditions diagnosed, 1.6% had infections diagnosed, and 0.6% had acute medical conditions diagnosed. Between 2005 and 2008, rates significantly (P<.001) increased for postpartum hemorrhage, pelvic and perineal trauma, and gestational diabetes.

Conclusion: Maternal morbidities in Ireland are common and changing, underscoring the benefits of continuous comprehensive examination of maternity care services for all women during childbirth to address treatment of morbidities and to potentially prevent new morbidities.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Berg CJ, Mackay AP, Qin C, Callaghan WM. Overview of maternal morbidity during hospitalization for labor and delivery in the United States: 1993–1997 and 2001–2005. Obstet Gynecol 2009;113:1075–81.
    1. Wen SW, Huang L, Liston R, Heaman M, Baskett T, Rusen ID, et al. Severe maternal morbidity in Canada, 1991–2001. CMAJ 2005;173:759–64.
    1. Callaghan WM, Mackay AP, Berg CJ. Identification of severe maternal morbidity during delivery hospitalizations, United States, 1991–2003. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008;199:133 e1–8.
    1. Geller SE, Cox SM, Callaghan WM, Berg CJ. Morbidity and mortality in pregnancy: laying the groundwork for Safe Motherhood. Womens Health Issues 2006;16:176–88.
    1. Bruce FC, Berg CJ, Hornbrook MC, Whitlock EP, Callaghan WM, Bachman DJ, et al. Maternal morbidity rates in a managed care population. Obstet Gynecol 2008;111:1089–95.

Publication types