Indian Obstetric Surveillance and Research System-Assam (IndOSS-Assam)

Published on Friday, 08 April 2016 Post

A collaborative study between the NPEU and an Indian University has shown the feasibility of using methods developed for the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) to establish a simple anonymous hospital-based obstetric surveillance and research system in the Indian state of Assam (IndOSS-Assam). This pilot study, published in BMJ Global Health, is a first step towards estimating the incidence and case-fatality of severe life-threatening complications during pregnancy and childbirth in Assam and showed a high incidence of eclampsia, postpartum haemorrhage, puerperal sepsis, septic abortion, uterine rupture and anaemic heart failure, along with a high case fatality rate. This suggests the need to focus research and policies to improve management of these conditions to reduce the burden of maternal mortality and morbidity in the state. For more details read the paper.