Improving care for mothers and babies
We’re an approved quality assurance committee under the Queensland Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011.
We improve the safety and quality of care for mothers and babies in Queensland by reviewing clinical data and recommending standards for healthcare providers.
Our role includes:
- collecting and reviewing clinical data about maternal and perinatal deaths and serious conditions in Queensland to assess trends in healthcare
- making recommendations to the Minister on standards and quality measures for maternal and perinatal care
- helping public and private healthcare providers use these standards to improve safety and quality in healthcare.
Maternal deaths
A maternal death is when a woman dies during pregnancy or within 42 days after the pregnancy ends, including:
- direct deaths caused by complications from pregnancy, labour, or medical care to do with pregnancy
- indirect deaths caused by an existing condition or illness made worse by pregnancy
- incidental deaths not directly caused by pregnancy but may have a distant or indirect link.
We also reviewlate maternal deaths, which are deaths between 43 days and one year after pregnancy ends.
Reporting and reviewing maternal deaths
Health professionals must report maternal deaths by filling in the National Maternal Death Report Form [PDF 581.83 KB].
We review deaths to understand what happened and what may have contributed. We look at parts of the care or situation that, if handled differently, might have lowered the risk of death. This doesn’t mean the death could've been prevented, but it can show where care, services or support for patients might be improved.
We use these findings to make recommendations to help strengthen the healthcare system. We also include our findings in maternal mortality reports.
Perinatal deaths
A perinatal death includes:
- neonatal deaths where a baby is born alive at any stage of pregnancy and dies within 28 days of birth
- stillbirths where a baby is not born alive and is at least 20 weeks gestation or weighs at least 400 grams at birth.
Reporting and reviewing perinatal deaths
Local perinatal mortality committees should audit all perinatal deaths in both public and private settings. The committees should assess whether any factors contributed to the outcome. They should also classify the cause of death using the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) perinatal mortality classifications [PDF 802 KB]. The audit should include staff from all maternity and neonatal services in their local network.
The senior medical or midwifery officer involved must fill in the Australian Perinatal Mortality Clinical Audit Tool [PDF 1880.12 KB] and email it to qmpqc@health.qld.gov.au.
We use this information in our reports. We also share it with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for their Australia's Mothers and Babies reports.
Congenital anomalies
In Queensland, information is collected about babies born with congenital anomalies (birth defects) during pregnancy, birth and the first 5 years of life.
The Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection (QHAPDC) includes data about pregnancies that end early.
The Queensland Perinatal Data Collection (QPDC) includes data about babies born alive or stillborn, who are at least 20 weeks gestation or weigh 400 grams or more.
The QPDC doesn't include information on pregnancies that end before 20 weeks or babies who weigh less than 400 grams. This information is collected through the QHAPDC, which links to the mother’s data.
Our Congenital Anomaly Sub-Committee gather more data about birth defects that may be detected and treated before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Data reviewed is reported to the national body, the National Perinatal Data Collection run by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Membership
Our membership includes consumer representatives, as well as representatives from:
- neonatology
- obstetrics
- midwifery
- neonatal nursing
- obstetric medicine
- mental health
- patient safety
- rural and remote health
- maternal fetal medicine
- general practice obstetrics
- pathology
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
Co-chairs
Professor Leonie Callaway
Obstetric Physician, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Metro North Health
Professor Ted Weaver
Senior Medical Officer, Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service
Reports
We publish a report every 2 years and release other reports when needed.
Contact us
Contact us for more information about the Queensland Maternal and Perinatal Quality Council.
- Email: qmpqc@health.qld.gov.au
- Postal address: GPO Box 48, Brisbane Qld 4001