Labor curves based on cervical dilatation over time and their accuracy and effectiveness: A systematic scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic scoping review was conducted to 1) identify and describe labor curves that illustrate cervical dilatation over time; 2) map any evidence for, as well as outcomes used to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of the curves; and 3) identify areas in research that require further investigation. METHODS: A three-step systematic literature search was conducted for publications up to May 2023. We searched the Medline, Maternity & Infant Care, Embase, Cochrane Library, Epistemonikos, CINAHL, Scopus, and African Index Medicus databases for studies describing labor curves, assessing their effectiveness in improving birth outcomes, or assessing their accuracy as screening or diagnostic tools. Original research articles and systematic reviews were included. We excluded studies investigating adverse birth outcomes retrospectively, and those investigating the effect of analgesia-related interventions on labor progression. Study eligibility was assessed, and data were extracted from included studies using a piloted charting form. The findings are presented according to descriptive summaries created for the included studies. RESULTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Of 26,073 potentially eligible studies, 108 studies were included. Seventy-three studies described labor curves, of which ten of the thirteen largest were based mainly on the United States Consortium on Safe Labor cohort. Labor curve endpoints were 10 cm cervical dilatation in 69 studies and vaginal birth in 4 studies. Labor curve accuracy was assessed in 26 studies, of which all 15 published after 1986 were from low- and middle-income countries. Recent studies of labor curve accuracy in high-income countries are lacking. The effectiveness of labor curves was assessed in 13 studies, which failed to prove the superiority of any curve. Patient-reported health and well-being is an underrepresented outcome in evaluations of labor curves. The usefulness of labor curves is still a matter of debate, as studies have failed to prove their accuracy or effectiveness.

Uterine rupture in a nulliparous woman. / Uterusruptur hos førstegangsfødende.

BACKGROUND: Previous caesarean section is considered the main risk factor for uterine rupture. However, other surgical procedures performed on the uterus can also lead to rupture in future pregnancies. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a nulliparous woman, induced at gestational age of 41 + 6 with misoprostol. She developed severe persistent abdominal pain. Due to fetal bradycardia, an acute caesarean section was performed. Peroperatively a large rupture was identified in the uterine fundus and the placenta was detached into the abdomen. Medical history included a previous rightsided salpingectomy due to an extrauterine pregnancy located in the interstitial part of the right Fallopian tube. INTERPRETATION: Interstitial extrauterine pregnancy is rare, and recommendations for mode of delivery for subsequent pregnancies remain unclear. The current case illustrates the importance of being aware of the risk of rupture when the patient has undergone previous gynaecological surgery other than caesarean section, and of ensuring awareness of the placenta's location.

Recurrent obstructive uropathy secondary to pyometrocolpos in an 8-month-old infant: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pyometrocolpos is accumulation of infected fluid in the uterus and vagina. It is rare in children, mostly seen after menarche as a result of obstructive congenital genital malformation that impairs free drainage of the uterine secretions. In a child, it may present as an acute illness that necessitates urgent and appropriate management and treatment of the underlying cause, which can be a challenge in a resource-limited setting. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of pyometrocolpos in an 8-month-old African infant who presented with fever, vomiting, decreased urine output, and abdominal distension of 12 days' duration. An abdominal examination revealed a subumbilical midline incision scar and a midline lower abdominal mass. She appeared to have presented at the emergency department with similar complaints 2 months earlier and had been diagnosed with pyometra, which was managed by emergency laparotomy for pus drainage, and she was kept on antibiotics. Recovery was established after 10 days of admission, and the patient was discharged to home. Her symptoms reappeared 2 months after the first presentation. Her blood work showed significant leukocytosis with neutrophilia, and abdominal ultrasound depicted bilateral hydronephrosis with hydroureters and a fluid-filled uterus. Examination under anesthesia in the operating theater revealed normal-looking female genitalia with a cribriform hymen, beneath which lied a transverse vaginal septum. Foul-smelling pus was aspirated through the septum, and septectomy was performed to allow 350 ml of pus to drain. A pus sample was sent for culture and sensitivity, and Escherichia coli sensitive to ceftriaxone and gentamicin was isolated. CONCLUSION: Pyometrocolpos is rare in childhood but should be suspected in a girl presenting with a midline lower abdominal mass accompanied with urinary obstructive symptoms associated with fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. Escherichia coli seems to be the most probable offending organism, but pus culture is crucial for antibiotic stewardship in proper management of the infection. Definitive treatment should focus on correcting the obstructive anatomical congenital deformity that caused the obstruction in order to avoid recurrence.

Factors affecting effective community participation in maternal and newborn health programme planning, implementation and quality of care interventions.

BACKGROUND: Community participation in in health programme planning, implementation and quality improvement was recently recommended in guidelines to improve use of skilled care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period for women and newborns. How to implement community participation effectively remains unclear. In this article we explore different factors. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis, using the Supporting the Use of Research Evidence framework, of effectiveness studies identified through systematic literature reviews of two community participation interventions; quality improvement of maternity care services; and maternal and newborn health programme planning and implementation. RESULTS: Community participation ranged from outreach educational activities to communities being full partners in decision-making. In general, implementation considerations were underreported. Key facilitators of community participation included supportive policy and funding environments where communities see women's health as a collective responsibility; linkages with a functioning health system e.g. via stakeholder committees; intercultural sensitivity; and a focus on interventions to strengthen community capacity to support health. Levels of participation and participatory approaches often changed over the life of programmes as community and health services capacity to interact developed. CONCLUSION: Implementation requires careful consideration of the context: previous experience with participation, who will be involved, gender norms, and the timeframe for implementation. Relevant stakeholders must be actively involved, particularly those often excluded from decision making. Current limited evidence suggests that the vision of community participation as a process and the presence of a focus to strengthen community capacity to participate and to improve health may be a key factor for long term success.

Effectiveness of mHealth Interventions Targeting Health Care Workers to Improve Pregnancy Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face the highest burden of maternal and neonatal deaths. Concurrently, they have the lowest number of physicians. Innovative methods such as the exchange of health-related information using mobile devices (mHealth) may support health care workers in the provision of antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in LMICs. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of mHealth interventions targeting health care workers to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in LMIC. METHODS: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Global Health Library, and Popline were searched using predetermined search and indexing terms. Quality assessment was performed using an adapted Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. A strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat analysis was performed for each included paper. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies were included for this systematic review, 10 intervention and 9 descriptive studies. mHealth interventions were used as communication, data collection, or educational tool by health care providers primarily at the community level in the provision of antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care. Interventions were used to track pregnant women to improve antenatal and delivery care, as well as facilitate referrals. None of the studies directly assessed the effect of mHealth on maternal and neonatal mortality. Challenges of mHealth interventions to assist health care workers consisted mainly of technical problems, such as mobile network coverage, internet access, electricity access, and maintenance of mobile phones. CONCLUSIONS: mHealth interventions targeting health care workers have the potential to improve maternal and neonatal health services in LMICs. However, there is a gap in the knowledge whether mHealth interventions directly affect maternal and neonatal outcomes and future research should employ experimental designs with relevant outcome measures to address this gap.

Assessing the Effect of mHealth Interventions in Improving Maternal and Neonatal Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Maternal and neonatal mortality remains high in many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Availability and use of mobile phones is increasing rapidly with 90% of persons in developing countries having a mobile-cellular subscription. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have been proposed as effective solutions to improve maternal and neonatal health. This systematic review assessed the effect of mHealth interventions that support pregnant women during the antenatal, birth and postnatal period in LMIC. METHODS: The review was registered with Prospero (CRD42014010292). Six databases were searched from June 2014-April 2015, accompanied by grey literature search using pre-defined search terms linked to pregnant women in LMIC and mHealth. Quality of articles was assessed with an adapted Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Because of heterogeneity in outcomes, settings and study designs a narrative synthesis of quantitative results of intervention studies on maternal outcomes, neonatal outcomes, service utilization, and healthy pregnancy education was conducted. Qualitative and quantitative results were synthesized with a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis. RESULTS: In total, 3777 articles were found, of which 27 studies were included: twelve intervention studies and fifteen descriptive studies. mHealth interventions targeted at pregnant women increased maternal and neonatal service utilization shown through increased antenatal care attendance, facility-service utilization, skilled attendance at birth, and vaccination rates. Few articles assessed the effect on maternal or neonatal health outcomes, with inconsistent results. CONCLUSION: mHealth interventions may be effective solutions to improve maternal and neonatal service utilization. Further studies assessing mHealth's impact on maternal and neonatal outcomes are recommended. The emerging trend of strong experimental research designs with randomized controlled trials, combined with feasibility research, government involvement and integration of mHealth interventions into the healthcare system is encouraging and can pave the way to improved decision making on best practice implementation of mHealth interventions.

Neonatal morbidity in term neonates is related to gestational age at birth and level of care.

AIMS: The objective of this study was to assess whether the incidence of neonatal morbidity of neonates born at term and admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) differs by gestational age and level of care. METHODS: This is a 5-year retrospective cohort study of singleton term births admitted to the NICU of the VU University Medical Center with a gestational age ≥37+0 weeks. RESULTS: In total, 497 neonates were included in the study. The incidence of neonates born with an arterial cord blood pH<7.10, neonatal asphyxia, and meconium aspiration syndrome increased with advancing gestational age. The incidence of secondary cesarean section and operative vaginal delivery also increased with advancing gestational age. Neonatal death occurred in 29 (5.84%) of the 497 cases; 27 (93%) of 29 were due to asphyxia. Seventeen (34%) of the 50 neonates born in primary care were admitted for asphyxia. Eight (47%) of these 17 neonates died. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal morbidity in term neonates is related to gestational age at birth. Since asphyxia is an important cause of both morbidity and mortality in term neonates, it is important to clearly define and include asphyxia in future perinatal audits.

Severe acute maternal morbidity in asylum seekers: a two-year nationwide cohort study in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: Asylum seekers often have poorer physical and mental health compared with the general population. The aim of this study was to assess incidence and risk indicators for severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM) in asylum seekers. DESIGN: Prospective, population-based cohort study. Setting. All 98 maternity units in the Netherlands. POPULATION: All asylum seekers in the Netherlands. METHODS: All cases of severe maternal morbidity in asylum seekers were collected during a two-year period. All pregnant women in the Netherlands in the same period acted as a reference cohort (n=371,021). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and possible risk indicators of SAMM in asylum seekers. RESULTS: Of the SAMM cases, 40 were identified as asylum seekers. This yields an incidence of 31 per 1,000 severe maternal morbidity in asylum seekers. Compared with the general Dutch population, asylum seekers have a four- to fivefold increased risk of SAMM (relative risk 4.5; 95% confidence interval 3.3-6.1). Even compared with other non-Western immigrant women, asylum seekers have an increased risk of SAMM (relative risk 3.6; 95% confidence interval 2.6-5.0). Possible risk indicators for SAMM are as follows: a single household, unemployment, low socio-economic status, major language barrier, short stay in the Netherlands, HIV positive, late gestational booking, multiparity and prior cesarean section. CONCLUSIONS: Asylum seekers have an increased risk for SAMM compared with other immigrant women, as well as compared with the general Dutch pregnant population. In this study, we identified possible additional risk factors. Special attention is needed while taking care of asylum-seeking pregnant women.