| 1. |
- Akselsson, Anna
(författare)
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Awareness of fetal movements and pregnancy outcomes
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Fetal movements are one, among others, of the measurable factors indicating wellbeing of the fetus. Decreased fetal movements are associated with intrauterine growth restriction and stillbirth. Women with experience of stillbirth have often noticed decreased and weaker fetal movements preceding the intrauterine death. Further, seeking care for decreased fetal movements is a common reason for unscheduled contact with health care. The aim of this thesis was to investigate whether a method, aimed to increase women’s awareness of the fetal movement pattern, had an effect on pregnancy outcomes. Further, the thesis aimed to study pregnancy outcomes for women seeking care for decreased or altered fetal movements.In Study I, 2683 women completed questionnaires when they presented for decreased fetal movements, after an examination of their unborn baby, that did not result in any interventions aimed at ending the pregnancy. In Studies II–IV, we evaluated Mindfetalness, a method aimed to increase women’s awareness of the fetal movement pattern. Women were given a leaflet of how to practise Mindfetalness in third trimester: lie down on your side when the baby is awake and focus on the strength, character and frequency of the movements for about 15 minutes daily (but do not count each movement). Women’s attitudes to and compliance with Mindfetalness were investigated in Study II, comprising 104 women. In studies III-IV we studied the effect of Mindfetalness on pregnancy outcomes and, through cluster-randomisation, 19 639 women in Stockholm were randomised to Mindfetalness and 20 226 to routine care. Study IV comprised a sub-analysis, where we compared women born in Somalia and Sweden.Women in the Mindfetalness group (Study III) had spontaneous onset of labour to a higher extent (RR 1.02, CI 1.01–1.03), less cesarean sections (RR 0.95, CI 0.91–0.99) and labour inductions (RR 0.96, CI 0.92–1.00), than women in the Routine-care group. More women in the Mindfetalness group contacted healthcare due to decreased fetal movements (RR 1.72, CI 1.57–1.87). A decreased number of babies born small for gestational age (RR 0.95, CI 0.90–1.00) and those transferred to neonatal care (RR 0.93, CI 0.86–1.00) was seen in the Mindfetalness group. No differences were found in Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes. Women born in Somalia had a higher risk of Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes (RR 2.17, CI 1.19–3.61) and of having a baby small for gestational age (RR 2.19, CI 1.85–2.56), than women born in Sweden (Study IV). The majority of the women had a positive attitude towards Mindfetalness and practised the method daily (Study II). Women contacting healthcare due to decreased fetal movements had labour induction to a higher extent than women not seeking care due to decreased fetal movements (Study I).Increased maternal awareness of fetal movements by Mindfetalness in the third trimester is advantageous for mother and baby. Spontaneous start of labour increased and interventions, notably cesarean sections, decreased. Fewer babies were born small for gestational age and in need of neonatal care. Women expressed having positive attitudes to the method and feelings of safety and calm, when they practised Mindfetalness.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Akselsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Daily structured approach to awareness of fetal movements and pregnancy outcome - a prospective study
- 2019
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Ingår i: Sexual & Reproductive HealthCare. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-5756 .- 1877-5764. ; 20, s. 32-37
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: We investigated how women, seeking care due to decreased movements, had paid attention to fetal movements and if the method of monitoring was associated with pregnancy outcome.METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to women from gestational week 28, who had sought care due to decreased fetal movements in Stockholm between January 1st and December 31st, 2014. Women were included in the study if the examination did not reveal any signs of a compromised fetus requiring immediate intervention. Birth outcome and sociodemographic data were collected from the obstetric record register.RESULTS: There were 29166 births in Stockholm in 2014, we have information from 2683 women who sought care for decreased fetal movements. The majority (96.6%) of the women stated that they paid attention to fetal movements. Some women observed fetal movements weekly (17.2%) and 69.5% concentrated on fetal movements daily (non-structured group). One in ten (9.9%) used counting methods daily for observing fetal movements (structured group). Women in the structured group more often had caesarean section before onset of labor (RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.2) and a lower risk of their baby being transferred to neonatal nursery (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.03-0.94) compared to women in the non-structured group.CONCLUSIONS: Women, who had a daily and structured approach to awareness of fetal movements, were more likely to have a caesarean section but their babies were less likely to be transferred to a neonatal nursery as compared with women who used a non-structured method daily.
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| 4. |
- Akselsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Increased labor induction and women presenting with decreased or altered fetal movements : A population-based survey
- 2019
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 14:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Women's awareness of fetal movements is important as perception of decreased fetal movements can be a sign of a compromised fetus. We aimed to study rate of labor induction in relation to number of times women seek care due to decreased or altered fetal movements during their pregnancy compared to women not seeking such care. Further, we investigated the indication of induction.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective population-based cohort study including all obstetric clinics in Stockholm, Sweden. Questionnaires were distributed to women who sought care due to decreased or altered fetal movements ≥ 28 week's gestation in 2014, women for whom an examination did not indicate a compromised fetus that required induction of labor or cesarean section when they sought care. Women who gave birth at ≥ 28 weeks' gestation in 2014 in Stockholm comprises the reference group.RESULTS: Labor was induced more often among the 2683 women who had sought care due to decreased or altered fetal movements (RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.3-1.5). In women who presented with decreased or altered fetal movements induction of labor occurred more frequently for fetal indication than those with induction of labor and no prior fetal movement presentation (RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.4-1.8). The rate of induction increased with number of times a woman sought care, RR 1.3 for single presentation to 3.2 for five or more.CONCLUSIONS: We studied women seeking care for decreased or altered fetal movements and for whom pregnancy was not terminated with induction or caesarean section. Subsequent (median 20 days), induction of labor and induction for fetal indications were more frequent in this group compared to the group of women with no fetal movement presentations. Among women seeking care for altered or decreased fetal movements, the likelihood of induction of labor increased with frequency of presentation.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Akselsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Mindfetalness to increase women's awareness of fetal movements and pregnancy outcomes: a cluster-randomised controlled trial including 39 865 women
- 2020
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Ingår i: Bjog-an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. - : Wiley. - 1470-0328 .- 1471-0528. ; 127:7, s. 829-837
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To examine whether a method for raising women's awareness of fetal movements, Mindfetalness, can affect pregnancy outcomes. Design Cluster-randomised controlled trial. Setting Sixty-seven maternity clinics in Stockholm, Sweden. Population Women with singleton pregnancy with birth from 32 weeks' gestation. Methods Women registered at a clinic randomised to Mindfetalness were assigned to receive a leaflet about Mindfetalness (n = 19 639) in comparison with routine care (n = 20 226). Data were collected from a population-based register. Main outcome measures Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes after birth, visit to healthcare due to decrease in fetal movements. Other outcomes: Apgar score <4 at 5 minutes after birth, small-for-gestational-age and mode of delivery. Results No difference (1.1 versus 1.1%, relative risk [RR] 1.0; 95% CI 0.8-1.2) was found between the Mindfetalness group and the Routine care group for a 5-minute Apgar score <7. Women in the Mindfetalness group contacted healthcare more often due to decreased fetal movements (6.6 versus 3.8%, RR 1.72; 95% CI 1.57-1.87). Mindfetalness was associated with a reduction of babies born small-for-gestational-age (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90-1.00), babies born after gestational week 41(+6) (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83-0.98) and caesarean sections (19.0 versus 20.0%, RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.91-0.99). Conclusions Mindfetalness did not reduce the number of babies born with an Apgar score <7. However, Mindfetalness was associated with the health benefits of decreased incidence of caesarean section and fewer children born small-for-gestational-age. Tweetable abstract Introducing Mindfetalness in maternity care decreased caesarean sections but had no effect on the occurrence of Apgar scores <7.
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| 10. |
- Akselsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Pregnancy outcomes among women born in Somalia and Sweden giving birth in the Stockholm area - a population-based study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Global health action. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1654-9880 .- 1654-9880 .- 1654-9716. ; 13:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Studies report that women born in some African countries, after migrating to the Nordic countries, have worse pregnancy outcomes than women born in the receiving countries. With the aim of identifying unmet needs among Somali-born women, we here study this subgroup. Objective We compared pregnancy outcomes among women born in Somalia to women born in Sweden. Further, we investigated whether the proactive maternal observation of fetal movements has effects on birth outcomes among women born in Somalia. Methods In Stockholm, half of the maternity clinics were randomized to intervention, in which midwives were instructed to be proactive towards women by promoting daily self-monitoring of fetal movements. Data for 623 women born in Somalia and 26 485 born in Sweden were collected from a population-based register. Results An Apgar score below 7 (with stillbirth counting as 0) at 5 minutes was more frequent in babies of women born in Somalia as compared to babies of women born in Sweden (RR 2.17, 95% CI 1.25-3.77). Babies born small for gestational age were more common among women born in Somalia (RR 2.22, CI 1.88-2.61), as were babies born after 41 + 6 gestational weeks (RR 1.65, CI 1.29-2.12). Somali-born women less often contacted obstetric care for decreased fetal movements than did Swedish-born women (RR 0.19, CI 0.08-0.36). The differences between women born in Somalia and women born in Sweden were somewhat lower (not statistically significant) among women allocated to proactivity as compared to the Routine-care group. Conclusions A higher risk of a negative outcome for mother and baby is seen among women born in Somalia compared to women born in Sweden. We suggest it may be worthwhile to investigate whether a Somali-adapted intervention with proactivity concerning self-monitoring of fetal movements may improve pregnancy outcomes in this migrant population.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
- Akselsson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Women's attitudes, experiences and compliance concerning the use of Mindfetalness- a method for systematic observation of fetal movements in late pregnancy
- 2017
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Ingår i: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2393 .- 1471-2393. ; 17:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Maternal perception of decreased fetal movements and low awareness of fetal movements are associated with a negative birth outcome. Mindfetalness is a method developed for women to facilitate systematic observations of the intensity, character and frequency of fetal movements in late pregnancy. We sought to explore women's attitudes, experiences and compliance in using Mindfetalness.METHODS: We enrolled 104 pregnant women treated at three maternity clinics in Stockholm, Sweden, from February to July of 2016. We educated 104 women in gestational week 28-32 by providing information about fetal movements and how to practice Mindfetalness. Each was instructed to perform the assessment daily for 15 min. At each subsequent follow-up, the midwife collected information regarding their perceptions of Mindfetalness, and their compliance. Content analyses, descriptive and analytic statistics were used in the analysis of data.RESULTS: Of the women, 93 (89%) were positive towards Mindfetalness and compliance was high 78 (75%). Subjective responses could be binned into one of five categories: Decreased worry, relaxing, creating a relationship, more knowledge about the unborn baby and awareness of the unborn baby. Eleven (11%) women had negative perceptions of Mindfetalness, citing time, and the lack of need for a method to observe fetal movements as the most common reasons.CONCLUSION: Women in late pregnancy are generally positive about Mindfetalness and their compliance with daily use is high. The technique helped them to be more aware of, and create a relationship with, their unborn baby. Mindfetalness can be a useful tool in antenatal care. However, further study is necessary in order to determine whether the technique is able to reduce the incidence of negative birth outcome.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Asplin, Nina, et al.
(författare)
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Pregnancy termination due to fetal anomaly : women's reactions, satisfaction and experiences of care
- 2014
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Ingår i: Midwifery. - : Elsevier BV. - 0266-6138 .- 1532-3099. ; 30:6, s. 620-627
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE:to explore what women who have had a pregnancy terminated due to a detected fetal malformation perceived as having been important in their encounters with caregivers for promoting their healthy adjustment and well-being.METHOD:an exploratory descriptive design was used. Semi-structured interviews were audiotaped, and the information pathway described. The text was processed through qualitative content analysis in six steps.SETTING:four fetal care referral centres in Stockholm, Sweden.PARTICIPANTS:11 women opting for pregnancy termination due to fetal malformation.FINDINGS:in-depth understanding and compassion are important factors in providing the feeling of support people need so they are able to adapt to crisis. The women emphasised that the caregivers have to communicate a sense of responsibility, hope and respect and provide on-going care for them to feel assured of receiving good medical care and treatment. Aside from existing psychological conditions, the women identified as having emotional distress directly after termination and for at least the following three months. Most women experienced a range of negative emotions after pregnancy termination, including sadness, meaninglessness, loneliness, tiredness, grief, anger and frustration. Still some of this group had positive reactions because they experienced empathy and well-organised care.CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE:The most important factors associated with satisfaction regarding pregnancy termination due to a fetal malformation are the human aspects of care, namely state-dependent communication and in-depth understanding and compassion. The changes in care most often asked for were improvements in the level of standards and provision of adequate support through state-dependent communication, in-depth understanding and compassion, and complete follow-up routines and increased resources. Targeted education for the caregivers may be suited to ensuring that they properly meet needs of their patients.
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| 15. |
- Asplin, Nina, et al.
(författare)
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Pregnant women's experiences, needs, and preferences regarding information about malformations detected by ultrasound scan
- 2012
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Ingår i: Sexual & reproductive healthcare : official journal of the Swedish Association of Midwives. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-5764 .- 1877-5756. ; 3:2, s. 73-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to explore pregnant women's experiences of received information in relation to fetal malformation detected on ultrasound.METHOD: An exploratory descriptive design was used. Semi-structured interviews with women who continued their pregnancy and women who chose to terminate were audiotaped, the information pathway described, and the text subjected to qualitative content analysis.RESULTS: Most of the women who expected a baby with an abnormality experienced the information given as insufficient, often misleading, conflicting, or incoherent, and sometimes negative. Important factors for interaction between women and caregivers were timing, duration, and manner of the initial dialog and ongoing support. Positive interactions improved the women's ability to understand the information, fostered feelings of trust and safety which reduced their anxiety.CONCLUSION: Women expressed dissatisfaction both regarding the care-givers' methods of giving information and apply for information from different specialists and continuity. The study highlights important factors which may be helpful to the professionals for improving the information to this vulnerable group of women.
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| 16. |
- Asplin, Nina, et al.
(författare)
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Pregnant women's perspectives on decision-making when a fetal malformation is detected by ultrasound examination
- 2013
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Ingår i: Sexual & Reproductive HealthCare. - : Elsevier. - 1877-5756 .- 1877-5764. ; 4:2, s. 79-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectivesThe aims of the study were to explore factors influencing the decision to continue or terminate pregnancy due to detection of fetal malformation following ultrasound examination, to elucidate the need for more information or other routines to facilitate the decision-making process and to assess satisfaction with the decision made.DesignDescriptive study.SettingFour fetal care referral centres in Stockholm, Sweden.PopulationPregnant women with a detected fetal malformation.MethodsData was collected by questionnaires. 134 women participated, 99 completing the questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed.ResultsBoth women who continued and those who terminated pregnancy based their decision on the severity of the malformation. Other reasons for terminating the pregnancy were aspects including socioeconomic considerations. None stated religious factors. The doctor at the fetal care unit also had an influence on the decision-making. The timeframe receiving information was regarded as long enough in duration but not the number of occasions. In both groups the women made the decision by themselves or together with their partners. The majority experienced that they had made the right decision. Women who terminated their pregnancy had a significant higher rate (51.2%) (p⩽ 0.004) of previous abortions than those in the continuing group (23.2%).ConclusionThe decision to continue or terminate the pregnancy was to a great extent based on the severity of the malformation. Religious aspects did not seem to influence the decision. Many women expressed a need for additional occasion of information. The vast majority of women were satisfied with their decision.
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| 17. |
- Asplin, Nina
(författare)
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Women's experiences and reactions when a fetal malformation is detected by ultrasound examination
- 2013
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Second trimester ultrasound examination among pregnant women in Sweden is almost universal. The detection of a fetal malformation on ultrasound puts health care providers and pregnant women in a difficult and precarious situation. What information and how it is communicated is crucial to women’s decision-making about continuing or terminating at pregnancy. The main aim of this thesis was to describe and analyze women’s experiences and reactions following the detection of a fetal malformation on an ultrasound scan. Methods: Two semi-structured in-depth interviews were performed, with women informed of a fetal malformation following an ultrasound scan. A total of 27 women took part in the first round of interviews: women continuing their pregnancy were interviewed, either in gestational week 30 or three weeks after the diagnosis; those terminating their pregnancy were interviewed two to four weeks after termination (Paper I). A second interview with 11 women who terminated their pregnancy was conducted six months after termination (Paper III). Two questionnaires were also administered. The first, answered by 99 women (Paper II) and comprising 22 study- specific questions along with emotional well-being and socio-demographics variables and medical and obstetric history, was conducted at the same time as the first stage of interviews. The other questionnaire, answered by 56 women incorporated common self- report instruments and was performed three times: first in gestational week 30, and then two respectively six months postpartum (Paper IV). Qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis, and quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics. Results: The timing, duration, and manner of women’s initial counseling and ongoing support were shown to be important in the interaction between women and caregivers. Positive interactions improved the women’s ability to understand the information and fostered feelings of trust and safety, which in turn reduced their anxiety. Most of the women who expected a baby with an abnormality expressed their need for information on several occasions to help them make this difficult decision. They also wished for information from different specialists and continuity of care. These needs were even stronger in women who chose to terminate their pregnancy. We found women continuing their pregnancy to be at high risk of depressive symptoms, major worries, and high anxiety levels, both in mid-pregnancy, and at two months and one year postpartum. Despite these findings, the results of the maternal-fetal attachment scale for women who continued their pregnancy with a fetus diagnosed with a malformation indicated a high level of attachment. Conclusions and Clinical Implications: Effective communication, empathy and compassion, and consistent follow-up routines are important to ensure good treatment and care of this group of women. Taking these results into account may improve caregivers’ ability to counsel these vulnerable patients and to ensure that their needs are properly met.
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| 18. |
- Björklund, Ulla, et al.
(författare)
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Audiovisual information affects informed choice and experience of information in antenatal Down syndrome screening : a randomized controlled trial
- 2012
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Ingår i: Patient Education and Counseling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0738-3991 .- 1873-5134. ; 86:3, s. 390-395
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of an information film on making an informed choice regarding Down syndrome screening, and women's knowledge and experiences of information. METHODS: Randomized controlled trial including 184 women in the intervention group and 206 controls recruited from maternity units in Stockholm, Sweden. The intervention was an information film presented as a complement to written and verbal information. Data were collected via a questionnaire in gestational week 27. Three different measures were combined to measure informed choice: attitudes towards Down syndrome screening, knowledge about Down syndrome and Down syndrome screening, and uptake of CUB (combined ultrasound and biochemical screening). RESULTS: In the intervention group 71.5% made an informed choice versus 62.4% in the control group. Women in the intervention group had significantly increased knowledge, and to a greater extent than the control group, experienced the information as being sufficient, comprehensible, and correct. CONCLUSIONS: An information film tended to increase the number of women who made an informed choice about Down syndrome screening. Participants were more satisfied with the information received. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Access to correct, nondirective, and sufficient information is essential when making a choice about prenatal diagnostics. It is essential with equivalent information to all women.
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| 19. |
- Björklund, Ulla, et al.
(författare)
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Does an information film about prenatal testing in early pregnancy affect women's anxiety and worries?
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0167-482X .- 1743-8942. ; 34:1, s. 9-14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract Objective: To explore if an information film about prenatal examinations affects pregnant women's worry and anxiety. Methods: Randomized controlled study. The intervention was an information film about prenatal examinations. Data was collected in gestational week 26 by a questionnaire including the STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) instrument and further questions about worry. A total of 184 women in the intervention group and 206 in the control group filled in the questionnaire. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the groups neither in state nor trait anxiety. Regarding worry about the possibility of something being wrong with the baby and worry about giving birth, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups. The women stated that to see the film increased their worry rather than decreased it. Conclusion: An informational film as additional information to complement written and verbal information about prenatal testing does not appear to increase women's anxiety and worries. However, the informational film may cause worry at the time of viewing which should be taken into consideration.
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| 20. |
- Carlsson, Tommy
(författare)
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To Grasp the Unexpected : Information Following a Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Defect in the Fetus
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim was to explore experiences and needs of information following a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defect, and to assess the quality of publicly available information websites about congenital heart defects. Study I was a qualitative interview study that explored experiences among 11 parents to prenatally diagnosed children. Respondents tried to grasp the facts today while reflecting on the future, and personal contact with medical specialists was valued. The analysis showed that the Web contained an overwhelming amount of information. Study II was a qualitative interview study that explored experiences among 26 females and males 5-15 weeks after a prenatal diagnosis. Respondents hunted for information in a confusing reality, with a need for information about various topics and methods for information delivery. Although high satisfaction with the specialist information was described, the information was considered overwhelming and complex. Supplemental information was sought via the Web. Insufficient information about induced abortions was described. Study III was a quantitative study that explored content and quality of 67 English websites about congenital heart defects. Few websites included information about prenatal aspects, such as pregnancy termination. The overall quality was poor, especially reliability and information about treatment choices. Study IV was a mixed methods study that explored the quality of 10 Swedish websites about congenital heart defects, from the perspectives of 9 assessors with personal experience of a prenatal diagnosis. Quantitative Likert scale assessments were followed by written open-ended questions and focus group discussions. Quantitative assessments represented unfulfilled quality criterion for treatment choices, and partially fulfilled quality criteria for appearance, details, relevance, suitability and overall quality. Websites had significantly different scores for all investigated quality criteria. Various issues were highlighted in the responses to the open-ended questions and during the discussions, including inappropriate advertisements, biased information, poor illustrations, complex language and poor trustworthiness. In conclusion, expectant parents faced with a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defect in the fetus try to grasp the unexpected, an attempt that involves difficulties in relation to information. These are present during the consultation with health professionals and when searching for web-based information.
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| 21. |
- Drevin, Jennifer
(författare)
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Measuring Pregnancy Planning and the Effect of Childhood Abuse on Reproductive Health
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP) and the Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale (SPPS) are two measurements of pregnancy planning. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and childhood abuse are stressful events that have been suggested to have both short- and long-term effects.Study I investigated the psychometric properties of the LMUP and the SPPS and compared their assessments. Questionnaire data from 2,314 pregnant women showed medium-high construct validity and high test-retest reliability for both measurements. The convergent validity of LMUP was low. The assessments of the LMUP and the SPPS corresponded substantially.Study II explored how the SPPS was interpreted and what women considered when responding to it. Twenty-five pregnant women were interviewed. Women responding to the SPPS took into account their life situation, intentions, desires, timing, actions to prepare for, or avoid, pregnancy, having discussed becoming pregnant with their partner, and reactions after learning of the pregnancy.Study III analysed the association between ACEs and pregnancy-related pain. Pregnant women (n = 142) responded to questionnaires in early and late pregnancy, respectively, and reported their pain intensities and pain distributions. Greater exposure to ACEs was associated with higher pain distribution and women exposed to ACEs reported higher worst pain intensities compared to non-exposed.Study IV investigated effects of childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse on pregnancy planning. The effect of a potential collider-stratification bias were also studied. Questionnaire data from 76,197 pregnant Norwegian women showed separate but no joint effects of the categories on having an unplanned pregnancy and a collider-stratification bias could not explain the effects.The LMUP and the SPPS measure somewhat different aspects of pregnancy planning and there is a substantial agreement between their assessments. Both the LMUP and the SPPS showed good validity and test-retest reliability. However, the LMUP would likely benefit from item reduction and the SPPS poorly captures any health-related changes made in and the preconception period.The results suggest that childhood abuse and ACEs have an effect on pregnancy planning and pregnancy-related pain. The findings suggest that preventing child abuse could have a positive effect on later reproductive health.
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| 22. |
- Eriksson, Catrin, et al.
(författare)
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Quality of websites about long-acting reversible contraception : a descriptive cross-sectional study
- 2019
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Ingår i: Reproductive Health. - : BioMed Central. - 1742-4755. ; 16:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Today, there are various short- and long-acting contraceptive alternatives available for those who wish to prevent unintended pregnancy. Long-acting reversible contraception are considered effective methods with a high user satisfaction. High-quality information about contraception is essential in order to empower individuals to reach informed decisions based on sufficient knowledge. Use of the Web for information about contraception is widespread, and there is a risk that those who use it for this purpose could come in contact with sources of low quality.OBJECTIVE: The overarching aim was to investigate the quality of websites about long-acting reversible contraception.METHODS: Swedish client-oriented websites were identified through searches in Google (n = 46 included websites). Reliability and information about long-acting reversible contraceptive choices were assessed by two assessors with the DISCERN instrument, transparency was analyzed with the Journal of the American Medical Association benchmarks, completeness was assessed with inductive content analysis and readability was analyzed with Readability Index.RESULTS: The mean DISCERN was 44.1/80 (SD 7.7) for total score, 19.7/40 (SD 3.7) for reliability, 22.1/35 (SD 4.1) for information about long-acting reversible contraceptive choices, and 2.3/5 (SD 1.1) for overall quality. A majority of the included websites had low quality with regard to what sources were used to compile the information (n = 41/46, 89%), when the information was produced (n = 40/46, 87%), and if it provided additional sources of support and information (n = 30/46, 65%). Less than half of the websites adhered to any of the JAMA benchmarks. We identified 23 categories of comprehensiveness. The most frequent was contraceptive mechanism (n = 39/46, 85%) and the least frequent was when contraception may be initiated following an abortion (n = 3/46, 7%). The mean Readability Index was 42.5 (SD 6.3, Range 29-55) indicating moderate to difficult readability levels, corresponding to a grade level of 9.CONCLUSIONS: The quality of client-oriented websites about long-acting reversible contraception is poor. There is an undeniable need to support and guide laypersons that intend to use web-based sources about contraceptive alternatives, so that they may reach informed decisions based on sufficient knowledge.
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| 23. |
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Etik för barnmorskor
- 2021. - 1
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Samlingsverk (redaktörskap) (refereegranskat)abstract
- Detta är en etikbok med inriktning på barnmorskans huvudområden: reproduktiv, perinatal och sexuell hälsa. Boken är skriven med fokus på att ge läsaren goda förutsättningar att träna på att göra etiska reflektioner och argumentera kring dessa i komplexa situationer.Inom alla de områden som en barnmorska verkar uppstår frågor och etiska dilemman som barnmorskan måste ha verktyg för att kunna hantera. Boken beskriver vanligt förekommande etiska utmaningar genom fallbeskrivningar. Etik för barnmorskor ger en gemensam värdegrund som utgår från den yrkesetiska koden och kan användas av barnmorskor när de reflekterar över sitt professionella förhållningssätt både i mötet med kvinnan och hennes närstående och i samarbetet med andra yrkesgrupper.Bokens primära målgrupp är barnmorskestudenter men den kan också användas av barnmorskor, läkare, sjuksköterskor och andra som arbetar inom området. Boken utgör ett komplement till böcker inom reproduktiv och sexuell hälsa, obstetrik och gynekologi och förutsätter att läsaren har grundkunskaper inom de olika ämnesområdena.
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| 24. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Abortion-related worries, fears and preparedness : A Swedish Web-based exploratory and retrospective qualitative study
- 2019
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Ingår i: European journal of contraception & reproductive health care. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1362-5187 .- 1473-0782. ; 24:5, s. 380-389
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: A survey was conducted to explore worries, fears and preparedness relating to the recollected experience of having an induced abortion.Methods: The Web-based survey was carried out in Sweden among 185 women. Respondents answered open-ended questions and gave retrospective self-reported ratings about their abortion-related worries, fears, preparedness and satisfaction with information obtained from health professionals and the Web. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics.Results: Worries and fears included the abortion process, physical reactions and psychosocial aspects. The abortion was associated with unexpected events, including the abortion process, poor health professional treatment and support, and side effects and complications. Respondents described a lack of preparatory information, leading to uncertainties due to insufficient information. Many searched for Web-based information, but respondents experienced difficulties finding high-quality sources. Respondents also recounted that the preparatory information received did not reflect the actual abortion experience.Conclusion: There is room for improvement with regard to informing, preparing and supporting women who seek an abortion. The results emphasise the importance of health professionals’ giving sufficient preparatory information to enable preparedness and lessen the impact of possible unexpected events. There is a need for the development of a trustworthy Web-based service that contains honest and high-quality information.
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| 25. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Den gravida patienten
- 2016. - 1
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Ingår i: Omvårdnad & kirurgi. - Lund : Studentlitteratur AB. - 9789144088860 ; , s. 507-520
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 26. |
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| 27. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Gynekologi
- 2016. - 1
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Ingår i: Omvårdnad & kirurgi. - Lund : Studentlitteratur AB. - 9789144088860 ; , s. 477-491
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 28. |
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| 29. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Knowledge and attitudes regarding non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and preferences for risk information among high school students in Sweden
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Genetic Counseling. - New York : Human Sciences Press. - 1059-7700 .- 1573-3599. ; 26:3, s. 447-454
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) was recently introduced for prenatal testing of genetic disorders. Cell-free fetal DNA is present in maternal blood during pregnancy and enables detection of fetal chromosome aberrations in a maternal blood sample. The public perspective to this new, simple method has not been illuminated. The views of young people (i.e. future parents) are important to develop suitable counseling strategies regarding prenatal testing. The aim was to explore Swedish high school students' attitudes, knowledge and preferences regarding NIPT. A questionnaire was completed by 305 students recruited from one high school in Stockholm, November and December 2014. Most students (80 %) considered prenatal testing as good. The majority (65 %) was positive or very positive towards NIPT and 62 % stated that they potentially would like to undergo the test if they or their partner was pregnant. The vast majority (94 %) requested further information about NIPT. Most students (61 %) preferred verbal information, whereas 20 % preferred information via the Internet. The majority of the high school students was positive towards prenatal testing and most was positive towards NIPT. Further, information was requested by the vast majority before making a decision about NIPT. Most of the students preferred verbal information and to a lesser extent information via the Internet. The attitudes, knowledge and preferences for risk information concerning NIPT in young adults are important, in order to increase knowledge on how to educate and inform future parents.
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| 30. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Pain and pain management during induced abortions : A web-based exploratory study of recollections from previous patients
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Advanced Nursing. - : Wiley. - 0309-2402 .- 1365-2648. ; 75:11, s. 3006-3017
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS:To explore recollections of pain and pain management during induced abortions.DESIGN:Mixed-methods exploratory study in Sweden.METHODS:A web-based survey was distributed between October 2017 - July 2018 via Swedish discussion boards and social media. Open-ended questions were asked about recollection of pain and pain management, followed by self-reported ratings. The survey was answered by 185 participants, responses were analysed with qualitative content analysis.FINDINGS:Recollections of pain intensity illustrated considerable pain and a traumatic event, described in temporal aspects and likened to other painful conditions such as dysmenorrhoea and childbirth. Recollections of pain management illustrated experiences of insufficient treatment of pain and dissatisfaction with pain management, including inefficient treatment and lack of professional attendance. Psychological aspects and consequences illustrated that participants related psychological distress to physical pain, felt unprepared for the physical pain and emphasized the importance of psychological support. Those who experienced intense pain described long-term psychological consequences, including fear of childbirth.CONCLUSION:Physical pain and psychological distress can manifest as considerable challenges during induced abortion. Abortion-related pain is a multidimensional phenomenon involving physical and psychological components that needs to be rigorously treated. When physical pain is unsuccessfully treated, women may experience long-term psychological consequences after an abortion.IMPACT:The results illustrate the importance of holistic abortion care where the multidimensional components of abortion-related pain are considered. Patients need to be offered sufficient preparatory information about potential physical pain and psychological distress. This study indicates that there is room for improvement in pain management. Larger studies are needed.
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| 31. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Quality of consumer-oriented websites containing information about the second trimester ultrasound examination during pregnancy
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2393 .- 1471-2393. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Providing information about prenatal tests is a clinical challenge and the public frequently accesses the Web to read pregnancy-related information. The overarching aim of this study was to investigate the quality of consumer-oriented websites addressing obstetric ultrasound examination in the second trimester of pregnancy.METHODS: Swedish websites were identified with Google, using 20 search strings and screening 400 hits (n = 71 included websites). Reliability and information about the examination were assessed with the DISCERN instrument, completeness was assessed according to national guidelines, and readability analyzed with the Readability Index. Popularity was determined with the ALEXA tool and search rank was determined according to Google hit lists.RESULTS: The mean total DISCERN score was 29.7/80 (SD 11.4), with > 50% having low quality for 15 of the 16 questions. The mean completeness score was 6.8/24 (SD 4.5). The Readability Index ranged between 22 and 63, with a mean of 42.7 (SD 6.8), indicating difficult readability. Weak and non-significant correlations were observed between ALEXA/search rank and the investigated quality variables, except for search rank and reliability.CONCLUSIONS: The quality of consumer-oriented websites addressing the second trimester ultrasound examination is low. Health professionals need to discuss this with expectant parents considering undergoing the examination. There is a need for efforts that aim to improve the poor quality of online sources in the field of prenatal examinations.
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| 32. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Quality of web pages about second-trimester medical abortion : A cross-sectional study of readability, comprehensiveness, and transparency
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Advanced Nursing. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0309-2402 .- 1365-2648. ; 75:11, s. 2683-2691
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS:To investigate the readability, comprehensiveness and transparency of web pages about medical abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy.DESIGN:A cross-sectional descriptive study of Swedish web pages.METHODS:Six systematic searches were performed in Google during January 2017. The first 10 hits of each search were screened, resulting in 46 included Swedish web pages. The web pages were analyzed with readability index (LIX) to investigate readability, inductive manifest content analysis to investigate comprehensiveness, and Journal of the Medical Association benchmarks to investigate transparency.RESULTS:Median LIX was 29.0 and the largest proportion had LIX 31-40 (N = 17), indicating moderate readability. Visual components were observed in 13 websites. Content analysis resulted in 12 categories illustrating comprehensiveness, but eight of these were only included in ≤50% web pages. With regard to transparency, 29 (63%) adhered to no benchmark, 15 (33%) adhered to one benchmark, and 2 (4%) adhered to two benchmarks. Most web pages were written or reviewed by laypersons (N = 25) and health professionals (N = 11).CONCLUSION:The results indicate that web pages about medical abortion have moderate readability, varied comprehensiveness and poor transparency.IMPACT:Health professionals need to acknowledge the risk of contact with web-based information about poor quality. There is a need for research that aims to increase the chances that patients encounter high-quality web-based information about medical abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy.
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| 33. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Readability of web-based sources about induced abortion : a cross-sectional study
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. - : BioMed Central. - 1472-6947. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: High-quality information is essential if clients who request an abortion are to reach informed decisions and feel prepared for the procedure, but little is known concerning the readability of web-based sources containing such material. The aim was to investigate the readability of web-based information about induced abortion.METHODS: The search engine Google was used to identify web pages about induced abortion, written in the English language. A total of 240 hits were screened and 236 web pages fulfilled the inclusion criteria. After correcting for duplicate hits, 185 web pages were included. The readability of the text-based content of each web page was determined with Flesch Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Flesch Reading Ease. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient and Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn's test as post hoc analysis.RESULTS: Across all grade level measures, a small minority of the web pages had a readability corresponding to elementary school (n < 3, 1%), while the majority had readability corresponding to senior high school or above (n > 153, 65%). The means of the grade level measures ranged between 10.5 and 13.1, and the mean Flesch Reading Ease score was 45.3 (SD 13.6). Only weak correlations (rho < 0.2) were found between the readability measures and search rank in the hit lists. Consistently, web pages affiliated with health care had the least difficult readability and those affiliated with scientific sources had the most difficult readability.CONCLUSIONS: Overall, web-based information about induced abortions has difficult readability. Incentives are needed to improve the readability of these texts and ensure that clients encounter understandable information so that they may reach informed decisions and feel adequately prepared when requesting an abortion.
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| 34. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Readability, understandability and language accessibility of Swedish websites about the coronavirus disease 2019 : a cross-sectional study
- 2022
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Ingår i: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1472-6947. ; 22:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant morbidity and mortality. To mitigate its spread, members in the general population were prompted to apply significant behavioral changes. This required an effective dissemination of understandable information accessible for people with a wide range of literacy backgrounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the readability, understandability and language accessibility of Swedish consumer-oriented websites containing information about COVID-19. Methods Websites were identified through systematic searches in Google.se (n = 76), and were collected in May 2020 when the pandemic spread started in Sweden. Readability and understandability were assessed with the Readability Index, the Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool, and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool Understandability subscale (PEMAT-PU). Results The median total sample score for Readability Index was 42.0, with the majority of scores being classified as moderate (n = 30, 39%) or difficult (n = 43, 57%). Median total sample scores were for EQIP 54.0% (IQR = 17.0, Range = 8-75) and for PEMAT-PU 60.0% (IQR = 14.75, Range = 12-87). The majority of the websites did not have any texts or links containing information in an alternative language (n = 58, 76%). Conclusions Swedish websites contained information of difficult readability and understandability at the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, with few providing information available in alternative languages. It is possible that these deficits contributed to the spread and impact of the virus. There is a need for studies investigating methods aiming to enhance the readability, understandability and language accessibility of web-based information at the beginning of an epidemic or pandemic.
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| 35. |
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| 36. |
- Georgsson, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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To be taken seriously and receive rapid and adequate care : womens' requests when they consult health care for reduced fetal movements.
- 2016
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Ingår i: Midwifery. - Edinburgh : Churchill Livingstone. - 0266-6138 .- 1532-3099. ; 40, s. 102-108
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: decreased fetal movement is a reason for women to seek health care in late pregnancy.OBJECTIVE: to examine what pregnant women who present with decreased fetal movements want to communicate to health care professionals and to other women in the same situation.DESIGN: a qualitative descriptive study.SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: questionnaires were distributed in all seven labour wards in Stockholm from 1 January to 31 December 2014 to women who consulted care due to decreased fetal movements. In total, 3555 questionnaires were completed of which 1 000 were included in this study. The women's responses to the open ended question: "Is there something you want to communicate to health care professionals who take care of women with decreased fetal movement or to women who experience decreased fetal movements?", were analysed with manifest content analysis.FINDING: three categories were revealed about requests to health care professionals: Pay attention to the woman and take her seriously, Rapid and adequate care and Improved information on fetal movements. Regarding what the women want to communicate to other pregnant women, four categories were revealed: Contact health care for check-up, Pay attention to fetal movement, Recommended source of information and Practical advice.CONCLUSION: pregnant women who consult health care due to decreased fetal movements want to be taken seriously and receive rapid and adequate care with the health of the infant as the primary priority. The women requested uniform information about decreased fetal movements. They wished to convey to others in the same situation the importance of consulting care once too often rather than one time too few.
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| 37. |
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| 38. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Does an informational film increase women's possibility to make an informed choice about second trimester ultrasound?
- 2012
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Ingår i: Prenatal Diagnosis. - : Wiley. - 0197-3851 .- 1097-0223. ; 32:9, s. 833-9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of an informational film on making an informed choice regarding second trimester ultrasound.METHOD: Randomized controlled study. The intervention was an informational film about prenatal examinations. Data were collected at gestational week 26.RESULTS: A total of 184 women in the intervention group and 206 women in the control group participated in the study. Of those in the intervention group, 81.3% made an informed choice regarding second trimester ultrasound examination compared with 76.1% in the control group (p = 0.21). Women making an informed choice scored higher in knowledge about the examination (p < 0.001), had higher degree of education (p < 0.001), and spoke more frequently Swedish as mother tongue (89.5% vs 74.7%, p = 0.01).CONCLUSIONS: An informational film does not increase women's knowledge or the number of women making an informed choice about the second trimester ultrasound. Women who did not make an informed choice about the second trimester ultrasound had a lower level of education and less knowledge about second trimester ultrasound screening.
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| 39. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Does fetal screening affect women's worries about the health of their baby? : a randomized controlled trial of ultrasound screening for Down's syndrome versus routine ultrasound screening
- 2004
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Ingår i: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 0001-6349 .- 1600-0412. ; 83:7, s. 634-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Screening for fetal abnormality may increase women's anxiety as attention is directed at the possibility of something being wrong with the baby. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ultrasound screening for Down's syndrome on women's anxiety in mid-pregnancy and 2 months after delivery. METHOD: Two thousand and twenty-six women were randomly allocated to an ultrasound examination at 12-14 gestational weeks (gws) including risk assessment for Down's syndrome or to a routine scan at 15-20 gws. Questionnaires including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were filled in at baseline in early pregnancy, at 24 gws and 2 months after delivery. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found between the trial groups regarding women's worries about the health of the baby, general anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy or 2 months after delivery. Women's worries about something being wrong with the baby in the early ultrasound group and routine group, respectively, decreased from baseline (39.1% versus 36.0%) to mid-pregnancy (29.2% versus 27.8%), and finally to 2 months after delivery (5.2% versus 6.6%). CONCLUSION: Fetal screening for Down's syndrome by an early ultrasound scan did not cause more anxiety or concerns about the health of the baby in mid-pregnancy or 2 months after birth than in women who had a routine scan.
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| 40. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of first-trimester ultrasound screening for Down syndrome on maternal-fetal attachment : a randomized controlled trial
- 2010
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Ingår i: Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-5756 .- 1877-5764. ; 1:3, s. 85-90
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: The objective was to investigate how ultrasound screening for Down syndrome (DS) in the first trimester, compared with a routine ultrasound examination in the second trimester, affected Maternal–Fetal Attachment (MFA) in mid-pregnancy. Method: This study of 2026 pregnant women was a sub-study of a larger RCT aiming at evaluating the effect of fetal screening for Down syndrome (DS) by means of an ultrasound scan, including measuring fetal nuchal translucency in gestational weeks 12–14. Women were randomly allocated either to the intervention or to a control group where routine care with an ultrasound scan in gestational week 17–20 was offered. Data were collected by questionnaires before randomization and in gestational week 24. MFA was measured by a modified version of the Cranley Maternal–Fetal Attachment Scale (CMFAS). Results: The mean score of MFA was 3.50 in the intervention group and 3.44 in the control group (p = 0.04). The mean scores on all subscales were slightly higher in the intervention group, but only statistically significant regarding “Differentiation of self from fetus” (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Ultrasound screening for DS in the first trimester may have a modest positive effect on MFA in mid-pregnancy, compared with a ultrasound scan in the second trimester.
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| 41. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne
(författare)
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Fosterdiagnostik
- 2009. - 1
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Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 42. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Perception of risk in relation to ultrasound screening for Down's syndrome during pregnancy
- 2009
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Ingår i: Midwifery. - : Elsevier BV. - 1532-3099 .- 0266-6138. ; 25:3, s. 264-76
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: to explore how information about being at risk of carrying a fetus with Down's syndrome was understood, and whether the actual risk and the woman's perception of risk was associated with worry or depressive symptoms during and after pregnancy. DESIGN AND SETTING: observational study. The sample was drawn from the intervention group of a Swedish randomised controlled trial of ultrasound screening for Down's syndrome by nuchal translucency measurement. MEASUREMENTS: data were collected by three questionnaires. Questions were asked about recall of the risk score and perception of risk. The Cambridge Worry Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale measured worry and depressive symptoms, respectively, on all three occasions. FINDINGS: of the 796 women who provided data for this study, one in five was unaware that the risk score was noted in her case record. In total, 620 women stated that they had received a risk score, but only 64% of them recalled the figure exactly or approximately. The actual risk was associated with the perceived risk, but of the 31 women who perceived the risk to be high, only 14 were actually at high risk. A high-risk score was not associated with worry or depressive symptoms in mid-pregnancy, in contrast to a woman's own perception of being at high risk. Two months postpartum, no associations were found between maternal emotional well-being and actual or perceived risk. CONCLUSIONS: information about fetal risk is complicated and women's perception of risk does not always reflect the actual risk, at least not when presented as a numerical risk score. The possibility that the information may cause unnecessary emotional problems cannot be excluded. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: caregivers should ascertain that information about fetal risk is interpreted correctly by pregnant women.
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| 43. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Pregnant women's responses to information about an increased risk of carrying a baby with Down syndrome
- 2006
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Ingår i: Birth. - : Wiley. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 33:1, s. 64-73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Fetal screening for Down syndrome by an ultrasound examination, including measurement of fetal nuchal translucency, at 12 to14 weeks' gestation is presently being evaluated in a Swedish randomized controlled trial. Women at high risk were offered an amniocentesis to obtain a definite diagnosis. The aim of this study was to explore women's reactions and responses to information about being at high risk after the scan, with a special focus on reactions to a false positive test. METHOD: Interviews were conducted with 24 women within 1 week after the scan, in midpregnancy, and 2 months after the birth. The interviews were analyzed qualitatively. Down syndrome was confirmed in 4 women, who chose to terminate the pregnancy. The remaining 20 women had a false positive test. RESULTS: For the majority, the risk information caused strong reactions of anxiety and worries about the future. A typical way for women to cope was to "withhold" the pregnancy, to take a "timeout," and try to live as if they were not pregnant any longer. Some weeks later, when the women received normal results from the chromosome analysis, they resumed being pregnant. Six women ages more than 35 years who had a risk score lower than their age-related risk did not express similarly strong reactions. Two months after the birth of a healthy baby, most stated they would undergo the same procedure in a subsequent pregnancy. One woman still suffered from the experience when interviewed at 2 months after the birth, and another said she regretted participating in the fetal screening program. CONCLUSIONS: A false positive test of fetal screening for Down syndrome by ultrasound examination may cause strong reactions of anxiety and even rejection of the pregnancy. The prevalence of such reactions and possible long-term effects need further investigation.
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| 44. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Second-trimester routine ultrasound screening : expectations and experiences in a nationwide Swedish sample
- 2008
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Ingår i: Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology : The Official Journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. - : Wiley. - 1469-0705 .- 0960-7692. ; 32:1, s. 15-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To investigate, in a large nationwide Swedish sample, pregnant women's expectations of the routine second-trimester ultrasound examination, with participants expressing themselves in their own words, and to determine whether they had been given sufficient information about why and how the examination was performed, and about possible risks. We focused specifically on reasons for women not having a positive experience. METHOD: Of 4600 eligible Swedish-speaking women, 3061 were recruited to the study in early pregnancy, during three 1-week periods spread evenly over 1 year (1999-2000), and these women completed a questionnaire at a mean of 16 weeks' gestation. A follow-up questionnaire at 2 months after delivery was completed by 2730 women. The representativeness of the sample was assessed by comparison with the total Swedish birth cohort of 1999. RESULTS: The most prominent expectation about the up-coming scan was confirmation that the baby was well, followed by confirmation that the pregnancy was real. Detailed information, such as date of delivery and sex of the baby, was mentioned less often, and very few wrote about the examination as an exciting and joyful experience. After the birth, a large majority was satisfied with information about why (88%) and how (87%) the examination was performed, but only 58% said they had received sufficient information about possible risks. 94% had a positive experience of the scan, and those who had not had more ambivalent feelings about their pregnancy. Women with negative feelings about the scan were more often single and of non-Swedish background, and emotional problems were more common in this group. CONCLUSION: Women's expectations of the routine second-trimester scan differ from those of caregivers, focusing on general reassurance rather than specific information. Level of satisfaction with the scan was high, but information given about risks could be improved. Women with ambivalent or negative feelings about pregnancy may have difficulties enjoying the examination.
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| 45. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne
(författare)
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Women's Experiences of Fetal Screening for Down's Syndrome by Means of an Early Ultrasound Examination
- 2005
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The general aim of this thesis was to explore women's reactions to and experiences of fetal screening for Down's syndrome PS) by means of an ultrasound examination, including measurement of fetal nuchal translucency (NT). The effect of this screening on maternal worry about the baby's health was investigated, as well as reactions to a false positive test and interpretation of information about riskAlso, an instrument measuring worry during pregnancy, the Cambridge Worry Scale, was translated into Swedish and tested on a sample of pregnant women.A sub-sample of 2026 women was drawn from a larger randomised controlled trial including 39,572 women, which investigated medical outcomes of the new fetal screening policy. Of these women, 1030 were randomly allocated to the intervention group, and 996 to routine care. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups regarding major worry about something being wrong with the baby, general anxiety and depressive symptoms m midpregnancy and two months postpartum.Twenty-four women who had received information about an increased risk according to NT were interviewed during pregnancy and after birth. Twenty of these women had false positive tests, and for 16 the risk was higher than expected considering their age. These women expressed major worry, and many said they chose to reject their pregnancy, to take "time out", while waiting for the results of fetal karyotyping. Two months after the birth, most of these women seemed to have overcome the stressful situation.In the intervention group of the above trial 796 women had a risk score for DS recorded in a clinical database. Of these women 620 said they had received information about the risk score, and 64 percent stated the figure almost correctly. The actual risk was associated with women's perception of the risk. Worry about the baby's health and depressive symptoms did not differ statistically between women who were at high risk (1:250 or higher) and at low risk. However, women who perceived that the risk was high were more worried about the baby's health and also seemed to have more depressive symptoms in mid-pregnancy compared with those who perceived the risk to be low. No differences were observed at two months after birth.The translated version of the Cambridge Worry Scale was tested on 200 Swedish pregnant women in Stockholm. The three main sources of worry were about the baby's health, giving birth and miscarriage. The internal- consistency reliability was 0.81 (Cronbach's alpha). Three items were added to the original scale to capture women's worry about the maternity services.In conclusion, the intervention with an early ultrasound examination including risk assessment for DS by measuring the NT did not affect maternal worry about the baby's health, general anxiety or depressive symptoms 'm mid-pregnancy or two months after birth. However, a false positive test could cause strong reactions of anxiety and rejection of the pregnancy for some weeks. Many had problems to recall and interpret a given risk score. An actual high risk score was not associated with major worry about the baby's health or depressive symptoms, whereas a woman's perception of being at high risk had such an association. The Swedish version of the Cambridge Worry Scale was considered to be useful and well suited for its purpose.
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| 46. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
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Women's worries during pregnancy : testing the Cambridge Worry Scale on 200 Swedish women
- 2003
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 0283-9318 .- 1471-6712. ; 17:2, s. 148-52
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Cambridge Worry Scale (CWS) is an instrument including 16 items measuring women's major worries during pregnancy. The aim of the study was to test the scale, translated into Swedish, on pregnant women in Stockholm. We also wanted to explore whether these women were worried about any item not included in the scale. An additional aim was to study possible variation in women's worries related to gestational week. Two hundred women were recruited. The average age was 31 years and 56% were primiparas. Gestational age ranged from 8 to 42 weeks, with a median of 28 weeks. The reliability of the scale was satisfactory (Cronbach's alpha coefficient 0.81). The major worries were about the baby's health, giving birth and miscarriage. These items, all related to pregnancy outcomes, were followed by worries about financial matters. An additional concern not included in the scale was about the maternity services in Stockholm, i.e. that the hospital would be overbooked, the staff being too busy or the medical safety not being guaranteed. Few women worried about their relationship with their partner or if he would be present at birth. Some of the items showed a pattern with a period of less worry in midpregnancy.
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| 47. |
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| 48. |
- Holmlund, Sophia, 1980-
(författare)
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Health professionals’ experiences and views related to obstetric ultrasound in Rwanda and Vietnam
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- BackgroundObstetric ultrasound has become an indispensable part of maternity care in high-income countries, where it is universally used for screening, diagnostic and surveillance purposes. In low-income countries, insufficient numbers of trained health professionals’ is commonly a barrier to obstetric ultrasound use. Globally, health professionals’ encounter complex clinical situations in which rapid technical improvements in fetal surveillance and pregnancy interventions are components that influence clinical decisions, thereby implicating maternal and fetal health outcomes.AimsThe overall aim of this thesis was to explore health professionals’ experiences and views on the role of obstetric ultrasound in relation to clinical management, including ethical aspects, in two low-to-middle-income countries with different characteristics, cultures, religions and health care systems.MethodsStudy I (Rwanda) and Study III (Vietnam) are based on focus group discussions in which data were analysed using content analysis. Study I included six focus group discussions with 23 midwives recruited from six different hospitals in the area of Kigali and in the Southern province. Study III included four focus group discussions with 25 midwives working at three different hospitals in the Hanoi area. Study II (Rwanda) and Study IV (Vietnam) are cross-sectional studies using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s chi-square test and logistic regression analyses. A questionnaire, including items based on the results from previous qualitative studies, was used as the data collection tool. For Study II, health professionals (midwives, nurses, obstetricians, other physicians; N=907) working at 108 health facilities representing all provinces of Rwanda were recruited. Study IV constituted a regional sample of 824 health professionals (midwives, obstetricians/gynecologists) working at 29 health facilities in urban, semi-urban and rural parts of Hanoi, Vietnam.Main findingsObstetric ultrasound was regarded as a highly valued tool for pregnancy management in Rwanda as well as in Vietnam (Papers I–IV). In Rwanda, access to ultrasound was described as poor, especially for women living in rural areas (Paper I). In contrast, access to obstetric ultrasound was described as being very high in all health facilities in urban, semi-urban and rural areas of Hanoi (Paper III & Paper IV). In Rwanda, if a pregnancy was considered normal, obstetric ultrasound was not routinely performed (Paper I), while pregnant women in Vietnam were reported as undergoing several further ultrasound examinations in addition to the three examinations recommended by the Ministry of Health (Paper III). Midwives in Rwanda expressed a need to be trained in ultrasound, particularly those working at health centres in rural areas where ultrasound was rarely available (Paper I). A majority of health professionals (91%) also agreed that maternity care in Rwanda would improve if midwives were qualified to perform basic ultrasound examinations (Paper II). Sub-optimal pregnancy management due to a lack of or insufficient ultrasound training was reported by health professionals in both Rwanda (65%; Paper II) and Vietnam (37%; Paper IV). The use of obstetric ultrasound without medical indication was described as a troubling phenomenon, especially in Vietnam, where participants also reported that pregnant women sometimes replaced antenatal care surveillancewith ultrasound examinations (Paper III).ConclusionObstetric ultrasound plays a significant role in pregnancy management in Rwanda, although access varies significantly. The findings indicate that physicians in Rwanda are in need of additional formal ultrasound training in order to increase the quality of ultrasound surveillance and to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes. To increase ultrasound access for all pregnant women in Rwanda, midwives could potentially be trained to perform basic ultrasound examinations. In the Hanoi area of Vietnam, ultrasound is a well-integrated tool in pregnancy management and access was high. However, overuse and commercialisation of obstetric ultrasound examinations were described as common and need to be addressed to achieve adequate allocation of resources. The rapid development of technology in maternity care needs to be accompanied by medical guidelines stating the appropriate indications for ultrasound surveillance.
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| 49. |
- Ingvoldstad, Charlotta, et al.
(författare)
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Implementation of combined ultrasound and biochemistry for risk evaluation of chromosomal abnormalities during the first trimester in Sweden
- 2014
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Ingår i: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 0001-6349 .- 1600-0412. ; 93:9, s. 868-73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate how the first trimester risk evaluation for Down syndrome is offered and performed.SETTING: Sweden.SAMPLE: All 52 known units working with obstetric ultrasound.METHODS: Study-specific questionnaire and descriptive statistical analyses.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Routines for offering combined ultrasound and biochemistry (CUB), questions about information, questions about tests and analysis used for diagnosis.RESULTS: CUB was performed in 28 600 (26%) of the expected 110 000 pregnancies in Sweden during 2011. Of all pregnant women, 15% were living in a county not offering CUB (only invasive prenatal diagnosis); 44% regardless of age; 15% to women ≥33 years; 24% to women ≥35 years; and 2% to women ≥38 years old. Amniocentesis was the most common method offered when the risk was estimated as high. Of the 47 units that replied, 29 (61.7%) offered only amniocentesis. On the questions about information, 40 (95.2%) stated that they gave verbal information. In addition to verbal information, 17 (40.5%) gave written information. Forty-one of the units (71.9%) stated that the CUB is offered to non-Swedish-speaking women.CONCLUSION: Without consistent national guidelines, the prenatal diagnostic CUB method is offered in an inequitable manner to pregnant women in Sweden. More than half of all pregnant women live in a county where CUB is not offered or is only offered based on age. The results demonstrate the importance of national consistency before the introduction of new prenatal tests, to enhance equal care for all pregnant women.
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| 50. |
- Linde, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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"Better safe than sorry"-Reasons for consulting care due to decreased fetal movements
- 2017
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Ingår i: Women and Birth. - : Elsevier BV. - 1871-5192 .- 1878-1799. ; 30:5, s. 376-381
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Experience of reduced fetal movements is a common reason for consulting health care in late pregnancy. There is an association between reduced fetal movements and stillbirth.AIM: To explore why women decide to consult health care due to reduced fetal movements at a specific point in time and investigate reasons for delaying a consultation.METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed at all birth clinics in Stockholm during 2014, to women seeking care due to reduced fetal movements. In total, 3555 questionnaires were collected, 960 were included in this study. The open-ended question; "Why, specifically, do you come to the clinic today?" was analyzed using content analysis as well as the complementary question "Are there any reasons why you did not come to the clinic earlier?"RESULTS: Five categories were revealed: Reaching dead line, Receiving advice from health care professionals, Undergoing unmanageable worry, Contributing external factors and Not wanting to jeopardize the health of the baby. Many women stated that they decided to consult care when some time with reduced fetal movements had passed. The most common reason for not consulting care earlier was that it was a new experience. Some women stated that they did not want to feel that they were annoying, or be perceived as excessively worried. Not wanting to burden health care unnecessarily was a reason for prehospital delay.CONCLUSION: Worry about the baby is the crucial reason for consulting care as well as the time which has passed since the women first experienced decreased fetal movements.
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