UNASSIGNED: Several studies had investigated the importance and benefit of pelvic floor exercises (PFEs) to the pregnant women and their unborn babies, however, the concerns of antenatal women on the exercise have been sparsely investigated. This study examined the attitude and concerns of pregnant women towards engaging in PFEs in Ibadan, Nigeria.
UNASSIGNED: This was cross-sectional study of pregnant women aged ≥15 years. Participants were recruited at primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities. A face-to-face interview was conducted using a structured questionnaire with open and close-ended questions for data collection. Bivariate analysis was performed using chi-square and Fisher\'s exact test to investigate the association between categorical variables. Multivariate analysis was performed with log-binomial and multinomial regressions to select significant variables that affect the attitude of pregnant women.
UNASSIGNED: Of the 373 pregnant women recruited, 118 had ever practiced PFEs. A little below average (43%) performed PFE for less than 3 days a week. Ability to have easy childbirth was the most common motivator for practicing PFE. Participants were most concerned about abdominal pain. No association between any of the factors and participants\' attitudes.
UNASSIGNED: Though there was a positive attitude of pregnant women towards the PFE but the practice was low. This might be due to inadequate availability of information. We recommend health promotional messages to encourage pregnant women to engage in PFE as part of antenatal messages for healthy living.

BACKGROUND: Today, person-centred care is seen as a cornerstone of health policy and practice, but accommodating individual patient preferences can be challenging, for example involving caesarean section on maternal request (CSMR). The aim of this study was to explore Swedish health professionals\' perspectives on CSMR and analyse them with regard to potential conflicts that may arise from person-centred care, specifically in relation to shared decision-making.
METHODS: A qualitative study using both inductive and deductive content analysis was conducted based on semi-structured interviews. It was based on a purposeful sampling of 12 health professionals: seven obstetricians, three midwives and two neonatologists working at different hospitals in southern and central Sweden. The interviews were recorded either in a telephone call or in a video conference call, and audio files were deleted after transcription.
RESULTS: In the interviews, twelve types of expressions (sub-categories) of five types of conflicts (categories) between shared decision-making and CSMR emerged. Most health professionals agreed in principle that women have the right to decide over their own body, but did not believe this included the right to choose surgery without medical indications (patient autonomy). The health professionals also expressed that they had to consider not only the woman\'s current preferences and health but also her future health, which could be negatively impacted by a CSMR (treatment quality and patient safety). Furthermore, the health professionals did not consider costs in the individual decision, but thought CSMR might lead to crowding-out effects (avoiding treatments that harm others). Although the health professionals emphasised that every CSMR request was addressed individually, they referred to different strategies for avoiding arbitrariness (equality and non-discrimination). Lastly, they described that CSMR entailed a multifaceted decision being individual yet collective, and the use of birth contracts in order to increase a woman\'s sense of security (an uncomplicated decision-making process).
CONCLUSIONS: The complex landscape for handling CSMR in Sweden, arising from a restrictive approach centred on collective and standardised solutions alongside a simultaneous shift towards person-centred care and individual decision-making, was evident in the health professionals\' reasoning. Although most health professionals emphasised that the mode of delivery is ultimately a professional decision, they still strived towards shared decision-making through information and support. Given the different views on CSMR, it is of utmost importance for healthcare professionals and women to reach a consensus on how to address this issue and to discuss what patient autonomy and shared decision-making mean in this specific context.
Person-centered care is today a widespread approach, but accommodating individual patient preferences can be challenging, for example involving caesarean section on maternal request (CSMR). This study examines Swedish health professionals’ views on CSMR. Interviews with 12 health professionals reveal conflicts between CSMR and key aspects of person-centered care, in particular shared decision-making. While professionals acknowledge women’s autonomy, they question CSMR without medical need. Concerns include for example treatment quality and patient safety, and avoiding treatments that harm others. The Swedish context, balancing collective solutions with individualized care, complicates decision-making. Unlike countries with more private healthcare, where CSMR support might be higher, Swedish health professionals emphasize shared decision-making despite viewing the mode of delivery as primarily a professional decision. This study sheds light on the challenges in integrating CSMR into person-centered care frameworks.

I argue that in the early twentieth-century Netherlands, fathers regularly attended the birth of their children, and that this attendance was generally accepted or even encouraged by doctors. My findings contrast with existing historiography on the Anglo-Saxon countries, where, at the time, fathers were usually not present at births. I explain this difference between the Netherlands and the Anglo-Saxon countries through the ideal of the harmonious family that permeated Dutch society at the time. I show how birth was seen as a family event, in which the father should be emotionally involved. Men had to manage this emotional involvement carefully: they had to display emotions without losing control of these emotions. My findings show that we need to study doctor-led births in order to fully understand the slow rise of hospital births in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: Understand and explore the childbirth experiences of pregnant women living with HIV (PWLWHIV). With the advent of several measures to decrease the intrapartum HIV infection and a strong emphasis on the humanization of childbirth, there is a growing focus on providing positive childbirth experiences for pregnant women. Indeed, a positive childbirth experience is even more important in the group of pregnant women living with HIV (PWLWHIV) as it plays a pivotal role in enhancing the mother\'s adherence to her postpartum treatment and the newborn\'s engagement in Infectious Disease services.
METHODS: A scoping review was conducted. Searches were performed on databases, such as MEDLINE, PUBMED, WEB OF SCIENCE and Cochrane Library, using the following keywords: childbirth, birth, parturition, HIV, humaniz*, perceived safety, experience, maternal satisfaction, healthcare professional and midwi*. Articles meeting pre-established criteria were selected within the timeframe of 2013 to 2023 for inclusion in the review.
RESULTS: Out of a total of 2,340,391 articles, 4 were chosen based on our defined criteria. Three primary themes emerged from the selected articles: the assessment of childbirth experience quality, vulnerability and autonomy.
CONCLUSIONS: The four studies identified had a small sample size and were not adequately conducted with a specific focus on studying the childbirth experience of pregnant women living with HIV (PWLWHIV). This scoping review revealed a gap in the existing literature, indicating a need for further research and clarification in the identified area.

UNASSIGNED: During the postpartum period, understanding women\'s well-being, specifically their Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL), is vital for comprehensive healthcare.
UNASSIGNED: Our study aims to explore the HRQoL and its associated factors in Moroccan women after vaginal birth (VB) and cesarean section (CS).
UNASSIGNED: In this cross-sectional study we assessed the HRQoL and its associated factors among Moroccan women who gave birth at the provincial hospital center of Settat. We gathered data from 566 women, using the EQ-5D-5L instrument alongside questionnaires about socioeconomic and obstetrical aspects. The assessment was conducted utilizing the improved Relative to an Identified Distribution (RIDIT) approach, and we employed a multiple linear regression model to pinpoint the associated factors.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 566 women were included in our study. Our results revealed that the HRQoL in women who underwent CS was significantly lower than in VB women (EQ-5D index score = 0.30 ± 0.28 vs 0.61 ± 0.31; p < 0.0001). Similarly, the CS reduced the EQ-VAS score (mean difference = -10.73 ± 3.78; p < 0.0001). The CS was associated negatively with problems in mobility (ARI = 55 % [42-67], p < 0.0001), autonomy (ARI = 67 % [57-80], p < 0.0001), and usual activities (ARI = 56 % [42-69], p < 0.0001). Also, CS was associated with pain/discomfort (ARI = 47 % [34-60], p < 0.0001) and anxiety/depression (ARI = 3 % [-5.8-12.6], p = 0.31). The women who had birth complications had the worst HRQoL (EQ-5D index score = 0.32) compared to those who had no complications (EQ-5D index score = 0.56). Likewise, women who had postpartum complications had the worst HRQoL (EQ-5D index score = 0.39 vs EQ-5D index score = 0.54).
UNASSIGNED: The results highlighted that mode of birth, childbirth complications, and postpartum complications are strongly associated with women\'s HRQoL. The EQ-5D-5L dimensions were affected after delivery. Hence, there is a requirement to create specialized initiatives for overseeing postpartum HRQoL, aiming to enhance the quality of maternal healthcare.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common form of violence against women. Postpartum IPV refers to any type of IPV that occurs up to one year after childbirth and has many adverse impacts on mothers and their children. Considering the lack of sufficient information on the prevalence and factors related to IPV after childbirth in Iran, this study aimed to evaluate the frequency and severity of IPV, its different forms, and psychosocial factors related to IPV, as well as to explore how IPV is perceived among mothers one year after childbirth.
METHODS: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used to conduct this study in two phases. The first phase is a cross-sectional study that will be performed on postpartum mothers who have a one-year-old child referred to health care centers in the southern region of Tehran, Iran, with the aim of determining the prevalence of IPV and its related factors. The second phase is a qualitative conventional content analysis study with the purpose of exploring women\'s experiences and perceptions of IPV and its preventive or protective factors. Purposive sampling will be used. Based on the results of the quantitative phase, mothers who are at the two ends of the IPV spectrum (based on their total Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-2) scores) will be selected, and in-depth and semistructured interviews will be conducted with them. Finally, the researchers will provide an interpretation of the quantitative results using qualitative data.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that uses a mixed methods approach to explain different dimensions of IPV, its related factors, and mothers\' perceptions of it. By providing a better understanding of this phenomenon, it is hoped that the results of this research will be used by policymakers and officials of educational and cultural systems to plan and provide effective interventions, enact laws, and present educational and cultural programs to prevent IPV after childbirth.
UNASSIGNED: IR.TUMS.FNM.REC1400.200.
Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence against women, with a higher prevalence in Asian and Eastern Mediterranean countries, including Iran. The period after childbirth is a stressful and anxiety-provoking event due to the increased physical, psychological, social, and economic needs of parents, leading to intimate partner violence. Studies show that women who experience violence after childbirth face many physical, sexual, and emotional problems. Additionally, it will have a negative impact on their baby. Many factors can lead to intimate partner violence, among which psychological factors are among the most important. Therefore, we decided to perform a study in two phases with the aim of determining the prevalence and factors related to intimate partner violence. In the first phase, we will study Iranian women who have a one-year child living in southern Tehran city and ask them to complete questionnaires related to intimate partner violence. In the second phase, we will conduct an interview with women who have experienced violence after childbirth to obtain more information about the factors involved.

UNASSIGNED: \"Women-friendly care\" is one of the categories of respectful maternal care and is a method of providing care that improves women\'s access to safe parenting and to reproductive health services by creating a friendly environment at all levels. Improving service use is crucial, particularly in situations where it is low. There is limited data on women-friendly care during childbirth in Ethiopia.
UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to assess the provision of women-friendly care and its associated factors among mothers who gave birth at health institutions in the South Gondar zone, Northwest Ethiopia.
UNASSIGNED: A multicenter institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among mothers who gave birth at South Gondar Zone public health institutions, from February 01 to March 30/2021. Three hundred forty-eight study participants were selected by using systematic random sampling. A validated questionnaire was used for data collection. For analysis, the data were imported into Epi-Data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 25. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with the outcome variable. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of significance.
UNASSIGNED: The study had 344 participants in total, with a response rate of 98.85%. The study revealed that a full 73% [95%; CI: 68.6, 77.3%] its participants received women-friendly care. Having antenatal care follow-up [AOR: 3.02, 95% CI: 2.16-11.68], being a primipara [AOR = 2.30 95% CI: 1.23-5.49], not experiencing complications during childbirth [AOR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.17-12.4], stays at health care facilities, specifically between 13 and 24 h [AOR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.09-0.67], place for delivery [AOR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.29-6.09] and delivering during daytime hours [AOR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.08-5.65] were significantly associated with the provision of women-friendly care.
UNASSIGNED: Only two-thirds of the study participants received Women\'s-friendly care during childbirth. It was found to be low in our study area in contrast with the majority of the previous findings. Our own findings also suggest the importance of minimizing elective induction of labor during night, of providing comprehensive counseling on antenatal care follow-up, of ensuring mothers remain at health care facilities until the recommended duration, and of implementing early prevention and management of childbirth complications to ensure that mothers receive women-friendly care.

BACKGROUND: The majority of women experience pain during childbirth. Offering and supporting women to use different methods for coping with pain is an essential competency for maternity care providers globally. Research suggests a gap between what women desire for pain management and what is available and provided in many low-and middle-income settings. The study aimed to understand how pain management is perceived by those involved: women experiencing childbirth and maternity care providers.
METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews with women (n = 23), maternity care providers (n = 17) and focus group discussions (n = 4) with both providers and women were conducted in two hospitals in Southern Tanzania in 2021. Transcribed interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Coding and analysis were supported by the software MAXQDA.
RESULTS: Three main themes were generated from the data. The first, \'pain management is multifaceted\', describes how some providers and women perceived pain management as entailing various methods to manage pain. Providers perceived themselves as having a role in utilization of pain management to varying degree. The second theme \'pain management is primarily a woman\'s task\' highlights a perception of pain management as unnecessary, which appeared to link with some providers\' perceptions of pain as natural and necessary for successful childbirth. Few women explicitly shared this perception. The third theme \'practice of pain management can be improved\' illustrates how women and maternity care providers perceived current practices of pain management as suboptimal. According to providers, this is primarily due to contextual factors such as shortage of staff and poor ward infrastructure.
CONCLUSIONS: Women\'s and maternity care providers\' perceptions ranged from perceiving pain management as involving a combination of physiological, psychological and social aspects to perceive it as related with limited to no pain relief and/or support. While some women and providers had similar perceptions about pain management, other women also reported a dissonance between what they experienced and what they would have preferred. Efforts should be made to increase women\'s access to respectful pain management in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum family planning (PPFP) is important in helping couples to achieve their reproductive intentions. National surveys have consistently reported higher fertility, lower use of family planning (FP), and higher unmet needs for FP in Upper Egypt. This study aims to identify the factors associated with the use of PPFP in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt, and to assess the current status of integration of PPFP counseling in the existing maternal and child health services (MCH).
METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional study design, collecting data from 455 postpartum women aged 15 to 49 years in 4 primary health care (PHC) centers in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. The women were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 4 sections: the first section included the participants\' demographic characteristics; the second section included women\'s obstetric history; the third section included questions about PPFP knowledge, attitude, past and current use of contraception; and the fourth section assessed the current status of integrating PPFP counseling within antenatal, natal, and postnatal services.
RESULTS: In total, 54.5% of postpartum women were using a modern contraceptive method. The significant predictors of using PPFP methods were as follows: receiving information about PPFP from health care providers (AOR = 11.46, p < 0.001), better attitude towards PPFP (AOR = 10.54, p < 0.001), using modern FP methods (AOR = 6.98, p < 0.001), resumption of menstruation (AOR = 4.11, p < 0.001), older age (AOR = 2.15, p < 0.05), and better PPFP knowledge (AOR = 1.72, p < 0.001). Only 5.3%, 1.3%, and 3.5% received PPFP counseling during antenatal care (ANC), delivery, and the postpartum period, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Postpartum contraception use was associated with receiving PPFP counseling by health care providers and women\'s knowledge and attitude regarding PPFP. However, FP counseling was not integrated with other MCH services. Updating the components of MCH services to include PPFP counseling during ANC, at delivery, and during the postpartum period should be prioritized by program planners and policymakers.

BACKGROUND: With the global increase of cesarean deliveries, breech presentation is the third indication for elective cesarean delivery. Implementation of external cephalic version (ECV), in which the position of the baby is manipulated externally to prevent breech presentation at term, remains suboptimal. Increasing knowledge for caretakers and patients is beneficial in the uptake of ECV implementation. In recent decades, the internet has become the most important source of information for both patients and health care professionals. However, the use and availability of the internet also bring about concerns since the information is often not regulated or reviewed. Information needs to be understandable, correct, and easily obtainable for the patient. Owing to its global reach, YouTube has great potential to both hinder and support spreading medical information and can therefore be used as a tool for shared decision-making.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the available information on YouTube about ECV and assess the quality and usefulness of the information in the videos.
METHODS: A YouTube search was performed with five search terms and the first 35 results were selected for analysis. A quality assessment scale was developed to quantify the accuracy of medical information of each video. The main outcome measure was the usefulness score, dividing the videos into useful, slightly useful, and not useful categories. The source of upload was divided into five subcategories and two broad categories of medical or nonmedical. Secondary outcomes included audience engagement, misinformation, and encouraging or discouraging ECV.
RESULTS: Among the 70 videos, only 14% (n=10) were defined as useful. Every useful video was uploaded by educational channels or health care professionals and 80% (8/10) were derived from a medical source. Over half of the not useful videos were uploaded by birth attendants and vloggers. Videos uploaded by birth attendants scored the highest on audience engagement. The presence of misinformation was low across all groups. Two-thirds of the vloggers encouraged ECV to their viewers.
CONCLUSIONS: A minor percentage of videos about ECV on YouTube are considered useful. Vloggers often encourage their audience to opt for ECV. Videos with higher audience engagement had a lower usefulness score compared to videos with lower audience engagement. Sources from medically accurate videos should cooperate with sources with high audience engagement to contribute to the uptake of ECV by creating more awareness and a positive attitude of the procedure, thereby lowering the chance for a cesarean delivery due to breech presentation at term.