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Maternal Delivery Nursing and Female Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Women's Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 17209

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo-San Paolo University Hospital, 20142 Milan, Italy
Interests: fetal–maternal medicine; fetal programming; prediction and management of great obstetric syndromes; placental disease; prenatal diagnosis
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Guest Editor
Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
Interests: obstetrics; high risk pregnancy; delivery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the last half of the 20th century, advances in feto-maternal medicine made birth safer for high-risk women and for those with pre-existing medical conditions. Current efforts for creating woman-centered care by engaging all health professionals represent an innovative approach in modern maternity care units.  

In this Special Issue, our interest is focused on the contribution of nurses working with childbearing families. To date, they are involved in a significant variety of new challenges for obstetrics, including maternal well-being and satisfaction, shortened lengths of hospital stay, a greater use of community-based and home care, and downsizing and mergers of health-care systems.

Both original research works and reviews with the aim of emphasizing the central role played by maternity nurses working with today’s childbearing families are welcome. Investigations exploring the global perspective of labor and delivery nurses in handling a delicate new life, new family member, and entirely new experience, and prioritizing the health and safety of the mother–child dyad are welcome.

Dr. Stefania Triunfo
Dr. Enrico Iurlaro
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Nurse
  • Labor
  • Delivery
  • Health
  • Care
  • Woman-centered care

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 746 KiB  
Article
Quality of Informed Consent Practices around the Time of Childbirth: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy
by Emanuelle Pessa Valente, Ilaria Mariani, Benedetta Covi and Marzia Lazzerini
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7166; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127166 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2388
Abstract
Background: Few studies have explored consent request practices during childbirth. Objective: We explored consent request practices during childbirth in a referral hospital and research centre in Italy, capturing both women and health workers’ perspectives. Methods: Data were collected using self-administrated questionnaires between December [...] Read more.
Background: Few studies have explored consent request practices during childbirth. Objective: We explored consent request practices during childbirth in a referral hospital and research centre in Italy, capturing both women and health workers’ perspectives. Methods: Data were collected using self-administrated questionnaires between December 2016 and September 2018. Nine key maternal and newborn procedures were analysed. Associations between consent requests and women characteristics were explored by multiple logistic regression. Results: Among 1244 women, the rate of consent requests varied widely, with caesarean section (CS) showing the highest rate (89.1%) and neonatal conjunctivitis prophylaxis presenting the lowest rate (11.4%). Information provided on “risks/benefits” and “reasons” for procedures by health staff was most often not comprehensive for procedures of interest (range 18.6–87.4%). The lack of informed consent is not specifically linked to any pattern of women characteristics. According to 105 health workers, adequate protocols and standard forms for consent requests were available in 67.6% and 78.1% of cases, respectively, while less than one third (31.4%) reported having received adequate training and supportive supervision on how to deliver informed consent. Conclusions: Study findings align with previous evidence showing that consent request practices during childbirth need to be largely improved. More research is needed to investigate effective strategies for improvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maternal Delivery Nursing and Female Health)
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10 pages, 1186 KiB  
Article
Entonox® versus Pethidine in Labor Pain Relief: A Randomized Controlled Trial
by Rasrawee Chantrasiri, Chanane Wanapirak and Theera Tongsong
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(23), 12571; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312571 - 29 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3665
Abstract
Background: Pain relief during labor is a part of standard care in modern obstetrics. Several modalities used for pain relief have their own disadvantages and benefits in terms of side effects, effectiveness, availability, and satisfaction. The objectives of this study are primarily to [...] Read more.
Background: Pain relief during labor is a part of standard care in modern obstetrics. Several modalities used for pain relief have their own disadvantages and benefits in terms of side effects, effectiveness, availability, and satisfaction. The objectives of this study are primarily to compare the effectiveness and patients’ satisfaction for pain relief during labor between pethidine and inhaled 50% nitrous oxide (Entonox®). Methods: Laboring women at 37–41 + 6 weeks of gestation were randomly allocated to receive pethidine (50 mg intravenously) or Entonox® for reducing labor pain. Pain scores were evaluated at 0, (baseline), 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after initiation, using the visual analog scale (VAS) and also satisfaction score after delivery using the verbal rating scale (VRS). The secondary outcomes were also assessed, including APGAR scores, labor course, side effects, and cesarean section rate. Results: A total of 136 laboring women underwent randomization into two groups, but only 58 and 65 in the pethidine group and the Entonox® group were available for analysis. The median pain scores at baseline, 30, 60, and 90 min were comparable between both groups (p-value > 0.05); however, pain score at 120 min in the pethidine group was significantly higher (p-value: 0.038). The median of satisfaction score was significantly higher in the Entonox® group (4 vs. 3; p-value 0.043). All of the secondary outcomes were comparable between the two groups. Conclusions: Both have comparable effectiveness, but Entonox® has a higher satisfaction score. Entonox® could be an alternative to pethidine for reducing labor pain, because of its efficacy, ease for self-adjustment for satisfaction, and no serious effects on the labor course and newborns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maternal Delivery Nursing and Female Health)
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11 pages, 630 KiB  
Article
Dietary Intake Quality Is Affected by Knowledge and Dietary Intake Frequency among Pregnant Women in Muntinlupa, Philippines: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Tadashi Yamashita, Ramon Emilio Daniel Roces, Cecilia Ladines-Llave, Maria Teresa Reyes Tuliao, Mary Wanjira Kamau, Chika Yamada, Yuko Tanaka, Kyoko Shimazawa, Saori Iwamoto and Hiroya Matsuo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(23), 12306; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312306 - 23 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3315
Abstract
Improving the nutrition of pregnant women is essential in reducing maternal and child mortality, which is one of the global nutritional goals of 2025. This study evaluated the factors related to the quality of dietary intake among pregnant women in Muntinlupa, Philippines. We [...] Read more.
Improving the nutrition of pregnant women is essential in reducing maternal and child mortality, which is one of the global nutritional goals of 2025. This study evaluated the factors related to the quality of dietary intake among pregnant women in Muntinlupa, Philippines. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 280 pregnant women at a hospital in Muntinlupa from March 2019 to August 2019 using questionnaires. After the primary aggregation, multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the quality of dietary intake in pregnant women. Approximately half of the women (46.4%, n = 130) had a low dietary diversity during pregnancy. Less than 30% of the respondents consumed beans, soybean products, and nuts. In the logistic regression analysis, poor maternal knowledge of nutritional sources to prevent anemia (odds ratio (OR) 4.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47–12.32, p = 0.01) and less frequent meal consumption (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.08–4.29, p = 0.03) were significantly associated with poor dietary diversity. Our findings are crucial because they suggest that increasing the knowledge of pregnant women about good nutrition and ensuring that dietary intake is frequent and adequate through antenatal care can improve the nutrition of pregnant women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maternal Delivery Nursing and Female Health)
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14 pages, 397 KiB  
Article
The Association between Birth Satisfaction and the Risk of Postpartum Depression
by Eva Urbanová, Zuzana Škodová and Martina Bašková
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10458; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910458 - 5 Oct 2021
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4144
Abstract
Negative experiences with childbirth might have a negative impact on a woman’s overall health, including a higher risk of postpartum depression. The aim of the study was to examine the association between birth satisfaction and the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). A 30-item [...] Read more.
Negative experiences with childbirth might have a negative impact on a woman’s overall health, including a higher risk of postpartum depression. The aim of the study was to examine the association between birth satisfaction and the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). A 30-item version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used, as well as the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The study included 584 women (mean age 30.6 ± 4.9), 2 to 4 days postpartum. In the regression model, the negative effect of birth satisfaction on the risk of postpartum depression was shown: a lower level of satisfaction with childbirth was a significant predictor of a higher risk of PPD (β = −0.18, 95% CI = −0.08; −0.03). The regression model was controlled for the effect of the sociodemographic factors (such as education or marital status) and clinical variables (such as parity, type of delivery, psychiatric history, levels of prenatal stress). Levels of prenatal stress (β = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.27; 0.39), psychiatric history (β = 0.08, 95% CI = 0.01; 3.09), parity (β = −0.12, 95% CI = −1.82; −0.32) and type of delivery (β = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.20; 1.94) were also significantly associated with the levels of postnatal depression. The current study confirmed the association between the level of birth satisfaction and the risk of developing PPD, i.e., a lower satisfaction with childbirth may increase the risk of developing PPD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maternal Delivery Nursing and Female Health)
12 pages, 919 KiB  
Article
Hospital Childbirth: Perspectives of Women and Professionals for a Positive Experience—A Qualitative Study
by Beatriz Pereda-Goikoetxea, Joseba Xabier Huitzi-Egilegor, Josune Zubeldia-Etxeberria, Maria Jose Uranga-Iturrioz and Maria Isabel Elorza-Puyadena
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10238; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910238 - 29 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2515
Abstract
The perception and interpretation of childbirth are changing as values change. This requires women and professionals to adapt to new circumstances. The objective of this study was to analyze the perspectives of women and professionals on hospital birth and to identify improvement areas [...] Read more.
The perception and interpretation of childbirth are changing as values change. This requires women and professionals to adapt to new circumstances. The objective of this study was to analyze the perspectives of women and professionals on hospital birth and to identify improvement areas in order to achieve a positive perinatal experience. A qualitative prospective study with a phenomenological approach was conducted using semi-structured interviews with women, two and eight months after childbirth, participant observation, and professional focus groups. The analysis of the transcribed texts involved a thematic inductive approach. Four improvement areas emerged from the analysis: (a) strengthening communication and the therapeutic relationship; (b) unifying criteria between hospitals and primary care centers to provide coordinated and coherent information; (c) involvement of the partner in the whole process of pregnancy-childbirth-puerperium; (d) improvement of the spaces used in prenatal care and births. The need for a continuity of care from the beginning of pregnancy to the postpartum period is emphasized, which requires an improvement in information, participation, and the promotion of shared decision-making. To this end, coordinated interdisciplinary work, involvement of the partner and the improvement of the spaces used in prenatal care and births are essential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maternal Delivery Nursing and Female Health)
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