Articles

Universal prevention of distress aimed at pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions

There is sufficient meta-analytic evidence that antenatal interventions for women at risk (selective prevention) or for women with severe psychological symptoms (indicated prevention) are effective in reducing...

Authors: Marjolein Missler, Tara Donker, Roseriet Beijers, Marketa Ciharova, Charlotte Moyse, Ralph de Vries, Jaap Denissen and Annemieke van Straten

Birth plan presentation to hospitals and its relation to obstetric outcomes and selected pain relief methods during childbirth

The information on birth plan (BP) usage in Spanish hospitals is scant.

Authors: Encarnación López-Gimeno, Gemma Falguera-Puig, Mª. Mercedes Vicente-Hernández, Meritxell Angelet, Griselda Vázquez Garreta and Gloria Seguranyes

The association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and preterm delivery: a prospective study with a multivariable analysis

To determine whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19 disease) exposure in pregnancy, compared to non-exposure, is associated with infection-related obstetric ...

Authors: Oscar Martinez-Perez, Pilar Prats Rodriguez, Marta Muner Hernandez, Maria Begoña Encinas Pardilla, Noelia Perez Perez, Maria Rosa Vila Hernandez, Ana Villalba Yarza, Olga Nieto Velasco, Pablo Guillermo Del Barrio Fernandez, Laura Forcen Acebal, Carmen Maria Orizales Lago, Alicia Martinez Varea, Begoña Muñoz Abellana, Maria Suarez Arana, Laura Fuentes Ricoy, Clara Martinez Diago…

Anesthetic management for cesarean delivery in a woman with congenital atlantoaxial dislocation and Chiari type I anomaly: a case report and literature review

The preferable choice of anesthesia for the patients with congenital atlantoaxial dislocation (CAAD) and type I Arnold Chiari malformations (ACM-I) has been a very confusing issue in clinical practice. We desc...

Authors: Yuyan Nie, Weimin Zhou and Shaoqiang Huang

Pregnant women’s perspectives on integrating preventive oral health in prenatal care

Oral diseases are considered a silent epidemic including among pregnant women. Given the prevalence of oral conditions among pregnant women and the reported association with adverse pregnancy outcomes, there h...

Authors: A. Adeniyi, L. Donnelly, P. Janssen, C. Jevitt, B. Kardeh, H. von Bergmann and M. Brondani

Understanding forgotten exposures towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3: a cross‐sectional study on herbal medicine use during pregnancy or delivery in Tanzania

In most of the sub-Sahara African countries, use of herbal medications is widely practiced during pregnancy or delivery for various reasons despite uncertainties on their pharmacological profiles. Use of unreg...

Authors: Anna Tengia-Kessy and George Chombe Msalale

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) management pathways: results of a Delphi survey to contextualise international recommendations for Indonesian primary care settings

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a significant contributor to the high maternal mortality rate in Indonesia. At the moment, limited guidelines are available to assist primary care providers in man...

Authors: Fitriana Murriya Ekawati, Sharon Licqurish, Jane Gunn, Shaun Brennecke and Phyllis Lau

Risk factors for non-adherent retained placenta after vaginal delivery: a systematic review

Retained placenta represents a cause of maternal morbidity and mortality affecting 0.5–3% of all vaginal deliveries. The unpredictability of this condition makes difficult to develop predictive and preventive ...

Authors: Alessandro Favilli, Valentina Tosto, Margherita Ceccobelli, Fabio Parazzini, Massimo Franchi, Vittorio Bini and Sandro Gerli

Effect of amino acid infusion during cesarean delivery on newborn temperature: a randomized controlled trial

The effect of maternal amino acid (AA) infusion before and during cesarean delivery on neonatal temperature remains unknown. We hypothesized that thermogenic effects of AA metabolism would help maintain body t...

Authors: Krishna Pokharel, Asish Subedi, Mukesh Tripathi and Binay Kumar Biswas

The application of late amniocentesis: a retrospective study in a tertiary fetal medicine center in China

To assess the indications and complications of late amniocentesis and the advanced genetic test results in a tertiary university fetal medical medicine unit.

Authors: Yingting Li, Huanchen Yan, Jingsi Chen, Fei Chen, Wei Jian, Jiayan Wang, Xiaoqing Ye, Yufan Li, Nan Li, Philip C. N. Chiu and Min Chen

The impact of cesarean delivery on infant DNA methylation

Mounting evidence suggests that cesarean delivery may have a long-lasting effect on infant health. But the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to examine whether cesarean delivery on maternal...

Authors: Qian Chen, Yanhong Ming, Yuexin Gan, Lisu Huang, Yanjun Zhao, Xia Wang, Yongjie Liu and Jun Zhang

Role of suppression of endometriosis with progestins before IVF-ET: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial

Endometriosis affects the responsiveness to ovarian stimulation. This study aimed to assess the role of Dienogest pretreatment for endometriosis suppression as compared to Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonis...

Authors: Eissa Khalifa, Hashem Mohammad, Ameer Abdullah, Mazen Abdel-Rasheed, Mohammed Khairy and Mahmoud Hosni

Labor dystocia and risk of histological chorioamnionitis and funisitis: a study from a single tertiary referral center

Intrauterine inflammation affects short- and long-term neonatal outcomes. Histological chorioamnionitis and funisitis are acute inflammatory responses in the fetal membranes and umbilical cord, respectively. A...

Authors: Hyo Kyozuka, Tuyoshi Murata, Toma Fukuda, Erina Suzuki, Riho Yazawa, Shun Yasuda, Aya Kanno, Akiko Yamaguchi, Yuko Hashimoto and Keiya Fujimori

The possible role of visceral fat in early pregnancy as a predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus by regulating adipose-derived exosomes miRNA-148 family: protocol for a nested case-control study in a cohort study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has become alarming public health concern. It is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and increased risk of postpartum type 2 diabetes. Pre-pregnant body mass index (B...

Authors: Zhenhong Zhang, Qian Xu, Yanping Chen, Lun Sui, Lu Jiang, Qianqian Shen, Minyu Li, Guoju Li and Qiuzhen Wang

Gestational hypertension and progression towards preeclampsia in Northern Ethiopia: prospective cohort study

Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the main causes of medical complication of pregnancy and is the main cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity. It is one of the top causes of maternal mortality in Ethiopia. Also ...

Authors: Awol Yemane, Hale Teka, Sumeya Ahmed, Haftom Temesgen and Elizabeth Langen

Placental glucose transporter 1 and 3 gene expression in Monochorionic twin pregnancies with selective fetal growth restriction

In monochorionic twin (MC) gestations with selective fetal growth restriction (FGR), the discordant fetal growth usually is due to unequal placental sharing. Glucose, which is essential for oxidative metabolis...

Authors: Yao-Lung Chang, An-Shine Chao, Shuenn-Dyh Chang and Po-Jen Cheng

Application of quantitative lung ultrasound instead of CT for monitoring COVID-19 pneumonia in pregnant women: a single-center retrospective study

Computed tomography (CT) is the preferred imaging technique for the evaluation of COVID-19 pneumonia. However, it is not suitable as a monitoring tool for pregnant women because of the risk of ionizing radiati...

Authors: Qing Deng, Sheng Cao, Hao Wang, Yao Zhang, Liao Chen, Zhaohui Yang, Zhoufeng Peng and Qing Zhou

The influence of exercise during pregnancy on racial/ethnic health disparities and birth outcomes

Non-Hispanic black (NHB) pregnant women disproportionately experience adverse birth outcomes compared to Non-Hispanic white (NHW) pregnant women. The positive effects of prenatal exercise on maternal and neona...

Authors: Madigan J. Raper, Samantha McDonald, Carol Johnston, Christy Isler, Edward Newton, Devon Kuehn, David Collier, Nicholas T. Broskey, Adrienne Muldrow and Linda E. May

Parity and the risks of adverse birth outcomes: a retrospective study among Chinese

Nulliparity is considered to be a risk factor of preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA). With the new two-child policy launched in 2016, more Chinese women have deliver...

Authors: Li Lin, Ciyong Lu, Weiqing Chen, Chunrong Li and Vivian Yawei Guo

Waterbirth: a national retrospective cohort study of factors associated with its use among women in England

Waterbirth is widely available in English maternity settings for women who are not at increased risk of complications during labour. Immersion in water during labour is associated with a number of maternal ben...

Authors: H. Aughey, J. Jardine, N. Moitt, K. Fearon, J. Hawdon, D. Pasupathy, I. Urganci and T. Harris

Effect of perinatal depression on risk of adverse infant health outcomes in mother-infant dyads in Gondar town: a causal analysis

Approximately one-third of pregnant and postnatal women in Ethiopia experience depression posing a substantial health burden for these women and their families. Although associations between postnatal depressi...

Authors: Abel Fekadu Dadi, Emma R. Miller, Richard J. Woodman, Telake Azale and Lillian Mwanri

Health outcomes of smoking during pregnancy and the postpartum period: an umbrella review

Smoking during pregnancy (SDP) and the postpartum period has serious health outcomes for the mother and infant. Although some systematic reviews have shown the impact of maternal SDP on particular conditions, ...

Authors: Tuba Saygın Avşar, Hugh McLeod and Louise Jackson

Prevalence and associated factors of adolescent pregnancy (15–19 years) in East Africa: a multilevel analysis

Adolescent pregnancy is a major public health problem both in developed and developing countries with huge consequences to maternal health and pregnancy outcomes. However, there is limited evidence on the prev...

Authors: Misganaw Gebrie Worku, Zemenu Tadesse Tessema, Achamyeleh Birhanu Teshale, Getayeneh Antehunegn Tesema and Yigizie Yeshaw

Explaining the concept of maternal health information verification and assessment during pregnancy: a qualitative study

Pregnant women use information sources for their own health and health of their children. However, despite the importance of trusting the information sources, pregnant women may not have the ability to verify ...

Authors: Safoura Taheri, Mahmoud Tavousi, Zohre Momenimovahed, Ashraf Direkvand-Moghadam, Nazanin Rezaei, Nasibeh Sharifi and Ziba Taghizadeh

Birthweight: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

Accurate birthweight is critical to inform clinical care at the individual level and tracking progress towards national/global targets at the population level. Low birthweight (LBW) < 2500 g affects over 20.5 ...

Authors: Stefanie Kong, Louise T. Day, Sojib Bin Zaman, Kimberly Peven, Nahya Salim, Avinash K. Sunny, Donat Shamba, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Ashish K.C., Harriet Ruysen, Shams El Arifeen, Paul Mee, Miriam E. Gladstone, Hannah Blencowe and Joy E. Lawn

Chlorhexidine for facility-based umbilical cord care: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

Umbilical cord hygiene prevents sepsis, a leading cause of neonatal mortality. The World Health Organization recommends 7.1% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) application to the umbilicus after home birth in hig...

Authors: Sojib Bin Zaman, Abu Bakkar Siddique, Harriet Ruysen, Ashish KC, Kimberly Peven, Shafiqul Ameen, Nishant Thakur, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Nahya Salim, Rejina Gurung, Tazeen Tahsina, Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, Patricia S. Coffey, Barbara Rawlins, Louise T. Day, Joy E. Lawn…

Survey of women’s report for 33 maternal and newborn indicators: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

Population-based household surveys, notably the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), remain the main source of maternal and newborn health data for many low- and ...

Authors: Shafiqul Ameen, Abu Bakkar Siddique, Kimberly Peven, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Louise T. Day, Josephine Shabani, Ashish KC, Dorothy Boggs, Donat Shamba, Tazeen Tahsina, Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, Sojib Bin Zaman, Aniqa Tasnim Hossain, Anisuddin Ahmed, Omkar Basnet, Honey Malla…

Immediate newborn care and breastfeeding: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

Immediate newborn care (INC) practices, notably early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF), are fundamental for newborn health. However, coverage tracking currently relies on household survey data in many settin...

Authors: Tazeen Tahsina, Aniqa Tasnim Hossain, Harriet Ruysen, Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, Louise T. Day, Kimberly Peven, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Jasmin Khan, Josephine Shabani, Ashish KC, Tapas Mazumder, Sojib Bin Zaman, Shafiqul Ameen, Stefanie Kong, Agbessi Amouzou, Ornella Lincetto…

Counting on birth registration: mixed-methods research in two EN-BIRTH study hospitals in Tanzania

Birth registration marks a child’s right to identity and is the first step to establishing citizenship and access to services. At the population level, birth registration data can inform effective programming ...

Authors: Sarah Reed, Josephine Shabani, Dorothy Boggs, Nahya Salim, Sillanoga Ng’unga, Louise T. Day, Kimberly Peven, Stefanie Kong, Harriet Ruysen, Debra Jackson, Donat Shamba and Joy E. Lawn

Neonatal resuscitation: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

Annually, 14 million newborns require stimulation to initiate breathing at birth and 6 million require bag-mask-ventilation (BMV). Many countries have invested in facility-based neonatal resuscitation equipmen...

Authors: Ashish KC, Kimberly Peven, Shafiqul Ameen, Georgina Msemo, Omkar Basnet, Harriet Ruysen, Sojib Bin Zaman, Martha Mkony, Avinash K. Sunny, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Josephine Shabani, Ram Chandra Bastola, Evelyne Assenga, Naresh P. KC, Shams El Arifeen, Edward Kija…

Electronic data collection for multi-country, hospital-based, clinical observation of maternal and newborn care: EN-BIRTH study experiences

Observation of care at birth is challenging with multiple, rapid and potentially concurrent events occurring for mother, newborn and placenta. Design of electronic data (E-data) collection needs to account for...

Authors: Harriet Ruysen, Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, Vladimir Sergeevich Gordeev, Tanvir Hossain, Omkar Basnet, Kizito Shirima, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Sojib Bin Zaman, Nisha Rana, Nahya Salim, Tazeen Tahsina, Georgia R. Gore-Langton, Shafiqul Ameen, Dorothy Boggs, Stefanie Kong, Louise T. Day…

Barriers and enablers to routine register data collection for newborns and mothers: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

Policymakers need regular high-quality coverage data on care around the time of birth to accelerate progress for ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths. With increasing facility births,...

Authors: Donat Shamba, Louise T. Day, Sojib Bin Zaman, Avinash K. Sunny, Menna Narcis Tarimo, Kimberly Peven, Jasmin Khan, Nishant Thakur, Md. Taqbir Us Samad Talha, Ashish K.C., Rajib Haider, Harriet Ruysen, Tapas Mazumder, Md. Hafizur Rahman, Md. Ziaul Haque Shaikh, Johan Ivar Sæbø…

Birthweight measurement processes and perceived value: qualitative research in one EN-BIRTH study hospital in Tanzania

Globally an estimated 20.5 million liveborn babies are low birthweight (LBW) each year, weighing less than 2500 g. LBW babies have increased risk of mortality even beyond the neonatal period, with an ongoing r...

Authors: Miriam E. Gladstone, Nahya Salim, Karama Ogillo, Donat Shamba, Georgia R. Gore-Langton, Louise T. Day, Hannah Blencowe and Joy E. Lawn

Kangaroo mother care: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

Kangaroo mother care (KMC) reduces mortality among stable neonates ≤2000 g. Lack of data tracking coverage and quality of KMC in both surveys and routine information systems impedes scale-up. This paper evalua...

Authors: Nahya Salim, Josephine Shabani, Kimberly Peven, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Ashish KC, Donat Shamba, Harriet Ruysen, Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, Naresh KC, Namala Mkopi, Sojib Bin Zaman, Kizito Shirima, Shafiqul Ameen, Stefanie Kong, Omkar Basnet, Karim Manji…

Uterotonics for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of preventable maternal mortality worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends uterotonic administration for every woman after birth to prevent PPH....

Authors: Harriet Ruysen, Josephine Shabani, Claudia Hanson, Louise T. Day, Andrea B. Pembe, Kimberly Peven, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Nishant Thakur, Kizito Shirima, Tazeen Tahsina, Rejina Gurung, Menna Narcis Tarimo, Allisyn C. Moran and Joy E. Lawn

Antibiotic use for inpatient newborn care with suspected infection: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

An estimated 30 million neonates require inpatient care annually, many with life-threatening infections. Appropriate antibiotic management is crucial, yet there is no routine measurement of coverage. The Every Ne...

Authors: Ahmed Ehsanur Rahman, Aniqa Tasnim Hossain, Sojib Bin Zaman, Nahya Salim, Ashish K.C., Louise T. Day, Shafiqul Ameen, Harriet Ruysen, Edward Kija, Kimberly Peven, Tazeen Tahsina, Anisuddin Ahmed, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Jasmin Khan, Stefanie Kong, Harry Campbell…

Respectful maternal and newborn care: measurement in one EN-BIRTH study hospital in Nepal

Respectful maternal and newborn care (RMNC) is an important component of high-quality care but progress is impeded by critical measurement gaps for women and newborns. The Every Newborn Birth Indicators Research ...

Authors: Rejina Gurung, Harriet Ruysen, Avinash K. Sunny, Louise T. Day, Loveday Penn-Kekana, Mats Målqvist, Binda Ghimire, Dela Singh, Omkar Basnet, Srijana Sharma, Theresa Shaver, Allisyn C. Moran, Joy E. Lawn and Ashish KC

Count every newborn: EN-BIRTH study improving facility-based coverage and quality measurement in routine information systems

Authors: Allisyn C. Moran and Jennifer Requejo

Stillbirths including intrapartum timing: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

An estimated >2 million babies stillborn around the world each year lack visibility. Low- and middle-income countries carry 84% of the burden yet have the least data. Most births are now in facilities, hence r...

Authors: Kimberly Peven, Louise T. Day, Harriet Ruysen, Tazeen Tahsina, Ashish KC, Josephine Shabani, Stefanie Kong, Shafiqul Ameen, Omkar Basnet, Rajib Haider, Qazi Sadeq-ur Rahman, Hannah Blencowe and Joy E. Lawn

A core outcome set development for a French national prospective study about the effect of mediolateral episiotomy on obstetric anal sphincter injury during operative vaginal delivery (INSTRUMODA)

We aimed at developing a core outcome and variables of interest set to investigate the effects of mediolateral episiotomy on Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injury (OASI) during and after operative delivery in nullip...

Authors: Bertrand Gachon, Thomas Schmitz, France Artzner, Olivier Parant, Renaud De Tayrac, Guillaume Ducarme, Camille Le Ray, Anne Cécile Pizzoferrato, Charles Garabedian, Didier Riethmuller, Fabrice Pierre, Stephanie Ragot and Xavier Fritel

Biomarkers for a histological chorioamnionitis diagnosis in pregnant women with or without group B streptococcus infection: a case-control study

Chorioamnionitis may cause serious perinatal and neonatal adverse outcomes, and group B streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most common bacteria isolated from human chorioamnionitis. The present study analyzed t...

Authors: Jie Ren, Zhe Qiang, Yuan-yuan Li and Jun-na Zhang

Virtual reality applications to assist pregnant women: a scoping review

Virtual reality (VR) is a computer technology that simulates the real world to allow users to communicate with a similar but artificial environment. VR technologies can be used in pregnancy to help mothers gai...

Authors: Sadrieh Hajesmaeel-Gohari, Fatemeh Sarpourian and Elaheh Shafiei

The effectiveness of the laid-back position on lactation-related nipple problems and comfort: a meta-analysis

The importance of breastfeeding for maternal and child health is agreed upon worldwide. However, lactation-related nipple problems are common and are important factors affecting breastfeeding. Multiple studies...

Authors: Zhi Wang, Qiuyue Liu, Lihua Min and Xiaorong Mao

Current trends and geographical differences in therapeutic profile and outcomes of COVID-19 among pregnant women - a systematic review and meta-analysis

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Due to the lack of effective treatments for COVID-19, it becomes imperative to assess the geographical differences and trends...

Authors: Pallavi Dubey, Bhaskar Thakur, Sireesha Reddy, Carla A. Martinez, Md Nurunnabi, Sharron L. Manuel, Sadhana Chheda, Christina Bracamontes and Alok K. Dwivedi

Impact of gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosed during the third trimester on pregnancy outcomes: a case-control study

In 2010, the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) proposed new criteria indicating that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can be diagnosed if the fasting threshold of ≤92 ...

Authors: Ryosuke Shindo, Shigeru Aoki, Sayuri Nakanishi, Toshihiro Misumi and Etsuko Miyagi

Intrafetal laser therapy in a monochorionic diamniotic triplet pregnancy with two acardiac fetuses: a case report and literature review

Monochorionic diamniotic triplet pregnancies are rare. Twin reversed arterial perfusion sequence in monochorionic triplet pregnancies is extremely rare, and it is associated with high perinatal morbidity and m...

Authors: Guiqiong Huang, Hua Liao, Qing Hu, Xiaodong Wang and Haiyan Yu

Caesarean section in pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive technology: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Caesarean section rates are higher among pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART) compared to spontaneous conceptions (SC), implying an increase in neonatal and maternal morbidity. We ai...

Authors: Nakeisha A. Lodge-Tulloch, Flavia T. S. Elias, Jessica Pudwell, Laura Gaudet, Mark Walker, Graeme N. Smith and Maria P. Velez

Maternal-foetal complications in pregnancy: a retrospective comparison between type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus

The aim of the study was a retrospective comparison of the differences in maternal-foetal outcomes between women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM).

Authors: Valentina Guarnotta, Mariagrazia Irene Mineo, Emanuela Giacchetto, Maria Pia Imbergamo and Carla Giordano

Letter to the Editor in response to ‘Parental attachment and depressive symptoms in pregnancies complicated by twin-twin transfusion syndrome: a cohort study’

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome is a highly morbid condition that can affect parental attachment and depression risk. Studies addressing this rare condition are hard to conduct and thus lacking in the literatur...

Authors: Georges Rameh, Pia Tohme, Rudy Abi-Habib and Gihad E Chalouhi

Authors’ reply to: Letter to the Editor in response to ‘Parental attachment and depressive symptoms in pregnancies complicated by twin‐twin transfusion syndrome: a cohort study’

In this correspondence we thank the authors for highlighting the importance of our work, and agree with the limitations they have raised regarding performing this study.

Authors: Fiona L. Mackie, R. Katie Morris and Mark D. Kilby