Fifty years have passed since a scandal broke over inhumane treatment of laboring women in U.S. hospitals, yet first-person and eyewitness reports document that medical care providers continue to subject childbearing women to verbal and physical abuse and even to what would constitute sexual assault in any other context. Women frequently are denied their right to make informed decisions about c...

I am a clinical psychologist, trained to watch and observe others, as well as to sit back, as it were, and to observe my own feelings and behaviour. A few weeks ago I had my first baby. I want to set down some thoughts in connection with the care I got at the hospital while the event is still fresh in my mind. Firstly, I should like to pay tribute to the nurses working in the maternity wards, w...

OBJECTIVE To describe the methods employed in the longitudinal and follow-up studies of children born in Pelotas (Southern Brazil) in 1982. METHODS The cohort began with a perinatal health survey that included all 6,011 children born in maternity wards in Pelotas in 1982. The 5,914 children born alive in the city were included in the follow-up studies. By 2004-5, we had conducted eight follow...

PURPOSE The aim of the study was to assess the expected and received informative support in lactation in hospitalized lying-in women. Such variables as the number of deliveries and participation in antenatal classes were taken into consideration. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research was conducted from May to September 2005, and involved 202 lying-in women staying in maternity wards in Chair and ...

BACKGROUND: A small, non-blinded, RCT (randomised controlled trial) had reported that oral antibiotics reduced the incidence of mastitis in lactating women with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)- colonized cracked nipples. We aimed to replicate the study with a more rigorous design and adequate sample size. METHODS: Our intention was to conduct a double-blind placebo-controlled trial to determi...

OBJECTIVE To assess implementation of provider-initiated testing and counselling (PITC) for HIV in Malawi. METHODS A review of PITC practices within 118 departments in 12 Ministry of Health (MoH) facilities across Malawi was conducted. Information on PITC practices was collected via a health facility survey. Data describing patient visits and HIV tests were abstracted from routinely collected...

BACKGROUND Studies consistently highlight in-patient postnatal care as the area of maternity care women are least satisfied with. As part of a quality improvement study to promote a continuum of care from the birthing room to discharge home from hospital, we explored women's expectations and experiences of current in-patient care. METHODS For this part of the study, qualitative data from semi...

Abstract Objectives: measuring the prevalence of interventions and/or complications based on Maternity Safety Thermometer (MST) criteria and verifying associations with sociodemographic, clinical, obstetric factors. Methods: prospective observational study conducted postpartum women admitted to maternity ward a tertiary hospital, from October 10th December 30th, 2020. Data were collected medica...

Background: Postoperative infections (POIs) contribute to morbidity and mortality of surgical patients. There was no data on the prevalence and associated risk factors of POIs in the Limbe Regional Hospital (RLH). Methods: Selected patients were those who underwent a surgical procedure and were admitted into the surgical or maternity ward of the LRH between January 2009 and August 2012. Data st...