Perinatal mortality audit: Counting, accountability, and overcoming challenges in scaling up in low- and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND: In high-income countries, national mortality audits are associated with improved quality of care, but there has been no previous systematic review of perinatal audit in low- and middle-income settings. OBJECTIVES: To present a systematic review of facility-based perinatal mortality audit in low- and middle-income countries, and review information regarding community audit. RESULTS: Ten low-quality evaluations with mortality outcome data were identified. Meta-analysis of 7 before-and-after studies indicated a reduction in perinatal mortality of 30% (95% confidence interval, 21%-38%) after introduction of perinatal audit. The consistency of effect suggests that audit may be a useful tool for decreasing perinatal mortality rates in facilities and improving quality of care, although none of these evaluations were large scale. Few of the identified…