Articles

The association between daily 500 mg calcium supplementation and lower pregnancy-induced hypertension risk in Bangladesh

Evidence suggests that daily supplementation of 1500 to 2000 mg of calcium during pregnancy reduces pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). However, the evidence on the efficacy of low-dose calcium supplementati...

Authors: Fouzia Khanam, Belal Hossain, Sabuj Kanti Mistry, Dipak K. Mitra, Wameq Azfar Raza, Mahfuza Rifat, Kaosar Afsana and Mahfuzar Rahman

Socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with caesarean section delivery in Southern Ghana: evidence from INDEPTH Network member site

In recent years, caesarean section rates continue to evoke worldwide concern because of their steady increase, lack of consensus on the appropriate caesarean section rate and the associated short- and long-ter...

Authors: Alfred Kwesi Manyeh, Alberta Amu, David Etsey Akpakli, John Williams and Margarete Gyapong

Does a maternal history of abuse before pregnancy affect pregnancy outcomes? A systematic review with meta-analysis

Evidence relating maternal history of abuse before pregnancy with pregnancy outcomes is controversial. This study aims to examine the association between maternal histories of abuse before pregnancy and the ri...

Authors: Maryam Nesari, Joanne K Olson, Ben Vandermeer, Linda Slater and David M Olson

Correction to: Risk factors of premature rupture of membranes in public hospitals at Mekele city, Tigray, a case control study

Following publication of the original article [1], the author reported that his name was misspelled. The original article has been corrected.

Authors: Natnael Etsay Assefa, Hailemariam Berhe, Fiseha Girma, Kidanemariam Berhe, Yodit Zewdie Berhe, Gidiom Gebreheat, Weldu Mamu Werid, Almaz Berhe, Hagos B Rufae and Guesh Welu

Development of an integrated, district-wide approach to pre-pregnancy management for women with pre-existing diabetes in a multi-ethnic population

Poor diabetes management prior to conception, results in increased rates of fetal malformations and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. We describe the development of an integrated, pre-pregnancy management stra...

Authors: Maryam Sina, Freya MacMillan, Tinashe Dune, Navodya Balasuriya, Nouran Khouri, Ngan Nguyen, Vasyngpong Jongvisal, Xiang Hui Lay and David Simmons

Neonatal near miss determinants at a maternity hospital for high-risk pregnancy in Northeastern Brazil: a prospective study

To investigate the associations of maternal variables – sociodemographic, obstetrical and maternal near miss (MNM) variables – with neonatal near miss (NNM) using the new concept of NNM formulated by the Centr...

Authors: Telmo Henrique Barbosa de Lima, Leila Katz, Samir Buainain Kassar and Melania Maria Amorim

Maternal mortality in the Gaza strip: a look at causes and solutions

Maternal mortality is an important health indicator for the overall health of a population. This study assessed the causes and contributing factors to maternal mortality that occurred in the Gaza-Strip between...

Authors: Bettina Bӧttcher, Nasser Abu-El-Noor, Belal Aldabbour, Fadel Naim Naim and Yousef Aljeesh

Association between fluid management and dilutional coagulopathy in severe postpartum haemorrhage: a nationwide retrospective cohort study

The view that 2 l of crystalloid and 1.5 l of colloid can be infused while awaiting compatible blood for patients with major postpartum haemorrhage is based on expert opinion documents. We describe real-world ...

Authors: Ada Gillissen, Thomas van den Akker, Camila Caram-Deelder, Dacia D C A Henriquez, Kitty W M Bloemenkamp, Jos J M van Roosmalen, Jeroen Eikenboom and Johanna G van der Bom

Breech birth at home: outcomes of 60 breech and 109 cephalic planned home and birth center births

Research on outcomes of out-of-hospital breech birth is scarce. This study evaluates the outcomes of singleton term breech and cephalic births in a home or birth center setting.

Authors: Stuart James Fischbein and Rixa Freeze

Not now but later – a qualitative study of non-exercising pregnant women’s views and experiences of exercise

Evidence has shown that there are several physical and mental advantages of exercise during pregnancy. Despite this, the recommendations for exercise during pregnancy are poorly fulfilled. The aim of this stud...

Authors: Maria Ekelin, Mette Langeland Iversen, Mette Grønbæk Backhausen and Hanne Kristine Hegaard

Is anemia an independent risk factor for postpartum depression in women who have a cesarean section? - A prospective observational study

The symptoms of anemia and depression are very similar suggesting that there may be an association between the two entities. The aim of this study is to assess whether postpartum anemia (PPA) is an independent...

Authors: Nirmala Chandrasekaran, Leanne R De Souza, Marcelo L Urquia, Beverley Young, Anne Mcleod, Rory Windrim and Howard Berger

Parents’ knowledge, awareness and attitudes of cord blood donation and banking options: an integrative review

For over 25 years cord blood has been used as an alternative to bone marrow for therapeutic use in conditions of the blood, immune system and metabolic disorders. Parents can decide if they would like to priva...

Authors: Lisa Peberdy, Jeanine Young, Debbie Louise Massey and Lauren Kearney

“I’m used to doing it by myself”: exploring self-reliance in pregnancy

Self-reliance (the need to rely on one’s own efforts and abilities) is cited as a potential coping strategy for decreased or absent social support during pregnancy. Little data exists on how women view self-re...

Authors: Blair C. McNamara, Abigail Cutler, Lisbet Lundsberg, Holly Powell Kennedy and Aileen Gariepy

Missed opportunities in antenatal care for improving the health of pregnant women and newborns in Geita district, Northwest Tanzania

Despite the significant benefits of early detection and management of pregnancy related complications during antenatal care (ANC) visits, not all pregnant women in Tanzania initiate ANC in a timely manner. The...

Authors: Eveline Thobias Konje, Moke Tito Nyambita Magoma, Jennifer Hatfield, Susan Kuhn, Reginald S. Sauve and Deborah Margret Dewey

Women suffer more from disrespectful and abusive care than from the labour pain itself: a qualitative study from Women’s perspective

Utilization of institutional delivery services could be hampered by women’s experience of disrespectful and abusive care during childbirth. However, such experiences are not well documented and taken into cons...

Authors: Mengistu Welday Gebremichael, Alemayehu Worku, Araya Abrha Medhanyie, Kerstin Edin and Yemane Berhane

Sociocultural determinants of nomadic women’s utilization of assisted childbirth in Gossi, Mali: a qualitative study

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), nomads account for 30 to 60 million people. Their mobility, due to a constant search for pastures and water points, makes health services less accessible to them. Few nomadic women...

Authors: M.A. Ag Ahmed, L. Hamelin-Brabant and M.P. Gagnon

Cost analysis of implementing mHealth intervention for maternal, newborn & child health care through community health workers: assessment of ReMIND program in Uttar Pradesh, India

The main intervention under ReMiND program consisted of a mobile health application which was used by community health volunteers, called ASHAs, for counselling pregnant women and nursing mothers. This program...

Authors: Shankar Prinja, Aditi Gupta, Pankaj Bahuguna and Ruby Nimesh

Childbirth fear and related factors among pregnant and postpartum women in Malawi

Childbirth fear is a health concern in women living in high-income countries; however, little is known about childbirth fear among women living in low-income countries like Malawi. In this study, we explored c...

Authors: Madalitso Khwepeya, Gabrielle T Lee, Su-Ru Chen and Shu-Yu Kuo

A multicenter survey on toxoplasmosis knowledge among pregnant women in Poland (the TOWER study)

The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii ranges widely in different areas of the world and different populations. Although toxoplasmosis is typically benign and asymptomatic, it induces major complications in immu...

Authors: Jacek Smereka, Lukasz Szarpak, Kurt Ruetzler, Yehoshua Schacham, Adam Smereka, Marek Dabrowski, Marzena Terpilowska, Lukasz Terpilowski and Ishag Adam

A longitudinal, multi-centre, superiority, randomized controlled trial of internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) versus treatment-as-usual (TAU) for negative experiences and posttraumatic stress following childbirth: the JUNO study protocol

About one-third of women report their childbirth as traumatic and up to 10% have severe traumatic stress responses to birth. The prevalence of Posttraumatic stress disorder following childbirth (PTSD FC) is es...

Authors: Josefin Sjömark, Thomas Parling, Maria Jonsson, Margareta Larsson and Agneta Skoog Svanberg

Opium use during pregnancy and infant size at birth: a cohort study

The reported positive association between opiatic drug use during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes might be confounded by other factors related to high-risk behaviors, including the use of other harmfu...

Authors: Siavash Maghsoudlou, Sven Cnattingius, Scott Montgomery, Mohsen Aarabi, Shahriar Semnani, Anna-Karin Wikström and Shahram Bahmanyar

Logistical, cultural, and structural barriers to immediate neonatal care and neonatal resuscitation in Bihar, India

In India, the neonatal mortality rate is nearly double the Sustainable Development Goal target with more than half of neonatal deaths occurring in only four states, one of which is Bihar. Evaluations of immedi...

Authors: Brennan Vail, Melissa C. Morgan, Jessica Dyer, Amelia Christmas, Susanna R. Cohen, Megha Joshi, Aboli Gore, Tanmay Mahapatra and Dilys M. Walker

Risk factors of premature rupture of membranes in public hospitals at Mekele city, Tigray, a case control study

The incidence of premature rupture of membranes ranges from about 5% to 10% of all deliveries. A woman with premature rupture of membranes is at risk of intra-amniotic infection, postpartum infection, endometr...

Authors: Natnael Etsay Assefa, Hailemariam Berhe, Fiseha Girma, Kidanemariam Berhe, Yodit Zewdie Berhe, Gidiom Gebreheat, Weldu Mamu Werid, Almaz Berhe, Hagos B Rufae and Guesh Welu

Should prenatal care providers offer pregnancy options counseling?

Professional guidelines indicate that pregnancy options counseling should be offered to pregnant women, in particular those experiencing an unintended pregnancy. However, research on whether pregnancy options ...

Authors: Nancy F. Berglas, Valerie Williams, Katrina Mark and Sarah C. M. Roberts

Correlates of the Women’s Development Army strategy implementation strength with household reproductive, maternal, newborn and child healthcare practices: a cross-sectional study in four regions of Ethiopia

To address the shortfall in human resources for health, Ethiopia launched the Health Extension Program (HEP) in 2004, establishing a health post with two female health extension workers (HEWs) in every kebele (co...

Authors: Zufan Abera Damtew, Ali Mehryar Karim, Chala Tesfaye Chekagn, Nebreed Fesseha Zemichael, Bantalem Yihun, Barbara A. Willey and Wuleta Betemariam

Effects of family conversation on health care practices in Ethiopia: a propensity score matched analysis

Maternal and newborn mortality rates in Ethiopia are among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of deaths take place during childbirth or within the following 48 h. Therefore, ensuring facility deli...

Authors: Dessalew Emaway Altaye, Ali Mehryar Karim, Wuleta Betemariam, Nebreed Fesseha Zemichael, Tesfaye Shigute and Pauline Scheelbeek

Effects of a community-based data for decision-making intervention on maternal and newborn health care practices in Ethiopia: a dose-response study

Community participation and community health volunteer programs are an essential part of the health system so that health services are responsive and accountable to community needs. Information systems are nec...

Authors: Ali Mehryar Karim, Nebreed Fesseha Zemichael, Tesfaye Shigute, Dessalew Emaway Altaye, Selamawit Dagnew, Firew Solomon, Mulu Hailu, Gizachew Tadele, Bantalem Yihun, Nebiyu Getachew and Wuleta Betemariam

Effects of a participatory community quality improvement strategy on improving household and provider health care behaviors and practices: a propensity score analysis

Maternal and newborn health care intervention coverage has increased in many low-income countries over the last decade, yet poor quality of care remains a challenge, limiting health gains. The World Health Org...

Authors: Tewabech Wereta, Wuleta Betemariam, Ali Mehryar Karim, Nebreed Fesseha Zemichael, Selamawit Dagnew, Abera Wanboru and Antoinette Bhattacharya

Vaginal birth after caesarean birth in Italy: variations among areas of residence and hospitals

The rates of caesarean section (CS) are increasing globally. CS rates are one of the most frequently used indicators of health care quality. Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) could be considered a reasonabl...

Authors: Paola Colais, Katia Bontempi, Luigi Pinnarelli, Carlo Piscicelli, Ilenia Mappa, Danilo Fusco and Marina Davoli

The potential of community engagement to improve mother and child health in Ethiopia — what works and how should it be measured?

Authors: Peter Byass

Pregnancy risk factors associated with birthweight of infants born to Australian Aboriginal women in an urban setting - a retrospective cohort study

A key focus of the Closing the Gap campaign is to reduce low birthweight in Aboriginal babies. Limited research exists on factors affecting Aboriginal birthweight in urban areas.

Authors: Elisa J. Ford, Thomas J. Cade, Lex W. Doyle and Mark P. Umstad

Kuopio birth cohort – design of a Finnish joint research effort for identification of environmental and lifestyle risk factors for the wellbeing of the mother and the newborn child

A Finnish joint research effort Kuopio Birth Cohort (KuBiCo) seeks to evaluate the effects of genetics, epigenetics and different risk factors (medication, nutrition, lifestyle factors and environmental aspect...

Authors: Pasi Huuskonen, Leea Keski-Nisula, Seppo Heinonen, Sari Voutilainen, Tomi-Pekka Tuomainen, Juha Pekkanen, Jussi Lampi, Soili M Lehto, Hannariikka Haaparanta, Antti-Pekka Elomaa, Raimo Voutilainen, Katri Backman, Hannu Kokki, Kirsti Kumpulainen, Jussi Paananen, Kirsi Vähäkangas…

Perinatal death beyond 41 weeks pregnancy: an evaluation of causes and substandard care factors as identified in perinatal audit in the Netherlands

Late- and postterm pregnancy are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, like perinatal death. We evaluated causes of death and substandard care factors (SSFs) in term and postterm perinatal death.

Authors: Joep C. Kortekaas, Anke C. Scheuer, Esteriek de Miranda, Aimée E. van Dijk, Judit K. J. Keulen, Aafke Bruinsma, Ben W. J. Mol, Frank P. H. A. Vandenbussche and Jeroen van Dillen

Translation of nutrient recommendations into personalized optimal diets for Chinese urban lactating women by linear programming models

Lactating women need to consume a high-quality diet to replete nutrient stores depleted during pregnancy and to ensure sufficient nutrition for breastfeeding. However, several studies reported suboptimal dieta...

Authors: Kai Yu, Yong Xue, Wenzhi Zhao, Ai Zhao, Wenjun Li, Yumei Zhang and Peiyu Wang

Do elevated symptoms of depression predict adherence and outcomes in the UPBEAT randomised controlled trial of a lifestyle intervention for obese pregnant women?

Lifestyle interventions for obese pregnant women have been widely researched but little is known about predictors of low adherence or poor outcomes. This study evaluated the prospective associations between el...

Authors: Emma Molyneaux, Shahina Begum, Annette L. Briley, Paul T. Seed, Louise M. Howard and Lucilla Poston

Prevalence and factors associated with abortion and unsafe abortion in Nepal: a nationwide cross-sectional study

Abortion is one of the leading causes of maternal death in low- and middle-income countries. In Nepal, abortion is reported to be the third leading cause of maternal death. We aimed to investigate the prevalen...

Authors: Abinath Yogi, Prakash K.C and Subas Neupane

Factors influencing decision-making for caesarean section in Sweden – a qualitative study

Rising rates of caesarean section (CS) are a concern in many countries, yet Sweden has managed to maintain low CS rates. Exploring the multifactorial and complex reasons behind the rising trend in CS has becom...

Authors: Sunita Panda, Deirdre Daly, Cecily Begley, Annika Karlström, Birgitta Larsson, Lena Bäck and Ingegerd Hildingsson

Supporting healthful lifestyles during pregnancy: a health coach intervention pilot study

Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with adverse health outcomes in both the mother and child. Many previous lifestyle interventions in women with excess weight during pregnancy encouraging a...

Authors: Michael W. Seward, Denise Simon, Martha Richardson, Emily Oken, Matthew W. Gillman and Marie-France Hivert

The role of nutrition, intimate partner violence and social support in prenatal depressive symptoms in rural Ethiopia: community based birth cohort study

Depression during pregnancy has far-reaching adverse consequences on mothers, children and the whole family. The magnitude and determinants of prenatal depressive symptoms in low-resource countries are not wel...

Authors: Yitbarek Kidane Woldetensay, Tefera Belachew, Hans Konrad Biesalski, Shibani Ghosh, Maria Elena Lacruz, Veronika Scherbaum and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt

A systematic review of cardiac time intervals utilising non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram in normal fetuses

Non-invasive fetal electrocardiogram (NIFECG) is an evolving technology in fetal surveillance which is attracting increasing research interest. There is however, only limited data outlining the reference range...

Authors: Vinayak Smith, Senthuran Arunthavanathan, Amrish Nair, Diane Ansermet, Fabricio da Silva Costa and Euan Morrison Wallace

A qualitative study to explore the attitudes of women and obstetricians towards caesarean delivery in rural Bangladesh

Caesarean section is a lifesaving surgical intervention for women and their newborns, though overutilization is a public health concern. The caesarean rate in Bangladesh is approximately 23% overall, and in pr...

Authors: Tahmina Begum, Cathryn Ellis, Malabika Sarker, Jean-Francois Rostoker, Aminur Rahman, Iqbal Anwar and Laura Reichenbach

Essential Care for Every Baby: improving compliance with newborn care practices in rural Nicaragua

Neonatal mortality comprises an increasing proportion of childhood deaths in the developing world. Essential newborn care practices as recommended by the WHO may improve neonatal outcomes in resource limited s...

Authors: Krystle Perez, Jacquelyn Patterson, Jessica Hinshaw, Carlos Escobar, David Parajon, Laura Parajon and Carl Bose

What makes the pregnant women revisit public hospitals for research? Participant engagement and retention trial in a public hospital (PERTH): an RCT protocol

Cohort studies have public health importance as they effectively provide evidence on determinants of health from a life course perspective. Researchers often confront the poor follow-up rates as a major challe...

Authors: Giridhara R Babu, Maithili Karthik, Deepa Ravi, Yamuna Ana, Prafulla Shriyan, Kiran Kumar Hasige, Keerti Deshpande, Lokesh Bangalore Siddlingaiah, Sanjay Kinra and Gudlavalleti Venkata Satyanarayana Murthy

Evaluation of neonatal and maternal morbidity in mothers with gestational diabetes: a population-based study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most frequent complication during pregnancy. Untreated GDM is a severe threat to maternal and neonatal health. Based on recent evidence, up to 15% of all pregnancies ...

Authors: Grzegorz Domanski, Anja Erika Lange, Till Ittermann, Heike Allenberg, Robert Andreas Spoo, Marek Zygmunt and Matthias Heckmann

Mother–infant interaction quality and sense of parenting competence at six months postpartum for first-time mothers in Taiwan: a multiple time series design

For first-time mothers, not knowing how to interact with newborn infants increases anxiety and decreases the quality of the parent–infant interactions. A substantial lack of interactional knowledge can ultimat...

Authors: Fen-Fang Chung, Gwo-Hwa Wan, Su-Chen Kuo, Kuan-Chia Lin and Hsueh-Erh Liu

Childbirth preferences and related fears - comparison between Norway and Israel

Fear of childbirth (FOC) could have significant impact on women’s childbearing choices and experience. Culture affects the way women conceptualize childbirth, influencing the fears and expectations they may ho...

Authors: Heidi Preis, Yael Benyamini, Malin Eberhard-Gran and Susan Garthus-Niegel

Provider and client perspectives on maternity care in Namibia: results from two cross-sectional studies

Disrespectful and abusive maternity care is a complex phenomenon. In Namibia, HIV and high maternal mortality ratios make it vital to understand factors affecting maternity care quality. We report on two studi...

Authors: Jennifer Wesson, Ndapewa Hamunime, Claire Viadro, Martha Carlough, Puumue Katjiuanjo, Pamela McQuide and Pearl Kalimugogo

Ten years of simulation-based shoulder dystocia training- impact on obstetric outcome, clinical management, staff confidence, and the pedagogical practice - a time series study

To assess the impact of 10 years of simulation-based shoulder dystocia training on clinical outcomes, staff confidence, management, and to scrutinize the characteristics of the pedagogical practice of the simu...

Authors: Johanna Dahlberg, Marie Nelson, Madeleine Abrandt Dahlgren and Marie Blomberg

Serum progesterone distribution in normal pregnancies compared to pregnancies complicated by threatened miscarriage from 5 to 13 weeks gestation: a prospective cohort study

Progesterone is a critical hormone in early pregnancy. A low level of serum progesterone is associated with threatened miscarriage. We aim to establish the distribution of maternal serum progesterone in normal...

Authors: Chee Wai Ku, John C. Allen Jr, Sze Min Lek, Ming Li Chia, Nguan Soon Tan and Thiam Chye Tan

Planned private homebirth in Victoria 2000–2015: a retrospective cohort study of Victorian perinatal data

The outcomes for planned homebirth in Victoria are unknown. We aimed to compare the rates of outcomes for high risk and low risk women who planned to birth at home compared to those who planned to birth in hos...

Authors: Miranda L. Davies-Tuck, Euan M. Wallace, Mary-Ann Davey, Vickie Veitch and Jeremy Oats