| 1. |
- Bystrova, Ksenia, et al.
(author)
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Early Contact versus Separation : Effects on Mother-Infant Interaction One Year Later
- 2009
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In: Birth. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 36:2, s. 97-109
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: A tradition of separation of the mother and baby after birth still persists in many parts of the world, including some parts of Russia, and often is combined with swaddling of the baby. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare possible long-term effects on mother-infant interaction of practices used in the delivery and maternity wards, including practices relating to mother-infant closeness versus separation. Methods: A total of 176 mother-infant pairs were randomized into four experimental groups: Group I infants were placed skin-to-skin with their mothers after birth, and had rooming-in while in the maternity ward. Group II infants were dressed and placed in their mothers' arms after birth, and roomed-in with their mothers in the maternity ward. Group III infants were kept in the nursery both after birth and while their mothers were in the maternity ward. Group IV infants were kept in the nursery after birth, but roomed-in with their mothers in the maternity ward. Equal numbers of infants were either swaddled or dressed in baby clothes. Episodes of early suckling in the delivery ward were noted. The mother-infant interaction was videotaped according to the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment (PCERA) 1 year after birth. Results: The practice of skin-to-skin contact, early suckling, or both during the first 2 hours after birth when compared with separation between the mothers and their infants positively affected the PCERA variables maternal sensitivity, infant's self-regulation, and dyadic mutuality and reciprocity at 1 year after birth. The negative effect of a 2-hour separation after birth was not compensated for by the practice of rooming-in. These findings support the presence of a period after birth (the early ""sensitive period"") during which close contact between mother and infant may induce long-term positive effect on mother-infant interaction. In addition, swaddling of the infant was found to decrease the mother's responsiveness to the infant, her ability for positive affective involvement with the infant, and the mutuality and reciprocity in the dyad. Conclusions: Skin-to-skin contact, for 25 to 120 minutes after birth, early suckling, or both positively influenced mother-infant interaction 1 year later when compared with routines involving separation of mother and infant.
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| 2. |
- Bystrova, Ksenia, et al.
(author)
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Maternal axillar and breast temperature after giving birth : Effects of delivery ward practices and relation to infant temperature
- 2007
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In: Birth. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 34:4, s. 291-300
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Little is known about the development and control of skin temperature in human mothers after birth. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of delivery ward practices and early suckling on maternal axillar and breast temperatures during the first 2 hours postpartum and to relate them to the infant's foot and axillar temperatures. Methods: Three groups of 176 mother-infant pairs were randomized as follows-group I: infants lying prone in skin-to-skin contact on their mother's chest, named the ""skin-to-skin group"" (n = 44), group II: infants who were dressed and lying prone on their mother's chest, named the ""mother's arms group"" (n = 44), and group III: infants who were dressed and kept in the nursery, named the ""nursery group"" (n = 88). Maternal axillar and breast temperatures and infants' axillar and foot temperatures were measured at 15-minute intervals from 30 to 120 minutes after birth. Episodes of early suckling were noted. Results: The axillar and breast temperatures rose significantly in all mothers. The rise of temperature over time was significantly higher in multiparas than in primiparas but was influenced only slightly by group assignment. The variation in breast temperature was highest in mothers in the skin-to-skin group and lowest in mothers in the nursery group. In the mother's arms group, variation in breast temperature was larger in those mothers exposed to early suckling than in those not exposed. A positive relationship was found between the maternal axillar temperature and the infant foot and axillar temperature 90 minutes after the start of the experiment (120 min after birth) in the skin-to-skin and mother's arms groups. The rise in temperature in the infant's foot was nearly twice that in the axilla. No such relationship was established in the nursery group. In addition, foot temperature in infants from the skin-to-skin group was nearly 2 degrees C higher than that in infants from the mother's arms group. Conclusions: Maternal temperature rose after birth, and the rise was higher in multiparas than in primiparas. Skin-to-skin contact and early suckling increased temperature variation. Maternal temperature was related to infant foot and axillar temperatures.
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| 3. |
- Cacciatore, Joanne, et al.
(author)
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Effects of contact with stillborn babies on maternal anxiety and depression
- 2008
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In: Birth. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 35:4, s. 313-320
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Some guidelines encourage mothers to see and hold their babies after stillbirth, which might be traumatizing. The study objective was to investigate the effects of women seeing and holding their stillborn baby on the risk of anxiety and depression in a subsequent pregnancy and in the long term. METHODS: Thirty-seven organizations recruited women who had experienced stillbirth (N = 2,292 of whom 286 reported being pregnant). Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed by using the 25-item Hopkins Symptom Check List. RESULTS: Among nonpregnant women, seeing and holding their stillborn baby were associated with lower anxiety symptoms (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.49-0.95) and a tendency toward fewer symptoms of depression (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.51-1.02), compared with pregnant women. Participants who were pregnant also had less depressive symptomatology (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.43-0.75), but more symptoms of anxiety if they had seen and held their baby (OR 3.79, 95% CI 1.42-10.1). CONCLUSIONS: Seeing and holding the baby are associated with fewer anxiety and depressive symptoms among mothers of stillborn babies than not doing so, although this beneficial effect may be temporarily reversed during a subsequent pregnancy.
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| 4. |
- Ekström, Anette, et al.
(author)
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Does Continuity of Care by Well-Trained Breastfeeding Counselors Improve a Mother´s Perception of Support?
- 2006
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In: Birth. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 33:2, s. 123-130
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background:Social support has been shown to be greatly important for breastfeeding success. The objective of this study was to investigate if mothers who were attended by midwives and nurses specially trained in breastfeeding counseling perceived better continuity of care and emotional and informative breastfeeding support than mothers who received only routine care. Method:Ten municipalities, each with an antenatal center and child health center, in southwest Sweden were randomized either to intervention or control municipalities. The intervention included a process-oriented training in breastfeeding counseling and continuity of care at the antenatal and child health centers. Primiparas were asked to evaluate the care given, and those living in the control municipalities were divided into control groups A and B. Data collection took place at different points in time for the two control groups. The 540 mothers responded to 3 questionnaires at 3 days and at 3 and 9 months postpartum. The perception of support provided by the health professionals and from the family classes was rated on Likert scales. Results:Intervention group mothers rated the breastfeeding information given during the family class as significantly better during pregnancy than both control groups, and better than control group B mothers at 3 months postpartum; compared with both control groups, intervention group mothers perceived that they received significantly better overall support and that postnatal nurses provided better information about breastfeeding and the baby's needs. At 9 months, intervention group mothers were more satisfied with knowledge about social rights, information about the baby's needs, and their social network than control group B mothers. Both intervention group and control group B mothers perceived better overall support than control group A during pregnancy. At 3 and 9 months, intervention group mothers perceived that postnatal nurses were more sensitive and understanding compared with both control groups. Conclusions:After implementation of a process-oriented breastfeeding training program for antenatal midwives and postnatal nurses that included an intervention guaranteeing continuity of care, the mothers were more satisfied with emotional and informative support during the first 9 months postpartum. The results lend support to family classes incorporating continuity of care. (BIRTH 33:2 June 2006)
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| 5. |
- Erlandsson, Kerstin, et al.
(author)
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Skin-to-skin care with the father after cesarean birth and its effect on newborn crying and prefeeding behavior.
- 2007
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In: Birth. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 34:2, s. 105-14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Previous reports have shown that skin-to-skin care immediately after vaginal birth is the optimal form of care for full-term, healthy infants. Even in cases when the mother is awake and using spinal analgesia, early skin-to-skin contact between her and her newborn directly after cesarean birth might be limited for practical and medical safety reasons. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of skin-to-skin contact on crying and prefeeding behavior in healthy, full-term infants born by elective cesarean birth and cared for skin-to-skin with their fathers versus conventional care in a cot during the first 2 hours after birth. METHODS: Twenty-nine father-infant pairs participated in a randomized controlled trial, in which infants were randomized to be either skin-to-skin with their father or next to the father in a cot. Data were collected both by tape-recording crying time for the infants and by naturalistic observations of the infants' behavioral response, scored every 15 minutes based on the scoring criteria described in the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). RESULTS: The primary finding was the positive impact the fathers' skin-to-skin contact had on the infants' crying behavior. The analysis of the tape recordings of infant crying demonstrated that infants in the skin-to-skin group cried less than the infants in the cot group (p<0.001). The crying of infants in the skin-to-skin group decreased within 15 minutes of being placed skin-to-skin with the father. Analysis of the NBAS-based observation data showed that being cared for on the father's chest skin-to-skin also had an impact on infant wakefulness. These infants became drowsy within 60 minutes after birth, whereas infants cared for in a cot reached the same stage after 110 minutes. Rooting activity was more frequent in the cot group than in the skin-to-skin group (p<0.01), as were sucking activities (p<=0.001) and overall duration of wakefulness (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The infants in the skin-to-skin group were comforted, that is, they stopped crying, became calmer, and reached a drowsy state earlier than the infants in the cot group. The father can facilitate the development of the infant's prefeeding behavior in this important period of the newborn infant's life and should thus be regarded as the primary caregiver for the infant during the separation of mother and baby.
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| 6. |
- Georgsson Öhman, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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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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In: Birth. - : Wiley. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 33:1, s. 64-73
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)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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| 7. |
- Lindgren, Helena, et al.
(author)
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Transfers in planned home births related to midwife availability and continuity: : a nationwide population-based study
- 2008
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In: Birth. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 35:1, s. 9-15
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Planning a home birth does not necessarily mean that the birth will take place successfully at home. The object of this study was to describe reasons and risk factors for transfer to hospital during or shortly after a planned home birth. METHODS: A nationwide study including all women who had given birth at home in Sweden between January 1, 1992, and July 31, 2005. A total of 735 women had given birth to 1,038 children. One questionnaire for each planned home birth was sent to the women. Of the 1,038 questionnaires, 1,025 were returned. Reasons for transfer and obstetric, socioeconomic, and care-related risk factors for being transferred were measured using logistic regression. RESULTS: Women were transferred in 12.5 percent of the planned home births. Transfers were more common among primiparas compared with multiparas (relative risk [RR] 2.5; 95% CI 1.8-3.5). Failure to progress and unavailability of the chosen midwife at the onset of labor were the reasons for 46 and 14 percent of transfers, respectively. For primiparas, the risk was four times greater if a midwife other than the one who carried out the prenatal checkups assisted at the birth (RR 4.4; 95% CI 2.1-9.5). A pregnancy exceeding 42 weeks increased the risk of transfer for both primiparas (RR 3.0; 95% CI 1.1-9.4) and multiparas (RR 3.4; 95% CI 1.3-9.0). CONCLUSIONS: The most common reasons for transfer to hospital during or shortly after delivery were failure to progress followed by the midwife's unavailability at the onset of labor. Primiparas whose midwife for checkups during pregnancy was different from the one who assisted at the home birth were at increased risk of being transferred.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Rådestad, Ingela, et al.
(author)
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Tears in the vagina, perineum, sphincter ani, and rectum and first sexual intercourse after childbirth : A Nationwide Follow-up
- 2008
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In: Birth. - : Wiley Interscience. - 0730-7659 .- 1523-536X. ; 35:2, s. 98-106
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The first sexual intercourse after childbirth may be challenging for women, especially if the birth resulted in injuries in the genital area. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not tears in the vagina, perineum, sphincter ani, or rectum hindered sexual intercourse during the year after childbirth. Methods: We obtained information from 2,490 women in a population-based cohort identified at antenatal care. Information about first sexual intercourse was collected by means of a questionnaire sent 1 year after birth to the women and about women's tears reported in the population-based Swedish Medical Birth Register. Results: Adjusted relative risks with 95 percent confidence intervals for not having had sexual intercourse within 3 and 6 months, respectively, after childbirth were 1.5 (95% CI 1.2–1.8) and 1.6 (95% CI 1.2–2.3) for tears in the vagina, 1.4 (95% CI 1.1–1.6) and 1.5 (95% CI 1.1–2.1) for tears in the perineum, and 2.1 (95% CI 1.4–3.1) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.1–4.6) for tears in the sphincter ani and rectum. No statistically significant differences were found at 1-year follow-up. No associations between episiotomy and delay in resuming intercourse were found after adjusting the relative risks. Conclusions: Tears in the vagina, perineum, sphincter ani, or rectum are associated with a delay in women's resumption of sexual intercourse 6 months after childbirth in Sweden
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