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Women living with HIV (WLHIV) commonly experience HIV-related shame which can interfere with HIV care-seeking behavior and lead to poor clinical outcomes. HIV-related shame may be particularly heightened during the pregnancy and postpartum periods. This study aimed to describe HIV-related shame among WLHIV giving birth, identify associated factors, and qualitatively examine the impacts of HIV-related shame on the childbirth experience. Postpartum WLHIV (n = 103) were enrolled in the study between March and July 2022 at six clinics in the Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Participants completed a survey within 48 h after birth, prior to being discharged. The survey included a 13-item measure of HIV-related shame, which assessed levels of HIV-related shame (Range: 0–52). Univariable and multivariable regression models examined factors associated with HIV-related shame. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant WLHIV (n = 12) and postpartum WLHIV (n = 12). Thematic analysis, including memo writing, coding, and synthesis, was employed to analyze the qualitative data. The survey sample had a mean age of 29.1 (SD = 5.7), and 52% were diagnosed with HIV during the current pregnancy. Nearly all participants (98%) endorsed at least one item reflecting HIV-related shame, with an average endorsement of 9 items (IQR = 6). In the final multivariable model, HIV-related shame was significantly associated with being Muslim vs. Christian (ß = 6.80; 95%CI: 1.51, 12.09), attending less than four antenatal care appointments (ß = 5.30; 95%CI: 0.04, 10.55), and reporting experiences of HIV stigma in the health system (ß = 0.69; 95%CI: 0.27, 1.12). Qualitative discussions revealed three key themes regarding the impact of HIV-related shame on the childbirth experience: reluctance to disclose HIV status, suboptimal adherence to care, and the influence on social support networks. WLHIV giving birth experience high rates of HIV-related shame, and social determinants may contribute to feelings of shame. HIV-related shame impacts the childbirth experience for WLHIV, making the labor and delivery setting an important site for intervention and support. The study is funded by the National Institutes of Health (R21 TW012001) and is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05271903). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundObstetric violence during labor and delivery is one of the main reasons that women do not seek care from health caregivers in health facilities. Developing respectful maternity care services for women is the most important approach to ensure better newborn and maternal outcomes.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the magnitude of obstetric violence and associated factors among women who gave birth at public hospitals in Addis Adaba city administration, Ethiopia.MethodsAn institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 409 mothers who had given birth at two public hospitals (Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Abebech Gobena Mothers and Children's Health Hospital) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 1 to 30 May 2023. A systematic sampling method was applied and data were collected using a structured face-to-face interview questionnaire and entered into EpiData 3.1. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 25. Bi-variable and multivariate analyses were performed. Statistical significance was declared at a P-value

Complications throughout the peripartum period may be caused by preexisting conditions or pregnancy-induced conditions and may alter pharmacotherapy management. Pharmacotherapy management during late pregnancy and delivery requires careful consideration due to changing hormones, hemodynamic status, and pharmacokinetics, and concerns for potential maternal and/or fetal morbidity. Increased maternal and fetal monitoring are often required and may lead to therapy changes. Pharmacists, as key members of the interprofessional team, can contribute essential perspective to the management of postpartum pharmacotherapy through assessment and recommendation of appropriate and judicious use of medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the implementation of a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) intervention to improve the practice of birth companionship at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study found that the introduction of the PDSA intervention significantly increased the practice of birth companionship, with the percentage of mothers utilizing the service rising from less than 2% to 94.7%. The findings suggest that a stepwise PDSA intervention can effectively improve the practice of birth companionship and contribute to the realization of effective implementation of birth companions for all mothers during labor and delivery. [Extracted from the article]

Hospital labor and delivery floors frequently operate like intensive care units (ICUs)—with continuous data feeds pouring into central monitoring stations against a background of blaring alarms. Yet the majority of obstetric patients are healthy and do not require ICU-level care. Despite limited organizational recommendations guiding the frequency of vital sign measurement, continuous pulse oximetry is used widely for laboring patients. There is also no evidence that morbidity prevention is linked to specific frequencies of vital sign monitoring in low-risk patients. In fact, studies examining the performance of maternal early warnings systems based on vital signs suggest that these may not reliably provide actionable information regarding maternal physiologic status. Furthermore, it is very possible that intrapartum maternal overmonitoring can impact care negatively by generating alarm fatigue, causing providers to miss actual abnormal vital signs that may precede morbidity. Key Points Labor and delivery units may engage in maternal physiologic overmonitoring. Overmonitoring increases risk for alarm fatigue. Deimplementing low-value care may improve obstetric outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of nulliparous women over the age of 35 is consistently increasing, and the optimal delivery strategy is a subject of ongoing discussion. This study compares perinatal outcomes in nulliparous women aged ≥35 years undergoing a trial of labor (TOL) versus a planned cesarean delivery (CD). Methods: A retrospective cohort study including all nulliparous women ≥ 35 years who delivered a single term fetus at a single center between 2007–2019. We compared obstetric and perinatal outcomes according to mode of delivery—TOL versus a planned CD, in three different age groups: (1) 35–37 years, (2) 38–40 years, and (3) >40 years. Results: Out of 103,920 deliveries during the study period, 3034 women met the inclusion criteria. Of them, 1626 (53.59%) were 35–37 years old (group 1), 848 (27.95%) were 38–40 (group 2), and 560 (18.46%) were >40 years (group 3). TOL rates decreased as age increased: 87.7% in group 1, 79.3% in group 2, and 50.1% in group 3, p < 0.001. Rates of successful vaginal delivery were 83.4% in group 1, 79.0% in group 2, and 69.4% in group 3, p < 0.001). Neonatal outcomes were comparable between a TOL and a planned CD. Using multivariate logistic regression, maternal age was found to be independently associated with slightly increased odds for a failed TOL (aOR = 1.13, CI 95% 1.067–1.202). Conclusions: A TOL at advanced maternal age appears to be safe, with considerable success rates. As maternal age advances, there is a small additive risk of intrapartum CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birthing balls and peanut balls have been used for decades by nurses and midwives as a nonpharmacologic adjunct to labor management based on anecdotal evidence. This article aimed to review the evidence regarding their safety and efficacy based on randomized controlled trials. Birthing balls are round exercise balls that a laboring individual can use for sitting, rocking, and pelvic rotation. The use of the birthing balls has been thought to increase maternal comfort and mimic upright positioning to widen the pelvic outlet for those laboring without an epidural. A recent meta-analysis showed that the use of the birthing ball in labor significantly reduces maternal pain in labor by 1.7 points on a standard visual analog scale of 1 to 10 (mean difference, −1.70 points; 95% confidence interval, −2.20 to −1.20). The use of the birthing ball does not significantly affect the mode of delivery or the rate of other obstetrical complications. This suggests that its use is safe and can offer subjective improvement in maternal pain experienced during labor. The peanut ball is a peanut-shaped plastic ball placed between the knees of a person laboring in the lateral recumbent position, a position common in those laboring with an epidural. Traditionally, its use has been thought to allow for bent-knee positioning that can mimic a squatting position and facilitate frequent and optimal position changes during labor. Data regarding the effects of the peanut ball are mixed. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that the use of the peanut ball compared with no peanut ball is associated with a significantly decreased first stage of labor (mean difference, −87.42 minutes; 95% confidence interval, −94.49 to −80.34) and an 11% higher relative risk of vaginal delivery (relative risk, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.22; n=669). The use of the peanut ball is not associated with increased incidences of obstetrical complications. As such, it is reasonable to offer to individuals in labor. There has been no reported risk of the use of either the birthing ball or the peanut ball. As such, both interventions can be offered to individuals in labor as an adjunct to labor management techniques based on moderate quality evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo evaluate the degree to which registered nurses perceive their labor and delivery units to be adhering to Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) staffing guidelines.DesignProspective, cross-sectional study via an online survey of labor nurses recruited from hospitals in three states.Setting/local problemIn late 2016 and early 2017, labor nurses in selected hospitals in California, Michigan, and New Jersey were contacted via e-mail invitation to participate in a study about nursing care during labor and birth. Nurse leaders in each hospital facilitated the invitations.ParticipantsA total of 615 labor nurses from 67 hospitals.Intervention/measurementsDescriptive statistics and linear regression models were used for data analysis.ResultsMost nurses reported that the AWHONN nurse staffing guidelines were frequently or always followed in all aspects of care surveyed. Hospitals with annual birth volumes of 500 to 999 range were significantly more likely than hospitals with 2,500 or more annual births to be perceived as compliant with AWHONN staffing guidelines.ConclusionWhen the AWHONN staffing guidelines were first published in 2010, there was concern among some nurse leaders that they would not be adopted into clinical practice, yet nurses in our sample overwhelmingly perceived their hospitals to be guideline compliant. There remains much more work to be done to determine nurse-sensitive outcomes for maternity care and to ensure that all women in labor in the United States are cared for by nurses who are not overburdened or distracted by being assigned more women than can be safely handled.

IntroductionTeaching emergency medicine residents the principles of obstetric emergencies is a challenging task, as these emergencies are uncommon in general practice and include specific maneuvers for difficult and precipitous deliveries. These requirements are not easy to satisfy in a standard lecture and are labor intensive for small groups. This resource is a board game that leverages near-peer teaching, engages student collaboration, and supports friendly competition.MethodsThe game was designed to be used by emergency medicine residents and emphasized the evaluation and management of acute issues related to labor and delivery (L&D). To play the game, three to four learners took turns answering questions. Each correct answer was awarded points for forward movement on the game board. The first person to reach the end of the game won. A faculty moderator circulated among the players to clarify questions or answers as needed.ResultsOur residents loved this resource. They were able to teach each other throughout the game while using reference materials. Participants rated the educational value of the L&D board game as 4.81 (out of 5), as compared to 4.37 for prior lectures covering the same topics. The game was rated similarly to delivery procedural skills workshops implemented in prior years (4.62-4.82).DiscussionGame-based exercises are low-tech, highly interactive teaching tools enabling students to learn from each other in a fun and engaging way. Although we did not assess knowledge retention, this activity's educational value was rated similarly to delivery procedural skills sessions.

Introduction Labor induction is an important issue in modern obstetrics. One of the important factors for the success of induction of labor is the Bishop score of cervix. Objective The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of dilapan with extra-amniotic saline infusion and oral misoprostol for cervical ripening in term pregnancies. Methods This clinical trial study was performed on 120 nulliparous pregnant women with the Bishop score of less than 5. Group one, group two and group three received dilapan, extra amniotic saline infusion (EASI) and misoprostol respectively. All three groups were compared for duration from beginning of the intervention up to cervical ripening and Bishop Score of ≥7, duration of active phase and the second stage of labor, number of deliveries in the first 24 h, duration from beginning of the intervention up to delivery, rout of delivery as well as neonatal weight, neonatal Apgar score; hyper- stimulation, and need for oxytocin and oxytocin doses administered after 12 h of intervention. Results The number of deliveries in the first 24 h after intervention were not significantly different between the three groups. There was no significant difference between the three groups according to duration from beginning of the intervention up to cervical ripening and Bishop Score of ≥7, duration of active phase and the second stage of labor, duration from beginning of the intervention up to delivery, rout of delivery as well as neonatal weight, neonatal Apgar score; and hyperstimulation. The Bishop Score was higher in the misoprostol group 6 h after intervention [dilapan: 4.32 ± 1.38, EASI: 5.47 ± 1.28, and misoprostol: 6.72 ± 1.61 (p = .000)], Oxytocin requirement [dilapan: 38 (95%) women, EASI: 37 (92.50%) and misoprostol: 30 (75%) women, p = .013], and required dose [dilapan: 7543 ± 2465 miu/ml, EASI: 5758 ± 1615miu/ml and misoprostol: 4930 ± 2589miu/ml, p = .000] were lower in misoprostol group. Conclusion Dilapan is an effective and safe method for cervical ripening in full term gestations. In cases where misoprostol and EASI cannot be used or are not desirable, dilapan can be used as an alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To compare the composite neonatal and maternal adverse outcomes among women with diabetes who labor and deliver at 37–41 weeks at distinct time shifts. Methods This population-based retrospective cohort study using the US Vital Statistics dataset on Period Linked Birth-Infant Death Data from 2013–2017. The study population was restricted to non-anomalous singleton live births from women with pregestational or gestational diabetes, who labored and delivered at 37 0/7 to 41 6/7 weeks of gestation. The time of delivery was categorized as the first shift (7:00–15:00), the second shift (15:00–23:00), and the third shift (23:00–7:00). The primary outcome was a composite neonatal adverse outcome; the secondary outcome was a composite maternal adverse outcome. Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to estimate the association between the time of delivery and adverse outcomes (using adjusted relative risk [aRR] and 95% CI). Results Of 19.8 million live births during the study period, 3.3% (643,610) met the study inclusion criteria. The overall rate of composite neonatal and maternal adverse outcomes were 9.62 and 3.63 per 1000 live births, respectively. Multivariable adjusted regression analysis showed that, compared to newborns delivered at the first shift, the risk of composite neonatal adverse outcome was modestly but significantly higher (aRR 1.19, 95% CI 1.12–1.27) in the third shift (23:00–7:00). There was no significant difference in the risk of composite maternal adverse outcomes between time shifts. In the sensitivity analysis stratified by the day of the week (weekday vs weekend), the results were consistent with the primary analyses. Conclusion Among term pregnancies complicated by diabetes, compared with delivery at 7:00–15:00, the risk of a composite neonatal adverse outcome is marginally but significantly higher if delivery occurs at the third shift (23:00–7:00). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: TeamBirth was designed to promote best practices in shared decision making (SDM) among care teams for people giving birth. Although leading health organizations recommend SDM to address gaps in quality of care, these recommendations are not consistently implemented in labor and delivery. Methods: We conducted a mixed‐methods trial of TeamBirth among eligible laboring patients and all clinicians (nurses, midwives, and obstetricians) at four high‐volume hospitals during April 2018 to September 2019. We used patient and clinician surveys, abstracted clinical data, and administrative claims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of TeamBirth. Results: A total of 2,669 patients (approximately 28% of eligible delivery volume) and 375 clinicians (78% response rate) responded to surveys on their experiences with TeamBirth. Among patients surveyed, 89% reported experiencing at least one structured full care team conversation ("huddle") during labor and 77% reported experiencing multiple huddles. There was a significant relationship between the number of reported huddles and patient acceptability (P < 0.001), suggestive of a dose response. Among clinicians surveyed, 90% would recommend TeamBirth for use in other labor and delivery units. There were no significant changes in maternal and newborn safety measures. Conclusions: Implementing a care process that aims to improve communication and teamwork during labor with high fidelity is feasible. The process is acceptable to patients and clinicians and shows no negative effects on patient safety. Future work should evaluate the effectiveness of TeamBirth in improving care experience and health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Current guidelines for second stage management do not provide guidance for community birth providers about when best to transfer women to hospital care for prolonged second stage. Our goal was to increase the evidence base for these providers by: 1) describing the lengths of second stage labor in freestanding birth centers, and 2) determining whether proportions of postpartum women and newborns experiencing complications change as length of second stage labor increases. Methods This study is a retrospective analysis of de-identified client-level data collected in the American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry, including women giving birth in freestanding birth centers January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2016. We plotted proportions of postpartum women and newborns transferred to hospital care against length of the second stage of labor, and assessed significance of these with the Cochran-Armitage test for trend or chi-square test. Secondary maternal and newborn outcomes were compared for dyads with normal and prolonged second stages of labor using Fisher’s exact test. Results Second stage labor exceeded 3 hours for 2.3% of primiparous women and 2 hours for 6.6% of multiparous women. Newborn transfers increased as second stage increased from < 15 minutes to > 2 hours (0.6% to 6.33%, p for trend = 0.0008, for primiparous women, and 1.4% to 10.6%, p for trend < 0.0001, for multiparous women.) Postpartum transfers for multiparous women increased from 1.4% after second stage < 15 minutes to greater than 4% for women after second stage exceeding 2 hours (p for trend < 0.0001.) Conclusions Complications requiring hospitalization of postpartum women and newborns become more common as the length of the second stage increases. Birth center guidelines should consider not just presence of progress but also absolute length of time as indications for transfer.

Fetal health surveillance is a significant everyday work responsibility for labor and delivery nurses. Here, nursing care is increasingly focused on technological interventions, particularly with the use of continuous electronic fetal monitoring. Using Institutional Ethnography, we explored how nurses conduct this work and uncovered the ruling relations coordinating how nurses "do" fetal health surveillance. Analysis revealed how these powerful ruling relations associated with the biomedical and medical-legal discourses coordinated nurses' fetal monitoring work. Forms requiring documentation of biophysical data caused nurses to focus on technological interventions with much less attention given to holistic and supportive care measures. In doing so, nurses inadvertently activated and participated in these powerful ruling discourses. The practice of ensuring the safe birth of the baby through advances in technological surveillance and medical interventions took priority over well-established approaches to holistic nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The high rate of maternal mortality among Black women in the United States continues to gain attention; yet research has not yet fully illuminated the precursors to these events, most impactful among them being "maternal near misses." A maternal near miss occurs when a woman nearly dies but survives a complication that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy. Researchers have focused on reviewing patient medical records after sentinel maternal events to help determine major contributors to them; however, qualitative studies with near-miss survivors, especially among Black women, may be a more useful approach. Methods: Using a qualitative methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 Black women to explore how they perceived the care provided to them during their near-miss experiences. Our study also employed a phenomenology framework to understand the lived experience of Black women who had a maternal near miss in the context of a hospital setting. Results: We interviewed 12 women between October 2020 and March 2021. All participants had a maternal near miss between the years 2010 and 2020 and were aged between 19 and 41 years when they had their near-miss experience. These women identified communication, patient–provider relationship, skills/competency of staff, provider discrimination, systems issues, and emotional distress as major contributors to their experiences. Conclusion: Maternal near misses serve as a precursor to maternal mortality events. By listening to patients and their families recount their perspectives on what leads up to these near misses, we can unearth valuable lessons that can aid in the development of strategies and interventions to decrease the numbers of pregnancy-related deaths; especially among Black women who suffer disproportionately from maternal morbidity and mortality. Based on these findings, we recommend that hospitals and OB-GYN practices consider the unique predispositions of their Black patients; account for their own personal biases, revisit the near-miss experiences of past patients to keep patients central to care and build rapport between patients and hospital birthing support staff; and center discussions about improvements in care around racist structures and systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pennsylvania sudden unexpected infant death rates rank among the highest nationally. A nursing team developed, implemented, evaluated, and disseminated an evidence-based quality improvement (QI) program at birthing hospitals in Pennsylvania to address this issue. To facilitate implementation, clinical nurses were educated as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to empower them to transform and sustain outcomes-driven QI for infant safe sleep nursing practice. Methods: This descriptive study examined outcomes from 268 nurses who received comprehensive education on infant safe sleep and the SME role. Likert-type scale surveys measured knowledge gained and progress made in practice following education. A programmatic dashboard tracked program implementation. Descriptive statistics were used to report findings. Intervention: SME nurses (N = 268) completed two interactive learning modules addressing safe sleep guidelines and teaching strategies and attended a workshop to acquire skills for program implementation. Key competencies included data collection and dissemination, policy development, and communication techniques. Results: Immediate posteducation surveys completed by SMEs indicated that over 98% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed they were able to effectively demonstrate communication strategies, identify SME role components, provide environment surveillance, and demonstrate best practices in infant safe sleep. To allow time for assimilation of the of SME role, a survey was initiated at 6 months to capture progress made. Seventy-eight SMEs responded to the survey and reported exceptional or substantial progress in 10 areas for SME responsibilities. Conclusion: Use of the SME role for program implementation led to highly favorable SME-reported outcomes in leading a hospital-based QI program. In this quality improvement project, maternity and neonatal nurses in hospitals in Pennsylvania particpated in a safe infant sleep program. After education, they became safe sleep subject matter experts who were knowledgeable, highly respected, expert communicators and collaborators committed to achieving high performance standards, and skilled in the evaluation, measurement, and dissemination of outcomes. They felt their education had prepared them to conduct data collection, synthesis, and dissemination activities associated with infant sleep safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shared decision‐making (SDM) may improve communication, teamwork, patient experience, respectful maternity care, and safety during childbirth. Despite these benefits, SDM is not widely implemented, and strategies for implementing SDM interventions are not well described. We assessed the acceptability and feasibility of TeamBirth, an SDM solution that centers the birthing person in decision‐making through simple tools that structure communication among the care team. We identified and described implementation strategies that bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study among four hospitals in the United States to understand the acceptability and feasibility of TeamBirth. We interviewed 103 clinicians and conducted 16 focus group discussions with 52 implementers between June 2018 and October 2019. We drew on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to understand acceptability and feasibility, and to identify and describe the underlying contextual factors that affected implementation. Results: We found that clinicians and implementers valued TeamBirth for promoting clarity about care plans among the direct care team and for centering the birthing person in decision‐making. Contextual factors that affected implementation included strength of leadership, physician practice models, and quality improvement culture. Effective implementation strategies included regular data feedback and adapting "flexible" components of TeamBirth to the local context. Discussion: By identifying and describing TeamBirth's contextual factors and implementation strategies, our findings can help bridge the implementation gap of SDM interventions. Our in‐depth analysis offers tangible lessons for other labor and delivery unit leaders as they seek to integrate SDM practices in their own settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To measure and assess the relationship of patient safety culture to reducing cesarean overuse., Study Setting: Maternity care hospitals in Michigan., Study Design: Cross-sectional observational design, combining individual survey data with hospital characteristics using existing databases. Multivariate Poisson regression assessed the associations between survey scores and hospital nulliparous term singleton vertex cesarean rates. Factor analysis determined the scalability of survey items., Data Collection Methods: Electronic survey distributed at the hospital site level., Principal Findings: A total of 3091 clinicians from 54 out of 57 eligible hospitals completed the survey. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated best fit with a univariate model with two local factors. The new scale encompassing both local factors, including vaginal birth microculture and safety culture, is entitled "Unit Norms." The safety culture subdomain demonstrated an association with a reduction in hospital cesarean rate [-0.15; 95% CI: -0.27 to -0.04; incident rate ratio (IRR) 0.86], parallel to but lower in magnitude to vaginal birth microculture (-0.18; 95% CI: -0.35 to -0.02; IRR 0.84)., Conclusions: Vaginal birth microculture remains the strongest predictor of cesarean delivery overuse; however, safety culture characteristics, including teamwork, psychological safety, and communication, correlate with lower cesarean delivery rates. Measuring these aspects of hospitals' culture may be important for other areas of quality improvement initiatives focused on quality and safety., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)

Due to improved outcomes in clinical care, patient safety, and education, demand for OBGYN hospitalists is increasing. As a result, an OBGYN hospitalist fellowship was developed to train future leaders in OBGYN hospital medicine. This article is a discussion regarding the landscape of OBGYN hospitalist fellowships across the country. Utilizing information from program-specific Web sites, as well as discussions with past and present fellowship directors, this article summarizes key differences and similarities across programs, as well as reviews important considerations for those hoping to start a fellowship at their own institution., Competing Interests: Disclosure No financial conflicts of interest exist., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

BackgroundInstitutional delivery is a proxy for skilled birth attendance, which is an important intervention to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Even though institutional delivery has such importance, significant numbers of women in Ethiopia do not prefer to give birth in health institutions. This study aimed to assess women’s intention to give birth in health institutions and associated factors among women who gave birth in the last 6 months in Debre Berhan town, North Showa Zone, Ethiopia, 2020.Materials and methodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among women who gave birth in the last 6 months in Debre Berhan town from October 30 to November 30, 2020. A cluster sampling technique was used to select study participants. Pretested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were administered. A logistic regression model was performed, and adjusted odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval based on p < 0.05 were used to identify statistically significant variables.ResultThis study found that a total of 689 (88.8%) (95% CI: 86.6, 91%) respondents intended to deliver in the health facility. Being multiparous [AOR = 0.18 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.36)], having planned pregnancy [AOR = 3.1 (95% CI: 1.6, 5.9)], had no complications during previous delivery (AOR = 6.0 (95% CI: 3.5, 10.4)], and received respectful maternity care (RMC) during preceding delivery [AOD = 1.8 (95% CI: 1.05, 3.10)] are significantly associated with women’s intention to give birth in the health institution.ConclusionChildbirth is a special event that requires the safest place to save the lives of both the mother and newborn. In this study, the number of women who do not have the intention to give birth in the health institution is still high. Strategies to promote planned pregnancy, reduce complications during childbirth and provide RMC during childbirth should be designed and interventions should be implemented for all childbearing women.

Introduction: Though in-hospital supplementation of the newborn is associated with decreased breastfeeding success, excessive neonatal weight loss is a medical indication for supplementation. Studies have theorized that maternal fluid intake during labor may impact neonatal weight loss, resulting in unnecessary supplementation. The purpose of this review was to synthesize evidence regarding the relationship between maternal fluid intake during labor and neonatal weight loss. Methods: Literature searches were conducted in relevant databases using controlled vocabulary. The main findings and outcomes were compared across studies and calculations conducted to report the proportion of studies reporting significant findings. Results: 11 studies were included in the review. Overall, 7 studies (64%) identified a significant relationship between maternal fluid intake during labor and neonatal weight loss. Conclusions: Given the risk to the newborn associated with excessive weight loss, it is not prudent to incorporate maternal fluid intake into supplementation guidelines based on existing evidence. Further research is needed before practice recommendations can be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) assessed whether increases in the SARS-CoV-2 test positivity rate among pregnant people at labor and delivery (L&D) could signal increases in SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in the general Illinois population earlier than current state metrics. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six birthing hospitals universally testing for SARS-CoV-2 at L&D voluntarily submitted data from June 21, 2020 through January 23, 2021, to IDPH. Hospitals reported the daily number of people who delivered, SARS-CoV-2 tests, and test results as well as symptom status. We compared the test positivity rate at L&D with the test positivity rate of the general population and the number of hospital admissions for COVID-19–like illness by quantifying correlations in trends and identifying a lead time. Results: Of 26 633 reported pregnant people who delivered, 96.8% (n = 25 772) were tested for SARS-CoV-2. The overall test positivity rate was 2.4% (n = 615); 77.7% (n = 478) were asymptomatic. In Chicago, the only region with a sufficient sample size for analysis, the test positivity rate at L&D (peak of 5% on December 7, 2020) was lower and more stable than the test positivity rate of the general population (peak of 14% on November 13, 2020) and lagged hospital admissions for COVID-19–like illness (peak of 118 on November 15, 2020) and the test positivity rate of the general population by about 10 days (Pearson correlation = 0.73 and 0.75, respectively). Practice Implications: Trends in the test positivity rate at L&D did not provide an earlier signal of increases in Illinois's SARS-CoV-2 prevalence than current state metrics did. Nonetheless, the role of universal testing protocols in identifying asymptomatic infection is important for clinical decision making and patient education about infection prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospitals quickly adapted perinatal care to mitigate SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission at the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to estimate the impact of pandemic‐related hospital policy changes on perinatal care and outcomes in one region of the United States. Methods: This interrupted time series analysis used retrospective data from consecutive singleton births at 15 hospitals in the Pacific Northwest from 2017 to 2020. The primary outcomes were those hypothesized to be affected by pandemic‐related hospital policies and included labor induction, epidural use, oxytocin augmentation, mode of delivery, and early discharge (<48 hours after cesarean and <24 hours after vaginal births). Secondary outcomes included preterm birth, severe maternal morbidity, low 5‐minute Apgar score, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and 30‐day readmission. Segmented Poisson regression models estimated the outcome level shift changes after the pandemic onset, controlling for underlying trends, seasonality, and stratifying by parity. Results: No statistically significant changes were detected in intrapartum interventions or mode of delivery after onset of the pandemic. Early discharge increased for all births following cesarean and vaginal birth. Newborn readmission rates increased but only among nulliparas (aRR: 1.49, 95%CI: 1.17, 1.91). Among multiparas, decreases were observed in preterm birth (aRR: 0.90, 95%CI: 0.84, 0.96), low 5‐minute Apgar score (aRR: 0.75, 95%CI: 0.68, 0.81), and term NICU admission rates (aRR: 0.85, 95%CI: 0.80, 0.91). Conclusions: Increases in early discharge and newborn readmission rates among nulliparas suggest a need for more postpartum support during the pandemic. Decreases in preterm birth and term NICU admission among multiparas may have implications beyond the pandemic and deserve further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: iDeliver, a digital clinical support system for maternal and neonatal care, was developed to support quality of care improvements in Kenya. Objective: Taking an implementation research approach, we evaluated the adoption and fidelity of iDeliver over time and assessed the feasibility of its use to provide routine Ministry of Health (MOH) reports. Methods: We analyzed routinely collected data from iDeliver, which was implemented at the Transmara West Sub-County Hospital from December 2018 to September 2020. To evaluate its adoption, we assessed the proportion of actual facility deliveries that was recorded in iDeliver over time. We evaluated the fidelity of iDeliver use by studying the completeness of data entry by care providers during each stage of the labor and delivery workflow and whether the use reflected iDeliver's envisioned function. We also examined the data completeness of the maternal and neonatal indicators prioritized by the Kenya MOH. Results: A total of 1164 deliveries were registered in iDeliver, capturing 45.31% (1164/2569) of the facility's deliveries over 22 months. This uptake of registration improved significantly over time by 6.7% (SE 2.1) on average in each quarter-year (P=.005), from 9.6% (15/157) in the fourth quarter of 2018 to 64% (235/367) in the third quarter of 2020. Across iDeliver's workflow, the overall completion rate of all variables improved significantly by 2.9% (SE 0.4) on average in each quarter-year (P<.001), from 22.25% (257/1155) in the fourth quarter of 2018 to 49.21% (8905/18,095) in the third quarter of 2020. Data completion was highest for the discharge-labor summary stage (16,796/23,280, 72.15%) and lowest for the labor signs stage (848/5820, 14.57%). The completion rate of the key MOH indicators also improved significantly by 4.6% (SE 0.5) on average in each quarter-year (P<.001), from 27.1% (69/255) in the fourth quarter of 2018 to 83.75% (3346/3995) in the third quarter of 2020. Conclusions: iDeliver's adoption and data completeness improved significantly over time. The assessment of iDeliver' use fidelity suggested that some features were more easily used because providers had time to enter data; however, there was low use during active childbirth, which is when providers are necessarily engaged with the woman and newborn. These insights on the adoption and fidelity of iDeliver use prompted the team to adapt the application to reflect the users' culture of use and further improve the implementation of iDeliver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Preparedness efforts for a COVID-19 outbreak required redesign and implementation of a perioperative workflow for the management of obstetric patients. In this report we describe factors which influenced rapid cycle implementation of a novel comprehensive checklist for the perioperative care of the COVID-19 parturient. Methods Within our labour and delivery unit, implementation of a novel checklist for the COVID-19 parturient requiring perioperative care was accomplished through rapid cycling, debriefing and on-site walkthroughs. Post-implementation, consistent use of the checklist was reported for all obstetric COVID-19 perioperative cases (100% workflow checklist utilization). Retrospective analysis of the factors influencing implementation was performed using a group deliberation approach, mapped against the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Results Analysis of factors influencing implementation using CFIR revealed domains of process implementation and innovation characteristics as overwhelming facilitators for success. Constructs within the outer setting, inner setting, and characteristic of individuals (external pressures, baseline culture, and personal attributes) were perceived to act as early barriers. Constructs such as communication culture and learning climate, shifted in influence over time. Conclusion We describe the influential factors of implementing a novel comprehensive obstetric workflow for care of the COVID-19 perioperative parturient during the first surge of the pandemic using the CFIR framework. Early workflow adoption was facilitated primarily by two domains, namely thoughtful innovation design and careful implementation planning in the setting of a long-standing culture of improvement. Factors initially assessed as barriers such as communication, culture and learning climate, transitioned into facilitators once a perceived benefit was experienced by healthcare teams. These results provide important information for the implementation of rapid change during a time of crisis.

Abstract Background Every day, at least 810 women die worldwide from the complications of pregnancy and childbirth, 86% of which occurring in Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. One of the contributing factors for these problems is cultural malpractices during pregnancy and childbirth. The actual incidence of cultural malpractices in developing countries accounts for about 5–15% of maternal deaths. Thus, understanding the link between cultural affairs and maternal health is critical to saving the lives of women and their babies. Therefore, this research was aimed to assess cultural malpractices during labor and delivery and associated factors among women who had at least one history of delivery in selected Zones of the Amhara region, North West Ethiopia. Method Community based cross-sectional study was conducted on women who had at least one delivery history in Awi, West, and East Gojjam Zones from January 1 to May 30, 2020. The multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select 845 study participants. Data was collected through a pre-tested and structured interview questionnaire, entered and cleaned using EPI info version 7.2, and exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was employed to assess the association of the variables and a P-value less than 0.05 was declared as statistically significant. Result Out of 845 women 162(19.2%) practiced nutritional taboo, 77(9.1%) women practiced abdominal massage and 273(32.3%) delivered their babies at home. Educational status of the respondents being un able to read and write (AOR = 14.35,95% CI: 3.12,65.96), husband's educational status (AOR = 3.80,95% CI: 1.24,11.64), residence (AOR = 2.93,95% CI: 1.41: 6.06), ethnicity (AOR = 2.20,95% CI:1.32, 3.67), pregnancy complications (AOR = 1.61,95% CI:1.02, 2.53), gravidity (AOR = 3.54,95% CI:1.38,9.08) and antenatal care follow up (AOR = 2.24, 95% CI:1.18,4.25) had statistically significant association with cultural malpractices during labor and delivery. Conclusion This study showed that cultural malpractices during childbirth were high in Awi, West, and East Gojjam Zones relative to the country's maternal health service utilization plan. Working on antenatal care follow-up and women and husband education in a culturally acceptable manner may reduce cultural malpractices during labor and delivery.

Healthcare professionals working in labor wards worldwide regularly deal with the pressure of managing an emotionally charged and life-changing period for women, their families, and their friends. Furthermore, they frequently deal with long working hours, sleep deprivation, occasional scrutiny from the press, and legal dispute. The existing disagreements among leading scientific institutions on basic concepts of intrapartum care hinder the creation of a collective mental model in the labor ward, an aspect that is required for consistency in patient counseling and effective teamwork. Some of these disagreements are as follows: 1. When should laboring women be admitted to the hospital? 2. How long is the absence of labor progress acceptable before an intervention is proposed? 3. How long should women be allowed to push during the second stage of labor before an intervention is proposed? The international scientific community owes it to the vast number of healthcare professionals working in labor wards worldwide to agree on and provide clear definitions of these basic intrapartum concepts, thus making their work a little easier. International institutions, such as the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics and the World Health Organization, have the highest authority to produce guidelines for the whole world, but the participation of leading national organizations, whose influence reaches well beyond the borders of their countries, is important for the wide dissemination of concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective  This study aims to quantitate the incidence of preterm labor (PTL) admissions and determine the frequency and predictors of preterm delivery (PTD) during these admissions. Study Design  Retrospective cohort of singleton pregnancies within Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2001 to 2011. PTL admissions were defined as inpatient encounters > 24 hours with an International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision code for PTL. Results  Total study population was 365,897 with PTL admission rate 11%. PTD occurred in 85% of pregnancies with PTL admission. Delivery occurred within 48 hours of admission in 96% ≥34 weeks, 67% 31 to 33 weeks, and 51.9%

BackgroundRespectful maternity care is one of the key strategies to increase access to use skilled maternity care services. However, limited studies are done about the extent of respectful maternity care during labor and delivery in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the proportion and identify the associated factors of respectful maternity care during childbirth among women who gave birth in North Showa zone public health institutions, North Showa zone, Ethiopia, 2020.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among women who got birth in North Showa public health institution from October 20 to November 20, 2020. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Logistic regression with adjusted odds ratio and 95% uncertainty interval was used to declare statistically significant variables based on p < 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression model.ResultThe overall proportion of respectful maternity care during childbirth was 48.6 % (95% CI: 44.6–52.3%). Urban residence AOR = 2.6 (95% CI: 1.8, 3.6), being multiparous AOR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1, 2.3), having planned pregnancy AOR = 2.4 (95% CI: 1.3, 4.3) and giving birth in health center AOR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.2, 2.8) were statistically significant factors with respectful maternity care during labor and delivery.ConclusionsThe proportion of respectful maternity care during childbirth is low. Being from an urban community, being multiparous, having planned pregnancy, and giving birth in a health center were factors that could increase the likely hood of women getting respectful maternity care during childbirth. Based on the identified factors strategies need to be designed and implemented to enhance the level of respectful maternity care.

Abstract Background Between 2006 and 2013, Peru implemented national programs which drastically decreased rates of maternal and neonatal mortality. However, since 2013, maternal and neonatal mortality in Peru have increased. Additionally, discrimination, abuse, and violence against women persists globally and impacts birthing experiences and mental health. This qualitative study sought to better understand the attitudes and beliefs regarding childbirth among women and providers in Southern Peru. This study also explores how these beliefs influence utilization of skilled care, patient-provider dynamics, and childbirth experiences and identifies factors that impact providers’ provision of care. Methods Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants from rural Colca Canyon and 15 participants from urban Arequipa between April and May 2018. In each region, 10 women who had experienced recent births and five providers were interviewed. Provider participants predominantly identified as female and were mostly midwives. All interviews were conducted, transcribed, and coded in Spanish. A framework analysis was followed, and data were charted into two separate thematic frameworks using contextual and evaluative categories of conceptualization of childbirth. Results All recent births discussed were facility-based births. Four domains emerged: women’s current birth experiences, provision of childbirth care, beliefs about childbirth among women and providers, and future health-seeking behavior. Findings suggest that women’s feelings of helplessness and frustration were exacerbated by their unmet desire for respectful maternity care and patient advocacy or companionship. Providers attributed strain to perceived patient characteristics and insufficient support, including resources and staff. Conclusions Our findings suggest current childbirth experiences placed strain on the patient-provider dynamic and influenced women’s attitudes and beliefs about future experiences. Currently, the technical quality of safe childbirth is the main driver of skilled birth attendance and facility-based births for women regardless of negative experiences. However, lack of respectful maternity care has been shown to have major long-term implications for women and subsequently, their children. This is one of the first studies to describe the nuances of patient-provider relationships and women’s childbirth experiences in rural and urban Peru.

IntroductionA significant percentage of maternity providers have experienced secondary traumatic stress following a traumatic birth. Previous studies identified it as an issue, but this literature review is 5–9 years old. In addition, the construct of moral injury has significantly increased our understanding of secondary trauma for military veterans. In the wake of COVID-19, this construct also applies to healthcare providers.ObjectivesThe present article updates these reviews and compares findings for three groups: labor and delivery nurses, midwives, and obstetricians. The second portion of this review re-examines previously published qualitative research to determine whether moral injury might more accurately describe the experiences of maternity personnel.MethodsA comprehensive review of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsychINFO, and CINAHL was conducted in June 2021 using search terms such as compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, moral injury, labor and delivery, nurses, midwives, and obstetricians. Forty articles were identified, but only 16 focused on secondary trauma or moral injury.ResultsSecondary trauma is a significant concern affecting at least 25% of maternity staff. However, some countries have very low rates, which correspond to low rates in childbirth-related trauma in mothers. Secondary trauma can lead to several symptoms, including re-experiencing, avoidance, negative changes in mood and cognitions, and hyperarousal, which can cause significant impairment. As a result, many providers decide to leave the field in the wake of a traumatic birth. The incidence of moral injury is unknown, but a re-examination of previously published qualitative data suggests that this construct, generally used to describe combat veterans, does describe some of what providers have reported. Acts of omission, i.e., failure to stop the harmful acts of others had long-term negative effects on labor and delivery nurses, consistent with data from military samples. Two possible mediators were proposed: hierarchical and gendered relationships in hospitals and agency of care.ConclusionThe effects of traumatic birth on providers can be severe, including possible psychological sequelae, impaired job performance, and leaving the field. Moral injury expands upon the construct of secondary traumatic stress. This construct better describes the experiences of maternity staff in non-primary roles who witness traumatic births and are often haunted by events that they could not prevent, but often question whether they should have.

The risk of potential SARS-CoV-2 transmission by infected mothers during labor and delivery has not been investigated in-depth. This work collected air samples close to (respiratory droplets) and more distant from (aerosol generation) unvaccinated patients who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during labor within 5 days of a positive test. All but one of the patients wore masks during the delivery, and delivery was carried out in either birthing or negative pressure isolation rooms. Our work failed to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in any air samples for all of the six patients who gave birth vaginally, despite validation of the limit of detection of the samplers. In sum, this brief report provides initial evidence that the risk of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 during labor may be mitigated by the use of masks and high ventilation rates common in many modern U.S. medical facilities; however more work is needed to fully evaluate the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during labor and maternal pushing.

Background: Current guidelines for second stage management do not provide guidance for community birth providers about when best to transfer women to hospital care for prolonged second stage. Our goal was to increase the evidence base for these providers by: 1) describing the lengths of second stage labor in freestanding birth centers, and 2) determining whether proportions of postpartum women and newborns experiencing complications change as length of second stage labor increases.Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of de-identified client-level data collected in the American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry, including women giving birth in freestanding birth centers January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2016. We plotted proportions of postpartum women and newborns transferred to hospital care against length of the second stage of labor, and assessed significance of these with the Cochran-Armitage test for trend or chi-square test. Secondary maternal and newborn outcomes were compared for dyads with normal and prolonged second stages of labor using Fisher's exact test.Results: Second stage labor exceeded 3 hours for 2.3% of primiparous women and 2 hours for 6.6% of multiparous women. Newborn transfers increased as second stage increased from < 15 minutes to > 2 hours (0.6% to 6.33%, p for trend = 0.0008, for primiparous women, and 1.4% to 10.6%, p for trend < 0.0001, for multiparous women.) Postpartum transfers for multiparous women increased from 1.4% after second stage < 15 minutes to greater than 4% for women after second stage exceeding 2 hours (p for trend < 0.0001.) CONCLUSIONS: Complications requiring hospitalization of postpartum women and newborns become more common as the length of the second stage increases. Birth center guidelines should consider not just presence of progress but also absolute length of time as indications for transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternity care services were significantly altered with the start of the global pandemic in 2020, challenging the ways care was provided for families during childbirth. This qualitative analysis focuses on maternity care professionals' perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on maternity care in Michigan early in the pandemic. The question "How has COVID-19 impacted your work?" was embedded into a survey focused on maternity unit culture in process across Michigan. Directed content analysis was applied to the open text responses to identify themes. From April-June 2020, 1071 surveys were completed by nurses, physicians, and midwives; 647 (60%) included responses to the COVID-19 question. Five themes emerged: (1) provider health; (2) patient care impact; (3) burdens of personal protective equipment; (4) decreased support during labor due to visitor restrictions; and (5) ethical challenges and moral distress between concerns for self and carrying out professional roles. Maternity care providers in Michigan experienced a range of complex challenges due to the pandemic, with many experiencing conflicts and questioning their role as a provider amid concerns of the effects of COVID-19 on themselves and their families. Resources are necessary to support providers who experience distress to promote well-being and retention of this essential workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The provision of respectful maternity care is an approach to caregiving with the goal of creating an enabling environment at all levels to improve women's access to safe motherhood and reproductive health services. It should be noted that maternal cares need to be provided with full respect to the client and all around her. The objective of this study was to assess the provision of respectful maternity care and associated factors during labor and delivery among post-natal mothers at Jimma University Medical Center. METHODOLOGY: An institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 348 postnatal mothers from November 10, 2020, to January 10, 2021, to assess the provision of respectful maternity care and associated factors during labor and delivery at Jimma University Medical Center. Data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Data were entered to epi-data version 4.2 and exported to statistical packages for social sciences for analysis. RESULTS: Results, were explained by narratives, tables, and graphs. Statistical significance was declared at p value less than.05. The prevalence of respectful maternity care was found to be 77%. Regarding to factors associated with respectful maternity care: getting the care provider they want (p =.038), type of delivery (p <.001), and payment asked for the services (p =.032) were found to have a significant association with respectful maternity care. CONCLUSTION and RECOMMENDATION: It could be outlined that mothers received relatively good, respectful maternity care. It is recommended to keep the mother's choice of care provider, make payments affordable or free if possible, and type of delivery should be only based on the mother's choice and when there are obstetrical indications. Respectful maternity care should be promoted though a good figure of positive finding was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Mothers’ satisfaction with care during childbirth is indicators of the quality care which affects skilled birth attendance. Negative client’s experiences at health facilities cause them to delay or avoid seeking care, which highlights services providers should consider and act on the expectations and experiences of women and their families. Though there are few studies conducted in Ethiopia on maternal satisfaction with Labor and Delivery (LAD) services, there is no study conducted in the study area. Therefore the study aims to assess the mother’s satisfaction with existing LAD services and associated factors at all levels of health care in the West Shewa zone. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at public health facilities in West Shewa zone, Central Ethiopia. A systematic sampling technique was used to select 560 respondents by using their delivery registration number and data were collected through face to face interview. Mothers were considered satisfied if they responded satisfied/very satisfied with 75% or more of the questions assessing satisfaction. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify associated factors. Results The overall proportion of mothers who were satisfied with the current LAD care services were 60.8%. The main areas of dissatisfaction were; accessibility and cleanness of toilets/shower 72.6%, overall cleanness of the facility/including waiting-area 40.1% and presence of support a person during birth 38.0%. The presence of cultural practices (AOR = 2.5), discussion on the place of delivery with health worker during ANC (AOR = 1.75), providers asks for consent before procedure (AOR = 2.77), encouraging companion to remain with mother (AOR = 2.22), never leave mother alone or unattended (AOR = 2.56), giving periodic updates on status and progress of labor (AOR = 2.04) and explaining what is being done and to expect during LAD (AOR = 2.20) were factors identified to be significantly associated with satisfaction on LAD services. Conclusion The overall satisfaction of mothers with LAD services at public health facilities in the West-Shewa zone was relatively low. Presence of cultural practices, discussion on the place of delivery, asking for consent before the procedure, encouraging companion to remain with mothers and explaining what is being done were factors identified. Therefore, all stakeholders have to emphatically work on those identified factors to improve mothers’ satisfaction with LAD services.

Background: Previous studies suggest an association between late pregnancy exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and increased postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) risk. This is the first pregnancy registry study to compare PPH outcomes among women with psychiatric illness exposed or unexposed to SSRIs/SNRIs proximate to delivery. Methods: This study used data from the National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications to evaluate the relationship between SSRI/SNRI exposure in late pregnancy and PPH risk. The sample included n = 953 participants with retrospectively collected medical record data on postpartum blood loss, n = 453 unexposed to SSRIs/SNRIs during pregnancy, and n = 500 exposed at least during the week of delivery. PPH was defined as an estimated blood loss ≥500 mL following vaginal delivery or ≥1,000 mL following cesarean section (C-section), with onset of excessive bleeding occurring within the first 24 hours postpartum. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine odds ratios. Results: Overall PPH incidence was 13.1%. SSRI/SNRI exposure was associated with a PPH unadjusted odds ratio of 1.42 compared to no exposure (95% confidence interval [CI: 0.97, 2.08]) and an adjusted odds ratio of 1.33 (95% CI [0.90, 1.97]). When stratified by delivery type, the odds ratio following vaginal delivery among women exposed to SSRIs/SNRIs was 1.04 (95% CI [0.63, 1.70]) versus 2.31 (95% CI [1.25, 4.26]) for C-section delivery; the adjusted C-section odds ratio was 2.21 (95% CI [1.18, 4.13]). Conclusions: Although these findings align with accumulating evidence suggesting SSRI/SNRI exposure may confer a modestly increased risk of PPH, particularly after C-section, the study was underpowered to make definitive conclusions. These preliminary data highlight the need for further research with larger sample sizes. Nevertheless, the findings underscore the importance of greater clinical monitoring for PPH following C-section, especially in women who may have other known PPH risk factors and are exposed to SSRIs/SNRIs in late pregnancy.

Over a decade following the nationwide push to implement electronic health records (EHRs), the focus has shifted to addressing the cognitive burden associated with their use. Most research and discourse about the EHR's impact on clinicians' cognitive work has focused on physicians rather than on nursing‐specific issues. Labor and delivery nurses may encounter unique challenges when using EHRs because they also interact with an electronic fetal monitoring system, continuously managing and synthesizing both maternal and fetal data. This grounded theory study explored labor and delivery nurses' perceptions of the EHR's impact on their cognitive work. Data were individual interviews and participant observations with twenty‐one nurses from two labor and delivery units in the western U.S. and were analyzed using dimensional analysis. Nurses managed the tension between caring and charting using various strategies to integrate the EHR into their dynamic, high‐acuity, specialty practice environment while using EHRs that were not designed for perinatal patients. Use of the EHR and associated technologies disrupted nurses' ability to locate and synthesize information, maintain an overview of the patient's status, and connect with patients and families. Individual‐, group‐, and environmental‐level factors facilitated or constrained nurses' integration of the EHR. These findings represent critical safety failures requiring comprehensive changes to EHR designs and better processes for responding to end‐user experiences. More research is needed to develop EHRs that support the dynamic and relationship‐based nature of nurses' work and to align with specialty practice environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]