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Objective: To describe vaccination coverage and hesitation for the basic children's schedule in Belo Horizonte and Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais state, Brazil., Methods: Population-based epidemiological surveys performed from 2020 to 2022, which estimated vaccine coverage by type of immunobiological product and full schedule (valid and ministered doses), according to socioeconomic strata; and reasons for vaccination hesitancy., Results: Overall coverage with valid doses and vaccination hesitancy for at least one vaccine were, respectively, 50.2% (95%CI 44.1;56.2) and 1.6% (95%CI 0.9;2.7), in Belo Horizonte (n = 1,866), and 64.9% (95%CI 56.9;72.1) and 1.0% (95%CI 0.3;2.8), in Sete Lagoas (n = 451), with differences between socioeconomic strata. Fear of severe reactions was the main reason for vaccination hesitancy., Conclusion: Coverage was identified as being below recommended levels for most vaccines. Disinformation should be combated in order to avoid vaccination hesitancy. There is a pressing need to recover coverages, considering public health service access and socioeconomic disparities., Main Results: Vaccination coverage of children up to 4 years old was 50.2% in Belo Horizonte, and 64.9% in Sete Lagoas. Fear of severe reactions and believing that vaccination against eradicated diseases is unnecessary were the main reasons for vaccination hesitancy., Implications for Services: Recovery of high vaccination coverage among children, considering public health service access conditions and socioeconomic inequities. Acting on reasons for hesitancy that can assist in targeting actions., Perspectives: The multifactorial context of vaccination hesitancy demands the development of health education strategies to raise awareness about child immunization.

Objective: To describe timely vaccination completion and obstacles in the first 24 months of life in Brazil, examining associations with maternal race/skin color., Methods: Study participants were 37,801 children born in 2017 and 2018 included in the National Immunization Coverage Survey. We calculated prevalence and 95% confidence intervals for timely vaccine completeness and obstacles at 5, 12 and 24 months of life, according to maternal race/skin color. Associations were analyzed using logistic regression., Results: 7.2% (95%CI 6.3;8.2) of mothers faced difficulties in taking their children to be vaccinated, and 23.4% (95%CI 21.7;25.1) were not vaccinated when taken. These proportions were 75% (95%CI 1.25;2.45) and 97% (95%CI 1.57;2.48) higher, respectively, among Black mothers. At least one vaccination was delayed among 49.9% (95%CI 47.8;51.9) and 61.1% (95%CI 59.2;63.0) of children by 5 and 12 months, respectively. These rates were higher among Black/mixed race mothers., Conclusion: There are racial inequalities in both the obstacles faced and in vaccination rates in Brazil., Main Results: Marked racial inequalities were found in the obstacles to vaccination of children under 24 months in Brazil and to timely vaccination at 5 months and in the first year of life., Implications for Services: Racial inequalities in the occurrence of vaccination shortcomings in health services, in the objective restrictions faced by families in taking their children to vaccination centers and in incomplete vaccination in a timely manner need to be addressed by the Brazilian National Health System., Perspectives: Equal public policies to address barriers to vaccination and qualification of health services need to be implemented. Studies need to deepen understanding of the structural determinants that lead to racial disparities.

The Maternal Mortality Study conducts a hospital investigation of maternal deaths that occurred in 2020/2021 in the maternity hospitals sampled by the Birth in Brazil II survey, with the following objectives: estimate the maternal mortality underreporting; calculate a correction factor and the corrected (MMR); validate the causes of maternal mortality reported in the death certificate (DC); and analyze the factors associated with maternal mortality. The Birth in Brazil II includes approximately 24,250 puerperal women distributed in 465 public, private, and mixed hospitals with ≥ 100 live births/year in the five macroregions of Brazil. The Maternal Mortality Study data will be completed using the same Birth in Brazil II questionnaire, from the consultation of hospital records. Trained obstetricians will fill out a new DC (redone DC) from independent analysis of this questionnaire, comparing it to official data. The database of the investigated deaths will be related to the deaths listed in the Mortality Information System of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, allowing the estimation of underreporting and calculation of the corrected MMR. To calculate the reliability of the causes of death, the kappa test and prevalence-adjusted kappa with 95% confidence interval will be used. A case-control study to estimate the risk factors for maternal mortality will be developed with the investigated deaths (cases) and the controls obtained in the Birth in Brazil II survey, using conditional multiple logistic regression models. We expect this research to contribute to the correction of the underreporting of maternal mortality and to a better understanding of the determinants of the persistence of a high MMR in Brazil.

The study aimed to detect high-risk areas for deaths of children and adolescents 5 to 14 years of age in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, from 2009 to 2020. This was an exploratory ecological study with municipalities as the units of analysis. Considering mortality data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) and demographic data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the study used multivariate statistics to identify space-time clusters of excess mortality risk in this age group. From 5 to 9 years of age, two clusters with high mortality risk were detected; the most likely located in the state's southern mesoregion (RR: 1.6; LRT: 8,53). Among the 5 clusters detected in the 10-14-year age group, the main cluster was in the state's northern mesoregion (RR: 2,26; LRT: 7,84). A reduction in mortality rates was observed in the younger age group and an increase in these rates in the older group. The identification of these clusters, whose analysis merits replication in other parts of Brazil, is the initial stage in the investigation of possible factors associated with morbidity and mortality in this group, still insufficiently explored, and for planning adequate interventions.

Brazil has made advances in obstetric care in public and private hospitals; however, weaknesses in this system still require attention. The Brazilian Ministry of Health, aware of this need, funded the second version of the Birth in Brazil survey. This study aimed to evaluate: prenatal, labor and birth, postpartum, and abortion care, comparing the results with those of Birth in Brazil I; and analyze the main determinants of perinatal morbidity and mortality; evaluate the care structure and processes of obstetrics and neonatology services in maternity hospitals; analyze the knowledge, practices, and attitudes of health professionals who provide birth and abortion care; and identify the main barriers and facilitators related to care of this nature in Brazil. With a national scope and a 2-stage probability sample: 1-hospitals and 2-women, stratified into 59 strata, 465 hospitals were selected with a total planned sample of around 24,255 women - 2,205 for abortion reasons and 22,050 for labor reasons. Data collection was conducted using six electronic instruments during hospital admission for labor or abortion, with two follow-up waves, at two and four months. In order to expand the number of cases of severe maternal morbidity, maternal and perinatal mortality, three case control studies were incorporated into Birth in Brazil II. The fieldwork began in November 2021 and is scheduled to end in 2023. It will allow a comparison between current labor and birth care results and those obtained in the first study and will evaluate the advances achieved in 10 years.

Pregnancy, parturition and birth bring major changes to the lives of mothers and fathers. This article presents a research protocol for estimating the prevalence of postpartum mental health outcomes in mothers and fathers, abuse and satisfaction in delivery/abortion care, and the correlations between them and socioeconomic, obstetric, and child health factors. As a 2-component research, it consists of a prospective cohort study with all postpartum women interviewed in the 465 maternity hospitals included at the Birth in Brazil II baseline survey conducted from 2021 to 2023, and a cross-sectional study with the newborns' fathers/partners. Interviews will be conducted via telephone or self-completion link sent by WhatsApp with the mother at 2 and 4 months after delivery/abortion. Partners will be approached three months after birth (excluding abortions, stillbirths and newborn death) using the telephone number informed by the mother at the maternity ward. Postpartum women will be inquired about symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, abuse during maternity care and quality of the mother-newborn bond. Maternal and neonatal morbidity, use of postnatal services, and satisfaction with maternity care are also investigated. Fathers will be asked to report on symptoms of depression and anxiety, and the quality of the relationship with the partner and the newborn. The information collected in this research stage may help to plan and improve care aimed at the postpartum health of the mother-father-child triad.

Brazil presents high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Cases of severe maternal morbidity, maternal near miss, and perinatal deaths are important health indicators and share the same determinants, being closely related to living conditions and quality of perinatal care. This article aims to present the study protocol to estimate the perinatal mortality rate and the incidence of severe maternal morbidity and maternal near miss in the country, identifying its determinants. Cross-sectional study integrated into the research Birth in Brazil II, conducted from 2021 to 2023. This study will include 155 public, mixed and private maternities, accounting for more than 2,750 births per year, participating in the Birth in Brazil II survey. We will collect retrospective data from maternal and neonatal records of all hospitalizations within a 30-day period in these maternities, applying a screening form to identify cases of maternal morbidity and perinatal deaths. Medical record data of all identified cases will be collected after hospital discharge, using a standardized instrument. Cases of severe maternal morbidity and maternal near miss will be classified based on the definition adopted by the World Health Organization. The perinatal deaths rate and the incidence of severe maternal morbidity and maternal near miss will be estimated. Cases will be compared to controls obtained in the Birth in Brazil II survey, matched by hospital and duration of pregnancy, in order to identify factors associated with negative outcomes. Results are expected to contribute to the knowledge on maternal morbidity and perinatal deaths in Brazil, as well as the development of strategies to improve care.

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

Objective: To descriptively analyze Brazilian parturient women who underwent previous cesarean section and point out the factors associated with Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) in Brazil., Methods: The study used data from women with one, two, or three or more cesarean sections from the survey Nascer no Brasil (Birth in Brazil). Differences between categories were assessed through the chi-square test (χ2). Variables with significant differences (p < 0.05) were incorporated into logistic regression., Findings: Out of the total of 23,894 women, 20.9% had undergone a previous cesarean section. The majority (85.1%) underwent another cesarean section, with 75.5% occurring before the onset of labor. The rate of Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) was 14.9%, with a success rate of 60.8%. Women who underwent three or more cesarean sections displayed greater social vulnerability. The chances of VBAC were higher among those who opted for a vaginal birth towards the end of gestation, had a prior vaginal birth, underwent labor induction, were admitted with over 4 centimeters of dilation, and without partner. Receiving care from the private health care system, having two or more prior cesarean sections, obstetric complications, and deciding on cesarean delivery late in gestation reduced the chances of VBAC. Age group, educational background, prenatal care adequacy, and the reason for the previous cesarean section did not result in significant differences., Conclusion: The majority of women who underwent a previous cesarean section in Brazil are directed towards another surgery, and a higher number of cesarean sections is linked to greater social inequality. Factors associated with VBAC included choosing vaginal birth towards the end of gestation, having had a previous vaginal birth, higher cervical dilation upon admission, induction, assistance from the public health care system, absence of obstetric complications, and without a partner. Efforts to promote VBAC are necessary to reduce overall cesarean rates and their repercussions on maternal and child health.

Main Results: From 2000 to 2020, maternal mortality among adolescents and young adults showed a decreasing trend in the state of Bahia. It could be seen an inverse and significant correlation between the highest number of prenatal care visits and maternal mortality in the studied groups., Implications for Services: The study suggests the importance of quality obstetric care during prenatal, childbirth, and postpartum period for reducing maternal mortality among adolescents and young adults, especially from preventable causes., Perspectives: Improving the records of causes of death on information systems, enhancing obstetric care, and investing in sexual and reproductive health policies aimed at adolescents may contribute to the reduction of maternal deaths., Objective: to analyze the temporal trend of maternal mortality and correlate it with prenatal care coverage among adolescents and young adults, state of Bahia, Brazil, 2000-2020., Methods: this was an ecological time-series study and correlation between maternal deaths and prenatal care visits in 10-19 and 20-24 age groups, using the Mortality Information System; the trend analysis was performed by means of Prais-Winsten regression, according to race/skin color, timing and causes of death; and Spearman coefficient was used for correlation., Results: in the study period, 418 deaths among adolescents and 574 among young adults were recorded; maternal mortality ratio was 59.7 and 63.2 deaths/100,000 live births, with a significant decreasing trend (-2.2% and -2.9% respectively); it could be seen an inverse correlation between a higher number of prenatal care visits and maternal mortality in the age groups., Conclusion: maternal mortality showed a decreasing trend in the study period, but with high proportions of death; there was a significant correlation between prenatal care coverage and maternal mortality among adolescents and young adults.

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

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

Objective: to analyze the characteristics and temporal trend of mortality rates in the population aged 5 to 14 years in Mato Grosso state and in Brazil, from 2009 to 2020., Methods: this was an ecological time-series study, based on data taken from the Mortality Information System. Descriptive and trend analyses were performed, using the joinpoint regression model and calculating the average annual percentage change (AAPC)., Results: in Brazil and in Mato Grosso state, deaths were predominantly male, preventable and due to external causes. A falling trend was identified for Brazil (5-9 years AAPC: -2.9; 95%CI -4.3;-1.6 and 10-14 years AAPC: -2.5; 95%CI -3.3;-1.8), while a stationary trend was found in Mato Grosso (5-9 years AAPC: -2.0; 95%CI -5.6;1.7 and 10-14 years AAPC: -0.1; 95%CI -5.9;6.1)., Conclusion: the stable trend of mortality at high levels demands urgent interventions to reduce it.

The present study aims to analyze the socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with the recurrence of teenage pregnancy, as well as to verify the association with unfavorable maternal and neonatal outcomes. It is a cross-sectional study, based on data from "Nascer no Brasil", comprised of adolescent mothers and their newborns. Univariate and multiple logistic regression were used to indicate the factors associated with this recurrence. Recurrence of teenage pregnancy was associated with a maternal age of 17-19 years (OR=3.35; 95%CI=2.45-4.59); an inadequate education for their age (OR=4.34; 95%CI=3.50-5.39), with no intention of becoming pregnant; residency in the state capital; and the fact that the partner is the head of the family. However, as independent primiparous teenagers, there is a greater chance of hypertension and restricted intrauterine growth. It can therefore be concluded that there is a high percentage of teenage pregnancies in Brazil. Teenagers with a partner, inadequate education, and no reproductive planning are more likely to have two or more pregnancies before the age of 20, demonstrating difficulties in postponing the first pregnancy. However, as primiparous teenagers, they are more likely to have complications than multiparous teenagers.

The scope of this article is to evaluate the adequacy of total gestational weight gain (GWG) according to maternal characteristics of Brazilian adolescents. It involved a cross-sectional, hospital-based study. A total of 3,904 teenagers with a single fetus gestation and gestational age (GA) at birth ≥ 37 weeks were included. A hierarchical model was built to analyze the dependent and independent variables adequacy of GWG: sociodemographic, care, obstetric and behavioral characteristics. The chances of insufficient GWG were higher for adolescents from the North (OR = 1.50, 95%CI: 1.07-2.10) and Northeast (OR = 1.68, 95%CI: 1.27-2.21). Paid work increased the chances of insufficient (95%CI: 1.15-2.39) and excessive (95%CI: 1.01-1.86) GWG. The pre-pregnancy body mass index of overweight or obese adolescents was associated with excessive GWG (OR = 1.86, 95%CI: 1.19-2.92 and OR = 3.06, 95%CI: 2.10-4.45, respectively), as well as GA ≥ 42 weeks (OR = 2.23, 95%CI: 1.03-4.81). Living in the North and Northeast regions increases the chances of adolescents having insufficient GWG. Having paid work was associated with a greater chance of excessive and insufficient GWG. Furthermore, pre-pregnancy excess weight or obesity and GA ≥ 42 weeks increased the chances of excessive GWG.

Objective: To identify the associated factors of neonatal near miss among newborns of Brazilian adolescents and to compare their occurrence in young women aged 12 to 16 years and 17 to 19 years., Method: Cross-sectional, hospital-based study, using data from the study Nascer no Brasil ("Birth in Brazil") on puerperal adolescents and their newborns in all regions of Brazil. Multiple and univariate logistic regression were employed to identify the associated factors of neonatal near miss., Results: The following factors were found to be associated to neonatal near miss among newborns of adolescent mothers: public source of payment (OR = 4.57, 95% CI = 2.02-10.32), having to seek help in different maternity hospitals (OR = 1.52; 95% CI = 1.05-2.20), and maternal near miss (OR = 5.92; 95% CI = 1.94-18.05), in addition to a record of low weight in a previous pregnancy (OR = 3.12; 95% CI = 1.61-6.04) and twin pregnancy (OR = 7.49; 95% CI = 3.28-16.82)., Conclusion: Neonatal near miss affected newborns of adolescent mothers in both age groups equally. Also, the determinant factors of neonatal near miss can be mostly reduced with qualified prenatal, labor, and birth care.

The objective was to estimate the proportion of women with a full-time companion in Brazilian maternities linked to the Rede Cegonha (RC) and to compare them between the macro-regions in Brazil. A nationwide study, carried out from December/2016 to October/2017. 10,665 puerperal women from all regions of Brazil participated in the study, who gave birth at one of 606 maternity hospitals with a regional action plan approved by RC. Proportions and respective 95% confidence intervals were estimated, adjusted for the cluster effect, by comparing the macro-regions using Wald's chi-square test. The presence of a full-time companion occurred in 71.2% of maternities, being higher among women aged 20-35 years, brown-skinned, with higher education, married, and assisted in vaginal delivery. Almost 30% of puerperal women did not have a full-time companion. In the Southeast and Midwest regions, self-declared black women, with less schooling and unmarried women were less accompanied. The moment of delivery had less presence of the companion (29.2%). Despite the advances, this right is still not fully fulfilled, pointing to the occurrence of social inequities among Brazilian macro-regions.

Objective: To estimate the rate of the use of antenatal corticosteroids (ANC) among pregnant women and to identify the conditions associated with their non-use in Brazil., Methods: Secondary data analysis from "Birth in Brazil", a national hospital-based survey carried out in 2011-2012 on childbirth and birth. The sample was characterized regarding maternal age, marital status and maternal education, parity, mode of delivery and place of residence. The association of ANC use with gestational age and type of delivery was analyzed. The studied maternal complications were the presence of hypertension, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, and pyelonephritis, infection by the HIV virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome., Results: 2,623 pregnant women with less than 37 weeks of gestational age were identified, and, of these, 835 (31.8%) received ANC. The frequency of ANC use was higher among women with gestational ages between 26-34 weeks (481 cases; 48.73%). In pregnancies with less than 37 weeks, the use of ANC was 23.9% in spontaneous deliveries, 20.6% in induced deliveries and 43.8% among those who did not go into labor. The variables vaginal delivery (OR 2.5; 95%CI 1.8-3.4) and living in the countryside were associated with not using ANC, and the occurrence of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (OR 1.8; 95%CI 1.2-2.9) was associated with the use of ANC., Conclusions: The use of ANC among Brazilian pregnant women was low. Interventions to increase its use are necessary and can contribute to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity. ANC should be promoted in pregnancies of less than 37 weeks, especially in cases of vaginal delivery and for those living in the countryside.

Objective: to evaluate whether advanced maternal age (AMA) is associated with prelabor cesarean section and to identify the factors associated with prelabor cesarean section in AMA women, according to the mode of type of labor financing (private or public)., Methods: Based on the Birth in Brazil survey, the research was conducted on representative sample of mothers for the country (Brazil), regions, type of hospital and location (capital or not), in 2011/2012. This study included 15,071 women from two age groups: 20-29 years and ≥ 35 years. The information was collected from interviews with puerperal woman, prenatal cards, and medical records of mothers and newborns. Multiple logistic regression modelling was used to verify the association between prelabor cesarean section and maternal, prenatal and childbirth characteristics, according to the mode of financing., Results: Our results showed a higher use of prelabor cesarean section for AMA (≥ 35 years) women in the public service (OR = 1.63; 95%CI 1.38-1.94) and in the private service (OR = 1.44; 95%CI 1.13-1.83), compared with women aged 20-29 years. In the adjusted model, we recorded three factors associated with the prelabor cesarean section in AMA women in both, public and private sectors: the same professional in prenatal care and childbirth (OR = 4.97 and OR = 4.66); nulliparity (OR = 6.17 and OR = 10.08), and multiparity with previous cesarean section (from OR = 5.73 to OR = 32.29). The presence of obstetric risk (OR = 1.94; 95%CI .44-2.62) also contributed to the occurrence of prelabor cesarean section in women who gave birth in the public service., Conclusions: AMA was an independent risk factor for prelabor cesarean in public and private services. In the public, prelabor cesarean in AMA was more influenced by clinical criteria. Higher chance of prelabor cesarean section in nulliparous women increases the chance of cesarean section in multiparous women, as we showed in this study, which increases the risk of anomalous placental implantation.

This article describes the methodology used to evaluate delivery and childbirth care practices in maternity hospitals that belong to the Rede Cegonha, according to scientific evidence and rights guarantee. It shows the maternity selection criteria, the evaluated guidelines, their devices and check items, the method used to collect information and the treatment of data to obtain the results. It discusses the chosen guidelines and the strategy of returning results to managers and services and discusses their potential to foster management qualification processes and obstetric and neonatal care. This is a study of delivery and childbirth care practices of 606 maternity hospitals selected for the second evaluation cycle of the Rede Cegonha. The methodological paths stood out for the construction of tripartite co-responsibility for the process and the evaluation results, with an emphasis on its usefulness for the decision-makers and the hospital institutions involved.

This study aimed to assess whether nurses' presence in delivery care in maternity hospitals linked to the Rede Cegonha program promotes access to best obstetric practices during labor and delivery. We conducted an evaluative study in 2017 in all 606 SUS maternity hospitals that joined this strategic policy in all Brazilian states. We collected data from maternity hospital managers and puerperae. The analysis was performed at two levels: hospital with or without a nurse in delivery care; and professionals that attended vaginal delivery, whether doctors or nurses. We used best practices and interventions for vaginal deliveries and cesarean section rates as dependent variables. We included 5.016 subjects for analyses of vaginal deliveries and 9.692 to calculate cesarean section rates. Multiple regressions were adjusted for geographic region, maternity hospital size, and puerperae skin color and parity. Maternity hospitals with nurses in delivery care used more the partograph and less oxytocin, lithotomy, episiotomy, and cesarean section. Deliveries attended by nurses had more frequent use of the partograph and a lower likelihood of lithotomy and episiotomy. The inclusion of nurses in vaginal delivery care has successfully brought women closer to a more physiological and respectful delivery.

Based on the Rede Cegonha guidelines that propose the strengthening of women's sexual and reproductive rights, we sought to present a brief overview of issues related to reproductive planning and to analyze obstetric practices in childbirth care for adolescents and women of advanced age in maternity hospitals linked to Rede Cegonha. Data were extracted from an assessment conducted in 2017, based on information from the interview with puerperal women and from the hospital record. For age extremes, the high proportion of unplanned pregnancies and low use of contraception means problems in accessing family planning programs. Adolescents are more exposed to the presence of a companion and less to the use of analgesia in labor. Advanced maternal age were more likely to use analgesia in labor and to give birth in the lithotomy position, being less exposed to amniotomy. Although Rede Cegonha is an excellent strategy for improving assistance to childbirth, attention is still needed to the use of potentially unnecessary or not recommended interventions, with greater incentive to good obstetric practices.

Objective: To analyze association of different methods of gestational weight gain assessment with live births small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA)., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with adult women, normal prepregnancy BMI, single pregnancy and gestational age at delivery ≥28 weeks, from the "Birth in Brazil" study, between 2011 and 2012., Results: Among the 11,000 women participating in the study, prevalence of excessive weight gain was 33.1% according to the Brandão et al. and Institute of Medicine (IOM) methods, and 37.9% according to the Intergrowth method. The chance of being born SGA in the case of insufficient weight gain was OR=1.52 (95%CI 1.06;2.19), OR=1.52 (95%CI 1.05;2.20) and OR=1.56 (95%CI 1.06;2.30) for the Brandão et al., IOM and Intergrowth methods, respectively. Likelihood of excessive weight gain using the same methods was OR=1.53 (95%CI 1.28;1.82), OR=1.57 (95%CI 1.31;1.87) and OR=1.65 (95%CI 1.40;1.96), for LGA respectively., Conclusion: Compared to the IOM recommendations, the Intergrowth and Brandão et al. methods show themselves to be alternatives for identifying SGA and LGA.

The study aims to evaluate the association between teenage pregnancy and prematurity. The data are from the Birth in Brazil study, a national survey consisting of 23,894 postpartum women and their newborn infants. The information was obtained from interviews with the mothers during their postpartum hospital stay. A matching method was established, based on propensity scores, to deal with differences between the groups due to the non-experimental design of the Birth in Brazil study. The study outcome was gestational age, considering all the premature births (gestational age < 37 weeks) and term births (gestational age 37 weeks to 41 weeks and 6 days). The study revealed social, economic, and maternal care disparities between the women according to age bracket. The highest proportions of teenage mothers were in the least developed regions of Brazil (North and Northeast) and in the poorest economic classes. After matching for socioeconomic and obstetric care characteristics, the highest odds of spontaneous prematurity were seen in younger adolescents compared to older adolescents (OR = 1.49; 95%CI: 1.07-2.06), and young adults (OR = 2.38; 95%CI: 1.82-3.12). Prematurity is still an issue in the field of maternal and child health, and the association with teenage pregnancy identified in this study is worrisome, especially because younger adolescent mothers were associated with higher odds of spontaneous prematurity.

Objective: This study evaluates the association between sociodemographic factors, maternal characteristics, organization of health services and neonatal near miss in public and private maternity hospitals in Brazil., Methods: This is a prospective cohort of live births from the Nascer no Brasil survey, carried out between 2011 and 2012. Variables were established from the literature and organized on three levels: distal, intermediate, and proximal. The assessment was performed based on results of the bivariate analyzes and their respective p-values, with a significance level <0.20, using the Wald test. For multivariate analysis, the variables contained at the distal level were inserted, preserved in the model when significant (p < 0.05). This was also done when adjusting the intermediate and proximal levels., Results: At the distal level, no variable was significantly associated with the outcome. At the intermediate level, mother's age greater than or equal to 35 years (relative risk - RR = 1.32; 95%CI 1.04-1.66), cesarean delivery (RR = 1.34; 95%CI 1.07-1.67), smoking (RR = 1.48; 95%CI 1.04-2.10), gestational hypertensive syndrome (RR = 2.29; 95%CI 1.98-3.14), pre-gestational diabetes (RR = 2.63; 95%CI 1.36-5.05) and twin pregnancy (RR = 2.98; 95%CI 1.90-4.68) were variables associated with the outcome. At the proximal level, inadequate prenatal care (RR = 1.71; 95%CI 1.36-2.16) and the hospital/maternity being located in a capital city (RR = 1.89; 95%CI 1.40-2.55) were associated with neonatal near miss., Conclusions: The results show that neonatal near miss was influenced by variables related to the organization of health services and by maternal characteristics.

Objectives: To investigate the association between the professionals who attended vaginal delivery and breastfeeding in the first hour of life., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with data from the Nascer no Brasil (Born in Brazil) survey, conducted in the 2011-2012 period. Data from 8,466 puerperae were analyzed using a logistic regression model with a hierarchical approach., Results: The proportion of mothers who breastfed at birth was higher in deliveries attended by nurses (70%). A nurse-assisted delivery was 64% more likely to breastfeed in the first hour of life. Other factors associated with the outcome: residing in the North; age less than 35 years; multiparity; prenatal guidance on breastfeeding in the first hour of life; birth at Baby-Friendly Hospital; companion at birth; and female newborn., Conclusions: Obstetrician nurse/nurse-assisted delivery was a significant independent factor associated with breastfeeding in the first hour of life, suggesting the importance of strengthening the role of the obstetrician nurse.

Objective: To verify regional inequalities regarding access and quality of prenatal and birth care in Brazilian public health services and associated perinatal outcomes., Methods: Birth in Brazil was a national hospital-based survey conducted between 2011 and 2012, which included 19,117 women with public-funded births. Regional differences in socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics, as well as differences in access and quality of prenatal and birth care were tested by the χ2 test. The following outcomes were assessed: spontaneous preterm birth, provider-initiated preterm birth, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, Apgar in the 5th min < 8, neonatal and maternal near miss. Multiple and non-conditional logistic regressions were used for the analysis of the associated perinatal outcomes, with the results expressed in adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval., Results: Regional inequalities regarding access and quality of prenatal and birth care among users of public services are still evident in Brazil. Pilgrimage for birth associated with all perinatal outcomes studied, except for intrauterine growth restriction. The odds ratios ranged between 1.48 (95%CI 1.23-1.78) for neonatal near miss and 1.62 (95%CI 1.27-2.06) for provider-initiated preterm birth. Among women with clinical or obstetric complications, pilgrimage for birth associated with provider-initiated preterm birth and with Apgar in the 5th min < 8, odds ratio of 1.98 (95%CI 1.49-2.65) and 2.19 (95%CI 1.31-3.68), respectively. Inadequacy of prenatal care associated with spontaneous preterm birth in both groups of women, with or without clinical or obstetric complications., Conclusion: Improvements in the quality of prenatal care, appropriate coordination and comprehensive care at the time of birth have a potential to reduce prematurity rates and, consequently, infant morbidity and mortality rates in the country.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the prevalence of spontaneous labour, induced labour and planned caesarean section in low-risk women; to identify the contribution of each group to the overall caesarean section rate; and to estimate factors associated with caesarean section in low-risk women according to spontaneous labour, induced labour and planned caesarean section., Design: Cross-sectional hospital-based study of postpartum women and newborns, using data from the survey Birth in Brazil, Southern region. In the sample of 2,668 low-risk women, a descriptive analysis was undertaken and a Multinomial Logistic Regression model was applied to verify associations among caesarean section and spontaneous labour, induced labour and planned caesarean section in comparison with vaginal birth., Measurements and Findings: The results showed the prevalence of spontaneous labour (48.0%), induced labour (14.0%) and planned caesarean sections (38.0%); these frequencies contributed to an overall caesarean section rate of 50.5%. Obstetric characteristics like previous vaginal birth or previous caesarean section were differentially associated with caesarean section, independently of the labour. Caesarean section without labour was significantly associated with age ≥ 35 years (ORadj 5.45 95%CI 3.16-9.39), economic class A and B (ORadj 3.10 95%CI 1.92-4.99), pregnancy between 37 and 38 weeks (ORadj 1.65 95%CI 1.22-2.24), same obstetrician in prenatal and childbirth (ORadj 13.83 95%CI 8.85-21.61) and private payment source at birth (ORadj 11.50 95%CI 6.64-19.93)., Key Conclusion: For low-risk women in Southern Brazil, the results identify high planned caesarean section rates, not associated with socioeconomic, obstetric, institutional or prenatal factors that justify these rates., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study aims to analyze the association between social inequalities and gestational risk in administrative regions of the state of Espírito Santo. This is a cross-sectional study based on two administrative regions of the state of Espírito Santo. The sample consisted of 1,777 women who underwent prenatal care in the municipalities of the Greater Vitória Metropolitan Region (RMGV-ES) and São Mateus Microregion (MRSM) and were admitted to the public health facilities at the time of delivery between 2010 and 2012/2013. The multivariate logistic regression was performed to test the association between social and gestational risk variables. Variables with a significance level < 0.20 in the Chi-square test were adopted for the final model, and only those variables with a p-value < 0.05 remained. An association was found between high gestational risk and women's dwelling place in the RMGV-ES (OR = 1.74; CI95% 1.32-2.28), women as head of households (OR = 3.03; CI95% 1.64-5.61), head of household with less than five years of schooling (OR = 1.58; CI95% 1.14-2.20) and receipt of social benefit "Bolsa Família" (Family Grant) (OR = 1.46; CI95% 1.04-2.03). While some social variables underpin the classification of gestational risk, other social factors have been shown to produce this risk.

The early neonatal period accounts for approximately half of the deaths of young children under one year of age, and the neonatal near miss can recognize factors causing this high number of deaths. Thus, the aim of this study is to determine whether advanced maternal age increases the chance of neonatal near miss, in addition is to identify which factors are associated with the neonatal near miss, stratified by parity. Data are from the 2011-2012 Birth in Brazil study, which used a national population-based sample of 15,092 newborns of women between 20-29 and 35 years of age or more (advanced maternal age). Multiple logistic regression was performed to test the association between neonatal near miss and prenatal and childbirth variables, pre-gestational diseases, obstetric history and socioeconomic characteristics, stratified by parity. Advanced maternal age was to be statistically associated with neonatal near miss in nulliparous (OR = 1.62; 95%CI: 1.05-2.50) and multiparous (OR = 1.51; 95%CI: 1.20-1.91) when compared to women 20-29 years of age. For nulliparous women, the main variables statistically associated with neonatal near miss were multiple gestation (OR = 8.91) and hypertensive disease (OR = 2.57), whereas forceps-assisted vaginal delivery (OR = 7.19) and multiple gestation (OR = 4.47) were the variables associated for multiparous women. Neonatal near miss has been shown to be connected with access to health services for childbirth, gestational complications and maternal characteristics, mainly advanced maternal age. Therefore, to properly monitor and classify maternal gestational risk, to control gestational complications during prenatal care, and to correctly refer these women to childbirth care should be priority strategies for healthcare services.

This article aims to describe the preliminary results of two evaluations studies, one about the Stork Network program and the other about the Adequate Birth program, called Stork Network Assessment and Healthy Birth, and to identify possible improvements in comparison to the Birth in Brazil study. Both studies used a cross-sectional design and were conducted in 2017. The Stork Network Assessment study included all 606 public and mixed maternity hospitals from the Stork Network and a total of 10,675 postpartum women. The Healthy Birth study included a convenience sample of 12 private hospitals and 4,798 women. Indicators of labour and childbirth care were: presence of a companion person, care by obstetric nurse, use of partograph, use of non-pharmacological methods, walking during labor, eating, use of peripheral venous catheter, position for delivery, episiotomy, and Kristeller maneuver. The indicators were compared to those verified in Birth in Brazil, a nationwide population-based study in 2011-2012, before the start of the two intervention programs. Comparisons used the chi-square test for independent samples and 95% confidence interval. There was a significant increase in the number of women with access to appropriate technology for labour and childbirth from 2011 to 2017 and a reduction in harmful practices. The private sector also showed a decrease in cesarean rates and an increase in gestational age at birth. The study's results show that properly conducted public policies can change the scenario of care for labor and childbirth, helping to reduce in negative maternal and neonatal outcomes.

The study sought to identify obstetric care models for low-risk pregnancies in the Southern Region of Brazil and to estimate factors associated with these models and maternal and neonatal outcomes. This is a cross-sectional, hospital-based study using data from the Birth in Brazil survey regarding puerperae and newborns. We identified 2,668 low-risk pregnant women. We carried out an exploratory analysis using the proportion of practices per hospital, among them inducing labor, presence of a companion, cesarean section and skin-to-skin contact, in order to obtain the care models we called Best Practice, Interventionist I and Interventionist II. We then carried out an inferential analysis of the associated characteristics. Results show that access to public or private funding, cultural factors and actions taken by health professional are associated with the care models. Public care had different contexts, one based on public policies and evidence-based practices; and another, that suggests the intentionality of vaginal delivery without considering humanization principles. Private care, on the other hand, is standardized and centered on the medical professional, with higher intervention levels. We conclude there is a predominance of interventionist obstetric care models in the Southern Region of Brazil, a type of care that goes against the best evidence, and that women who receive care in public hospitals have greater chances of benefiting from good practices.

Objective: to analyze the completeness and reliability of data on perinatal deaths held on Brazil's Mortality Information System (SIM) in 2011-2012., Methods: this was a study evaluating the quality of completeness of data on perinatal deaths reported on SIM compared to data from the 'Birth in Brazil' survey for the same period; to evaluate reliability, we used the Kappa coefficient, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman plot method., Results: completeness was greater than 80%, and agreement was 0.61 for 10 of the 12 evaluated fields; aggregated gestation length (Kappa coefficient=0.542) and continuous gestation length (ICC=0.448) for early neonatal deaths and fetal deaths, respectively, had regular agreement; graphical evaluation of gestation length showed that the fetal death metric was underestimated and that early neonatal deaths were overestimated by between 25 and 35 weeks of gestation., Conclusion: the information analyzed available on SIM for perinatal deaths is complete and reliable for the period analyzed.

This study aimed to investigate the existence and magnitude of the association between advanced maternal age (AMA) and occurrence of placenta praevia (PP) and placental abruption (PA) among nulliparous and multiparous women, by a systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched articles published between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2015, in any language, in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS. Women were grouped into two age categories: up to 34 years old and 35 years or older. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. A meta-analysis was conducted for the PP and PA outcomes, using a meta-regression model to find possible covariates associated with heterogeneity among the studies and Egger's test to assess publication bias. The protocol of this systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) system (CRD42016045594). Twenty-three studies met the criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. For both outcomes, an increase in age increased the magnitude of association strength, and PP (OR = 3.16, 95%CI: 2.79-3.57) was more strongly associated with AMA than PA (OR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.35-1.54). For parity, there was no difference between nulliparous and multiparous women considered older for the PP and PA outcomes. Our review provided very low-quality evidence for both outcomes, since it encompasses observational studies with high statistical heterogeneity, diversity of populations, no control of confounding factors in several cases, and publication bias. However, the confidence intervals were small and there is a dose-response gradient, as well as a large magnitude of effect for PP.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of information on pre-gestational weight, height, pre-gestational body mass index, and weight at the last prenatal appointment, according to maternal characteristics and sociodemographic and prenatal variables., Methods: The study was developed using data from the face-to-face questionnaire and prenatal card (gold standard) of the study "Birth in Brazil, 2011-2012". To evaluate the differences between the measured and self-reported anthropometric variables, we used the the Kruskal-Wallis test for the variables divided into quartiles. For the continuous variables, we used the Wilcoxon test, Bland-Altman plot, and average difference between the information measured and reported by the women. We estimated sensitivity and the intraclass correlation coefficient., Results: In the study, 17,093 women had the prenatal card. There was an underestimation of pre-gestational weight of 1.51 kg (SD = 3.44) and body mass index of 0.79 kg/m2 (SD = 1.72) and overestimation of height of 0.75 cm (SD = 3.03) and weight at the last appointment of 0.22 kg (SD = 2.09). The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) obtained for the anthropometric variables were: height (ICC = 0.89), pre-gestational weight (ICC = 0.96), pre-gestational body mass index (ICC = 0.92), and weight at the last appointment (ICC = 0.98)., Conclusions: The results suggest that the mentioned anthropometric variables were valid for the study population, and they may be used in studies of populations with similar characteristics.

The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of physical intimate partner violence in the first six months after childbirth among women attending primary care clinics (UBS) for the infant's follow-up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This is the first study on the theme using a representative sample of primary care clinics in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The study used a cross-sectional design from June to September 2007 and included 927 mothers/infants seen at 27 UBS, selected by complex sampling, geographically representative of the city. The information was collected in face-to-face interviews by a previously trained team, using a structured questionnaire. History of physical intimate partner violence from the child's birth to the date of the interview was obtained with the Brazilian version of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2). Thirty percent (95%CI: 26.2-33.8) of mothers reported having experienced some form of physical intimate partner violence in the postpartum and 14% (95%CI: 11.0-17.0) reported severe physical violence. The physical abuse occurred especially among black teenage mothres, in unfavorable socioeconomic situation, that did not live with the partner and that had received inadequate or no prenatal care and reported difficulties in breastfeeding and use of healthcare services. The widespread occurrence of physical intimate partner violence emphasizes the urgent need to deal with the problem. Primary healthcare services must be linked to other support networks and health professionals need to be prepared to deal with the problem.

Few studies on the influence of race/color on pregnancy and birthcare experiences have been carried out in Brazil. Additionally, none of the existing studies are of national scope. This study sought to evaluate inequities in prenatal and childbirth care according to race/color using propensity score matching. The data comes from the study Birth in Brazil: National Survey into Labor and Birth, a national population study comprised of interviews and revisions of medical records that included 23,894 women in 2011/2012. We used logistic regressions to estimate odds ratios (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of race/color associated with the outcomes were analyzed. When compared with white-skinned women, black-skinned women were more likely to have inadequate prenatal care (OR = 1.6; 95%CI: 1.4-1.9), to not be linked to a maternity hospital for childbirth (OR = 1.2 95%CI: 1.1-1.4), to be without a companion (OR = 1.7; 95%CI: 1.4-2.0), to seek more than one hospital for childbirth (OR =1.3; 95%CI: 1.2-1.5), and less likely to receive local anesthesia for an episiotomy (OR = 1.5; 95%CI: 1.1-2.1). Brown-skinned women were also more likely to have inadequate prenatal care (OR = 1.2; 95%CI: 1.1-1.4) and to lack a companion (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.3-1.6) when compared with white-skinned women. We identified racial disparities in care during pregnancy and childbirth, which displayed a gradient going from worst to best care provided to black, brown and white-skinned women.