Articles

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

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, Gdiom 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

Mode of infant feeding, eating behaviour and anthropometry in infants at 6-months of age born to obese women – a secondary analysis of the UPBEAT trial

Maternal obesity and rapid infant weight gain have been associated with increased risk of obesity in childhood. Breastfeeding is suggested to be protective against childhood obesity, but no previous study has ...

Authors: Nashita Patel, Kathryn V. Dalrymple, Annette L. Briley, Dharmintra Pasupathy, Paul T. Seed, Angela C. Flynn and Lucilla Poston

Congenital Zika virus syndrome…what else? Two case reports of severe combined fetal pathologies

Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently emerged as a teratogenic infectious agent associated with severe fetal cerebral anomalies. Other microorganisms (TORCH agents) as well as genetic disorders and toxic agents may l...

Authors: Manon Vouga, David Baud, Eugénie Jolivet, Fatiha Najioullah, Alice Monthieux and Bruno Schaub

Assessing the sensitivity of placental growth factor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 at 36 weeks’ gestation to predict small-for-gestational-age infants or late-onset preeclampsia: a prospective nested case-control study

Fetal growth restriction is a disorder of placental dysfunction with three to four-fold increased risk of stillbirth. Fetal growth restriction has pathophysiological features in common with preeclampsia. We hy...

Authors: Teresa M. MacDonald, Chuong Tran, Tu’uhevaha J. Kaitu’u-Lino, Shaun P. Brennecke, Richard J. Hiscock, Lisa Hui, Kirsten M. Dane, Anna L. Middleton, Ping Cannon, Susan P. Walker and Stephen Tong

‘I wanted to enjoy our marriage first… but I got pregnant right away’: a qualitative study of family planning understandings and decisions of women in urban Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Despite several decades of investment into family planning and maternal health systems strengthening, Indonesia’s maternal mortality ratio remains among the highest in Southeast Asia. Among postpartum women un...

Authors: Belinda Rina Marie Spagnoletti, Linda Rae Bennett, Michelle Kermode and Siswanto Agus Wilopo

An account for barriers and strategies in fulfilling women’s right to quality maternal health care: a qualitative study from rural Tanzania

Tanzania has ratified and abides to legal treaties indicating the obligation of the state to provide essential maternal health care as a basic human right. Nevertheless, the quality of maternal health care is ...

Authors: Thomas Wiswa John, Dickson Ally Mkoka, Gasto Frumence and Isabel Goicolea

The dynamics of vaginal and rectal Lactobacillus spp. flora in subsequent trimesters of pregnancy in healthy Polish women, assessed using the Sanger sequencing method

Lactobacilli play an important role in maintaining vaginal health and protection against bacterial infections in the genital tract. The aim of this study is to show the dynamics of changes of the vaginal and r...

Authors: Anna Dobrut, Tomasz Gosiewski, Wojciech Pabian, Malgorzata Bodaszewska-Lubas, Dorota Ochonska, Małgorzata Bulanda and Monika Brzychczy-Wloch

The effect of uterine artery ligation in patients with central placenta pevia: a randomized controlled trial

Placenta previa is major obstetric surgical risk as it is associated with higher percentage of intraoperative and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), increased requirement of blood transfusion and further surgical pr...

Authors: Ahmad Sameer Sanad, Ahmad E. Mahran, Mahmoud Elmorsi Aboulfotouh, Hany Hassan Kamel, Hashem Fares Mohammed, Haitham A. Bahaa, Reham R. Elkateeb, Alaa Gamal Abdelazim, Mohamed Ahmed Zeen El-Din and Hossam El-Din Shawki

Long-term significant seasonal differences in the numbers of new-borns with an orofacial cleft in the Czech Republic – a retrospective study

Choosing the optimal season for conception is a part of family planning since it can positively influence the pregnancy outcome. Changes in the monthly number of infants born with a birth defect can signal pre...

Authors: Miroslav Peterka, Zbynek Likovsky, Ales Panczak and Renata Peterkova

Efficacy and safety of ferric carboxymaltose versus ferrous sulfate for iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy: subgroup analysis of Korean women

We performed a post-hoc subgroup analysis in Korean women who participated in the Phase III FER-ASAP (FERric carboxymaltose-Assessment of SAfety and efficacy in Pregnancy) study to compare the efficacy and saf...

Authors: Jae-Yoon Shim, Moon Young Kim, Young Ju Kim, Young Lee, Jeong Jae Lee, Jong Kwan Jun, Jong Chul Shin, Yong Kyoon Cho, Keun Young Lee, Ahm Kim and Tae-Bok Song

Pharmacological pain relief and fear of childbirth in low risk women; secondary analysis of the RAVEL study

Fear of childbirth may reduce the womens’ pain tolerance during labour and may have impact on the mother-infant interaction. We aimed to assess (1) the association between fear of childbirth antepartum and sub...

Authors: Sabine L. M. Logtenberg, Corine J. Verhoeven, Katrien Oude Rengerink, Anne-Marie Sluijs, Liv M. Freeman, François G. Schellevis and Ben Willem Mol