Scaling up context-tailored clinical guidelines and training to improve childbirth care in urban, low-resource maternity units in Tanzania: A protocol for a stepped-wedged cluster randomized trial with embedded qualitative and economic analyses (The PartoMa Scale-Up Study)

While facility births are increasing in many low-resource settings, quality of care often does not follow suit; maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity remain unacceptably high. Therefore, realistic, context-tailored clinical support is crucially needed to assist birth attendants in resource-constrained realities to provide best possible evidence-based and respectful care. Our pilot study in Zanzibar suggested that co-created clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and low-dose, high-frequency training (PartoMa intervention) were associated with improved childbirth care and survival. We now aim to modify, implement, and evaluate this multi-faceted intervention in five high-volume, urban maternity units in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (approximately 60,000 births annually). This PartoMa Scale-up Study will include four main steps: I. Mixed-methods situational analysis exploring factors affecting care; II. Co-created contextual modifications to the pilot CPGs and training, based on step I; III. Implementation and evaluation of the modified intervention; IV. Development of a framework for co-creation of context-specific CPGs and training, of relevance in comparable fields. The implementation and evaluation design is a theory-based, stepped-wedged cluster-randomised trial with embedded qualitative and economic assessments. Women in active labour and their offspring will be followed until discharge to assess provided and experienced care, intra-hospital perinatal deaths, Apgar scores, and caesarean sections that could potentially be avoided. Birth attendants' perceptions, intervention use and possible associated learning will be analysed. Moreover, as further detailed in the accompanying article, a qualitative in-depth investigation will explore behavioural, biomedical, and structural elements that might interact with non-linear and multiplying effects to shape health providers' clinical practices. Finally, the incremental cost-effectiveness of co-creating and implementing the PartoMa intervention is calculated. Such real-world scale-up of context-tailored CPGs and training within an existing health system may enable a comprehensive understanding of how impact is achieved or not, and how it may be translated between contexts and sustained.Trial registration number: NCT04685668.

Education in developing countries and reducing maternal mortality: a forgotten piece of the puzzle?

Despite substantial improvement in reducing maternal mortality during the recent decades, we constantly face tragic fact that maternal mortality (especially preventable deaths) is still unacceptably too high, particularly in the developing countries, where 99% of all maternal deaths worldwide occur. Poverty, lack of proper statistics, gender inequality, beliefs and corruption-associated poor governmental policies are just few of the reasons why decline in maternal mortality has not been as sharp as it was wished and expected. Education has not yet been fully recognized as the way out of poverty, improvement of women's role in the society and consequent better perinatal care and consequent lower maternal mortality. Education should be improved on all levels including girls, women and their partners, medical providers, religious and governmental authorities. Teaching the teachers should be also an essential part of global strategy to lower maternal mortality. This paper is mostly a commentary, not a systematic review nor a meta-analysis with the aim to rise attention (again) to the role of different aspects of education in lowering maternal mortality. The International Academy of Perinatal Medicine should play a crucial role in pushing the efforts on this issue as the influential instance that promotes reflection and dialog in perinatal medicine, especially in aspects such as bioethics, the appropriate use of technological advances, and the sociological and humanistic dimensions of this specific problem of huge magnitude. The five concrete steps to achieve these goals are listed and discussed.

Resilience and Stress during Pregnancy: A Comprehensive Multidimensional Approach in Maternal and Perinatal Health

This narrative review addresses resilience and stress during pregnancy, which is part of a broader concept of maternal health. Pregnancy and postpartum are opportune periods for health promotion interventions, especially because the close contact of the women with health professionals. In this way, it can be considered a useful window of opportunity to identify women at higher risk for adverse outcomes. Integrated health is a concept that aims at providing comprehensive care related to the promotion of individuals' physical, mental, and social well-being. In this context, stress during pregnancy has been targeted as a remarkable condition to be addressed whether due to individual issues, social issues, or specific pregnancy issues, since it is directly and indirectly associated with pregnancy complications. Stress is associated with preterm birth, postpartum depression, anxiety, child neurodevelopment, and fetal distress. The way that an individual faces a stressful and adverse situation is called resilience; this reaction is individual, dynamic, and contextual, and it can affect maternal and fetal outcomes. Low resilience has been associated with poorer pregnancy outcomes. The social context of pregnancy can act as a protective or contributory (risk) factor, indicating that environments of high social vulnerability play a negative role in resilience and, consequently, in perceived stress. A given stressor can be enhanced or mitigated depending on the social context that was imposed, as well as it can be interpreted as different degrees of perceived stress and faced with a higher or lower degree of resilience. Understanding these complex mechanisms may be valuable for tackling this matter. Therefore, in the pregnancy-puerperal period, the analysis of the stress-resilience relationship is essential, especially in contexts of greater social vulnerability, and is a health-promoting factor for both the mother and baby.

Using Telehealth Approaches to Address Social Determinants of Health and Improve Pregnancy and Postpartum Outcomes

Telehealth has expanded its reach significantly since its inception due to the advances in technology over the last few decades. Social determinants of health (SDOH) negatively impact the health of pregnant and postpartum women and need to be considered when deploying telehealth strategies. In this article, we describe telehealth modalities and their application to improve the SDOH that impact pregnancy and postpartum outcomes. Physicians and patients alike report satisfaction with telehealth as it improves access to education, disease monitoring, specialty care, prenatal and postpartum care. Ten years ago, we developed a program, Moms2B, to eliminate disparities in pregnancy outcomes for underserved women. Using a case study, we describe how Moms2B, devoted to improve the SDOH for pregnant women, transitioned from an in-person to a virtual format. Telehealth benefited women before the recent coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and increasingly after emergency authorizations has allowed telehealth to flourish.

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

BACKGROUND

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 thoroughly reviewed women's levels of satisfaction with the childbirth experience from a multitude of different angles, there is a dearth of papers that use a gender lens in this area. The aim of this study is to explore through a gender perspective the circumstances attributed to both women's assessment of a positive birth experience and those which contribute to a lack of satisfaction with their birth experience.

METHODS

Through the use of a local birth evaluation form at a Swedish labour ward, 190 women gave written evaluations of their birth experiences. The evaluations were divided into groups of positive, ambiguous, and negative evaluations. By means of a latent and constructionist thematic analysis based on word count, women's evaluations are discussed as reflections of the underlying sociocultural ideas, assumptions, and ideologies that shape women's realities.

RESULTS

Three themes were identified: Grateful women and nurturing midwives doing gender together demonstrates how a gender-normative behaviour may influence a positive birth experience when based on a reciprocal relationship. Managing ambiguous feelings by sympathising with the midwife shows how women's internalised sense of gender can make women belittle their negative experiences and refrain from delivering criticism. The midwifery model of relational care impeded by the labour care organisation describes how the care women receive during labour and birth is regulated by an organisation not always adapted to the benefit of birthing women.

CONCLUSIONS

Most women were very satisfied, predominantly with emotional support they received from the midwives. The latent constructionist thematic analysis also elicited women's mixed feelings towards the birth experience, with the majority of negative experiences directed towards the labour care organisation. Recognising the impact of institutional and medical discourses on childbirth, women's birth evaluations demonstrate the benefits and challenges of gender-normative behaviour, where women's internalised sense of gender was found to affect their experiences. A gender perspective may provide a useful tool in unveiling gender-normative complexities surrounding the childbirth experience.

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

BACKGROUND

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, routine Health Management Information System (HMIS) data have potential to track coverage. Identifying barriers and enablers faced by frontline health workers recording HMIS source data in registers is important to improve data for use.

METHODS

The EN-BIRTH study was a mixed-methods observational study in five hospitals in Bangladesh, Nepal and Tanzania to assess measurement validity for selected Every Newborn coverage indicators. We described data elements required in labour ward registers to track these indicators. To evaluate barriers and enablers for correct recording of data in registers, we designed three interview tools: a) semi-structured in-depth interview (IDI) guide b) semi-structured focus group discussion (FGD) guide, and c) checklist assessing care-to-documentation. We interviewed two groups of respondents (January 2018-March 2019): hospital nurse-midwives and doctors who fill ward registers after birth (n = 40 IDI and n = 5 FGD); and data collectors (n = 65). Qualitative data were analysed thematically by categorising pre-identified codes. Common emerging themes of barriers or enablers across all five hospitals were identified relating to three conceptual framework categories.

RESULTS

Similar themes emerged as both barriers and enablers. First, register design was recognised as crucial, yet perceived as complex, and not always standardised for necessary data elements. Second, register filling was performed by over-stretched nurse-midwives with variable training, limited supervision, and availability of logistical resources. Documentation complexity across parallel documents was time-consuming and delayed because of low staff numbers. Complete data were valued more than correct data. Third, use of register data included clinical handover and monthly reporting, but little feedback was given from data users.

CONCLUSION

Health workers invest major time recording register data for maternal and newborn core health indicators. Improving data quality requires standardised register designs streamlined to capture only necessary data elements. Consistent implementation processes are also needed. Two-way feedback between HMIS levels is critical to improve performance and accurately track progress towards agreed health goals.

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

BACKGROUND

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 middle-income countries. As part of the Every Newborn Birth Indicators Research Tracking in Hospitals (EN-BIRTH) study, this paper focuses on testing validity of measurement of maternal and newborn indicators around the time of birth (intrapartum and postnatal) in survey-report.

METHODS

EN-BIRTH was an observational study testing the validity of measurement for selected maternal and newborn indicators in five secondary/tertiary hospitals in Bangladesh, Nepal and Tanzania, conducted from July 2017 to July 2018. We compared women's report at exit survey with the gold standard of direct observation or verification from clinical records for women with vaginal births. Population-level validity was assessed by validity ratios (survey-reported coverage: observer-assessed coverage). Individual-level accuracy was assessed by sensitivity, specificity and percent agreement. We tested indicators already in DHS/MICS as well as indicators with potential to be included in population-based surveys, notably the first validation for small and sick newborn care indicators.

RESULTS

33 maternal and newborn indicators were evaluated. Amongst nine indicators already present in DHS/MICS, validity ratios for baby dried or wiped, birthweight measured, low birthweight, and sex of baby (female) were between 0.90-1.10. Instrumental birth, skin-to-skin contact, and early initiation of breastfeeding were highly overestimated by survey-report (2.04-4.83) while umbilical cord care indicators were massively underestimated (0.14-0.22). Amongst 24 indicators not currently in DHS/MICS, two newborn contact indicators (kangaroo mother care 1.00, admission to neonatal unit 1.01) had high survey-reported coverage amongst admitted newborns and high sensitivity. The remaining indicators did not perform well and some had very high "don't know" responses.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed low validity for collecting many maternal and newborn indicators through an exit survey instrument, even with short recall periods among women with vaginal births. Household surveys are already at risk of overload, and some specific clinical care indicators do not perform well and may be under-powered. Given that approximately 80% of births worldwide occur in facilities, routine registers should also be explored to track coverage of key maternal and newborn health interventions, particularly for clinical care.

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

BACKGROUND

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 settings. "Every Newborn Birth Indicators Research Tracking in Hospitals" (EN-BIRTH) was an observational study validating selected maternal and newborn health indicators. This paper reports results for EIBF.

METHODS

The EN-BIRTH study was conducted in five public hospitals in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Tanzania, from July 2017 to July 2018. Clinical observers collected tablet-based, time-stamped data on EIBF and INC practices (skin-to-skin within 1 h of birth, drying, and delayed cord clamping). To assess validity of EIBF measurement, we compared observation as gold standard to register records and women's exit-interview survey reports. Percent agreement was used to assess agreement between EIBF and INC practices. Kaplan Meier survival curves showed timing. Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore barriers/enablers to register recording.

RESULTS

Coverage of EIBF among 7802 newborns observed for ≥1 h was low (10.9, 95% CI 3.8-21.0). Survey-reported (53.2, 95% CI 39.4-66.8) and register-recorded results (85.9, 95% CI 58.1-99.6) overestimated coverage compared to observed levels across all hospitals. Registers did not capture other INC practices apart from breastfeeding. Agreement of EIBF with other INC practices was high for skin-to-skin (69.5-93.9%) at four sites, but fair/poor for delayed cord-clamping (47.3-73.5%) and drying (7.3-29.0%). EIBF and skin-to-skin were the most delayed and EIBF rarely happened after caesarean section (0.5-3.6%). Qualitative findings suggested that focusing on accuracy, as well as completeness, contributes to higher quality with register reporting.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights the importance of tracking EIBF despite measurement challenges and found low coverage levels, particularly after caesarean births. Both survey-reported and register-recorded data over-estimated coverage. EIBF had a strong agreement with skin-to-skin but is not a simple tracer for other INC indicators. Other INC practices are challenging to measure in surveys, not included in registers, and are likely to require special studies or audits. Continued focus on EIBF is crucial to inform efforts to improve provider practices and increase coverage. Investment and innovation are required to improve measurement.

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

BACKGROUND

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 risk of stunting and non-communicable diseases. LBW is a priority global health indicator. Now almost 80% of births are in facilities, yet birthweight data are lacking in most high-mortality burden countries and are of poor quality, notably with heaping especially on values ending in 00. We aimed to undertake qualitative research in a regional hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, observing birthweight weighing scales, exploring barriers and enablers to weighing at birth as well as perceived value of birthweight data to health workers, women and stakeholders.

METHODS

Observations were undertaken on type of birthweight scale availability in hospital wards. In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 21) were conducted with three groups: women in postnatal and kangaroo mother care wards, health workers involved in birthweight measurement and recording, and stakeholders involved in data aggregation in Temeke Hospital, Tanzania, a site in the EN-BIRTH study. An inductive thematic analysis was undertaken of translated interview transcripts.

RESULTS

Of five wards that were expected to have scales, three had functional scales, and only one of the functional scales was digital. The labour ward weighed the most newborns using an analogue scale that was not consistently zeroed. Hospital birthweight data were aggregated monthly for reporting into the health management information system. Birthweight measurement was highly valued by all respondents, notably families and healthcare workers, and local use of data was considered an enabler. Perceived barriers to high quality birthweight data included: gaps in availability of precise weighing devices, adequate health workers and imprecise measurement practices.

CONCLUSION

Birthweight measurement is valued by families and health workers. There are opportunities to close the gap between the percentage of babies born in facilities and the percentage accurately weighed at birth by providing accurate scales, improving skills training and increasing local use of data. More accurate birthweight data are vitally important for all babies and specifically to track progress in preventing and improving immediate and long-term care for low birthweight children.

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

BACKGROUND

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 Tracking in Hospitals (EN-BIRTH) study was an observational study with mixed methods assessing measurement validity for coverage and quality of maternal and newborn indicators. This paper reports results regarding the measurement of respectful care for women and newborns.

METHODS

At one EN-BIRTH study site in Pokhara, Nepal, we included additional questions during exit-survey interviews with women about their experiences (July 2017-July 2018). The questionnaire was based on seven mistreatment typologies: Physical; Sexual; or Verbal abuse; Stigma/discrimination; Failure to meet professional standards of care; Poor rapport between women and providers; and Health care denied due to inability to pay. We calculated associations between these typologies and potential determinants of health - ethnicity, age, sex, mode of birth - as possible predictors for reporting poor care.

RESULTS

Among 4296 women interviewed, none reported physical, sexual, or verbal abuse. 15.7% of women were dissatisfied with privacy, and 13.0% of women reported their birth experience did not meet their religious and cultural needs. In descriptive analysis, adjusted odds ratios and multivariate analysis showed primiparous women were less likely to report respectful care (β = 0.23, p-value < 0.0001). Women from Madeshi (a disadvantaged ethnic group) were more likely to report poor care (β = - 0.34; p-value 0.037) than women identifying as Chettri/Brahmin. Women who had caesarean section were less likely to report poor care during childbirth (β = - 0.42; p-value < 0.0001) than women with a vaginal birth. However, babies born by caesarean had a 98% decrease in the odds (aOR = 0.02, 95% CI, 0.01-0.05) of receiving skin-to-skin contact than those with vaginal births.

CONCLUSIONS

Measurement of respectful care at exit interview after hospital birth is challenging, and women generally reported 100% respectful care for themselves and their baby. Specific questions, with stratification by mode of birth, women's age and ethnicity, are important to identify those mistreated during care and to prioritise action. More research is needed to develop evidence-based measures to track experience of care, including zero separation for the mother-newborn pair, and to improve monitoring.

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

BACKGROUND

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. There are no standardised data collected in large-scale measurement platforms. The Every Newborn Birth Indicators Research Tracking in Hospitals (EN-BIRTH) is an observational study to assess the validity of measurement of maternal and newborn indicators, and this paper reports findings regarding measurement of coverage and quality for uterotonics.

METHODS

The EN-BIRTH study took place in five hospitals in Bangladesh, Nepal and Tanzania, from July 2017 to July 2018. Clinical observers collected tablet-based, time-stamped data. We compared observation data for uterotonics to routine hospital register-records and women's report at exit-interview survey. We analysed the coverage and quality gap for timing and dose of administration. The register design was evaluated against gap analyses and qualitative interview data assessing the barriers and enablers to data recording and use.

RESULTS

Observed uterotonic coverage was high in all five hospitals (> 99%, 95% CI 98.7-99.8%). Survey-report underestimated coverage (79.5 to 91.7%). "Don't know" replies varied (2.1 to 14.4%) and were higher after caesarean (3.7 to 59.3%). Overall, there was low accuracy in survey data for details of uterotonic administration (type and timing). Register-recorded coverage varied in four hospitals capturing uterotonics in a specific column (21.6, 64.5, 97.6, 99.4%). The average coverage measurement gap was 18.1% for register-recorded and 6.0% for survey-reported coverage. Uterotonics were given to 15.9% of women within the "right time" (1 min) and 69.8% within 3 min. Women's report of knowing the purpose of uterotonics after birth ranged from 0.4 to 64.9% between hospitals. Enabling register design and adequate staffing were reported to improve routine recording.

CONCLUSIONS

Routine registers have potential to track uterotonic coverage - register data were highly accurate in two EN-BIRTH hospitals, compared to consistently underestimated coverage by survey-report. Although uterotonic coverage was high, there were gaps in observed quality for timing and dose. Standardisation of register design and implementation could improve data quality and data flow from registers into health management information reporting systems, and requires further assessment.

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

BACKGROUND

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 these challenges. The Every Newborn Birth Indicators Research Tracking in Hospitals (EN-BIRTH) was an observational study to assess measurement of indicators for priority maternal and newborn interventions and took place in five hospitals in Bangladesh, Nepal and Tanzania (July 2017-July 2018). E-data tools were required to capture individually-linked, timed observation of care, data extraction from hospital register-records or case-notes, and exit-survey data from women.

METHODS

To evaluate this process for EN-BIRTH, we employed a framework organised around five steps for E-data design, data collection and implementation. Using this framework, a mixed methods evaluation synthesised evidence from study documentation, standard operating procedures, stakeholder meetings and design workshops. We undertook focus group discussions with EN-BIRTH researchers to explore experiences from the three different country teams (November-December 2019). Results were organised according to the five a priori steps.

RESULTS

In accordance with the five-step framework, we found: 1) Selection of data collection approach and software: user-centred design principles were applied to meet the challenges for observation of rapid, concurrent events around the time of birth with time-stamping. 2) Design of data collection tools and programming: required extensive pilot testing of tools to be user-focused and to include in-built error messages and data quality alerts. 3) Recruitment and training of data collectors: standardised with an interactive training package including pre/post-course assessment. 4) Data collection, quality assurance, and management: real-time quality assessments with a tracking dashboard and double observation/data extraction for a 5% case subset, were incorporated as part of quality assurance. Internet-based synchronisation during data collection posed intermittent challenges. 5) Data management, cleaning and analysis: E-data collection was perceived to improve data quality and reduce time cleaning.

CONCLUSIONS

The E-Data system, custom-built for EN-BIRTH, was valued by the site teams, particularly for time-stamped clinical observation of complex multiple simultaneous events at birth, without which the study objectives could not have been met. However before selection of a custom-built E-data tool, the development time, higher training and IT support needs, and connectivity challenges need to be considered against the proposed study or programme's purpose, and currently available E-data tool options.

Birthweight: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study

BACKGROUND

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 million newborns annually. However, data are lacking and may be affected by heaping. This paper evaluates birthweight measurement within the Every Newborn Birth Indicators Research Tracking in Hospitals (EN-BIRTH) study.

METHODS

The EN-BIRTH study took place in five hospitals in Bangladesh, Nepal and Tanzania (2017-2018). Clinical observers collected time-stamped data (gold standard) for weighing at birth. We compared accuracy for two data sources: routine hospital registers and women's report at exit interview survey. We calculated absolute differences and individual-level validation metrics. We analysed birthweight coverage and quality gaps including timing and heaping. Qualitative data explored barriers and enablers for routine register data recording.

RESULTS

Among 23,471 observed births, 98.8% were weighed. Exit interview survey-reported weighing coverage was 94.3% (90.2-97.3%), sensitivity 95.0% (91.3-97.8%). Register-reported coverage was 96.6% (93.2-98.9%), sensitivity 97.1% (94.3-99%). Routine registers were complete (> 98% for four hospitals) and legible > 99.9%. Weighing of stillbirths varied by hospital, ranging from 12.5-89.0%. Observed LBW rate was 15.6%; survey-reported rate 14.3% (8.9-20.9%), sensitivity 82.9% (75.1-89.4%), specificity 96.1% (93.5-98.5%); register-recorded rate 14.9%, sensitivity 90.8% (85.9-94.8%), specificity 98.5% (98-99.0%). In surveys, "don't know" responses for birthweight measured were 4.7%, and 2.9% for knowing the actual weight. 95.9% of observed babies were weighed within 1 h of birth, only 14.7% with a digital scale. Weight heaping indices were around two-fold lower using digital scales compared to analogue. Observed heaping was almost 5% higher for births during the night than day. Survey-report further increased observed birthweight heaping, especially for LBW babies. Enablers to register birthweight measurement in qualitative interviews included digital scale availability and adequate staffing.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital registers captured birthweight and LBW prevalence more accurately than women's survey report. Even in large hospitals, digital scales were not always available and stillborn babies not always weighed. Birthweight data are being captured in hospitals and investment is required to further improve data quality, researching of data flow in routine systems and use of data at every level.

"It might be a statistic to me, but every death matters.": An assessment of facility-level maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response systems in four sub-Saharan African countries

BACKGROUND

Maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR) systems aim to understand and address key contributors to maternal and perinatal deaths to prevent future deaths. From 2016-2017, the US Agency for International Development's Maternal and Child Survival Program conducted an assessment of MPDSR implementation in Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, mixed-methods research design was used to assess MPDSR implementation. The study included a desk review, policy mapping, semistructured interviews with 41 subnational stakeholders, observations, and interviews with key informants at 55 purposefully selected facilities. Using a standardised tool with progress markers defined for six stages of implementation, each facility was assigned a score from 0-30. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed from the 47 facilities with a score above 10 ('evidence of MPDSR practice').

RESULTS

The mean calculated MPDSR implementation progress score across 47 facilities was 18.98 out of 30 (range: 11.75-27.38). The team observed variation across the national MPDSR guidelines and tools, and inconsistent implementation of MPDSR at subnational and facility levels. Nearly all facilities had a designated MPDSR coordinator, but varied in their availability and use of standardised forms and the frequency of mortality audit meetings. Few facilities (9%) had mechanisms in place to promote a no-blame environment. Some facilities (44%) could demonstrate evidence that a change occurred due to MPDSR. Factors enabling implementation included clear support from leadership, commitment from staff, and regular occurrence of meetings. Barriers included lack of health worker capacity, limited staff time, and limited staff motivation.

CONCLUSION

This study was the first to apply a standardised scoring methodology to assess subnational- and facility-level MPDSR implementation progress. Structures and processes for implementing MPDSR existed in all four countries. Many implementation gaps were identified that can inform priorities and future research for strengthening MPDSR in low-capacity settings.

General Guidelines in the Management of an Obstetrical Patient on the Labor and Delivery Unit during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection that was first identified in China. Since its emergence in December 2019, the virus has rapidly spread, transcending geographic barriers. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have declared COVID-19 as a public health crisis. Data regarding COVID-19 in pregnancy is limited, consisting of case reports and small cohort studies. However, obstetric patients are not immune from the current COVID-19 pandemic, and obstetric care will inevitably be impacted by the current epidemic. As such, clinical protocols and practice on labor and delivery units must adapt to optimize the safety of patients and health care workers and to better conserve health care resources. In this commentary, we provide suggestions to meet these goals without impacting maternal or neonatal outcomes. KEY POINTS: • Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic.• COVID-19 impacts care of obstetric patients.• Health care should be adapted for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maternal and perinatal outcome of preeclampsia without severe feature among pregnant women managed at a tertiary referral hospital in urban Ethiopia

Background

Preeclampsia refers to the new onset of hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation in a previously normotensive woman. Pregnant women with preeclampsia are at an increased risk of adverse maternal, fetal and neonatal complications. The objective of the study is, therefore, to determine the maternal and perinatal outcome of preeclampsia without severity feature among women managed at a tertiary referral hospital in urban Ethiopia.

Methods

A hospital-based prospective observational study was conducted to evaluate the maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnant women who were on expectant management with the diagnosis of preeclampsia without severe feature at a referral hospital in urban Ethiopia from August 2018 to January 2019.

Results

There were a total of 5400 deliveries during the study period, among which 164 (3%) women were diagnosed with preeclampsia without severe features. Fifty-one (31.1%) patients with preeclampsia without severe features presented at a gestational age between 28 to 33 weeks plus six days, while 113 (68.9%) presented at a gestational age between 34 weeks to 36 weeks. Fifty-two (31.7%) women had maternal complication of which, 32 (19.5%) progressed to preeclampsia with severe feature Those patients with early onset of preeclampsia without severe feature were 5.22 and 25.9 times more likely to develop maternal and perinatal complication respectively compared to late-onset after 34 weeks with P-value of <0.0001, (95% CI 2.01–13.6) and <0.0001(95% CI 5.75–115.6) respectively.

Conclusion

In a setting where home-based self-care is poor expectant outpatient management of preeclampsia without severe features with a once per week visit is not adequate. It’s associated with an increased risk of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Our findings call for special consideration and close surveillance of those women with early-onset diseases.

Newborn Service Readiness of Primary Level Health Facilities of Eastern Mountain Region of Nepal

BACKGROUND

Newborn service readiness is facility's observed capacity to provide newborn services and a pre-requisite for quality. Newborn services are priority program of government and efforts are focused on infrastructure and supplies at peripheral health facilities. Study describes health facility readiness for newborn services in four domains of general requirements, equipment, medicines and commodities, and staffing and guidelines.

METHODS

Convergent parallel mixed method using concurrent triangulation was done in public health facilities providing institutional deliveries of two randomly selected districts- Taplejung and Solukhumbu of Eastern Mountain Region of Nepal. Face to face interview and observation of facilities were done using structured questionnaire and checklist; in-depth interviews were done using interview guideline from November 2016 to January 2017. Ethical clearance was taken. Descriptive analysis and deductive thematic analysis were done.

RESULTS

Mean score of newborn service readiness was 68.7±7.1 with range from 53.3 to 81.4 out of 100. Domains of general requirement, equipment, medicine and commodity, supervision, staffing and guideline were assessed. The gaps identified in general requirements were availability of uninterrupted power supply, means of communication and referral vehicle. Clean wrappers and heater for room temperature maintenance were identified during interviews to be part of the readiness. All health facilities had trained staff while retention of skill was of concern. There was felt need of enforcing adequate training coverage to suffice the need of human resources in remote.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts of improving transportation, heater for room temperature maintenance, trainings with skill retention strategy, utilization of guidelines, availability of skilled birth attendance could result increased and improved newborn service readiness.

Pope Francis and Perinatal Palliative Care: Advancing the Culture of Mercy

For the last 25 years, the Popes of the Roman Catholic Church have been vocal proponents of palliative care in an effort to promote human dignity, decrease human suffering, and discourage euthanasia and suicide. They have supported efforts to expand the scope and provision of palliative care. Recently, Pope Francis has focused on the need to provide perinatal palliative care. He has emphasized the need to do so as an act of mercy, love, and solidarity. His approach builds on the main pastoral theme of his Papacy, the mercy of God. This article outlines the thought of Pope Francis on the mercy of God and how he wishes to see this mercy motivate and invigorate not only the Church but all people. Perinatal palliative care becomes a further outgrowth of the love and mercy we show one another. It is a pastoral practice encouraged by the Church and consistent with Catholic doctrine and the mission of Catholic health-care facilities.

Yes to Life: An Opportunity for Partnership Between Medicine and Religion

Pope Francis recently spoke about perinatal palliative care and the dilemmas that parents of critically ill babies encounter. In his speech, the Pope beautifully captured what many parents feel. They love their baby even if they know that the baby cannot survive. They need compassionate care of the sort that will allow them to express that love, even if it is only for minutes or hours, and even if the expression of love takes the form of comforting the dying baby rather than intervening medically or surgically to try to prolong life. "Many times," the Pope said, "Those few hours in which a mother can cradle her child in her arms leave an unforgettable trace in her heart." For those who work in perinatal palliative care, this affirmation and endorsement of their efforts by the Church is a welcome offer for an important collaboration. Medicine and religion can work hand in hand, here, to help parents and doctors who struggle to do the right thing when all the choices seem bad.

Medically high-risk pregnancy: Women's perceptions of their relationships with health care providers

The purpose of this article is to examine women's perceptions of the patient-provider relationship in the context of medically high-risk pregnancy (MHRP). Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted with women hospitalized for MHRP on a maternal-fetal medical unit in the US. Tenets of phenomenology guided the data analysis. We found that beyond normative stress related to managing physical aspects of MHRP, women reported added emotional stressors associated with navigating the fragmented health care environment. This study suggests that improved care coordination and systematic integration of psychosocial professionals within the perinatal interdisciplinary health care team are vital to reduce care-related stressors on this vulnerable patient group.

"Yes to Life" and the Expansion of Perinatal Hospice

Since the model of perinatal hospice was first proposed more than two decades ago, its growth has been exponential. Perinatal hospice, now also called perinatal palliative care, is a practical and compassionate model of care for those continuing a pregnancy following a prenatal diagnosis indicating that their baby has a life-limiting condition and might die before or shortly after birth. Well over 300 international perinatal hospice and palliative care programs have been created; many articles have been published in major medical journals; several textbooks and guides have now been published; protocols and training have been developed; and growing numbers of parents are choosing to continue their pregnancies when perinatal hospice care is offered. And now the idea has even reached Pope Francis.

Birth Narratives, Babies, and the Catholic Moral Imagination: Informing Influences on the Pope's Address

This commentary considers two informing influences on Pope Francis's support of perinatal hospice care for families facing diagnoses of serious fetal anomalies. Reflecting on the morally formative scriptural narrative of Mary's pregnancy and Jesus's birth and drawing upon an often-repeated idea of Pope Francis's papacy that "time is greater than space," this commentary suggests that Francis's perspective is deeply shaped by an understanding of life as a gift given by God, destined to return to God, and shaped by the invitation to participate in the fullness of our nature through acts of loving accompaniment in the face of grave suffering and loss.

The Natal Journey and Perinatal Palliative Care

Doctors often focus on the science of medicine involved in matters of reproductive health and childbirth, at times to the exclusion of the psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of health. Pregnancy and childbirth are clothed in mystery when it comes to the question of why a pregnancy goes well or is fraught with complications. And while explanations may abound in this age of increasing genetic understanding, the meaning attached to these matters is beyond the scope of medicine alone-especially when the newborn's very survival is in question. Perinatal palliative care can bring solace to such troubling realities.

Diabetes care in remote Australia: the antenatal, postpartum and inter-pregnancy period

BACKGROUND

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience high rates of diabetes in pregnancy (DIP), contributing to health risks for mother and infant, and the intergenerational cycle of diabetes. By enhancing diabetes management during pregnancy, postpartum and the interval between pregnancies, the DIP Partnership aims to improve health outcomes and reduce risks early in the life-course. We describe a mixed methods formative study of health professional's perspectives of antenatal and post-partum diabetes screening and management, including enablers and barriers to care.

METHODS

Health professionals involved in providing diabetes care in pregnancy, from a range of health services across the Northern Territory, completed the survey (n = 82) and/or took part in interviews and/or focus groups (n = 62).

RESULTS

Qualitative findings highlighted factors influencing the delivery of care as reported by health professionals, including: whose responsibility it is, access to care, the baby is the focus and pre-conception care. The main challenges were related to: disjointed systems and confusion around whose role it is to provide follow-up care beyond six weeks post-partum. Quantitative findings indicated that the majority of health professionals reported confidence in their own skills to manage women in the antenatal period (62%, 40/79) and slightly lower rates of confidence in the postpartum interval (57%, 33/58).

CONCLUSION

These findings regarding whose role it is to provide postpartum care, along with opportunities to improve communication pathways and follow up care have informed the design of a complex health intervention to improve health systems and the provision of DIP related care.

Did an urban perinatal health programme in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, reduce adverse perinatal outcomes? Register-based retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To study the effect of an urban perinatal health programme in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on perinatal outcomes.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study with difference-in-differences analysis using individual-level perinatal outcome data from the Dutch Perinatal Registry 2003-2014 linked to Central Bureau of Statistics data of migration background and individual disposable household income.

INTERVENTION

The programme consisted of perinatal health promotion, risk selection and risk-guided pregnancy care, and a new primary care child birth centre. The programme was implemented during 2009-2012.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

We compared trends in perinatal mortality, preterm delivery and small-for-gestational-age births between targeted urban neighbourhoods in Rotterdam (n=61 415) and all other urban neighbourhoods in the Netherlands (n=881 202). The effect of the programme was modelled as a change in trend of each perinatal outcome in the treatment group post intervention compared with the control population from January 2010 onwards. All analyses were adjusted for maternal age, parity, ethnicity and individual-level low socioeconomic status (SES). We also conducted a stratified analysis by SES.

RESULTS

During 2003-2014, downward trends in perinatal mortality (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.9439 per year, 95% CI 0.9362 to 0.9517), preterm birth (aOR 0.9970 per year, 95% CI 0.9944 to 0.9997) and small-for-gestational-age births (aOR 0.9809 per year, 95% CI 0.9787 to 0.9831) in the entire study population were observed. No demonstrable changes in these trends were found in the intervention group after the programme had started. The stratified analyses by SES showed no changes in trends post intervention in both strata either.

CONCLUSIONS

The programme had no demonstrable effects on perinatal outcomes. The intervention may not have reached a sufficient proportion of the population or has provided too little contrast to the widespread attention for inequalities in pregnancy outcomes occurring simultaneously in the Netherlands.

Implementation of an international standardized set of outcome indicators in pregnancy and childbirth in Kenya: Utilizing mobile technology to collect patient-reported outcomes

Background

Limited data exist on health outcomes during pregnancy and childbirth in low- and middle-income countries. This is a pilot of an innovative data collection tool using mobile technology to collect patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) selected from the International Consortium of Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) Pregnancy and Childbirth Standard Set in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods

Pregnant women in the third trimester were recruited at three primary care facilities in Nairobi and followed prospectively throughout delivery and until six weeks postpartum. PROMs were collected via mobile surveys at three antenatal and two postnatal time points. Outcomes included incontinence, dyspareunia, mental health, breastfeeding and satisfaction with care. Hospitals reported morbidity and mortality. Descriptive statistics on maternal and child outcomes, survey completion and follow-up rates were calculated.

Results

In six months, 204 women were recruited: 50% of women returned for a second ante-natal care visit, 50% delivered at referral hospitals and 51% completed the postnatal visit. The completion rates for the five PROM surveys were highest at the first antenatal care visit (92%) and lowest in the postnatal care visit (38%). Data on depression, dyspareunia, fecal and urinary incontinence were successfully collected during the antenatal and postnatal period. At six weeks postpartum, 86% of women breastfeed exclusively. Most women that completed the survey were very satisfied with antenatal care (66%), delivery care (51%), and post-natal care (60%).

Conclusion

We have demonstrated that it is feasible to use mobile technology to follow women throughout pregnancy, track their attendance to pre-natal and post-natal care visits and obtain data on PROM. This study demonstrates the potential of mobile technology to collect PROM in a low-resource setting. The data provide insight into the quality of maternal care services provided and will be used to identify and address gaps in access and provision of high quality care to pregnant women.

[Extremely preterm birth in Sweden - clear progress but remaining challenges]

The recently documented high survival of extremely preterm infants in Sweden is related to a high degree of centralization of pre- and postnatal care and to recently issued national consensus guidelines providing recommendations for perinatal care at 22-24 gestational weeks. The prevalence of major neonatal morbidity remains high and exceeded 60 % in a recent study of extremely preterm infants born at < 27 gestational weeks delivered in Sweden in 2014-2016 and surviving to 1 year of age. Damage to immature organ systems inflicted during the neonatal period causes varying degrees of functional impairment with lasting effects in the growing child. There is an urgent need for evidence-based novel interventions aiming to prevent neonatal morbidity with a subsequent improvement of long-term outcome.

Influence of midwifery presence in United States centers on labor care and outcomes of low-risk parous women: A Consortium on Safe Labor study

BACKGROUND

Sixty percent of United States births are to multiparous women. Hospital-level policies and culture may influence intrapartum care and birth outcomes for this large population, yet have been poorly explored using a large, diverse sample. We sought to use national United States data to analyze the association between midwifery presence in maternity care teams and the birth processes and outcomes of low-risk parous women.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Consortium on Safe Labor data from low-risk parous women in either interprofessional care (n = 12 125) or noninterprofessional care centers (n = 8996). Unadjusted, adjusted (age, race, health insurance type), propensity-adjusted, and propensity-matched logistic regression models were used to assess processes and outcomes.

RESULTS

There was concordance in outcome differences across regression models. With propensity score matching, women at interprofessional centers, compared with women at noninterprofessional centers, were 85% less likely to have labor induced (risk ratio [RR] 0.15; 95% CI 0.14-0.17). The risk for primary cesarean birth among low-risk parous women was 36% lower at interprofessional centers (RR 0.64; 95% CI 00.52-0.79), whereas the likelihood of vaginal birth after cesarean for this population was 31% higher (RR 1.31; 95% CI 1.10-1.56). There were no significant differences in neonatal outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Parous women have significantly higher rates of vaginal birth, including vaginal birth after cesarean, and lower likelihood of labor induction when cared for in centers with midwives. Our findings are consistent with smaller analyses of midwifery practice and support integrated, team-based models of perinatal care to improve maternal outcomes.

"We have this awesome organization where it was built by women for women like us": Supporting African American women through their pregnancies and beyond

Infant mortality is a problem that disproportionately affects infants of African American women, particularly residents in underserved neighborhoods. Chronic stress due to racism has been identified as an important factor in infant mortality. This study examined a novel community-based perinatal support professional (PSP) program, Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC), in Cleveland, Ohio. BBC provides services for pregnant African American women in underserved neighborhoods with the goal of decreasing infant mortality and low birthweight rates by addressing chronic stress. Focus groups and one individual interview were conducted with the program's 14 PSPs, and 25 clients were interviewed individually. Interviews were analyzed inductively using qualitative thematic analysis to identify pervasive themes. Coders identified major themes of stress, resilience, community, cultural matching, advocacy, self-care, transformation, and self-actualization. BBC PSPs and clients alike reported the program is transforming the lives of clients by helping them address stressors. Findings suggest the community-based PSP model is an important but underused intervention in addressing infant mortality.

PERINATAL CARE IN A NORTHEASTERN BRAZILIAN STATE: STRUCTURE, WORK PROCESSES, AND EVALUATION OF THE COMPONENTS OF ESSENTIAL NEWBORN CARE

OBJECTIVE

To describe the structure and the processes of care for pregnant women/newborn infants, including the Essential Newborn Care (ENC), in maternity hospitals in Sergipe State, Brazil.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study carried out between June 2015 and April 2016 in all maternity hospitals of Sergipe with more than 500 deliveries/year (n=11). A questionnaire on the existing structure and work processes was administered to the managers. Subsequently, a representative number of postpartum women from these hospitals were interviewed (n=768). Their medical records, as well as newborn infants' records, were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Sergipe has 78 beds of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and 90 beds of Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU) to meet spontaneous and programmed demand. Only six maternity hospitals (54.5%) performed the risk classification, and four (36.3%) had protocols for high-risk parturient care. Regarding the ENC components, only 41% (n=315) of the women had early skin-to-skin contact with their babies, 33.1% (n=254) breastfed in the first hour of life, and 18% (n=138) had a companion always during birth.

CONCLUSIONS

The distribution of NICU beds between capital city and other cities of the State is adequate, considering Brazilian guidelines. However, there was a low adherence to the protocols for hypertensive and hemorrhagic emergencies, and a low coverage of humanization policies, pregnancy risk classification and ENC practices, especially breastfeeding in the first hour of life, and companion always during birth.

A critical account of the policy context shaping perinatal survival in Nepal: policy tension of socio-cultural versus a medical approach

BACKGROUND

Nepal formulated a range of policies related to maternal and neonatal survival, especially after the year 2000. Nevertheless, Nepal's perinatal mortality remains high, particularly in disadvantaged regions. Policy analysis can uncover the underlying values, strategies and policy formulation processes that shape the potential to reduce in-country health inequities. This paper provides a critical account of the main policy documents relevant to perinatal survival in Nepal.

METHODS

Six key policy documents covering the period 2000-2015 were reviewed using an adapted framework and were analyzed through qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis shows that the policies focused mainly on the system: improvement in provision of birthing facilities; targeting staff (Skilled Birth Attendants) and health service users by providing cash incentives to staff for bringing patients to services, and to users (pregnant women) to attend health institutions. Despite a growing focus on saving women and newborn babies, there is a poor policy focus and direction on preventing stillbirth. The policy documents were found to emphasize tensions between birthing at home and at health institutions on the one hand, and between strategies to provide culturally appropriate, woman-centered care in communities and medically orientated services on the other. Policies acknowledge the need to provide and address woman-centered care, equity, social inclusion, and a rights-based approach, and identify the community based approach as the mode of service delivery. Over and above this, all policy documents are aimed at the national level, and there is no specific policy direction for the separate ecological, cultural or geographic regions such as the mountainous region, which continues to exhibit higher mortality rates and has different cultural and demographic characteristics to the rest of Nepal.

CONCLUSIONS

To better address the continuing high perinatal mortality rates, particularly in disadvantaged areas, national health policies should pay more attention to the inequity in healthcare access and in perinatal outcomes by integrating both stillbirth prevention and neonatal survival as policy agenda items. To ensure effective translation of policy into practice, it is imperative to tailor the strategies according to acknowledged policy values such as rights, inclusion and socio-cultural identity.

Family-Centered Perinatal Services for Children With Down Syndrome and Their Families in Florida

OBJECTIVE

To examine the experiences of parents or caregivers of children with Down syndrome related to prenatal care, the birth setting, primary and specialty care, and care coordination.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, mixed-methods study.

SETTING

Florida.

PARTICIPANTS

English- or Spanish-speaking parents/primary caregivers (N = 101) of children who were 0 to 18 years old, had a diagnosis of Down syndrome, and were born in Florida.

METHODS

Participants were identified through snowball sampling and completed an online version of the Family Experiences Survey. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Fisher exact tests, and content analysis of the open-ended questions.

RESULTS

Fewer than half of the 101 respondents reported receipt of adequate information after diagnosis of Down syndrome during the prenatal period (n = 18, 19.3%) or in the birth setting (n = 35, 41.2%). Most participants (52.9%-95.4%) reported that they received adequate time and specific information needed and that providers were sensitive to their feelings, values, and family customs during the prenatal period, in the birth setting, and during primary and specialty care. However, fewer than 60% of participants (19.3%-59.1%) recalled that they received information about Down syndrome or helpful programs such as Children's Medical Services, Early Steps, or Healthy Start either from prenatal care providers or in the birth settings.

CONCLUSION

Our findings highlight the critical role that perinatal care providers play in the establishment of access to and use of specialty care services for neonates with Down syndrome and emphasize the need for family-centered care in prenatal and birth settings.

Targeting obstetric providers in interventions for obesity and gestational weight gain: A systematic review

Background

Providers need to be comfortable addressing obesity and gestational weight gain so they may give appropriate care; however, health care providers lack guidelines for the most effective educational strategies to assist in providing optimal care.

Objective

To identify studies that involved the obstetric provider in interventions for either the perinatal management of obesity and/or gestational weight gain in a systematic review.

Search strategy

A keyword search of databases was performed up to April 2017.

Selection criteria

Obstetric providers who participated in an intervention with the aim to change a provider’s clinical practice, knowledge, and/or satisfaction with the intervention in relation to the perinatal management of obesity or gestational weight gain were included. Provider intervention could include training or education, changes in systems or organization of care, or resources to support practice. PROSPERO database #42016038921.

Data collection and analysis

Bias was assessed according to the validated Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The following variables were synthesized: study location and setting, provider and patient characteristics, intervention features, outcomes and efficacy, and strengths and weakness.

Main results

Of the 6,821 abstracts screened, seven studies (4 quantitative, 3 mixed-methods) with a total of 335 providers met the inclusion criteria; two of which focused on the management of obesity, three focused on gestational weight gain, and two focused on both topics. Interventions that incorporated motivational interviewing skills (n = 2), required additional training for the research study and addressed specific knowledge deficits such as nutrition and exercise (n = 3), and interfaced with the electronic medical record (n = 1) demonstrated the greatest impact on provider outcomes. Provider reported satisfaction scores were generally favorable, but none addressed provider-level efficacy in practice change.

Conclusions

Given the limited number of studies, varying range of provider participation, and lack of provider-level efficacy, further evaluation of provider training and involvement in interventions for perinatal obesity or gestational weight gain is indicated to determine best practices for provider and patient outcomes.

Creating a Multidisciplinary Placenta Accreta Program

OBJECTIVE

To develop a formalized comprehensive placenta accreta (PA) program to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with a PA birth.

DESIGN

To develop a clinically innovative PA program, goals were identified and teams were created to collaboratively address best practices in each phase of clinical patient care, along with the financial and marketing aspects necessary for a sustainable program.

SETTING/LOCAL PROBLEM

A Level 3 perinatal center in the Southwestern United States.

IMPLEMENTATION

A diverse multidisciplinary team addressed each aspect of care associated with a PA birth, including team members from the main operating room; trauma surgery; blood bank; interventional radiology unit; NICU; and gynecology-oncology, anesthesia, and urology departments.

MEASUREMENTS

Pre- and postprogram clinical outcome measures were examined including estimated blood loss at birth, postbirth ICU transfers and length of stay, and postpartum length of stay.

RESULTS

Clinical outcomes after program implementation showed decreased blood loss at birth (from an estimated 6,350 ml to 1,300-1,400 ml), reduced postbirth ICU length of stay (from approximately 3 days to less than 1 day, with many women bypassing ICU transfer altogether), and shortened postpartum length of stay (from 8 days to 4 days).

CONCLUSION

With implementation of this PA program, women receive a proactive approach to care that includes education, holistic care, and an organized team approach to birth made possible by the innovative care delivery model, structures, and processes. Standardized checklists and workflows help each clinician understand his or her role in the process, and resources are directed effectively and efficiently. Multidisciplinary, multispecialty collaboration results in decreased variation in care with associated improved patient outcomes.

[A Swedish example of integrated perinatal mental health care]

Mental disorders are common during the perinatal period and expose mother and child to major risks.  Almost all women in Sweden attend maternal and child health care centers regularly before and after birth. This constitutes a unique opportunity to detect women with early signs of mental disorder or at risk of recurrence of prior illness. Identified women need fast access to diagnostic and treatment providers with specialized knowledge on perinatal mental disorders. As perinatal mental disorders can have severe consequences for mothers and their children a tight cooperation between caregivers is often needed.

Effects of episode-based payment on health care spending and utilization: Evidence from perinatal care in Arkansas

We study how physicians respond to financial incentives imposed by episode-based payment (EBP), which encourages lower spending and improved quality for an entire episode of care. Specifically, we study the impact of the Arkansas Health Care Payment Improvement Initiative, a multi-payer program that requires providers to enter into EBP arrangements for perinatal care, covering the majority of births in the state. Unlike fee-for-service reimbursement, EBP holds physicians responsible for all care within a discrete episode, rewarding physicians for efficient use of their own services and for efficient management of other health care inputs. In a difference-in-differences analysis of commercial claims, we find that perinatal spending in Arkansas decreased by 3.8% overall under EBP, compared to surrounding states. The decrease was driven by reduced spending on non-physician health care inputs, specifically the prices paid for inpatient facility care. We additionally find a limited improvement in quality of care under EBP.

Quantifying nursing care delivered in Kenyan newborn units: protocol for a cross-sectional direct observational study

INTRODUCTION

In many African countries, including Kenya, a major barrier to achieving child survival goals is the slow decline in neonatal mortality that now represents 45% of the under-5 mortality. In newborn care, nurses are the primary caregivers in newborn settings and are essential in the delivery of safe and effective care. However, due to high patient workloads and limited resources, nurses may often consciously or unconsciously prioritise the care they provide resulting in some tasks being left undone or partially done (missed care). Missed care has been associated with poor patient outcomes in high-income countries. However, missed care, examined by direct observation, has not previously been the subject of research in low/middle-income countries.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The aim of this study is to quantify essential neonatal nursing care provided to newborns within newborn units. We will undertake a cross-sectional study using direct observational methods within newborn units in six health facilities in Nairobi City County across the public, private-for-profit and private-not-for-profit sectors. A total of 216 newborns will be observed between 1 September 2017 and 30 May 2018. Stratified random sampling will be used to select random 12-hour observation periods while purposive sampling will be used to identify newborns for direct observation. We will report the overall prevalence of care left undone, the common tasks that are left undone and describe any sharing of tasks with people not formally qualified to provide care.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval for this study has been granted by the Kenya Medical Research Institute Scientific and Ethics Review Unit. Written informed consent will be sought from mothers and nurses. Findings from this work will be shared with the participating hospitals, an expert advisory group that comprises members involved in policy-making and more widely to the international community through conferences and peer-reviewed journals.

Collaborating With the Perinatal Team for Optimal Oral Health Before, During, and After a Healthy Pregnancy

Collaboration with other health professionals can be challenging when attempting to coordinate healthcare before, during, and after pregnancy. However, advantages of interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaborative approaches include facilitation of accurate and timely diagnosis and optimally sequenced treatment for improved health outcomes. This article reviews the current guidelines fostering collaboration between dental professionals and members of the perinatal team and identifies the roles of healthcare providers to support the care of women around the time of pregnancy. Recognizing the maternal oral changes that occur during pregnancy will enable providers to effectively offer diagnosis and referral and organize and deliver comprehensive care. The article discusses how complementing medical care with early professional dental care can help reduce unplanned, expensive "emergency" treatment and describes the concepts of medical and dental homes.

Implementing CDC's Level of Care Assessment Tool (LOCATe): A National Collaboration to Improve Maternal and Child Health

Perinatal regionalization, or risk-appropriate care, is an approach that classifies facilities based on capabilities to ensure women and infants receive care at a facility that aligns with their risk. The CDC designed the Levels of Care Assessment Tool (LOCATe) to assist jurisdictions working in risk-appropriate care in assessing a facility's level of maternal and neonatal care aligned with the most current American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists/Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (ACOG/SMFM) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines. LOCATe produces standardized assessments for each hospital that participates and facilitates conversations among stakeholders in risk-appropriate care. This article describes how public health departments implement and use LOCATe in their jurisdictions.

Systematic Review of Immigrant Women's Experiences With Perinatal Care in North America

OBJECTIVE

To understand the perinatal care experiences of pregnant immigrant women in North America.

DATA SOURCES

We searched five electronic databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SocINDEX, CINAHL, and Social Work Abstracts. Two categories of search terms, pregnancy and immigrant, were used to conduct a title/abstract and subject heading search. We manually searched the reference lists of all relevant articles to identify additional articles.

STUDY SELECTION

Inclusion criteria were qualitative or mixed methods study design, focus on immigrant women's experiences of accessing perinatal care, and data collection in North America. Two reviewers were involved in a three-stage selection process: title/abstract screen, full text review, and data extraction and quality appraisal.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data on authors, date, location, methodology, sample characteristics, data collection, and themes or topics were extracted from 19 articles.

DATA SYNTHESIS

We followed the Thomas and Harden (2008) thematic synthesis methodology, which involved a three-stage data analysis approach: free line-by-line coding, organization of free codes into descriptive themes, and construction of analytical themes. We developed three meta-themes from the 19 articles included in our review: Expectations of Pregnancy as Derived From Home, Reality of Pregnancy in the Host Health Care System, and Support.

CONCLUSION

Immigration is a relevant issue in North America, and pregnancy can be an entry point into the health care system for immigrant women. We provide relevant information for health care providers, policy makers, program planners, and researchers about opportunities to explain models of health care delivery, improve communication, and facilitate social support to improve the experiences of immigrant women who interact with the health care system during pregnancy.

Evaluating Maternity Units: a prospective cohort study of freestanding midwife-led primary maternity units in New Zealand-clinical outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To compare maternal and neonatal birth outcomes and morbidities associated with the intention to give birth in a freestanding primary level midwife-led maternity unit (PMU) or tertiary level obstetric-led maternity hospital (TMH) in Canterbury, Aotearoa/New Zealand.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

407 women who intended to give birth in a PMU and 285 women who intended to give birth at the TMH in 2010-2011. All of the women planning a TMH birth were 'low risk', and 29 of the PMU cohort had identified risk factors.

PRIMARY OUTCOMES

Mode of birth, Apgar score of less than 7 at 5 min and neonatal unit admission.

SECONDARY OUTCOMES

labour onset, analgesia, blood loss, third stage of labour management, perineal trauma, non-pharmacological pain relief, neonatal resuscitation, breastfeeding, gestational age at birth, birth weight, severe morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS

Women who planned a PMU birth were significantly more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth (77.9%vs62.3%, adjusted OR (AOR) 1.61, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.39), and significantly less likely to have an instrumental assisted vaginal birth (10.3%vs20.4%, AOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.93). The emergency and elective caesarean section rates were not significantly different (emergency: PMU 11.6% vs TMH 17.5%, AOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.40; elective: PMU 0.7% vs TMH 2.1%, AOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.41). There were no significant differences between the cohorts in rates of 5 min Apgar score of <7 (2.0%vs2.1%, AOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.27 to 2.52) and neonatal unit admission (5.9%vs4.9%, AOR 1.44, 95% CI 0.70 to 2.96). Planning to give birth in a primary unit was associated with similar or reduced odds of intrapartum interventions and similar odds of all measured neonatal well-being indicators.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study support freestanding midwife-led primary-level maternity units as physically safe places for well women to plan to give birth, with these women having higher rates of spontaneous vaginal births and lower rates of interventions and their associated morbidities than those who planned a tertiary hospital birth, with no differences in neonatal outcomes.

[Regionalization of perinatal health care in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina]

OBJECTIVE

Improve the performance of the regionalization policy in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, as a strategy to improve perinatal health care by analyzing implementation processes and building consensus among decision makers and stakeholders around an action plan.

METHODS

Implementation research was conducted using mixed methodology. A needs assessment established tracer indicators to measure adherence to the components of the policy. Actors were studied to identify the barriers and facilitators of implementation. Training was provided on the development of consensus- and evidence-based policies, through workshops in which policy briefs were prepared and through a deliberative dialogue.

RESULTS

There were improvements in the number of births in appropriate hospitals and in the number of births in maternity hospitals with Essential Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CONE). Barriers were identified in the referral systems and in communication on policy, which resulted in an initial agreement on the need for guidelines and specific technical training on the transfer of babies and mothers.

CONCLUSIONS

The participation of health workers in identifying barriers and strategies to overcome them, and the use of tools to report this to management, permit the adoption of consensus- and evidence-based strategies to improve policy implementation.

Cross-sectional observational assessment of quality of newborn care immediately after birth in health facilities across six sub-Saharan African countries

OBJECTIVE

To present information on the quality of newborn care services and health facility readiness to provide newborn care in 6 African countries, and to advocate for the improvement of providers' essential newborn care knowledge and skills.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional observational health facility assessment.

SETTING

Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania.

PARTICIPANTS

Health workers in 643 facilities. 1016 health workers were interviewed, and 2377 babies were observed in the facilities surveyed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Indicators of quality of newborn care included (1) provision of immediate essential newborn care: thermal care, hygienic cord care, and early and exclusive initiation of breast feeding; (2) actual and simulated resuscitation of asphyxiated newborn infants; and (3) knowledge of health workers on essential newborn care, including resuscitation.

RESULTS

Sterile or clean cord cutting instruments, suction devices, and tables or firm surfaces for resuscitation were commonly available. 80% of newborns were immediately dried after birth and received clean cord care in most of the studied facilities. In all countries assessed, major deficiencies exist for essential newborn care supplies and equipment, as well as for health worker knowledge and performance of key routine newborn care practices, particularly for immediate skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding initiation. Of newborns who did not cry at birth, 89% either recovered on their own or through active steps taken by the provider through resuscitation with initial stimulation and/or ventilation. 11% of newborns died. Assessment of simulated resuscitation using a NeoNatalie anatomic model showed that less than a third of providers were able to demonstrate ventilation skills correctly.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings shared in this paper call attention to the critical need to improve health facility readiness to provide quality newborn care services and to ensure that service providers have the necessary equipment, supplies, knowledge and skills that are critical to save newborn lives.