Effect of COVID-19 on delivery plans and postnatal depression scores of pregnant women.

INTRODUCTION: Owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak Hong Kong hospitals have suspended visiting periods and made mask wearing mandatory. In obstetrics, companionship during childbirth has been suspended and prenatal exercises, antenatal talks, hospital tours, and postnatal classes have been cancelled. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of these restrictive measures on delivery plans and risks of postpartum depression. METHODS: We compared pregnancy data and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) scores of women who delivered between the pre-alert period (1 Jan 2019 to 4 Jan 2020) and post-alert period (5 Jan 2020 to 30 Apr 2020) in a tertiary university public hospital in Hong Kong. Screening for postpartum depression was performed routinely using the EPDS questionnaire 1 day and within 1 week after delivery. RESULTS: There was a 13.1% reduction in the number of deliveries between 1 January and 30 April from 1144 in 2019 to 994 in 2020. The EPDS scores were available for 4357 out of 4531 deliveries (96.2%). A significantly higher proportion of women had EPDS scores of ≥10 1 day after delivery in the post-alert group than the pre-alert group (14.4% vs 11.9%; P<0.05). More women used pethidine (6.2% vs 4.6%) and fewer used a birthing ball (8.5% vs 12.4%) for pain relief during labour in the post-alert group. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women reported more depressive symptoms in the postpartum period following the alert announcement regarding coronavirus infection in Hong Kong. This was coupled with a drop in the delivery rate at our public hospital. Suspension of childbirth companionship might have altered the methods of intrapartum pain relief and the overall pregnancy experience.

Consensus on priorities in maternal education: results of Delphi and nominal group technique approaches.

BACKGROUND: Maternal education is wide-ranging and covers many areas from pregnancy to the immediate postpartum period and childrearing. However, for it to be effective, more resources need to be assigned to key topics. The goal of this study was to identify and prioritize the most important issues in maternal education, so that specific objectives could subsequently be set and learning outcomes evaluated. METHODS: We drew up a comprehensive list of topics addressed in existing maternal education programs, based on a systematic review of information obtained from the Internet and the experience of the research team. The topics were presented to a multidisciplinary panel whose members were asked to rate them from 1 to 9, and consensus of opinion was reached using a two-round Delphi survey, with consensus defined beforehand as 80% agreement among panelists in awarding a score of 7, 8 or 9. The most highly-rated topics were then discussed and again prioritized by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare and non-healthcare experts, using a nominal group technique. RESULTS: Initially, 650 topics were identified and grouped into 80 categories which were then prioritized by 54 healthcare and non-healthcare experts using a Delphi survey with a study participation rate of around 20%. 63 topics were considered very important, so criteria were restricted and only the 24 highest-scoring selected (95% of agreement on scores ≥7 or 80% of agreement on scores ≥8). Using the nominal group technique, a group of 12 experts identified the following priorities: initiation and establishment of breastfeeding, development of a birth plan, identification of problems and self-care postpartum, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, options for pain management in labor and birth and characteristics of a normal newborn/looking after a newborn baby. CONCLUSION: This study, with a Delphi study and the Consensus among Experts: the nominal group technique, has succeeded in identifying priority topics in maternal education. We need to assess women's needs in relation to these topics, design an intervention to respond to these needs and evaluate its effectiveness.

A family-oriented antenatal education program to improve birth preparedness and maternal-infant birth outcomes: A cross sectional evaluation study.

BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, the information on Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness is insufficiently provided to pregnant women and their families. The aim of this study was to evaluate the maternal and infant outcomes of a family-oriented antenatal group education program that promotes Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness in rural Tanzania. METHODS: Pregnant women and families were enrolled in a program about nutrition and exercise, danger signs, and birth preparedness. The cross sectional survey was conducted one year later to evaluate if the participants of the program (intervention group) were different from those who did not participate (control group) with respect to birth-preparedness and maternal and infant outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 194 participants (intervention group, 50; control group, 144) were analyzed. For Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness, the intervention group participants knew a health facility in case of emergency (OR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.39-6.97); arranged accompaniment to go to a health facility for birth (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.17-5.60); decided the birthplace with or by the pregnant women (OR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.44-6.70); and attended antenatal clinic more than four times (OR: 2.39, 95% CI: 1.20-4.78). For birth outcomes, the intervention group had less bleeding or seizure during labour and birth (OR: 0.28, 95%CI: 0.13-0.58); fewer Caesarean sections (OR: 0.16, 95% CI: 0.07-0.36); and less neonatal complications (OR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.13-0.60). CONCLUSIONS: The four variables were significantly better in the intervention group, i.e., identifying a health facility for emergencies, family accompaniment for facility birth, antenatal visits, and involvement of women in decision-making, which may be key factors for improving birth outcome variables. Having identified these key factors, male involvement and healthy pregnant lives should be emphasized in antenatal education to reduce pregnancy and childbirth complications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: No.2013-273-NA-2013-101 . Registered 12 August 2013.

A survey of contemporary antenatal parental education in Sweden: What is offered to expectant parents and midwives' experiences.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how antenatal parental education is provided in southern Sweden and midwives' experiences of it. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey with data collection from 66 antenatal clinics and 189 midwives during 2016. Descriptive and comparative statistics, chi-square and t-tests, were used to present the findings. RESULTS: Antenatal parental education was most commonly offered in small parental groups and the number of hours provided varied between two and ten (mean 5.8) hours. A common and structured program for the sessions was used at 37.3% of the clinics. Normal birth, pain relief, partner role during birth, breastfeeding advantages and breastfeeding initiation were the topics most extensively covered. Topic coverage was in 12 topics, mostly related to the time after birth, lower than midwives' rated importance of the topic: p-values between 0.05 and <0.01. Only 14.2% of the midwives often provided guidance to websites. Although midwives enjoyed working with antenatal parental education, they expressed lack of organizational support and lack of personal skills in group leadership and teaching. Years of experience did not significantly affect their self-rated skills in group leadership or teaching. CONCLUSION: These results contribute to knowledge about contemporary antenatal parental education in Sweden. Our results showed that antenatal parental education is not always in accordance with parents' expectations, especially concerning early parenthood and guidance on the internet. To provide antenatal parental education tailored to the needs of expectant parents it is vital to develop evidence-based guidelines and to address midwives' needs for improved skills in group leadership and teaching.

A standardized antenatal class reduces the rate of cesarean section in southern Italy: A retrospective cohort study.

Italy, along with Poland and Hungary, has the highest cesarean section rate (35.7%) in Europe. Among Italian regions, Campania has the highest rate of cesarean section (58.4%).We developed a standardized antenatal class to evaluate whether women who attend this class during pregnancy have a lower cesarean section rate. This antenatal class was developed according to the indication of the Italian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. We selected a cohort of women who participated in this antenatal class and a cohort of women who did not participate. We collected information on the mode of delivery, and other characteristics, of these women from certificate of birth assistance form available in 2 hospitals where the women gave birth.Among women who participated in the antenatal class, there were more Italians, the women were more educated, more women were employed and there were more primiparas compared with those who did not participate. Non-participants of antenatal class showed a higher rate of cesarean section than those who participated (56.2% vs 23.1%; relative risk [RR] = 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.95-3.03; P < .0001), as well as after adjustment for other variables. This difference was stronger in 1 hospital (RR = 2.88; 95% CI 2.13-3.89; P < .0001) than in the other hospital (RR = 1.86; 95% CI 1.36-2.55; P < .0001).Our standardized antenatal class, which was performed in an area with a high rate of cesarean section, significantly reduced this rate, and this was still significant after adjustment for potential confounders.

Grupo de gestantes adolescentes: contribuições para o cuidado no pré-natal / Grupo de adolescentes embarazadas: contribuciones a la atención prenatal / Pregnant Teenagers' Group: Contributions to Prenatal Care

RESUMO Objetivo Descrever as mudanças no cuidado de enfermagem no pré-natal após a implementação do grupo de gestantes adolescentes norteado pelas expectativas e experiências de adolescentes grávidas. Método Estudo qualitativo, descritivo realizado de fevereiro a novembro de 2013 em Unidade de Atenção Primária de Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil, através de grupos focais com 16 adolescentes do grupo de gestantes da unidade que estavam no 2º ou 3º trimestre de gravidez. Na análise, abstraíram-se ideias centrais e unidades de sentidos formando categorias. Resultados O grupo de gestantes adolescentes como espaço de convivência e vínculo estimulam-nas a falar suas necessidades do momento vivido ressignificando vínculos. As estratégias educativas na promoção do cuidado de si e do bebê promovem aprendizados entre adolescentes pelo compartilhamento de experiências, dúvidas e crenças. Conclusão As considerações e as sugestões das adolescentes contribuíram para nortear o enfermeiro no desenvolvimento do grupo e efetivá-lo como espaço estratégico de cuidados e apoio às adolescentes grávidas na atenção básica.

RESUMEN Objetivo Describir cambios en la práctica del enfermero después de la implementación del grupo de adolescentes embarazadas en la atención prenatal, la práctica guiada por las expectativas y experiencias de adolescentes embarazadas. Método Estudio descriptivo y cualitativo conducido desde febrero hasta noviembre, 2013 en la Unidad de Atención Primaria en Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil, con 16 adolescentes del grupo de embarazadas que integran el 2º o 3º trimestre de embarazo. Del análisis se abstrajeron las ideas centrales y unidades de significados resumidas en las categorías. Resultados El grupo de adolescentes embarazadas como espacio de convivencia y lazos les estimulan a hablar sobre sus necesidades del momento vivido, resignificándolas. Estrategias educativas en la promoción del autocuidado y bebé promueven aprendizaje entre adolescentes, que son estimuladas por medio del intercambio de experiencias, dudas y creencias. Conclusión Consideraciones y sugerencias de las adolescentes contribuyeron para orientar la práctica de las enfermeras y brindar un espacio estratégico de atención y apoyo a las adolescentes embarazadas en atención primaria.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe changes in nurses’ care following the implementation of a group of pregnant teenagers in prenatal care based on the expectations and experiences of pregnant teenagers. Method Qualitative and descriptive study conducted from February to November 2013 at a Primary Care Unit in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, through focus groups with 16 adolescents from the group of pregnant women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. The analysis identified central ideas and units of meanings that formed the categories. Results The strategy of a group of pregnant teenagers, which provides a space for coexistence and the establishment of ties encourages these individuals to talk about their needs, re-signifying their ties. Educational strategies to promote self-care of pregnant teenagers and care for their babies involve the sharing of experiences, doubts and beliefs. Conclusion Considerations and suggestions of the adolescents contributed to guide nurses’ practice and provide a strategic space of care and support for pregnant adolescents in primary care.

We only talk about breast feeding: a discourse analysis of infant feeding messages in antenatal group-based education.

AIM: the aim of the study was to examine the dominant discourses that midwives draw on to present information on breast feeding in group-based antenatal education sessions. BACKGROUND: breast-feeding initiation rates are high among Australian women however, duration rates are low. Antenatal breast-feeding education is considered a key strategy in promoting breast feeding to childbearing women. The efficacy and effectiveness of such a strategy is equivocal and there is little qualitative work examining group-based antenatal breast-feeding education. METHODS: discourse analysis was used to explore the language and practises of midwives facilitating group antenatal breast-feeding education sessions at two Australian maternity facilities. Nine sessions were observed and tape recorded over a 12 month period. Each session lasted between 60 and 140 mins. FINDINGS: the analysis revealed four dominate discourses midwives used to promote breast feeding during group-based antenatal education session. The predominant discourses 'There is only one feeding option': breast feeding' and 'Selling the 'breast is best' reflected how midwives used their personal and professional commitment to breast feeding, within supportive and protective policy frameworks, to convince as many pregnant women as possible to commit to breast feeding. Sessions were organised to ensure women and their partners were 'armed' with as much information as possible about the value of breastmilk, successful positioning and attachment and practical strategies to deal with early breast-feeding problems. Antenatal commitment to breast feeding was deemed necessary if women were to overcome potential hurdles and maintain a commitment to the supply of breast milk. The latter two discourses, drawn upon to promote the breast-feeding message, presented infants as 'hard wired' to breast feed and male partners as 'protectors' of breast feeding. CONCLUSIONS: midwives clearly demonstrated a passion and enthusiasm for breast-feeding education. Examining the dominant discourses used by midwives during the antenatal sessions revealed, however, that their language and practices were often limited to convincing women to breast feed rather than engaging with them in conversations that facilitated exploration and discovery of how breast feeding might be experienced within the mother-infant relationship and broader social and cultural context. In addition, there was evidence that global breast-feeding policies, in resource rich countries such as Australia, may influence how midwives talk about breast feeding without them being fully cognisant of the potentially coercive nature of the messages women receive.