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Psycho-social vulnerabilities are a medical risk factor for both fetus and mother. Association between socioeconomic status and prenatal follow-up has been well established and inadequate follow-up is associated with higher morbidity and mortality in women in unfavorable situations.The objective is to identify screening strategies and to describe existing systems for pregnant women in psycho-social vulnerability in French maternity hospitals.This is a national survey conducted by questionnaire in all French maternities.Screening by means of targeted questions is carried out by 96.7% of maternity units. Early prenatal interviews are offered systematically by 64% of maternity units and access to them is still difficult for women in vulnerable situations. In order to organize care pathways, 28.7% of maternities have a structured unit within their establishment and 81% state that they have mobilizable caregivers. Multidisciplinary meetings for the coordination of the various stakeholders are held by 85.8% of maternity units. Collaboration with networks and associations is emphasized.A large proportion of maternities seek to identify women in situation of psycho-social vulnerabilities and to organize care paths. However, the resources implemented still appear insufficient for many maternity units. Each maternity hospital has resources and is developing initiatives to deal with the difficulties of care.

The sixth report of the National Confidential Survey on Maternal Deaths provides insights into the frequency, risk factors, causes, adequacy of care, and preventability of maternal deaths occurring in 2013-2015 in France. The method developed ensures an exhaustive identification and a confidential analysis of maternal deaths. It was organized in three steps. 1) All deaths occurring during pregnancy or up to 1 year after its end, whatever the cause or mode of termination, being considered 2) A pair of volunteer assessors (midwives, gyneco-obstetricians, anesthesiologists, psychiatrists) was in charge of collecting the information (history of the woman, course of her pregnancy, circumstances of the event that led to the death and management); 3) Review and classification of deaths by the National Committee of Experts on Maternal Mortality which made a collective judgment on the cause of death, on the adequacy of the care provided, and on what could been done to avoid the death depending on the existence of circumstances that could have prevented the fatal outcome. The operation of the committee has been enriched by new resources to further explore these cases. Specifically, a module of the survey questionnaire, the recruitment of psychiatrists whose contribution allows relevant documentation of the suicides, and the participation of a psychiatrist as an associate expert for the analysis of the appropriateness of the management and the variable determining factors of these cases. Suicide becomes one of the two main causes of maternal mortality, (the other cause being cardiovascular pathologies), with 35 suicides on the triennium among the 262 maternal deaths, that is to say 13.4 % of maternal deaths, about 1 per month. In this population, the average age of women who died by suicide was 31.4years. The majority of the women were born in France, 68 % were prima parous, and in 9 % of cases suicide followed a twin pregnancy. Psychiatric history was known in 33.3 % of the suicidal mothers, and 30.3 % had a history of psychiatric care that was unknown to the maternity team.43 % of the women had psychosocial vulnerability factors, a history of violence, and eviction from the home and/or financial difficulties. In 23 % of the cases, the time of occurrence of these suicides was within the first 42days postpartum, and in 77 % between 43 days and one year after birth with a median delay of 126days. Only one suicide occurred during pregnancy. Maternal suicides were mostly violent deaths. Suboptimal care was present in 72 % of cases, where 91 % of potentially preventable deaths related to a lack of multidisciplinary management and/or inadequate interaction between the patient and the health care system. Among these potentially avoidable deaths, we were able to distinguish: women whose psychiatric pathology was known and for whom multidisciplinary management was not optimal, and women whose psychiatric pathology was not known or was not present - for whom it was rather a matter of a failure to detect and identify the signs, particularly by obstetric care providers or general emergency services. Based on the analysis of the cases, strong messages were identified, with the aim of optimizing management: - The screening by structured questioning of psychiatric history from the moment of registration in the maternity ward, repeated at each consultation throughout the pregnancy. - The reassessment of the psychological and somatic state through an early postnatal interview at one month; - The identification of warning symptoms, with screening tools for depression. If necessary, a further recourse to the psychologist and/or psychiatrist of the maternity hospital, organisation of a home hospitalization, and a private midwife to provide a link in the pre- and postpartum period. This, in addition to the earliest possible care in the PMI (Maternal and Infantile Protection, of the French social care system), appointments with mental health professionals,and the link with the attending physician; - The implementation of a coordinated care pathway in case of a known psychiatric pathology with pre conception counselling. This includes a multidisciplinary collaboration, an adaptation of psychotropic treatment, management of comorbidities referral to specialized perinatal psychopathology teams, prenatal meeting with the pediatrician of the maternity hospital, anticipation of the birth, postpartum and discharge options, liaison sheet established for the organization of the delivery and postpartum, and a regular written transmissions between the intervening parties throughout the care; - The generalization of medico-psycho-social staffs, in maternity wards, for all situations identified as at risk. In addition to the need for training and increased awareness on psychological issues during the perinatal period and on the different pathologies encountered by adult mental health professionals and front-line workers, it is necessary to encourage the development of resources in the country. Particularly, joint child psychiatrist-adult psychiatrist consultations at the territorial level, responsible for being resource contacts for maternity wards and local care professionals, as well as the promotion of case pathway referrals.

Objective To describe spontaneous preterm birth prevention practices self-reported before and after the dissemination of relevant guidelines, and to identify personal and organisational factors associated with adherence. Design A repeated cross-sectional vignette-based survey study. Setting French obstetricians. Population French obstetricians practicing in public or private maternity units. Methods Before and after the dissemination of the 2017 French guidelines on the prevention of spontaneous preterm birth, participants were asked to complete a web-based self-administered questionnaire based on two clinical vignettes. Vignette 1 focused on respondents' attitudes towards strict bed rest, cerclage, and progesterone treatment for women with a short cervix in mid-trimester; vignette 2 focused on attitudes towards strict bed rest and maintenance tocolysis after successful tocolysis for preterm labour. A mixed quantitative and qualitative analysis was conducted. Main outcome measures Non-adherence to guidelines for the prevention of spontaneous preterm birth in responses to each vignette. Results We obtained complete responses from 286 obstetricians before and 282 obstetricians after guideline dissemination, including 145 obstetricians participating in both. After dissemination, 51.4% of obstetricians self-reported non-adherent practices for vignette 1 and 22.3% of obstetricians self-reported non-adherent practices for vignette 2. No improvement was observed after dissemination. The quantitative analysis identified factors associated with non-adherence, including older age and practice in non-university or small hospitals, whereas the qualitative analysis highlighted barriers to implementation, including fear of change, habits, work overload, and lack of time. Conclusions Adherence to guidelines was generally low, with practices unmodified by their dissemination. Improvement is required, especially regarding applicability. Tweetable abstract Adherence to guidelines to prevent spontaneous preterm birth was generally low and remained unmodified after guideline dissemination.

To describe, for the 2013-2015 period, the frequency, causes, risk factors, adequacy of care and preventability of maternal deaths in France.Data from the National Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths for 2013-2015.For the period 2013-2015, 262 maternal deaths occurred in France, one every four days, i.e a maternal mortality ratio of 10.8 per 100,000 live births (95 % CI 9.5-12.1), stable compared to 2010-2012. Compared to women aged 25-29, the risk is multiplied by 1.9 for women aged 30-34, by 3 for women aged 35-39 and by 4 for women aged 40 and over. Obese women are twice as frequent among maternal deaths (24 %) than in the general population of parturients (11 %). There are territorial disparities - the maternal mortality ratio in the French overseas departments is 4 times higher than in metropolitan France -, and social disparities - the mortality of migrant women remains higher than that of women born in France, particularly for women born in sub-Saharan Africa whose risk is 2.5 times higher than that native women. A striking result of the 2013-2015 period is the preponderance of suicides and cardiovascular diseases, the two leading causes of maternal mortality, each responsible for approximately one death per month. These two etiologies are not only the most frequent, but also among those with the highest proportion of preventable deaths, 91.3 % and 65.7 % respectively. Another important result is the continued decrease in mortality from obstetric haemorrhage, halved in 15 years, particularly the decrease n hemorrhages due to uterine atony. Overall, 57.8 % of maternal deaths are considered probably or possibly preventable and in 66 % of cases, the care provided was not optimal.While the overall maternal mortality ratio remains stable overall, and territorial and social inequalities unchanged, the profile of the causes of maternal mortality is changing. Some developments are a success, such as the continued decrease in maternal mortality due to haemorrhage, the result of the general mobilisation of health actors on this issue. Others point to new priorities for mobilisation, in particular on the mental and cardiovascular health of women during pregnancy or in the year following childbirth. In order to go further in understanding the mechanisms involved, and to identify precise avenues for prevention, it is necessary to analyse in detail the stories of each maternal death in order to identify the opportunities for improvement repeatedly found in the series of deaths. This is what the following articles in this issue propose, with an analysis by cause of death.

Pregnancy represents a period of significant psychological vulnerability for women. During the perinatal period, twenty percent of them would present with mental disorders ranging from anxiety to depression. In those with pre-existing mental illness, the risk of acute decompensation is significant. For this reason, the World Health Organization recommends classifying suicides occurring during pregnancy and up to one-year post-partum as maternal deaths. Thus, between 2013 and 2015, 35 maternal suicides occurred in France, representing a maternal mortality ratio of 1:4 per 100,000 live births (95% CI: 1.0-2.0). By constituting 13.4% of all maternal deaths for the period, this group is the one of the 2 leading causes of maternal mortality. A total of 23% occurred in the first 42 days post-partum, and 77% between 43 days and one year after birth. 33.3% of the suicidal mothers had a known psychiatric history and 30.3% had a history of psychiatric care, unknown to obstetrical teams. Non-optimal care was present in 72% of cases with 91 % of suicides were potentially preventable, preventability factors beinga lack of multidisciplinary care and inadequate interaction between the patient and the care system. Strong messages were drawn from the analysis of these cases to optimize care: improve knowledge of the psychiatric history from the time of enrolment in maternity units, improve the identification of warning symptoms and the use of the psychologist and/or psychiatrist, set up a specific care pathway and multidisciplinary collaboration in case of known psychiatric disease.

To revise the organization and the methodology of the Practice Clinical Guidelines (PCG) of the French College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF).The different available methods of PCG organization and of scientific evidence grading have been consulted after searching in the Medline database.The PCG group of the CNGOF has decided to adopt the AGREE II (for Appraisal of Guidelines for REsearch and Evaluation) methology for PCG organization and the GRADE (for Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) system for grading scientific evidence.By adopting the AGREE II consortium criteria and grading scientific evidence according to the GRADE system, the CNGOF will increase the quality of the overall process, will deliver more targeted and easy to assimilate recommendations, to facilitate professional decision making.

Introduction Hypertensive disorders are one of the leading causes of maternal mortality and are also associated with significant cardiovascular and renal morbidity. However very few studies have evaluated the prevalence of different hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and postpartum in France. Purpose The aim of this nationwide study was to estimate the prevalence of hypertensives disorders during the pregnancy and the post-partum. Methods All women with a delivery after 22 weeks of amenorrhea between 2010 and 2016 were selected using data from the national hospital discharge database (PMSI-MCO) integrated into the national health data system (SNDS). In these women, chronic hypertension (persisting or not during pregnancy) in the year preceding pregnancy, gestational hypertension (occurring after 20 weeks of amenorrhea) and preeclampsia/eclampsia were recorded using different algorithms taking into account hospital diagnosis, antihypertensive treatment deliveries and differential diagnosis. Results Between 2010 and 2016, 4,991,308 deliveries occurred in France corresponding to 3,786,510 women. A total of 7.8% of all pregnancies were associated with at least one hypertensive disorder. Chronic hypertension occurred in the year preceding 1.7% of pregnancies and persisted in 1.1% of cases. Gestational hypertension was recorded in 5.2% of pregnancies and Preeclampsia/Eclampsia in 2% of pregnancies. Preeclampsia occurred before 32 weeks of amenorrhea in 17% of cases, between 32 weeks and delivery in 61% of cases and after delivery in 22% of cases. Preeclampsia was not preceded by any other hypertensive disorder in 44.1% of pregnancies. In 11.6% and 44.3% of pregnancies, preeclampsia was preceded by chronic hypertension and by gestational hypertension respectively. Conclusion Hypertensive disorders affected 7.8% of pregnancies in France between 2010 and 2016. It is necessary to pay particular attention to these women in assessing their future cardio-vascular risk.

To describe maternal deaths in France associated with Marfan's syndrome or vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.A retrospective descriptive study based on data from the national confidential enquiry into maternal deaths, in France, during 2001-2012. Characteristics of the patients, their pregnancies and details of their deaths were analysed. The specific maternal mortality ratio by Marfan's syndrome or vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome was estimated.Among 973 maternal deaths that occurred during the study period, five (0.4%) had a Marfan's syndrome (n=3) or a vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (n=2), confirmed or suspected. The maternal mortality ratio due to Marfan's syndrome or vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome between 2001 and 2012 was 0.04/100,000 live births (IC 95% [0.011-0.2]). Three maternal deaths were caused by aortic dissections and two by other arterial ruptures. The deaths have occurred after 37 weeks of pregnancy for 4 patients, and at fifteen days of post-partum for one patient. The median age of death was 30 years. Three patients were nulliparous. Marfan's syndrome and vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome were not identified before the death of these five patients.Five patients with, or suspected to have, Marfan's syndrome or vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome were identified. Early diagnosis of these syndromes in pregnant women before life threatening events is very important, especially to refer them to appropriate care.

Objective To describe maternal mortality among women with sickle-cell disease in France. Study design Data from the national confidential enquiry into maternal deaths and from reference centres for sickle-cell disease were examined to identify women with this disease who died in France during 1996–2009. The maternal mortality ratio among women with sickle-cell disease was estimated and compared with the ratio in the general population. Characteristics of these women and their pregnancies and circumstances of their deaths were examined in detail. Results Fifteen maternal deaths occurred among an estimated 3300 live births to women with sickle-cell disease, for a maternal mortality ratio of 454 per 100 000 live births (95% CI [254; 750]), versus 9.4/100 000 in the general population. Ten women were homozygous (SS) for sickle-cell disease, and five were composite heterozygotes. The episode leading to death appeared in the antepartum period for seven women (47%). Two women died of septic shock during pregnancy, one at 6 weeks, the other at 24 weeks. The other 13 women (87%) died postpartum. Thirteen deaths were directly attributable to sickle-cell disease. The other two maternal deaths, both considered direct obstetric causes, were due to amniotic fluid embolism and septic shock after post-amniocentesis chorioamnionitis. The expert committee on maternal mortality judged seven of these 15 deaths (47%) to be avoidable. Conclusion Sickle-cell disease is responsible for a major excess risk of maternal death in France, due mainly to direct complications of the disease.

To describe, for the period 2010-2012, the frequency, the causes, the risk factors, the adequacy of care and the avoidability of maternal deaths in France.Data from the National Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths for 2010-2012.For the period 2010-2012, 256 maternal deaths occurred in France, a maternal mortality ratio of 10.3 per 100,000 live births (95% CI: 9.1-11.7), stable compared to 2007-2009. Compared to women aged 25-29, the risk is multiplied by 2.4 for women aged 35-39, and by 3 for women over 40 years. There are territorial disparities: 1 out of 7 maternal deaths occurs in the French overseas departments, and the maternal mortality ratio in those departments is 4 times that of metropolitan, France; and social disparities: the mortality of migrant women remains 2.5 times higher than that of women born in France, particularly for women born in sub-Saharan Africa whose RMM is 3.5 times that native women. A major finding is the 1/3 decrease in direct maternal mortality over the last 10 years, mainly due to for the first time the statistically significant decrease in mortality from obstetric hemorrhage, the frequency of which was divided by 2 in 10 years. However, almost all of the remaining deaths from hemorrhage are considered preventable and this is still the leading cause of maternal mortality in France (11% of deaths). Overall, 56% of these maternal deaths are considered "avoidable" or "possibly avoidable" and in 59% of cases the care provided was not optimal.Direct maternal mortality and in particular maternal mortality from hemorrhage has decreased significantly over the past 10 years, indicating improved obstetric care. However, territorial and social inequalities persist, and the majority of deaths remain preventable, which shows that the identification of opportunities for improvement must continue. To go even further in understanding the mechanisms involved, and to identify precise avenues of prevention, it is necessary to analyze in detail the stories of each maternal death in order to identify the repetitive elements in the series of deaths. This is what the following articles in this issue propose, with an analysis by cause of death, according to the idea that the same cause produces the same effects.

Maternal mortality, despite its rarity in rich countries, remains a fundamental indicator of maternal health. It is considered as a "sentinel event", consequence of dysfunctions of the health care system, often cumulative. In addition to the classical epidemiological surveillance outcomes-number of deaths, maternal mortality ratio and identification of the subgroups of women at higher risk-its study allows an accurate analysis of each deceased woman's trajectory to identify opportunities for improvements in the content or organization of care; the correction of which will make it possible to prevent deaths but also upstream morbid events affected by the same dysfunctions. To achieve this dual epidemiological and clinical audit objective, an ad hoc enhanced system is needed. France has had such a system since 1996, the National Confidential enquiry into maternal deaths (ENCMM), coordinated by the Inserm Epopé team. The methodology has been adapted over time to improve completeness and better document cases. The first step is the multi-source identification (direct declaration, death certificate, birth certificates, hospital discharge data) of women who died during pregnancy or within one year of its end, in metropolitan France and overseas departments. The second step is the collection of detailed information for each death by a pair of clinical assessors. Recent evolutions aim to better document the social context of women as well as the background of women who have died of suicide. Psychiatrists have been included among the assessors. The third stage is the review of these anonymized documents by the National Committee of Experts on Maternal Mortality, which judges whether the death is maternal (causal link) and makes a judgment on the adequacy of care and avoidability of death. A psychiatrist is now associated to the CNEMM for the assessment of maternal suicides. The synthesis of the information thus collected for maternal deaths in the period 2013-2015 is presented in these articles of this special issue.

Objective Because the effectiveness of antenatal care in reducing pregnancy complications is still discussed despite widespread recommendations of its use, we sought to assess the association between utilisation of recommended antenatal care and severe maternal (SMM) and perinatal morbidity (SPM). Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Four maternity units around Paris in 2010–2012. Sample 9117 women with singleton pregnancies. Methods Logistic regression models adjusted for maternal social, demographic and medical characteristics. Main outcome measures Antenatal care utilisation was assessed by: (1) initiation of care after 14 weeks, (2) < 50% of recommended visits made, according to gestational age, (3) absence of the first, second or third trimester ultrasounds, (4) two modified Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilisation indexes, combining these components. The two main outcomes were composite variables of SMM and SPM. Results According to the modified Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilisation index, 34.6% of women had inadequate antenatal care utilisation; the incidence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) was 2.9% and severe perinatal morbidity (SPM) 5.5%. A percentage of recommended visits below 50% (2.6% of women) was associated with SMM [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.40 (1.38–4.17)] and SPM [aOR 2.27 (1.43–3.59)]. Late initiation of care (17.0% of women) was not associated with SMM or SPM. Failure to undergo the recommended ultrasounds (16, 17 and 22% of women) was associated with SPM. Inadequate antenatal care utilisation according to the index was associated with SPM [aOR 1.37 (1.05–1.80)]. Conclusion Inadequate antenatal care utilisation is associated with SMM and SPM, to degrees that vary with the component of care and the outcome considered. Tweetable abstract Inadequate antenatal care utilisation is associated with severe maternal and perinatal morbidity.

Resume Objectif Faire la synthese des connaissances concernant l’incidence, les causes et les facteurs de risque de l’hemorragie du post-partum (HPP) et la morbi-mortalite maternelle associee. Methodes Consultation de la base de donnees Medline et des rapports nationaux sur la mortalite maternelle. Resultats L’HPP est definie comme une perte sanguine ≥ 500 mL apres l’accouchement, et l’HPP severe comme une perte sanguine ≥ 1000 mL, quelle que soit la voie d’accouchement (accord professionnel). Dans les etudes en population, l’incidence de l’HPP est autour de 5 % des accouchements lorsque la mesure des pertes sanguines est imprecise, et autour de 10 % lorsque les pertes sanguines sont mesurees precisement. L’incidence de l’HPP severe est autour de 2 %. L’atonie uterine est la principale cause d’HPP. La mortalite maternelle par hemorragie obstetricale a diminue en France (actuellement 1,6 deces/100 000 naissances vivantes), mais elle demeure la premiere cause de deces maternel (16 %), et la plus evitable (80 %). Dans l’ensemble des pays developpes, l’HPP est la principale cause de morbidite maternelle severe aigue, et d’admission en reanimation chez la femme en etat gravido-puerperal. Outre les consequences directes de l’hypovolemie aigue, elle expose la femme aux complications de la transfusion, de la reanimation, et a l’infertilite en cas d’hysterectomie. Les principaux facteurs de risque d’HPP sont des facteurs d’atonie uterine, mais ils sont globalement peu predictifs. Conclusion L’HPP est la principale cause de morbi-mortalite maternelle, le plus souvent en rapport avec une atonie uterine. Les facteurs de risque correspondant a des elements de prise en charge du travail ou de l’accouchement sont potentiellement modifiables et l’examen de leur balance benefice-risque doit prendre en compte le risque associe d’HPP (accord professionnel).

To define the different stages of spontaneous labour. To determine the indications, modalities of use and the effects of administering synthetic oxytocin. And to describe undesirable maternal and perinatal outcomes associated with the use of synthetic oxytocin.A systematic review was carried out by searching Medline database and websites of obstetrics learned societies until March 2016.The 1st stage of labor is divided in a latence phase and an active phase, which switch at 5cm of cervical dilatation. Rate of cervical dilatation is considered as abnormal below 1cm per 4hour during the first part of the active phase, and below 1cm per 2hours above 7cm of dilatation. During the latent phase of the first stage of labor, i.e. before 5cm of cervical dilatation, it is recommended that an amniotomy not be performed routinely and not to use oxytocin systematically. It is not recommended to expect the active phase of labor to start the epidural analgesia if patient requires it. If early epidural analgesia was performed, the administration of oxytocin must not be systematic. If dystocia during the active phase, an amniotomy is recommended in first-line treatment. In the absence of an improvement within an hour, oxytocin should be administrated. However, in the case of an extension of the second stage beyond 2hours, it is recommended to administer oxytocin to correct a lack of progress of the presentation. If dynamic dystocia, it is recommended to start initial doses of oxytocin at 2mUI/min, to respect at least 30min intervals between increases in oxytocin doses delivered, and to increase oxytocin doses by 2mUI/min intervals without surpassing a maximum IV flow rate of 20mUI/min. The reported maternal adverse effects concern uterine hyperstimulation, uterine rupture and post-partum haemorrhage, and those of neonatal adverse effects concern foetal heart rate anomalies associated with uterine hyperstimulation, neonatal morbidity and mortality, neonatal jaundice, weak suck/poor breastfeeding latch and autism.The widespread use of oxytocin during spontaneous labour must not be considered as simply another inoffensive prescription without any possible deleterious consequences for mother or foetus. Conditions for administering the oxytocin must therefore respect medical protocols. Indications and patient consent have to be report in the medical file.

Background/introduction Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in pregnancy and post-partum. The association between both the chronic hypertension or preeclampsia and the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) is still under debate. Purpose The aim of the study was to estimate the risk of PE in women hospitalized with preeclampsia during pregnancy and post-partum. Methods All women aged 18–45 years who delivered after 20 weeks of amenorrhea between 2010 and 2015 were selected in the French hospital discharge database. In these women, hospital stays with a diagnosis of preeclampsia between the 20th week of amenorrhea and up to 6 weeks postpartum were identified. Chronic hypertension before pregnancy was also identified using the French health insurance claim database. Hospitalizations for PE after the diagnosis of preeclampsia and up to 6 weeks postpartum were selected in the same database. Adjusted Poisson regressions were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) comparing the incidence of PE following preeclampsia or chronic hypertension versus incidence in women without those conditions. Results Between 2010 and 2015, 4,483,852 women had a delivery and were included in the study. Hospitalization for preeclampsia occurred in 1.9% of these women. Among women with preeclampsia, PE occurred in 1,087 during pregnancy and in 1,693 during postpartum. Preeclampsia was associated with a significantly increased risk of PE during postpartum (adjIRR = 2.6 95%CI [2.2–3.1]) but not during pregnancy (adjIRR = 1.2 95%CI [0.8–1.7]). Chronic hypertension before pregnancy was associated with a significantly higher risk of PE during pregnancy (adjIRR = 1.6 95%CI [1.1–2.2]) and postpartum (adjIRR = 1.4 95%CI [1.0–1.8]). Conclusion This study highlighted the importance of monitoring women for PE after a hospitalization for preeclampsia and women with chronic hypertension during pregnancy and postpartum.

The length of the third stage of labour is a potential modifiable risk factor for postpartum haemorrhage at vaginal delivery, but there is no definitive evidence that early intervention to remove the placenta manually will prevent postpartum haemorrhage. We report a wide variation between countries in Europe in policies about the timing of manual removal of placenta. Two groups of countries with clearly divergent policies were identified. A randomised controlled trial is needed to provide definitive evidence on the risks and benefits of manual removal of placenta at different timings after vaginal delivery.

To determine the available evidence to prevent and treat shoulder dystocia to attempt to decrease its related neonatal and maternal morbidity.The PubMed database, the Cochrane Library and the recommendations from the French and foreign obstetrical societies or colleges have been consulted.Shoulder dystocia, defined as a vaginal delivery that requires additional obstetric maneuvers to deliver the fetus after the head has delivered and gentle traction has failed, complicates 0.5-1 % of vaginal deliveries. Risks of brachial plexus birth injury (LE3), clavicle and humeral fracture (LE3), perinatal asphyxia (LE2), hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (LE3) and perinatal mortality (LE2) are increased after shoulder dystocia. Its main risk factors are previous shoulder dystocia and macrosomia, but they are poorly predictive; 50 % to 70 % of shoulder dystocia cases occur in their absence, and the great majority of deliveries when they are present are not associated with shoulder dystocia. No study has proven that the correction of these risk factors (except gestational diabetes) would reduce the risk of shoulder dystocia (SD). Physical activity is recommended before and during pregnancy to reduce the occurrence of some risk factors for shoulder dystocia (grade C). In obese patients, physical activity should be coupled with dietary measures to reduce fetal macrosomia and weight gain during pregnancy (grade A). In case of gestational diabetes, diabetes care is recommended (diabetic diet, glucose monitoring, insulin if needed) (grade A) as it reduces the risk of macrosomia and shoulder dystocia (LE1). In order to avoid shoulder dystocia and its complications, only two measures are proposed. Induction of labor is recommended in case of impending macrosomia if the cervix is favourable and gestational age greater than 39 weeks of gestation (professional consensus). Cesarean delivery is recommended before labor in case of EFW greater than 4500g if associated with maternal diabetes (grade C), EFW greater than 5000g in the absence of maternal diabetes (grade C), history of shoulder dystocia associated with severe neonatal or maternal complications (Professional consensus), and finally during labor, in case of fetal macrosomia and failure to progress in the second stage, when the fetal head is above a +2 station (grade C). In case of shoulder dystocia, it is recommended not to pull excessively on the fetal head (grade C), do not perform uterine expression (grade C) and do not realize inverse rotation of the fetal head (professional consensus). McRoberts' maneuver, with or without a suprapubic pressure, is recommended in the first line (grade C). In case of failure, if the posterior shoulder is engaged, Wood's maneuver should be performed preferentially; if the posterior shoulder is not engaged, delivery of the posterior arm should be performed preferentially (professional consensus). It seems necessary to know at least two maneuvers to perform in case of shoulder dystocia unresolved by the maneuver of McRoberts (professional consensus). Pediatrician should be immediately informed in case of shoulder dystocia. The initial clinical examination should search complications such as brachial plexus birth injury or clavicle fracture (professional consensus). In absence of neonatal complication, monitoring of the neonate is not modified (professional consensus). The implementation of a practical training using simulation and concerning all caregivers of the delivery room is associated with a significant reduction in neonatal (LE3) but not maternal (LE3) injury.Shoulder dystocia remains a non-predictable obstetrics emergency. All physicians and midwives should know and perform obstetric maneuvers if needed quickly but without precipitation. A training program using simulation for the management of shoulder dystocia is encouraged for the initial and continuing formation of different actors in the delivery room (professional consensus).

Although medical literature on social inequalities in perinatal health is qualitatively heterogeneous, it is quantitatively important and reveals the existence of a social gradient in terms of perinatal risk. However, published data regarding maternal health, if also qualitatively heterogeneous, are relatively less numerous. Nevertheless, it appears that social inequalities also exist concerning severe maternal morbidity as well as maternal mortality. Analyses are still insufficient to understand the mechanisms involved and explain how the various dimensions of the women social condition interact with maternal health indicators. Inadequate prenatal care and suboptimal obstetric care may be intermediary factors, as they are related to both social status and maternal outcomes, in terms of maternal morbidity, its worsening or progression, and maternal mortality.

To study the association between the duration of oxytocin augmentation intervals and the risk of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) among primiparous women in spontaneous labour.Retrospective cohort including primiparous women in spontaneous labour who received oxytocin during labour (n=454). Oxytocin augmentation intervals were dichotomized in intervals20minutes and≥20minutes. Obstetrical and neonatal issues were analyzed according to the duration oxytocin augmentation intervals. The association between oxytocin augmentation intervals and PPH was analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis.Oxytocin augmentation intervals were shorter than 20minutes for 43.8% of the study population. The rate of PPH was higher (9.1% vs 3.5%; P=0.014), and the use of sulprostone was more frequent (6.5% vs 3.5%; P=0.013) if oxytocin augmentation intervals were shorter than 20minutes in comparison with intervals≥20minutes. The association between oxytocin augmentation intervals and PPH remains significant after adjustment on other PPH risk factors (adjusted OR=3.48, 95% CI [1.45-8.34]). The rate of adverse neonatal issue, defined by arterial pH at birth≤7.10 and/or 5minutes score d'Apgar≤7, was higher if oxytocin augmentation intervals were20minutes (12.1% vs 4.3%; P=0.002).Our study demonstrated an increased risk of PPH for primiparous women in spontaneous labour who received oxytocin with augmentation intervals shorter than 20minutes.

Background Fertility treatments (FT) have been associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic complications (TEC). However, whether this excess risk exists for arterial thrombosis and whether it differs by type of ART remains poorly documented. Purpose The objectives were to estimate TEC rates following unsuccessful FT cycle (TC) and FT-related pregnancy, according to type of FT. Methods Women aged 18–45 years with an FT between 2012 and 2015 were selected in the French health insurance claim database. TC were classified into simple ovulation induction (OI) or ovulation stimulation (OS). All hospitalisations in women with FT, with a diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or arterial thrombosis (AT) were identified in the French hospital discharge database. Separate analyses were performed for unsuccessful and successful TC. Poisson regressions were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) comparing both incidence of TEC following unsuccessful TC versus incidence in all non-pregnant women of same age range, and TEC incidence during FT-related pregnancy versus incidence in spontaneous pregnancy. Results During the study period, 280,000 women underwent FT (total of 809,913 TC) with 82,821 FT-related pregnancies. Among unsuccessful TC, 75 VTE and 43 AT were observed. OS TC but not OI TC was associated with a higher risk of VTE compared with the reference group [1.7, 95% CI (1.3–2.3)]. Among FT-related pregnancies, 207 VTE and 35 AT were reported. The IRR adjusted for age and multiple pregnancy showed significant higher rates of VTE and AT during first trimester comparing to spontaneous pregnancy [IRR = 3.3, 95% CI (2.2–4.8) and IRR = 2.6, 95%CI (1.1–6.5) respectively]. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of monitoring women undergoing FT, especially OS TC, regardless of pregnancy status. In FT-related pregnancy, the first trimester seems to be a high-risk period for TEC compared with spontaneous pregnancies.

To give a description of caesarean rates in France in 2010 using Robson classification, to assess practices according to the level of care of the maternity units.The study population was the sample of the French National Perinatal Survey in 2010 (n=14,165). Data were stratified by the level of care of the maternity unit (1, 2 or 3). Women were classified in 12 groups according to Robson classification, using maternal characteristics and obstetrical history. In each level of care, we calculated for each group, its relative size, its crude caesarean rate and its contribution to the overall caesarean rate.The overall rate of caesarean in 2010 in France was 20.8% in level 1, 21.1% in level 2 and 20.0% in level 3 maternity units. In the three levels, the main contributors to the overall caesarean rate were primiparous women in spontaneous labour (group 1; contribution: 3.5% in level 1 units, 2.2% in level 2 units, 2.7% in level 3 units) or with induced labour (group 2a; contribution: 2.9, 2.5 and 3.0%, respectively) and multiparous women with previous caesarean (group 5; contribution: 5.8, 5.3 and 6.0%, respectively). Premature singletons (group 10) contributed to 0.8% to the overall caesarean rate in level 1 units, 1.4% in level 2 units and 3.5% in level 3 units.The Robson classification is easy to use. Each maternity unit can compare its rates with those of units with similar level, to find whether some groups of women have very high rates of caesarean sections.