Table 4.

The WHO maternal near-miss criteria^a

Identification criteria
Cardiovascular dysfunction	• Shock
	• Use of continuous vasoactive drugs
	• Cardiac arrest
	• Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
	• Severe hypoperfusion (lactate > 5 mmol/L or > 45 mg/dL)
	• Severe acidosis (pH < 7.1)
Respiratory dysfunction	• Acute cyanosis
	• Gasping
	• Severe tachypnea (respiratory rate > 40 bpm)
	• Severe bradypnea (respiratory rate < 6 bpm)
	• Severe hypoxemia (PAO2/FiO2 < 200 or O2 saturation < 90 % for ≥60 min)
	• Intubation and ventilation not related to anesthesia
Renal dysfunction	• Oliguria non responsive to fluids/diuretics
	• Dialysis for acute renal failure
	• Severe acute azotemia (creatinine ≥ 300 umol/ml or ≥ 3.5 mg/dL)
Coagulation/hematologic dysfunction	• Failure to form clots
	• Massive transfusion of blood or red cells (≥5 units)
	• Severe acute thrombocytopenia (<50,000 platelets/ml)
Hepatic dysfunction	• Jaundice in the presence of pre-eclampsia
	• Severe acute hyperbilirubinemia (bilirubin > 100 umol/L or > 6.0 mg/dL)
Neurologic dysfunction	• Prolonged unconsciousness (lasting ≥ 12 hours)/coma (including metabolic coma)
	• Stroke
	• Status epilepticus/uncontrollable fits
	• Total paralysis
Uterine dysfunction	• Hemorrhage or infection leading to hysterectomy