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Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal... Dec 2023To describe families' experiences of antenatal counselling of spina bifida.
OBJECTIVE
To describe families' experiences of antenatal counselling of spina bifida.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
METHODS
MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Embase databases were searched using a combination of Medical Subject Headings and text/abstract terms. Case reports, survey results and qualitative interview data were included. The quality of research was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist.
RESULTS
8 papers were included. Families described shock and grief at diagnosis, with some immediately offered termination of pregnancy (TOP) even though they knew little about the condition. Positive and negative aspects of care were found. Teams that were gentle, kind and empathetic, who did not use jargon, and highlighted positive and negative aspects of the baby's life were seen favourably. Callous language, and overly negative or incorrect counselling was not, particularly if there was pressure to agree to TOP. Families based their decisions on how they would cope, the effect on siblings and the baby's likely quality of life. Prenatal surgery was viewed positively. The views of families who chose TOP, were happy with their care, partners, families, and the LGBTQ+ community were under-represented in the literature.
CONCLUSIONS
Unlike other conditions where limited data on outcome exist or the spectrum is genuinely broad, the outcomes of children with spina bifida is well described. Poor aspects of antenatal counselling were described frequently by families, and further work is needed to capture the full spectrum of views on antenatal counselling, how it can be improved, and what training and resources healthcare professionals need to perform it better.
Topics: Child; Infant; Humans; Pregnancy; Female; Quality of Life; Spinal Dysraphism; Health Personnel; Abortion, Induced
PubMed: 37433589
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-325391 -
The Journal of Maternal-fetal &... Dec 2023To systematically review and assess the risk of bias in the literature evaluating the performance of INTERGROWTH-21 estimated fetal weight (EFW) standards to predict... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To systematically review and assess the risk of bias in the literature evaluating the performance of INTERGROWTH-21 estimated fetal weight (EFW) standards to predict maternal, fetal and neonatal adverse outcomes.
METHODS
Searches were performed in seven electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Medline, Embase, Lilacs, Scielo and Google Scholar) using citation tools and keywords (intergrowth AND (standard OR reference OR formula OR model OR curve); all from 2014 to the last search on April 16, 2021). We included full-text articles investigating the ability of INTERGROWTH-21 EFW standards to predict maternal, fetal or neonatal adverse outcomes in women with a singleton pregnancy who gave birth to infants with no congenital abnormalities. The study was registered on PROSPERO under the number CRD42020115462. Risk of bias was assessed with a customized instrument based on the CHARMS checklist and composed of 9 domains. Meta-analysis was performed using relative risk (RR [95%CI]) and summary ROC curves on outcomes reported by two or more methodologically homogeneous studies.
RESULTS
Sixteen studies evaluating fifteen different outcomes were selected. The risk of bias was high (>50% of studies with high risk) for two domains: blindness of assessment (81.3%) and calibration assessment (93.8%). Considering all the outcomes investigated, for 95% of the results, the specificity was above 73.0%, but the sensitivity was below 64.1%. Pooled results demonstrated a higher RR of neonatal small for gestational age (6.71 [5.51-8.17]), Apgar <7 at 5 min (2.17 [1.48-3.18]), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (2.22 [1.76-2.79]) for fetuses classified <10 percentile when compared to those classified above this limit. The limitation of the study is the absence of heterogeneity exploration or publication bias investigation, whereas no outcomes were evaluated by more than five studies.
CONCLUSIONS
The IG-21 EFW standard has low sensitivity and high specificity for adverse events of pregnancy. Classification <10th percentile identifies a high-risk group for developing maternal, fetal and neonatal adverse outcomes, especially neonatal small for gestational age, Apgar <7 at 5 min, and neonatal intensive care unit admission. Future studies should include blind assessment of outcomes, perform calibration analysis with continuous data, and evaluate alternative cutoff points.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Infant; Female; Humans; Fetal Weight; Birth Weight; Ultrasonography, Prenatal; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Fetus; Fetal Growth Retardation
PubMed: 37408129
DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2230510 -
Journal of Infection in Developing... Jun 2023Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a predominant route of infection for children in Ethiopia. No study has so far reported a nationwide... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a predominant route of infection for children in Ethiopia. No study has so far reported a nationwide estimate of the risk of MTCT of HBV. We conducted a meta-analysis of surveys and estimated the pooled risk of MTCT of HBV in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
METHODOLOGY
We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Africa Index Medicus, and Google Scholar databases for peer-reviewed articles. The pooled risk of MTCT of HBV was estimated using the DerSimonian-Laird technique with logit transformed proportions and statistical heterogeneity was estimated using I2 statistic, which was explored by subgroup and meta-regression analyses.
RESULTS
The overall pooled risk of MTCT of HBV in Ethiopia was 25.5% (95% CI, 13.4%-42.9%). In women without HIV infection, the risk of MTCT of HBV was 20.7% (95% CI 2.8%-70.4%), and 32.2% (95% CI 28.1%-36.7%) in women with HIV infection. After excluding the outlier study, the risk of MTCT of HBV in studies that included only HIV negative women was 9.4% (95% CI, 5.1%-16.6%).
CONCLUSIONS
The risk of MTCT of HBV in Ethiopia widely varied by HBV/HIV coinfection. A sustainable control and elimination of HBV in Ethiopia requires improved access to birth-dose HBV vaccine and implement immunoglobulin prophylaxis for exposed infants. Given the limited health resources in Ethiopia, prenatal antiviral prophylaxis integrated with antenatal care may be a cost-effective approach to significantly reduce the risk of MTCT of HBV.
Topics: Infant; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Hepatitis B virus; HIV Infections; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Ethiopia; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Hepatitis B
PubMed: 37406056
DOI: 10.3855/jidc.17931 -
Women's Health (London, England) 2023In approximately 15% of all pregnancies, a potentially fatal complication that necessitates medical attention arises, requiring a significant obstetrical intervention... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
In approximately 15% of all pregnancies, a potentially fatal complication that necessitates medical attention arises, requiring a significant obstetrical intervention for the pregnant women to survive. Between 70% and 80% of maternal life-threating complication have been treated through emergency obstetric and newborn services. This study investigates women's satisfaction with emergency obstetric and newborn care services in Ethiopia and factors associated with their satisfaction.
METHODS
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched electronic databases, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, HINARI, Scopus, and Web of Sciences for primary studies. A standardized data collection measurement tool was used to extract the data. STATA 11 statistical software was used to analyze the data, and I tests were used to evaluate heterogeneity. The pooled prevalence of maternal satisfaction was predicted using a random-effects model.
RESULTS
Eight studies were included. The pooled prevalence of maternal satisfaction with emergency obstetric and neonatal care services was 63.15% (95% confidence interval: 49.48-76.82). Age (odds ratio = 2.88, 95% confidence interval: 1.62-5.12), presence of birth companion (odds ratio = 2.66, 95% confidence interval: 1.34-5.29), satisfaction with health workers' attitudes (odds ratio = 4.02, 95% confidence interval: 2.91-5.55), educational status (odds ratio = 3.59, 95% confidence interval: 1.42-9.08), length of stay at health facility (odds ratio = 3.71, 95% confidence interval: 2.79-4.94), and antenatal care visits (odds ratio = 2.22, 95% confidence interval: 1.52-3.24) were associated with maternal satisfaction with emergency obstetric and neonatal care service.
CONCLUSION
This study found a low level of overall maternal satisfaction with emergency obstetric and neonatal care services. To increase maternal satisfaction and utilization, the government should focus on improving the standards of emergency maternal, obstetric, and newborn care by identifying gaps in maternal satisfaction regarding the services provided by healthcare professionals.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy; Educational Status; Ethiopia; Health Facilities; Pregnant Women; Prenatal Care; Personal Satisfaction; Emergency Medical Services; Maternal-Child Health Services
PubMed: 37377356
DOI: 10.1177/17455057231183854 -
JAMA Network Open Jun 2023Randomized clinical trials have found that antenatal lifestyle interventions optimize gestational weight gain (GWG) and pregnancy outcomes. However, key components of...
IMPORTANCE
Randomized clinical trials have found that antenatal lifestyle interventions optimize gestational weight gain (GWG) and pregnancy outcomes. However, key components of successful interventions for implementation have not been systematically identified.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate intervention components using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) framework to inform implementation of antenatal lifestyle interventions in routine antenatal care.
DATA SOURCES
Included studies were drawn from a recently published systematic review on the efficacy of antenatal lifestyle interventions for optimizing GWG. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Health Technology Assessment Database, MEDLINE, and Embase were searched from January 1990 to May 2020.
STUDY SELECTION
Randomized clinical trials examining efficacy of antenatal lifestyle interventions in optimizing GWG were included.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Random effects meta-analyses were used to evaluate the association of intervention characteristics with efficacy of antenatal lifestyle interventions in optimizing GWG. The results are reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reporting guideline. Data extraction was performed by 2 independent reviewers.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The main outcome was mean GWG. Measures included characteristics of antenatal lifestyle interventions comprising domains related to theoretical framework, material, procedure, facilitator (allied health staff, medical staff, or researcher), delivery format (individual or group), mode, location, gestational age at commencement (<20 wk or ≥20 wk), number of sessions (low [1-5 sessions], moderate [6-20 sessions], and high [≥21 sessions]), duration (low [1-12 wk], moderate [13-20 wk], and high [≥21 wk]), tailoring, attrition, and adherence. For all mean differences (MDs), the reference group was the control group (ie, usual care).
RESULTS
Overall, 99 studies with 34 546 pregnant individuals were included with differential effective intervention components found according to intervention type. Broadly, interventions delivered by an allied health professional were associated with a greater decrease in GWG compared with those delivered by other facilitators (MD, -1.36 kg; 95% CI, -1.71 to -1.02 kg; P < .001). Compared with corresponding subgroups, dietary interventions with an individual delivery format (MD, -3.91 kg; 95% CI -5.82 to -2.01 kg; P = .002) and moderate number of sessions (MD, -4.35 kg; 95% CI -5.80 to -2.89 kg; P < .001) were associated with the greatest decrease in GWG. Physical activity and mixed behavioral interventions had attenuated associations with GWG. These interventions may benefit from an earlier commencement and a longer duration for more effective optimization of GWG.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
These findings suggest that pragmatic research may be needed to test and evaluate effective intervention components to inform implementation of interventions in routine antenatal care for broad public health benefit.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Gestational Weight Gain; Pregnancy Outcome; Prenatal Care; Pregnancy Complications; Life Style
PubMed: 37326994
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.18031 -
BMC Health Services Research Jun 2023Women from ethnic minority backgrounds are at greater risk of adverse maternal outcomes. Antenatal care plays a crucial role in reducing risks of poor outcomes. The aim...
BACKGROUND
Women from ethnic minority backgrounds are at greater risk of adverse maternal outcomes. Antenatal care plays a crucial role in reducing risks of poor outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify, appraise, and synthesise the recent qualitative evidence on ethnic minority women's experiences of accessing antenatal care in high-income European countries, and to develop a novel conceptual framework for access based on women's perspectives.
METHODS
We conducted a comprehensive search of seven electronic databases in addition to manual searches to identify all qualitative studies published between January 2010 and May 2021. Identified articles were screened in two stages against the inclusion criteria with titles and abstracts screened first followed by full-text screening. Included studies were quality appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist and extracted data were synthesised using a 'best fit' framework, based on an existing theoretical model of health care access.
RESULTS
A total of 30 studies were included in this review. Women's experiences covered two overarching themes: 'provision of antenatal care' and 'women's uptake of antenatal care'. The 'provision of antenatal care' theme included five sub-themes: promotion of antenatal care importance, making contact and getting to antenatal care, costs of antenatal care, interactions with antenatal care providers and models of antenatal care provision. The 'women's uptake of antenatal care' theme included seven sub-themes: delaying initiation of antenatal care, seeking antenatal care, help from others in accessing antenatal care, engaging with antenatal care, previous experiences of interacting with maternity services, ability to communicate, and immigration status. A novel conceptual model was developed from these themes.
CONCLUSION
The findings demonstrated the multifaceted and cyclical nature of initial and ongoing access to antenatal care for ethnic minority women. Structural and organisational factors played a significant role in women's ability to access antenatal care. Participants in majority of the included studies were women newly arrived in the host country, highlighting the need for research to be conducted across different generations of ethnic minority women taking into account the duration of stay in the host country where they accessed antenatal care.
PROTOCOL AND REGISTRATION
The review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (reference number CRD42021238115).
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Male; Prenatal Care; Ethnicity; Ethnic and Racial Minorities; Minority Groups; Health Services Accessibility; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 37301860
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09536-y -
Ontario Health Technology Assessment... 2023Pre-eclampsia is a potentially serious condition affecting up to 5% of pregnancies, most frequently after 20 weeks' gestation. Placental growth factor (PlGF)-based tests...
BACKGROUND
Pre-eclampsia is a potentially serious condition affecting up to 5% of pregnancies, most frequently after 20 weeks' gestation. Placental growth factor (PlGF)-based tests measure either the blood level of PlGF or the ratio of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) to PlGF. They are intended to complement standard clinical assessment to help diagnose pre-eclampsia in people with suspected pre-eclampsia. We conducted a health technology assessment of PlGF-based biomarker testing as an adjunct to standard clinical assessment to help diagnose pre-eclampsia in pregnant people with suspected pre-eclampsia, which included an evaluation of diagnostic accuracy, clinical utility, cost-effectiveness, the budget impact of publicly funding PlGF-based biomarker testing, and an assessment of preferences and values.
METHODS
We performed a systematic literature search of the clinical evidence. We assessed the risk of bias of each included study using AMSTAR 2, Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, the Quality of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool, and the quality of the body of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group criteria. We performed a systematic literature search of the economic evidence. We did not conduct a primary economic evaluation as the impact of the test on maternal and neonatal outcomes is uncertain. We also analyzed the budget impact of publicly funding PlGF-based biomarker testing in pregnant people with suspected pre-eclampsia in Ontario. To contextualize the potential value of PlGF-based biomarker testing, we spoke with people whose pregnancies had been impacted by pre-eclampsia as well as their family members.
RESULTS
We included one systematic review and one diagnostic accuracy study in the clinical evidence review. The Elecsys sFlt-1/PlGF ratio test using a test cut-off of less than 38 for ruling out pre-eclampsia within 1 week yielded a negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.2% and the DELFIA Xpress PlGF 1-2-3 test using a cut-off of 150 pg/mL or greater for ruling out pre-eclampsia within 1 week yielded a NPV of 94.8% (diagnostic GRADE: Moderate for both tests). All clinical utility outcomes were associated with uncertainties (GRADE: Low).We included 13 studies in the economic evidence review, most of which concluded that the use of PlGF-based biomarker testing resulted in cost savings. Seven studies were partially applicable to the Ontario health care setting but have some important limitations; the remaining 6 studies were not applicable. We estimated that publicly funding PlGF-based biomarker testing for people with suspected pre-eclampsia in Ontario would lead to an additional annual cost of $0.27 million in year 1 to $0.46 million in year 5, for a total additional cost of $1.83 million over 5 years.Direct engagement included 24 people who had been impacted by pre-eclampsia during their pregnancies as well as one family member. Participants described the emotional and physical impacts of having suspected pre-eclampsia and subsequent treatments. Those that we spoke with valued shared decision-making and identified potential gaps in patient education, specifically as it relates to symptom management for suspected pre-eclampsia. Overall, the participants viewed PlGF-based biomarker testing positively for its perceived medical benefits and minimal invasiveness. They felt that access to PlGF-based biomarker testing may also improve health outcomes through improved patient education, care coordination, and patient-centred care (e.g., prompting more frequent prenatal monitoring, when needed). In addition, PlGF-based biomarker testing was perceived to be equally beneficial for family members who may act as the health care proxy in an emergency. Lastly, participants emphasized that there should be equitable access to PlGF-based biomarker testing and support from a care provider should be offered when trying to interpret the results, particularly if the results are accessible through an online patient portal.
CONCLUSIONS
Compared with standard clinical assessment alone in people with suspected pre-eclampsia (gestational age between 20 and 36 weeks + 6 days), PlGF-based biomarker testing as an adjunct to standard clinical assessment likely improves prediction of pre-eclampsia. It may also reduce time to pre-eclampsia diagnosis, severe adverse maternal outcomes, and length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, although the evidence is uncertain. PlGF-based biomarker testing may result in little to no difference in other clinical outcomes such as maternal admission to hospital and perinatal adverse outcomes.The economic literature review showed that PlGF-based biomarker testing was cost-effective for use in people with suspected pre-eclampsia, but with some uncertainties. A primary economic evaluation was not done for this health technology assessment because the impact of the test on maternal and neonatal outcomes is uncertain. Publicly funding PlGF-based biomarker testing for people with suspected pre-eclampsia would lead to an additional cost of $1.83 million over 5 years.Publicly funding PlGF-based biomarker testing was viewed favourably by people directly impacted by pre-eclampsia as well as their family members. Those with whom we spoke valued testing to help diagnose suspected pre-eclampsia and valued the potential medical benefits. Participants emphasized that patient education, and equitable access to PlGF-based biomarker testing should be requirements for implementation in Ontario.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Pre-Eclampsia; Placenta Growth Factor; Technology Assessment, Biomedical; Biomarkers; Gestational Age
PubMed: 37284279
DOI: No ID Found -
Iranian Journal of Nursing and... 2023Preterm Birth (PTB) is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality. Prenatal care is an effective way to improve pregnancy outcomes but there is limited... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Preterm Birth (PTB) is one of the leading causes of infant morbidity and mortality. Prenatal care is an effective way to improve pregnancy outcomes but there is limited evidence of effective interventions to improve perinatal outcomes in disadvantaged pregnant women. This review was conducted with the aim to assess the effectiveness of prenatal care programs in reducing PTB in socioeconomically disadvantaged women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We searched the Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases from January 1, 1990 to August 31, 2021. The inclusion criteria included clinical trials and cohort studies focusing on prenatal care in deprived women with the primary outcome of PTB (< 37 weeks). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Q test and I statistics. The pooled odds ratio was calculated using random-effects models.
RESULTS
In total, 14 articles covering 22,526 women were included in the meta-analysis. Interventions/exposures included group prenatal care, home visits, psychosomatic programs, integrated intervention on socio-behavioral risk factors, and behavioral intervention through education, social support, joint management, and multidisciplinary care. The pooled results showed that all types of interventions/exposure were associated with a reduction in the risk of PTB [OR = 0.86; 95% confidence interval: (0.64, 1.16); = 79.42%].
CONCLUSIONS
Alternative models of prenatal care reduce PTB in socioeconomically disadvantaged women compared with standard care. The limited number of studies may affect the power of this study.
PubMed: 37250946
DOI: 10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_57_22 -
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice... Mar 2024Maternal diet during pregnancy can have a significant impact on maternal and offspring health. As nutrition counselling is an important component of prenatal care,...
Maternal diet during pregnancy can have a significant impact on maternal and offspring health. As nutrition counselling is an important component of prenatal care, registered dietitians (RDs) are uniquely trained professionals who can provide personalized nutrition counselling customized to an individual's sociocultural needs. The objective of this systematic review was to determine if RD involvement during pregnancy is associated with a lower prevalence of adverse birth outcomes in the United States and Canada. The review was conducted through a search of four databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science. A total of 14 studies were identified. Women had a lower prevalence of low birth weight and preterm infants when RDs were involved during prenatal care. While RD involvement during pregnancy was not associated with macrosomia, more research is needed to assess its relationship with small for gestational age, large for gestational age, and infant mortality. Future research should also investigate the specific dietary advice provided by RDs and the extent and timing of their involvement throughout pregnancy to better understand the mechanisms surrounding nutrition counselling, in utero development, and health outcomes.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Pregnancy Outcome; Nutritionists; Infant, Premature; Prenatal Care; Diet
PubMed: 37249256
DOI: 10.3148/cjdpr-2023-014 -
BMC Health Services Research May 2023Shared medical appointments, also known as group visits, are a feasible and well-accepted approach for women receiving antenatal care, yet the feasibility and efficacy...
BACKGROUND
Shared medical appointments, also known as group visits, are a feasible and well-accepted approach for women receiving antenatal care, yet the feasibility and efficacy of this approach for female-specific reproductive conditions is uncertain.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this systematic review was to (a) determine the feasibility of group visits in adults with any female-specific reproductive condition, and (b) identify whether delivering group care for these conditions impacts clinical outcomes.
METHOD
Six databases and two clinical trials registries were searched from inception through to 26 January 2022 for original research examining group medical visits or group consultation interventions for adults with female reproductive conditions or pathologic conditions specific to the female reproductive system.
RESULTS
The search yielded 2584 studies, of which four met the inclusion criteria. Included studies sampled women with breast cancer, chronic pelvic pain, polycystic ovary syndrome and gynaecological cancers. Studies reported high levels of patient satisfaction, with participants indicating their expectations had been met or exceeded. The impact of group visits on clinical outcomes was inconclusive however.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS
The studies in this review indicate delivery of female-specific healthcare via a group model maybe feasible and well-accepted. The review provides a solid basis for proposing larger and longer studies on group visits for female reproductive conditions.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020196995).
Topics: Adult; Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Feasibility Studies; Prenatal Care; Women's Health; Patient Satisfaction; Breast Neoplasms
PubMed: 37237255
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09582-6