Beyond the numbers: obstetric anaesthesia and maternal deaths.

A recent report on maternal deaths in Japan attributed to anaesthesia highlights the value of a national enquiry process which can review each death to determine the likely cause. It is through national enquiries, such as the UK Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths, that deficiencies in care, including anaesthetic practice, can be identified and improvements made to effect better patient outcomes. The report also underlines that safe anaesthetic practice, particularly in the challenging environment of obstetrics, is best delivered by specialists trained in anaesthesia but who might be in short supply, even in large developed countries such as Japan.