Listas de chequeo en obstetricia: ayudas cognitivas que salvan vidas

Objective: To propose the use of eight checklists in the country’s obstetric emergency rooms. Methods: An interdisciplinary team was established with physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, perinatology, fetal maternal medicine, critical medicine, anesthesiology, infectology and neonatology. Upon determination of the main pathologies affecting maternal mortality in Venezuela, multiple checklists used in different centers worldwide, publications available in databases and expert opinions were reviewed. They adapted to the realities of the country and medical availability and prioritized medical actions, laboratory tests, drug treatment and diagnostic elements. Results: Checklists for postpartum hemorrhage, obstetric sepsis, hypertensive pregnancy disorders (preeclampsia with signs of severity and eclampsia), magnesium sulfate poisoning, placental acretism, maternal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and trauma and pregnancy are presented. Conclusion: The checklists resulting from the initiative of the Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Venezuela are available to all health personnel who require them for implementation in educational simulation scenarios and in clinical practice, as an additional tool for finding better outcomes in patients who require high complexity management in maternity rooms. Keywords: Checklist, Postpartum hemorrhage, Obstetric sepsis, Hypertensive pregnancy disorders, Magnesium sulfate poisoning, Placental acretism, Maternal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Trauma and pregnancy