international journal of childbirth

The perinatal and postpartum period is of great significance for women due to physiological changes, shifts in circadian rhythms, social setting, and psychological well-being, all of which affect the quality and quantity of their sleep. A mixed-studies systematic review was undertaken to enhance our understanding of sleep disturbances and mood disorders in women in late pregnancy and the postpartum period, their connection with breastfeeding, and the assessment of interventions for sleep disturbance. Three electronic databases (PUBMED, EMBASE and Google Scholar) were searched for qualitative, observational, and mixed-method studies from the year 2016 to June 2023...

OBJECTIVE: To identify the correlates of early breastfeeding (BF) cessation and breastmilk expression (BE) among mothers 12 months after childbirth. METHODS: We used a case-control study design to compare characteristics between mothers who stopped BF and expressed breastmilk 12 months after childbirth in Uganda. BF practices were determined in 12-month follow-up interviews using an adapted World Health Organization infant feeding questionnaire. Univariate and bivariate logistic regression models identified correlates of early BF cessation and BE as distinct but related outcomes...

BACKGROUND: Induction of labour (IOL) is common practice and different methods carry different effectiveness and safety profiles. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness, and maternal and perinatal safety outcomes of IOL with vaginal misoprostol versus vaginal dinoprostone using individual participant data from randomised clinical trials. SEARCH STRATEGY: The following databases were searched from inception to March 2023: CINAHL Plus, ClinicalTrials...

A 28-week supported online intervention for pregnant women, informed by the Behavior Change Wheel Framework, was developed. The intervention included exercises, group sessions and a peer support platform. The aim of this study was to examine the potential effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing resilience and promoting maternal mental health. Using a quasi-experimental design, assessments were conducted at baseline, postintervention and follow-ups at six and 12 months after childbirth. Resilience, resilience attributes, and maternal mental health were measured using standardised scales...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze sociodemographic factors associated with cesarean sections (c-sections) in Ecuador. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Ecuadorian National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC). Multivariate binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to assess sociodemographic factors associated with c-sections overall and with each type of c-section (elective or emergency c-section). RESULTS: This study included 1 118 842 in-hospital deliveries during 2015-2022 in Ecuador, of which 41...

AIMS: We aim to review the experiences and needs of postpartum Chinese women undergoing 'confinement' or 'doing-the-month' a postpartum practice after childbirth. METHODS: A meta-synthesis was reported in alignment with the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) statement. Ten electronic databases were searched for eligible primary qualitative or mixed-methods studies in English and Chinese from their inception until December 2021...

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy and childbirth bring not only joy but also a concomitant sense of insecurity, which may adversely affect health, role adaptation, and relationships. This study aimed to explore the risk factors for postpartum mothers' sense of security. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used questionnaires on Parents' Postnatal Sense of Security, Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale, and the Emotional Inhibition Scale. Structural equation modeling was used to calculate the mediating effect...

PURPOSE: Mothers of infants born with congenital gastrointestinal surgical anomalies experience a unique caregiving role. Whether these challenges result in more mental health diagnoses than the general population is unknown. This study assessed mental health diagnoses in mothers of children born with congenital surgical anomalies (CSA) compared to mothers of children without CSA. METHODS: A total of 780 mothers of children with CSA (case-mothers) and 6994 control-mothers were included...

BACKGROUND: The decision to delivery time is the interval between the decision and the childbirth by emergency caesarean delivery. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that the decision to delivery time interval is less than 30 min. Additionally, the decision to delivery time varies across institutions and countries. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the decision to delivery time and its predictors among women who underwent emergency cesarean delivery at selected hospitals of Northwest Ethiopia, 2023...

BACKGROUND: Paternal involvement during pregnancy has been shown to have a positive impact on the mother-baby dyad during and after birth. The presence of the father during birth also positively influences father-child attachment, reduces, apprehension, and stress, increases maternal satisfaction, and increases love and respect for the partners. This study explored the experiences of fathers who were present in the delivery room during the delivery process. METHODS: This qualitative content analysis study was conducted at a maternity hospital in Kingston, Jamaica from June to July 2022...

OBJECTIVE: Data and guidelines are lacking, so implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are often deactivated during labour to prevent inappropriate shocks. This study aimed to ascertain the safety of an activated ICD during labour. DESIGN: An observational study was performed. SETTING: Dutch hospitals. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: A total of 41 childbirths were included of 26 patients who gave birth between February 2009 and November 2018 after receiving an ICD in our tertiary hospital...

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of frailty has been related to menopause. Our main objective was to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the estrogen receptor (ER) ER <mml:math xmlns:mml="https://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>α</mml:mi><mml:mi> </mml:mi></mml:math> and ER <mml:math xmlns:mml="https://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>β</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> genes were related to the frailty phenotype in a population of community-dwelling postmenopausal women...

PURPOSE: Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) is a condition in which the linea alba is stretched and widened, and the abdominal muscles are separated from each other. DRA typically occurs in pregnant and postpartum women. We aimed to determine the risk factors and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of DRA in Chinese postpartum women. METHODS: This observational study was conducted in Hangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and involved 534 women who filled out the following risk-factor and PRO questionnaires: SF-MPQ-2, SF-ICIQ, LDQ, EPDS, MBIS, HerQles, and SF-36 (all Chinese versions)...

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 4%-5% of mothers develop childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD) and approximately 12.3% of mothers develop some CB-PTSD symptoms (CB-PTSS). To date, there is a dearth of studies on fathers and other coparents. Parental CB-PTSD and CB-PTSS may have a negative impact not only on the parents but also on the infant. Understanding risk and protective factors of CB-PTSD for both parents and its consequences on the family is key to detecting or anticipating it, to developing interventions aimed at reducing its detrimental effects and to supporting parents...

BACKGROUND: Despite a commendable rise in the number of women seeking delivery care at public health institutions in South India, it is unclear if the benefit accrues to wealthier or poorer socio-economic groups. The study's aim was to investigate at how the public subsidy is distributed among Indian women who give birth in public hospitals in the southern regions. METHODS: Data from the Indian Demographic Health Survey's fifth wave (NFHS-5, 2019-21) was used in this study...

BACKGROUND: The use of cardiotocography (CTG) to improve neonatal outcomes is controversial. The medical settings, subjects, utilizations, and interpretation guidelines of CTG are unclear for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). OBJECTIVES: To assess and review CTG use for studies identified in LMICs and provide insights on the potential for effective use of CTG to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. SEARCH STRATEGY: The databases Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched for published and unpublished literature through September 2023...

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the risk factors for the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) within one month after delivery in pregnant women of advanced maternal age undergoing cesarean section and explore the predictive value of fasting coagulation indicators in relation to the development of DVT. METHODS: A total of 176 eligible postpartum women were included in this study. Sixty-seven cases developed DVT within one month after delivery (DVT group), while 109 cases did not experience DVT (NDVT group)...

AIM: The present study aimed to estimate the total numbers of obstetric diseases diagnosed, total amounts of medical expenses claimed for obstetric diseases, their averages per livebirth, and yearly trends in Japan. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB) (data from 2015 to 2019). The target population was women of reproductive age (15-49 years old) with diseases in pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium, defined by having O codes according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision...

BACKGROUND: Women with multiple pregnancies are vulnerable to experience postpartum depression (PPD). Emerging evidence indicates an association between poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and PPD in women delivering singletons. The health risks of PFAS may also be present in women delivering twins. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the impacts of prenatal PFAS exposure on the risk of PPD in women with twin pregnancies. METHODS: Our study included 150 mothers who gave birth to twins and were enrolled in the Wuhan Twin Birth Cohort...

BACKGROUND: One of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide is severe obstetric haemorrhage after childbirth. Use of intraoperative cell salvage is strongly recommended by international guidelines on patient blood management. Recent data provide strong evidence that use of cell salvage in obstetrics is effective and safe in women with postpartum haemorrhage resulting in fewer transfusion-related adverse events and shorter hospital stay. We retrospectively analysed the use of cell salvage in bleeding women during delivery for a period of 10 yr in German hospitals...