International Clinical and Medical Case Reports Journal (ISSN: 2832-5788) | Volume 4, Issue 5 | Review Article | Open Access DOI
Maithili D Kadam*
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
*Correspondence to: Maithili D Kadam
Fulltext PDFPregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period represent a significant physiological journey for women, marked by both joy and medical vulnerability. While most women experience uncomplicated pregnancies, a notable proportion face serious health risks that can endanger their lives. These complications, if not promptly and effectively managed, can result in permanent disability or death.
To enhance maternal care systems, attention has increasingly shifted toward the concept of maternal near miss—an event where a woman survives a life-threatening condition during pregnancy or within 42 days following delivery. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines a maternal near miss as a woman who nearly died but survived a serious complication during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period.
Analysing near-miss cases provides an ethical and effective alternative to reviewing maternal deaths. These events serve as critical indicators of the quality and accessibility of obstetric care. Unlike maternal mortality, which occurs infrequently and often lacks detailed records, near miss cases allow researchers and clinicians to study outcomes, interventions, and systemic delays from the perspective of survivors.
Understanding the frequency, causes, and healthcare-related barriers associated with maternal near-miss events offers an opportunity to improve clinical practices and health system readiness. As maternal mortality ratios decline in many regions, particularly in middle-income countries like India, near-miss surveillance becomes an increasingly valuable tool in shaping safer and more responsive maternal health services.
Maithili D Kadam. A Prospective Study of Various Causes, Incidence and Influence on Maternal Morbidity and Mortality of Near Miss Cases in Obstetrics in A Tertiary Hospital in India. Int Clinc Med Case Rep Jour. 2025;4(5):1-30.