Changing behaviour in pregnant women: a scoping review

Improving health and wellbeing is a major goal in healthcare all over the world (WHO, 2015). Midwives and other healthcare professionals play a key role in educating women about healthy pregnancies (WHO, 2013a). During the course of pregnancy, women may experience a variety of psychological changes, including developing the motivation to change their lifestyle habits (Lindqvist et al., 2017). To support “behaviour change through a life-course approach” and to implement the WHO strategy for strengthening nursing and midwifery towards the achievement of the “Health 2020” goals (WHO, 2015, p.4), it is important for healthcare professionals to increase their knowledge of behaviour change programmes (BCPs) during pregnancy.

The development of Midwifery Unit Standards for Europe

The WHO Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents’ Health 2016-2030 emphasises the importance of maternity services in preventing illness and promoting optimal clinical outcomes (Every Woman Every Child, 2015). Midwifery has been recognised as having huge potential for transformation; worldwide, over 50 health outcomes could be improved by expanding provision and access to quality midwifery care (Renfrew, et al., 2014). Midwifery care is also associated with efficient use of resources (Renfrew, et al., 2014).

Perinatal contraceptive counselling: Effectiveness of a reinforcement intervention on top of standard clinical practice

To assess the effectiveness of supplemental perinatal contraceptive counselling in addition to standard Spanish postpartum contraceptive counselling with regard to contraceptive use and use of effective contraception up to 1 year postpartum. Women's satisfaction with counselling and the method chosen was also assessed.

Developing and introducing a post birth care plan (PBCP): An action research project

The concept of ‘postnatal’ is open to interpretation both in terminology and meaning and referred to in several ways such as ‘post-birth’ and ‘postpartum’ and in some contexts refers to ‘…the period from childbirth to the 42nd day following delivery…’ (World Health Organization, 2014), and elsewhere extending to 8 weeks post-birth. Generally greater emphasis is placed on pregnancy and less on women's postnatal individual needs and wishes (Kleppel et al., 2016). Post-birth care continues to receive the least focus (Declercq et al., 2013; Zadoroznyi et al., 2015).

The characteristics and prevalence of phobias in pregnancy

The primary objective was to estimate the population prevalence of specific phobias (including pregnancy related specific phobias) and associated mental disorders. The secondary objective was to investigate the effectiveness of routinely collected screening tools (depression and anxiety screens, Whooley and GAD-2 respectively) in identifying specific phobias. Specific phobias are the most common anxiety disorder to occur during pregnancy, but studies on prevalence and clinical correlates of specific phobias, including pregnancy related specific phobias are lacking.

Evaluation of women's worries in different strategies for the prevention of early onset group B streptococcal disease in neonates

: Early onset group B streptococcal (EOGBS) disease is an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. EOGBS preventive strategies aim to reduce the risk of neonatal complications. Two new strategies to prevent EOGBS were implemented in two regions in the Netherlands: a risk-based and a combination strategy and were compared to the Dutch strategy in a third region. Little is known how women feel about preventive EOGBS strategies, the consequences for management during labour, side effects such as harm caused by over prescribing of antibiotics or anxiety caused by screening.