The study aimed to evaluate whether severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM) cases in New Zealand's ICU and HDU settings could have been prevented.
Among the 98 cases reviewed, nearly 39% were found potentially preventable, with most issues linked to clinician errors such as delays in diagnosis and treatment.
The findings highlighted the need for improvements in care, particularly regarding postpartum hemorrhage and septicemia, and prompted broader national auditing efforts.