No description available.

Introduction: Maternal and child care is one of the priority health issues that have been identified as requiring urgent attention in South Africa. Despite various efforts, South Africa has not seen improvements in maternal and perinatal outcomes. It is therefore essential that services and practices in hospitals rendering maternity care be reviewed and audited, so that current services can be improved and new services developed if necessary. In Schweizer-Reneke Hospital the clinical outcomes and clinical practices at the maternity unit have never been clearly described. The aim of the study was to describe the clinical outcomes and the associated clinical practices in the maternity unit of the hospital from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009. Methodology: The study setting was the maternity unit of Schweizer-Reneke District Hospital, a level 1 district hospital in a rural district of the North West Province. It comprised of a retrospective review of data from the District Health Information System and of the delivery records, specifically the partogram from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009. The study also examined records of Perinatal Problem Identification Programme and Mortality and Morbidity Review meetings. The study population included all the patients who delivered at the maternity unit during the study period. The measurement tools for data collection were data capture sheets on excel spreadsheets. The source of the data was the maternity register, maternity case records, Perinatal Problem Identification Programme records, District Health Information System and Unit Administration files (for records of meetings). The researcher personally captured the data. Results: Out of 699 deliveries conducted at the hospital 80.1% were normal deliveries, 16.3% caesarean sections and 3.6% vacuum-assisted deliveries. The record review revealed errors in the number of caesarean sections and vacuum-assisted deliveries on the DHIS. The perinatal mortality rate was calculated to be 56 per 1000 live births during the study period. Again the record review identified more perinatal deaths (41) than what was reported on the DHIS. No maternal deaths were recorded during the study period. A total of 295 records were analysed for completeness of the partogram. Out of the 295 partograms analysed none of them had data completed according to standard. The analysis of the completion of the partogram show that there is a significant association between recording of certain aspects of the partogram (risk factors, parity, age, fetal heart, contractions, cervical dilatation, problems and management plan) and mode of delivery whereas with other aspects there is no significant association. The aspects of the partogram that were completed according to standard by the perinatal outcome were poorly recorded, ranging from 0% to 54%. The association between mode of delivery and perinatal outcome was found to be statistically significant (p value 0.000). All of the fresh stillbirths and 90% of macerated stillbirths were born by normal vertex delivery. For the period under study one MMR meeting was conducted. Conclusion: The study found that there were poor clinical practices and outcomes in the maternity unit of Schweizer-Reneke Hospital. There are signs of poor information management as indicated by the discrepancies between data on hospital records and the DHIS. The reasons for this could not be established. Perinatal Problem Identification Problem and Mortality and Morbidity Review meetings were not conducted regularly and therefore could not be used to improve clinical practices and outcomes. Recommendations: Major steps need to be taken to improve clinical governance within the maternity unit of Schweizer-Reneke Hospital. Strategies to recruit and retain Professional Nurses need to be developed. The high percentage of macerated stillbirths needs to be investigated at district level and antenatal care needs to be improved. Studies focusing on the direct effect of inadequate recording on mortality and morbidity and the causes or reasons for inadequate completion of the partogram are necessary.

My doctoral research begins from the standpoint of pregnant women and mothers living with HIV in Ontario, Canada and explores the concerns that women living with HIV have as they navigate healthcare during pregnancy, childbirth, and early postpartum. Moving beyond a description or abstracted theorization of women’s experiences, I have used institutional ethnography to explicate how women’s concerns are connected to and organized by ruling relations such as the ideological discourses that underpin the work practices of healthcare providers operating within healthcare institutions. This dissertation follows three “threads” that were discovered in the overall institutional ethnographic inquiry, and that form the basis of three manuscripts. The first thread (Chapter Three) focuses on HIV disclosure, which all women who participated in this research expressed as a concern, and uncovers how the issue of HIV disclosure is accounted for in healthcare providers’ work activities. In this analysis, I show how both the women’s and healthcare provider’s concerns about and actions related to HIV disclosure are connected to discourses such as “fear of contagion” and “AIDS hysteria” that continue to permeate public consciousness. The second thread (Chapter Four) focuses on the discourse of “risk” as organizing women’s experiences and healthcare providers’ work, which became visible through medications women were prescribed, the prenatal clinic appointment schedule women were expected to follow, and the medical interventions that were applied to women’s bodies during childbirth and early postpartum. In a third line of inquiry (Chapter Five), I outline how the current organization of “high-risk” maternity care that is delivered by specialists and is located in regional hospitals has particular implications for women’s pregnancy and motherhood experiences, especially for women who live at a distance from these services and/or find it challenging to attend appointments because of employment and familial responsibilities. This analysis shows how the discourses of “risk” and “safety” are differently known and enacted by women and their healthcare providers, and calls into question the classification of pregnancies of women living with HIV as “high-risk.” In following the three threads and tracking the territory of perinatal care for women living with HIV, I illuminate points of disjuncture between women’s and healthcare providers’ ways of knowing HIV in the context of pregnancy and childbirth, and identify possibilities for how healthcare practices can be augmented to respond to the concerns and challenge that women expressed. In the Conclusion chapter, I draw attention to the tensions between the meta-level ideological discourses of “HIV exceptionalism” and “HIV normalization” that run through Chapters Three, Four, and Five, and that are generalized across the HIV and maternity care services that women living with HIV encounter. I end this dissertation with my thoughts regarding implications for the organization of perinatal care for women living with HIV in Ontario. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / In Ontario, the maternity care that women living with HIV receive during pregnancy, childbirth, and early postpartum (also known as the perinatal period) is located in “high-risk” clinical settings within regional, academic teaching hospitals. The organization of such care has important implications for women’s daily lives. This inquiry begins from the personal experiences of pregnant women and mothers living with HIV in Ontario and explores the concerns that women have as they navigate HIV and maternity care during the perinatal period. The inquiry shows how the troubles that women face are produced through institutional conditions and the routine practices of healthcare providers. This dissertation also examines how institutional arrangements related to reducing the risk of HIV to the fetus and infant, and lingering fears about HIV as “contagion,” shape women’s care experiences. Implications for the organization and delivery of perinatal care to women living with HIV is discussed.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2009. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

This thesis aimed to study the actual and perceived quality of midwifery practices during childbirth at peripheral and central health care levels in two low-income countries, Angola (I-III) and Mozambique (IV-V). Theoretical models interpreting women's and midwives' views have been developed. Objectives: Study I evaluates midwives' use of an adapted model of the World Health Organization's partograph, a tool used to monitor the progress of labour. Study II describes midwives experiences of working without immediate medical assistance. Study III explores women's perceptions of care-seeking behaviour during childbirth. Study IV observes perinatal midwifery care routines and examine partograph documentation. Study V explores and develops a theoretical understanding of factors perceived to obstruct or facilitate midwives ability to provide quality of perinatal care. Methods: Study I: A one-group pre-and post-test interventional evaluation of 100 partographs from one peripheral delivery unit. Study II: Semi structured interviews with eleven midwives, analysed in a qualitative process comprising six steps. Study III. Ten focus group discussions with pregnant and non-pregnant women, analysed using the grounded theory technique. Study IV. Pre-and post intervention observation of midwifery care of 702 vs. 616 women during delivery and examination of the partographs. Study V: In-depth interviews with 16 midwives, analysed using grounded theory technique. Educational interventions were designed and applied in study II and IV. Results: Study I. Significant improvement of documenting was found in seven of the ten variables and more partographs were correctly documented in sample II compared to sample I. Missed transfers increased, however, in sample II. Study II: The midwives experiences were sorted under four main areas: (1) Society/culture (2) Significant Others (3) Personal Self (4) Professional Self. Confidence was felt in the role as autonomous midwives but dependency on various factors such as the partograph, a functional referral system, peer support, community trust and continuous supervision was emphasised. Socio-economic hardships were identified as major stress factors for themselves and the women. Study III: Women seemed compelled to "mould" their care seeking behaviour and four patterns, two 'avoiding' and two 'approaching' institutional care were identified. The salient features of each pattern were found to be "personal courage", [B1]"disempowerment", "discarding traditional practices" and "awareness and emancipation". Study IV. No improvements were found in quality of care following the intervention. Common problems proved to be hypothermia and rare initiation of the graphic part of the partograph, which monitors progress of labour. Study V. A process labelled "changing perinatal care management" emerged, which comprised four dimensions addressing aspects related to i) existing environment ii) midwives' interaction with women in labour, iii) midwifery profession and iv) caring technology in order to improve quality of care. Communication and collaboration were identified as change agents. Conclusions: The findings in this thesis indicate that midwives' ability to provide quality of maternal and perinatal care in lowincome and post-war affected countries is restricted by organizational, structural, educational as well as attitudinal aspects. Women in need of assistance during childbirth are negatively affected as a consequence of midwives reaction to the various constraints, which at times (Luanda) seems to oblige adverse care seeking behaviour. Midwives recognises the need for change, but change is found to be a slow and complex process, which requires engagement by all levels of the care chain. A model suggesting how to achieve quality of maternal and perinatal care in Safe Motherhood context is presented.

O parto e o nascimento são eventos de grande relevância. O atendimento especializado à mulher por ocasião do parto é fundamental para a redução da mortalidade materna e neonatal, porém muitas mulheres em países de baixa e média renda são assistidas fora das unidades de saúde, sem ajuda especializada. Nesta pesquisa, avaliamos o impacto da regionalização do acesso aos serviços de saúde responsáveis pela atenção ao parto e ao nascimento enquanto política pública instituída no Rio Grande do Sul em 2004. Identificamos os óbitos infantis evitáveis, relacionados a partos ocorridos em hospitais de pequeno porte, em especial aqueles com ocorrência de nascimentos inferior a 104 partos anuais e localizados em pequenos municípios. A realocação dos partos desses estabelecimentos para outros de maior ocorrência foi definida como uma das ações para a redução da mortalidade infantil. Os nascimentos e óbitos infantis registrados em 2004 foram selecionados por município de ocorrência hospitalar do nascimento e distribuídos em cinco estratos de parto anual: 1 a < 104; 104 a < 208; 208 a < 365; 365 e +; e zero. Analisamos os coeficientes de mortalidade neonatal precoce, neonatal tardia, infantil tardia e infantil por estrato de parto anual em 2004 e em 2013, 10 anos após a instituição da regionalização. Os municípios do menor estrato de ocorrência de nascimentos foram considerados prioritários nesse processo. Analisamos, também, diversas variáveis relacionadas à mãe, ao parto e nascimento, ao recém-nascido, ao nível de desenvolvimento municipal e sua relevância em relação à regionalização. Para cada óbito ocorrido no primeiro ano de vida em 2004 e em 2013, identificamos o município de ocorrência do nascimento da criança falecida e calculamos os coeficientes de mortalidade por município de ocorrência do nascimento para cada estrato de parto. O período 2004 a 2013 apresentou redução dos coeficientes de mortalidade infantil em todos os componentes por faixa etária de ocorrência do óbito e por estrato de parto. No nível estadual, o coeficiente de mortalidade neonatal precoce por município de residência da mãe caiu de 7,20 para 4,93, o de mortalidade neonatal tardia de 2,87 para 2,22, o de mortalidade infantil tardia de 5,09 para 3,46 e o de mortalidade infantil de 15,16 para 10,61. Houve uma redução estatisticamente significativa dos coeficientes de mortalidade neonatal precoce, mortalidade infantil tardia e mortalidade infantil no conjunto dos 55 municípios regionalizados e dos coeficientes de mortalidade neonatal precoce, mortalidade neonatal tardia, mortalidade infantil tardia e mortalidade infantil no conjunto de 214 municípios referência de parto à gestante de risco habitual. Em conclusão, a estratégia foi eficiente para a redução da mortalidade infantil em nível estadual, tanto nos 55 municípios com parto regionalizado quanto nos 58 municípios que receberam gestantes desses municípios com parto regionalizado, assim como nos demais 156 municípios referência de parto à gestante de risco habitual que não receberam gestantes desses municípios com parto regionalizado. / Delivery and childbirth are very important events. However, many women in low- and middle-income countries receive care outside health facilities, without specialized assistance. In this study, we evaluated the impact of regionalization of access to health services involving delivery and birth care as a public policy implemented in Rio Grande do Sul in 2004. We identified preventable neonatal deaths related to births occurring in small hospitals, especially those with a rate of less than 104 births per year and located in small municipalities. Relocation of deliveries from these hospitals to other facilities with higher birth rates was defined as an action to reduce infant mortality. All births and infant deaths recorded in 2004 were selected according to the municipality where the hospital birth occurred and distributed in five strata of annual childbirth: 1 to < 104; 104 to < 208; 208 to < 365; 365 and +; and zero. We analyzed early neonatal, late neonatal, late infant and infant mortality rates by annual childbirth stratum in 2004 and in 2013, 10 years after the implementation of regionalization. Municipalities within the lowest stratum of hospital births were considered a priority in the regionalization process. We also analyzed several variables related to the mother, the birth, the neonate, the level of municipal development, and its relevance in relation to regionalization. For each death in the first year of life occurring in 2004 and in 2013, we identified the municipality where the deceased child was born and calculated mortality rates by municipality of hospital birth for each childbirth stratum. The 2004-2013 period showed a reduction in mortality rates in all components per age at death and per childbirth stratum. At the state level, early neonatal mortality rate per mother’s place of residence dropped from 7.20 to 4.93, late neonatal mortality rate from 2.87 to 2,22, late infant mortality rate from 5.09 to 3.46, and infant mortality rate from 15.16 to 10.61. There was a statistically significant reduction in early neonatal mortality, late infant mortality and infant mortality rates in the group of 55 regionalized municipalities and in early neonatal mortality, late neonatal mortality, late infant mortality and infant mortality rates in the group of 214 municipalities serving as referral centers for normal-risk delivery. In conclusion, the strategy was effective in reducing infant mortality at the state level, both in the 55 municipalities with regionalized delivery care and in the 58 municipalities that received pregnant women from these municipalities, as well as in the remaining 156 municipalities identified as referral centers for normal-risk deliveries that did not receive pregnant women from the municipalities with regionalized delivery care.

Orientador: José Guilherme Cecatti / Tese ( doutorado ) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-09T15:32:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pacagnella_RodolfodeCarvalho_D.pdf: 10638117 bytes, checksum: 8f100a09c4f1f7363e14fe20dcfe772e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Introdução: Embora a maioria das causas das mortes maternas seja evitável, não podem ser previstas, mesmo nos melhores contextos, mesmo onde haja pré-natal adequado, educação adequada e bom suporte nutricional. Contudo, embora as complicações no parto e puerpério não sejam previsíveis e nem preveníveis, os indicadores de mortalidade materna são extremamente sensíveis à instituição de cuidados obstétricos adequados e o tempo na obtenção de cuidados adequados é o fator mais importante relacionado às mortes maternas. A partir dessa observação um modelo "three delays" que avalia as demoras na assistência obstétrica tem sido amplamente utilizado como referencial teórico para a pesquisa sobre mortalidade materna. Seu uso tem sido intensificado a partir da utilização do conceito de near-miss materno, uma alternativa à mortalidade materna. Objetivos: Avaliar a associação entre demoras na obtenção de cuidados obstétricos adequados e diferentes desfechos maternos segundo o modelo "three delays". Método: foi realizada ampla revisão bibliográfica e elaboração de um ensaio abordando o marco conceitual sobre o tema e um estudo de corte transversal multicêntrico para vigilância prospectiva e coleta de dados para a identificação dos casos com morbidade materna grave (MMG) e condições potencialmente ameaçadoras da vida (CPAV) segundo critérios previamente definidos pela OMS. Dados sobre as demora foram colhidos dos prontuários médicos e por informações com a equipe assistente. Resultados: Os dados da literatura permitiram inferir que o uso da análise de demoras na assistência obstétrica com o modelo "three delays" pode ser extremamente útil na avaliação dos determinantes da mortalidade materna, especialmente se associada à investigação do near-miss materno. Os dados obtidos no estudo transversal permitiram a comparação entre diferentes desfechos maternos e com isso observou-se uma associação crescente entre a identificação de alguma demora no atendimento obstétrico e desfechos maternos adversos extremos (near-miss materno e óbito). Observou-se 54% de demoras em geral, 52% de demoras nas mulheres apenas com condições potencialmente ameaçadoras da vida, 68,4% no grupo de near-miss materno e 84,1% no grupo de com óbito materno. Conclusão: O modelo "Three delays" é um importante referencial teórico para o estudo dos casos de near-miss materno. A freqüência de demoras na assistência obstétrica está diretamente relacionada ao pior desfecho materno / Abstract: Introduction: Although the majority of causes of maternal deaths are preventable they cannot be predicted, even in the best settings, where there is adequate antenatal care, education and good nutritional support. However, maternal mortality indicators are extremely sensitive to the adequate obstetric care and time in getting appropriate care is the most important factor related to maternal deaths. Considering this, the "three delays model", which evaluates the delays in obstetric care, has been widely used as a theoretical framework for research on maternal mortality. Its use has been intensified since the use of the concept of maternal near-miss, a proxy of maternal mortality. Objectives: To evaluate the association between delays in obtaining adequate obstetric care and different maternal outcomes according to the "three delays model". Methods: We performed an extensive literature review and preparation of an essay addressing the conceptual framework on the issue and a multicenter cross-sectional study for prospective surveillance and data collection of cases with maternal near-miss (MNM) and potentially life threatening conditions (PLTC) according to previously defined criteria by WHO. Data on delay were collected from medical records and interviews with the staff. Results: The literature data allowed inferring that the use of the analysis of delays in obstetric care using the "three delays model" can be extremely useful in assessing the determinants of maternal mortality, especially if associated with the investigation of maternal near-miss. The data provided by the crosssectional study allowed comparison between different maternal outcomes and it was observed that there was a growing association between the identification of some delay in obstetric care and extreme maternal adverse outcomes (nearmiss and maternal death). In general, there was a frequency of 54% delays, 52% of delays in women only with potentially life-threatening conditions, 68.4% in the maternal near-miss group and 84.1% in the group with maternal death. Conclusion: The "Three Delays model" is an important theoretical framework for the study of near-miss cases. The frequency of delays in obstetric care is directly related to worse maternal outcome / Doutorado / Saúde Materna e Perinatal / Doutor em Ciências da Saúde

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Theoretical framework: The Theory of Human Caring by Jean Watson was used as a theoretical framework. Aim: The aim of this literature review was to describe the attitude of nursing patients who go through an induced abortion, from a nurse perspective. Method: This literature review is based on a sample of nine qualitative and quantitative studies, collected in the databases Cinahl, PubMed and PsycInfo. The qualities of the studies were assessed through modified templates. Analysis of the results from the studies was inspired of a content analysis. Findings: The nurses experienced their work as meaningful since they give support to the patient. The nurses felt that their work was justified when the decision to have an abortion was well thought through and they felt respect towards the patient when they were aware of the patient’s circumstances. The nurses experienced stress and emotional impact when they faced ethical dilemmas and contradictions to abortion. Conclusion: Nurses experience can affect how patients experience care. Many nurses feel that they do not get enough support to handle difficult situations that they encounter in their work. Nurses who experience a high level of support in the workplace perceive tasks as less demanding what leads to better treatment.

SAMMANFATTNING: Blivande föräldrar står inför stora utmaningar. Föräldragrupperna utformas på mödrahälsovårdsmottagningarna så att föräldrarna får stöd i föräldraskapet och skapar ett nätverk som kan främja en positiv utveckling. Norra Kalmar län vill utveckla sitt arbetssätt i syfte att säkerställa kvalitet inom föräldrastödet för att svara mot föräldrars behov. Syfte: Utvärdering av föräldragrupperna bland förstagångsföräldrar. Metod: Retrospektiv tvärsnittstudie med kvantitativt ansats. Data samlades in genom ett frågeformulär med strukturerade frågor som har utarbetats av författaren. Analys: Beskrivande statistik. Resultatet sammanställdes med hjälp av programmet Excel. Resultat: 252 (n=656) föräldrar deltog i studien. 202 föräldrar (123 mammor och 79 partner) hade deltagit i grupperna. 145 föräldrar hade deltagit i alla träffar. Resultatet visar på att föräldrarna tyckte att grupperna var meningsfulla (84,5 %) och uppfyllde deras behov (85,9 %). Föräldragrupperna anses som en bra förlossningsförberedelse (85,1 %) och kan stärka föräldrarna i föräldraskapet (75,5 %). Hälften av föräldrarna (50, 4 %) har tack vare grupperna skapat kontakter och gemenskap med andra föräldrar. Slutsats: Nästan alla föräldrar känner sig nöjda med sitt deltagande (97,8 %) och kan rekommendera andra (93,3 %) att delta i grupperna.