Gynaecological emergencies encompass conditions that threaten a woman’s life,
health, reproductive function, or sexual function. These emergencies may involve
pregnancy-related conditions, such as ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or
complications from termination of pregnancy, as well as non-pregnancy-related
issues like adnexal torsion, cyst rupture, malignancy, or pelvic inflammatory disease.
Despite the significant risks and potential morbidity associated with these
emergencies, there is limited national data on the incidence, treatment, or outcomes
in Ireland. While the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre (NPEC) provides robust
audits of maternity services, early pregnancy and non-pregnancy-related
gynaecological emergencies, especially surgical interventions, remain understudied.
This project, led by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) at RCSI in
partnership with the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP), aims
to address this critical gap. With access to the National Quality Assurance
Information System (NQAIS), a powerful database for inpatient health data hosted by
Health Atlas Ireland, the study will explore emergency gynaecology services across
Ireland. Key objectives include mapping the demographics, geographic distribution,
and socio-economic factors influencing access to care, as well as analysing surgical
practices, such as minimally invasive surgery (MIS) versus open surgery, and organpreserving
outcomes. MIS, a transformative approach to gynaecological care, is
considered the gold standard but lacks widespread implementation benchmarks in
Ireland.
This partnership also aims to develop actionable tools, including dashboards, care
pathways and key performance targets, to align Irish emergency gynaecology care
with European standards and ensure equitable, high-quality services. By addressing
disparities in care and advancing the adoption of MIS techniques, this project will
provide a foundation for evidence-based policy development and long-term
improvement in gynaecological healthcare outcomes, creating a system that matches
the research and audit outputs of maternity services.
