Patient safety and error prevention in maternity wards: Approaches to im proving patient safety in obstetrics

Abstract

Introduction: Patient safety in maternity wards is an essential aspect of obstetric care, focusing on preventing errors and promoting high-quality health care for mothers and newborns. Patient safety has become an increasingly relevant topic in the health field, especially in the context of obstetrics, where any failure can have serious consequences for the mother and baby. Methodology: This study is a qualitative narrative review and uses literature as the main method to investigate patient safety practices in the obstetric context. Results: Patient safety in obstetrics is one of the greatest concerns in health, given the complexity of the birth process and the risks involved for the mother and newborn. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that maternity is one of the most critical areas of health care, where each decision can have direct and immediate consequences for the life of the mother and baby. The results of this study were based on the analysis of relevant articles published since 2020, which address patient safety in obstetric settings. The significant reduction in maternal and neonatal complications reinforces the need for clear and structured protocols to guide the health team during care. Conclusion: As we have seen throughout this study, the implementation of evidence-based practices, such as the use of safety protocols and checklists, the continuous training of health teams and the adoption of fetal monitoring technologies are fundamental strategies to mitigate errors and improve the quality of care.