Current approach and attitudes toward neonatal near-miss and perinatal audits: An exploratory international survey.

BACKGROUND: Combined with perinatal mortality review, neonatal near-miss (NNM) audit has the potential to inform strategies to better prevent adverse perinatal outcomes. Nonetheless, there is lack of standardised definitions of NNM and limited evidence of implementation of NNM audits. AIM: To describe definitions of NNM and assess current approaches and attitudes toward perinatal mortality and morbidity audit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Online survey from December 2021 to February 2022, with a mix of Likert scales, polar, pool, multi-choice, and open-ended questions, disseminated through national and international organisations to perinatal healthcare workers from high-income countries. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty participants came from Australia (n = 86), New Zealand (n = 18), Canada (n = 7), USA (n = 4), Netherlands (n = 2), other countries (n = 3). Neonatologists (35%), midwives (21.7%), obstetricians (12.5%), neonatal nurse practitioners (11.7%) and others (23.3%) responded. Most respondents thought the main characteristics to define NNM were birth asphyxia needing therapeutic hypothermia (68.3%), unexpected resuscitation at birth (67.5%), need for intubation/chest compression/adrenaline (65.0%) and metabolic acidosis at birth (60.0%). There were 97.5% of participants who considered NNM important for identifying cases for perinatal morbidity audits. However, only 10.0% of their institutions used a NNM definition. Overall, 98.4% of participants considered perinatal mortality and morbidity audits important to prevent adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: Neonatal near-miss audit is viewed as a valuable tool to reduce adverse neonatal outcomes. There was reasonable consensus that NNM encompassed evidence of birth asphyxia and/or advanced neonatal resuscitation. Data from this international survey identifies a starting point for a consensus definition of NNM, which can be used for perinatal audits to identify opportunities for improvement.

Silent voices of the midwives: factors that influence midwives' achievement of successful neonatal resuscitation in sub-Saharan Africa: a narrative inquiry.

BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal death. The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence successful neonatal resuscitation to inform clinical practice and reduce the incidence of very early neonatal death (death within 24 h of delivery). METHODS: This was a qualitative narrative inquiry study utilizing the 32 consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ). Audio-recorded, semistructured, individual interviews with midwives were conducted. Thematic analysis was applied to identify themes. RESULTS: Thematic analysis of the midwives' responses revealed three factors that influence successful resuscitation: 1. Hands-on training ("HOT") with clinical support during live emergency neonatal resuscitation events, which decreases fear and enables the transfer of clinical skills; 2. Unequivocal commitment to the Golden Minute® and the mindset of the midwife; and. 3. Strategies that reduce barriers. Immediately after birth, live resuscitation can commence at the mother's bedside, with actively guided clinical instruction. Confidence and mastery of resuscitation competencies are reinforced as the physiological changes in neonates are immediately visible with bag and mask ventilation. The proclivity to perform suction initially delays ventilation, and suction is rarely clinically indicated. Keeping skilled midwives in labor wards is important and impacts clinical practice. The midwives interviewed articulated a mindset of unequivocal commitment to the baby for one Golden Minute®. Heavy workload, frequent staff rotation and lack of clean working equipment were other barriers identified that are worthy of future research. CONCLUSIONS: Training in resuscitation skills in a simulated environment alone is not enough to change clinical practice. Active guidance of "HOT" real-life emergency resuscitation events builds confidence, as the visible signs of successful resuscitation impact the midwife's beliefs and behaviors. Furthermore, a focused commitment by midwives working together to reduce birth asphyxia-related deaths builds hope and collective self-efficacy.

The effect of a decision-support mHealth application on maternal and neonatal outcomes in two district hospitals in Rwanda: pre - post intervention study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, mobile health (mHealth) applications are known for their potential to improve healthcare providers' access to relevant and reliable health information. Besides, electronic decision support tools, such as the Safe Delivery mHealth Application (SDA), may help to reduce clinical errors and to ensure quality care at the point of service delivery. The current study investigated the use of the SDA and its relationship to basic emergency obstetric and newborn care (BEmONC) outcomes for the most frequent complications in Rwanda; post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) and newborn asphyxia. METHODS: The study adopted a pre-post intervention design. A pre-intervention record review of BEmONC outcomes: Apgar score and PPH progressions, was conducted for 6 months' period (February 2019 - July 2019). The intervention took place in two district hospitals in Rwanda and entails the implementation of the SDA for 6 months (October 2019- March 2020), and included 54 nurses and midwives using the SDA to manage PPH and neonatal resuscitation. Six months' post-SDA intervention, the effect of the SDA on BEmONC outcomes was evaluated. The study included 327 participants (114 cases of PPH and 213 cases of neonatal complications). The analysis compared the outcome variables between the baseline and the endline data. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the proportions and test between-group differences and significance level set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Unstable newborn outcomes following neonatal resuscitation were recorded in 62% newborns cases at baseline and 28% newborns cases at endline, P-value = 0.000. Unstable maternal outcomes following PPH management were recorded in 19% maternal cases at baseline and 6% maternal cases at endline, P-value = 0.048. There was a significant association between the SDA intervention and newborns' and maternal' outcomes following neonatal resuscitation and PPH management, 6 months after baseline. CONCLUSION: The use of the SDA supported nurses and midwives in the management of PPH and neonatal resuscitation which may have contributed to improved maternal and neonatal outcomes during 6 months of the SDA intervention. The findings of this study are promising as they contribute to a broader knowledge about the effectiveness of SDA in low and middle income hospital settings.

37 segundos (2019). La asfixia neonatal, el minuto de oro en la reanimación y la hipotermia terapéutica desde el prisma del cine / 37 seconds (2019). perinatal asphyxia, the golden minute of birth and neonatal therapeutic hypothermia from a movie perspective

El artículo utiliza la película 37 segundos para llamar la atención en relación a un grave problema social que es la asfixia perinatal. Se aborda su prevención durante el acompañamiento prenatal, la importancia del minuto de oro en reanimación neonatal, la hipotermia como forma de prevención de secuela neurológica y el monitoreo con electroencefalograma para el diagnóstico de convulsiones. (AU)

The article uses the film 37 seconds to draw attention to a serious social problem that is perinatal asphyxia. They talk about prevention during antenatal care, the importance of the golden minute in neonatal resuscitation, hypothermia as a form of prevention of neurological sequelae, and monitoring with an electroencephalogram for the diagnosis of seizures. (AU)

Need for more evidence in the prevention and management of perinatal asphyxia and neonatal encephalopathy in low and middle-income countries: A call for action.

Although low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) shoulder 90 % of the neonatal encephalopathy (NE) burden, there is very little evidence base for prevention or management of this condition in these settings. A variety of antenatal factors including socio-economic deprivation, undernutrition and sub optimal antenatal and intrapartum care increase the risk of NE, although little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Implementing interventions based on the evidence from high-income countries to LMICs, may cause more harm than benefit as shown by the increased mortality and lack of neuroprotection with cooling therapy in the hypothermia for moderate or severe NE in low and middle-income countries (HELIX) trial. Pooled data from pilot trials suggest that erythropoietin monotherapy reduces death and disability in LMICs, but this needs further evaluation in clinical trials. Careful attention to supportive care, including avoiding hyperoxia, hypocarbia, hypoglycemia, and hyperthermia, are likely to improve outcomes until specific neuroprotective or neurorestorative therapies available.

Optimizing initial neonatal resuscitation to reduce neonatal encephalopathy around the world.

One million two hundred thousand neonatal lives are lost each year due to intrapartum-related events; 99% of these deaths occur in low- and lower middle-income countries. Neonates exposed to intrapartum-related events present with failure to breathe at birth. Quick and effective delivery room management of these neonates is critical in the prevention of brain injury. Given the prominent role of lung aeration in the cardiopulmonary transition at birth, the mainstay of neonatal resuscitation is effective ventilation. Basic neonatal resuscitation focuses on simple stimulation, airway positioning and clearing, and bag-mask ventilation. Although principles for basic neonatal resuscitation remain the same for high- and low-resource settings, guidelines may differ based on available human and material resources. Formal training in basic resuscitation reduces intrapartum-related neonatal mortality in low-resource settings. However, there remain opportunities to improve provider performance for increased impact with other strategies such as regular practice and continuous quality improvement.

Can we improve our ability to interpret category II fetal heart rate tracings using additional clinical parameters?

OBJECTIVES: This study examined predictive factors, in addition to Category II Fetal Herat Rate (FHR) monitoring that might imply fetal acidosis and risk of asphyxia. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study compared three groups of patients with Category II FHR monitoring indicating need for imminent delivery. Groups were divided based on fetal cord blood pH: pH≤7.0, 7.0

The role of digital clinical decision support tool in improving quality of intrapartum and postpartum care: experiences from two states of India.

BACKGROUND: Computerized clinical decision support (CDSS) -digital information systems designed to improve clinical decision making by providers - is a promising tool for improving quality of care. This study aims to understand the uptake of ASMAN application (defined as completeness of electronic case sheets), the role of CDSS in improving adherence to key clinical practices and delivery outcomes. METHODS: We have conducted secondary analysis of program data (government data) collected from 81 public facilities across four districts each in two sates of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The data collected between August -October 2017 (baseline) and the data collected between December 2019 - March 2020 (latest) was analysed. The data sources included: digitized labour room registers, case sheets, referral and discharge summary forms, observation checklist and complication format. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate and interrupted time series regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS: The completeness of electronic case sheets was low at postpartum period (40.5%), and in facilities with more than 300 deliveries a month (20.9%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the introduction of technology yielded significant improvement in adherence to key clinical practices. We have observed reduction in fresh still births rates and asphyxia, but these results were not statistically significant in interrupted time series analysis. However, our analysis showed that identification of maternal complications has increased over the period of program implementation and at the same time referral outs decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates CDSS has a potential to improve quality of intrapartum care and delivery outcome. Future studies with rigorous study design is required to understand the impact of technology in improving quality of maternity care.

Targeting the mitochondrial permeability transition pore for neuroprotection in a piglet model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) causes significant morbidity despite treatment with therapeutic hypothermia. Mitochondrial dysfunction may drive the mechanisms underlying neuronal cell death, thereby making mitochondria prime targets for neuroprotection. The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) is one such target within mitochondria. In adult animal models, mPTP inhibition is neuroprotective. However, evidence for mPTP inhibition in neonatal models of neurologic disease is less certain. We tested the therapeutic efficacy of the mPTP small molecule inhibitor GNX-4728 and examined the developmental presence of brain mPTP proteins for drug targeting in a neonatal piglet model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Male neonatal piglets were randomized to hypoxia-ischemia (HI) or sham procedure with GNX-4728 (15 mg/kg, IV) or vehicle (saline/cyclodextrin/DMSO, IV). GNX-4728 was administered as a single dose within 5 min after resuscitation from bradycardic arrest. Normal, ischemic, and injured neurons were counted in putamen and somatosensory cortex using hematoxylin and eosin staining. In separate neonatal and juvenile pigs, western blots of putamen mitochondrial-enriched fractions were used to evaluate mitochondrial integrity and the presence of mPTP proteins. We found that a single dose of GNX-4728 did not protect putamen and cortical neurons from cell death after HI. However, loss of mitochondrial matrix integrity occurred within 6h after HI, and while mPTP components are present in the neonatal brain their levels were significantly different compared to that of a mature juvenile brain. Thus, the neonatal brain mPTP may not be a good target for current neurotherapeutic drugs that are developed based on adult mitochondria.

The effect of initiating neuraxial analgesia service on the rate of cesarean delivery in Hubei, China: a 16-month retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: No Pain Labor &Delivery (NPLD) is a nongovernmental project to increase access to safe neuraxial analgesia through specialized training. This study explores the change in overall cesarean delivery (CD) rate and maternal request CD(MRCD) rate in our hospital after the initiation of neuraxial analgesia service (NA). METHODS: NA was initiated in May 1st 2015 by the help of NPLD. Since then, the application of NA became a routine operation in our hospital, and every parturient can choose to use NA or not. The monthly rates of NA, CD, MRCD, multiparous women, intrapartum CD, episiotomy, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), operative vaginal delivery and neonatal asphyxia were analyzed from January 2015 to April 2016. RESULTS: The rate of NA in our hospital was getting increasingly higher from 26.1% in May 2015 to 44.6% in April 2016 (p < 0.001); the rate of CD was 48.1% (3577/7360) and stable from January to May 2015 (p>0.05), then decreased from 50.4% in May 2015 to 36.3% in April 2016 (p < 0.001); the rate of MRCD was 11.4% (406/3577) and also stable from January to May 2015 (p>0.05), then decreased from 10.8% in May 2015 to 5.7% in April 2016 (p < 0.001). At the same time, the rate of multiparous women remained unchanged during the 16 month of observation (p>0.05). There was a negative correlation between the rate of NA and rate of overall CD, r = - 0.782 (95%CI [- 0.948, - 0.534], p<0.001), and between the utilization rate of NA and rate of MRCD, r = - 0.914 (95%CI [- 0.989, - 0.766], p<0.001). The rates of episiotomy, PPH, operative vaginal delivery and neonatal asphyxia in women who underwent vaginal delivery as well as the rates of intrapartum CD, neonatal asphyxia, and PPH in women who underwent CD remained unchanged, and there was no correlation between the rate of NA and anyone of those rates from January 1st 2015 to April 30th 2016 (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that the rates of CD and MRCD in our department were significantly decreased from May 1st 2015 to April 30th 2016, which may be due to the increasing use of NA during vaginal delivery with the help of NPLD.

Prevalence and associated factors of birth asphyxia among live births at Debre Tabor General Hospital, North Central Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: More than one third of the neonatal deaths at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Debre Tabor General Hospital (DTGH) are attributable to birth asphyxia. Most of these neonates are referred from the maternity ward in the hospital. Concerns have also been raised regarding delayed intrapartum decisions for emergency obstetrics action in the hospital. However, there has been no recent scientific evidence about the exact burden of birth asphyxia and its specific determinants among live births at maternity ward of DTGH. Moreover, the public health importance of delivery time and professional mix of labor attendants haven't been addressed in the prior studies. METHODS: Hospital based cross sectional study was conducted on a sample of 582 mother newborn dyads at maternity ward. Every other mother newborn dyad was included from December 2019 to March 2020. Pre-tested structured questionnaire and checklist were used for data collection. The collected data were processed and entered into Epidata version 4.2 and exported to Stata version 14. Binary logistic regressions were fitted and statistical significance was declared at p less than 0.05 with 95% CI. RESULTS: The prevalence of birth asphyxia was 28.35% [95% CI: 26.51, 35.24%]. From the final model, fetal mal-presentation (AOR = 6.96: 3.16, 15.30), premature rupture of fetal membranes (AOR = 6.30, 95% CI: 2.45, 16.22), meconium stained amniotic fluid (AOR = 7.15: 3.07, 16.66), vacuum delivery (AOR =6.21: 2.62, 14.73), night time delivery (AOR = 6.01: 2.82, 12.79) and labor attendance by medical interns alone (AOR = 3.32:1.13, 9.78) were positively associated with birth asphyxia at 95% CI. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of birth asphyxia has remained a problem of public health importance in the study setting. Therefore, the existing efforts of emergency obstetric and newborn care should be strengthened to prevent birth asphyxia from the complications of fetal mal-presentation, premature rupture of fetal membranes, meconium stained amniotic fluid and vacuum delivery. Moreover, night time deliveries and professional mixes of labor and/delivery care providers should be given more due emphasis.

Physiologically based cord clamping improves cardiopulmonary haemodynamics in lambs with a diaphragmatic hernia.

OBJECTIVE: Lung hypoplasia associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) results in respiratory insufficiency and pulmonary hypertension after birth. We have investigated whether aerating the lung before removing placental support (physiologically based cord clamping (PBCC)), improves the cardiopulmonary transition in lambs with a CDH. METHODS: At ≈138 days of gestational age, 17 lambs with surgically induced left-sided diaphragmatic hernia (≈d80) were delivered via caesarean section. The umbilical cord was clamped either immediately prior to ventilation onset (immediate cord clamping (ICC); n=6) or after achieving a target tidal volume of 4 mL/kg, with a maximum delay of 10 min (PBCC; n=11). Lambs were ventilated for 120 min and physiological changes recorded. RESULTS: Pulmonary blood flow (PBF) increased following ventilation onset in both groups, but was 19-fold greater in PBCC compared with ICC lambs at cord clamping (19±6.3 vs 1.0±0.5 mL/min/kg, p<0.001). Cerebral tissue oxygenation was higher in PBCC than ICC lambs during the first 10 min after cord clamping (59%±4% vs 30%±5%, p<0.001). PBF was threefold higher (23±4 vs 8±2 mL/min/kg, p=0.01) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was threefold lower (0.6±0.1 vs 2.2±0.6 mm Hg/(mL/min), p<0.001) in PBCC lambs compared with ICC lambs at 120 min after ventilation onset. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with ICC, PBCC prevented the severe asphyxia immediately after birth and resulted in a higher PBF due to a lower PVR, which persisted for at least 120 min after birth in CDH lambs.

Curative effect of remifentanil on labor analgesia in newborns.

Objective: To investigate the curative effect of remifentanil on analgesia in newborns.Patients and methods: One hundred and twenty full-term puerperae from January 2013 to December 2013 were selected and randomly divided into three groups: remifentanil patient-controlled intravenous labor analgesia group (Group A, n = 40), patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) group (Group B, n = 40), and spontaneous labor group (Group C, n = 40). General conditions, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, labor stage, bleeding, delivery mode, neonatal asphyxia rate, oxyhemoglobin saturation in puerpera, and umbilical arterial blood gas analysis indexes of the fetus were measured. In addition, complications and adverse reactions were recorded.Results: VAS scores in Group A and B were significantly lower than that in Group C at each time point after analgesic intervention (p < .05), without differences at 30 min and 1 h after analgesia between Group A and B (p > .05). However, VAS scores in Group A were significantly higher than those in Group B at the full opening of the uterine orifice and fetal delivery (p < .05). The active phases in the first stage of labor in Group A and B were significantly shorter than that in Group C (p <.05). There were no significant differences in general conditions, VAS score before analgesia, the second and third stages of labor, delivery mode, bleeding, neonatal asphyxia rate, oxyhemoglobin saturation, pH value, partial pressure of oxygen (PO2), and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) among three groups (p > .05).Conclusions: Remifentanil intravenous labor analgesia is not superior to PCEA, but does not increase adverse effects, suggesting it might be a supplementary method of PCEA.

Newborn Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa: Why is Perinatal Asphyxia Still a Major Cause?

Global new-born mortality has shown steady decline over the last two decades, but this decline has been slowest in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Perinatal asphyxia (PA) is a major cause of new-born deaths in this region and as such SSA now contributes a disproportionate large percentage of global asphyxia-related deaths. In this paper, we examine regional challenges affecting primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of PA and proffers locally adaptable solutions to these identified challenges.

Peripartum interventions resulting in reduced perinatal mortality rates, and birth asphyxia rates, over 18 years in a tertiary centre in South India: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in the rates of perinatal mortality, birth asphyxia, and caesarean sections in relation to interventions implemented over the past 18 years, in a tertiary centre in South India. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Labour and maternity unit of a tertiary centre in South India. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: Women who gave birth between 2000 and 2018. METHODS: Information from perinatal audits, chart reviews, and data retrieved from the electronic database were used. Interventions implemented during this time period were audits and training, obstetric re-organisation, and minor changes in staffing and infrastructure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcome measures were perinatal mortality rate, birth asphyxia rate, and caesarean section rate. RESULTS: Perinatal mortality rate decreased from 44 per 1000 births in 2000 to 16.4 per 1000 births in 2018 (P < 0.001). The rates of babies born with birth asphyxia requiring admission to the neonatal unit decreased from 24 per 1000 births in 2001 to 0.7 per 1000 births in 2018 (P < 0.00001). The overall caesarean section rate was maintained close to 30%. CONCLUSION: In a large tertiary hospital in South India, with 14 000 deliveries per year, a policy of rigorous audits of stillbirths and birth asphyxia, electronic fetal monitoring, and the introduction of standardised criteria for trial of scar, reduced the perinatal mortality and the rate of babies born with birth asphyxia over the past 18 years, without an increase in the caesarean section rate. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Rigorous perinatal audits with training in fetal cardiotocography, decreased birth asphyxia, without a major increase in caesarean rates.

Use and completion of partograph during labour is associated with a reduced incidence of birth asphyxia: a retrospective study at a peri-urban setting in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Morbidity of birth asphyxia has been estimated to be 42 million disability-adjusted life years. The study sought to assess the impact of the use and completion of partograph during labour on reducing birth asphyxia at the St Anthony's Hospital, Dzodze, in the Volta Region of Ghana. METHODS: A retrospective study design using a quantitative approach was adopted for the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select a total of 200 folders of labouring women who were admitted and delivered at St Anthony's Hospital, Dzodze, between 1st May 2015 and 30th April 2016. A structured checklist, which was developed by using labour and foetal monitoring parameters based on the standards of the World Health Organization partograph usage, was used to review all the 200 existing maternal records. RESULTS: The findings revealed that partographs were used by midwives at St Anthony's Hospital with the majority of the maternal folders fully completed. The use and completion of partograph were found to be associated with less non-asphyxiated birth outcomes. Labours which were monitored with partograph were 4.29 times less likely to result in birth asphyxia [AOR (95% CI) 4.29 (1.35-14.81)], and those that were monitored with a completed partograph were 5.3 times less likely to result in birth asphyxia [AOR (95% CI) 5.31 (2.011-16.04)]. CONCLUSION: Midwives used partographs during labour at St Anthony's Hospital. The use and completion of partograph were significantly associated with a reduced incidence of birth asphyxia at the hospital. Birth asphyxia could be reduced if partographs are used and completed by midwives during labour in all cases.

Improving Neonatal Outcomes Through Global Professional Development.

BACKGROUND: Globally, stillbirths account for 2.7 million infant deaths each year, with the vast majority occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Approximately 900,000 infants die due to birth asphyxia. The focus of the Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) program is to help the nonbreathing infant to breathe within the first minute of life, termed the "Golden Minute." PURPOSE: To present a multinational interprofessional development program utilizing the train-the-trainer methodology for HBB to address neonatal morbidity and mortality. Involving nursing students in collaboration with established global partners provided an innovative method of professional development. Lessons learned and challenges will be shared to enhance success of future efforts. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION: HBB train-the-trainer workshops were held to provide professional development for nurses and nursing students in 5 locations in 4 countries including Ethiopia, India, Vietnam, and Zambia. Workshop participants and the trainers participated in discussions and informal conversation to assess impact on professional development. RESULTS: HBB training and train-the-trainer workshops were implemented in 4 counties. Equipment and supplies were provided in these countries through several internal university grants. All 145 participants demonstrated increased knowledge and skills at the end of the workshops through the HBB check off. Collaborative teaching and cross-cultural professional skills were enhanced in student and faculty trainers. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses, midwives, and advance practice nurses can engage globally and contribute to closing this gap in knowledge and skills by providing train-the-trainer workshops. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Developing systems to integrate the HBB program within each country's existing healthcare infrastructure promotes in-country ownership. Joining the global effort to save the lives of neonates can be a meaningful opportunity for innovative professional development projects. While HBB education has been shown to save lives, a 1-time training is insufficient. Determining how often HBB updates or refreshers are required to maintain skills is an important next step. Another direction for research is to implement this project within prelicensure nursing programs.

Peer-assisted learning after onsite, low-dose, high-frequency training and practice on simulators to prevent and treat postpartum hemorrhage and neonatal asphyxia: A pragmatic trial in 12 districts in Uganda.

An urgent need exists to improve and maintain intrapartum skills of providers in sub-Saharan Africa. Peer-assisted learning may address this need, but few rigorous evaluations have been conducted in real-world settings. A pragmatic, cluster-randomized trial in 12 Ugandan districts provided facility-based, team training for prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage and birth asphyxia at 125 facilities. Three approaches to facilitating simulation-based, peer assisted learning were compared. The primary outcome was the proportion of births with uterotonic given within one minute of birth. Outcomes were evaluated using observation of birth and supplemented by skills assessments and service delivery data. Individual and composite variables were compared across groups, using generalized linear models. Overall, 107, 195, and 199 providers were observed at three time points during 1,716 births across 44 facilities. Uterotonic coverage within one minute increased from: full group: 8% (CI 4%‒12%) to 50% (CI 42%‒59%); partial group: 19% (CI 9%‒30%) to 42% (CI 31%‒53%); and control group: 11% (5%‒7%) to 51% (40%‒61%). Observed care of mother and newborn improved in all groups. Simulated skills maintenance for postpartum hemorrhage prophylaxis remained high across groups 7 to 8 months after the intervention. Simulated skills for newborn bag-and-mask ventilation remained high only in the full group. For all groups combined, incidence of postpartum hemorrhage and retained placenta declined 17% and 47%, respectively, from during the intervention period compared to the 6‒9 month period after the intervention. Fresh stillbirths and newborn deaths before discharge decreased by 34% and 62%, respectively, from baseline to after completion, and remained reduced 6‒9 months post-implementation. Significant improvements in uterotonic coverage remained across groups 6 months after the intervention. Findings suggest that while short, simulation-based training at the facility improves care and is feasible, more complex clinical skills used infrequently such as newborn resuscitation may require more practice to maintain skills. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03254628.