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Clinical Trial
. 2014:2014:965724.
doi: 10.1155/2014/965724. Epub 2014 Mar 19.

Awareness about a life-threatening condition: ectopic pregnancy in a network for surveillance of severe maternal morbidity in Brazil

Edilberto Alves Rocha Filho  1 , Danielly Scaranello Santana  1 , Jose Guilherme Cecatti  2 , Maria Laura Costa  1 , Samira Maerrawe Haddad  1 , Mary Angela Parpinelli  1 , Maria Helena Sousa  3 , Rodrigo Soares Camargo  1 , Rodolfo Carvalho Pacagnella  1 , Fernanda Garanhani Surita  1 , Joao Luiz Pinto e Silva  1
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Awareness about a life-threatening condition: ectopic pregnancy in a network for surveillance of severe maternal morbidity in Brazil

Edilberto Alves Rocha Filho et al. Biomed Res Int. 2014.

Abstract

Objective: To assess occurrence of severe maternal complications associated with ectopic pregnancy (EP).

Method: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted, with prospective surveillance of potentially life-threatening conditions (PLTC), maternal near miss (MNM), and maternal death (MD). EP complications, patient sociodemographic/obstetric characteristics, and conditions of severity management were assessed, estimating prevalence ratios with respective 95% CI. Factors independently associated with greater severity were identified using multiple regression analysis.

Results: Of the 9.555 severe maternal morbidity patients, 312 women (3.3%) had complications after EP: 286 (91.7%) PLTC, 25 (8.0%) MNM, and 1 (0.3%) MD. Severe maternal outcome ratio (SMOR) was 0.3/1000 LB among EP cases and 10.8/1000 LB among other causes. Complicated EP patients faced a higher risk of blood transfusion, laparotomy, and lower risk of ICU admission and prolonged hospitalization than women developing complications resulting from other causes. Substandard care was the most common in more severe maternal morbidity and EP cases (22.7% MNM and MD versus 15% PLTC), although not significant.

Conclusion: Increased maternal morbidity due to EP raised awareness about the condition and its impact on female reproductive life. No important risk factors for greater severity were identified. Care providers should develop specific guidelines and interventions to prevent severe maternal morbidity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow of women with severe maternal morbidity due to ectopic pregnancy or other causes according to the final outcome in PLTC (potentially life-threatening condition), MNM (maternal near miss), or MD (maternal death).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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