Current policy and practice for the identification, management, and treatment of postpartum anxiety in the United Kingdom: a focus group study.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum Anxiety [PPA] is a prevalent problem in society, posing a significant burden to women, infant health, and the National Health Service [NHS]. Despite this, it is poorly detected by current maternal mental health practices. Due to the current lack of appropriate psychometric measures, insufficiency in training of healthcare professionals, fragmentation of maternal mental healthcare policy and practice, and the magnitude of the effects of PPA on women and their infants, PPA is a critical research priority. This research aims to develop a clear understanding from key stakeholders, of the current landscape of maternal mental health and gain consensus of the needs associated with clinically identifying, measuring, and targeting intervention for women with PPA, in the NHS. METHODS: Four focus groups were conducted with a total of 21 participants, via Zoom. Data were analysed using Template Analysis. RESULTS: Analysis rendered four main themes: (1) Defining Postpartum Anxiety; (2) Postpartum Anxiety in Relation to other Mental Health Disorders; (3) Challenges to Measurement and Identification of Maternal Mental Health; and (4) An Ideal Measure of Postpartum Anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Findings can begin to inform maternal mental healthcare policy as to how to better identify and measure PPA, through the implementation of a postpartum-specific measure within practice, better training and resources for staff, and improved interprofessional communication.

Women's experiences of attempted suicide in the perinatal period (ASPEN-study) - a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a leading cause of maternal death during pregnancy and the year after birth (the perinatal period). While maternal suicide is a relatively rare event with a prevalence of 3.84 per 100,000 live births in the UK [1], the impact of maternal suicide is profound and long-lasting. Many more women will attempt suicide during the perinatal period, with a worldwide estimated prevalence of 680 per 100,000 in pregnancy and 210 per 100,000 in the year after birth [2]. Qualitative research into perinatal suicide attempts is crucial to understand the experiences, motives and the circumstances surrounding these events, but this has largely been unexplored. AIM: Our study aimed to explore the experiences of women and birthing people who had a perinatal suicide attempt and to understand the context and contributing factors surrounding their perinatal suicide attempt. METHODS: Through iterative feedback from a group of women with lived experience of perinatal mental illness and relevant stakeholders, a qualitative study design was developed. We recruited women and birthing people (N = 11) in the UK who self-reported as having undertaken a suicide attempt. Interviews were conducted virtually, recorded and transcribed. Using NVivo software, a critical realist approach to Thematic Analysis was followed, and themes were developed. RESULTS: Three key themes were identified that contributed to the perinatal suicide attempt. The first theme 'Trauma and Adversities' captures the traumatic events and life adversities with which participants started their pregnancy journeys. The second theme, 'Disillusionment with Motherhood' brings together a range of sub-themes highlighting various challenges related to pregnancy, birth and motherhood resulting in a decline in women's mental health. The third theme, 'Entrapment and Despair', presents a range of factors that leads to a significant deterioration of women's mental health, marked by feelings of failure, hopelessness and losing control. CONCLUSIONS: Feelings of entrapment and despair in women who are struggling with motherhood, alongside a background of traumatic events and life adversities may indicate warning signs of a perinatal suicide. Meaningful enquiry around these factors could lead to timely detection, thus improving care and potentially prevent future maternal suicides.

Preliminary findings on the experiences of care for women who suffered early pregnancy losses during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Women who suffer an early pregnancy loss require specific clinical care, aftercare, and ongoing support. In the UK, the clinical management of early pregnancy complications, including loss is provided mainly through specialist Early Pregnancy Assessment Units. The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the way in which maternity and gynaecological care was delivered, as health systems moved to rapidly reconfigure and re-organise services, aiming to reduce the risk and spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection. PUDDLES is an international collaboration investigating the pandemic's impact on care for people who suffered a perinatal bereavement. Presented here are initial qualitative findings undertaken with UK-based women who suffered early pregnancy losses during the pandemic, about how they navigated the healthcare system and its restrictions, and how they were supported. METHODS: In-keeping with a qualitative research design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with an opportunity sample of women (N = 32) who suffered any early pregnancy loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analysed using a template analysis to understand women's access to services, care, and networks of support, during the pandemic following their pregnancy loss. The thematic template was based on findings from parents who had suffered a late-miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death in the UK, during the pandemic. RESULTS: All women had experienced reconfigured maternity and early pregnancy services. Data supported themes of: 1) COVID-19 Restrictions as Impractical & Impersonal; 2) Alone, with Only Staff to Support Them; 3) Reduction in Service Provision Leading to Perceived Devaluation in Care; and 4) Seeking Their Own Support. Results suggest access to early pregnancy loss services was reduced and pandemic-related restrictions were often impractical (i.e., restrictions added to burden of accessing or receiving care). Women often reported being isolated and, concerningly, aspects of early pregnancy loss services were reported as sub-optimal. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide important insight for the recovery and rebuilding of health services in the post-pandemic period and help us prepare for providing a higher standard of care in the future and through any other health system shocks. Conclusions made can inform future policy and planning to ensure best possible support for women who experience early pregnancy loss.

Oscillating autonomy: a grounded theory study of women's experiences of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy, labour and birth, and the early postnatal period.

BACKGROUND: Testing positive for COVID-19 was associated with higher rates of detrimental psycho-social and physical health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented disruption to everyday life. This included major reconfiguration of maternal, child, and perinatal mental health and care services and provision. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of those who tested positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy, labour and birth, or the early postnatal period. METHODS: National on-line recruitment from across the United Kingdom resulted in sixteen mothers being invited to qualitative semi-structured interviews to understand the experiences of mothers who had been infected by COVID-19 during pregnancy, labour and birth, or the early postnatal period. Interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed using video-conferencing software. A Grounded Theory approach was used to analyse the data gathered pertaining to women's experiences of their positive COVID-19 diagnosis during pregnancy, labour and birth, or the early postnatal period. RESULTS: The theory of 'Oscillating Autonomy - Losing and Seeking to Regain Control by Striving for Agency' was developed, comprising three main themes: 'Anxious Anticipation: The fear of infection was worse than COVID-19 itself'; 'Fluctuating Agency: What changed when COVID-19 took control'; and 'Reclaiming Control: Seeking reassurance during COVID-19 positivity'. Testing positive for COVID-19 whilst pregnant, during labour or birth, or in the early postnatal period was associated with a perceived loss of control. Those who were able to regain that control felt more secure in their situation. CONCLUSIONS: Support was paramount to manage increased vulnerability, as was reassurance achieved by information seeking and positive action including increased health monitoring and COVID-19 vaccination.

Validity and reliability of an Arabic-language version of the postpartum specific anxiety scale research short-form in Jordan.

OBJECTIVE: The English-language Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS) is a valid, reliable measure for postpartum anxiety (PPA), but its 51-item length is a limitation. Consequently, the PSAS Working Group developed the PSAS Research Short-Form (PSAS-RSF), a statistically robust 16-item tool that effectively assesses PPA. This study aimed to assess and validate the reliability of an Arabic-language version of the PSAS-RSF in Jordan (PSAS-JO-RSF). METHODS: Using a cross-sectional methodological design, a sample of Arabic-speaking mothers (N = 391) with infants aged up to 6 months were recruited via convenience sampling from a prominent tertiary hospital in northern Jordan. Factor analysis, composite reliability (CR), average variance extracted (AVE), McDonald's ω, and inter-item correlation measures were all examined. RESULTS: Explanatory factor analysis revealed a four-factor model consistent with the English-language version of the PSAS-RSF, explaining a cumulative variance of 61.5%. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the good fit of the PSAS-JO-RSF (χ2/df = 1.48, CFI = 0.974, TLI = 0.968, RMSEA = 0.039, SRMR = 0.019, p < 0.001). The four factors demonstrated acceptable to good reliability, with McDonald's ω ranging from 0.778 to 0.805, with 0.702 for the overall scale. The CR and AVE results supported the validity and reliability of the PSAS-JO-RSF. CONCLUSION: This study establishes an Arabic-language version of the PSAS-JO-RSF as a valid and reliable scale for screening postpartum anxieties in Jordan.

Comparison of Sexual Function, Satisfaction, and Assertiveness in Genital Cosmetic Surgery Groups: A Randomized-Sampling Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Sexual dissatisfaction is one of the main motivations for seeking female genital cosmetic surgery (FGCS), though the outcomes of such surgeries are controversial. OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the sexual function, satisfaction, and assertiveness in FGCS groups. METHODS: From five clinical centers in Tehran, Iran, 200 women in the study group (women seeking or had undergone labiaplasty (LP), women seeking or had undergone multi-procedure (MP) of FGCS simultaneously) and the control group were randomly selected. Participants completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction (GMSEX), and the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness (HISA). The groups were compared using the Chi-square, one-way ANOVA with post hoc analysis. RESULTS: In women seeking LP, the mean FSFI, GMSEX, and HISA score was lower than that of women who had undergone LP (FSFI: 18.41 vs 21.36, p =0.04, GMSEX: 20.36 vs 28.03 p <0.001, HISA: 49.7 vs 62.5 p <0.001). Our finding showed as well that women seeking MP also had lower mean FSFI, GMSEX, and HISA score compared to women had undergone MP (FSFI: 23.02 vs 18.02, p <0.001, GMSEX: 19.63 vs 28.94 p <0.001, HISA: 45.72 vs 60.62 p <0.001). CONCLUSION: Women who had completed FGCS experienced better sexual function, satisfaction, and assertiveness compared with women seeking surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Targeted health and social care interventions for women and infants who are disproportionately impacted by health inequalities in high-income countries: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Disadvantaged populations (such as women from minority ethnic groups and those with social complexity) are at an increased risk of poor outcomes and experiences. Inequalities in health outcomes include preterm birth, maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, and poor-quality care. The impact of interventions is unclear for this population, in high-income countries (HIC). The review aimed to identify and evaluate the current evidence related to targeted health and social care service interventions in HICs which can improve health inequalities experienced by childbearing women and infants at disproportionate risk of poor outcomes and experiences. METHODS: Twelve databases searched for studies across all HICs, from any methodological design. The search concluded on 8/11/22. The inclusion criteria included interventions that targeted disadvantaged populations which provided a component of clinical care that differed from standard maternity care. RESULTS: Forty six index studies were included. Countries included Australia, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, UK and USA. A narrative synthesis was undertaken, and results showed three intervention types: midwifery models of care, interdisciplinary care, and community-centred services. These intervention types have been delivered singularly but also in combination of each other demonstrating overlapping features. Overall, results show interventions had positive associations with primary (maternal, perinatal, and infant mortality) and secondary outcomes (experiences and satisfaction, antenatal care coverage, access to care, quality of care, mode of delivery, analgesia use in labour, preterm birth, low birth weight, breastfeeding, family planning, immunisations) however significance and impact vary. Midwifery models of care took an interpersonal and holistic approach as they focused on continuity of carer, home visiting, culturally and linguistically appropriate care and accessibility. Interdisciplinary care took a structural approach, to coordinate care for women requiring multi-agency health and social services. Community-centred services took a place-based approach with interventions that suited the need of its community and their norms. CONCLUSION: Targeted interventions exist in HICs, but these vary according to the context and infrastructure of standard maternity care. Multi-interventional approaches could enhance a targeted approach for at risk populations, in particular combining midwifery models of care with community-centred approaches, to enhance accessibility, earlier engagement, and increased attendance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO Registration number: CRD42020218357.

Validation of the Iranian version of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale 12-item research short-form for use during global crises (PSAS-IR-RSF-C).

BACKGROUND: Due to its high pervasiveness and adversarial consequences, postpartum anxiety has been one of the most worrying public health concerns in the last decade. According to previous research, the occurrence of mental disorders among women in the postpartum period upsurges significantly in the course of universal disasters. The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale - Research Short Form - for use in global Crises [PSAS-IR-RSF-C] has not been used in Iran for postpartum women during a health system shock. Consequently, this study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version (PSAS-IR-RSF-C) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed with 180 women who were between six weeks and six months after delivery, by random sampling method from December 2021 to June 2022. The validity of the PSAS-RSF-C in terms of face, content, was analyzed, and the construct validity was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the questionnaire were measured using (Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's ω) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. RESULTS: The content validity index and content validity ratio of the Persian version of the PSAS-IR-RSF-C were 0.96 and 0.98, respectively. A three-factor structure was extracted during the exploratory factor analysis process, and model validity was confirmed by the values of fit indices. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's ω and intra-cluster correlation coefficient (95% confidence interval) were 0.74, 0.92 (0.78 to 0.93) and 0.97 (0.93 to 0.98), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For the specific assessment of postpartum anxiety among Iranian women during crises, the Persian version of the PSAS-IR-RSF-C is a valid and reliable tool.

Psychometric evaluation of the postpartum specific anxiety scale - research short-form among iranian women (PSAS-IR-RSF).

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of postpartum anxiety as a common psychological problem affects a large part of women's lives. Despite the existence of tools in this field, but due to the lack of specificity in reflecting postpartum anxiety, it is necessary to have a specific tool to screen it. Since the psychometric evaluation of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale-Research Short-Form (PSAS-RSF) among Iranian women has not been assessed in Iran until now, so we decided to conduct this study with the aim of psychometric evaluation of the PSAS-IR-RSF. METHODS: We included 180 women (six weeks to six months postpartum) in the study by random sampling during the period from December 2021 to June 2022. We examined the validity of the PSAS-IR-RSF tool in terms of face, content and construct (through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses). We used internal consistency and test-retest reliability to determine the reliability of the scale. RESULTS: In the present study, content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR) of the PSAS-IR-RSF tool were equal to 0.91 and 0.97, respectively. We extracted a four-factor structure through the process of exploratory factor analysis. The values of fitting indices confirmed the validity of the model. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was equal to 0.72 and intra-class correlation coefficient (with 95% confidence interval) was 0.97 (0.98 to 0.93). CONCLUSIONS: The Persian version of the PSAS-IR-RSF is a valid and reliable tool for the specific evaluation of postpartum anxiety among Iranian women.

Reflective, pragmatic, and reactive decision-making by maternity service providers during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic health system shock: a qualitative, grounded theory analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant and postpartum women were identified as having particular vulnerability to severe symptomatology of SARS-CoV-2 infection, so maternity services significantly reconfigured their care provision. We examined the experiences and perceptions of maternity care staff who provided care during the pandemic in South London, United Kingdom - a region of high ethnic diversity with varied levels of social complexity. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative interview study, as part of a service evaluation between August and November 2020, using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with a range of staff (N = 29) working in maternity services. Data were analysed using Grounded Theory analysis appropriate to cross-disciplinary health research. ANALYSIS & FINDINGS: Maternity healthcare professionals provided their views, experiences, and perceptions of delivering care during the pandemic. Analysis rendered three emergent themes regarding decision-making during reconfigured maternity service provision, organised into pathways: 1) 'Reflective decision-making'; 2) 'Pragmatic decision-making'; and 3) 'Reactive decision-making'. Whilst pragmatic decision-making was found to disrupt care, reactive-decision-making was perceived to devalue the care offered and provided. Alternatively, reflective decision-making, despite the difficult working conditions of the pandemic, was seen to benefit services, with regards to care of high-quality, sustainability of staff, and innovation within the service. CONCLUSIONS: Decision-making within maternity care was found to take three forms - where at best changes to services could be innovative, at worst they could cause devaluation in care being delivered, and more often than not, these changes were disruptive. With regard to positive changes, healthcare providers identified staff empowerment, flexible working patterns (both for themselves and collectively as teams), personalised care delivery, and change-making in general, as key areas to capitalise on current and ongoing innovations borne out of the pandemic. Key learnings included a focus on care-related, meaningful listening and engagement of staff at all levels, in order to drive forward high-quality care and avoid care disruption and devaluation.

Inside the 'imperfect mosaic': Minority ethnic women's qualitative experiences of race and ethnicity during pregnancy, childbirth, and maternity care in the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Persistent, high rates of maternal mortality amongst ethnic minorities is one of the UK's starkest examples of racial disparity. With greater risks of adverse outcomes during maternity care, ethnic minority women are subjected to embedded, structural and systemic discrimination throughout the healthcare service. METHODS: Fourteen semi-structured interviews were undertaken with minority ethnic women who had recent experience of UK maternity care. Data pertaining to ethnicity and race were subject to iterative, inductive coding, and constant comparison through Grounded Theory Analysis to test a previously established theory: The 'Imperfect Mosaic'. ANALYSIS & FINDINGS: A related theory emerged, comprising four themes: 'Stopping Short of Agentic Birth'; 'Silenced and Stigmatised through Tick-Box Care'; 'Anticipating Discrimination and the Need for Advocacy'; and 'Navigating Cultural Differences'. The new theory: Inside the 'Imperfect Mosaic', demonstrates experiences of those who received maternity care which directly mirrors experiences of those who provide care, as seen in the previous theory we set-out to test. However, the current theory is based on more traditional and familiar notions of racial discrimination, rather than the nuanced, subtleties of socio-demographic-based micro-aggressions experienced by healthcare professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the need for the following actions: Prioritisation of bodily autonomy and agency in perinatal physical and mental healthcare; expand awareness of social and cultural issues (i.e., moral injury; cultural safety) within the NHS; and undertake diversity training and support, and follow-up of translation of the training into practice, across (maternal) health services.

The disequilibrium of hope: A grounded theory analysis of parents' experiences of receiving a "no primary finding" result from genome sequencing.

Genome sequencing (GS) has the potential to reduce the "diagnostic odyssey" that many parents of children with rare undiagnosed conditions experience. While much research has considered the impact of receiving a diagnostic result, research has rarely focused solely on the impact of receiving a "no primary finding" (NPF) result. This study aimed to investigate the experience of parents of children with rare and undiagnosed conditions following an NPF result from GS. Nine parents whose child had an NPF result from GS were recruited through the social media platform of the charity SWAN (Syndromes Without A Name) UK. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using grounded theory. Analysis led to the emergence of two main themes. The first theme "Striving to Solve the Unsolved Puzzle" concerned the experience of striving to end the "diagnostic odyssey." The second theme "Navigating Hope, Lost then Found" plots the trajectory of hope raised by the promise of a new technology, dashed by the NPF, and the eventual return of small and distant hope for the future. Taken together, these themes allowed for a proposed theory: "The Disequilibrium of Hope," which highlights the dynamic and modifiable experience of hope participants experience in their GS journey. These results suggest GS can be an emotional rollercoaster for parents. While hope plays an important role in coping with the day-to-day life of living with a rare disease, careful management of expectations from GS is important during pre-test counseling, and continued follow-up and support are needed beyond result disclosure. An understanding of the disappointment and distress caused by an NPF result is valuable for healthcare professionals in this field to ensure counseling can be tailored. Further research should consider how to support parents after an NPF result.

(Re)activation of survival strategies during pregnancy and childbirth following experiences of childhood sexual abuse.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the pregnancy and childbearing experiences of women-survivors of childhood sexual abuse [CSA]. We aimed to generate a theory explaining those experiences for this population (women), this phenomenon (pregnancy and childbirth), and this context (those who have survived CSA). METHOD: Participants (N=6) were recruited to semi-structured interviews about their experiences of CSA and subsequent pregnancy and childbirth. Data saturated early, and were analysed using Grounded Theory (appropriate to cross-disciplinary health research). Coding was inductive and iterative, to ensure rigour and achieve thematic saturation. RESULTS: Open and focused coding led to the generation of super-categories, which in-turn were collapsed into three distinct, but related themes. These themes were: Chronicity of Childhood (Sexual) Abuse; Pregnancy and Childbirth as Paradoxically (Un)safe Experiences; Enduring Nature of Survival Strategies. The relationship between these themes was explained as the theory of: (Re)activation of Survival Strategies during Pregnancy and Childbirth following Experiences of Childhood Sexual Abuse. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy and childbirth can be triggering for women-survivors of CSA. Survival strategies learnt during experiences of CSA can be (re)activated as a way of not only coping, but surviving (the sometimes unconsented) procedures, such as monitoring and physical examinations, as well as the feelings of lack of control and bodily agency.

A qualitative study of minority ethnic women's experiences of access to and engagement with perinatal mental health care.

BACKGROUND: Approximately one in five women will experience mental health difficulties in the perinatal period. However, for a large group of women, symptoms of adverse perinatal mental health remain undetected and untreated. This is even more so for women of ethnic minority background, who face a variety of barriers which prevents them from accessing appropriate perinatal mental health care. AIMS: To explore minority ethnic women's experiences of access to and engagement with perinatal mental health care. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 women who had been diagnosed with perinatal mental health difficulties and who were supported in the community by a specialist perinatal mental health service in South London, United Kingdom. Women who self-identified as being from a minority ethnic group were purposefully selected. Data were transcribed verbatim, uploaded into NVivo for management and analysis, which was conducted using reflective thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three distinct overarching themes were identified, each with two or three subthemes: 'Expectations and Experiences of Womanhood as an Ethnic Minority' (Shame and Guilt in Motherhood; Women as Caregivers; Perceived to Be Strong and Often Dismissed), 'Family and Community Influences' (Blind Faith in the Medical Profession; Family and Community Beliefs about Mental Health and Care; Intergenerational Trauma and Family Dynamics) and 'Cultural Understanding, Empowerment, and Validation' (The Importance of Understanding Cultural Differences; The Power of Validation, Reassurance, and Support). CONCLUSION: Women of ethnic minority background identified barriers to accessing and engaging with perinatal mental health support on an individual, familial, community and societal level. Perinatal mental health services should be aware ethnic minority women might present with mental health difficulties in different ways and embrace principles of cultural humility and co-production to fully meet these women's perinatal mental health needs.

Precarity and preparedness during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A qualitative service evaluation of maternity healthcare professionals.

INTRODUCTION: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has devastated populations, posing unprecedented challenges for healthcare services, staff and service-users. In the UK, rapid reconfiguration of maternity healthcare service provision changed the landscape of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care. This study aimed to explore the experiences of maternity services staff who provided maternity care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to inform future improvements in care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A qualitative interview service evaluation was undertaken at a single maternity service in an NHS Trust, South London. Respondents (n = 29) were recruited using a critical case purposeful sample of maternity services staff. Interviews were conducted using video-conferencing software, and were transcribed and analyzed using Grounded Theory Analysis appropriate for cross-disciplinary health research. The focus of analysis was on staff experiences of delivering maternity services and care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. RESULTS: A theory of "Precarity and Preparedness" was developed, comprising three main emergent themes: "Endemic precarity: A health system under pressure"; "A top-down approach to managing the health system shock"; and "From un(der)-prepared to future flourishing". CONCLUSIONS: Maternity services in the UK were under significant strain and were inherently precarious. This was exacerbated by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which saw further disruption to service provision, fragmentation of care and pre-existing staff shortages. Positive changes are required to improve staff retention and team cohesion, and ensure patient-centered care remains at the heart of maternity care.

The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale: Confirmatory factor analyses and relationships with birth experience.

The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale [PSAS] was developed and validated as a research tool with a four-factor structure; with predictive validity corroborated in studies examining infant-feeding and maternal bonding outcomes. The PSAS has not been examined in relation to birth experiences. We aimed to confirm the PSAS four-factor structure and examine these domains of anxiety in relation to subjective and objective birth experiences. Postpartum mothers (≤ 12-months; N = 500) completed the PSAS alongside measures of subjective birth satisfaction and objective obstetric interventions/complications. Confirmatory factor analyses [CFA] tested eight models, theoretically derived from the preceding exploratory work. Structural equation modelling [SEM] tested associations between each PSAS factor and birth experience variables in the best-fitting model. An identical 51-item four-factor model fits the data well. SEM analyses revealed associations between lower perceptions of quality of intrapartum care and increased maternal competence and attachment anxieties, practical infant care anxieties, and infant safety and welfare anxieties. High subjective stress and negative emotional response to labour were associated with increased psychosocial adjustment to motherhood anxieties. Specific associations were found between neonatal care unit admission and practical infant care anxieties; and infant asphyxia and infant safety and welfare anxieties. Findings confirm construct and convergent validity of the four-factor PSAS and its use in measuring postpartum anxiety. Unique associations were also identified, indicating specific subjective and objective experiences occurring during birth may elicit a differential anxiety response, in that they are related to specific forms of postpartum anxiety which occur during the first postpartum year.

Project20: interpreter services for pregnant women with social risk factors in England: what works, for whom, in what circumstances, and how?

BACKGROUND: Black and minority ethnic women and those with social risk factors such as deprivation, refugee and asylum seeker status, homelessness, mental health issues and domestic violence are at a disproportionate risk of poor birth outcomes. Language barriers further exacerbate this risk, with women struggling to access, engage with maternity services and communicate concerns to healthcare professionals. To address the language barrier, many UK maternity services offer telephone interpreter services. This study explores whether or not women with social risk factors find these interpreter services acceptable, accessible and safe, and to suggest solutions to address challenges. METHODS: Realist methodology was used to refine previously constructed programme theories about how women with language barriers access and experience interpreter services during their maternity care. Twenty-one longitudinal interviews were undertaken during pregnancy and the postnatal period with eight non-English speaking women and their family members. Interviews were analysed using thematic framework analysis to confirm, refute or refine the programme theories and identify specific contexts, mechanisms and outcomes relating to interpreter services. RESULTS: Women with language barriers described difficulties accessing maternity services, a lack of choice of interpreter, suspicion around the level of confidentiality interpreter services provide, and questioned how well professional interpreters were able to interpret what they were trying to relay to the healthcare professional during appointments. This resulted in many women preferring to use a known and trusted family member or friend to interpret for them where possible. Their insights provide detailed insight into how poor-quality interpreter services impact on their ability to disclose risk factors and communicate concerns effectively with their healthcare providers. A refined programme theory puts forward mechanisms to improve their experiences and safety such as regulated, high-quality interpreter services throughout their maternity care, in which women have choice, trust and confidence. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study contribute to concerns highlighted in previous literature around interpreter services in the wider healthcare arena, particularly around the lack of regulation and access to high-quality interpretation. This is thought to have a significant effect on pregnant women who are living socially complex lives as they are not able to communicate their concerns and access support. This not only impacts on their safety and pregnancy outcomes, but also their wider holistic needs. The refined program theory developed in this study offers insights into the mechanisms of equitable access to appropriate interpreter services for pregnant women with language barriers.

Preliminary findings on the experiences of care for parents who suffered perinatal bereavement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented risk to the global population. Maternity care in the UK was subject to many iterations of guidance on how best to reconfigure services to keep women, their families and babies, and healthcare professionals safe. Parents who experience a pregnancy loss or perinatal death require particular care and support. PUDDLES is an international collaboration investigating the experiences of recently bereaved parents who suffered a late miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death during the global COVID-19 pandemic, in seven countries. In this study, we aim to present early findings from qualitative work undertaken with recently bereaved parents in the United Kingdom about how access to healthcare and support services was negotiated during the pandemic. METHODS: In-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with parents (N = 24) who had suffered a late miscarriage (n = 5; all mothers), stillbirth (n = 16; 13 mothers, 1 father, 1 joint interview involving both parents), or neonatal death (n = 3; all mothers). Data were analysed using a template analysis with the aim of investigating bereaved parents' access to services, care, and networks of support, during the pandemic after their bereavement. RESULTS: All parents had experience of utilising reconfigured maternity and/or neonatal, and bereavement care services during the pandemic. The themes utilised in the template analysis were: 1) The Shock & Confusion Associated with Necessary Restrictions to Daily Life; 2) Fragmented Care and Far Away Families; 3) Keeping Safe by Staying Away; and 4) Impersonal Care and Support Through a Screen. Results suggest access to maternity, neonatal, and bereavement care services were all significantly reduced, and parents' experiences were notably affected by service reconfigurations. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, whilst preliminary, are important to document now, to help inform care and service provision as the pandemic continues and to provide learning for ongoing and future health system shocks. We draw conclusions on how to enable development of safe and appropriate services during this pandemic and any future health crises, to best support parents who experience a pregnancy loss or whose babies die.

Postpartum women's psychological experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: a modified recurrent cross-sectional thematic analysis.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has placed additional stressors on mothers during an already vulnerable lifecourse transition. Initial social distancing restrictions (Timepoint 1; T1) and initial changes to those social distancing restrictions (Timepoint 2; T2) have disrupted postpartum access to practical and emotional support. This qualitative study explores the postpartum psychological experiences of UK women during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated 'lockdowns'. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 women, approximately 30 days after initial social distancing guidelines were imposed in the UK (22 April 2020). A separate 12 women were interviewed approximately 30 days after the initial easing of social distancing restrictions (10 June 2020). Data were transcribed verbatim, uploaded into NVivo for management and analysis, which followed a recurrent cross-sectional approach to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified for T1: 'Motherhood is Much Like Lockdown' and 'A Self-Contained Family Unit'. Each main T1 theme contained two sub-themes. Two main themes were also identified for T2: 'Incongruously Held Views of COVID-19' and 'Mothering Amidst the Pandemic'. Each main T2 theme contained three sub-themes. Comparisons between data gathered at each timepoint identified increased emotional distress over time. Current findings call for the improvement of postpartum care by improving accessibility to social support, and prioritising the re-opening of schools, and face-to-face healthcare appointments and visitation. CONCLUSION: Social distancing restrictions associated with COVID-19 have had a cumulative, negative effect on postpartum mental health. Recommendations such as: Allowing mothers to 'bubble' with a primary support provider even at their healthcare appointments; allowing one support partner to attend all necessary healthcare appointments; and providing tailored informational resources, may help to support postpartum emotional wellbeing during this, and similar health crises in the future.

Psychometric evaluation of the postpartum specific anxiety scale in an Iranian population (PSAS-IR).

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders among mothers during the postpartum period, which can lead to maternal and infant physical and psychological consequences. The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS) predicts unique variance in postnatal outcomes over and above general anxiety tools. It has never been used in Iran and its validity and reliability have not been assessed either. Therefore, the present study aimed to translate and investigate the psychometric properties of the PSAS-IR. METHODS: 510 women, from six weeks to six months postpartum, were selected through random sampling in 2020. After forward and back-translation, the face validity, content validity, and construct validity of PSAS (through confirmatory factor analysis) were examined. The reliability of the scale was assessed using both internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest stability methods. RESULTS: CVI and CVR values of the PSAS tool were 0.89 and 0.88, respectively. The good fit indices confirmed the validity of four-factor structure. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Intra Correlation Coefficient (ICC) equaled 0.93 and 0.92, respectively. CONCLUSION: The Persian version of PSAS is a valid and reliable four-factor scale, it will improve the measurement of postpartum anxiety in an Iranian setting. This will improve the measurement of postpartum anxiety in an Iranian setting.