Immersive Simulation Training: Comparing the impact on midwifery and paramedic students’ confidence to perform basic life support skills

Simulated practice using high fidelity has been shown to have significant benefits in the medical and nursing field. However, the benefits among paramedical and midwifery students are not well known.

Satisfaction of Slovak Women with Psychosocial Aspects of Care during Childbirth

The objective of the study is to find out and assess satisfaction of Slovak women with psychosocial aspects of perinatal care.

The impact of psychosocial factors on breastfeeding duration in the BaBi-Study. Analysis of a birth cohort study in Germany

Breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and child. A breastfed child can benefit from improved mental developments, protection against infectious diseases and infectious disease mortality, and a decreased risk of overweight and obesity(Whalen and Cramton 2010) (Regional Office for Europe (World Health Organisation) 2019). Furthermore, there is evidence on protection against type 1 and 2 diabetes, allergic rhinitis, asthma or wheezing, atopic dermatitis, childhood leukemia, hypercholesterolemia later in life, sudden infant death syndrome (Whalen and Cramton 2010) and malocclusion (Victora et al.

Commentary: Creating a Definition for Global Midwifery Centers

Midwifery centers were developed by communities to increase women's access to acceptable facility-based care during childbirth (Cole, 2017). Midwifery centers are health care facilities that provide birth and sexual and reproductive health care using the midwifery model of care. They provide safe, satisfying, women-centered care, and reduce interventions (Stapleton et al. 2013) (Hermus et al. 2017). While the services offered, and their integration within the health system can vary greatly (Kirkham, 2003), midwifery centers offer a strong alternative for respectful, facility-based birth, in a woman's community.

Cultural beliefs and Health-Seeking Practices: Rural Zambians' Views on Maternal-Newborn Care

In Zambia, the newborn mortality rate is 34 per 1,000 live births (UNICEF, 2017) and the infant mortality rate is 44 per 1,000 live births (UNICEF, 2018). To promote improved newborn health outcomes in rural Zambia, new knowledge is needed to enhance our understanding of newborn care and cultural factors influencing the ways mothers seek newborn care. Several studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) show cultural beliefs strongly influence behavior during pregnancy, childbirth, and care-seeking (Lang-Baldé & Amerson, 2018; Lori & Boyle, 2011; Maimbolwa, Yamba, Diwan, & Ransjö-Arvidson, 2003; Raman, Nicholls, Ritchie, Razee, & Shafiee, 2016).

Somali women's experiences of antenatal care: A qualitative interview study

To explore Somali women's experiences of antenatal care in Norway.

The initiation of Dutch newly qualified hospital-based midwives in practice, a qualitative study

In the Netherlands, a percentage of newly qualified midwives start work in maternity care as a hospital-based midwife, although prepared particularly for working autonomously in the community.

Why do community members believe mothers and babies are dying? Behavioral versus situational attribution in rural northern Ghana

Rates of maternal and neonatal death remain high in the Global South, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, indicators vary significantly by geography. This study aimed to understand what communities in northern Ghana with frequent maternal and newborn deaths or near deaths (near-misses) perceive to be the causes. As part of a larger study, four communities in Ghana's Northern Region were identified as areas with high concentrations of deaths and near-misses of mothers and babies.

“Are you doing your pelvic floor?” An ethnographic exploration of the interaction between women and midwives about pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) during pregnancy

Many women experience urinary incontinence (UI) during and after pregnancy. Pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) can prevent and reduce the symptoms of UI. The objective of the study was to explore challenges, opportunities and concerns for women and health care professionals (HCPs), related to the implementation of PFME training for women in current antenatal care.

Your baby is so happy, active, uncooperative: How prenatal care providers contribute to parents’ mental representations of the baby

Parents’ prenatal mental representations (i.e., thoughts and expectations) of their future child and relationship to that child have been associated with parenting and parent-child relationships after birth.

Project 20: Midwives’ insight into continuity of care models for women with social risk factors: What works, for whom, in what circumstances, and how

Women with social risk factors such as those living in poverty and social isolation, seeking asylum or refugee status, experiencing domestic abuse, mental illness, learning difficulties, and substance abuse problems, have significantly higher rates of poor birth outcomes compared to their more advantaged counterparts (Draper, 2019, Biro, 2017, Lindquist, 2015, Blumenshine, 2010, Smith 2009). In both the UK and the US women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds [BME] also experience unacceptably high rates of morbidity and mortality compared to their white counterparts, regardless of their socio-economic status (Knight et al, 2018).

Benchmarking outcomes in maternity care: Peripartum incontinence - a framework for standardised reporting

To evaluate a framework to facilitate standardised reporting of perinatal incontinence.

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).

Improvisation and harm avoidance: An ethnographic study of adherence to postnatal care protocols in two hospitals in Southern Ghana

Postnatal care (PNC) is the skilled care given to mothers and babies immediately after delivery and for six weeks thereafter (WHO, 2013). The aim is to detect, manage or refer maternal and newborn health problems and life-threatening complications. (Ronsmans and Graham, 2006; Nadisauskiene et al., 2014; Singh et al., 2014; WHO and UNICEF, 2014). Protocols and guidelines are “statements to assist healthcare practitioners to make appropriate decisions about the right care in specific conditions and circumstances” (Woolf et al., 1999:527).

Recently graduated midwives in Uganda: Self-perceived achievement, wellbeing and work prospects

to investigate how recent graduates from a combined work/study midwifery degree programme in Uganda viewed its effects on their wellbeing and work prospects.

Women's information needs, decision-making and experiences of membrane sweeping to promote spontaneous labour

UK policy currently recommends membrane sweeping to avoid prolonged pregnancy and reduce the need for formal induction. Guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2008) on induction of labour recommends that at 40- and 41-week antenatal visits, nulliparous women should be offered membrane sweeping prior to formal induction and additional membrane sweeping may be offered if labour does not start spontaneously. Updates to the guideline are expected in July 2020. NICE Quality Standard [QS22] (NICE, 2016) for antenatal care additionally recommends that women having their second or later baby are offered membrane sweeping.

“After having a waterbirth, I feel like it's the only way people should deliver babies”: The decision making process of women who plan a waterbirth

To explore the decision making process of women who seek to give birth in water

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.

Exploring the validity of allostatic load in pregnant women

The theory of allostatic load has gained momentum in perinatal research to understand the biological pathways of the impact of maternal chronic stress on adverse perinatal outcomes. However, due to physiological changes of pregnancy, including large variations across gestation, the extent to which allostatic load measured in pregnancy is valid has not been queried in depth.

Breastfeeding support in low and middle-income countries: Secondary analysis of national survey data

Early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding can reduce infant mortality. Breastfeeding support interventions such as counselling may improve adherence to recommended practices. However, it is not known if these interventions work at the population level.