Timing of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity in healthy women and newborns during the postnatal period: a systematic review protocol

Objective: To determine the timing of overall and cause-specific maternal and neonatal mortality and severe morbidity in healthy women and newborns during the postnatal period. Introduction: Despite significant focus on improving maternal and neonatal outcomes, many women and newborns continue to die or suffer negative health outcomes within the postnatal period. While the maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates and causes are regularly updated, less is known on when they occur during the postnatal period. Inclusion criteria: This review will consider studies that include healthy women and newborns after birth to six weeks' and four weeks' postnatally, respectively, and includes data regarding time to death or complications. Studies that report solely on high risk women (eg, antenatal complications) or preterm or high-risk newborns will not be included in this review. Methods: The search strategy will aim to locate both published and unpublished studies. After the initial search and removal of duplicates, titles and abstracts of all retrieved studies will be screened and the full text of selected reports will be assessed against the eligibility criteria. The reference list of all studies selected for critical appraisal will be screened for additional relevant studies/reports. Screening, critical appraisal, and data extraction will be completed by two independent reviewers. Findings from the studies/reports will be pooled in statistical meta-analysis or presented in narrative form including tables and figures. Systematic review registration number: PROSPERO CRD42020187341