In Maryland, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are the third leading cause of severe maternal morbidity and account for over 8% of pregnancy-related deaths. In January 2021, the Maryland Perinatal-Neonatal Quality Collaborative (MDPQC) began implementing AIM’s Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy patient safety bundle in all 32 of the state’s birthing hospitals. Since implementation, the percentage of clinicians receiving education on severe hypertension and preeclampsia increased from 61% to 77% in obstetric physicians and midwives and 79% to 85% in obstetric nurses from Q1 2021 to Q4 2021. Treatment of persistent severe hypertension within 60 minutes of episode onset increased from 41% to 54% during this same period. The MDPQC continues to work with birthing hospitals to fully implement the AIM Severe Hypertension in Pregnancy patient safety bundle with an additional focus on improving the rates of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) among patients with preeclampsia and reducing racial and ethnic disparities within SMM.
