Across Australia, there is a systematic approach to examining and reporting maternal mortality¹. However, there is no consistent approach to examining severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM)². The morbidity burden is inconsistently defined, and recorded in each jurisdiction, which limits the amount of national data available to determine systematic approaches for intervention³. Definitions may be characterised by organ system, disease process, or intervention-based criteria, with variation in specifics of severity or duration of impact. Currently, there is no agreement on which conditions should be recorded and reviewed, no consistent SAMM review template, and no streamlined collation or routine analysis of this data through a clinical quality registry or national database. We have an incomplete understanding of the extent to which SAMM adversely affects women, maternity care providers and how much it costs the health care system⁴. This is an important gap in our safety and quality assurance systems that must be better understood.

Our project is designed to obtain a better understanding of the incidence of SAMM, the review processes occurring when a woman experiences a SAMM in Queensland, and the impact SAMM has on women, maternity care providers and the health system. Evaluation of the status and consistency of recording, reporting and review, is an essential step to facilitate the development of efficient processes and streamline systems for analysing SAMM. By maximising the knowledge gained from SAMM reviews, strategies can be developed to identify and manage systemic issues early, direct personnel education, and minimise barriers to care at a local level and on a larger scale. Having an effective, consistent, and sustainable approach for reviewing and understanding contributing factors to SAMM will help us determine how to improve maternity care, reduce birth trauma, optimise pregnancy outcomes and enhance wellbeing for future generations of women.