Assessment of midwifery care providers intrapartum care competencies, in four sub-Saharan countries: a mixed-method study protocol.

BACKGROUND: We aim to assess competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes) of midwifery care providers as well as their experiences and perceptions of in-service training in the four study countries; Benin, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda as part of the Action Leveraging Evidence to Reduce perinatal mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa project (ALERT). While today more women in low- and middle-income countries give birth in health care facilities, reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality have been less than expected. This paradox may be explained by the standard and quality of intrapartum care provision which depends on several factors such as health workforce capacity and the readiness of the health system as well as access to care. METHODS: Using an explanatory sequential mixed method design we will employ three methods (i) a survey will be conducted using self-administered questionnaires assessing knowledge, (ii) skills drills assessing basic intrapartum skills and attitudes, using an observation checklist and (iii) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to explore midwifery care providers' experiences and perceptions of in-service training. All midwifery care providers in the study facilities are eligible to participate in the study. For the skills drills a stratified sample of midwifery care providers will be selected in each hospital according to the number of providers and, professional titles and purposive sampling will be used for the FGDs. Descriptive summary statistics from the survey and skills drills will be presented by country. Conventional content analysis will be employed for data analysis of the FGDs. DISCUSSION: We envision comparative insight across hospitals and countries. The findings will be used to inform a targeted quality in-service training and quality improvement intervention related to provision of basic intrapartum care as part of the ALERT project. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PACTR202006793783148-June 17th, 2020.

Significados e experiências de mulheres que vivenciaram o parto humanizado hospitalar assistido por enfermeira obstétrica / Significados y experiencias de las mujeres que experimentaron el parto humanizado del hospital asistidas por una enfermera obstétrica / Meanings and experiences of women who experienced the hospital humanized birth labor assisted by an obstetric nurse

Objetivo compreender os significados e as experiências de mulheres que vivenciaram o processo de parto humanizado hospitalar assistido por enfermeira obstétrica e a motivação para essa escolha. Método estudo qualitativo com 12 mulheres, por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, após 60 dias do parto. A análise temática de conteúdo guiou a análise dos dados. Resultados emergiram quatro categorias: motivações para o parto humanizado hospitalar assistido por enfermeira obstétrica; experiência e significados atribuídos ao parto; experiência e significados atribuídos à participação do companheiro e outras pessoas da escolha da mulher; experiência e significados atribuídos aos profissionais. Considerações finais a experiência do parto foi considerada única, grandiosa; um momento singular, fantástico, intenso, emocionante. As mulheres sentiram-se respeitadas, fortes, vitoriosas. O nascimento foi a maior experiência de amor, imbuído de respeito. A enfermeira obstétrica transmitiu paz, segurança e tranquilidade durante o parto, foi promotora de diálogo e respeito, demonstrando conhecimento, capacidade técnica e empatia.

Objetivo entender los significados y experiencias de las mujeres que experimentaron el proceso de parto humanizado hospitalario asistidos por una enfermera obstétrica y la motivación para esta elección. Método se trata de un estudio cualitativo con 12 mujeres, a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas, después de 60 días de parto. Análisis temático de contenido guio el análisis de datos. Resultados surgieron cuatro categorías: motivaciones para el parto humanizado en el hospital asistido por una enfermera obstétrica; experiencia y significados atribuidos al parto; experiencia y significados atribuidos a la participación de la pareja y otras personas de la elección de la mujer; experiencia y significados atribuidos a los profesionales. Consideraciones finales la experiencia del parto se consideró única, grandiosa; un momento singular, fantástico, intenso, emocionante. Las mujeres se sentían respetadas, fuertes, victoriosas. El nacimiento fue la mayor experiencia de amor, imbuido de respeto. La enfermera obstétrica transmitió paz, seguridad y tranquilidad durante el parto, fue una promotora del diálogo y el respeto, demostrando conocimiento, capacidad técnica y empatía.

Objective understanding the meanings and experiences of women who experienced the process of hospital humanized birth labor assisted by an obstetric nurse and the motivation for this choice. Method a qualitative study with 12 women, through semi-structured interviews, after 60 days of birth. Thematic content analysis guided data analysis. Results four categories emerged: motivations for humanized hospital birth labor assisted by an obstetric nurse; experience and meanings attributed to childbirth; experience and meanings attributed to the participation of the partner and other people of the woman's choice; experience and meanings attributed to professionals. Final considerations the experience of childbirth was considered unique, grandiose; a singular, fantastic, intense, exciting moment. Women felt respected, strong, victorious. Birth was the greatest experience of love, imbued with respect. The obstetric nurse transmitted peace, security and tranquility during childbirth, was a promoter of dialogue and respect, demonstrating knowledge, technical capacity and empathy.

Attention to childbirth and delivery in a university hospital: comparison of practices developed after Network Stork. / Atenção ao parto e nascimento em hospital universitário: comparação de práticas desenvolvidas após Rede Cegonha.

OBJECTIVE: to compare, after four years of the implementation of the Stork Network, the obstetric practices developed in a university hospital according to the classification of the World Health Organization. METHOD: cross-sectional study carried out in the year of adherence to the Stork Network (377 women) and replicated four years later (586 women). Data were obtained through medical records and a structured questionnaire. The Chi-square test was used in the analysis. RESULTS: four years after the implementation of the Stork Network, in Category A practices (demonstrably useful practices/good practices), there was increased frequency of companions, non-pharmacological methods, skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding stimulation, and decreased freedom of position/movement. In Category B (harmful practices), there was reduction of trichotomy and increased venoclysis. In Category C (practices with no sufficient evidence), there was increase of Kristeller's maneuver. In Category D (improperly used practices), the percentage of digital examinations above the recommended level increased, as well as of analgesics and analgesia, and there was decrease of episiotomy. CONCLUSION: these findings indicate the maintenance of a technocratic and interventionist assistance and address the need for changes in the obstetric care model. A globally consolidated path is the incorporation of midwife nurses into childbirth for the appropriate use of technologies and the reduction of unnecessary interventions.

Atenção ao parto e nascimento em hospital universitário: comparação de práticas desenvolvidas após Rede Cegonha / Attention to childbirth and delivery in a university hospital: comparison of practices developed after Network Stork / Atención al parto y nacimiento en hospital universitario: comparación de prácticas desarrolladas después de la Red Cigüeña

Objetivo comparar, após transcorridos quatro anos da implementação da Rede Cegonha, as práticas obstétricas desenvolvidas em um hospital universitário segundo classificação da Organização Mundial da Saúde. Método estudo transversal realizado no ano de adesão à Rede Cegonha (377 mulheres) e replicado quatro anos após (586 mulheres). Dados obtidos mediante prontuário e questionário estruturado. Na análise, utilizou-se o Teste Qui-quadrado. Resultados quatro anos após a Rede Cegonha, dentre as práticas da Categoria A (práticas comprovadamente úteis/boas práticas), aumentou a frequência de acompanhante, de métodos não farmacológicos, de contato pele a pele e de estímulo à amamentação e diminuiu a liberdade de posição/movimentação. Na Categoria B (práticas prejudiciais), houve redução de tricotomia e aumento de venóclise. Na Categoria C (práticas sem evidências suficientes), o Kristeller apresentou aumento. Na Categoria D (práticas utilizadas de modo inadequado), aumentou o percentual de toque vaginal acima do recomendado, de analgésicos e de analgesia e diminuiu a episiotomia. Conclusão esses resultados indicam a manutenção de uma assistência tecnocrática e intervencionista e direcionam para a necessidade de mudanças no modelo de atenção obstétrica. Um caminho consolidado mundialmente é a incorporação de enfermeiras obstetras/obstetrizes na assistência ao parto pelo potencial de utilização apropriada de tecnologias e redução de intervenções desnecessárias.

Objective to compare, after four years of the implementation of the Stork Network, the obstetric practices developed in a university hospital according to the classification of the World Health Organization. Method cross-sectional study carried out in the year of adherence to the Stork Network (377 women) and replicated four years later (586 women). Data were obtained through medical records and a structured questionnaire. The Chi-square test was used in the analysis. Results four years after the implementation of the Stork Network, in Category A practices (demonstrably useful practices/good practices), there was increased frequency of companions, non-pharmacological methods, skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding stimulation, and decreased freedom of position/movement. In Category B (harmful practices), there was reduction of trichotomy and increased venoclysis. In Category C (practices with no sufficient evidence), there was increase of Kristeller's maneuver. In Category D (improperly used practices), the percentage of digital examinations above the recommended level increased, as well as of analgesics and analgesia, and there was decrease of episiotomy. Conclusion these findings indicate the maintenance of a technocratic and interventionist assistance and address the need for changes in the obstetric care model. A globally consolidated path is the incorporation of midwife nurses into childbirth for the appropriate use of technologies and the reduction of unnecessary interventions.

Objetivo comparar, después de transcurridos cuatro años de la implementación de la Red Cigüeña, las prácticas obstétricas desarrolladas en un hospital universitario según clasificación de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Método estudio transversal realizado en el año de adhesión a la Red Cigüeña (377 mujeres) y replicado cuatro años después (586 mujeres). Datos obtenidos mediante prontuario y cuestionario estructurado. En el análisis, se utilizó el Test Chi-cuadrado. Resultados cuatro años después de la Red Cigüeña, entre las prácticas de la Categoría A (prácticas demostradamente útiles/buenas prácticas), aumentó la frecuencia de acompañante, de métodos no farmacológicos, de contacto piel a piel y de estímulo a la lactancia y disminuyó la libertad de posición/movimiento. En la Categoría B (prácticas perjudiciales), hubo reducción de tricotomía y aumento de venoclisis. En la Categoría C (prácticas sin evidencias suficientes), el Kristeller presentó aumento. En la Categoría D (prácticas utilizadas de modo inadecuado), aumentó el porcentaje de toque vaginal más de lo recomendado, de analgésicos y de analgesia y disminuyó la episiotomía. Conclusión esos hallazgos indican el mantenimiento de una asistencia tecnocrática e intervencionista y dirigida para la necesidad de cambios en el modelo de atención obstétrica. Un camino consolidado mundialmente es la incorporación de enfermeras obstetras/parteras en la asistencia al parto por el potencial de utilización apropiada de tecnologías y reducción de intervenciones desnecesarias.

Relationship Between Hospital-Level Percentage of Midwife-Attended Births and Obstetric Procedure Utilization.

INTRODUCTION: Research has shown good outcomes among individual low-risk women who receive perinatal care from midwives, yet little is known about how hospital-level variation in midwifery care relates to procedure use and maternal health. This study aimed to document the association between the hospital-level proportion of midwife-attended births and obstetric procedure utilization. METHODS: This analysis used 2 data sources: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database data for New York in 2014, and New York State Department of Health data on the percentage of midwife-attended births at hospitals in the state in 2014. Using logistic regression, we estimated the association between the hospital-level percentage of midwife-attended births and 4 outcomes among low-risk women: labor induction, cesarean birth, episiotomy, and severe maternal morbidity. RESULTS: Hospital-level percentage of midwife-attended births was not associated with reduced odds of labor induction or severe maternal morbidity. Women who gave births at hospitals with more midwife-attended births had lower odds of giving birth by cesarean (eg, adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.82 at a hospital with 15% to 40% of births attended by midwives, compared to no midwife-attended births) and lower odds of episiotomy (eg, aOR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23-0.74 at a hospital with more than 40% of births attended by midwives, compared to no midwife-attended births). DISCUSSION: Our results indicate that hospitals with more midwife-attended births have lower utilization of some obstetric procedures among low-risk women; this raises the possibility of improving value in maternity care through greater access to midwifery care.

Establishing partnership with traditional birth attendants for improved maternal and newborn health: a review of factors influencing implementation.

BACKGROUND: Recent World Health Organization recommendations recognize the important role Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) can play in supporting the health of women and newborns. This paper provides an analysis of key factors that affect the implementation of interventions to develop partnerships with TBAs to promote improved access to skilled care at birth. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of 20 papers identified through two systematic reviews that examined the effectiveness of interventions to find new roles for TBAs on maternal and newborn health outcomes, as well as papers identified through a systematic mapping of the maternal health literature. The Supporting the Use of Research Evidence framework (SURE) guided the thematic analysis to explore the perceptions of various stakeholders and implementation barriers and facilitators, as well as other contextual issues. RESULTS: This analysis identified countries that have implemented interventions to support the transition from birth with a TBA to birth with a skilled birth attendant. Drawing on the experiences of these countries, the analysis highlights factors that are important to consider when designing and implementing such interventions. Barriers to implementation included resistance to change in more traditional communities, negative attitudes between TBAs and skilled attendants and TBAs concerns about the financial implications of assuming new roles. Facilitating factors included stakeholder involvement in devising and implementing interventions, knowledge sharing between TBAs and skilled birth attendants, and formalised roles and responsibilities and remuneration for TBAs. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation barriers identified in this analysis could, if not addressed, prevent or discourage TBAs from carrying out newly defined roles supporting women in pregnancy and childbirth and linking them to the formal health system. This paper also identifies the factors that seem critical to success, which new programmes could consider adopting from the outset. In most cases a multi-faceted approach is needed to prepare TBAs and others for new roles, including the training of TBAs to strengthen their knowledge and skills to enable them to be able to assume new roles, alongside the sensitization of healthcare providers, communities, women and their families. Further research is required to map the transition process and stakeholder experiences in more detailed ways and to provide longer-term monitoring of existing interventions.

Factors associated with utilization of skilled service delivery among women in rural Northern Ghana: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Ghana's current Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of 319 per 100,000 live births makes achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births or less by 2030 appear to be illusory. Skilled assistance during childbirth is a critical strategy to reducing maternal mortality, yet the proportion of deliveries taking place within health facilities where such assistance is provided is very low in Ghana, with huge disparity between urban and rural women. To address the gap in skilled attendance in rural Upper East Region, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in 2005 piloted a program that involved training of Community Health Officers (CHOs) as midwives. This study explored factors associated with skilled delivery services utilization in a predominantly rural district in Ghana. METHODS: A cross-sectional study, data was collected from a sample of 400 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years who had given birth a year prior to the study. We used frequencies and percentages for descriptive analysis and chi-square (χ 2 ) test for relationship between independents factors and utilization of skilled delivery services. RESULTS: Of the 400 women included in the analysis, 93.3% of them delivered in a health facility. Almost all of the mothers (97.3%) attended or received antenatal care at their last pregnancy with 75.0% of them having four or more ANC visits. The proportion of women who received ANC and utilized skilled delivery services was high (91.5%). Mother's educational attainment, ANC attendance, frequency of ANC visits, satisfaction with ANC services and possession of valid NHIS card significantly associated with utilisation of skilled delivery services. CONCLUSION: For a predominantly rural district, the percentage of women who deliver within health facilities where skilled assistance is available is very encouraging and a significant stride towards reducing Ghana's overall MMR. Having four or more ANC visits and improving on the quality of care provided has a great potential of improving uptake of skilled delivery services.

Are unintentional nurse-attended deliveries a patient safety issue?

Unintentional nurse-attended deliveries occur on most labor and delivery units. Some precipitous deliveries are unavoidable, but others, occurring after admission with the expectation that the woman's designated provider would attend the delivery are, for a variety of reasons, still attended only by nursing staff. This study was undertaken to establish a benchmark for unintentional nurse-attended deliveries. Fifty perinatal units were studied with respect to their statistics regarding unintentional nurse-attended deliveries. Ten of the 50 perinatal units (20%) did not keep statistics on unintentional nurse-attended deliveries. The average percentage of unintentional nurse-attended deliveries in the 40 perinatal units that did keep this statistic was 1.38% (range 0-5.3%). This benchmark should be useful as the safety issues for these types of deliveries are analyzed. Audits regarding timing of examinations during labor, practices regarding notification of providers and other communication practices, provider arrival times, and involved personnel should help perinatal units develop policies, protocols, and strategies to minimize the chances for unintentional nurse-attended deliveries when there should be enough time and appropriate communication to allow the woman's provider to be present at the delivery.

Impact of a Nursing Skill-Improvement Intervention on Newborn-Specific Delivery Practices: An Experience from Bihar, India.

BACKGROUND: High neonatal mortality in India had previously been attributed to the low proportion of institutional deliveries. However, a significant rise in the proportion of facility-based births over the last decade has not achieved the desired reduction in neonatal mortality possibly as a result of low-skilled care at facilities. This study evaluated the effectiveness of "Mobile Nurse Training," a knowledge-based intervention for nurses to improve essential newborn-specific delivery practices. METHODS: Eighty health centers with obstetric care facilities were selected from eight districts of Bihar. The intervention teams were composed of two trained nurses who conducted a week-long workshop per month at every health facility for 6 months. An independent evaluation team conducted baseline and postintervention assessments at every facility. The assessments included passive observation of newborn-specific delivery practices and recording of results on a preformatted checklist-based tool. RESULTS: The intervention was associated with significant increases in the odds of four recommended practices: placing the newborn on mother's abdomen (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.2 [95% CI 3.0-5.9]), wiping the eyes with sterile gauze (AOR 2.2 [95% CI 1.4-3.4]), skin-to-skin care (AOR 2.7 [95% CI 2.0-3.5]), and guidance for initiation of breastfeeding (AOR 1.6 [95% CI 1.2-2.1]). The intervention was also found to be positively associated with the summary score for improvements in all newborn-specific delivery practices. One year after the intervention, the summary practice score remained higher than at baseline, but with some decline over time. CONCLUSIONS: The "Mobile Nurse Training" intervention provides a pathway for improving adherence to recommended newborn-specific delivery practices among institutional birth attendants in rural Bihar.

Midwifery: home and away.

The challenges faced by birthing women and maternity healthcare professionals in developing countries cannot not be over estimated. The experience of a midwife in a rural Tanzanian hospital described in this article gives a small insight into these challenges. With intermittent electricity, no running water, three beds, 20 births per day and lack of midwifery or obstetric education, morbidity and mortality rates are high, and teaching is difficult. Conversely, where monitoring is minimalistic and time limits are not applied, 'normal birth' is truly the norm and the trust in women to grow and birth their babies is consistent and commendable. Reflection upon midwifery in developing countries can help inform attitudes and practice in the UK.

Client perspective assessment of women's satisfaction towards labour and delivery care service in public health facilities at Arba Minch town and the surrounding district, Gamo Gofa zone, south Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: A woman's satisfaction with labour and delivery care service has a good effect on her health and subsequent utilization of the services. Thus knowledge about women's satisfaction on labour and delivery care used to enhances the services utilization. The objective of this study was to assess the satisfaction of women's towards labour and delivery care service and identify factors associated it at public health facilities in Arba Minch town and the surrounding district, Gamo Gofa zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Facility based cross sectional study was conducted among women who gave birth at public health facility. A total 256 women who gave birth during the study period were included in the study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Satisfaction level was measured using a 5 point-Likert scale questions. Data were entered using Epi data version 3.5.1 and analyzed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. Factor analysis was employed for Likert scale questions to extract factor represented each of the scale which facilitate treatment of variable as continuous for further analysis. Bi-variate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to identify association between women's satisfaction and predicator variables. Statistical significance was declared at P value <0.05 on final model. The strength of association was interpreted using the adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI. RESULT: This study revealed that 90.2% of women who gave birth in public health facilities were satisfied with labour and delivery care. Factors associated with women's satisfaction with labour and delivery care services include: not attending formal education [AOR = 8.00, 95% CI = (1.52, 12.27)] attending antenatal care four times and more [AOR = 5.00, 95% CI = (1.76, 14.20)] waiting below 15 minutes to be seen by health professional [AOR = 3.37, 95% CI = (1.14, 9.97)] and not paying for drugs and supplies [AOR = 6.19, 95% CI = (1.34, 18.59)]. CONCLUSION: Although majority of women were satisfied with the labour and delivery service they got, their level of satisfaction was influenced by educational status, number of ANC visits, waiting time, and payment for drug and supplies. Thus, public health intervention working on improving delivery care should consider these factors.

Striving to make births safer.

IT IS eight years since nurse leader Chinomnso Ibe established the Traffina Foundation for Community Health (TFCH), a non-profit organisation that helps to reduce the high number of deaths from complications during pregnancy and delivery in Nigeria, her home country.