Improved clinical management but not patient outcome in women with postpartum haemorrhage—An observational study of practical obstetric team training

OBJECTIVE: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the most common obstetric emergency. A well-established postpartum haemorrhage protocol in the labour ward is crucial for effective treatment. The aim of the study was to investigate if practical obstetric team training improves the patient outcome and clinical management of PPH. SETTING: The practical obstetric team training (PROBE) at Linköping University Hospital, Sweden, with approximate 3000 deliveries annually, was studied between the years of 2004–2011. Each team consisted of one or two midwives, one obstetrician or one junior doctor and one nurse assistant. Emergency obstetrics cases were trained in a simulation setting. PROBE was scheduled during work hours at an interval of 1.5 years. POPULATION: Pre-PROBE women (N = 419 were defined as all women with vaginal birth between the years of 2004–2007 with an estimated blood loss of ≥1000 ml within the first 24 hours of delivery. Post-PROBE women (N = 483) were defined as all women with vaginal birth between the years of 2008–2011 with an estimated blood loss of ≥1000 ml within the first 24 hours of delivery. The two groups were compared regarding blood loss parameters and management variables using retrospective data from medical records. RESULTS: No difference was observed in estimated blood loss, haemoglobin level, blood transfusions or the incidence of postpartum haemorrhage between the two groups. Post-PROBE women had more often secured venous access (p<0.001), monitoring of vital signs (p<0.001) and received fluid resuscitation (p<0.001) compared to pre-PROBE women. The use of uterine massage was also more common among the post-PROBE women compared with the pre-PROBE women (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: PROBE improved clinical management but not patient outcome in women with postpartum haemorrhage in the labour ward. These new findings may have clinical implications since they confirm that training was effective concerning the management of postpartum haemorrhage. However, there is still no clear evidence that simulation training improve patient outcome in women with PPH.