Low-risk Mothers Research Articles

Utilizing Modified Coopland's Scoring System to Identify and Predict the Outcome of High-Risk Pregnancies in Resource-Limited Settings: A Retrospective Review.

Introduction A high-risk pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. Women with high-risk pregnancies are at a greater risk of developing antepartum haemorrhage, miscarriages, and the need for surgical interventions. Neonatal complications include preterm births, low birth weight (LBW), intra-uterine deaths and an increased need for NICU admission. The utilisation of low-cost scoring tools for identifying high-risk women can aid in early diagnosis and timely implementation of therapeutic interventions. Objective The retrospective record-based study sought to calculate the proportion of high-risk pregnancies using modified Coopland's scoring system and compare the maternal and foetal outcomes among high-risk pregnancies. Methods The study retrospectively analysed the records of antenatal women in their third trimester from the years December 2018 to December 2021. Each record was then numerically assessed according to the modified Coopland's scoring system and categorised according to the risk status. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were then compared across the risk groups. Results The data included 300 cases over a three-year period.According to modifiedCoopland's scoring system, we found that the overall proportion of high-risk pregnancies was 18.3%. Adverse maternal and fetal outcomes were increased in high-risk pregnancy groups when compared to low-risk pregnancies, miscarriages (31.6% vs 15.8%) and antepartum haemorrhage (55.6% vs 11.1%). Babies born to high-risk mothers had a higher chance of developing LBW status (52.0%) and respiratory distress (45.5%) when compared to those born to low-risk mothers: 8.0% and 13.6%, respectively. Conclusion A notable portion of pregnant women were classified as high-risk using modified Coopland's scoring tool and would benefit from targeted obstetric care.

Development of a semi-automated tool to measure fetal abdominal wall thickness during ultrasound at 20 weeks' gestation.

To develop a semi-automated tool for measuring fetal abdominal wall thickness (AWT). To validate the software using images captured by other centers and create a nomogram for fetal AWT between 18 and 20 weeks. A semiautomated tool that measured AWT was developed using images captured at the routine 20-week morphology scan. The software was developed using digital images captured routinely during scans of low-risk women. Inter- and intraobserver reliability was assessed between manual and semi-automated measures. The tool was validated using images acquired from other centers. Linear regression and quadratic polynomials were used to create a nomogram for AWT. The semi-automated tool was able to measure AWT in all images. Interoperator reliability was 0.90 and 0.97 (P < 0.05) for manual and semi-automated methods, respectively. Measurement agreement varied between three operators from moderate to excellent (0.77, 0.87, 0.92), with overall agreement being good (0.85). The tool could be successfully applied to 89% of images from other centers. A nomogram was generated for AWT measurements of fetuses at 18-20 weeks in normal, low risk mothers. Semi-automated measurement of AWT was feasible using images captured during the routine 20-week scan. This approach had lower inter- and intraobserver variability compared to manual measurement.

Early versus late discharge from the hospital for low-risk parturients after spontaneous vaginal deliveries at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: The length of hospital stay after delivery is a major contributor to preventing postpartumcomplications and improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. Globally, the length of hospital stay afterdelivery has been reducing in recent times. However, there is limited understanding of the safety,outcomes, and complications of early discharge compared with late discharge in low- and middle-incomesettings. Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of early versus late discharge from the hospital for post-spontaneous vaginal delivery low-risk parturient and healthy neonates in Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.Methods: A randomized controlled trial study design was employed. 744 mother-child dyads wererecruited into this study within the first hour postdelivery and were randomized into two groups: theintervention arm was those discharged within 24 hours and the control arm was those discharged after24 hours or more. The study participants were followed up over three months with over-the-phoneinterviews. The primary outcome was maternal rehospitalization.Results: Between July 2022 and October 2022, 744 mother-baby dyads were recruited and 372 wererandomly assigned to the intervention arm, and 372 to the control arm. There were 23 mothers in theintervention arm and 22 in the control arm who were lost to follow-up and subsequently excluded fromthe analysis. Baseline characteristics were similar between the study groups. There were 17 (4.9%)maternal readmissions in the intervention arm and 10 (2.9%) in the control arm (RR 2% (95%CI:-1.1%,5.2%; p-value=0.167).Conclusion: Early discharge for low-risk mothers and healthy neonates is noninferior to late discharge,with similar effects on maternal outcomes, neonatal outcomes, and breastfeeding patterns.

Determinants of Prenatal Childbirth Fear during the Third Trimester among Low-Risk Expectant Mothers: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Fear of Childbirth (FOC) can significantly impact women's physical and psychological health; therefore, healthcare providers must provide proactive care, which means they have to intervene before FOC becomes tokophobia. This study's purpose is to evaluate the determinants of prenatal childbirth fear during the third trimester among low-risk expectant mothers. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at the Maternal and Children Hospital's outpatient clinics in Najran City, Saudi Arabia, from April to July 2023. The study involved 377 nulliparous and multiparous women, using a systemic random sampling technique. The data were collected using an interview schedule composed of questions related to demographic and obstetrics characteristics, the FOC questionnaire, and a multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Significant FOC predictors were examined using a binary logistic regression model. There was a statistically significant difference between nulliparous and multiparous participants concerning FOC; 80.0% of nulliparous participants had significant FOC compared to 67.8% of multiparous participants (p = 0.011). A binary logistic regression clarified that regular antenatal care and family and spousal support were significantly negatively correlated with significant FOC among multiparous and nulliparous women (p < 0.05). For multiparas, FOC was associated with pregnancy planning and previous labor-related complications. In addition, friends' support was an important predictor of significantly lower FOC among nulliparous women (p < 0.05). Significant FOC was higher in nulliparous women when compared to multiparous women. Numerous obstetric variables and different types of social support play important roles in significant FOC. Special attention and support should be provided to high-risk women for proper FOC management during prenatal classes to improve their childbirth experiences.

Reproductive decision making in women with medical comorbidities: a qualitative study

BackgroundA growing number of reproductive-age women in the U.S. have chronic medical conditions, increasing their risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Still, they experience unintended pregnancies at similar rates to low-risk mothers. We have limited understanding of how these individuals consider decisions about pregnancy and contraceptive use. The purpose of this study was to understand factors that influence reproductive decision-making among pregnant women with chronic medical conditions.MethodsWe conducted 28 semi-structured interviews with pregnant women with pre-existing medical conditions admitted to a tertiary maternal hospital to examine factors influencing reproductive decision making. Maternal demographic characteristics, medical history, and pregnancy outcome data were obtained through participant surveys and abstraction from electronic health records. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using Dedoose® with both deductive and inductive content analysis.ResultsOut of 33 eligible participants, 30 consented to participate and 28 completed interviews. The majority of participants identified as black, Christian, made less than $23,000 yearly, and had a variety of preexisting medical conditions. Overarching themes included: 1) Perceived risks-benefits of pregnancy, 2) Perceived risks-benefits of birth control, 3) Determinants of contraceptive utilization, and 4) Perceived reproductive self-agency. Contraception was viewed as acceptable, but with concerning physical and psychological side effects. Although some considered pregnancy as a health threat, more experienced pregnancy as positive and empowering. Few planned their pregnancies.ConclusionsPreexisting health conditions did not significantly influence reproductive decision-making. Barriers to birth control use were generally based in patient value-systems instead of external factors. Interventions to improve uptake and use of birth control in this cohort should focus on improving care for chronic health conditions and influencing patient knowledge and attitudes toward contraception.

I'm with you, baby: Using parental embodied mentalizing in a pilot study to capture change following the circle of security parenting intervention.

Supported by a large body of work demonstrating the impact of infant attachment representations on subsequent development, numerous therapeutic programs have been developed to promote secure attachment, with increasing focus on parental mentalizing. Nonetheless, empirical evidence supporting their effectiveness has yet to be fully established. The current pilot study (N = 24) was designed to evaluate whether and to what extent parents' shifts in parental mentalizing following a brief attachment-based group intervention, namely circle of security parenting (COSP; Cooper, Hoffman & Powell, 2009) can be captured using the parental embodied mentalizing instrument (PEM; Shai & Belsky, 2017). Compared to a waiting list-control group, this small-scale study examined whether community-based low-risk mothers of infants aged 5-48 months show an increase in their observed PEM capacities following the intervention. Secondary self-reported outcome variables parental stress, feeling of competence, and self-compassion. Findings show that PEM ratings improved significantly over time in the COSP group, but not in the control group. Intervention group mother-infant dyads also presented significantly longer embodied interactions communication post intervention compared to the control group. No effects of the COSP on parental stress, competence, or self-compassion were found. Despite the small sample size, these results tentatively suggest that COSP can improve embodied mentalizing abilities.

Psychometric properties of the European Portuguese version of the modified perinatal PTSD questionnaire (PPQ-II)

Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (CB-PTSS) are prevalent and have pervasive consequences for the entire family. The development and validation of tools for screening CB-PTSS are deemed necessary to maximize prevention and intervention efforts. This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the modified perinatal PTSD questionnaire (PPQ-II) in a sample of European Portuguese mothers. Four hundred and fifty-one women, from 1 to 18 months postpartum, participated in an online cross-sectional study that was conducted between February and March 2020. Participants completed the PPQ-II and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales – 21 (DASS-21). Factor structure was estimated through an Exploratory (EFA; n = 229) and Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 222). Convergent and known-groups validity and internal consistency of the scale were also computed. The EFA suggested a 2-structure factor (Factor 1 “Arousal”, containing 7 items; and Factor 2 “Avoidance and Intrusion”, containing 4 items), accounting for 48.3% of the total variance of the scale. This factor structure was supported by the CFA, showing an adequate fit to the data. Convergent validity was shown by significant associations between the PPQ-II and DASS-21 subscales. Overall, the scale discriminated between at-risk and low-risk mothers. The McDonald’ omega coefficients attested the high reliability of the PPQ-2 (ranging from 0.78 to 0.89). The PPQ-II is a valid and reliable instrument to routinely screen for CB-PTSS in perinatal health services. It also adds to prior studies demonstrating its cross-cultural validity.

Особливості управління болем у вагітних та породіль

Purpose - to evaluate the efficacy and adverse side effects (if any) of intravenous infusion of 1000 mg paracetamol as a method of pain relief in labour during the active phase of labour and in the postoperative period after caesarean section. Materials and methods. 43 pregnant women in the first stage of labor with active labor were studied. The selection criteria were healthy low-risk first-term mothers; aged 18-35 years; with spontaneous onset of labor at 37-40 weeks of pregnancy; the first period of labor with the opening of the cervix by 3-5 cm; one live fruit; main presentation Infulgan inf. solution was chosen as a paracetamol preparation 10 mg/ml per 100 ml. Multimodal anesthesia with a combination of the drugs Infulgan (paracetamol) and Keydex (dexketoprofen) was performed for postoperative analgesia. The pain intensity indicator was determined using the visual analog scale (VAS) - a method of subjective pain assessment. The patient marked a point on a non-graduated ruler 10 cm long, which corresponds to the degree of severity of pain. During the dynamic evaluation of changes in pain intensity, they were considered objective and significant if the true VAS value differed from the previous one by more than 1.3 cm. The comparison group consisted of 20 pregnant women in the 1st stage of labor who did not receive anesthesia at their own request. Also, a study of the effectiveness of complex multimodal anesthesia (Infulgan (paracetamol) and Keydex (dexketoprofen)) was conducted in 5 (11.6%) women in labor after delivery by caesarean section. Results. The use of intravenous paracetamol injection for analgesia during labor is an effective analgesia. There was an initial but significant decrease in the VAS score 30 minutes after Infulgan administration and a statistically significant decrease in pain after 2, 3 and 4 hours compared with the VAS score before treatment. In the group of women who did not undergo analgesia, the intensity of the pain syndrome steadily increased. In the postoperative period, after caesarean section, women underwent combined analgesia with the use of Infulgan (paracetamol) drugs as the basic component of multimodal analgesia and Keydex (dexketoprofen) as a necessary step of multimodal analgesia. The above-mentioned combination of drugs allows for Step-Up analgesia - step-by-step pain therapy. Infulgan was administered in 1 vial (1000 mg) every 6 hours by intravenous injection, and Keydex - in 1 ampoule every 8 hours by intramuscular injection. The addition of Keydex (dexketoprofen) to the analgesia provided an adequate analgesic effect and did not require the administration of opioid analgesics in the postoperative period. Conclusions. Intravenous paracetamol is an effective non-opioid drug for the relief of labor pain without any significant side effects for mother and fetus. The absence of any maternal side effects (sedation, respiratory depression, delayed gastric emptying, nausea and vomiting) or neonatal side effects (respiratory depression and decreased Apgar scores) associated with opioids allows us to recommend Infulgan for the relief of labor pain. The step-by-step Step-Up pain therapy in the postoperative period allows you to reduce the doses of each of the analgesics and reduce the frequency and side effects of the drugs. The use of Infulgan and Keydex as a method of pain management by means of Step-Up analgesia in the postoperative period in parturient women showed high efficiency, adequate tolerability and patient’s satisfaction. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of all participating institutions. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Implementation of continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound to detect the high-risk foetus in the low-risk mother: lessons from South Africa

IntroductionDetecting the risk of stillbirth during pregnancy remains a challenge. Continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound (CWDU) can be used to screen for placental insufficiency, which is a major cause of stillbirths in low-risk pregnant women. This paper describes the adaptation and implementation of screening with CWDU and shares critical lessons for further rollout. Screening of 7088 low-risk pregnant women with Umbiflow™ (a CWDU device) was conducted in 19 antenatal care clinics at nine study sites in South Africa. Each site comprised a catchment area with a regional referral hospital and primary healthcare antenatal clinics. Women with suspected placental insufficiency as detected by CWDU were referred for follow-up at the hospital. A 35–43% reduction in stillbirths was recorded.MethodsThe authors followed an iterative reflection process using the field and meeting notes to arrive at an interpretation of the important lessons for future implementation of new devices in resource-constrained settings.ResultsKey features of the implementation of CWDU screening in pregnancy combined with high-risk follow-up are described according to a six-stage change framework: create awareness; commit to implement; prepare to implement; implement; integrate into routine practice; and sustain practice. Differences and similarities in implementation between the different study sites are explored. Important lessons include stakeholder involvement and communication and identifying what would be needed to integrate screening with CWDU into routine antenatal care. A flexible implementation model with four components is proposed for the further rollout of CWDU screening.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that the integration of CWDU screening into routine antenatal care, combined with standard treatment protocols at a higher-level referral hospital, can be achieved with the necessary resources and available maternal and neonatal facilities. Lessons from this study could contribute to future scale-up efforts and help to inform decisions on improving antenatal care and pregnancy outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.

Night Sleep and Parental Bedtime Practices in Low-Risk Preterm and Full-Term Late Talkers.

Night sleep and parental bedtime practices have rarely been investigated in late talkers. This study aimed to explore: night sleep, parental bedtime practices, and their associations in late talkers as well as individual, socio-demographic, and socio-relational factors affecting them. Parents of 47 30-month-old late talkers, born low-risk preterm (n = 24) or full-term (n = 23), with an expressive vocabulary size ≤10th percentile measured by the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory Words and Sentences, and normal cognitive abilities measured by the Bayley Scales, completed the Infant Sleep Questionnaire, the Parental Interactive Bedtime Behaviour Scale, and the Parenting Stress Index Short Form. Results showed slight settling difficulties, night wakings, and frequent co-sleeping in late talkers. Encouraging autonomy practices were frequently used by parents, rather than active physical comforting ones. Recurrent settling difficulties were reported by parents who often applied encouraging autonomy practices, whereas greater night waking problems and frequent co-sleeping were reported by parents who often left their child crying. Low-risk preterm birth and mother's parenting stress predicted total sleep difficulties and night wakings; first-born, high maternal education level and mother's parenting stress predicted settling difficulties; mother's parenting stress was the only predictor for co-sleeping and leaving to cry. These findings have relevant implications for improving late talkers' night sleep and their parents' bedtime practices.

Mobile phone-based postnatal follow up and maternal health outcomes for low risk mothers

Background/Aim The immediate postnatal period poses challenges for maternal and newborn health. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of mobile phone-based postnatal follow up on maternal health outcomes among low risk mothers. Methods A quasi-experimental design was used to gather data from 70 mothers at a hospital in Egypt. Participants in the study group received information about postnatal self-care and three postnatal phone calls on day 3 (48–72 hours postpartum), between days 7 and 14 and 6 weeks after birth. Participants in the control group received standard care. Results Significantly more mothers in the study group were lactating (P=0.01), exercising (P&lt;0.001) and rated their health as very good (P=0.03) than in the control group. Furthermore, more mothers in the control group experienced breast engorgement (P=0.01) and constipation (P=0.002), and 40% were not using contraceptive methods at the end of the puerperium period. Conclusions The authors recommend healthcare providers use modern technologies to complement existing care strategies to improve maternal health and reduce risks in a cost-effective way.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an Online Educational Program for Primiparous Women to Improve Breastfeeding.

There are different approaches to breastfeeding interventions, but the global 6-month exclusive breastfeeding rates remain suboptimal. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought extra difficulties in promoting breastfeeding. To test the feasibility and effectiveness of a theory-based, real-time online educational and support program for breastfeeding related outcomes. An assessor-blinded, prospective pilot randomized controlled trial with parallel-group, repeated-measures design was used. The sample was low-risk primiparous mothers (N = 40) who delivered in the local public hospitals. Study outcomes consisted of exclusive breastfeeding rate, breastfeeding self-efficacy, and other breastfeeding outcomes measured by a self-reported questionnaire, including the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Comparisons between the differences in the intervention and control groups were carried out. Thirteen participants in the intervention group successfully completed the program. They had a higher exclusive breastfeeding rate, breastfeeding self-efficacy, breastfeeding initiation rate, and longer exclusive breastfeeding duration than the control group. Additionally, the intervention group had a lower partial breastfeeding rate, and a higher maternal postnatal depression score and infant's morbidity at postnatal 2 months. However, all the results were not statistically significant (p > .050). Overall, the intervention was highly valued by all participants who appreciated the regular postnatal follow-ups. Despite showing the satisfactory feasibility of the program, no significant improvements were found in all study outcomes. Considering the participants' comments, we suggest refining and further testing the intervention with a larger sample size over a longer-term follow-up to confirm its effectiveness.This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04741425).

Newborns in the early neonatal period in a group of mothers at high obstetric and perinatal risk

AIM: We aimed at assessing the status of newborns in the early neonatal period in a group of mothers at high prenatal risk for preeclampsia (PE), fetal growth restriction (FGR), preterm birth (PTB), and fetal chromosomal abnormalities (FCA).&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively analyzed the status of 435 singletons. Mothers in the first-trimester underwent prenatal screening with risk assessment. Group 1 (study group, n=231) included high-risk subgroups for FCA (subgroup 1A, n=67), maternal PE (subgroup 1B, n=66), FGR (subgroup 1C, n=46), and PTB (subgroup 1D, n=52). We excluded risk combinations. Group 2 (controls) included 204 children of low-risk women.&#x0D; RESULTS: Group 1 had a higher incidence of mild-to-moderate asphyxia compared with group 2 (p 0.05) and was more frequent in 1B, 1C, and 1D subgroups. Moreover, the frequency of severe asphyxia was similar between the groups (p 0.05). Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and developmental delay were more frequent in group 1 than in group 2 (p 0.05). Moreover, group 1 children required monitoring and treatment more frequently that in group 2 (p 0.05). The frequency of infectious complications in group 1 and 1A, 1B, and 1C subgroups was equally higher than that of group 2 (p 0.05), while respiratory distress syndrome predominated in group 1 (subgroup 1D) and was not observed in group 2. The discharge rate was 95.7% in group 1 and 84.0% in group 2 (p 0.05). On days 3 to 5, 16% and 3.4% of children in groups 1 and 2, respectively, were transferred to the second stage of aftercare (p 0.05).&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: In the early neonatal period, children born to high-risk mothers, as opposed to those born to low-risk mothers, were significantly more likely to have asphyxia, IUGR, infectious complications, and indications for continued treatment in the second stage of nursing.

Joint Roles of Oxytocin- and Dopamine-Related Genes and Childhood Parenting Experience in Maternal Supportive Social Network.

How genes and parenting determine maternal social support availability, an important preventive factor of postpartum depression, has been little studied. Our study aimed to examine the interaction effects of maternal sociality-related gene and parenting on maternal social support. We analyzed data of 115 triads of Japanese grandmothers, mothers, and their infants. An interaction between parenting and cumulative genetic risk, calculated on the sociality-related genes (OXTR rs53576, rs2254298, rs1042778; COMT rs4680), was found. Mothers with high genetic risk received less social support if received poorer parenting (B = - 0.02, 95%CI = - 0.04 to - 0.01), while no association among low-risk mothers. Poorer social support was associated with severer depression in high-risk mothers (B = - 0.88, 95%CI = - 1.45 to -0.30). Our results suggest that mothers carrying risk alleles of sociality-related genes are particularly sensitive to childhood parenting, underscoring the importance of childhood parenting and genetic risk to understand maternal help-seeking behavior.

Preventing antenatal stillbirths: An innovative approach for primary health care.

BackgroundIn South Africa (SA), approximately 16 000 stillbirths occur annually. Most are classified as unexplained and occur in district hospitals. Many of these deaths may be caused by undetected foetal growth restriction. Continuous wave Doppler ultrasound of the umbilical artery (CWDU-UmA) is a simple method for assessing placental function. This screening method may detect the foetus at risk of dying and growth-restricted foetuses, allowing for appropriate management.MethodsA cohort study was conducted across South Africa. Pregnant women attending primary health care clinics at 28–34 weeks gestation were screened using CWDU-UmA. Women not screened at those antenatal clinics served as control group 1. Control group 2 consisted of the subset of control group 1 with women detected with antenatal complications excluded. Women with foetuses identified with an abnormal CWDU-UmA test were referred and managed according to a standardised protocol. A comparison between the study and control groups was performed.ResultsThe study group consisted of 6536 pregnancies, and there were 66 stillbirths (stillbirth rate [SBR]: 10.1/1000 births). In control group 1, there were 193 stillbirths in 10 832 women (SBR: 17.8/1000 births), and in control group 2, 152 stillbirths in 9811 women (SBR: 15.5/1000 births) (risk ratio: 0.57, 95% confidence intervals: 0.29–0.85 and 0.65, 0.36–0.94, respectively).ConclusionScreening a low-risk pregnant population identified the low-risk mother with a high-risk foetus, and acting on the information as described was associated with a significant reduction (35% – 43%) in stillbirths. This demonstrates a step-change reduction in stillbirths and warrants screening in SA.

Characteristics of Homebirth in Hungary: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Homebirth is legal and has been regulated by law in Hungary since 2012. Despite the obvious advantages of homebirth, it has not yet been broadly accepted, due to various opinions related to safety and risks associated with giving birth outside of a hospital. Our study aimed at exploring both real maternal and feto-neonatal characteristics associated with Hungarian homebirths. A total of 2997 cases were considered in support of our retrospective cohort study. In the examined period, there was a significant, continual rise in the number of homebirths by a rate of 0.22% on average per year. Aggregated maternal complications (primary uterine inertia, prolonged second stage labour, and third stage haemorrhage) were prevalent among homebirth cases (1.29% vs. 0.72%, p < 0.05) and were associated with an average of 11.77% rate of transfer to a health care institution. On the other hand, the rate of operative (vaginal or caesarean) delivery was 26.31% among institutionalized births. A slightly better Apgar score and relatively high rate (20%) of caesarean deliveries were correlated with institutionalized births (p < 0.05). However, the overall intervention rate was lower among homebirths (0.11% vs. 42.57%) than institutional birth cases (p < 0.001). Overall, homebirth is a reliable option for childbirth for healthy and low-risk mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies, which is reflected in the increasing number of deliveries at home in Hungary. Furthermore, utilizing the experiences of countries where homebirth is a long-established method may further improve the outcome of homebirths in Hungary.

Blessing of the moon: cultural beliefs, birth timing and child health in Nepal

In many South Asian contexts, specific dates are auspicious and inauspicious for health-related behaviours and outcomes. This study analysed the effect of lunar date-related auspicious beliefs in Nepal on childbirths and neonatal health outcomes. Using the daily birth records from a tertiary maternity hospital, we empirically examined whether births occurred disproportionally around full moon days. We found an average of 10.7 extra births on and before full moon days, with an average of 7.5 extra Caesarean deliveries on full moon days. We demonstrated that births occurring on or before the full moon day have poor neonatal health outcomes. However, a subsample analysis suggested better health outcomes for low-risk mothers and worse health outcomes for high-risk mothers. These findings suggest that low-risk mothers may move their deliveries to auspicious dates with fewer complications than high-risk mothers. The results emphasise the need for additional research to distinguish health service demand from supply influences on birth timing in Nepal.

Prenatal Reflective Functioning as a Predictor of Substance-Using Mothers' Treatment Outcome: Comparing Results From Two Different RF Measures.

Mothers with prenatal substance use disorder (SUD) often show broad deficits in their reflective functioning (RF), implying severe risk for the relationship with their baby. Two different types of prenatal maternal RF may be important for parenting: adult attachment-focused-RF (AAI-RF), regarding parent's own childhood experiences, and parenting-focused RF (PRF) regarding their own current process of becoming a parent. However, their inter-relations and potentially different roles for parenting intervention outcomes are not clear. This study examined the associations between mothers' prenatal AAI-RF and pre- and post-natal PRF, and their role in mother-infant interaction and substance use as treatment outcomes. The participants were 57 treatment-enrolled pregnant mothers with SUD and 50 low-risk comparison mothers. AAI-RF was measured with the Adult Attachment Interview. For a subsample of 30 mothers with SUD, PRF was measured with Pregnancy Interview (during pregnancy/pre-intervention), and with Parent Development Interview at 4 months (during intervention). Mother-infant interaction was measured with Emotional Availability Scales at 4 and 12 months (post-intervention), and maternal substance use by post-natal substance relapses. Prenatal AAI-RF and pre- and post-natal PRF were highly associated with each other. Only higher prenatal PRF predicted better mother-infant interaction quality at 4 months and less substance use during the child's first year. Interestingly, prenatal PRF and AAI-RF predicted opposite changes in mother-infant interaction: lower prenatal PRF, but higher AAI-RF predicting more positive change. AAI-RF was especially associated with a change in maternal intrusiveness and hostility, indicating that it represents a more general regulatory tendency. Further studies are needed in larger and lower-risk samples. Our results suggest, however, that AAI-RF and PRF are partially distinct and should be uniquely targeted in perinatal interventions.

A randomized wait-list controlled trial to investigate the role of cognitive mechanisms in parenting interventions on mothers with substance use disorder

BackgroundMaternal substance use disorder (SUD) represents a risk condition for quality of parenting and child development. The current literature highlights the need to identify interventions that effectively enhance the quality of parenting and to better understand which mechanisms are involved in the process of change. The present study protocol describes a randomized wait-list controlled trial that aims to examine (1) the efficacy of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in improving the quality of parenting (i.e., sensitive parenting and sensitive discipline) in mothers with SUD, (2) whether the intervention affects parental cognitive mechanisms (i.e., attentional disengagement to infant negative emotions, inhibitory control confronted with children’s affective expression, and parental reflective functioning), and (3) whether changes in these processes act as mechanisms of change, mediating the effect of the VIPP-SD program on quality of parenting. Moreover, the study aims (4) to explore whether the VIPP-SD has an effect on parenting stress and (5) to compare mothers with SUD to low-risk mothers on the outcome measures.MethodsThe study will involve 40 mothers with SUD and 20 low-risk mothers of children aged between 14 months and 6 years old. Mothers in the SUD group will be randomly divided into two groups, one receiving the intervention (SUD experimental group) and one undergoing treatment as usual (SUD control group). All the mothers will be assessed pre-test and post-test. Quality of parenting will be assessed through observed parenting behaviors, whereas parental cognitive mechanisms will be assessed through neuropsychological tasks and self-report measures.DiscussionThe results of the study will reveal whether an intervention that has been proven effective in other at-risk samples is also effective in improving parenting behaviors in the context of SUD. The results will also provide insight into potential cognitive mechanisms involved in the process of change.Trial registrationISRCTN registry ISRCTN63070968. Registered on 25 June 2021. Retrospectively registered

Quality improvement initiative to address bed shortage in the maternity ward at the National Referral Hospital.

Background and AimsThe shortage of beds at the maternity ward is ever increasing with an increasing trend in total birth and cesarean section deliveries thereby increasing the daily number of obstetric patients awaiting admission. This quality improvement (QI) project was conducted to mitigate the problem of bed shortage by implementing modified enhanced recovery after surgery in low‐risk cesarean section mothers. We aimed to increase the process measure of second day postoperative discharge in low‐risk cesarean section mothers admitted in the maternity ward from 0% to 25% over 2 months period. Simultaneously, the outcome measure of daily number of obstetric patients awaiting admission was assessed.MethodsThe study was conducted at the maternity ward, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu Bhutan. Fishbone analysis was used to analyze problems leading to delayed discharge. Interventions were discussed, implemented, and reviewed using Plan, Do, Study, and Act (PDSA) cycle over 8 week period from June 1 to July 31, 2021. Data were collected using the EXCEL sheet and analyzed using STATA 13. Process and outcome measures during the pre and postintervention period were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to express the results. Wilcoxon Signed‐Rank test was used to determine the statistical significance at p < 0.05.ResultsThe postintervention second day postoperative discharge increased to a median value of 65.5% (interquartile range [IQR]: 45–80) compared to the preintervention value of zero. The number of daily waiting obstetric patients decreased from the preintervention median value of 6.0 (IQR: 0–7) to the postintervention median value of 1.0 (IQR: 0–2) which was statistically significant at p = 0.0001.ConclusionQI initiative can address bed shortages by increasing the early postoperative discharge, thereby reducing the number of obstetric patients awaiting admissions. The outcome of this QI initiative can be used to provide evidence to modify the existing Standard Operating Procedures in our setup.