Labor Care Research Articles

Management of Pregnancy, Labour and Neonatal Care with Homoeopathic Remedies

In the current era ,Though the modern medical intervention in gestational period & labour reduce the maternal mortality rate to a greater extend , There prevails emerging issue of increasing c- section in deliveries, This is due to the fact that they keep on controlling the health of the mother under strong surveillance & medication which indirectly have its impact on mother’s body thereby it lacks its natural mechanism or power to act on itself which gradually result in changing the labour from normal to C- section. Homoeopathic remedies at gestational period & labour play a vital role in reducing the MMR & also reduce the complications which are arising during labour & improve health of mother & offspring in a natural way without disturbing the harmony of health.

Outcomes for women with diabetes admitted for labour care to midwifery units in the UK: a national prospective cohort study and survey of practice using the UK Midwifery Study System (UKMidSS)

ObjectivesTo describe outcomes in women admitted for labour care to midwifery units with gestational or pre-existing diabetes, compare outcomes with other women admitted to the same units and describe admission...

Determinants of premature membrane rupture among mothers receiving labor care at public hospitals in Northeast Ethiopia: an unmatched case-control study

Premature rupture of membranes is responsible for increased perinatal mortality and neonatal morbidity. Therefore, identifying the determining factors is essential for minimizing its adverse impact. Despite the existence of this problem in the study area, there is a gap in identifying the factors affecting its occurrence. We investigate the determinants of premature membrane rupture among mothers receiving labor care at three public hospitals public hospitals in the Northeast Ethiopia, from December 1, 2022, to March 30, 2023. Unmatched case‒control study was conducted and a total of 353 participants (118 cases and 235 controls) receiving labor care were recruited. The data were collected using a face to face interview and card review, entered into EpiData 4.6 and analyzed using STATA version 17. As a result; previous caesarian section (AOR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.05–4.23), history of abortion (AOR: 3.68; 95% CI: 1.70–7.94), history of premature membrane rupture (AOR: 3.89; 95% CI: 1.73–8.71), chronic cough (AOR: 4.23; 95% CI: 1.47–12.18), mid-upper arm circumference < 23 cm (AOR: 3.47; 95% CI: 1.53–7.84), suspected sepsis (AOR: 2.99; 95% CI: 1.25–1.99), and presence of urinary tract infection (AOR: 3.14; 95% CI: 1.50–6.60) were determinants of premature membrane rupture. These findings underscore previous history of C/S, abortion, PROM, presence of different infections and malnutrition are associated with the case. This highlighting the need for comprehensive prenatal care.

Tainted Love

The film Tainted Love (2023) consists of scenes shot in a gold refinery, juxtaposed with clips of a squirming maternal body, overlaid with definitions of love (from Lomas' lexicography - Provisional list; 2021). It offers a meditation on the value of love in a capitalist system obsessed with profit and commodification, calling into question the value assigned to different modes of production. The unquantifiable value of caring for loved ones is juxtaposed with the solidity of gold – a material with a long history of use in jewellery and talismans associated with love, betrothal and devotion. The text will explore links between the invisible labour of familial caring, love, nurturing and the concepts of emotional labour and cognitive labour with reference to Alva Gotby (2023) and the emerging concept of the ‘motherload’.

The development of learning media "UNGGAS NANNO" on subjects of intranatal care and newborn care

Quality learning is the goal of learning. The mismatch of media in the delivery of lessons will result in the goal of learning not being achieved. In addition to teacher talks, videos, and practices in the laboratory to achieve learning objectives, it turns out that midwifery students have not mastered the related scientific foundations in subjects of intranatal care, especially providing care during labor and newborn care that has been studied. To attract students' interest and motivation in mastery, "Ular TaNGGa ASuhan PersaliNAn NOrmal (UNGGAS NANNO) or Intranatal Care and Newborn Care Snakes and Ladders Game" is needed in learning. The ADDIE model was used in research with validation subjects from expert teams and midwifery students as users. UNGGAS NANNO media is considered very worthy and very interesting in terms of the suitability of learning materials, images, and sizes, with an average score (of 92.5% and 96.8%). In addition to being feasible, UNGGAS NANNO can be used as an additional medium for learning and alternative assessments as a substitute for the final semester exam by teaching lecturers.

Vlogging as mediated mobility: Warm Experts 3.0 engaging in peer production and digital labor in the era of short videos

This article investigates the caregiving dynamics in the vlogs of Houniao vloggers on the Chinese short video platform Douyin. This article contextualizes the vlogging practices of these individuals within the sociocultural landscape of contemporary China, suggesting that vlogging acts as a medium for mediated mobility, enabling these vloggers to assume the role of ‘warm experts’. This study analyzes 50 tutorial videos produced by Chinese Houniao vloggers, revealing three interconnected themes: (1) the presence of digital care labor in the peer production of vlogs, (2) the necessity of relational labor to facilitate intragenerational connections, and (3) the complexities of managing visibility in an environment governed by platform algorithms. These findings depict Houniao vloggers as ‘ Warm Experts 3.0’, highlighting the potential of digital platforms to support active aging and promote inclusive societal engagement. Central to their role as warm experts, peer production emerges as a fundamental characteristic, underpinning the collaborative and community-focused nature of their digital interactions. Future research should explore the application of this prompted model across diverse communities, spanning both online and offline contexts.

O PROTAGONISMO DA ENFERMAGEM NA ASSISTÊNCIA AO PARTO HUMANIZADO: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA DA LITERATURA

The puerperal pregnancy process requires dignified and qualified care, not limited to the expulsion or extraction of the fetus. The implementation of good practices in labor and birth care is essential to guarantee the rights of the parturient. It is up to the care team to provide security in the partutive process, through evidence-based methods. The present research aims to understand the actions of the nursing team involved in the humanization of childbirth, highlighting the main determining factors for maternal satisfaction and dissatisfaction in the experience of labor. This is a systematic bibliographic survey, with a qualitative approach, of the integrative literature review type. The search for research material was carried out through electronic access to the digital databases Virtual Health Library, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences and Scientific Electronic Library. The inclusion criteria adopted were: national articles, available free of charge, with full texts, published between 2014 and 2024. The selection process allowed eight scientific studies to be obtained. Regarding the humanization of the parturition process associated with the direct action of nursing, it can be seen that the adoption of non-invasive practices results in maternal satisfaction and reduction of fetal impairment. It was noted that the incorporation of obstetric nurses in childbirth sectors contributed to the reduction of proscribed or invasive practices. It was concluded that humanized childbirth is closely associated with the use of good practices by professionals, which will directly impact the care for the mother-child binomial. Therefore, labor and birth care policies should be constantly reinforced, providing greater dissemination of knowledge.

Knowledge and attitudes of health care professionals regarding birth preparedness of women in labour at selected Hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: A qualitative study

Introduction Low and middle-income countries account for the largest proportion of women’s deaths as a result of pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. The sub-Saharan region is the most affected with approximately 70% (202 000) of maternal deaths between 2000 and 2020. These deaths could have been prevented if expectant mothers were prepared for childbirth. Birth preparedness is perceived as a better strategy that helps attain a substantial reduction in maternal mortality. This is achieved by attending early antenatal classes, receiving skilled care during childbirth, and care and support right after birth. The latest survey on antenatal class attendance conducted in South Africa provides an estimated 30.8% of expectant mothers in public healthcare facilities. Methods This study employed a qualitative approach to collect data, as a result, one focus group discussion with five (N=5) participants and two others with six (N=6) participants each (n=6X2=12) and twenty individual interviews were conducted. The study sought to explore and describe the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding the birth preparedness of women in labour at selected hospitals in Durban KwaZulu-Natal. Results Expectant mothers were unprepared for both labour and postnatal care. The unprepared expectant mothers were uncooperative and made the task of midwives difficult to the extent of endangering the life of their expected newborn babies and their own. Factors such as finance, heterogeneity, staff shortage, language barrier, lack of family support, lack of interest, cultural beliefs, and confusion caused by various sources of information were responsible for birth unpreparedness. Conclusion The synergy between expectant mothers and midwives appears to be an important factor in achieving better birth preparedness.

Pregnant Women's Care Needs During Early Labor-A Scoping Review.

Pregnant women face the challenge of managing early labor on their own until they feel the need to seek professional support. However, professional support during such a vulnerable stage of labor may sometimes be insufficient. This study aims to understand pregnant women's care needs during early labor in order to improve the quality of care provided at the onset of labor. A scoping review was conducted following a systematic search strategy in May 2021 and in August 2022 concentrating on pregnant women in early labor with spontaneous onset of labor. A sensitive search strategy was used with five different databases. The articles were screened by two independent researchers. Data were extracted and mapped to answer the research question. 52 articles were included. Major reasons for seeking professional help are to receive reassurance and get advice and information on how to cope with early labor. Furthermore, many women express the need for professional guidance. Several articles demonstrated women's preferences for hospital admission or a continuous care model. While some women want empowerment and empathy from a midwife, others require clear instructions on helpful measures or even clinical interventions within the process. Managing early labor without professional support creates a major challenge for pregnant women and nurtures insecurities and anxiety. Protecting women from unnecessary interventions is a well-intentioned plan, yet a lack of support in early labor may sometimes jeopardize a positive birth experience. New ways need to be elaborated to support women-centred and individualized approaches to providing early labor care.

Many Caring Marys: Feminised Care in Mary Seacole’s Wonderful Adventures and Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Marys Seacole

Drawing upon a growing body of research in feminist care theory, this essay argues that Mary Seacole’s representation of care in her 1857 autobiography, Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands, uses maternal rhetoric to reinforce a Victorian vision of care grounded in feminine hospitality and domestic comfort. The essay considers Seacole’s narrative as both a sentimentalist story that sanitises care labour through her use of the figurative ‘mother,’ and as a testimony to the centrality of care labour, so often invisibilised, in grand narratives of history. I analyse this vision alongside Jackie Sibblies Drury’s 2019 play Marys Seacole, which reconsiders Seacole’s legacy by arguing instead for an entangled, interdependent model of care relations that explicitly attends to differences in class and race. Drury’s play ambivalently explores what is both inspiring and fraught within Seacole’s original narrative; its final dramatic thrust, which finds its characters clinging to the iconography of ‘Mother Seacole’ while physically clutching onto one another, registers the inadequacy of a care model dependent upon exploited mother figures and suggests the need for lateral, multiracial, and multigenerational networks of mutual support.

Love’s Labor Lost: Evaluating Child Care Workers’ Motivations to Stay in the Field Using Content Analysis

This paper evaluates child care workers’ descriptions of their motivations for working in the field using content analysis. The results are drawn from a large data set of child care workers collected by Utah’s state workforce and child care agencies. Our findings demonstrate the primacy of intrinsic motivations over extrinsic motivations for child care workers. Worker-expressed intrinsic motivations, including making a contribution to society, having a sense of purpose, and feelings of love and joy, dominated the survey responses. In contrast, extrinsic motivations including earning a wage or accommodating scheduling concerns were relatively rare. The motivations of this workforce attracted the interest of policy makers following large losses in child care employment during the COVID-19 health crisis and have implications for child care labor supply decisions and child care labor market policies. We use this policy lens to contextualize our findings by reviewing issues of recruitment and retention in child care services and ultimately argue that a sustainable child care workforce depends on worker well-being supported by both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards.

The Digitalization of Social Care in England and Implications for Older, Unpaid Carers: Constructionist Thematic Analysis.

Globally, populations are aging, generating concerns about the sustainability of health and social care provision. In terms of the public provision of social care in particular, unpaid carers provide much of the support to people with disabilities and older people. In addition, there is an increased onus in many countries on digital transformation projects, in the hope that the digitalization of services can create efficiencies and savings in both costs and care labor. In England, the focus of this paper, the shift to digital services is also framed as a means to enhance choice and control for older unpaid carers, while being part of a broader offering that includes nondigital alternatives and support to mitigate digital exclusion. This study examines the impact of digitalization on older, unpaid carers-a group more likely to be both expected to engage digitally with services and at risk of digital exclusion-in England, focusing on their lived experiences in terms of caring and access to social care. We used a constructionist approach to thematic analysis, where data from 48 older unpaid carers collected through focus groups were analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in 4 prevailing themes. Our findings indicated that while unpaid carers largely acknowledge the benefits of digitalization, they also highlight several points of failure, whereby engagement with digital spaces is experienced as coercive and exacerbates feelings of exclusion. These are further worsened by government failures to address issues of connectivity, imposing additional financial burdens and complicating tasks such as benefit applications. In this study, we have highlighted the need for greater involvement in shaping both policy and technological solutions, which in turn will be more inclusive and aligned to the aspirations and circumstances of older carers.

Gendered administrative burden: regulating gendered bodies, labor, and identity

Abstract Gendered burdens are experiences of coercive and controlling state actions that directly regulate gendered bodies, labor, and identity. Burdens are not simply about preventing access to rights and benefits, they're about control and coercian. Gendered burdens generate gender inequality through four mechanisms. First, administrative burdens regulate reproductive bodies, legitimating the state’s direct control over reproductive health care, including abortions, with consequent implications for peoples’ health. Second, burdens require reproductive labor, shifting unpaid and underpaid reproductive labor onto women as the policies that support such labor tend to have high administrative burdens that impede access. Third, gendered burdens restrict reproductive labor, impeding the right to provide such care labor with dignity, by exerting control over how, and sometimes whether, care is performed, including in rights-granting venues, like redistributive benefits, and rights-depriving venues, like the supervision of families by child protective services. Fourth, burdens regulate gendered identities, reinforcing heteronormative and cis-normative constructions of gender, including by directly controlling gender identification. While gendered burdens are not only experienced by women, they are most strongly applied to poor and racially marginalized groups of women. These claims provide a basis for public administration scholarship to connect with feminist theory by illustrating the centrality of administrative processes and related experiences to structural patterns of inequality.

Improving the Knowledge and Awareness of Labor Care Providers on Respectful Maternal Care in Sri Lanka: An Intervention Using Spiritual Principles

Improving the Knowledge and Awareness of Labor Care Providers on Respectful Maternal Care in Sri Lanka: An Intervention Using Spiritual Principles

Answer from CIANE to article: European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM), European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (EBCOG), European Midwives Association (EMA). Joint position statement: Substandard and disrespectful care in labour – Because words matter. Published: February 29, 2024

Answer from CIANE to article: European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM), European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (EBCOG), European Midwives Association (EMA). Joint position statement: Substandard and disrespectful care in labour – Because words matter. Published: February 29, 2024

‘Smartness’ narratives: A critical discourse analysis of smart eldercare in urban China

AbstractThe rise of smart technology, endorsed by government institutions and recognised for its societal benefits and potential for urban management, has carved a niche for smart eldercare. However, discourses around smart care vary among stakeholders, leading to a constant (re)production of it. This paper investigates three overlapping and sometimes converging stakeholders' (governments, corporations and capital investors) discourses in defining ‘smart eldercare’, arguing that these discourses significantly influence the promotion, implementation and acceptance of smart eldercare in urban Chinese communities. Government entities view smart eldercare as an efficient tool for facilitating community‐based population governance and providing a social safety net. In contrast, eldercare corporations view smart eldercare as a powerful narrative to attract investment and secure government funding, while also serving as a means of surveilling in‐home care labour. For capital investors, eldercare stands out as a burgeoning and resilient sector, encompassing latent values that warrant careful consideration, especially during periods of economic downturn. Through the lens of discourse analysis, this study underscores the tensions between different discourses and the ways it produces ‘smartness’ in urban China. This paper advocates for understanding ‘smartness’ as a complex, multifaceted concept shaped by diverse stakeholder discourses and socio‐economic‐political contexts, necessitating flexible, context‐sensitive interpretations through discourse analysis. To advance ongoing debates in geography on smart care, smart cities and ageing, this paper reveals how these stakeholder discourses co‐produce the notion of ‘smartness’ in urban eldercare, while highlighting the socio‐political dynamics underlying technology‐driven governance in China.

Can we do this together? Exploring the transformative potential of care for academic work, labor, and life

Through a reflective account of our own experiences as early career academics, we explore the nuanced ways in which care materializes and is embodied in the micro-relations and mundane practices that constitute academic life. By emphasizing the affective dimension of an ethic of care, we bring the destabilizing and unsettling promise of affect to bear on our understanding of care and, in turn, highlight care’s transformative potential. We show how care, when mobilized by affect, manifests in ambiguous and at times contradictory ways, which leaves us asking whether care can be a straightforward and unproblematic antidote to feelings of dissatisfaction with neoliberal institutions. Yet, at the same time, we speculate that care holds rich potential to problematize the structural norms and demands that organize our academic (work) lives, and to offer new and different ways of living instead.

Knowledge and Attitude Towards Utilisation of Partograph among Midwives in Selected Hospitals in Gombe State, Nigeria

Maternal mortality (MM) has remained high in developing countries including Nigeria. Various interventions for labour care like partograph are known to contribute to the reduction of MM, but reports show that they are not well utilized. Also, there is dearth of information on knowledge and attitudes of midwives towards the use of partograph. Therefore, the study assessed knowledge and attitude of midwives in Gombe state, towards the use of partograph. A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted and 63 participants from three selected hospitals were recruited using purposive sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive data were presented using frequency tables. Hypotheses were tested using Chi-square statistic at p≤ 0.05. The mean age of respondents was 37.2±7.6 years, and 77.8% were married. Majority, 96.8% had good knowledge, 70.6% had a positive attitude towards the use of partographs while only 44.4% utilised it regularly. Also, (57.1%) never attended any workshop on partograph post-graduation. There was no significant association between knowledge of partograph and its utilization (x2=0.026, p=0.103). Factors such as shortage of manpower, poor management support and time constraints were found to negatively influence the partograph utilisation. Despite their good knowledge, partograph utilization was not consistent. It is recommended that hands-on training on the use of partograph be organized periodically and an audit system put in place to ensure its effective use.

Midwives’ Experience with the 2020 WHO Labor Care Guide in Rural Hospital Settings: Usability, Feasibility, Acceptability, and Satisfaction

Midwives’ Experience with the 2020 WHO Labor Care Guide in Rural Hospital Settings: Usability, Feasibility, Acceptability, and Satisfaction

Doing transdisciplinary research in Guyana's prisons

AbstractThis article reflects on the research process that underpinned the ESRC GCRF project ‘Mental Health, Neurological and Substance Abuse Disorders in Guyana's Jails: 1825 to the present day’. Introducing readers to a transdisciplinary team comprised of academics and practitioners, in what follows we think through how the methods of the research underpinned the production of the data used in this special issue. The article highlights the emotional labour and ethics of care among the team, and the benefits of transdisciplinary research and the mutual recipriocity and learning that took place between academics and prison staff. The goal of the project was to create equitable and ethical partnerships, and this contributed to the success of this research in terms of findings, data, and real‐world impact.