Midwifery Errors: a Descriptive Study in Isfahan Forensic Medicine General Department

Goal: In this paper we will identify the frequency and reasons of midwives errors in patient claims referred to Isfahan legal medicine center during 5 past years.

Methods: It is a cross - sectional study. The population of the study consisted of all patients claims from midwifery staffs occupied in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare centers from 2007-20012. The data were collected by a checklist. The data were analyzed by SPSS.

Result: Results shown 41 claims (5.8%) of 708 claims were from midwives. In 43.9% of cases, midwives were convicted. In 38.9% cases negligence and in 44.4% cases, carelessness of governmental rules such as premature induction of labor were the main reasons of midwives malpractice. The 35-40 age groups had the most frequency with 31.7%. In 85.4% cases, midwives services were served in hospitals and in 12.2% cases; these services were served in home-health.

Conclusion: With attention to importance of midwifery, the practitioners of this occupation should be informed of medical laws and regulations, crimes and infractions, blood money law, abortion laws and other legal materials.