Addressing cultural factors that affect uptake of skilled maternity care is recognized as an important step in improving maternal and newborn health. This article describes a systematic review to examine the evidence available on the effects of interventions to provide culturally appropriate maternity care on the use of skilled maternity care during pregnancy, for birth or in the postpartum per...

INTRODUCTION In the Finnish primary health care, relational continuity of care is implemented in integrated maternity and child health clinics where the same nurse takes care of the family from the pregnancy until the child reaches school age. The aim of this study was to clarify the association between this relational continuity of care and the availability, utilisation and selected features o...

OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with breastfeeding in the first hour of life (Step 4 of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative). METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of mothers who gave birth in maternity wards in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, between 1999 and 2001. Newborns or mothers with restriction to breastfeeding were excl...

BACKGROUND This study aims to give insight into the opinions of maternity care professionals and other stakeholders on the integration of midwife-led care and obstetrician-led care and on the facilitating and inhibiting factors for integrating maternity care. METHODS Qualitative study using interviews and focus groups from November 2012 to February 2013 in the Netherlands. Seventeen purposive...

BACKGROUND There are interwoven personal, professional and organisational relationships to be navigated in maternity in all regions. In rural regions relationships are integral to safe maternity care. Yet there is a paucity of research on how relationships influence safety and nurture satisfying experiences for rural maternity care providers and mothers and families in these regions. This paper...

OBJECTIVE to synthesise data on immigrant women's experiences of maternity services in Canada. DESIGN a qualitative systematic literature review using a meta-ethnographic approach METHODS a comprehensive search strategy of multiple databases was employed in consultation with an information librarian, to identify qualitative research studies published in English or French between 1990 and De...

OBJECTIVE to explore health-care professionals' views about safety in maternity services. This paper identifies aspects of care that are less safe than they should be, possible ways to improve safety, and potential obstacles to achieving these improvements. This study was part of the King's Fund inquiry into the safety of maternity services in England. DESIGN qualitative study with a sample o...

Introduction Citizens for Midwifery, a consumer-based organization focusing on maternity care with a deep commitment to practical, health-improving changes in our health care system, is especially aware of the fundamental role of maternity care in the long-term health of mothers, babies and families. We present specific and practical suggestions below. We would like to see the Obama-Biden admin...

AIM To estimate, on a national basis in Sweden, the costs versus consequences of combined maternity ward and well-baby clinic eye screening compared to well-baby clinic screening alone. METHODS Two scenarios were created and compared regarding healthcare costs: visual acuity development and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). One scenario represented early management (combined maternity ward...