Delivery care by obstetric nurses in maternity hospitals linked to the Rede Cegonha, Brazil - 2017

[Factors associated with breastfeeding at birth in maternity hospitals linked to the Rede Cegonha, Brazil, 2016-2017]

Breastfeeding (BF) is a human right, and it must start from birth. The adequacy of Rede Cegonha (RC) strategies can contribute to the promotion of BF. The objective was to identify factors associated with BF in the first and 24 hours of live births at full-term maternity hospitals linked to CR. Cross-sectional study with data from the second evaluation cycle 2016-2017 of the RC that covered all of Brazil. Odds ratios were obtained through binary logistic regression according to a hierarchical model, with 95% confidence intervals and p-value < 0.01. The prevalence of BF in the first hour was 31% and in the 24 hours 96.6%. The chances of BF in the first hour increased: presence of a companion during hospitalization, skin-to-skin contact, vaginal delivery, delivery assistance by a nurse and accreditation of the unit in the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. Similar results at 24 hours, and association with maternal age below 20 years. BF in the first hour was less satisfactory than in the 24 hours, probably due to the high prevalence of cesarean sections, a factor associated with a lower chance of early BF. Continuous training of professionals about BF and the presence of an obstetric nurse during childbirth are recommended to expand BF in the first hour.

[Care in a natural birth center and due compliance with national guidelines]

The scope of this article is to analyze the compliance of the care offered by Casa de Parto David Capistrano Filho-RJ with the recommendations of the National Guidelines for Care in Natural Childbirth. It involved a descriptive cross-sectional study with 952 observations, from 2014 to 2018. This included analysis of compliance using a judgment matrix and then classified as total compliance (≥75.0%), partial compliance (50.0%-74.9%), incipient compliance (49.9%-25.0%) and non-compliance (less than 24.9%). The results of the judgment matrix show that care in the aspects of labor, delivery and newborn care is in full compliance with the recommendations of the Guidelines. The care at the Casa de Parto Birth Center, conducted by obstetric nurses, follows the recommendations of the national guidelines, and has been seen to incorporate a de-medicalized, personalized form of care, which respects the physiology of childbirth. They also develop a model of their own technologies of care, constituting non-invasive technologies of obstetric nursing care.

Evaluation of labor and childbirth care by nurse-midwives in Brazilian private hospitals: results of a quality improvement project

BACKGROUND

In 2015, a quality improvement project-the "Adequate Childbirth Project" (Projeto Parto Adequado, or PPA)-was implemented in Brazilian private hospitals with the goal of reducing unnecessary cesarean sections. One of the strategies adopted by the PPA was the implementation of labor and childbirth care by nurse-midwives. The objective of this study is to evaluate the results of the PPA in the implementation and adequacy of labor and childbirth care by nurse-midwives in Brazilian private hospitals.

METHODS

Cross-sectional, hospital-based study, carried out in 2017, in 12 hospitals participating in the PPA. We assessed the proportion of women assisted by nurse-midwives during labor and childbirth care and the adequacy of 13 care practices following parameters of the World Health Organization. Women assisted in the PPA model of care and in the standard of care model were compared using the chi-square statistical test.

RESULTS

4798 women were interviewed. Women in the PPA model of care had a higher proportion of labor (53% × 24.2%, p value < 0.001) and vaginal birth (32.7% × 11.3%, p value < 0.001), but no significant differences were observed in the proportion of women assisted by nurse-midwives during labor (54.8% × 50.1%, p value = 0.191) and vaginal birth (2.2% × 0.7%, p value = 0.142). The implementation of recommended practices was adequate, except the use of epidural analgesia for pain relief, which was intermediate. There was a greater use of recommended practices including "oral fluid and food", "maternal mobility and position", "monitoring of labor", "use of non-pharmacological methods for pain relief" and "epidural analgesia for pain relief" in women assisted by nurse-midwives in relation to those assisted only by doctors. Many non-recommended practices were frequently used during labor by nurse-midwives and doctors.

CONCLUSIONS

There was an increase in the proportion of women with labor and vaginal birth in the PPA model of care and an appropriate use of recommended practices in women assisted by nurse-midwives. However, there was no difference in the proportion of women assisted by nurse-midwives in the two models of care. The expansion of nursing participation and the reduction of overused practices remain challenges.

[Good practices, interventions, and results: a comparative study between a birthing center and hospitals of the Brazilian Unified National Health System in the Southeastern Region, Brazil]

This study aims to compare obstetric care in a birthing center and in hospitals of the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) considering good practices, interventions, and maternal and perinatal results in the Southeast Region of Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted with comparable retrospective data from two studies on labor and birth. A total of 1,515 puerperal women of usual risk of birthing centers and public hospitals in the Southeast region were included. Propensity score weighting was used to balance the groups according to the following covariates: age, skin-color, parity, membrane integrity, and cervix dilation at hospitalization. Logistic regressions were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) between the place of birth and outcomes. In birthing centers, compared to hospitals, the puerperal woman had a higher chance of having a companion (OR = 86.31; 95%CI: 29.65-251.29), eating or drinking (OR = 862.38; 95%CI: 120.20-6,187.33), walking around (OR = 7.56; 95%CI: 4.65-12.31), using non-pharmacological methods for pain relief (OR = 27.82; 95%CI: 17.05-45.40), being in an upright position (OR = 252.78; 95%CI: 150.60-423.33), and a lower chance of using oxytocin (OR = 0.22; 95%CI: 0.16-0.31), amniotomy (OR = 0.01; 95%CI: 0.01-0.04), episiotomy (OR = 0.01; 95%CI: 0.00-0.02), and Kristeller maneuvers (OR = 0.01; 95%CI: 0.00-0.02). Also, in birthing centers the newborn had a higher chance of exclusive breastfeeding (OR = 1.84; 95%CI: 1.16-2.90) and a lower chance of airway (OR = 0.24; 95%CI: 0.18-0.33) and gastric aspiration (OR = 0.15; 95%: 0.10-0.22). Thus, birthing centers offers a greater supply of good practices and fewer interventions in childbirth and birth care, with more safety and care without influence on the outcomes.

Episiotomy in Southern Brazil: prevalence, trend, and associated factors

OBJECTIVE

To identify and analyze the prevalence, trend, and factors associated with episiotomy in Rio Grande, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil.

METHODS

A single, standardized questionnaire was applied to all pregnant women, residents in the municipality of Rio Grande, who had children in local hospitals between January 1 and December 12 of the years 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 e 2019. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were investigated, as well as the assistance received during pregnancy and delivery. Chi-square test was used to compare proportions and Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment was used for multivariable analysis. Prevalence ratio (PR) was used as effect measure.

RESULTS

Among the 12,645 births that occurred in the five years, 5,714 (45.2%) were vaginal delivery. Of these mothers, 2,930 (51.3%; 95%CI: 50.0%–52.6%) underwent episiotomy. Over this period, the episiotomy rate decreased from 70.9% (68.4–73.5) in 2007 to 19.4% (17.1–21.7) in 2019. Adjusted analysis showed a high PR of episiotomy occurrence among women who were young (PR = 2.23; 95%CI: 1.89–2.63), had higher education (PR = 1.21; 95%Cl: 1.03–1.42), had a higher family income (PR = 1.25; 95%CI: 1.10–1.41), were primiparous (PR = 3.41; 95%CI: 2.95–3.95), had prenatal care in the private sector (PR = 1.25; 95%CI: 1.07–1.46), had oxytocin-induced labor (PR = 1.18; 95%CI:1.09–1.27), underwent forceps (PR = 1.32; 95%CI: 1.16–1.50), and whose newborn weighed 4,000 g or more (PR = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.14–1.80).

CONCLUSION

Although the prevalence of episiotomy fell sharply within the studied period, its occurrence is more likely among women at lower risk of birth complications.

Social practices of labor and birth in Brazil: the speech of puerperal women

The article analyzes the opinions of a group of women regarding the standard of care at maternity facilities attached to the Ministry of Health's Programa Rede Cegonha or Stork Network Program. The women's views were obtained from a questionnaire administered to 10,665 puerperal women between 2016 and 2017 as part of the survey Evaluation of good labor and childbirth care practices in maternity facilities covered by the Rede Cegonha, conducted by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Maranhão Federal University. Consisting mainly of closed-ended questions, the questionnaire contained an optional open-ended question at the end that allowed women to talk freely about the standard of care received in the maternity facility. Of the 10,665 puerperal women interviewed, 2,069 gave their opinions. We undertook a critical reading of the opinions identifying four core themes, which were discussed in the light of the relevant literature: puerperal woman/health team relationship; puerperal women's right to information; presence of a companion; and quality of hospital services and facilities. Giving both praise and criticism, all the women reiterated the importance of improving the quality of public health services to ensure the humanization of childbirth in Brazil.