Extreme maternal morbidity: Behavior algorithm

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the use of the maternal early warning trigger tool (MEWT) algorithm, in the identification of extreme maternal morbidity patients, admitted in obstetrics emergency of the Maternidad “Concepción Palacios”, in Caracas, between June 2019 – June 2020. Methods: Descriptive, ambispective, cross-sectional, patients and controls study. Sampling was non-probabilistic, intentional, and opinatic. The patients group included 127 patients admitted in the 2020 January-June period, in which MEWT algorithm was applied, whereas the controls group included 124 patients admitted in the 2019 July-December period, in which MEWT algorithm was not applied. Results: Extreme maternal morbidity ratio was 40.66 ± 1 per 1 000 live births. The number of maternal deaths was reduced from 8 to 3. 7.87 % of the patients were classified with severity markers, extreme maternalmorbidity/maternalmortality ratio was 42.33 in the patients group and 15.5 in the controls group. The lethality index was 2.36 % in the patients group and 6.45 % in the controls group. Respiratory rate, and temperature, presented statistical significance to evaluate patients with extreme maternal morbidity. The behavior algorithm allows for classifying and identifying patients with extreme maternal morbidity and reducing maternal mortality.