Corrigendum: Health problems experienced by women during the first year postpartum: A systematic review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.18332/ejm/173417.].

Health problems experienced by women during the first year postpartum: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: During pregnancy and childbirth, health issues can arise that can negatively influence women's postpartum health. Although it is imperative to identify these health problems in order to tailor care to women's needs, they often remain unrecognized. A comprehensive overview of postpartum health problems does not exist in the current literature. This systematic review aimed to explore the health problems experienced by women residing in high-income countries during the first year postpartum. METHODS: Scientific databases were searched for articles on health problems experienced by women during the first year postpartum, published between January 2000 and 2 July 2021. Studies investigating the experiences of healthy women from the age of 18 years, residing in high-income countries, who gave birth to a healthy neonate, were included. Identified health issues were divided into five categories and presented in an overview. RESULTS: A total of 25 articles were eligible for inclusion. In all, 83 health problems were identified and divided into five different categories (physical health problems, mental health problems, social health problems, problems related to feeding the infant, and other challenges). Common health issues postpartum were exhaustion, urinary incontinence, painful breasts, depressive symptoms, problems related to sexuality and sleep, lack of social support, and problems with breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review contributes to a wider understanding of postpartum health problems and can be used to adapt healthcare to women's needs. It distinguishes itself from previous studies by the wide variety of identified health problems and its specific focus on women's experiences in the postpartum period.

Midwives' work-related fear and anxiety and its impact on their wellbeing and performance. A qualitative study of perceived anxiety in community midwives.

INTRODUCTION: Working with acute situations is usually part of midwifery practice. In the Netherlands the community midwives work in a context where they are mostly the sole decision-makers and policymakers and often do not have the support of a multidisciplinary team during a birth. How Dutch community midwives maintain their emotional hygiene is not known. This study aims to explore how Dutch midwives perceive fear and its influence on their performance. METHODS: This is a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews of 19 Dutch community midwives between October 2018 and January 2019. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: 1) midwives' perceptions of fear and anxiety, 2) how years of experience affect fear and anxiety, 3) influence of the work content; and 4) implications for performance. Midwives perceived fear in acute situations where maternal and/or fetal complications were imminent. Participants perceived anxiety either as helpful or a hindrance. Awareness of these feelings helps them to regulate whether or not to give in to these feelings. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest similar perspectives on fear in Dutch community midwives compared to previous outcomes. In the Netherlands, midwives seem reluctant to talk about fear and anxiety in the profession. The awareness of these emotions occurring while working is essential for the wellbeing of midwives, as well as the importance of knowing how to act on fear and anxiety.

How to improve newly qualified midwives' transition-into-practice. A Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: In the Netherlands, newly qualified midwives start work as registered midwives without any formal transition support. Research shows that newly qualified midwives do not feel sufficiently confident and competent in their work during the period following graduation. This could impact the quality of care provided by newly registered midwives. The aim of this study is to seek consensus with stakeholders concerning viable components of support for newly qualified midwives working in midwifery care in the Netherlands. METHODS: A Delphi study was conducted among maternity care stakeholders in the Netherlands. During two rounds, sixteen statements derived from a theoretical framework of organizational socialization theory and previous studies were assessed (round 1, n = 56; round 2, n = 52). Stakeholders (N = 61) were invited and completed an online questionnaire that included spaces for opinions and remarks. RESULTS: Stakeholders agreed about an introductory support period for newly qualified midwives, involving performance feedback and regional-level backup from fellow midwives during shifts. They further agreed on the responsibilities of established professionals that they should support newcomers in practice and provide mentoring or group coaching, although they face organizational barriers for supporting newcomers. CONCLUSIONS: Stakeholders found consensus upon several components of support at the workplace. In addition, a stable work environment seemed less important in their opinion while previous research suggests otherwise. Practice organisations need to improve the employment conditions and support for newly qualified midwives to ensure the quality of midwifery care is guaranteed.

Midwives' occupational wellbeing and its determinants. A cross-sectional study among newly qualified and experienced Dutch midwives.

OBJECTIVE: Internationally, about 40 percent of midwives report symptoms of burnout, with young and inexperienced midwives being most vulnerable. There is a lack of recent research on burnout among Dutch midwives. The aim of this study was to examine the occupational wellbeing and its determinants of newly qualified and inexperienced midwives in the Netherlands. The majority of practicing Dutch midwives are aged under 40, which could lead to premature turnover. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire that consisted of validated scales measuring job demands, job and personal resources, burnout symptoms and work engagement. The Job Demands-Resources model was used as a theoretical model. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We recruited Dutch midwives who were actually working in midwifery practice. A total of N=896 midwives participated in this study, representing 28 percent of practicing Dutch midwives. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: Data were analysed using regression analysis. Seven percent of Dutch midwives reported burnout symptoms and 19 percent scored high on exhaustion. Determinants of burnout were all measured job demands, except for experience level. Almost 40 percent of midwives showed high work engagement; newly qualified midwives had the highest odds of high work engagement. Master's or PhD-level qualifications and employment status were associated with high work engagement. All measured resources were associated with high work engagement. KEY CONCLUSIONS: A relatively small percentage of Dutch midwives reported burnout symptoms, the work engagement of Dutch midwives was very high. However, a relatively large number reported symptoms of exhaustion, which is concerning because of the risk of increasing cynicism levels leading to burnout. In contrast to previous international research findings, being young and having less working experience was not related to burnout symptoms of Dutch newly qualified midwives. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The recognition of job and personal resources for midwives' occupational wellbeing must be considered for a sustainable midwifery workforce. Midwifery Academies need to develop personal resources of their students that will help them in future practice.

Adverse Maternal and Infant Outcomes of Women Who Differ in Smoking Status: E-Cigarette and Tobacco Cigarette Users.

The electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) became commercially available around 2004, yet the characteristics of pregnant women who use these devices and their effects on maternal and infant health remain largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes according to maternal smoking status. We conducted a cross-sectional study of Dutch women with reported pregnancies between February 2019 and May 2022, using an online questionnaire to collect data on smoking status and demographic, lifestyle, pregnancy, and infant characteristics. Smoking status is compared among non-smokers, tobacco cigarette users, e-cigarette users, and dual users (tobacco and e-cigarette). We report descriptive statistics and calculate differences in smoking status between women with the chi-square or Fisher (Freeman-Halton) test. Of the 1937 included women, 88.1% were non-smokers, 10.8% were tobacco cigarette users, 0.5% were e-cigarette users, and 0.6% were dual users. Compared with tobacco users, e-cigarette users more often reported higher education, having a partner, primiparity, and miscarriages. Notably, women who used e-cigarettes more often had small infants for gestational age. Despite including few women in the e-cigarette subgroup, these exploratory results indicate the need for more research to examine the impact of e-cigarettes on pregnancy outcomes.

Midwives' perceptions of the performance- and transition into practice of newly qualified midwives, a focus group study.

PROBLEM: Newly qualified midwives in the Netherlands perceive the adaptation to new responsibilities as difficult due to the autonomous nature of- and required accountability for the work they face in practice. BACKGROUND: All Dutch newly qualified midwives are accountable for their work from the moment of registration while usually working solistically. AIM: This paper explores the perceptions of experienced midwives regarding: (1) the performance- and transition into practice of newly qualified midwives, and (2) their supporting role in this transition. METHODS: The design of this study is qualitative with focus groups. Experienced midwives' perceptions were explored by means of seven semi-structured focus groups (N = 46 participants) with two meetings for each focus group. FINDINGS: Community-based and hospital-based midwives perceived newly qualified midwives as colleagues who did not oversee all their tasks and responsibilities. They perceived newly qualified midwives as less committed to the practice organisation. Support in community-based practices was informally organised with a lack of orientation. In the hospital-based setting, midwives offered an introduction period in a practical setting, which was formally organised with tasks and responsibilities. Experienced midwives recognised the need to support newly qualified midwives; however, in practice, they faced barriers. DISCUSSION: The differences in experienced midwives' expectations of newly qualified midwives and reality seemed to depend on the newly qualified midwives' temporary working contracts and -context, rather than the generational differences that experienced midwives mentioned. Dutch midwives prioritised their work with pregnant individuals and the organisation of their practice above supporting newly qualified midwives.

Self-management support by health care providers in prenatal Shared Medical Appointments (CenteringPregnancy©) and prenatal individual appointments.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional questionnaire study investigates if there a difference in the extent to which health care providers in prenatal Shared Medical Appointments (CenteringPregnancy©) and in prenatal individual appointments support self-management in patient education. It also investigates if there is a difference in the extent to which health care providers in CenteringPregnancy@ and in individual appointments pay attention to the factors of the Integrated Model for Behavioral Change (I-Change) in supporting self-management. METHODS: Dutch health care providers in prenatal care were invited to fill out a questionnaire. Respondents who provided care in CenteringPregnancy© formed the CenteringPregnancy© group, the others were categorized in the individual appointments' group. After a definition of self-management and an introduction of the I-Change model, respondents were asked if they supported self-management and if they paid attention to the I-Change model for each of 17 themes of prenatal patient education. Pearson's chi-squared tests and Fisher's Exact tests were performed to compare both groups. RESULTS: We included 133 respondents. Health care providers in the CenteringPregnancy@ group supported self-management to a higher extent compared to the individual appointments group. This difference was statistically significant for eight themes (body position and exercises, oral health, domestic violence, birth mechanism and premature birth, postnatal period, transition from pregnancy to parenthood, taking care of the baby and newborn's safety). In both groups, health care providers paid most attention to information or to awareness factors instead of motivation factors. CONCLUSION: We found a first prove that health care providers in CenteringPregnancy@ support self-management to a higher extent than health care providers in individual appointments. This could be explained by factors as time, feelings of safety and bonding, continuity of care and emphasis on future health behaviour changes. For effective self-management support, attention to motivation factors is important. However, we found that health care providers in both groups paid more attention to information or to awareness factors than to motivation. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Health care providers in prenatal individual appointments should be aware of the fact that they possibly support self-management less than health care providers in CenteringPregnancy@ . Health care providers in both types of prenatal care should be aware of the fact that they pay little attention to motivation factors. They might need some skills to change their role from teaching professional to supportive leader.

Interventions for vulnerable pregnant women: Factors influencing culturally appropriate implementation according to health professionals: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Proper implementation of interventions by health professionals has a critical effect on their effectiveness and the quality of care provided, especially in the case of vulnerable pregnant women. It is important, therefore, to assess the implementation of interventions in care settings to serve as input to improve implementation. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to identify factors that influence the implementation of interventions for vulnerable pregnant women in the North of the Netherlands from the perspective of health professionals. In this region, an intergenerational transfer of poverty is apparent, leading to many health problems and the transfer of unhealthy lifestyles and the associated diseases to subsequent generations. METHODS: We used a qualitative research design. Semi-structured interviews with 39 health professionals were conducted between February 2019 and April 2020. To analyse the findings, the MIDI (Measurement Instrument for Determinants of Innovations) was used, an instrument designed to identify what determinants influence the actual use of a new or existing innovation. RESULTS: We found two themes that influence the implementation of interventions: 1. The attitude of health professionals towards vulnerable pregnant women: stereotyped remarks and words expressing the homogenization of vulnerable pregnant women. 2. A theme related to the MIDI determinants, under which we added six determinants. CONCLUSION: Our research showed that many factors influence the implementation of interventions for vulnerable pregnant women, making the optimal implementation of interventions very complex. We highlight the need to challenge stereotypical views and attitudes towards specific groups in order to provide relation-centred care, which is extremely important to provide culturally appropriate care. Health professionals need to reflect on their own significant influence on access to and the use of care by vulnerable groups. They hold the key to creating partnerships with women to obtain the best health for mothers and their babies.

Experiences and needs of women in vulnerable situations receiving additional interventions in maternity care: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Tailoring an intervention to the needs and wishes of pregnant women in vulnerable situations (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantages) can reduce the risk of adverse outcomes and empower these women. A relatively high percentage of pregnant women in the North of the Netherlands are considered vulnerable to adverse pregnancy outcomes because of their low socioeconomic status and the intergenerational transmission of poverty. In order to improve perinatal and maternal health, next to standard prenatal care, various interventions for pregnant women in vulnerable situations have been developed. We do not know to what extent these additional interventions suit the needs of (pregnant) women. Therefore, the aim of this study is to gain insight into the experiences and needs of women in vulnerable situations who receive additional maternity care interventions in the Northern Netherlands. METHODS: Qualitative research was performed. We used a phenomenological framework, which is geared towards understanding people's experiences in the context of their everyday lives. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 pregnant women in vulnerable situations living in the Northern Netherlands. A thematic analysis was carried out. RESULTS: We found three themes that reflect the experiences and needs of pregnant women in vulnerable situations in relation to the intervention they receive. These themes relate to the care provided by health professionals, to the impact of being offered an intervention, and to practical issues related to receiving an additional intervention. We found that the needs of pregnant women in vulnerable situations who received an additional maternity care intervention varied. This variation in needs was mainly related to practical issues. Women also expressed common needs, namely the desire to have control over their situation, the wish to receive tailor-made information about the intervention, and the wish for the intervention to be specifically tailored to their circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: Living in vulnerable situations and being offered additional care evoked diverse reactions and emotions from pregnant women. We recommend that health professionals ensure open and clear communication with women, that they ensure continuity of care and relationship-centered care, and that they become aware of the process of stigmatization of women in vulnerable situations.

Intentions to leave and actual turnover of community midwives in the Netherlands: A mixed method study exploring the reasons why.

BACKGROUND: In the Netherlands, the turnover of midwives of relatively young age is high. This is concerning since a lack of midwifery experience can negatively affect the quality of maternity care. AIM: To study the rate and the reasons for intending to leave, and to explore the reasons for leaving midwifery jobs in the Netherlands. METHODS: We used a mixed-methods design including a quantitative survey (N = 726) followed by qualitative interviews (N = 17) with community midwives. FINDINGS: Almost one third of the respondents considered leaving the profession. The decision to actually leave the job was the result of a process in which midwives first tried to adapt to their working conditions, followed by feelings of frustration and finally feelings of decreased engagement with the work. The reasons for leaving midwifery practice are an accumulation of job demands, lack of social resources and family responsibilities. DISCUSSION: Compared to international figures, we found a lower rate of midwives who considered leaving the profession. This could be explained by the differences in the organisation of midwifery care and the relatively high job autonomy of midwives in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, changes must be made in terms of decreasing the demands of the job and creating more job resources. CONCLUSION: Innovations in the organisational structure that focus on continuity of care for pregnant individuals, job satisfaction for midwives and building a sustainable workforce may result in an increase in the retention of midwives. These innovations would ensure that women and their babies receive the best care possible.

Factors influencing patient education in shared medical appointments: Integrative literature review.

OBJECTIVE: This integrative literature review investigates the factors influencing patient education in Shared Medical Appointments. METHODS: Following template analysis method, we used key concepts of the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and Social Constructivism as a priori themes. After detailed analysis of the included studies, we deduced subthemes, forming a final template. Based on this final template, we analysed our data again as a final check. RESULTS: We included 22 studies. We found that the factors feeling of bonding, humour, feeling of safety, access to information, time, relationship participants-staff, modelling and self-regulation influence the education of SMA participants. Furthermore, we found that health care providers function both as leaders and peers. CONCLUSION: We found eight factors that influence the education of SMA participants. Health care providers exert influence on these factors, but in turn, they are also influenced by them in their transfer of knowledge. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: In order to create a climate of learning and to promote transfer of knowledge, these eight factors should be considered. Health care providers should be aware of their roles and they might need some extra skills for their leadership roles. This can also lead to practical implications for the curriculum in medical schools.

Perinatal outcomes of frequent attendance in midwifery care in the Netherlands: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Over the last decade, a trend towards high utilisation of primary maternity care was observed in high-income countries. There is limited research with contradictory results regarding frequent attendance (FA) and perinatal outcomes in midwifery care. Therefore, this study examined possible associations between FA in midwifery care and obstetric interventions and perinatal outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed in a medium-sized midwifery-led care practice in an urban region in the Netherlands. Frequent attenders (FAs) were categorised using the Kotelchuck-Index Revised. Regression analyses were executed to examine the relationship between FAs and perinatal outcomes, stratified by antenatal referral to an obstetrician. Main outcomes of interest were Apgar score ≤ 7 and perinatal death, birth weight, mode of delivery, haemorrhage, place of birth, transfer during labour, and a requirement for pain relief. RESULTS: The study included 1015 women, 239 (24%) FAs and 776 (76%) non-FAs, 538 (53%) were not referred and 447 (47%) were referred to an obstetrician. In the non-referred group, FA was significantly associated with a requirement for pain relief (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.24-3.17) and duration of dilatation (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.04-1.38). In the referred group, FA was significantly associated with induction of labour (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.17-2.95), ruptured perineum (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.27-0.95) and episiotomy (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.24-0.95). In the non-referred and the referred group, FA was not associated with the other obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Due to small numbers, we could not measure possible associations of FA with an Apgar score ≤ 7 and perinatal death. CONCLUSION: In our study, perinatal outcomes differed by FA and antenatal referral to an obstetrician. In the non-referred group, FA was significantly associated with medical pain relief and duration of dilatation. In the referred group, FA was significantly associated with induction of labour, ruptured perineum, and episiotomy. Further research with a larger study population is needed to look for a possible association between FA and primary adverse birth outcomes such as perinatal mortality.

The initiation of Dutch newly qualified hospital-based midwives in practice, a qualitative study.

In the Netherlands, a percentage of newly qualified midwives start work in maternity care as a hospital-based midwife, although prepared particularly for working autonomously in the community. AIM: This study aimed to explore newly qualified Dutch midwives' perceptions of their job demands and resources during their initiation to hospital-based practice. DESIGN: We conducted a qualitative study with semi structured interviews using the Job Demands-Resources model as theoretical framework. METHODS: Twenty-one newly qualified midwives working as hospital-based midwives in the Netherlands were interviewed individually between January and July 2018. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis. FINDINGS: High workload, becoming a team member, learning additional medical procedures and job insecurity were perceived demands. Participants experienced the variety of the work, the teamwork, social support, working with women, and employment conditions as job resources. Openness for new experiences, sociability, calmness and accuracy were experienced as personal resources, and perfectionism, self-criticism, and fear of failure as personal demands. CONCLUSION: Initiation to hospital-based practice requires from newly qualified midwives adaptation to new tasks: working with women in medium and high-risk care, managing tasks, as well as often receiving training in additional medical skills. Sociability helps newly qualified midwives in becoming a member of a multidisciplinary team; neuroticism and perfectionism hinders them in their work. Clear expectations and a settling-in period may help newly qualified midwives to adapt to practice. The initiation phase could be better supported by preparing student midwives for working in a hospital setting and helping manage expectations about the settling-in period.

Determinants and underlying causes of frequent attendance in midwife-led care: an exploratory cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: An adequate number of prenatal consultations is beneficial to the health of the mother and fetus. Guidelines recommend an average of 5-14 consultations. Daily practice, however, shows that some women attend the midwifery practice more frequently. This study examined factors associated with frequent attendance in midwifery-led care. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a large midwifery practice in the Netherlands among low-risk women who started prenatal care in 2015 and 2016. Based on Andersen's behavioral model, we collected data on potential determinants from the digital midwifery's practice database. Prenatal healthcare utilization was measured by a revised version of the Kotelchuck Index, which measures a combination of care entry and numbers of visits. Logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the likelihood of frequent attendance compared to the recommended number of visits, adjusted for all relevant factors. Separate models were fitted on the non-referred and the referred group of obstetric-led care, as referral was found to be an effect modifier. RESULTS: The prevalence of frequent attendance was 23% (243/1053), mainly caused by worries and/or vague complaints (44%; 106/243). Among non-referred women, 53% (560/1053), frequent attendance was associated with consultation with an obstetrician (OR = 3.99 (2.35-6.77)) and exposure to sexual violence (OR = 2.17 (1.11-4.24)). Among the referred participants, 47% (493/1053), frequent attendance was associated with a consultation with an obstetrician (OR = 2.75 (1.66-4.57)), psychosocial problems in the past or present (OR = 1.85 (1.02-3.35) or OR = 2.99 (1.43-6.25)), overweight (OR = 1.88 (1.09-3.24)), and deprived area (OR = 0.50 (0.27-0.92)). CONCLUSION: Our exploratory study indicates that the determinants of frequent attendance in midwifery-led care differs between non-referred and referred women. Underlying causes for frequent attendance was mainly because of non-medical reasons. IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: A trustful midwife-client relationship is known to be needed for clients such as frequent attenders to share more detailed, personal stories in case of vague complaints or worries, which is necessary to identify their implicit needs.

Perceived job demands and resources of newly qualified midwives working in primary care settings in The Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to identify perceived job demands and job resources of newly qualified midwives (NQMs), working in primary midwifery care during their first years in practice. DESIGN/SETTING: A qualitative study, with semi-structured group interviews was conducted. Midwives working less than three years in primary midwifery care in the Netherlands were invited to join a focus group interview. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: Five focus group interviews were with 31 participants. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed. Data were analyzed thematically by using the different characteristics of the Job Demands Resources model. Working as a locum midwife is demanding for Dutch NQMs, due to a large number of working hours in different practices and a lack of job security. Decision-making and adapting to local guidelines and collaborations demand a high cognitive load. These aspects of the work context negatively impact NQMs' work and private life. Working with clients and working autonomously motivates the newly graduates. Support from colleagues and peers are important job resources, although colleagues are also experienced as a job demand, due to their role as employer. Strictness in boundaries, flexibility and sense of perspective are NQMs' personal resources. On the other hand, NQMs perceived perfectionism and the urge to prove oneself as personal demands. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Dutch NQMs' first years in primary midwifery care are perceived as highly demanding. In primary care, NQMs usually work as locum midwives, self-employed and in different practices. Working in different practices requires not only working with different client populations and autonomous decision-making, but also requires adaptation to different local working arrangements. Building adequate support systems might help NQMs finding a balance between work and private life by having experienced midwives available as mentors. Furthermore, training and coaching of NQMs help them to become aware of their personal resources and demands and to help them strengthen their personal resources. Improving NQMs' working position through secure employments require changes in the organization of maternity care in the Netherlands.

The effect of medical and operative birth interventions on child health outcomes in the first 28 days and up to 5 years of age: A linked data population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous vaginal birth rates are decreasing worldwide, while cesarean delivery, instrumental births, and medical birth interventions are increasing. Emerging evidence suggests that birth interventions may have an effect on children's health. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine the association between operative and medical birth interventions on the child's health during the first 28 days and up to 5 years of age. METHODS: In New South Wales (Australia), population-linked data sets were analyzed, including data on maternal characteristics, child characteristics, mode of birth, interventions during labor and birth, and adverse health outcomes of the children (ie, jaundice, feeding problems, hypothermia, asthma, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal disorders, other infections, metabolic disorder, and eczema) registered with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification codes. Logistic regression analyses were performed for each adverse health outcome. RESULTS: Our analyses included 491 590 women and their children; of those 38% experienced a spontaneous vaginal birth. Infants who experienced an instrumental birth after induction or augmentation had the highest risk of jaundice, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.61-2.91) compared with spontaneous vaginal birth. Children born by cesarean delivery were particularly at statistically significantly increased risk for infections, eczema, and metabolic disorder, compared with spontaneous vaginal birth. Children born by emergency cesarean delivery showed the highest association for metabolic disorder, aOR 2.63 (95% CI 2.26-3.07). CONCLUSION: Children born by spontaneous vaginal birth had fewer short- and longer-term health problems, compared with those born after birth interventions.

Perceptions of nearly graduated fourth year midwifery students regarding a 'good midwife' in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: Midwifery students have the challenge to learn to be autonomous and capable midwives to ensure a safe and emotionally satisfying experience for mothers (to be) and their babies. They have to develop and acquire knowledge and skills for practice, and they have to adopt and internalize the values and norms of the midwifery profession in order to socialize as a midwife.In this study we explored conceptualisations of 'good midwives' among nearly graduated final year midwifery students as a result of their professional socialization process. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study consisting of an one open-ended question was undertaken. Data was analyzed qualitatively, inductively and deductively by using Halldorsdottir's theory of the primacy of a good midwife. SETTING: One of three midwifery academies in the Netherlands in July 2016 were included. PARTICIPANTS: All midwifery students (N=67) in their final year were included. FINDINGS: Student midwives gave broad interpretations of the features of a good midwife. Three themes - next to the themes already conceptualised by Halldorsdottir - were revealed and mentioned by nearly graduated Dutch midwifery students. They added that a good midwife has to have specific personal characteristics, organizational competences, and has to promote physiological reproductive processes in midwifery care. KEY CONCLUSIONS: Students' views are broad and deep, reflecting the values they take with them to real midwifery practice. The results of this study can serve as an indicator of the level of professional socialization into the midwifery profession and highlight areas in which changes and improvements to the educational program can be made.

Determinants of use of care provided by complementary and alternative health care practitioners to pregnant women in primary midwifery care: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women visit complementary/alternative health care practitioners in addition to regular maternal health care practitioners. A wide variation has been reported with regard to rates and determinants of use of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM), which may be due to heterogeneous populations. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and determinants of use of CAM practitioners by a homogeneous population of low-risk pregnant women in the Netherlands. METHODS: Data from the population-based DELIVER study was used, concerning 1500 clients from twenty midwifery practices across the Netherlands in 2009 and 2010. CAM use was measured based on patient reports. Potential determinants were derived from Andersen's behavioural model of health care utilization. RESULTS: The prevalence of CAM practitioner use by low-risk pregnant women was 9.4 %. Women were more likely to use CAM if they had supplementary health care insurance (OR 3.11; CI 1.41-6.85), rated their health as 'bad/fair' (OR 2.63; CI 1.65-4.21), reported a chronic illness or handicap (OR 1.93; CI 1.14-3.27), smoked during pregnancy (OR 1.88; CI 1.06-3.33), or used alcohol during pregnancy (OR 2.30; CI 1.46-3.63). CONCLUSIONS: CAM is relatively frequently used by low-risk pregnant women. Determinants revealed in this study diverge from other studies using heterogeneous populations. Maternal health care practitioners must be aware of CAM use by low-risk pregnant women and incorporate this knowledge into daily practice by actively discussing this subject with pregnant women.

Explanatory factors for first and second-generation non-western women's inadequate prenatal care utilisation: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Little research into non-western women's prenatal care utilisation in industrialised western countries has taken generational differences into account. In this study we examined non-western women's prenatal care utilisation and its explanatory factors according to generational status. METHODS: Data from 3300 women participating in a prospective cohort of primary midwifery care clients (i.e. women with no complications or no increased risk for complications during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium who receive maternity care by autonomous midwives) in the Netherlands (the DELIVER study) was used. Gestational age at entry and the total number of prenatal visits were aggregated into an index. The extent to which potential factors explained non-western women's prenatal care utilisation was assessed by means of blockwise logistic regression analyses and percentage changes in odds ratios. RESULTS: The unadjusted odds of first and second-generation non-western women making inadequate use of prenatal care were 3.26 and 1.96 times greater than for native Dutch women. For the first generation, sociocultural factors explained 43% of inadequate prenatal care utilisation, socioeconomic factors explained 33% and demographic and pregnancy factors explained 29%. For the second generation, sociocultural factors explained 66% of inadequate prenatal care utilisation. CONCLUSION: Irrespective of generation, strategies to improve utilisation should focus on those with the following sociocultural characteristics (not speaking Dutch at home, no partner or a first-generation non-Dutch partner). For the first generation, strategies should also focus on those with the following demographic, pregnancy and socioeconomic characteristics (aged ≤ 19 or ≥ 36, unplanned pregnancies, poor obstetric histories (extra-uterine pregnancy, molar pregnancy or abortion), a low educational level, below average net household income and no supplementary insurance.