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Abstract Objectives Maternal mortality in the U.S. continues to increase, and the State of Georgia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among the 50 states at 33.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, disproportionately affecting Black and rural populations. This study sought to ascertain knowledge of adults living in Georgia about proper pregnancy care behaviors and their ability to identify warning signs and symptoms (WSS) of life-threatening complications during pregnancy and up to 1-year postpartum. Methods In 2022, using a cross-sectional study design, a questionnaire including items from validated instruments was distributed to adults residing in Georgia through social media and email. Questions were grouped into categories: total pregnancy knowledge, general pregnancy care behaviors, and pregnancy and postpartum WSS. Based on correct answer choices, scores were created for each of the four categories and compared by gender, age, education, race, and ethnicity using multiple linear regressions. Results Participants (n = 588) ranged from 18 to 76 years old and were primarily female (80%). The vast majority (83.3%) failed to identify important pregnancy care behaviors. More than half of all participants were unable to recognize pregnancy and postpartum WSS of complications, 52% and 56% respectively. Male, Black, and Hispanic self-identified adults exhibited lower recognition of pregnancy care behaviors and WSS of pregnancy and postpartum complications, relative to other genders, races, and ethnic groups, respectively (p

Background: Maternal and infant health is still one of the issues that receive special attention related to improving the quality of human life in the world. Every hour, one woman dies during childbirth or due to causes related to pregnancy. There are still many pregnant women who are less aware of the importance of examination as an effort to detect pregnancy risk factors. Lack of knowledge and attitude, makes pregnant women less aware of the emergence of symptoms of certain dangerous diseases, either indirectly causing maternal death. Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women after being given education through the Ebumil android application. Methods: The study used a quasi-experimental approach. The sample was 120 pregnant women who were divided into two groups, namely the intervention group (which was given education through the ebumil application and the control group (which was not given education through the ebumil application) using a simple random sampling technique. The research variables were knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women. The research instrument data was a knowledge and attitude questionnaire. The analysis test used was the paired t test. Results: The results of the study showed an increase in knowledge in the intervention group of 80.03 (post 1) and 90.50 (post 2) while the control group did not experience an increase in knowledge of 40.98 (post 1) and 40.50 (post 2). There was an increase in attitudes in the intervention group of 78.16 (post 1) and 90.25 (post 2) while the control group did not experience an increase in attitudes of 42.84 (post 1) and 42.35 (post 2). The results of the paired t test statistical test obtained a p-value of 0.000

Abstract Background Maternal dietary diversity is a key to improving the birth and child health outcomes. Besides socio-economic factors, the nutrition specific program- Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) interventions aimed to improve maternal dietary diversity has varied levels of impact on the socio-economic groups in poor resource setups. Objective To measure the factors associated with the minimum dietary diversity (MDD) among pregnant women in selected districts of Rajasthan with special emphasis on the SBCC components. Additionally, it measures the socio-economic gaps in the behaviour of consumption of diversified diet during pregnancy. Methods Data from a cross sectional survey of 6848 pregnant women, who have received a continuous SBCC counselling and registered under a state introduced conditional cash transfer program, during May to June, 2023, in five intervention districts -Banswara, Baran, Dunagrpur, Pratapgarh and Udaipur in Rajasthan was used. A 24 h recall based food consumption behaviour has been gathered to measure the MDD of pregnant women. Study has used descriptive statistics, multivariate regressions, and multivariate decomposition analysis to address the research objectives. Results Study finds that only 55.2% of pregnant women are consuming diverse diet in the study duration with mean dietary diversity score is 4.8 (+/- 1.5). Logistic regression finds that SBCC components such as frontline workers (aOR = 1.3, CI: 1.1–1.4), community motivators (aOR = 1.9, CI: 1.7–2.1), and participation in MCHND (aOR = 1.0, CI: 0.9-1.2) have significant and higher likelihood on consumption of MDD food on previous day. A higher education and belonging from richer wealth quintile also show higher association for consumption of MDD. Multivariate decomposition shows, among richest and poorest wealth categories there is 19% point difference (58% difference due to coefficient vs. 42% difference due to composition) in MDD consumption. This is positively contributed by the caste and educational categories of women. Conclusion Despite a predominant vegetarian diet consuming population, better maternal dietary diversity was observed among those exposed to higher dose of SBCC intervention package. Educational status and caste of the respondent were significantly associated with minimum dietary diversity and contributed to the socio-economic inequality highlighting the importance of tailored and sustained SBCC interventions.

ObjectiveThis analysis describes the use patterns of web-based virtual triage (VT) by pregnant patients before and during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the pandemic influenced frequency of VT use, nature of symptoms reported, and the associated implications for maternal healthcare delivery.MethodsAn online survey of 36,910 patients who reported pregnancy was completed between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2022. The data were segmented into six month periods to allow comparative analyses of usage frequency and changes in initial complaints over the study period, with particular emphasis on the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive statistics and trend analyses were used to identify significant shifts in symptom reporting and user demographics.ResultsA marked increase in the utilization of VT by pregnant women during the pandemic occurred. The percentage of pregnant users grew from 0.32% in the first half of 2019 to 0.85% in late 2021, with the greatest rise (213%) in the first six months of 2020. The most common symptoms reported were abdominal pain, headache, nausea, back pain, fatigue and cough. Pre-pandemic, VT use focused on prospective mothers learning about the potential causes of typical symptoms occurring during pregnancy, but during the pandemic there was a substantial increase in reporting symptoms associated with acute respiratory infections such as cough, nasal congestion, and dyspnea.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the use of VT by pregnant women, with a shift towards addressing concerns related to respiratory symptoms and potential COVID-19 exposure. These findings underline the significant role of digital health tools in maintaining access to health information during times of crisis and highlight the evolving needs of pregnant patients in such settings.

The Health Equity Leadership & Exchange Network states that “health equity exists when all people, regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, geographic location, or other societal constructs, have fair and just access, opportunity, and resources to achieve their highest potential for health.” It is clear from the wide discrepancies in maternal and infant mortalities, by race, ethnicity, location, and social and economic status, that health equity has not been achieved in pregnancy care. Although the most obvious evidence of inequities is in low-resource settings, inequities also exist in high-resource settings. In this presentation, based on the Global Pregnancy Collaboration Workshop, which addressed this issue, the bases for the differences in outcomes were explored. Several different settings in which inequities exist in high- and low-resource settings were reviewed. Apparent causes include social drivers of health, such as low income, inadequate housing, suboptimal access to clean water, structural racism, and growing maternal healthcare deserts globally. In addition, a question is asked whether maternal health inequities will extend to and be partially due to current research practices. Our overview of inequities provides approaches to resolve these inequities, which are relevant to low- and high-resource settings. Based on the evidence, recommendations have been provided to increase health equity in pregnancy care. Unfortunately, some of these inequities are more amenable to resolution than others. Therefore, continued attention to these inequities and innovative thinking and research to seek solutions to these inequities are encouraged.

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is crucial to reducing maternal and neonatal deaths, but few studies examined adolescent girls’ and young women’s ANC utilisation and knowledge in Ghana. Aim: To assess adolescents’ and young mothers’ knowledge of ANC, utilisation and factors influencing its use in Ghana. Setting: Tano North Municipality, Ahafo Region. Methods: This community-based, cross-sectional study involved 440 adolescent and young mothers (between 10 and 24 years). A structured questionnaire was employed to collect data face-to-face. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed, and p 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 440 respondents, most were aged 20–24 years (61.2%), married (30.0%), Christians (78.2%), completed junior high school (JHS) (47.8%) and traders (38.9%). Postnatal mothers were 71.6% (315), and all had utilised ANC services. Antenatal care knowledge was good among 75% (330) respondents, with no significant variation by age. Religion influenced knowledge, with Muslims having lower knowledge. Antenatal care utilisation was high ( 50%) among those aged 15–19 years, married, Christians, JHS graduates and traders. Age, marital status and employment type significantly influenced ANC utilisation. Individuals in the age group 15–19 years and married women demonstrated higher odds of utilising ANC services. Casual workers and unemployed respondents were found to have lower odds of utilising ANC services compared to traders. Conclusion: Age, marital status, and employment type influenced ANC utilisation in the Ahafo Region. Adolescent mothers under 15 years had lower rates, requiring targeted interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes. Contribution: This study highlights the knowledge and factors influencing ANC use in Ahafo Region and adds to the existing research evidence on ANC.

Maternal mortality is a major public health concern worldwide. It is the number of preventable deaths that occur each year due to pregnancy and childbirth. The research investigates how machine learning may be used to minimize maternal mortality. Historical data on maternal health is used to develop predictive models, early detection systems, and resource allocation techniques. Machine learning helps to identify risk factors, monitor vital signs, and improve access to care. This allows for targeted interventions and better healthcare delivery. The challenges of data accessibility and model interpretation are addressed, highlighting the ethical and equitable applications of machine learning in maternal healthcare. This study emphasizes the potential of machine learning to reduce maternal mortality rates and the pressing need for its incorporation into healthcare systems worldwide.

Amal A Alyami,1 Manal M Alem,2 Shereen R Dorgham,3 Sahar A Alshamandy4 1Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Pharmacology, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Nursing Education, College of Nursing, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; 4Obstetrics and Women’s Health Nursing Department, College of Nursing, Minia University, Minya, EgyptCorrespondence: Manal M Alem, Department of Pharmacology, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, PO Box 1982, Dammam, 31441, Saudi Arabia, Email malem@iau.edu.saBackground: Globally, unjustified medication use during pregnancy, a critical phase in human life, is a threat that compromises the safety of both, the mother and the child. We aim to investigate the prevalence of over-the-counter (OTC) or non-prescription and prescription medication use during pregnancy in women from the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the level of prior knowledge, and the sources of their information about medication hazard/safety.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using a self-administered questionnaire for 287 pregnant women visiting King Saud Medical City (KSMC) – outpatient departments for routine antenatal care during 3 months (1st Mar– 31st May 2021). The questionnaire was developed by Navaro et al with 4 sections: socio-demographic data, medication use during pregnancy, level of knowledge, and relevant sources of information.Results: The participants had a mean age of 32.21 years ± 6.41 (SD), and gestational age of 23.67 weeks ± 8.47. About 76.66% of them reported using medication during their current pregnancy: predominantly prescribed (86.36%). Women who used medication during pregnancy were slightly older; the mean difference was 1.97 years (95% CI 0.23– 3.71) (P=0.027). Women living in an urban environment as compared with rural had a higher prevalence of medication use (79.01% vs 52%) (P=0.002). Overall, 58.19% reported using non-prescribed medications during pregnancy, with analgesics as the most frequently used class (70.30%). The mild nature of the illnesses and availability of an old prescription and information from pharmacists were the main reasons for self-medication. About 40.77% denied receiving any information about medication use during pregnancy.Conclusion: The prevalence of the medication use during pregnancy in our population is alarmingly high. Analgesics were the most frequently used. Lack of adequate information from treating physicians appears to be contributory to self-medication during this critical time.Keywords: nursing, antenatal care, pregnancy care, prescription medication, non-prescription medications, over-the-counter, fetal health and development, self-medication

Background: Although studies from high-income countries have examined social support during pregnancy, it remains unclear what type of support is received by expectant mothers from low- and middle-income country settings. Aim: To explore young women’s social support networks during pregnancy in Soweto, South Africa. Setting: This study was undertaken in an academic hospital based in the Southwestern Townships (Soweto), Johannesburg, in Gauteng province, South Africa. Methods: An exploratory descriptive qualitative approach was employed. Eighteen (18) young pregnant women were recruited using a purposive sampling approach. In-depth interviews were conducted, and data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Analysis of the data resulted in the development of two superordinate themes namely; (1) relationships during pregnancy and (2) network involvement. Involvement of the various social networks contributed greatly to the young women having a greater sense of potential parental efficacy and increased acceptance of their pregnancies. Pregnant women who receive sufficient social support from immediate networks have increased potential to embrace and give attention to pregnancy-related changes. Conclusion: Focusing on less-examined characteristics that could enhance pregnant women’s health could help in the reduction of deaths that arise because of pregnancy complications and contribute in globally accelerating increased accessibility to adequate reproductive health. Contribution: This study’s findings emphasise the necessity for policymakers and healthcare providers to educate the broader community about the importance of partner, family and peer support to minimise risks that may affect pregnancy care and wellbeing of mothers.

Abstract Background The new presentation of pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma in pregnancy is very rare and can be life-threatening for mother and child. Case presentation We present the case of a 26-year-old gravida 3 para 2 otherwise healthy Caucasian woman at 34 weeks gestation who presented with new onset hypertension associated with headaches, dry heaves, diaphoresis, and palpitations. She was initially diagnosed with preeclampsia and treated with labetalol and an urgent cesarean section, delivering a healthy baby girl. The diagnosis of preeclampsia came into question when, 6 weeks postpartum, she continued to have hypertension with atypical features. Testing revealed metastatic paraganglioma associated with a succinate dehydrogenase B gene mutation. The patient was then started on alpha-adrenergic blockade and has had close blood pressure monitoring while discussion of advances therapies is ongoing. Conclusion This case demonstrates how paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma can be misdiagnosed as preeclampsia due to the overlapping features of new-onset hypertension late in pregnancy accompanied by headache and proteinuria. It is impractical to routinely screen for paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma in all pregnant patients diagnosed with preeclampsia due to the rarity of these tumors and the harm from high false-positive rates. Therefore, it is incumbent on the provider to have a high degree of suspicion for paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma when clinical features are unusual for preeclampsia, such as intermittent palpitations, diaphoresis, orthostatic hypotension, or hyperglycemia. Early detection of paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma with interventions to mitigate the risk of hypertensive crisis greatly reduce maternal and fetal mortality. Fortunately, our patient delivered a healthy baby and did not have any additional pregnancy complications despite the delay in her diagnosis.

Ayu Khoirotul Umaroh,1 Belinda Meliana Elisabet,2 Dewi Ayu Puspitasari,2 Feniati Rahayu Aisyah,2 Sylviasari Risgiantini,2 Hadi Pratomo2 1Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia; 2Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, IndonesiaCorrespondence: Ayu Khoirotul Umaroh, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Surakarta, Central Java, 57169, Indonesia, Tel +62 83842454023, Email Aku669@ums.ac.idPurpose: This study was to analyze the responses of informants about Instagram infographics on Covid-19 prevention for pregnant women.Methods: This was a qualitative study that used Rapid Assessment Procedure (RAP) and used pretesting communication theory. The informant selection technique was purposive sampling that consist of three pregnant women as main informants, a midwifery lecturer and a visual graphic designer as key informants. One-to-one pretesting communication procedure was selected because the research was conducted at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, so it had a difficulty in recruiting informants. The interview guideline was conducted by the research team and was examined in a field trial. Data collection was by semi-structured interview using voice call WhatsApp application. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: In attraction aspect, this was considered quite interesting by the informants. In comprehension aspect, the messages were easily understood because of using brief, concise, and simple sentences. Furthermore, the messages were supported by images and comprehensive. In acceptance aspect, all the informants’ opinions were identified that the messages of this infographic did not have a conflict with the existing norms. In self-involvement aspect, this infographic was in accordance with the current condition of the informants. In persuasion aspect, it had a good persuasive value as the informants were willing to share the infographic with others.Conclusion: The infographic still needed improvements from the attraction aspect such as consider using contrasting colour between the background and text, equalize the font size and change icons to become related to the text. As from the comprehension aspect consider using terms that are more popular in the community. There were no need improvements from acceptance, self-involvement, and persuasion aspects. However, evidence-based research is still needed on how this infographic is developed and implemented to optimize transfer of knowledge.Keywords: disease emergence, health education, social media, pregnancy care

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the delivery of diabetes in pregnancy care and general maternity care. This study aimed to explore the experiences and acceptability of telehealth use in diabetes in pregnancy care during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the perspectives of pregnant women and their clinicians. The secondary aim was to explore the experiences of pregnant women receiving general maternity care via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In-depth qualitative semi-structured interviews were undertaken and analysed via thematic inductive approaches. The Nonadoption, Abandonment, and Challenges to the Scale-Up, Spread, and Sustainability of Health and Care Technologies Framework (NASSS) was applied. Results Eigthteen interviews were conducted with culturally and linguistically diverse pregnant women and 4 clinicians (endocrinologists and dietitians). All interviewees were satisfied with telehealth as a positive alternative to face-to-face consultations for diabetes care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous benefits of delivering diabetes care via telehealth were discussed and themes centred around greater access to care, economic benefits and improved safety. Most barriers concerned the adopters (clinicians), yet, feasible and realistic suggestions to overcome barriers were voiced. The scope for technology adaptation and ongoing embedment into routine diabetes care was described. Overall, a hybrid flexible delivery model, predominantly consisting of telephone consultations, with some face-to-face consultations for initial diabetes appointments was recommended for future care. The use of telehealth in replacement of face-to-face appointments for general maternity care was perceived as reducing care quality. Conclusion In this study, telehealth was viewed as acceptable to women and clinicians for diabetes in pregnancy care, supporting the ongoing delivery of a hybrid service model of telehealth and face-to-face care. These findings provide valuable information to improve diabetes in pregnancy services to meet the needs of women during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Diabetes mellitus during pregnancy and gestational diabetes are major concerns worldwide. These conditions may lead to the development of severe diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy or worsen pre-existing cases. Gestational diabetes also increases the risk of diabetes for both the mother and the fetus in the future. Understanding the prevalence, evaluating risk factors contributing to pathogenesis, and identifying treatment challenges related to diabetic retinopathy in expectant mothers are all of utmost importance. Pregnancy-related physiological changes, including those in metabolism, blood flow, immunity, and hormones, can contribute to the development or worsening of diabetic retinopathy. If left untreated, this condition may eventually result in irreversible vision loss. Treatment options such as laser therapy, intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs, and intravitreal steroids pose challenges in managing these patients without endangering the developing baby and mother. This narrative review describes the management of diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy, highlights its risk factors, pathophysiology, and diagnostic methods, and offers recommendations based on findings from previous literature.

Pregnancy is a long and critical period for most women and a period that has significant impacts for newborns. Many pregnancies have an increased risk for complications for a variety of reasons. Fortunately, early prenatal care and regular examination can help women have healthy pregnancies and deliver with fewer complications. However, current research shows that many expectant mothers do not have a clear understanding of the pregnancy process due to the complexity of medical information and inadequate attention from caregivers. Therefore, in this work, we collected data on expectant mothers’ requirements and investigated the various medical treatments during pregnancy and the correlations between possible symptoms and newborn diseases. Based on the above knowledge, we then developed a visual analytic system named PregnancyLine, which presents a pregnancy care plan and information on the medical examinations at each pregnancy stage using a series of vivid visual metaphors. This system is designed to improve communication between pregnant women and doctors and help doctors identify patients with abnormalities and abnormal events. The results of the evaluation and case studies indicate that our system is effective in helping pregnant women understand pregnancy risk and the importance of examinations and that it is very useful in the detection and understanding of abnormalities.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a subtype of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. Managing blood glucose (BG) within the healthy physiological range can reduce clinical complications for women with gestational diabetes. The objectives of this study are to (1) develop benchmark glucose prediction models with long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network models using time-series data collected from the GDm-Health platform, (2) compare the prediction accuracy with published results, and (3) suggest an optimized clinical review schedule with the potential to reduce the overall number of blood tests for mothers with stable and within-range glucose measurements. A total of 190,396 BG readings from 1110 patients were used for model development, validation and testing under three different prediction schemes: 7 days of BG readings to predict the next 7 or 14 days and 14 days to predict 14 days. Our results show that the optimized BG schedule based on a 7-day observational window to predict the BG of the next 14 days achieved the accuracies of the root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.958 ± 0.007, 0.876 ± 0.003, 0.898 ± 0.003, 0.622 ± 0.003, 0.814 ± 0.009 and 0.845 ± 0.005 for the after-breakfast, after-lunch, after-dinner, before-breakfast, before-lunch and before-dinner predictions, respectively. This is the first machine learning study that suggested an optimized blood glucose monitoring frequency, which is 7 days to monitor the next 14 days based on the accuracy of blood glucose prediction. Moreover, the accuracy of our proposed model based on the fingerstick blood glucose test is on par with the prediction accuracies compared with the benchmark performance of one-hour prediction models using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) readings. In conclusion, the stacked LSTM model is a promising approach for capturing the patterns in time-series data, resulting in accurate predictions of BG levels. Using a deep learning model with routine fingerstick glucose collection is a promising, predictable and low-cost solution for BG monitoring for women with gestational diabetes.

Abstract Backgrounds Risk factors related to the built environment have been associated with women’s mental health and preventive care. This study sought to identify built environment factors that are associated with variations in prenatal care and subsequent pregnancy-related outcomes in an urban setting. Methods In a retrospective observational study, we characterized the types and frequency of prenatal care events that are associated with the various built environment factors of the patients’ residing neighborhoods. In comparison to women living in higher-quality built environments, we hypothesize that women who reside in lower-quality built environments experience different patterns of clinical events that may increase the risk for adverse outcomes. Using machine learning, we performed pattern detection to characterize the variability in prenatal care concerning encounter types, clinical problems, and medication prescriptions. Structural equation modeling was used to test the associations among built environment, prenatal care variation, and pregnancy outcome. The main outcome is postpartum depression (PPD) diagnosis within 1 year following childbirth. The exposures were the quality of the built environment in the patients’ residing neighborhoods. Electronic health records (EHR) data of pregnant women (n = 8,949) who had live delivery at an urban academic medical center from 2015 to 2017 were included in the study. Results We discovered prenatal care patterns that were summarized into three common types. Women who experienced the prenatal care pattern with the highest rates of PPD were more likely to reside in neighborhoods with homogeneous land use, lower walkability, lower air pollutant concentration, and lower retail floor ratios after adjusting for age, neighborhood average education level, marital status, and income inequality. Conclusions In an urban setting, multi-purpose and walkable communities were found to be associated with a lower risk of PPD. Findings may inform urban design policies and provide awareness for care providers on the association of patients’ residing neighborhoods and healthy pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Use of timely antenatal care has been identified as key to facilitating healthy pregnancies worldwide. Although considerable investment has been made to enhance maternal health services in Nepal, approximately one-third of women do not attend antenatal care until after the first trimester (late). These women miss out on the benefits of screening and interventions that are most effective in the first trimester. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the missed opportunities of women who do not attend antenatal care in the first trimester, and to explore some of the factors underlying late attendance and consider potential solutions for minimizing these missed opportunities in the future. STUDY DESIGN: This study was conducted in 3 hospitals in Nepal. Focus groups (n=18) with a total of 48 postnatal women and 49 staff members, and 10 individual interviews with stakeholders were conducted. Purposive sampling facilitated the obtainment of a full range of maternity experiences, staff categories, and stakeholder positions. Data were qualitative and analyzed using a thematic approach. RESULTS: Limited awareness among women of the importance of early antenatal care was reported as a key factor behind attendance only after the first trimester. The family and community were described as significant influencers in women's decision-making regarding the timing of antenatal care. The benefits of early ultrasound scanning and effective supplementation in pregnancy were the major missed opportunities. Increasing awareness, reducing cost, and enhancing interprofessional collaboration were suggested as potential methods for improving timely initiation of antenatal care. CONCLUSION: Limited awareness continues to drive late attendance to antenatal care after the first trimester. Investment in services in the first trimester and community health education campaigns are needed to improve this issue and enhance maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Background: Men’s influences are gradually being recognised in pregnancy and delivery care. The study aims to determine the knowledge and attitude of male commercial motorcyclists on pregnancy care and delivery of women. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among married male commercial motorcyclists, operating in Ibadan North Local Government Area selected using a cluster sampling technique. Data was collected using a pre-tested, structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, and analysed using SPSS version 16. Each section was evaluated using rating of a three-point Likert scale with each item scored based on responses ranging from disagree to agree. Results were presented in tables and charts. Results: Four hundred and fifty three male commercial motorcyclists were interviewed. The mean age was 34.2±7.3years, 301 (66.4%) had secondary education, while 390 (86.1%) were in a monogamous marriage. Thirty 30(6.6%) respondents did not know when their wives registered for ANC while majority, 444(98.1%) did not know the duration of their wives’ labour. Few respondents 46 (10.2%) recognized vaginal bleeding as a common danger signs in pregnancy while 277 (61.1%) agree that women should have at least four ANC visits before delivery. Many of the respondents 315 (69.6%) had good knowledge, and 304 (67.1%) had positive attitude towards antenatal and delivery care. Conclusion: Educational efforts on maternal health care should also focus on the men to improve their knowledge, attitude and involvement in antenatal and pregnancy.

Abstract Background Health insurance ownership is one indicator of the readiness of pregnant women for the delivery process. The study aimed to analyze the determinants of health insurance ownership among pregnant women in Indonesia. Methods The study population was pregnant women in Indonesia. The study involved 2542 pregnant women in Indonesia. The variables analyzed included type of place of residence, age group, education level, employment status, marital status, parity, wealth status, and know the danger signs of pregnancy. In the final step, the study employed binary logistic regression to explain the relationship between health insurance ownership and predictor variables. Results The results show that pregnant women with higher education were 3.349 times more likely than no education pregnant women to have health insurance. Pregnant women with wealth status in the middle category were 0.679 times the poorest pregnant women to have health insurance. Meanwhile, the richest pregnant women had 1.358 times more chances than the poorest pregnant women to have health insurance. Grande multiparous pregnant women were 1.544 times more likely than primiparous pregnant women to have health insurance. Pregnant women who know the danger signs of pregnancy were 1.416 times more likely than pregnant women who don’t see the danger signs of pregnancy to have health insurance. Conclusions The study concluded that four variables, including education level, wealth status, parity, and knowledge of the danger signs of pregnancy, were significant determinants of health insurance ownership in Indonesia.

Introduction: Gestational diabetes increases maternal and neonatal complications. Therefore, this study was performed with aim to examine the effect of the number of pregnancy cares on the reduction of maternal and neonatal complications in women with gestational diabetes. Methods: This cohort study was performed in 2018-2020 on 119 mothers with gestational diabetes in Omolbanin hospital. The subjects in the two groups of pregnancy visits < 10 times and ≥10 times were compared in terms of neonatal complications such as overweight 90%, dystocia and maternal complications like preeclampsia. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software (version 23) and independent t-test and Mann-Whitney, Chi-square and Fisher tests. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In this study, among 119 pregnant women with gestational diabetes, 37 (31.09%) were in the group of pregnancy visits ≥ 10 times and 82 (68.90%) in the group of pregnancy visits < 10 times. The number of infants weighing more than 90 percent was 4 (10.8%) in the group of pregnancy visits ≥ 10 times and was 4 (4.9%) in the group of pregnancy visits < 10 times, which had no statistically significant difference (P=0.2). Mean fasting blood sugar of mothers in third trimester was 91.22 ± 75.14 mg/dl in the group of pregnancy visits ≥ 10 times and was 93.65 ± 30.23 mg/dl in the group of pregnancy visits < 10 times, which was similar in both groups (P=0.2). Also, the incidence of preeclampsia was 3 (6.2%) in the group of pregnancy visits ≥ 10 times and 5 (8.1%) in the group of pregnancy visits < 10 times, which was similar in the two groups (P=0.8). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of other maternal and neonatal consequences. Conclusion: Increasing the number of pregnancy visits in women with gestational diabetes does not improve the maternal and neonatal outcomes.

IntroductionAustralian antenatal care includes specific screening and service provision for domestic and family violence (DFV) and mental health. However, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in major care changes, including greatly expanded telehealth. Given difficulties in a safe assessment and management of disclosures via telehealth, DFV and mental health service provision might be substantially impacted. This study therefore aimed to assess COVID-19 effects on DFV and mental health screening, as well as broader service provision from the perspective of local maternity service providers.MethodsMixed-methods study of staff surveys and interviews of staff directly involved in pregnancy care (doctors, midwives, and allied health) in three Sydney (Australia) maternity units, from October 2020 to March 2021. Surveys and interviews interrogated perceived effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on delivery (ensuring required services occurred), timeliness, and quality of (a) overall maternity care and (b) DFV and mental health screening and care; and also advantages and disadvantages of telehealth. Surveys were descriptively analyzed. Interviews were conducted online, recorded, and transcribed verbatim prior to thematic analysis.ResultsIn total, 17 interviews were conducted and 109 survey responses were received. Breakdown of survey respondents was 67% of midwives, 21% of doctors, and 10% of allied health. Over half of survey respondents felt the pandemic had a negative effect on delivery, timeliness, and quality of overall pregnancy care, and DFV and mental health screening and management. Perceived telehealth positives included convenience for women (73%) and reducing women's travel times (69%). Negative features included no physical examination (90%), difficulty regarding non-verbal cues (84%), difficulty if interpreter required (71%), and unsure if safe to ask some questions (62%). About 50% felt telehealth should continue post-pandemic, but for

Midwifery education has an important role in producing competent and professional midwives. Competent and professional midwife staff starts from a quality learning process. This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable 3D Pageflip Professional pregnancy care e-module. The type of research was Research and Development (R&D) research. The data collection techniques use primary data from the validation of experts (media expert and content expert). The results of this study indicated that media expert review got an average score of 3.77 (good criterion), content expert got an average score of 4.15 (good criterion) and the pregnancy care lecturer evaluation got an average score of 4.14 (good criterion). In addition, it stated that 3D Pageflip Professional pregnancy care e-module was good and deserved to be tested in the learning process. 3D Pageflip Professional pregnancy care e-module developed as an alternative to assist midwifery students in overcoming learning difficulties. Implications this article are giving the curriculum knowledge focused on learning innovations. The application of e-pregnancy care modules was easy to learn and practically accessible anywhere. To be development and innovative teaching content of education midwife and source study midwifery student so as to increase motivation and learning outcome.

Background and Aim: Pregnancy due to physiological and psychological changes can affect the mental health of mothers. This study aims to investigate the Approach of acceptance and commitment based on the fear of delivery pain. Materials and Methods: This study was a randomized educational trial with a commitment-based treatment approach that was performed on pregnant women in Arak in 2016-2017. After obtaining written consent forms, 42 subjects were selected through the available sampling method. Subjects were grouped in the intervention group (ACT) and in the control group. Eight 90-minute sessions were held for 8 consecutive weeks of counseling Fear of delivery pain at 10 and one month after the intervention was measured in 2 groups by the Likert scale of pain (1-7) score. Data analysis was performed through repeated measure ANOVA by using SPSS (Version 18). Results: Results showed that the mean pain immediately after the intervention was 2.52±2.20 in the intervention group and 4.66±1.80 in the control group. Which is a month later in the intervention group compared to the control group had a significant decrease (3.52±1.81 vs. 4.52±2.30) (P=0.001). Conclusion: In this study, counseling with the approach of acceptance and commitment reduction the fear of delivery pain, which is the most important reason for choosing cesarean section in women, Therefore, it seems that empowering midwives to counseling approaches can be useful to improve maternal care during pregnancy, especially in the administration of delivery preparation classes.

Abstract Background This study aims to explore the potential association between unintended pregnancy and maternal health complications. Secondarily, we test whether antenatal care (ANC) and community health worker (CHW) visits moderate the observed association between unintended pregnancy and maternal health complications. Methods Cross sectional data were collected using a multistage sampling design to identify women who had a live birth in the last 12 months across 25 highest risk districts of Uttar Pradesh (N = 3659). Participants were surveyed on demographics, unintendedness of last pregnancy, receipt of ANC clinical visits and community outreach during pregnancy, and maternal complications. Regression models described the relations between unintended pregnancy and maternal complications. To determine if receipt of ANC and CHW visits in pregnancy moderated associations between unintended pregnancy and maternal complications, we used the Mantel-Haenzel risk estimation test and stratified logistic models testing interactions of unintended pregnancy and receipt of health services to predict maternal complications. Results Around one-fifth of the women (16.9%) reported that their previous pregnancy was unintended. Logistic regression analyses revealed that unintended pregnancy was significantly associated with maternal complications- pre-eclampsia (AOR:2.06; 95% CI:1.57–2.72), postpartum hemorrhage (AOR:1.46; 95% CI: 1.01–2.13) and postpartum pre-eclampsia (AOR:2.34; 95% CI:1.47–3.72). Results from the Mantel Haenszel test indicated that both ANC and CHW home visit in pregnancy significantly affect the association between unintended pregnancy and postpartum hemorrhage (p

Background Women with untreated phenylketonuria (PKU) are at an increased risk to have offspring with multiple abnormalities due to teratogenic effects of hyperphenylalaninaemia. Treatment goals include blood phenylalanine concentrations between 120 and 360 µmol/L, however, there are limited pieces of evidence for the practical management of pregnant PKU patient and prediction of phenylalanine tolerance changes during a course of pregnancy. Case We report the case of a mother with classical PKU (p.R408W/p.R408W) and the course of her two pregnancies with low phenylalanine tolerance increase (347mg and 227mg) despite the rewarding collaboration with a nutritionist. Conclusion This case report does not confirm the observation that a very low phenylalanine tolerance increase in pregnancy of PKU patient is a marker of coexisting PKU-affection in fetus.

BACKGROUND: Globally, many mothers and their babies die during pregnancy and childbirth. A key element of optimizing outcomes is high-quality antenatal care. The Government of Nepal has significantly improved antenatal care and health outcomes through high-level commitment and investment; however, only 69% of patients attend the 4 recommended antenatal appointments. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the quality and perceptions of antenatal care in Nepal to understand compliance with the Nepalese standards. STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary referral and private hospital in Kathmandu and a secondary hospital in Makwanpur, Nepal. The study recruited 538 female inpatients on postnatal wards during the 2-week data collection period from May 2019 to June 2019. A review of case notes and verbal survey of women to understand the pregnancy information they received and their satisfaction with antenatal care were performed. We created a summary score of the completeness of antenatal care services received ranging from 0 to 50 (50 indicating complete conformity with standards) and investigated the determinants of attending 4 antenatal care visits and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: The median antenatal care attendance was 4 visits at the secondary and referral hospitals and 8 visits at the private hospital. However, 24% of the patients attended

Abstract Cesarean deliveries are widely used in many high- and middle-income countries. This overuse both increases costs and lowers quality of care and is thus a major concern in the healthcare industry. The study first examines the impact of prenatal care utilization on cesarean delivery rates. It then determines whether socioeconomic status affects the use of prenatal care and thereby influences the cesarean delivery decision. Using exclusive French delivery data over the 2008–2014 period, with multilevel logit models, and controlling for relevant patient and hospital characteristics, we show that women who do not participate in prenatal education have an increased probability of a cesarean delivery compared to those who do. The study further indicates that attendance at prenatal education varies according to socioeconomic status. Low socioeconomic women are more likely to have cesarean deliveries and less likely to participate in prenatal education. This result emphasizes the importance of focusing on pregnancy health education, particularly for low-income women, as a potential way to limit unnecessary cesarean deliveries. Future studies would ideally investigate the effect of interventions promoting such as care participation on cesarean delivery rates.

Abstract Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an increasingly common condition of pregnancy. It is associated with adverse fetal, infant and maternal outcomes, as well as an increased risk of GDM in future pregnancies and type 2 diabetes for both mother and offspring. Previous studies have shown that GDM can result in an emotionally distressing pregnancy, but there is little research on the patient experience of GDM care, especially of a demographically diverse UK population. The aim of this research was to explore the experiences of GDM and GDM care for a group of women attending a large diabetes pregnancy unit in southeast London, UK, in order to improve care. Methods Framework analysis was used to support an integrated analysis of data from six focus groups with 35 women and semi-structured interviews with 15 women, held in 2015. Participants were purposively sampled and were representative of the population being studied in terms of ethnicity, age, deprivation score and body mass index (BMI). Results We identified seven themes: the disrupted pregnancy, projected anxiety, reproductive asceticism, women as baby machines, perceived stigma, lack of shared understanding and postpartum abandonment. These themes highlight the often distressing experience of GDM. While most women were grateful for the intensive support they received during pregnancy, the costs to their personal autonomy were high. Women described feeling valued solely as a means to produce a healthy infant, and felt chastised if they failed to adhere to the behaviours required to achieve this. This sometimes had an enduring impact to the potential detriment of women’s long-term psychological and physical health. Conclusions This study reveals the experiences of a demographically diverse group of patients with GDM, reflecting findings from previous studies globally and extending analysis to the context of improving care. Healthcare delivery may need to be reoriented to improve the pregnancy experience and help ensure women are engaged and attentive to their own health, particularly after birth, without compromising clinical pregnancy outcomes. Areas for consideration in GDM healthcare include: improved management of emotional responses to GDM; a more motivational approach; rethinking the medicalisation of care; and improved postpartum care.

Background: Pregnant women need information, skills and social support for the effectiveness of pregnancy care. Health education patterns play a major role in educational needs assessment in designing and implementing educational interventions. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the pregnancy care behaviors, based on the health belief and social support model among pregnant women. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 with the participation of 215 pregnant women under the control of faculty of Iranshahr Medical Sciences who were selected by multi-stage sampling method. The data were collected through a questionnaire based on the structures of the health belief and social support model, knowledge, behavior and demographic information. Data were analyzed by descriptive, Pearson correlation and multivariate regression tests in SPSS ver19 software. Results: The highest rate of education among pregnant women (35.8%) was high school. The mean score of mothers' performance was 12.31 out of 22, and among the structures the perceived sensitivity score was the strongest, and the social support score was the weakest. Based on regression analysis, self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and social support were predictive behaviors which generally predict 27.5% of behavioral changes. Conclusion: Based on the results, the structures of self-efficacy, perceived benefits and social support should be considered as the most important predictor of pregnancy care behaviors in designing educational interventions.

Introduction: Now-a-days, pregnancy care is considered as one of the main public health focus. Pregnancy care plays an important role in the health of the mother, the newborn and the family. Therefore, efforts to evaluate the quality of care are necessary for encouraging the policymakers to create an effective program for improving the quality of health services. Aim: To determine the quality of pregnancy care from the perspective of service recipients using the SERVQUAL model in comprehensive health centers of Sanandaj of, Iran in 2018. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was conducted on 384 pregnant women who were referred to the comprehensive health centers of Sanandaj for receiving pregnancy care. Population sampling was done based on the classification method. Data collection was performed by the standard SERVQUAL questionnaire, which measures the quality gap in five dimensions of the service (sensibility, reliability, assurance, responsibility, and empathy) using 22 questions. Data were analysed by SPSS-23 software using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and t-tests. Results: In all five dimensions of the quality of services provided (sensibility, reliability, responsibility, assurance, and empathy), there was a negative quality gap. The highest mean quality gap was in the reliability dimension (-1.84) and the lowest mean gap was seen in the empathy dimension (-1.49). Conclusion: Data analysis showed that in all five dimensions of the quality of services, the expectation level of service recipients was beyond the level of their perceptions, and the quality improvement in the various aspects seems to be necessary.

Background: Prenatal care is one way to prevent complications of pregnancy, and educational approach is the best approach to improve the knowledge of mothers about prenatal care. Aim: This study aimed to determine the influence of education on knowledge, attitude, and behavior of pregnancy care in Kendari, Indonesia Methods: This was Quasi Experimental study with pre-post design. There were 4 groups involved in this study, which were: 1) The group that received educational intervention using a modification module from the MHC book of the Department of Health, 2) The group that received educational intervention using MHC book of the Department of Health, 3) The group that only used modification modules from MHC book of the Department of Health, and 4) The group that only used the MHC book of Department of Health. The intervention was given for 6 months. Seventy eight of 4-months pregnant women were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected by asking the respondents to fulfill the questionnaires, which adopted from the questionnaire of Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University to measure knowledge (15 items), attitude (18 items), and behaviors (15 items) of respondents. Data were analyzed by using Wilcoxon test and Kruskal Wallis test. Results: Results showed thre was an influence of education on knowledge, attitude, and behavior of pregnancy care. Improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of pregnancy care was higher in the group of pregnant women using a modification module Conclusion: Education through the class of pregnant woman has an impact to increase knowledge, attitude, and behavior of care of pregnant woman. It is therefore the efforts to maintain educational approach is necessary.

Background: Energy metabolism speeds up during pregnancy that requires pregnant women to have extra amount of nutritions. Provision of education on nutrition during pregnancy is an effort to prevent and tackle malnutrition. Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of education using modification module towards nutritional intake during pregnancy in Kendari, Indonesia Methods: This was Quasi Experimental study with pre-post design. There were 4 groups in this study, which were: 1) The group that received educational intervention using a modification module from the MHC book of the Department of Health, 2) The group that received educational intervention using MHC book of the Department of Health, 3) The group that only used modification modules from MHC book of the Department of Health, and 4) The group that only used the MHC book of Department of Health. The intervention was given for 6 months. Seventy eight of 4-months pregnant women were selected in this study. Data were collected by using 24 hours food recall instrument, and questionnaire adopted from Child and Maternal Nutrition Survey's Questionnaire of Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University. Data were analyzed by using Wilcoxon test and Kruskal Wallis test. Results: Results showed there was an effect of education by using the module modifications to the intake of nutritions during pregnancy. Increased nutrient intake was higher in pregnant women using a module class modifications. Conclusion: Education affects nutritional intake of pregnant women. Changes in nutritional intake was higher in group 1 (education modules with modifications), compared with the education group MCH handbook. It is suggested that mothers should improve the nutrition during pregnancy for the better growth of the fetus, composition and metabolic changes in the mother's body.

Background: Energy metabolism speeds up during pregnancy that requires pregnant women to have extra amount of nutritions. Provision of education on nutrition during pregnancy is an effort to prevent and tackle malnutrition. Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of education using modification module towards nutritional intake during pregnancy in Kendari, Indonesia Methods: This was Quasi Experimental study with pre-post design. There were 4 groups in this study, which were: 1) The group that received educational intervention using a modification module from the MHC book of the Department of Health, 2) The group that received educational intervention using MHC book of the Department of Health, 3) The group that only used modification modules from MHC book of the Department of Health, and 4) The group that only used the MHC book of Department of Health. The intervention was given for 6 months. Seventy eight of 4-months pregnant women were selected in this study. Data were collected by using 24 hours food recall instrument, and questionnaire adopted from Child and Maternal Nutrition Survey’s Questionnaire of Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University. Data were analyzed by using Wilcoxon test and Kruskal Wallis test. Results: Results showed there was an effect of education by using the module modifications to the intake of nutritions during pregnancy. Increased nutrient intake was higher in pregnant women using a module class modifications. Conclusion: Education affects nutritional intake of pregnant women. Changes in nutritional intake was higher in group 1 (education modules with modifications), compared with the education group MCH handbook. It is suggested that mothers should improve the nutrition during pregnancy for the better growth of the fetus, composition and metabolic changes in the mother's body.

Background: Prenatal care is one way to prevent complications of pregnancy, and educational approach is the best approach to improve the knowledge of mothers about prenatal care. Aim: This study aimed to determine the influence of education on knowledge, attitude, and behavior of pregnancy care in Kendari, Indonesia Methods: This was Quasi Experimental study with pre-post design. There were 4 groups involved in this study, which were: 1) The group that received educational intervention using a modification module from the MHC book of the Department of Health, 2) The group that received educational intervention using MHC book of the Department of Health, 3) The group that only used modification modules from MHC book of the Department of Health, and 4) The group that only used the MHC book of Department of Health. The intervention was given for 6 months. Seventy eight of 4-months pregnant women were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected by asking the respondents to fulfill the questionnaires, which adopted from the questionnaire of Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University to measure knowledge (15 items), attitude (18 items), and behaviors (15 items) of respondents. Data were analyzed by using Wilcoxon test and Kruskal Wallis test. Results: Results showed thre was an influence of education on knowledge, attitude, and behavior of pregnancy care. Improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of pregnancy care was higher in the group of pregnant women using a modification module Conclusion: Education through the class of pregnant woman has an impact to increase knowledge, attitude, and behavior of care of pregnant woman. It is therefore the efforts to maintain educational approach is necessary.

Background and Objectives : Technical quality of health care, compared with whatever is presented on the basis of scientific evidence as a standard service, is an important aspect of the quality in health services and everything that customer receives. The purpose of this study was to assess the technical quality of prenatal care according to the standards of the Ministry of Health from the perspective of pregnant women at Shahid Chamran Health Centers in Tabriz. Material and Methods : This was a cross-sectional study based on CQMH model. Forty pregnant women were selected randomly from the women who referred to Shahid Chamran Health Centers. We used standard questionnaire for collecting data which its validity has been tested and its reliability was confirmed. (Cronbach's alpha, .952) Results: The findings of the study showed that the highest level of compliance with the standard was the examining of women and listening to fetal heartbeat (16.7%) in the clinical examination. Regarding the prenatal care standard, the highest level of compliance was in oral health education (6.8%) which is 80% lower than the standard and 13.3% higher than the standard. These findings also indicated that education about bleeding and spotting is 90% lower than standard. Prescribing pharmaceutical supplements was higher than standard. In part of paraclinical services, the highest level of compliance with standard was the number of blood tests (50%) that was 6.7% lower than standard and 43.3% higher than standard. Conclusion : A significant proportion of pregnant women statements indicated the underuse and overuse of the standard which leads to a need for indispensable changes in order to improve the quality of prenatal care according to the standards of the Ministry of Health. Standards were in poor condition at the clinical examinations and prenatal care educations fields which require appropriate intervention based on the results of this study. ​

All pregnant women need easy access to pregnancy-related personalized information, on-time quality healthcare services and effective communication links with healthcare providers. Smartphone-based devices, communication systems and eHealth applications can play an important role in facilitating some of these services to pregnant women in a fast and efficient way and can thus prevent most of the pregnancy-related complications. The objective of this work is to propose and design a pregnancy care network for pregnant women and healthcare providers. The network model, an eHealth application based on smartphone-based devices and communication systems, is designed to strengthen communication links between health professionals and pregnant women and increase education, awareness and quality of care during pregnancy and childbirth.