Articles

Optimum maternal healthcare service utilization and infant mortality in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of infant mortality in the world. Utilization of maternal healthcare during pregnancy, at delivery, and after delivery is critical to reducing the risk of infant mortality...

Authors: Girmay Tsegay Kiross, Catherine Chojenta, Daniel Barker and Deborah Loxton

Pro-poor policies and improvements in maternal health outcomes in India

Since 2005, India has experienced an impressive 77% reduction in maternal mortality compared to the global average of 43%. What explains this impressive performance in terms of reduction in maternal mortality ...

Authors: M. Bhatia, L. K. Dwivedi, K. Banerjee, A. Bansal, M. Ranjan and P. Dixit

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

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

Predicting factors of failed induction of labor in three hospitals of Southwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Failed induction of labor affects maternal and neonatal outcomes as well as the cost of healthcare, especially in low-resource setting regions in which the prevalence of failed induction is higher despite the ...

Authors: Amare Genetu Ejigu and Shewangizaw H/mariam Lambyo

Antenatal management and maternal/fetal outcomes associated with hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (HIP) in Uganda; a prospective cohort study

Hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (HIP) is associated with complications for both mother and baby. The prevalence of the condition is likely to increase across Africa as the continent undergoes a rapid demographic t...

Authors: Jack Milln, Betty Nakabuye, Barnabas Kahiira Natamba, Isaac Sekitoleko, Michael Mubiru, Arthur Araali Namara, Samuel Tumwesigire, Salome Tino, Mandy Mirembe, Ayoub Kakande, Brian Agaba, Faridah Nansubuga, Daniel Zaake, Ben Ayiko, Herbert Kalema, Sarah Nakubulwa…

Effects of a ‘Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative’ on exclusive breastfeeding rates at a private hospital in Lebanon: an interrupted time series analysis

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) through six months of age has been scientifically validated as having a wide range of benefits, but remains infrequent in many countries. The WHO/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Ini...

Authors: Adrienne Clermont, Josianne El Gemayel, Rola Hammoud, Jiangxia Wang, Hortenzia Beciu, Mona Sinno, Wilma Berends, Nadine Rosenblum, Jessica L. Bienstock, Kristen Byrnes and Roger Samuels

Cesarean delivery on maternal request and its influencing factors in Chongqing, China

A high rate of cesarean delivery has become a cause of global concern. Although the rate of cesarean delivery has declined over recent years, it remains at a high level largely because of cesarean delivery on ...

Authors: Ruibin Deng, Xian Tang, Jiaxiu Liu, Yuwen Gao and Xiaoni Zhong

Pregnancy outcomes in women with infertility and coexisting endometriosis and adenomyosis after laparoscopic surgery: a long-term retrospective follow-up study

Adenomyosis (AM) and endometriosis (EM) often coexist. Laparoscopic surgery is one of the main methods for diagnosing and treating these conditions. This study aims to investigate the pregnancy outcomes of wom...

Authors: Jinghua Shi, Yi Dai, Junji Zhang, Xiaoyan Li, Shuangzheng Jia and Jinhua Leng

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the cervix diagnosed during pregnancy: a rare case report with discussion

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is a relatively rare malignant small round cell tumor, and the occurrence of cervical PNET during pregnancy is extremely rare.

Authors: Xiang Feng, Lina Zhang, Yanling Tan, Aihua Feng, Fei Luo, Mengfan Xu, Hong Ye, Hongyu Zhu, Peng Zhou and Hua Li

Prenatal diagnosis of Meier-Gorlin syndrome 7: a case presentation

Meier-Gorlin syndrome 7 (MGS7) is a rare autosomal recessive condition. We reported a fetus diagnosed with Meier-Gorlin syndrome 7. The antenatal sonographic images were presented, and compound heterozygous mu...

Authors: Xia Li, Lan-Zhen Zhang, Lin Yu, Zhao-Lua Long, An-Yun Lin and Chen-Yu Gou

The reliability of maternal audit instruments to assign cause of death in maternal deaths review process: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Maternal Death Reviews (MDR) can assist in formulating prevention strategies to reduce maternal mortality. To support MDR, an adequate MDR instrument is required to accurately identify the underlying causes of...

Authors: Ratnasari D. Cahyanti, Widyawati Widyawati and Mohammad Hakimi

Progress towards Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) implementation in Iran: obstacles and bottlenecks

Neonatal mortality accounts for more than 47% of deaths among children under five globally but proper care at and around the time of birth could prevent about two-thirds of these deaths. The Every Newborn Acti...

Authors: Fariba Mirbaha-Hashemi, Batool Tayefi, Zahra Rampisheh, Arash Tehrani-Banihashemi, Mozhdeh Ramezani, Narjes Khalili, Omid Pournik, Rahim Taghizadeh-Asl, Abbas Habibelahi, Mohammad Heidarzadeh and Maziar Moradi-Lakeh

Characteristics, clinical and laboratory data and outcomes of pregnant women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to Al-Zahra tertiary referral maternity center in Iran: a case series of 24 patients

Physiological changes during pregnancy put pregnant women at higher risk for COVID-19 complications. The objective of this study was to evaluate clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes of 24 COVID...

Authors: Maryam Vaezi, Mojgan Mirghafourvand and Shahla Hemmatzadeh

Reduction in massive postpartum haemorrhage and red blood cell transfusion during a national quality improvement project, Obstetric Bleeding Strategy for Wales, OBS Cymru: an observational study

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality and its incidence is increasing in many countries despite management guidelines. A national quality improvement programme calle...

Authors: Sarah F. Bell, Rachel E. Collis, Philip Pallmann, Christopher Bailey, Kathryn James, Miriam John, Kevin Kelly, Thomas Kitchen, Cerys Scarr, Adam Watkins, Tracey Edey, Elinore Macgillivray, Kathryn Greaves, Ingrid Volikas, James Tozer, Niladri Sengupta…

Influences on physical activity and screen time amongst postpartum women with heightened depressive symptoms: a qualitative study

Postpartum women are at higher risk of depression compared to the general population. Despite the mental health benefits an active lifestyle can provide, postpartum women engage in low physical activity and hi...

Authors: Maria Apostolopoulos, Jill A. Hnatiuk, Jaimie-Lee Maple, Ellinor K. Olander, Leah Brennan, Paige van der Pligt and Megan Teychenne

Ultrasonic diagnosis of asymptomatic rupture of uterine in second trimester of pregnancy after laparoscopic surgery for interstitial pregnancy: a case report

Uterine rupture is a rare, life-threatening event in obstetrics that may be fatal for the mother and fetus. Therefore, obstetricians need to pay attention to and should consider the antenatal diagnosis of uter...

Authors: Chun Tong, Lijun Gong, Yuan Wei, Zhaohui Liu, Yiting Wang and Pengbo Yuan

Meta-analysis of the effects of smooth endoplasmic reticulum aggregation on birth outcome

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum aggregation (SERa, SER+) has been reported to increase the risk of birth malformations and other abnormal outcomes, miscarriage, and perinatal complications. Other studies, however...

Authors: Hongqin Zhang, Wenhui Hu, Ying Zhong and Zhenhua Guo

Correction to: A birth population-based survey of preterm morbidity and mortality by gestational age

Authors: Xiaojing Guo, Xiaoqiong Li, Tingting Qi, Zhaojun Pan, Xiaoqin Zhu, Hui Wang, Ying Dong, Hongni Yue and Bo Sun

Comparison of clinical outcomes between the depot gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist protocol and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol in normal ovarian responders

The gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol has some advantages, such as a simple method, short medication duration, and low incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, but whether the G...

Authors: Min Xia and Jie Zheng

How do pregnant women’s perceptions of obstetric forceps change according to their demographic background: a cross sectional study

Women’s attitudes towards obstetric forceps likely contribute to declining use and opportunities for residency training, but formal documentation of women’s attitudes towards obstetric forceps is currently lim...

Authors: Jasmine M. Hitt, Angela S. Martin, Jordan E. Dietrich, Natasha Ahmed and Gene T. Lee

Prenatal diagnosis of megaduodenum using ultrasound: a case report

Congenital megaduodenum is a rare disorder; however, its prenatal diagnosis has not been reported previously. We report the case of an abdominal cystic mass in a fetus that was later diagnosed as megaduodenum.

Authors: Kaihui Zeng, Dongmei Li, Yao Zhang, Chengcheng Cao, Ruobing Bai, Zeyu Yang and Lizhu Chen

Informal coercion during childbirth: risk factors and prevalence estimates from a nationwide survey of women in Switzerland

In many countries, the increase in facility births is accompanied by a high rate of obstetric interventions. Lower birthrates or elevated risk factors such as women’s higher age at childbirth and an increased ...

Authors: Stephan Oelhafen, Manuel Trachsel, Settimio Monteverde, Luigi Raio and Eva Cignacco

Use of the Arabin pessary in women at high risk for preterm birth: long-term experience at a single tertiary center in Malaysia

Spontaneous preterm birth is a global issue that contributed to perinatal morbidities and mortalities worldwide. The study aimed to describe the experience at UKM Medical Center in managing women at high risk ...

Authors: Rahana Abd Rahman, Ixora Kamisan Atan, Anizah Ali, Aida Mohd Kalok, Nor Azlin Mohamed Ismail, Zaleha Abdullah Mahdy and Shuhaila Ahmad

When to perform curettage after uterine artery embolization for cesarean scar pregnancy: a clinical study

Prophylactic uterine artery embolization (UAE) combined with subsequent curettage is suggested as an effective and minimally invasive treatment strategy for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) with a high bleeding r...

Authors: Qiao Wang, Hongling Peng, Xia Zhao and Xiaorong Qi

Hyperemesis gravidarum induced refeeding syndrome causes blood cell destruction: a case report and literature review

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a common complication during pregnancy, however, HG associated simultaneous onset of blood cell destruction due to electrolyte abnormalities is rare. In this case, a woman with r...

Authors: Xiyu Pan, Ran Chu, Jinyu Meng, Qiannan Wang, Yue Zhang, Kun Song, Xingsheng Yang and Beihua Kong

Fetal weight estimation by automated three-dimensional limb volume model in late third trimester compared to two-dimensional model: a cross-sectional prospective observational study

Accurate estimation of fetal weight is important for prenatal care and for detection of fetal growth abnormalities. Prediction of fetal weight entails the indirect measurement of fetal biometry by ultrasound t...

Authors: Xining Wu, Zihan Niu, Zhonghui Xu, Yuxin Jiang, Yixiu Zhang, Hua Meng and Yunshu Ouyang

Epidemiological trends of maternal hypertensive disorders of pregnancy at the global, regional, and national levels: a population‐based study

Relevant studies focusing on epidemiological of profiles hypertensive disorders of pregnancy from global data that report the cause-specific prevalence and trends of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy at glob...

Authors: Wei Wang, Xin Xie, Ting Yuan, Yanyan Wang, Fei Zhao, Zhangjian Zhou and Hao Zhang

Progesterone levels on the human chorionic gonadotropin trigger day affect the pregnancy rates for embryos transferred at different stages of development in both general and selected IVF/ICSI populations

Two meta-analyses have shown that pregnancy and birth rates are significantly higher after blastocyst transfer than after cleaved embryo transfer. Other studies have revealed that a serum progesterone level > ...

Authors: P. Merviel, S. Bouée, A. S. Jacamon, J. J. Chabaud, M. T. Le Martelot, S. Roche, C. Rince, H. Drapier, A. Perrin and D. Beauvillard

Trends of infant mortality and its determinants in Ethiopia: mixed-effect binary logistic regression and multivariate decomposition analysis

Infant mortality remains a serious global public health problem. The global infant mortality rate has decreased significantly over time, but the rate of decline in most African countries, including Ethiopia, i...

Authors: Getayeneh Antehunegn Tesema, Wullo Sisay Seretew, Misganaw Gebrie Worku and Dessie Abebaw Angaw

Pronuclear score improves prediction of embryo implantation success in ICSI cycles

In assisted reproduction technology embryo competence is routinely evaluated on morphological criteria but efficacy remains relatively low. Additional information could be obtained by evaluating pronuclear (PN...

Authors: Sara Stigliani, Claudia Massarotti, Francesca Bovis, Ida Casciano, Fausta Sozzi, Valentino Remorgida, Angelo Cagnacci, Paola Anserini and Paola Scaruffi

The incidence, risk factors and maternal and foetal outcomes of uterine rupture during different birth policy periods: an observational study in China

Currently, there are no studies on changes in the incidence of uterine rupture or maternal and foetal outcomes in women with uterine rupture during different birth policy periods in China. Moreover, the result...

Authors: Yangwen Zhou, Yi Mu, Peiran Chen, Yanxia Xie, Jun Zhu and Juan Liang

Prediction of labour onset in women who present with symptoms of preterm labour using cervical length

Diagnosis of preterm labour is difficult because initial symptoms and signs are often mild and may occur in continuing pregnancies. This study aims to investigate the utility of measuring cervical length, usin...

Authors: Tiffany Tuck Chin Wong, Xiaoqi Yong, Janice Su Zhen Tung, Beatrice Jia Ying Lee, Joanne Mei Xin Chan, Ruochen Du, Tai Wai Yeo and George Seow Heong Yeo

Maternal plasma pro-atrial and C-type natriuretic peptide levels and their associations with cardiovascular and renal function in the second half of normal pregnancy: a longitudinal study

Physiological adaptation in pregnancy is characterized by remodeling of endocrine, cardiovascular and renal functions leading to fluid retention, volume expansion, altered cardiac loading conditions and hyperd...

Authors: Rima D. Yarlagadda, Jonas Johnson, Åse Vårtun, Kari Flo and Ganesh Acharya

Giving women WOICE postpartum: prevalence of maternal morbidity in high-risk pregnancies using the WHO-WOICE instrument

There are no accurate estimates of the prevalence of non-severe maternal morbidities. Given the lack of instruments to fully assess these morbidities, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed an instrumen...

Authors: M. N. Lamus, S. Pabon, C. MPoca, J. P. Guida, M. A. Parpinelli, J. G. Cecatti, M. F. Vidarte and M. L. Costa

Influence of the second stage of labor on maternal and neonatal outcomes in vaginal births after caesarean section: a multicenter study in Germany

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) introduced a new standard of care in 2014, extending the duration of the second stage of labor in order to reduce caesarean delivery (CD) rates an...

Authors: G. Gitas, L. Proppe, A. K. Ertan, S. Baum, A. Rody, M. Kocaer, K. Dinas, L. Allahqoli, A. S. Laganà, A. Sotiriadis, S. Sommer and I. Alkatout

Women’s expectations and experiences of labor induction – a questionnaire-based analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Although labor induction is a commonly used procedure in obstetrical care, there are limited data on its psycho-emotional effects on the woman. This study analysed the expectations and experiences of women in ...

Authors: Moa Strandberg, Tove Wallstrom and Eva Wiberg-Itzel

Lower birth weight-for-age and length-for-age z-scores in infants with in-utero HIV and ART exposure: a prospective study in Cape Town, South Africa

Successful scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy has minimized infant HIV acquisition, and over 1 million infants are born HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU), with an increasing proportion al...

Authors: Dorothy C. Nyemba, Emma Kalk, Hlengiwe P. Madlala, Thokozile R. Malaba, Amy L. Slogrove, Mary-Ann Davies, Andrew Boulle, Landon Myer and Kathleen M. Powis

Personality traits predict regression of pelvic girdle pain after pregnancy: a longitudinal follow-up study

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is a multifactorial condition with a partly unknown etiology. This condition can be mentally and physically compromising both during and after pregnancy. To provide all-around preventi...

Authors: Tang Xiangsheng, Gong Long, Shi Yingying, An Xiao, Yi Ping and Tan Mingsheng

Predictors of iron consumption for at least 90 days during pregnancy: Findings from National Demographic Health Survey, Pakistan (2017–2018)

Iron supplementation is considered an imperative strategy for anemia prevention and control during pregnancy in Pakistan. Although there is some evidence on the predictors of iron deficiency anemia among Pakis...

Authors: Sumera Aziz Ali, Savera Aziz Ali, Shama Razzaq, Nayab Khowaja, Sarah Gutkind, Fazal Ur Raheman and Nadir Suhail

The effect of yoga on the delivery and neonatal outcomes in nulliparous pregnant women in Iran: a clinical trial study

Yoga can reduce the risk of preterm delivery, cesarean section (CS), and fetal death. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Yoga on pregnancy, delivery, and neonatal outcomes.

Authors: Leili Yekefallah, Peyman Namdar, Leila Dehghankar, Fereshteh Golestaneh, Soghra Taheri and Frahnaz Mohammadkhaniha

Opioid and benzodiazepine dispensing and co-dispensing patterns among commercially insured pregnant women in the United States, 2007–2015

Little is known about benzodiazepine and opioid-benzodiazepine co-dispensing patterns among pregnant women. Understanding these patterns is necessary to mitigate high-risk medication use during pregnancy. Our ...

Authors: Danya M. Qato and Aakash Bipin Gandhi

Youth-centered maternity care: a binational qualitative comparison of the experiences and perspectives of Latina adolescents and healthcare providers

Although there is growing recognition of the importance of person-centered maternity care, the needs and perspectives of pregnant adolescents are rarely considered. The purpose of this study was to compare the...

Authors: Martha J. Decker, Noelle Pineda, Abigail Gutmann-Gonzalez and Claire D. Brindis

Fixed versus flexible antagonist protocol in women with predicted high ovarian response except PCOS: a randomized controlled trial

No previous study directly compares the fixed day-5 initiation versus the flexible initiation of GnRH antagonist administration in IVF/ICSI for those patients who are predicted as high ovarian responders witho...

Authors: Xiu Luo, Li Pei, Fujie Li, Chunli Li, Guoning Huang and Hong Ye

Struma ovarii and peritoneal strumosis during pregnancy

Struma ovarii is a special type of ovarian dermoid cyst and accounts for approximately 2–3 % of all dermoid tumours. Benign struma ovarii may manifest as distant metastasis, called peritoneal strumosis, which ...

Authors: Zheng Li, Jingxue Wang and Qian Chen

Contact, moral foundations or knowledge? What predicts attitudes towards women who undergo IVF

The willingness to try in vitro fertilization (IVF) as an infertility treatment, as well as its psychosocial consequences for couples, may be influenced by how they perceive the attitudes of general public tow...

Authors: Alicja Malina, Marta Roczniewska and Julie Ann Pooley

Preventable multiple high-risk birth behaviour and infant survival in Nigeria

Globally, infant mortality has declined considerably but has remained unacceptably high in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria where infant mortality rate is 67/1000 live births. To facilitate infant mortal...

Authors: Mobolaji Modinat Salawu, Rotimi Felix Afolabi, Babatunde Makinde Gbadebo, Adetokunbo Taophic Salawu, Adeniyi Francis Fagbamigbe and Ayo Stephen Adebowale

Impact of high-risk fertility behaviours on underfive mortality in Asia and Africa: evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys

Maternal age < 18 or > 34 years, short inter-pregnancy birth interval, and higher birth order are considered to be high-risk fertility behaviours (HRFB). Underfive mortality being disproportionately concentrat...

Authors: Rafi Amir-ud-Din, Lubna Naz, Aneela Rubi, Muhammad Usman and Umesh Ghimire

Comparison of first trimester dating methods for gestational age estimation and their implication on preterm birth classification in a North Indian cohort

Different formulae have been developed globally to estimate gestational age (GA) by ultrasonography in the first trimester of pregnancy. In this study, we develop an Indian population-specific dating formula a...

Authors: Ramya Vijayram, Nikhita Damaraju, Ashley Xavier, Bapu Koundinya Desiraju, Ramachandran Thiruvengadam, Sumit Misra, Shilpa Chopra, Ashok Khurana, Nitya Wadhwa, Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Himanshu Sinha and Shinjini Bhatnagar

Objective assessment of alcohol consumption in early pregnancy using phosphatidylethanol: a cross‐sectional study

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is associated with major birth defects and developmental disabilities. Questionnaires concerning alcohol consumption during pregnancy underestimate alcohol use while the us...

Authors: Leonieke J. Breunis, Sophie Wassenaar, Barbara J. Sibbles, Ab A. Aaldriks, Hilmar H. Bijma, Eric A.P. Steegers and Birgit C.P. Koch

Perinatal outcomes of neonates born from different endometrial preparation protocols after frozen embryo transfer: a retrospective cohort study

Previous studies have focused on pregnancy outcomes after frozen embryo transfer (FET) performed using different endometrial preparation protocols. Few studies have evaluated the effect of endometrial preparat...

Authors: Cheng Li, Yi-Chen He, Jing-Jing Xu, Yu Wang, Han Liu, Chen-Chi Duan, Chao-Yi Shi, Lei Chen, Jie Wang, Jian-Zhong Sheng, He-Feng Huang and Yan-Ting Wu