Labor, delivery, and postpartum health

Determinants of postnatal care non-utilization among women in Demba Gofa rural district, southern Ethiopia: a community-based unmatched case-control study

Maternal and neonatal mortality remain a significant problem across much of the developing world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa countries. In Ethiopia, most maternal and neonatal deaths occur during the pos...

Authors: Markos Manote and Tsegaye Gebremedhin

Prediction of vaginal birth after cesarean delivery in Southeast China: a retrospective cohort study

We aimed to develop and validate a nomogram for effective prediction of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and guide future clinical application.

Authors: Hua-Le Zhang, Liang-Hui Zheng, Li-Chun Cheng, Zhao-Dong Liu, Lu Yu, Qin Han, Geng-Yun Miao and Jian-Ying Yan

Postpartum depression in mothers and fathers: a structural equation model

Post-partum depression (PPD) is a growing mental health concern worldwide. There is little evidence in the Chinese context of the relationship between paternal PPD and maternal PPD. Given the growing global co...

Authors: Zhizhou Duan, Yuanyuan Wang, Ping Jiang, Amanda Wilson, Yan Guo, Yongliang Lv, Xiaonan Yang, Renjie Yu, Shuilan Wang, Zhengyan Wu, Mengqing Xia, Guosheng Wang, Ye Tao, L Xiaohong, Ling Ma, Hong Shen…

Intrapartum uterine activity and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review

Increased uterine activity (UA) may not allow adequate recovery time for foetal oxygenation.

Authors: Adam J. Reynolds, Michael P. Geary and Breda C. Hayes

Development and validation of an obstetric early warning system model for use in low resource settings

The use of obstetric early-warning-systems (EWS) has been recommended to improve timely recognition, management and early referral of women who have or are developing a critical illness. Development of such pr...

Authors: Aminu Umar, Alexander Manu, Matthews Mathai and Charles Ameh

Prevalence and factors associated with antenatal care utilization in Ethiopia: an evidence from demographic health survey 2016

Ethiopia is one of the sub-Saharan African country with high maternal mortality ratio (MMR). According to Ethiopian demographic health survey (EDHS) 2016 report, MMR is 420 among 100,000 live births. Antenatal...

Authors: Berhan Tsegaye and Mohammed Ayalew

Predictors of home births among rural women in Ghana: analysis of data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey

Home births is one of the factors associated with maternal mortality. This study examined the predictors of home births among rural women in Ghana.

Authors: Eugene Budu

Maternal oxygen exposure may not change umbilical cord venous partial pressure of oxygen: non-random, paired venous and arterial samples from a randomised controlled trial

Despite the widespread use of oxygen (O₂) in intrauterine resuscitation, the obstetric scientists’ understanding of O₂ therapy is full of contradictions. We tested the hypothesis that higher maternal arterial par...

Authors: Yunhai Chuai, Wen Jiang, Xiaobin Xu, Aiming Wang, Yuanqing Yao and Lei Chen

Exploring the reasons why women prefer to give birth at home in rural northern Ghana: a qualitative study

Skilled birth care during childbirth is reported in the literature as one critical strategy for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the importance of birth care provided by skilled birth attenda...

Authors: Peter Adatara, Johanita Strumpher and Esmeralda Ricks

Neonatal transitional support with intact umbilical cord in assisted vaginal deliveries: a quality-improvement cohort study

Deferring cord clamping has proven benefits for both term and preterm infants, and recent studies have demonstrated better cardio-respiratory stability if clamping is based on the infant’s physiology, and whet...

Authors: Elisabeth Sæther, Friedrich Reinhart-Van Gülpen, Christer Jensen, Tor Åge Myklebust and Beate Horsberg Eriksen

Investigating the current knowledge and needs concerning a follow-up for long-term cardiovascular risks in Dutch women with a preeclampsia history: a qualitative study

There is increasing evidence that a history of preeclampsia is an important risk factor for future cardiovascular events. Awareness of this risk could provide opportunities for identification of women at risk,...

Authors: Tessa E. Dijkhuis, Femke Bloem, Lise A.J. Kusters, Sofie M. Roos, Sanne J. Gordijn, Floor Holvast and Jelmer R. Prins

Intraoperative coagulopathy during cesarean section as an unsuspected initial presentation of COVID-19: a case report

The world’s understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve as the scientific community discovers unique presentations of this disease. This case report depicts an unexpected intraoperative coagulopathy during a...

Authors: Kelly Elizabeth Kinsey, Eric Ganz, Susan Khalil and Lois Brustman

Design characteristics of studies on medical practice variation of caesarean section rates: a scoping review

Medical practice variation in caesarean section rates is the most studied type of practice variation in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology. This has not resulted in increased homogeneity of treatment betw...

Authors: Maarten D H Vink, Piet J G M de Bekker, Xander Koolman, Maurits W van Tulder, Ralph de Vries, Ben Willem J Mol and Eric J E van der Hijden

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the childbirth experience questionnaire

The Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) is a tool designed to assess women’s perceptions about labor and delivery. The aim of this study was to perform the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the...

Authors: Renata Cristina Martins da Silva Vieira, Cristine Homsi Jorge Ferreira, Ricardo de Carvalho Cavalli, Maiara Lazaretti Rodrigues do Prado, Ana Carolina Sartorato Beleza and Patricia Driusso

Variations in outcomes for women admitted to hospital in early versus active labour: an observational study

There is no available evidence for the prevalence of early labour admission to hospital or its association with rates of intervention and clinical outcomes in Australia. The objectives of this study were to: e...

Authors: Yvette D. Miller, Ashleigh A. Armanasco, Laura McCosker and Rachel Thompson

Respectful maternity care and its relationship with childbirth experience in Iranian women: a prospective cohort study

Intrapartum respectful maternity care is defined as a fundamental human right that can affect the mother’s experiences. This study aimed to determine the status of respectful maternity care and its relationshi...

Authors: Khadije Hajizadeh, Maryam Vaezi, Shahla Meedya, Sakineh Mohammad Alizadeh Charandabi and Mojgan Mirghafourvand

Comparison of the labor curves with and without combined spinal-epidural analgesia in nulliparous women- a retrospective study

Neuraxial labor analgesia is known to increase the rate of instrumental delivery and prolong the second stage of labor; however, there is no standard method to evaluate the progress of labor under analgesia. F...

Authors: Hitomi Ando, Shintaro Makino, Jun Takeda, Yojiro Maruyama, Shuko Nojiri, Hiroyuki Sumikura and Atsuo Itakura

Prevalence and predictors of perceived disrespectful maternity care in postpartum Iranian women: a cross-sectional study

Disrespectful maternity care is a key impediment to achieving a good quality care. Identifying predicting factors can be used in mitigating any potential risk in for disrespect and abuse in maternity care. The...

Authors: Khadije Hajizadeh, Maryam Vaezi, Shahla Meedya, Sakineh Mohammad Alizadeh Charandabi and Mojgan Mirghafourvand

Factors Associated with Unplanned Primary Cesarean Birth: Secondary Analysis of the Listening to Mothers in California Survey

In many countries, cesarean section has become the most common major surgical procedure. Most nations have high cesarean birth rates, suggesting overuse. Due to the excess harm and expense associated with unne...

Authors: Carol Sakala, Candice Belanoff and Eugene R. Declercq

Perinatal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies after early rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection in women with primary infertility compared with conventional intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a retrospective 6-year study

Early rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been used in clinic as appropriate currently. While the outcomes of children born after this method were not well assessed. The purpose of this study wa...

Authors: Feng Xiong, Qing Sun, Guangui Li, Zhihong Yao, Peilin Chen, Caiyun Wan, Huixian Zhong and Yong Zeng

Maternal perceptions of the experience of attempted labor induction and medically elective inductions: analysis of survey results from listening to mothers in California

The rate of induction of labor in the U.S. has risen from 9.6% in 1990 to 25.7% in 2018, including 31.7% of first-time births. Recent studies that have examined inductions have been small qualitative studies o...

Authors: Eugene Declercq, Candice Belanoff and Ronald Iverson

Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma carriage in pregnant women: the prevalence of transmission from mother to newborn

Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma have been extensively studied for their possible impact on pregnancy, and their involvement in newborn diseases. This work examined Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma carriage among gravidas wome...

Authors: Avi Peretz, Oran Tameri, Maya Azrad, Shay Barak, Yuri Perlitz, Wadie Abu Dahoud, Moshe Ben-Ami and Amir Kushnir

Interaction of chorioamnionitis at term with maternal, fetal and obstetrical factors as predictors of neonatal mortality: a population-based cohort study

Chorioamnionitis is a frequent complication of pregnancy and is known to be associated with serious adverse post-natal outcomes including death. However, the assessment of fetal well-being in labor in the cont...

Authors: Dina Zaki, Jaques Balayla, Marc Beltempo, Guillaume Gazil, Anne Monique Nuyt and Isabelle Boucoiran

Intraoperative cell salvage for obstetrics: a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial

The latest basic studies and clinical evidence have confirmed the safety and efficacy of intraoperative autologous blood cell transfusion in cardiac surgery and orthopaedics. However, in caesarean section, the...

Authors: Ye Liu, Xiaoguang Li, Xiangming Che, Guosheng Zhao and Mingjun Xu

Prophylactic endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta in cases of placenta accreta spectrum during caesarean section: points from the anaesthesiologist’s perspective

The placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a severe complication of pregnancy and is associated with massive haemorrhage, hysterectomy, and even perinatal maternal-foetal death. Prophylactic abdominal aortic ballo...

Authors: Haijuan Zhu, Shengyou Wang, Jingfa Shi, Lamei Yao, Li Wang, Hongbo Chen and Xiangdong Fang

Respectful maternity care during labor and childbirth and associated factors among women who gave birth at health institutions in the West Shewa zone, Oromia region, Central Ethiopia

Skilled assistance during pregnancy and childbirth is one of the key interventions in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. But studies have shown that many women across the globe experience disrespectful...

Authors: Gizachew Abdissa Bulto, Dereje Bayissa Demissie and Abera Shibru Tulu

Impact of implementation of a breech clinic in a tertiary hospital

The incidence of breech presentation in single pregnancies at term is between three to 5 %. In order to support eligible women in their choice of mode of delivery, a dedicated breech clinic with a care pathway...

Authors: S. Derisbourg, E. Costa, L. De Luca, S. Amirgholami, V. Bogne Kamdem, A. Vercoutere, W. H. Zhang, S. Alexander, P. M. Buekens, Y. Englert, A. Pintiaux and C. Daelemans

A longitudinal study of bonding failure related to aspects of posttraumatic stress symptoms after childbirth among Japanese mothers

Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) after childbirth may affect mother-infant bonding. This study examined the relationship between aspects of PTSS after childbirth and bonding failure for mothers at 1 month ...

Authors: Yoshiko Suetsugu, Megumi Haruna and Kiyoko Kamibeppu

The RECIPE study: reducing emergency Caesareans and improving the Primiparous experience: a blinded, prospective, observational study

The RECIPE study aims to validate a risk prediction model for intrapartum caesarean delivery which has been developed by our group. The Genesis study was a prospective observational study carried out by the Pe...

Authors: Niamh C Murphy, Naomi Burke, Patrick Dicker, Fiona Cody, Etaoin Kent, Elizabeth C Tully, Fergal D Malone and Fionnuala M Breathnach

Prevalence, related factors and maternal outcomes of primary postpartum haemorrhage in governmental hospitals in Kabul-Afghanistan

To determine the prevalence, related factors and maternal outcomes of primary PPH in governmental hospitals in Kabul Afghanistan.

Authors: Shirin Shahbazi Sighaldeh, Adela Nazari, Raziyeh Maasoumi, Anoshirvan Kazemnejad and Ziba Mazari

Pre- and during- labour predictors of dystocia in active phase of labour: a case-control study

Labour dystocia (LD) is associated with maternal and foeto-neonatal complications and increased rate of caesarean section. There are scant studies on predictive factors of labour dystocia in Iran, as well as i...

Authors: Jila Nahaee, Fatemeh Abbas-Alizadeh, Mojgan Mirghafourvand and Sakineh Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi

Pregnant women’s clinical characteristics, intrapartum interventions, and duration of labour in urban China: a multi-center cross-sectional study

There is an increasing global trend towards the widespread over-medicalisation of labour and childbirth. The present study aimed to investigate pregnant women’s clinical characteristics, intrapartum interventi...

Authors: Chunyi Gu, Xiaojiao Wang, Zhijie Zhang, Simone Schwank, Chunxiang Zhu, Zheng Zhang and Xu Qian

Maternal childbirth experience in induced and spontaneous labour measured in a visual analog scale and the factors influencing it; a two-year cohort study

Poor maternal childbirth experience plays a role in family planning and subsequent pregnancies. The aim of this study was to compare childbirth experiences in induced and spontaneous labor and to investigate t...

Authors: Katti Adler, Leena Rahkonen and Heidi Kruit

A systematic review and time-response meta-analysis of the optimal timing of elective caesarean sections for best maternal and neonatal health outcomes

The rate of caesarean sections (CS) has increased in the last decades to about 30% of births in high income countries. Many CSs are electively planned without an urgent medical reason for mother or child. An e...

Authors: Barbara Prediger, Tim Mathes, Stephanie Polus, Angelina Glatt, Stefanie Bühn, Sven Schiermeier, Edmund A. M. Neugebauer and Dawid Pieper

A protocol for developing, disseminating, and implementing a core outcome set (COS) for childbirth pelvic floor trauma research

More than 85% of women sustain different degrees of trauma during vaginal birth. Randomized controlled trials on childbirth pelvic floor trauma have reported a wide range of outcomes and used different outcome...

Authors: Stergios K. Doumouchtsis, Maria Patricia Rada, Vasilios Pergialiotis, Gabriele Falconi, Jorge Milhem Haddad and Cornelia Betschart

Supporting women who develop poor postnatal mental health: what support do fathers receive to support their partner and their own mental health?

Research regarding support provided for poor maternal postnatal mental health (such as depression, anxiety disorders, and postpartum psychosis) is relatively common. Fathers appear to play an important role su...

Authors: Andrew Mayers, Sarah Hambidge, Olivia Bryant and Emily Arden-Close

Monitoring intrapartum fetal heart rates by mothers in labour in two public hospitals: an initiative to improve maternal and neonatal healthcare in Liberia

In low-resource settings with few health workers, Fetal Heart Rate (FHR) monitoring in labour can be inconsistent and unreliable. An initiative to improve fetal monitoring was implemented in two public hospita...

Authors: K. Borzie, N. Jasper, D. P. Southall, R. MacDonald, A. A. Kola, O. Dolo, A. Magnus, S. D. Watson, M. Casement, B. Dahn and W. Jallah

Metrics of perineal support (MOPS) study

Manual perineal protection (MPP) is an intrapartum intervention suggested to protect perineal integrity during childbirth. Proper execution of MPP is complex and evaluation of its true contribution is difficul...

Authors: Vladimir Kalis, Zdenek Rusavy, Linda Havelkova, Tomas Zitka, David Tolar and Khaled M. Ismail

Enhancing patient mobility following cesarean-delivery – the efficacy of an improved postpartum protocol assessed with pedometers

The incidence of thromboembolic complications is highest in the immediate postpartum period, especially following caesarean delivery (CD). Ambulation following CD is important in their prevention. We examined ...

Authors: Hadas Ganer Herman, Masha Ben Zvi, Daniel Tairy, Ilia Kleiner, Noa Gonen, Limor Kuper Sason, Jacob Bar and Michal Kovo

Effectiveness of fetal scalp stimulation test in assessing fetal wellbeing during labor, a retrospective cohort study

It is discussed whether fetal scalp stimulation (FSS) test is a reliable complimentary tool to cardiotocography (CTG) to assess fetal wellbeing during labor. The test is based on the assumption that a well-oxy...

Authors: Farzaneh Shakouri, Linda Iorizzo, Hellen Mc Kinnon Edwards, Christina Anne Vinter, Karl Kristensen, Per-Erik Isberg and Nana Wiberg

The provision of epidural analgesia during labor according to maternal birthplace: a Norwegian register study

The provision of epidural analgesia during labor is ideally a shared decision between the woman and her health care provider. However, immigrant characteristics such as maternal birthplace could affect decisio...

Authors: Åsa Henning Waldum, Anne Flem Jacobsen, Mirjam Lukasse, Anne Cathrine Staff, Ragnhild Sørum Falk, Siri Vangen and Ingvil Krarup Sørbye

The burden of adolescent motherhood and health consequences in Nepal

Annually, 18 million babies are born to mothers 18 years or less. Two thirds of these births take place in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Due to social and biological factors, adolescent mothers have a hig...

Authors: Rejina Gurung, Mats Målqvist, Zhou Hong, Pragya Gautam Poudel, Avinash K. Sunny, Srijana Sharma, Sangeeta Mishra, Nisso Nurova and Ashish KC

Getting into the water: a prospective observational study of water immersion for labour and birth at a New Zealand District Health Board

Authors: Robyn M. Maude and Mikyung Kim

Prevalence of surgical site infection and its associated factors after cesarean section in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis

Surgical site infection (SSI) affects nearly one third of patients who have undergone a surgical procedure. It is a significant and substantial cause of surgical patient morbidity and mortality later with huma...

Authors: Temesgen Getaneh, Ayenew Negesse and Getenet Dessie

Mother’s satisfaction with the existing labor and delivery care services at public health facilities in West Shewa zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia

Mothers’ satisfaction with care during childbirth is indicators of the quality care which affects skilled birth attendance. Negative client’s experiences at health facilities cause them to delay or avoid seeki...

Authors: Gizachew Abdissa Bulto, Dereje Bayissa Demissie, Tefera Likasa Tasu and Getu Alemu Demisse

Perinatal outcomes of babies delivered by second-stage Caesarean section versus vacuum extraction in a resource-poor setting, Nigeria – a retrospective analysis

To evaluate the perinatal status of neonates delivered by assisted vaginal delivery (AVD) versus second-stage caesarean birth (CS).

Authors: Paul Eze, Lucky Osaheni Lawani, Raphael Ugochukwu Chikezie, Chukwuemeka Ikechi Ukaegbe and Chukwuemeka Anthony Iyoke

Risk factors for postpartum sepsis: a nested case-control study

The Majority (99%) of maternal deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. The three most important causes of maternal deaths in these regions are postpartum hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia and puerperal sepsis...

Authors: Samina Bakhtawar, Sana Sheikh, Rahat Qureshi, Zahra Hoodbhoy, Beth Payne, Iqbal Azam, Peter von Dadelszen and Laura Magee

Psychometric properties of the Malay version of the Women’s Views of Birth Labour Satisfaction Questionnaire using the Rasch measurement model: a cross sectional study

Birth satisfaction represents a complex construct of implicit and profound relevance to a woman’s perceived birth experience. It correlates with the childbearing woman’s experience of the quality of care recei...

Authors: Mohd Noor Norhayati, Adnan Fatin Imtithal and Mat Junoh Nor Akma

Psychometric testing of the support and control in birth scale

The Support and Control in Birth (SCIB) scale primarily measures the perceived support and control of expectant mothers during childbirth, thereby obtaining an understanding of their birth experiences. The adv...

Authors: Shu-Yu Liu, Yu-Ying Lu, Meei-Ling Gau and Chieh-Yu Liu

The effect of hyoscine n- butylbromide on labor progress: A systematic review

The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of hyoscine n-butylbromide in labor progress.

Authors: Zaynab Mohaghegh, Parvin Abedi, Shahla Faal, Shayesteh Jahanfar, Alayna Surdock, Foruzan Sharifipour and Maryam Zahedian