Introduction: midwifery records currently do not systematically collect data regarding midwifery care provided. Midwifery Minimum Data Sets (MMDS) have been developed to perform uniform and standardized data collection.
Aim: to describe features, purposes and use of MMDSs in obstetrical care.
Method: a literature review was conducted using Medline, CINAHL and Scopus databases. The following key words were used: "data set", "midwifery" and "maternity care.
Results: twelve of 752 potentially eligible articles were included. Six MMDS were identified: Nurse - Midwifery Clinical Data Set, Optimality Index-United States, ACNM Benchmarking Data Collection Form, Midwives Alliance of North America Data Set, American Association of Birth Centers Uniform Data Set, Women's Health Care Minimum Data Set. Overall, the purpose of the different MMDSs was to record systematically the midwifery care provided and patient outcomes. The various MMDS had differing features; different data were collected related to women (e.g. socio-demographic data, anamnesis), their newborns (e.g. Apgar score, weight) and the midwifery care provided in different phases (e.g. antepartum, intrapartum). Generally, MMDS were used in north-American countries and their use showed the efficacy of midwifery interventions and the importance of systematic data collection.
Discussion: an organized and standardized approach is needed to provide accurate data collection of maternal and neonatal health outcomes and midwifery care. The development and validation of MMDS in the Italian context is needed.