Maternal Early Warning Scores (MEWS)

Abstract

According to Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries in the UK (MBRRACE-UK) report 2016, maternal mortality rate is 8.5 per 100,000 maternities. More than 50% of maternal deaths are potentially preventable.Nine pregnant women develop severe maternal morbidity for every maternal death. Evolving morbidity can be difficult to recognise in the obstetric population because of the normal changes in peripartum physiology. Delays in recognition of patient deterioration and initiation of treatment lead to worse outcomes.2 Early Warning Systems (EWS) have been used since 1999 in the general patient population to identify clinical deterioration. The Maternal Early Warning System (MEWS) has been advocated with the aim to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, and improve clinical outcomes. The MEWS tracks physiological parameters and evolving morbidity and once a predetermined threshold has been reached, it triggers evaluation by a healthcare professional.