Canadian Obstetric Survey System (CanOSS)

Overview

BORN Ontario is collaborating with the Canadian Obstetric Survey System (CanOSS) Ontario to establish a provincial surveillance infrastructure to uncover and examine the root causes of severe pregnancy complications. This initiative, starting with detailed reviews of cases of severe peripartum hemorrhage, involves all birthing hospitals in Ontario and aims to improve maternal health outcomes by combining data, clinical expertise, and lived experience.

Why This Matters

Every pregnancy journey deserves the highest standard of care. The CanOSS-BORN partnership aims to make that a reality by creating safer care environments for pregnant people across Ontario. By identifying and understanding the root causes of serious complications like severe postpartum hemorrhage, this initiative supports healthcare teams in providing better care, preventing harm and improving outcomes.

This work goes beyond statistics — it’s about learning from real experiences to ensure that every pregnant person receives equitable, respectful, and informed care. Through better data, collaborative reviews, and shared knowledge, we’re building a system that listens, learns, and acts to protect the health and well-being of families across the province.

BORN's Role

BORN Ontario: Provides registry infrastructure for data collection, governance, and privacy protection under PHIPA; contributes to co-design, analysis, and knowledge translation
CanOSS: Leads the development of a national obstetric survey system to establish a systematic approach to review and evaluate severe maternal mortality events; coordinates clinical engagement, case review methodology, and quality improvement strategies; provides financial support for new workflows; leads publication planning and dissemination of recommendations
Collaborators: Includes maternity care leaders and organizations across Ontario

Impact and Benefits

A same sex couple sitting on a couch gazing at the pregnant partner's belly.

For Ontario Families

Safer pregnancies and births through improved clinical practices
Reduced risk of severe complications
More equitable care across Ontario

For Providers

Access to provincial data and actionable insights for continuous learning
Opportunities to participate in case reviews and quality improvement
Enhanced collaboration across disciplines

For Healthcare

A scalable model for sever maternal mortality surveillance and review
Integration with national efforts
Data-informed policy and supports for sustained system-level improvements

Scope and Participation

Focus: Severe peripartum hemorrhage (as one of the leading causes of maternal mortality), with future cycles addressing serious complications during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period that result in severe illness, extended hospitalization, long-term disability, or increased risk of death

Scope: All birthing hospitals in Ontario
Participation: Clinicians, researchers, and organizational leaders across maternal and postpartum care disciplines

Publications

D’Souza, R., Seymour, R. J., Knight, M., Dzakpasu, S., Joseph, K. S., Thorne, S., Ospina, M. B., Barrett, J., Cook, J., Fell, D. B., Scott, H., Metcalfe, A., van den Akker, T., Lapinsky, S., Skeith, L., Murray-Davis, B., Shah, P., Forte, M., Ashraf, R., Chundamala, J., Malhamé, I. (2022). Feasibility of establishing a Canadian Obstetric Survey System (CanOSS) for severe maternal morbidity: a study protocol. BMJ open, 12(3), e061093. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061093

Stay Informed

CanOSS Ontario | CanOSS