Exploring the contextual influences on maternal near misses in a population of women with severe mental illness

Psychiatric causes of maternal morbidity remain persistently high in the UK, with almost 1 in 5 women who die during the perinatal period having a mental illness. In developed countries such as the UK, where maternal deaths are rare, it is becoming increasingly recognised that studying near misses (or severe life-threatening complications) can provide important additional information about the processes, or lack of, in place for recognising and responding to clinical deterioration. Maternal near misses have not previously been investigated among women with severe mental illness. The aims of this study are therefore: to determine the prevalence, characteristics and care pathways of maternal near misses in a population of women with severe perinatal mental illness; to qualitatively explore barriers and facilitators to early detection of and response to near misses in a population of women with severe mental health disorders.