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Midwife Led Units: Transforming Maternity Care Globally.

ABSTRACT: Background:Midwifery-led care is a high-certainty, evidence-based strategy to improve maternity care. Midwife-led units (MLUs) are one example of how the midwifery model of care is being integrated into existing health systems to transform maternal health around the world. Purpose:To promote global investment in MLUs by describing the benefits, current advances and future directions of this model of care. Method:A viewpoint based on prevalent notions of midwifery, research findings, guidance from professional organizations and authors' professional experience. Conclusion:Renewed commitment to research and the implementation of MLUs across a variety of settings is needed to address the practice, education and policy issues associated with this evidence-based strategy. The World Health Organization "Year of the Nurse and Midwife-2020" is an opportune time to invest in midwifery models of care that are fundamental to achieving core global health initiatives such as Universal Healthcare 2030.

SUBMITTER: Edmonds JK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7193683 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Midwife Led Units: Transforming Maternity Care Globally.

Edmonds Joyce K JK Ivanof Juliana J Kafulafula Ursula U

Annals of global health 20200428 1

<h4>Background</h4>Midwifery-led care is a high-certainty, evidence-based strategy to improve maternity care. Midwife-led units (MLUs) are one example of how the midwifery model of care is being integrated into existing health systems to transform maternal health around the world.<h4>Purpose</h4>To promote global investment in MLUs by describing the benefits, current advances and future directions of this model of care.<h4>Method</h4>A viewpoint based on prevalent notions of midwifery, research ...[more]

PMID: 32377509

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Project description:ObjectiveTo compare maternal and neonatal birth outcomes and morbidities associated with the intention to give birth in a freestanding primary level midwife-led maternity unit (PMU) or tertiary level obstetric-led maternity hospital (TMH) in Canterbury, Aotearoa/New Zealand.DesignProspective cohort study.Participants407 women who intended to give birth in a PMU and 285 women who intended to give birth at the TMH in 2010-2011. All of the women planning a TMH birth were 'low risk', and 29 of the PMU cohort had identified risk factors.Primary outcomesMode of birth, Apgar score of less than 7 at 5 min and neonatal unit admission.Secondary outcomeslabour onset, analgesia, blood loss, third stage of labour management, perineal trauma, non-pharmacological pain relief, neonatal resuscitation, breastfeeding, gestational age at birth, birth weight, severe morbidity and mortality.ResultsWomen who planned a PMU birth were significantly more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth (77.9%vs62.3%, adjusted OR (AOR) 1.61, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.39), and significantly less likely to have an instrumental assisted vaginal birth (10.3%vs20.4%, AOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.93). The emergency and elective caesarean section rates were not significantly different (emergency: PMU 11.6% vs TMH 17.5%, AOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.40; elective: PMU 0.7% vs TMH 2.1%, AOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.41). There were no significant differences between the cohorts in rates of 5 min Apgar score of <7 (2.0%vs2.1%, AOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.27 to 2.52) and neonatal unit admission (5.9%vs4.9%, AOR 1.44, 95% CI 0.70 to 2.96). Planning to give birth in a primary unit was associated with similar or reduced odds of intrapartum interventions and similar odds of all measured neonatal well-being indicators.ConclusionsThe results of this study support freestanding midwife-led primary-level maternity units as physically safe places for well women to plan to give birth, with these women having higher rates of spontaneous vaginal births and lower rates of interventions and their associated morbidities than those who planned a tertiary hospital birth, with no differences in neonatal outcomes.

Project description:BackgroundLow risk pregnancy ending in a vaginal birth is best served and guided by a midwife. Utilizing a midwife in such cases offers many emotional and economic advantages and does not increase the risks for mother or neonate. However, women's experience and satisfaction of midwife-led maternity care is rarely reported in China. The primary objective of this study is to describe the experience of Chinese women receiving midwife-led maternity care, and to report their satisfaction level of the experience.MethodsThe study is a cross-sectional survey of 4192 women who had natural birth from March-June 2019 in a maternity care center, Shanghai, China. We used a self-administered questionnaire addressing items related to women's experience during childbirth, as well as their satisfaction with midwife-led maternity care. We also included demographic and perinatal characteristics of each participant. Descriptive statistics and correlations analysis between groups of different experience and satisfaction were used.ResultsIn this sample, 87.7% of women had a Doula and a family member present during childbirth. Epidural anesthesia was used in 75.6% and episiotomy was needed in 23.2%. Free positioning during the first stage of labor and free positioning during the second stage of labor and delivery were adopted in 84.3 and 67.9% of the cases, respectively. Moderate to severe perineal pain and moderate to severe perineal edema were reported in 43.1 and 12.2% of the participants, respectively. High satisfaction level was found when there was midwife-led prenatal counseling and presence of Doula and family member, Lamaze breathing techniques, warm perineal compresses, epidural anesthesia, free positioning during the first stage of labor, and midwifes' postpartum guidance. Negative satisfaction was seen with perineal pain and edema.ConclusionWomen in this survey generally had high satisfaction with midwife-led maternity care. This satisfaction is probably felt because of the prenatal counseling by the midwife and allowing a Doula and a family member in the room during childbirth. Other intangible factors to improve the satisfaction level were Lamaze breathing techniques, warm perineal compresses, epidural anesthesia, free positioning during first stage of labor, and early skin to skin contact.

Project description:OBJECTIVES:A midwife-led continuity model of care had been implemented in the Palestinian governmental health system to improve maternal services in several rural areas. This study investigated if the model influenced women's satisfaction with care, during antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period. DESIGN:An observational case-control design was used to compare the midwife-led continuity model of care with regular maternity care. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING:Women with singleton pregnancies, who had registered for antenatal care at a rural governmental clinic in the West Bank, were between 1 to 6?months after birth invited to answer a questionnaire rating satisfaction with care in 7-point Likert scales. PRIMARY OUTCOME:The mean sum-score of satisfaction with care through the continuum of antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period, where mean sum-scores range from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). SECONDARY OUTCOME:Exclusive breastfeeding. RESULTS:Two hundred women answered the questionnaire, 100 who received the midwife-led model and 100 who received regular care. The median time point of interview were 16 weeks postpartum in both groups. The midwife-led model was associated with a statistically significant higher satisfaction with care during antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period, with a mean sum-score of 5.2 versus 4.8 in the group receiving regular care. The adjusted mean difference between the groups' sum-score of satisfaction with care was 0.6 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.85),?p<0.0001. A statistically significant higher proportion of women who received the midwife-led continuity model of care were still exclusively breastfeeding at the time point of interview, 67% versus 46% in the group receiving regular care, an adjusted OR of 2.56 (1.35 to 4.88) p=0.004. CONCLUSIONS:There is an association between receiving midwife-led continuity of care and increased satisfaction with care through the continuum of pregnancy, intrapartum and postpartum period, and an increased duration of exclusive breastfeeding. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:NCT03863600.

Project description:BackgroundThough Midwife-led care remains a key to improving the health status of pregnant mothers, in Ethiopia, maternity care has traditionally been based on a model in which responsibility for care is shared by hospital-based midwives, nurses, general practitioners, and obstetricians. This type of care has been seen as representing a fragmented approach.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore health care providers' perceptions and experiences related to Midwife-led continuity of care at primary hospitals in the north Shoa zone Ethiopia.MethodsA qualitative approach was selected as the methodology for this study. Data were collected from 25 midwives and 8 integrated emergency surgical officers (IESO) and medical doctors working in maternal health care units in four primary hospitals in the north Shoa zone, Amhara Regional State. Four focus group discussions and eight individual interviews were conducted. The facilitator utilized a set of open-ended questions for the focus group discussion. Semi-structured interview questions were used for the interviews and thematic data analysis was done.FindingThe main theme extracted was "Midwives welcome consideration of a Midwife-led model that would provide greater continuity of care, but they expressed concerns about organisation and workload". The midwives said that they would welcome working with the midwife-led care model, as they believed using it could lead to improving the quality of maternal health care, provide greater continuity, and improve coverage, birth outcomes, and maternal satisfaction. The midwives could become more autonomous and be able to take more responsibility for maternity care. The group of 25 midwives and the group of 8 IESO and medical doctors perceived that working procedures and changes in the organization of care in the health facility would have to be studied carefully before any changes can be considered.ConclusionIn this study, we found that replacing the existing system of maternal care with a Midwife-led model would require careful analysis of how this model of care might be implemented in Ethiopia. Further investigation will be of great importance in providing insights that will help in developing a final model.

Project description:BackgroundMidwives are essential providers of primary health care and can play a major role in the provision of health care that can save lives and improve sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health outcomes. One way for midwives to deliver care is through midwife-led birth centres (MLBCs). Most of the evidence on MLBCs is from high-income countries but the opportunity for impact of MLBCs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) could be significant as this is where most maternal and newborn deaths occur. The aim of this study is to explore MLBCs in four low-to-middle income countries, specifically to understand what is needed for a successful MLBC.MethodsA descriptive case study design was employed in 4 sites in each of four countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa and Uganda. We used an Appreciative Inquiry approach, informed by a network of care framework. Key informant interviews were conducted with 77 MLBC clients and 33 health service leaders and senior policymakers. Fifteen focus group discussions were used to collect data from 100 midwives and other MLBC staff.ResultsKey enablers to a successful MLBC were: (i) having an effective financing model (ii) providing quality midwifery care that is recognised by the community (iii) having interdisciplinary and interfacility collaboration, coordination and functional referral systems, and (iv) ensuring supportive and enabling leadership and governance at all levels.ConclusionThe findings of this study have significant implications for improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes, strengthening healthcare systems, and promoting the role of midwives in LMICs. Understanding factors for success can contribute to inform policies and decision making as well as design tailored maternal and newborn health programmes that can more effectively support midwives and respond to population needs. At an international level, it can contribute to shape guidelines and strengthen the midwifery profession in different settings.

Dataset Information

Midwife Led Units: Transforming Maternity Care Globally.

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Midwife Led Units: Transforming Maternity Care Globally.

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