Description: One of the most dramatic changes to women's lives in the twentieth century was the advent of safe childbirth, reducing the maternal mortality rate from 1 in 400 births to 1 in 10,000 in just 80 years. The impetus behind this change was the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Death (CEMD), now the world's longest running self-audit of a healthcare service. Here, leading authors in the CEMD tell the story of the pioneering clinicians behind the push for improvements, who received little recognition for their work despite its far-reaching consequences. One by one, the leading causes of maternal death were identified and resolved, from sepsis to safe abortions and more recently psychiatric illness and social and ethnic disparities in healthcare. Global maternal mortality is still too high; this valuable book shows how significant advances in maternal healthcare are possible when clinicians, politicians and the public work together.
Brief description: James Owen Drife is Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Leeds and was the Medical Director of the CEMD. He has been vice-president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and was an elected member of the General Medical Council.
Review Quotes: 'The historical and evidence-based content, chapter organization, and contextual illustrations make this a quality book of historical significance. Its usefulness is for professionals interested in providing equity and justice by reducing maternal mortality for all women.' Rachel S. Simmons, Doody's Reviews