Research on near-miss maternal mortality in Latin America

Abstract

The near miss approach in obstetrics represents an opportunity to understand the role that structural, psychosocial and cultural determinants play in the critical obstetric experiences of women who, at the risk of death, saved their lives. This article shows the results of a narrative and critical review of the studies that have been developed from this approach in Latin America in the last 6 years. Seven international databases and 19 different journals were reviewed, originating in 7 countries. It was found that there is little production around the subject and predominated the clinical approximations referring to the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used with this population. The predominant paradigm is positivist and most are descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional, ranging from secondary sources of information (archives, records). It is urgent to carry out research from this approach with women, recovering the experiences they have experienced in the critical episode.