Psychological interventions delivered by non-specialist health workers are effective for the treatment of perinatal depression in low- and middle-income countries. In this systematic review, we describe the content and delivery of such interventions. Nine studies were identified. The interventions shared a number of key features, such as delivery provided within the context of routine maternal ...

Background: Midwifery led care (MLC) is a model of care in which perinatal care is provided to women throughout different phases of childbirth by a midwife. Objective: This paper aims to provide a literature review on MLC. Methods: A variety of databases and reports were considered to do the literature review on MLC. The search was limited from 1991 to 2011 by using keywords. A total of 50 arti...

BACKGROUND Nicaragua has made progress in the reduction of the under-five mortality since 1980s. Data for the national trends indicate that this poor Central American country is on track to reach the Millennium Development Goal-4 by 2015. Despite this progress, neonatal mortality has not showed same progress. The aim of this study is to analyse trends and social differentials in neonatal and un...

OBJECTIVE To examine the nature of the relationship between the use of skilled attendance around the time of delivery and maternal and perinatal mortality. METHODS We analysed health and demographic surveillance system data collected between 1987 and 2005 by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) in Matlab, Bangladesh. FINDINGS The study recorded 59 1...

BACKGROUND Depression is a frequent accompaniment of the perinatal period. Although screening improves detection of perinatal depression, it does not in itself improve mental health treatment entry and, therefore, does not improve outcomes. This study addresses the feasibility of incorporating diagnostic assessment for depression directly into perinatal care visits and the influence of doing so...

BACKGROUND Despite Malawi government's policy to support women to deliver in health facilities with the assistance of skilled attendants, some women do not access this care. OBJECTIVE The study explores the reasons why women delivered at home without skilled attendance despite receiving antenatal care at a health centre and their perceptions of perinatal care. METHODS A descriptive study de...

BACKGROUND Perinatal common mental disorders (PCMDs) are a major cause of disability among women. Psychosocial interventions are one approach to reduce the burden of PCMDs. Working with care providers who are not mental health specialists, in the community or in antenatal health care facilities, can expand access to these interventions in low-resource settings. We assessed effects of such inter...

BACKGROUND Despite concerns raised in the literature on the adverse pregnancy outcomes of women with physical disabilities, there is little information about unmet needs of women with physical disabilities during pregnancy and childbirth. OBJECTIVE This article provides an in-depth examination of unmet health care needs during and around the time of pregnancy among a sample of women with phys...

BACKGROUND Ensuring safe and appropriate service delivery is central to a high quality maternity service. With this in mind, over recent years much attention has been given to the development of evidence-based clinical guidelines, staff education and risk reporting systems. Less attention has been given to assessing staff perceptions of a service's safety and quality and what factors may influe...

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate whether or not the routine use of prophylactic oxytocin (RUPO) reduces the blood loss and incidence of postpartum hemorrhaging (PPH). METHODS We used a prospective cohort and a historical control in a tertiary perinatal care center in Japan. In the prospective cohort, we introduced RUPO in April 2012 by infusing 10 units of oxytocin per 500 mL of normal saline into a ...