Table 2.
Characteristics of the interventions
| Authors | Characteristics of the audit | Who performed the audit | Who developed the recommendations | Type of cases audited | Selection criteria | N case audited (before/after) |
Woman interview |
| Lumala et al, 201713 | Two phases, retrospective | Medical doctor | Facility staff | PPH and severe pre-eclampsia, eclampsia | All in-patient cases in the study period, not referred and not receiving hydralazine or magnesium sulfate from the referring unit | 238 (125 before, 133 after) | No |
| Mgaya et al, 201714 | Two phases, retrospective | Trained postnatal ward nurses, (a consultant, a specialist and a midwife were also available for consultation) | Facility staff (AN, L, MO, MW, P) |
Obstructed labour | All cases of obstructed labour with a single fetus in cephalic presentation and no other severe medical conditions or PROM | 510 (260 before, 250 after) | Yes |
| Kayiga et al, 201615 | Two phases, prospective | NR | Facility staff (MO, MW, M) |
Obstructed labour | All cases occurring in the study period | 360 (180 before, 180 after) | Yes |
| Mohd Azri et al, 201516 | First phase retrospective, second regular prospective | NR | Facility staff (members of the obstetric department) |
Eclampsia | All cases occurring in the study period | 51 (42 before, nine after) | No |
| Gebrehiwot et al, 201417 | Prospective | Facility staff (MO, MW and other hospital staff+focal person) | Facility staff | All NM+MD | All cases occurring in the study period | 2568 | No |
| Baltag et al, 201218 | Prospective | Facility staff involved in case management (MO, MD+occasionally L, T, PHC) | Facility staff involved in case management (MO, MD+occasionally L, T, PHC) | NM | Not predefined criteria, cases were chosen by director | 30 approx (one case per month in each hospital) | Yes |
| Kidanto et al, 201219 | First phase retrospective, second prospective | One senior doctor | Facility staff | Eclampsia and pre-eclampsia | All cases occurring in the study period | 477 (389 before, 88 after) | No |
| Sukhanberdiyev et al, 201120 and Hodorogea, 201021 |
Prospective | Facility staff | Facility staff | PPH and severe pre-eclampsia | NR | not more than 10 in each hospital each year | Yes |
| Van den Akker et al, 201122 | Prospective every 2–3 weeks | Facility staff, occasionally external obs gyn | Facility staff | Infection, PPH, uterine rupture, preeclampsia, others)+MD | All cases occurring in the study period | 45 (24 deaths; 21 SOC) | No |
| Bailey et al, 201023 | First phase retrospective, than regular prospective | Facility staff (MO, N, M) |
Facility staff (MO, N, M) |
Severe preeclampsia, postpartum infection, prolonged/obstructed labour, PPH, organisation of emergency service | All cases occurring in the study period | 558 (312 before, 246 after) | No |
| Van den Akker et al, 200924 | Prospective every 2–3 weeks for 3 months | Facility staff (M, MA, MO, MW, N); Two external obstetricians in the second phase |
Facility staff (MO, N, M) |
Uterine rupture | Cases that appeared to be of particular educational value to the PI or any other hospital staff | 35 | No |
| Hunyinbo et al, 200825 | Two phases, prospective | Study investigator/s | Facility staff (M, MA, MO, N, P, L) |
PPH, uterine rupture, eclampsia, obstructed labour, sepsis | All cases occurring in the study period | 130 (65 before, 65 after) | No |
| Kongnyuy et al, 200826 | Two phases, prospective | Facility staff (AN, M, MO, MW, L, T) | Facility staff (quality improvement team) |
PPH, obstructed labour, sepsis, Preeclampsia/eclampsia, neonatal care, CS, women-friendly care+MD | NR | NR | No |
| Kongnyuy et al, 200827 | Two phases, retrospective | District team (N, MW, CO, AN, T) | Hospital staff (quality improvement team) | Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, PPH, prolonged/obstructed labour, retained placenta, sepsis, complications of abortion, ectopic pregnancy | All cases occurring in the study period | 122 (60 before, 62 after) | No |
| Weeks et al, 200528 | First phase retrospective, second prospective | Facility staff (including low grade staff) |
Facility staff | Severe pre-eclampsia | All cases occurring in the study period | 86 (43 before, 43 after) | No |
| Wagaarachchi et al, 200129 | First phase retrospective, second prospective | Non-medical assistants (10% of cases validated by independent re-review) | Facility staff (M, MO, M+all relevant staff) |
PPH, eclampsia, infection, obstructed labour, uterine rupture | All cases occurring in the study period | 889 (551 before, 338 after) | No |
AN, anaesthetist of anaesthetic technician, CO, clinical officer; CS, caesarean section; L, laboratory staff; M, manager; MA, medical assistant; MD, maternal deaths; MO, medical officer MW, midwife; N, nurse; NM, near miss, NR, not reported; P, pharmacy; PHC, primary healthcare staff; PI, principal investigator; PPH, postpartum haemorrhage; PROM, premature rupture of membranes; SOC, all severe obstetric cases; T, technician.