Articles

Midwives’ experiences of cultural competency training and providing perinatal care for migrant women a mixed methods study: Operational Refugee and Migrant Maternal Approach (ORAMMA) project

The number of international migrants continues to increase worldwide. Depending on their country of origin and migration experience, migrants may be at greater risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity and morta...

Authors: Frankie Fair, Hora Soltani, Liselotte Raben, Yvonne van Streun, Eirini Sioti, Maria Papadakaki, Catherine Burke, Helen Watson, Mervi Jokinen, Eleanor Shaw, Elena Triantafyllou, Maria van den Muijsenbergh and Victoria Vivilaki

Towards elimination of mother‐to‐child transmission of HIV in Rwanda: a nested case‐control study of risk factors for transmission

Mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) has substantially declined since the scale-up of prevention programs around the world, including Rwanda. To achieve full elimination of MTCT, it is important to understa...

Authors: Eric Remera, Placidie Mugwaneza, Frédérique Chammartin, Augustin Mulindabigwi, Gentille Musengimana, Jamie I. Forrest, Fabian Mwanyumba, Ng’oma Kondwani, Jeanine U. Condo, David J. Riedel, Edward J. Mills, Sabin Nsanzimana and Heiner C. Bucher

Simulation training program for vacuum application to improve technical skills in vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery

evaluation of technical skills of the operators during the obstetrical device application for operative vaginal delivery, named kiwi-cup in a simulation training program.

Authors: Paolo Mannella, Mario Giordano, Maria Magdalena Montt Guevara, Andrea Giannini, Eleonora Russo, Federica Pancetti, Marta Caretto and Tommaso Simoncini

Factors associated with birthweight decline in Japan (1980–2004)

Birthweight has been declining consistently for more than 30 years in Japan. This rapid rise in low birthweight is one of the worst among the countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Develop...

Authors: Noriko Kato, Catherine Sauvaget, Honami Yoshida, Tetsuji Yokoyama and Nobuo Yoshiike

The risk factors of gestational hypertension in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a retrospective analysis

The hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy (HDCP) is common in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), yet the potential influencing factors remained unclear. We aimed to assess the independent ...

Authors: Shu Zhou, Yiping Ji and Haimei Wang

Maternal depression, adverse childhood experiences, and social support in relation to gestational diabetes risk: results from the Albany Infant and Mother Study (AIMS)

Psychosocial factors are of increasing interest as potential influencers in disease development. This study explores associations between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and maternal depression, adverse ch...

Authors: Margaret Versteegen, Christine T. Bozlak, Heather Larkin and Allison A. Appleton

The effect of sexual health education on sexual activity, sexual quality of life, and sexual violence in pregnancy: a prospective randomized controlled trial

Some women avoid sexual intercourse during pregnancy due to the physiological changes they undergo during this period as well as their fear of causing harm to the fetus and to themselves, which can lead to pro...

Authors: Shiva Alizadeh, Hedyeh Riazi, Hamid Alavi Majd and Giti Ozgoli

Value-based care in obstetrics: comparison between vaginal birth and caesarean section

Healthcare costs have substantially increased in recent years, threatening the population health. Obstetric care is a significant contributor to this scenario since it represents 20% of healthcare. The rate of...

Authors: Romulo Negrini, Raquel Domingues da Silva Ferreira and Daniela Zaros Guimarães

Prevalence and risk factors of severe postpartum hemorrhage: a retrospective cohort study

Although maternal deaths are rare in developed regions, the morbidity associated with severe postpartum hemorrhage (SPPH) remains a major problem. To determine the prevalence and risk factors of SPPH, we analy...

Authors: Chen-ning Liu, Fu-bing Yu, Yun-zhe Xu, Jin-sheng Li, Zhi-hong Guan, Man-na Sun, Chen-an Liu, Fang He and Dun-jin Chen

High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among normotensive and hypertensive pregnant women in Ghana

Hypovitaminosis D in pregnancy is associated with adverse health outcomes in mothers, newborns and infants. This study assessed the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in normotensive pregnancies and in pr...

Authors: Linda Ahenkorah Fondjo, Worlanyo Tashie, William K. B. A. Owiredu, Enoch Appiah Adu-Gyamfi and Laila Seidu

Screening for antenatal depression and its determinants among pregnant women in Qatar: revisiting the biopsychosocial model

Screening for antenatal depression and its determinants is highly recommended. However, there is no consensus on a standard conceptual framework to approach pregnant women in a primary health care setting. The...

Authors: Sarah Naja, Noora Al Kubaisi, Rajvir Singh, Hiba Abdalla and Iheb Bougmiza

Factors associated with health facility deliveries among mothers living in hospital catchment areas in Rukungiri and Kanungu districts, Uganda

Health facility deliveries are generally associated with improved maternal and child health outcomes. However, in Uganda, little is known about factors that influence use of health facilities for delivery espe...

Authors: Richard K. Mugambe, Habib Yakubu, Solomon T. Wafula, Tonny Ssekamatte, Simon Kasasa, John Bosco Isunju, Abdullah Ali Halage, Jimmy Osuret, Constance Bwire, John C. Ssempebwa, Yuke Wang, Joanne A. McGriff and Christine L. Moe

Testing telediagnostic obstetric ultrasound in Peru: a new horizon in expanding access to prenatal ultrasound

Ninety-four percent of all maternal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, and the majority are preventable. Access to quality Obstetric ultrasound can identify some complications leading to materna...

Authors: Marika Toscano, Thomas J. Marini, Kathryn Drennan, Timothy M. Baran, Jonah Kan, Brian Garra, Ann M. Dozier, Rafael L. Ortega, Rosemary A. Quinn, Yu T. Zhao, Miguel S. Egoavil, Lorena Tamayo, Claudia Carlotto and Benjamin Castaneda

The relationship between sexual function and mental health in Iranian pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sexual function, a significant contributor to quality of life, is affected by various factors, including overall mental health. COVID-19 is a current pandemic that influences the mental health of various popul...

Authors: Fatemeh Effati-Daryani, Shayesteh Jahanfar, Azam Mohammadi, Somayeh Zarei and Mojgan Mirghafourvand

SARS-COV-2 infection in pregnant women and newborns in a Spanish cohort (GESNEO-COVID) during the first wave

Knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and newborns is scarce. The objective of this study is to analyse clinical and epidemiological characteristics of a cohort of women infected with SARS-CoV-2 du...

Authors: Itzíar Carrasco, Mar Muñoz-Chapuli, Sara Vigil-Vázquez, David Aguilera-Alonso, Concepción Hernández, César Sánchez-Sánchez, Cristina Oliver, Mónica Riaza, Marta Pareja, Olga Sanz, Beatriz Pérez-Seoane, Juan López, Elena Márquez, Sara Domínguez-Rodríguez, Alicia Hernanz-Lobo, Juan Antonio De León-Luis…

Correction to: Maternal and fetal outcomes of patients with liver cirrhosis: a case-control study

Authors: Xiang Gao, Yunxia Zhu, Haixia Liu, Hongwei Yu and Ming Wang

Ultrasonographic study of fetal facial profile markers during the first trimester

To establish reference ranges of fetal facial profile markers and study their correlations with crown-rump length (CRL) during the first trimester (11 ~ 13^+ 6 weeks’ gestation) in a Chinese population.

Authors: Chunya Ji, Xiaoli Jiang, Linliang Yin, Xuedong Deng, Zhong Yang, Qi Pan, Jun Zhang and Qing Liang

Indications and outcomes of emergency obstetric hysterectomy; a 5-year review at the Bafoussam Regional Hospital, Cameroon

Emergency Obstetric Hysterectomy (EOH) is removal of the uterus due to life threatening conditions within the puerperium. This life saving intervention is associated with life threatening complications. In our...

Authors: Mbakwa Rickeins Mbakwa, Nicholas Tendongfor, Yannick Lechedem Ngunyi, Ekongefeyin Sintieh Nchinda Ngek, Frank Alemkia and Thomas Obinchemti Egbe

Integrating approaches for quality guideline development in LactaMap, an online lactation care support system

Health professionals caring for women and infants experiencing difficulty with breastfeeding have reported deficiencies in evidence-based lactation knowledge. LactaMap is an online lactation care support syste...

Authors: Melinda Boss, Jennifer Turner, Patrick Boss, Peter Hartmann, Douglas Pritchard and Rhonda Clifford

Ovarian cyst elevation using a metreurynter for laparoscopic cystectomy of a benign ovarian cyst during pregnancy

A uterine manipulator cannot be used to elevate the ovary in benign ovarian surgery during pregnancy. This report describes our method of elevation of the ovary using a metreurynter with the success rate of th...

Authors: Yasushi Kotani, Kosuke Murakami, Kiko Yamamoto, Risa Fujishima, Tamaki Yahata, Yoshie Yo, Masao Shimaoka and Noriomi Matsumura

Barriers inhibiting effective detection and management of postpartum hemorrhage during facility-based births in Madagascar: findings from a qualitative study using a behavioral science lens

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality in low-income countries, and is the most common direct cause of maternal deaths in Madagascar. Studies in Madagascar and other low-income ...

Authors: Sara V. Flanagan, Tina Razafinamanana, Charlotte Warren and Jana Smith

Correction to: Design and psychometric evaluation of the fathers’ fear of childbirth scale: a mixed method study

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Authors: Seyedeh Fatemeh Ghaffari, Hamid Sharif Nia, Forouzan Elyasi, Zohreh Shahhosseini and Zohre Mohammadpoorsaravimozafar

Socio-demographic characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women who delivered prior to and after the termination of the one-child policy in China: a comparative study

The new Chinese fertility policy has recently received widespread public attention. However, there are few studies available on the comprehensive epidemiology of maternal and infant health with respect to the ...

Authors: Xiaohui Zhang, Haifeng Lou, Xuejuan Tang and Xiaoli Chen

Effect of the CRADLE vital signs alert device intervention on referrals for obstetric haemorrhage in low-middle income countries: a secondary analysis of a stepped- wedge cluster-randomised control trial

Obstetric haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide, 99% of which occur in low and middle income countries. The majority of deaths and adverse events are associated with delays in identifyin...

Authors: Lucie Giblin, Nicola Vousden, Hannah Nathan, Francis Gidiri, Shivaprasad Goudar, Umesh Charantimath, Jane Sandall, Paul T. Seed, Lucy C. Chappell and Andrew H. Shennan

Predictors of fear of childbirth and normal vaginal birth among Iranian postpartum women: a cross-sectional study

Fear of childbirth (FOC) may contribute to postpartum depression, impaired maternal-infant relation, and preference for cesarean in future pregnancies. We aimed to investigate predictors of FOC and normal vagi...

Authors: Forough Mortazavi and Maryam Mehrabadi

Social and economic consequences of the cost of obstetric and neonatal care in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo: a mixed methods study

The aim of this study was to explore and measure the social and economic consequences of the costs of obstetric and neonatal care in Lubumbashi, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Authors: Musau Nkola Angèle, Ntambue Mukengeshayi Abel, Omewatu Mungomba Jacques, Mundongo Tshamba Henri and Malonga Kaj Françoise

Internet-based behavioural activation to improve depressive symptoms and prevent child abuse in postnatal women (SmartMama): a protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial

Child abuse and postnatal depression are two public health problems that often co-occur, with rates of childhood maltreatment highest during the first year of life. Internet-based behavioural activation (iBA) ...

Authors: Erika Obikane, Toshiaki Baba, Tomohiro Shinozaki, Soichiro Obata, Sayuri Nakanishi, Chie Murata, Emiko Ushio, Yukio Suzuki, Norihito Shirakawa, Mari Honda, Natsu Sasaki, Daisuke Nishi, Heather O’Mahen and Norito Kawakami

Antenatal depressive symptoms and adverse perinatal outcomes

The association of antenatal depression with adverse pregnancy, birth, and postnatal outcomes has been an item of scientific interest over the last decades. However, the evidence that exists is controversial o...

Authors: Despina Pampaka, Stefania I. Papatheodorou, Mohammad AlSeaidan, Rihab Al Wotayan, Rosalind J. Wright, Julie E. Buring, Douglas W. Dockery and Costas A. Christophi

An unconditional prenatal income supplement is associated with improved birth and early childhood outcomes among First Nations children in Manitoba, Canada: a population-based cohort study

In Manitoba, Canada, low-income pregnant women are eligible for the Healthy Baby Prenatal Benefit, an unconditional income supplement of up to CAD $81/month, during their latter two trimesters. Our objective w...

Authors: Jennifer E. Enns, Nathan C. Nickel, Mariette Chartier, Dan Chateau, Rhonda Campbell, Wanda Phillips-Beck, Joykrishna Sarkar, Elaine Burland, Alan Katz, Rob Santos and Marni Brownell

Comprehensively addressing postpartum maternal health: a content and image review of commercially available mobile health apps

The United States is currently facing a maternal morbidity and mortality crisis, with the highest rates of any resource-rich nation. In efforts to address this, new guidelines for postpartum care suggest that ...

Authors: Laura Tucker, Alan Cuevas Villagomez and Tamar Krishnamurti

Induction of labour during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey of impact on practice in the UK

Induction of labour (IOL) is one of the most commonly performed interventions in maternity care, with outpatient cervical ripening increasingly offered as an option for women undergoing IOL. The COVID-19 pande...

Authors: M. Harkness, C. Yuill, H. Cheyne, S. J. Stock and C. McCourt

Food-related taboos and misconceptions during pregnancy among rural communities of Illu Aba Bor zone, Southwest Ethiopia. A community based qualitative cross-sectional study

Poor maternal nutrition adversely affects pregnancy and birth outcomes. In many societies, there are dietary restrictions due to misconceptions or food taboos during pregnancy which consequently results in the...

Authors: Dereje Tsegaye, Dessalegn Tamiru and Tefera Belachew

Abnormal placental perfusion and the risk of stillbirth: a hospital-based retrospective cohort study

A lack of information on specific and interventional factors for stillbirth has made designing preventive strategies difficult, and the stillbirth rate has declined more slowly than the neonatal death rate. We...

Authors: Jiang-Nan Wu, Yun-Yun Ren, Chen Zhu, Ting Peng, Bin Zhang and Ming-Qing Li

The mediating role of prenatal depression in adult attachment and maternal-fetal attachment in primigravida in the third trimester

Prenatal depression and adult attachment are factors that affect the establishment of an intimate relationship between a mother and fetus. The study explored differences in prenatal depression and maternal-fet...

Authors: Ling Zhang, Lei Wang, Qiuyu Yuan, Cui Huang, Shu Cui, Kai Zhang and Xiaoqin Zhou

A hierarchical procedure to select intrauterine and extrauterine factors for methodological validation of preterm birth risk estimation

Etiopathogenesis of preterm birth (PTB) is multifactorial, with a universe of risk factors interplaying between the mother and the environment. It is of utmost importance to identify the most informative facto...

Authors: Pasquale Anthony Della Rosa, Cesare Miglioli, Martina Caglioni, Francesca Tiberio, Kelsey H.H. Mosser, Edoardo Vignotto, Matteo Canini, Cristina Baldoli, Andrea Falini, Massimo Candiani and Paolo Cavoretto

The risk of clinical complications and death among pregnant women with COVID-19 in the Cerner COVID-19 cohort: a retrospective analysis

Pregnant women are potentially a high-risk population during infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, because of physiologic immune suppression in pregnancy. However, data on the morbidity and mortality ...

Authors: Fares Qeadan, Nana A. Mensah, Benjamin Tingey and Joseph B. Stanford

Birth companionship in a government health system: a pilot study in Kigoma, Tanzania

Having a companion of choice throughout childbirth is an important component of good quality and respectful maternity care for women and has become standard in many countries. However, there are only a few exa...

Authors: Paul Chaote, Nguke Mwakatundu, Sunday Dominico, Alex Mputa, Agnes Mbanza, Magdalena Metta, Samantha Lobis, Michelle Dynes, Selemani Mbuyita, Shanon McNab, Karen Schmidt and Florina Serbanescu

Differential circular RNA expression profiles in umbilical cord blood exosomes from preeclampsia patients

Exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of physiological development and disease pathogenesis. However, the roles of exosomal circRNAs from umbilical cord blood in preeclampsia (...

Authors: Minkai Cao, Juan Wen, Chaozhi Bu, Chunyan Li, Yu Lin, Hong Zhang, Yanfang Gu, Zhonghua Shi, Yan Zhang, Wei Long and Le Zhang

Factors related to the practice of vacuum-assisted birth: findings from provider interviews in Kigoma, Tanzania

Vacuum-assisted birth is not widely practiced in Tanzania but efforts to re-introduce the procedure suggest some success. Few studies have targeted childbirth attendants to learn how their perceptions of and t...

Authors: Sunday Dominico, Mkambu Kasanga, Nguke Mwakatundu, Paul Chaote, Samantha Lobis and Patricia E. Bailey

Time to recovery from Eclampsia and its determinants in east Gojjam zone hospitals, Amhara, Ethiopia, 2017/18

Eclampsia is a tonic clonic type of seizure among pre-eclamptic mothers. Time to recovery from eclampsia is to mean that the time when the mother recovered from severity features of pre-eclampsia. As far as th...

Authors: Bekalu Kassie, Yibelu Bazezew, Yewbmirt Sharew, Leltework Yismaw, Melaku Desta and Muluneh Alene

Reproducing normative femininity: Women’s evaluations of their birth experiences analysed by means of word frequency and thematic analysis

Given the significance of the birth experience on women’s and babies’ well-being, assessing and understanding maternal satisfaction is important for providing optimal care. While previous research has thorough...

Authors: Agneta Westergren, Kerstin Edin and Monica Christianson

Postnatal care coverage and its determinants in Sri Lanka: analysis of the 2016 demographic and health survey

Postnatal care (PNC) is important for preventing morbidity and mortality in mothers and newborns. Even though its importance is highlighted, PNC received less attention than antenatal care. This study determin...

Authors: Upuli Amaranganie Pushpakumari Perera, Yibeltal Assefa and Uttara Amilani

Implementation of a first-trimester prognostic model to improve screening for gestational diabetes mellitus

Improvement in the accuracy of identifying women who are at risk to develop gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is warranted, since timely diagnosis and treatment improves the outcomes of this common pregnancy...

Authors: Fieke van Hoorn, Maria P. H. Koster, Anneke Kwee, Floris Groenendaal, Arie Franx and Mireille N. Bekker

Mothers and their children’s health (MATCH): a study protocol for a population‐based longitudinal cohort

The quality of prenatal care is critical for the prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 64 % of women worldwide have access to over four sessi...

Authors: Reihaneh Pirjani, Ashraf Moini, Javad Heshmati, Azar Mardi-Mamaghani, Mahnaz Esmaeili, Mehrnoosh Shafaatdoost, Arezoo Maleki-Hajiagha, Elham Karimi, Mojgan Hossein-boroujerdi, Fatemeh Shokri, Zahra Mosanezhad, Niloofar Bajool, Matina Noori, Ladan Hosseini, Emma Persad and Mahdi Sepidarkish

Necrotizing funisitis and calcification of umbilical vein: case report and review

Necrotising funisitis (NF) is a rare, chronic stage of funisitis, a severe inflammation of the umbilical cord and an important risk factor for fetal adverse outcomes. NF is characterized by yellow-white bands ...

Authors: Wendi Wang, Miao Zhang, Liyun Gong and Qingqing Wu

Maternal sleep duration and neonatal birth weight: the Japan Environment and Children’s Study

The adequate maternal sleep duration required for favorable obstetric outcomes is unknown. We evaluated the association between maternal sleep duration and low birth weight infants, small for gestational age i...

Authors: Tsuyoshi Murata, Hyo Kyozuka, Toma Fukuda, Shun Yasuda, Akiko Yamaguchi, Seiichi Morokuma, Akiko Sato, Yuka Ogata, Kosei Shinoki, Mitsuaki Hosoya, Seiji Yasumura, Koichi Hashimoto, Hidekazu Nishigori and Keiya Fujimori

Imaging manifestations of Caroli disease with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease: a case report and literature review

Both Caroli disease (CD) and autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) are autosomal recessive disorders, which are more commonly found in infants and children, for whom surviving to adulthood is r...

Authors: Xiuzhen Yao, Weiqun Ao, Jianhua Fang, Guoqun Mao, Chuanghua Chen, Lifang Yu, Huaijie Cai and Chenke Xu

Comparison of maternal and neonatal outcomes between acute fatty liver of pregnancy and hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets syndrome: a retrospective cohort study

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) and hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome are two uncommon disorders that mimic each other clinically, but are distinct pathophysiologically...

Authors: Sau Xiong Ang, Chie-Pein Chen, Fang-Ju Sun and Chen-Yu Chen

Correction to: The association of maternal-fetal attachment with smoking and smoking cessation during pregnancy in The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Authors: Heidi Jussila, Juho Pelto, Riikka Korja, Eeva Ekholm, Marjukka Pajulo, Linnea Karlsson and Hasse Karlsson

PET/MR imaging for the evaluation of cervical cancer during pregnancy

Malignancy during pregnancy is increasing, and the most common type of malignancy is uterine cervical cancer. When planning the treatment of cervical cancer, it is important to look for signs of metastasis bef...

Authors: Tatsuya Ishiguro, Nobumichi Nishikawa, Shiro Ishii, Kosuke Yoshihara, Kazufumi Haino, Masayuki Yamaguchi, Sosuke Adachi, Takafumi Watanabe, Shu Soeda and Takayuki Enomoto