Bilirubin Levels in Neonates ≥35 Weeks of Gestation Receiving Delayed Cord Clamping for an Extended Time-An Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe bilirubin levels in neonates ≥350/7 gestational weeks, receiving delayed cord clamping (CC), in relation to the updated Bhutani nomogram. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective, observational study based on data from medical records and local data sheets. Singleton neonates, born vaginally at a gestational age ≥350/7, and with a registered time to CC and at least one registered bilirubin, were included. We excluded neonates with positive direct antiglobulin test or hemolytic disorders. Adjusted analyses were performed using ANOVA and linear or logistic regression. RESULTS: We analyzed 558 neonates, mean gestational age (SD) 39.9 (1.3) weeks. CC was performed at a median (IQR) time of 6 (5-8) minutes. The dataset contained 1330 bilirubin measurements. Median (IQR) age at bilirubin measurement was 37 (22-54) hours. Bilirubin percentiles in neonates with CC time ≥2 minutes were similar, or lower, compared with the Bhutani nomogram between 12 and 72 hours, but with greater 95th percentile at later hours of age. Phototherapy was initiated in 13 (2.3 %) of the neonates. We found no association between time to CC and hyperbilirubinemia (ß = -0.05, P = .07). Need for phototherapy was marginally greater in neonates with shorter time to CC. CONCLUSIONS: Bilirubin levels were not correlated to time to CC. Our findings indicate that CC beyond 2 minutes can be performed without additional monitoring for jaundice.

Midwives' decision-making process when a non-vigorous neonate is born - a Swedish qualitative interview study.

OBJECTIVE: Midwives are often the first ones to make decisions when a neonate is unexpectedly born non-vigorous. This study aimed to understand how midwives reason and what they experience when deciding what to do when a non-vigorous neonate is born. In present practice, the decision to cut the umbilical cord early is strongly affected bythe decision that the neonate needs resuscitation. To better understand the decisions taken during the first minutes of the non-vigorous neonate’s life, this study focused on the midwives’ decision to cut the umbilical cord. DESIGN: A qualitative study with an inductive and descriptive design using the Critical Incident Technique was chosen to gain a more in-depth understanding of the factors influencing the midwife’s decision-making process concerning cutting the umbilical cord in a critical situation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and thematic analysis, as described by Braun and Clarke, was performed. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Eligible study participants were midwives currently working in labour wards in Sweden. FINDINGS: In total, 14 midwives were interviewed between November 2019 and March 2020. The interviews rendered an understanding about midwives' decision-making on the timing of cord clamping in the non-vigorous neonates. An overarching theme was generated: "The balancing act of clamping the umbilical cord" which consisted of three themes, "Assessing the neonate in need of resuscitation", "Valuing own knowledge and experience" and "Influencing decision-making", and seven sub-themes. Many factors in addition to clinical reasoning influenced the midwives' decision-making processes. Feelings, intuition, and experience also had an effect to varying degrees.

A hybrid type I, multi-center randomized controlled trial to study the implementation of a method for Sustained cord circulation And VEntilation (the SAVE-method) of late preterm and term neonates: a study protocol.

BACKGROUND: An intact umbilical cord allows the physiological transfusion of blood from the placenta to the neonate, which reduces infant iron deficiency and is associated with improved development during early childhood. The implementation of delayed cord clamping practice varies depending on mode of delivery, as well as gestational age and neonatal compromise. Emerging evidence shows that infants requiring resuscitation would benefit if respiratory support were provided with the umbilical cord intact. Common barriers to providing intact cord resuscitation is the availability of neonatal resuscitation equipment close to the mother, organizational readiness for change as well as attitudes and beliefs about placental transfusion within the multidisciplinary team. Hence, clinical evaluations of cord clamping practice should include implementation outcomes in order to develop strategies for optimal cord management practice. METHODS: The Sustained cord circulation And Ventilation (SAVE) study is a hybrid type I randomized controlled study combining the evaluation of clinical outcomes with implementation and health service outcomes. In phase I of the study, a method for providing in-bed intact cord resuscitation was developed, in phase II of the study the intervention was adapted to be used in multiple settings. In phase III of the study, a full-scale multicenter study will be initiated with concurrent evaluation of clinical, implementation and health service outcomes. Clinical data on neonatal outcomes will be recorded at the labor and neonatal units. Implementation outcomes will be collected from electronic surveys sent to parents as well as staff and managers within the birth and neonatal units. Descriptive and comparative statistics and regression modelling will be used for analysis. Quantitative data will be supplemented by qualitative methods using a thematic analysis with an inductive approach. DISCUSSION: The SAVE study enables the safe development and evaluation of a method for intact cord resuscitation in a multicenter trial. The study identifies barriers and facilitators for intact cord resuscitation. The knowledge provided from the study will be of benefit for the development of cord clamping practice in different challenging clinical settings and provide evidence for development of clinical guidelines regarding optimal cord clamping. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04070560 . Registered 28 August 2019.

Being in charge in an encounter with extremes. A survey study on how women experience and work with labour pain in a Nordic home birth setting.

PROBLEM: There is a knowledge gap regarding women's experiences of coping with labour pain when not soliciting or not having access to pharmacological pain relief. BACKGROUND: How women manage labour pain is complex, multifaceted and only the woman giving birth can assess the experienced pain. Women in the Nordic countries planning for a homebirth have little or no access to pharmacologic pain relief during labour. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore how women experience and work with labour pain when giving birth in their own home. METHODS: Quantitative and qualitative data was prospectively collected and altogether 1649 women with a planned homebirth answered closed and open-ended questions about labour pain and birth experience. RESULTS: While labour pain was often experienced as positive or very positive, the intensity was experienced as severe or the worst imaginable pain. Two main themes arose from the womens´ descriptions of their birth experience regarding labour pain: An encounter with extremes and Being in charge at home. DISCUSSION: Women perceived labour pain as severe but manageable and were dedicated to completing the birth at home. Being at home enabled the women to exercise autonomy and work with labour pain on their own terms, together with the midwife and support persons. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides knowledge about women's experiences of labour pain in a home birth setting who used varying strategies to work with labour pain. This is a subject that should be explored further since results could also apply to facility-based birth settings.

Mothers´ experiences in relation to a new Swedish postnatal home-based model of midwifery care-A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The goal of postnatal care is to provide the highest possible quality of care and medical safety with the least possible intervention in order to optimize health and wellbeing of the new family. The aim of the study was to describe mothers´ experiences in relation to a new postnatal home-based model of midwifery care. METHODS: The current study uses a cross-sectional mixed method design to assess a new postnatal home-based model of midwifery care in Sweden. Healthy women with an uncomplicated pregnancy and childbirth, and with a healthy baby answered an online questionnaire one week after birth. Data were collected during one year (2017-2018) and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics for quantitative data, and manifest content analysis for qualitative data. FINDINGS: In total, 180 mothers with one to six children were included. They were most likely to have been discharged between six and 12 h after childbirth (56%) and 90% reported that the time for their discharge was good. The postnatal check-ups included were telephone contact (100%), home visit(s) (94%) and hospital visit(s) (98%). Most mothers had a positive postnatal care experience from using the new postnatal model of midwifery care (mean VAS 8.74, Std. Deviation 1.438). For 75%, of the participants, home-based postnatal care would be preferred for their next childbirth. CONCLUSION: Home-based postnatal care is well accepted by mothers who were discharged early after childbirth. Mothers with a positive experience of the new postnatal model of midwifery care would prefer home-based postnatal care for their next childbirth. Midwifery care should include home-based postnatal care.

Intrapartum midwifery care impact Swedish couple's birth experiences - A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Parents' birth experiences affect bonding with their infant, which in turn may influence the child's future health. Parents' satisfaction with childbirth is multi-dimensional and dependent on both expectations and experiences. Increasing involvement of partners in intrapartum care may lead to an assumption that the birthing couple shares attitudes and expectations of intrapartum care. There is a limited knowledge regarding the uniformity of couples' experiences of labour and birth. AIM: To describe and compare uniformity in couples' birth experiences of the quality of intrapartum midwifery care. METHOD: A quantitative cross-sectional study nested within a randomised controlled trial. In total 209 healthy primiparous mothers and their partners were recruited. A quality of care index was generated from an on-line questionnaire administered as a follow-up to the randomised controlled trial. Uniformity and differences were identified regarding the couples experiences of birth and their preferences for intrapartum care RESULTS: A high level of uniformity between the mothers and their partners was revealed. Birth was a positive experience for 79% of partners and 73% of mothers whom were more likely to have experienced a spontaneous vaginal birth. Partners and mothers with a less positive birth experienced deficiencies regarding: being in control, receiving information about labour progress and midwife's presence in labour room. DISCUSSION: Midwives can enhance couples' feeling of being in control during labour and birth by being attentive, present and continuously providing adequate information and emotional support.

Swedish fathers' experiences of childbirth in relation to maternal birth position: a mixed method study.

BACKGROUND: Fathers often want to be involved in labour and birth. AIM: To investigate how maternal birth position during second stage of labour may influence fathers' experience of childbirth. METHODS: Mixed method study with 221 Swedish fathers completing an on-line questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used. RESULTS: In total 174 (78.7%) had a positive overall birth experience. The theme An emotional life-changing event influenced by the birth process and the structure of obstetrical care was revealed and included the categories; Midwives ability to be professional, The birth process' impact, and Being prepared to participate. The most frequently utilised birth position during a spontaneous vaginal birth was birth seat (n=83; 45.1%), and the fathers in this group were more likely to assess the birth position as very positive (n=40; 54.8%) compared to other upright and horizontal birth positions. Fathers with a partner having an upright birth position were more likely to have had a positive birth experience (p=0.048), to have felt comfortable (p=0.003) and powerful (p=0.019) compared to women adopting a horizontal birth position during a spontaneous vaginal birth. When the women had an upright birth position the fathers deemed the second stage of labour to have been more rapid (mean VAS 7.01 vs. 4.53) compared to women in a horizontal birth position. CONCLUSION: An upright birth position enhances fathers' experience of having been positively and actively engaged in the birth process. Midwives can enhance fathers' feelings of involvement and participation by attentiveness through interaction and communicating skills.

Who decides the position for birth? A follow-up study of a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Physical benefits are suggested for women and their babies when women adopt an upright position of their choice at birth. Available care options during labour influence women's impressions of what intrapartum care is. This indicates that choice of birth positions may be determined more by midwives than by women's preferences. QUESTION: The aims of this study were to investigate factors associated with adherence to allocated birth position and also to investigate factors associated with decision-making for birth position. METHOD: An invitation to answer an on-line questionnaire was mailed. FINDINGS: Despite being randomised, women who gave birth on the seat were statistically significantly more likely to report that they participated in decision-making and that they took the opportunity to choose their preferred birth position. They also reported statistically significantly more often than non-adherers that they felt powerful, protected and self-confident. CONCLUSIONS: Midwives should be conscious of the potential impact that birth positions have on women's birth experiences and on maternal outcomes. Midwives should encourage women's autonomy by giving unbiased information about the birth seat. An upright birth position may lead to greater childbirth satisfaction. Women's experience of and preferences for birth positions are consistent with current evidence for best practice.

Labour augmentation and fetal outcomes in relation to birth positions: a secondary analysis of an RCT evaluating birth seat births.

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study was to compare the use of synthetic oxytocin for augmentation, duration of labour and birth and infant outcomes in nulliparous women randomised to birth on a birth seat or any other position. STUDY DESIGN: a randomised controlled trial in Sweden where 1002 women were randomised to birth on a birth seat (experimental group) or birth in any other position (control group). Data were collected between November 2006 and July 2009. The outcome measurements included synthetic oxytocin augmentation, duration of the second stage of labour and fetal outcome. Analysis was by intention to treat. SETTING: southern Sweden. FINDINGS: the main findings of this study were that women randomised to the experimental group had a statistically significant shorter second stage of labour than women randomised to the control group. There were no differences between the groups for use of synthetic oxytocin augmentation or for neonatal outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: women allocated to the birth seat had a significantly shorter second stage of labour despite similar numbers of women subjected to synthetic oxytocin augmentation in the study groups. The adverse neonatal outcomes did not differ between groups. The birth seat can be suggested as non-medical intervention used to reduce duration of second stage labour and birth. The birth seat can be suggested as a non-medical intervention that may facilitate reduced duration of the second stage of labour. Furthermore it is recommended that caregivers, both midwives and midwifery students, should learn skills to assist women in using a variety of birth positions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: unique Protocol ID: Dnr 2009/739 (register.clinicaltrials.gov).