MidwiferyPub Date : 2025-04-24DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104435
Anette Lycke , Annika Brorsson , Ewa Andersson
{"title":"Midwives’ experiences of working with menopause counselling: a qualitative study","authors":"Anette Lycke , Annika Brorsson , Ewa Andersson","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104435","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104435","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Studies have shown that women are asking for more knowledge and guidance about menopause. The professional competence of midwives encompasses menopause as a potential area of expertise. Midwives have good knowledge of women’s health and are used to providing health advice.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>The aim was to examine midwives’ experiences of working with menopause counselling.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Data were collected by using semi-structured individual interviews with 14 midwives who had experience in conducting menopause counselling. The data analysis was carried out using Malterud systematic text condensation.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>The data analysis yielded four themes: The midwife can fulfil a need for care; Menopause counselling, a midwifery task; Factors that facilitate; Promote equal menopause care. The midwives felt they were addressing a healthcare need that had previously been unmet. They thought midwives were well suited to perform this task, had good knowledge of women's health and were used to working from a holistic and salutogenic perspective. The midwives perceived certain conditions as essential, structured menopausal counselling, support in the organisation, education at advanced level and established cross-professional collaborations. They also thought an investment in menopause care is needed to promote equal care.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This work indicates that midwives with their skills and working methods are well suited to conduct menopausal counselling and thereby could satisfy a healthcare need. Resources needed are investments in menopausal counselling visits by midwives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 104435"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143922782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Healthcare professionals’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to postpartum diabetes screening participation in women with gestational diabetes mellitus in China: A qualitative study","authors":"Jing Huang , Judith Parsons , Angus Forbes , Ling Wang , Rita Forde","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104432","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104432","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Postpartum diabetes screening is usually recommended to identify glucose intolerance and introduce timely diabetes prevention strategies. However, the uptake of postpartum diabetes screening is suboptimal, especially in China, where GDM is prevalent. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) may offer unique insights into the challenges women face when attending screening, helping to develop interventions that improve uptake and fit in with routine clinical practice.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To explore HCPs’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to postpartum diabetes screening uptake.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Online semi-structured interviews were conducted with HCPs recruited via online networks. The data were analysed using framework analysis and the socio-ecological model.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Eighteen HCPs, including obstetricians, midwives, nurses, nurse managers, and a dietician participated. Thirteen themes were generated across four levels (individual, interpersonal, organisational and policy). Individual level themes included: women’s limited understanding, adherence and motivation; low diabetes risk awareness; and competing priorities. Interpersonal challenges involved communication and relationships between HCPs and women. Organizational barriers included workforce shortages, a lack of systemic GDM follow-up and care integration, and limited screening accessibility. At the policy level, GDM follow-up was not promoted nor prioritised.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>HCPs have a vital role in improving patient education, postpartum follow-up and support after GDM to reduce long-term health risks. Strengthening HCP training in communication with women and improving continuity and integration of care could enhance GDM follow-up and prevent diabetes in women following GDM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 104432"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143876494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MidwiferyPub Date : 2025-04-18DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104430
Alice McInnes , Janet Bradley , Nazihah Uddin , Ricardo Khine , Rebecca Webb , Susan Ayers
{"title":"Validation of the City Birth Trauma Scale to assess post-traumatic stress symptoms in maternity staff","authors":"Alice McInnes , Janet Bradley , Nazihah Uddin , Ricardo Khine , Rebecca Webb , Susan Ayers","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104430","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104430","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Each year, 295,000 women die from pregnancy or childbirth complications, with many more women and babies experiencing severe complications. Maternity staff are often exposed to these events and can develop post-traumatic stress symptoms or disorder (PTSD). However, there are currently no tools to specifically identify and assess birth-related PTSD in maternity staff. This study therefore adapted and validated the City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS) for this purpose.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>The City BiTS (Maternity staff) was completed by 396 maternity health professionals recruited in three waves between 2016 and 2023. Participants reported their experiences with traumatic birth events and completed the scale to assess PTSD symptoms. Psychometric analyses were used to determine internal consistency, factor structure, and construct validity.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Over half of participants had witnessed severe injuries (55.9 %) or deaths (41.4 %), and 30.7 % met PTSD diagnostic criteria (95 % CI 26.2 - 35.5). The scale demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.95) and construct validity. PTSD symptoms were associated with greater perceived trauma (<em>rho</em> 0.37, <em>p</em><.001), poorer coping (-0.30., <em>p</em><.001), and symptoms were greater after births involving maternal or infant deaths (Mann-Whitney U 18,609, <em>p</em> = .05). Both 2-factor and 3-factor structures were supported, with the main subscale of <em>Birth-related symptoms</em> accounting for most variance (53.82 %) in both analyses. Remaining items either grouped into one subscale of <em>General symptoms</em> (fixed 2-factor model) or split into <em>Hyperarousal</em> and <em>Anhedonia & detachment</em> subscales (3-factor model).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Traumatic births have a significant psychological impact on maternity staff. The adapted City BiTS (Maternity staff) shows promise for identifying PTSD symptoms in this group, though further refinement of its factor structure is recommended.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 104430"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143887791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MidwiferyPub Date : 2025-04-18DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104429
Qing Li , Siyu Yang , Yan Wang , Nantaporn Sansiriphun
{"title":"Fathers’ experience in supporting the mother and infant during the postpartum period: a qualitative systematic review","authors":"Qing Li , Siyu Yang , Yan Wang , Nantaporn Sansiriphun","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Fathers become more involved in the health care of mothers and infants during the postpartum period. Qualitative studies on fathers’ postpartum experience are increasing, but a comprehensive synthesis of father’s experience of supporting the mother and infant is lacking.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To synthesize the best evidence of fathers’ experiences supporting the mother and infant during the postpartum period.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>From inception until 20th August 2024, a comprehensive search of qualitative findings was conducted across nine databases, without publication year restraints but limited to language in English or Chinese. Using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) SUMARI, two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and appraised quality. A meta-aggregation approach was used for data synthesis, with evidence assessed through the JBI ConQual approach.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>24 studies from 1991 to 2024 were included in the review, which was then assessed as moderate to high quality (scores 5–10). The review included studies across 14 countries of different income levels. The total number of fathers included in the studies was 461. One hundred twenty-seven supported findings were extracted, and they were aggregated into eighteen categories and five synthesized findings: 1) Willingness to support mothers and infants; 2) Types of support provided by fathers; 3) Bittersweet experiences; 4) Challenges and coping strategies; and 5) Experience related to healthcare services.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This qualitative systematic review explored postpartum fathers’ diverse experiences supporting the mother and infant. It highlighted the importance of including fathers in postpartum healthcare education programs and services, increasing their health knowledge and health literacy about postpartum care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 104429"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143876566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MidwiferyPub Date : 2025-04-18DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104426
Mary Edu-Mensah, Claire Feeley, Shawn Walker, Tomasina Stacey
{"title":"Interventions to improve skilled birth attendance in sub-Saharan Africa. What has been done, and what has worked? A narrative synthesis","authors":"Mary Edu-Mensah, Claire Feeley, Shawn Walker, Tomasina Stacey","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104426","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104426","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>With only 64 % of births attended by skilled professionals and a maternal mortality ratio of 536 per 100,000 live births, Sub-Saharan Africa needs targeted interventions to improve skilled birth attendants’ utilisation and reduce maternal mortality.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To identify the interventions implemented across Sub-Saharan Africa to improve skilled birth attendants’ uptake and identify the contextual factors influencing the interventions' implementation, effectiveness, and sustainability.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The review followed the fundamentals of narrative synthesis. A search was conducted in March 2023 and updated in September 2024 on five electronic databases to identify relevant primary qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method studies that have reported any intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa to improve skilled birth attendants patronage.</div></div><div><h3>Finding</h3><div>Of the 4376 electronically retrieved articles, 34 peer-reviewed studies from 12 countries met the final selection criteria and have been included in this review. Interventions identified were grouped into Free/Subsidised Maternal Health Care, Mobile Health, Maternity Waiting Homes, Community-Based Interventions, Prenatal Education and Integrated Packages. Most of the interventions effectively promoted the utilisation of skilled birth attendants. Key factors influencing intervention success included men’s involvement, community leadership, maternal literacy, socioeconomic status, distance to facilities, local government support, and technological resources, with lower socioeconomic communities benefiting most.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings from this review support the theory that interventions work differently in different contexts; hence, it is vital to understand the population's needs, identify the available resources and deliver custom-made interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 104426"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MidwiferyPub Date : 2025-04-17DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104425
Tsofia Zelis, Stav Shapira
{"title":"The moderating impact of personal and collective resilience resources on postpartum depression in conflict-affected environments","authors":"Tsofia Zelis, Stav Shapira","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Women exposed to conflict are at greater risk of experiencing adverse mental health impacts, and women in the postpartum period may face additional distress and heightened risk. Resilience resources, known to mitigate the impacts of stressful events, could offer protection to these new mothers. The current study aimed to assess whether conflict exposure was associated with greater postpartum depression symptoms, and whether three distinct resilience resources – personal resilience, community resilience, and social support – would moderate this association among women highly exposed to an ongoing conflict.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This comparative cross-sectional study included 110 women from regions with high conflict exposure near the Israel-Gaza border and 210 women from areas with lower conflict exposure of Israel. Depression symptoms were evaluated six months postpartum, alongside measures of conflict exposure and personal and collective resilience resources. Multiple linear regression analyses tested the hypotheses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Higher conflict exposure was not associated with increased postpartum depression symptoms. Instead, all resilience resources showed a negative association with depression symptoms. Notably, community resilience significantly moderated the effect of conflict exposure on postpartum depression among highly exposed women, after adjusting for personal characteristics.</div></div><div><h3>Limitations</h3><div>The study's cross-sectional design and reliance on online data collection may have introduced a selection bias.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These findings underscore the critical protective role of community resilience for new mothers in conflict-laden regions. They indicate the importance of mental health interventions that bolster not just individual resilience but also community support, and suggest a shift toward more integrative, community-focused approaches in addressing mental health challenges in such settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 104425"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MidwiferyPub Date : 2025-04-15DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104427
Eliane Traebert , Gustavo A.O. Ávila , Cecília Favero , Mariana F. Velho , Daisson J. Trevisol , Fabiana Schuelter-Trevisol , Gabriel O. Cremona-Parma , Jefferson Traebert
{"title":"Cross-cultural adaptation of the women's experience of vaginal examination in labour scale in the Brazilian cultural context","authors":"Eliane Traebert , Gustavo A.O. Ávila , Cecília Favero , Mariana F. Velho , Daisson J. Trevisol , Fabiana Schuelter-Trevisol , Gabriel O. Cremona-Parma , Jefferson Traebert","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104427","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104427","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To carry out the cross-cultural adaptation of the Women's Experience of Vaginal Examination in Labour scale in the Brazilian cultural context and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the proposed version.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The stages of cross-cultural adaptation were carried out. The pre-test version was applied to 10 primiparous women in the immediate postpartum period who gave birth to full-term newborns via vaginal delivery with cephalic presentation. To assess reliability and validity, the final proposed version was administered to 200 women with the same characteristics in a cross-sectional study. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis with principal component extraction and Item Response Theory.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The Brazilian version of the scale was obtained following rigorous adherence to all stages. In the reliability analysis, the Brazilian version scale presented a Cronbach's α of 0.909. Factor analysis with principal component extraction showed closely distributed factors, explaining 66.5 % of the variance. The Item Response Theory analysis indicated that the probability of selecting a particular response varies depending on the intensity of the latent trait.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>A valid and reliable Brazilian version of the Women's Experience of Vaginal Examination in Labour scale was obtained.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 104427"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143870014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Multi-level factors influencing caesarean section preferences among women in low- and middle- income countries: A systematic review","authors":"Sutthirak Bubpawong , Sasitara Nuampa , Ameporn Ratinthorn , Rungnapa Ruchob","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Women’s preferences regarding caesarean section (CS) are a significant contributing factor to the increasing and widely varying rates of this procedure across countries and regions. This trend is particularly pronounced in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where both overuse and underuse of CS can pose significant health risks. Understanding the multi-level factors influencing CS preferences is essential for promoting the appropriate use of this procedure and ensuring optimal maternal and neonatal health outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To systematically review literature examining multi-level factors influencing CS preferences among women in LMICs through ecological systems and exploring the prevalence of CS preferences.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Six electronic databases were searched: Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), MEDLINE (EBSCO), Nursing & Allied Health Premium (ProQuest), PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. The search included studies published from January 2014 to August 2024. The quality of each article was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s critical appraisal tool.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>A total of 17 studies were included in this review. The proportion of CS preferences varied significantly, ranging from 8.8 % to 58 % in LMICs. The multi-level factors influencing CS preferences were summarized across four levels, based on ecological systems: microsystem level (sociodemographic factors, reproductive factors, psychological factors, and literacy-related factors), mesosystem level (healthcare influence, family and relative influence), exosystem level (healthcare environment and social media influence), and macrosystem level (socio-cultural factors).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Factors within the microsystem, mesosystem, and macrosystem levels displayed the substantial influence aligned with ecological systems. To reduce unnecessary CS, future research should comprehensively explore multi-level factors. Policymakers should implement prominent factors across the system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 104423"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143860675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
MidwiferyPub Date : 2025-04-11DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104422
Laura A. Zinsser , Annette Marek , Nancy I. Stone
{"title":"Terminology of women's embodied experience of labouring and birthing sounds—a qualitative interview study","authors":"Laura A. Zinsser , Annette Marek , Nancy I. Stone","doi":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104422","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.midw.2025.104422","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Human beings have a diverse repertoire of linguistic and non-linguistic sounds used for self-expression. During labour and birth, women produce a range of sounds described in the scientific literature as moaning, primal sounds, roaring, screaming, singing, and vocalising. However, research on women's experiences of vocalisation during childbirth remains limited.</div></div><div><h3>Aim</h3><div>To explore women's experiences of the sounds they produce during labour and birth and deepen our understanding of these sounds.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Semi-structured interviews with 18 women were conducted within the first six weeks postpartum. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis following the approach of Braun and Clarke, with MAXQDA used to organise and manage the data.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>Two themes emerged from the data: ‘<em>embodied sound and memory’</em> and ‘<em>giving the sound a name’</em>. The first theme explored women's embodied memory of sounds, including how they recalled these sounds during the interviews. The second theme explored in depth their subjective experiences and descriptions of the various sounds they produced.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The terminology used to describe the non-linguistic sounds produced by labouring and birthing women reflects a nuanced approach to conveying sound as a physical experience. Sounds such as breathing, humming, moaning, vocalising, and screaming, as well as the sounds made moments before birth, seem to be remembered as embodied, physical sensations rather than solely through cognitive reflection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18495,"journal":{"name":"Midwifery","volume":"146 ","pages":"Article 104422"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}