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Gillman LJ, Drennan VM, Marshall JE, Boaz A. 'Hands on', 'hands off' or 'hands poised'? Exploring intrapartum midwifery decision making through ethnographic research. Midwifery 2024; 137:104105. [PMID: 39029288 DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2024.104105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
ISSUE Injury to the perineal tissues during childbirth is a frequent occurrence with most women likely to experience perineal injury during a first birth which, in some cases, can lead to significant long-term morbidity. The techniques used to minimise perineal injury are frequently termed 'hands on' and 'hands poised' or 'hands off'. These terms are often undefined and used inconsistently in the literature, making it difficult to identify the best available evidence to inform midwifery practice. AIM This study aimed to answer the research questions: What do midwives do to minimise perineal injury during birth and what influences their decision-making? METHODS An ethnographic study was undertaken during 2016 in a maternity unit in the southeast of England. Data were collected through participant-observation, ethnographic and semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis, informed by the pedagogic theory of threshold concepts. FINDINGS 31 midwives participated in the study. Evidence-based decision-making to minimise perineal injury during birth was identified as a complex concept. Within the context of threshold concept theory, three main themes were identified that contributed to the complexity: troublesome language, troublesome knowledge, and troublesome environments. CONCLUSIONS Midwifery decision-making in the context of minimising perineal injury during birth is more varied and conceptually complex than has been previously described. Identification of the various aspects of troublesomeness in this context suggests that this element of practice is a midwifery threshold concept. Addressing this within midwifery curricula and practice education to enable evidence-based decision-making is important.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vari M Drennan
- Centre for Applied Health & Social Care Research, Kingston University, London, UK
| | | | - Annette Boaz
- NIHR Health and Social Care Workforce Research Unit, King's College London, UK
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Carter E, Hall R, Ajoku K, Myers J, Kearney R. Caesarean section and anal incontinence in women after obstetric anal sphincter injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BJOG 2024. [PMID: 38965793 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.17899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 50% women who give birth after obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) develop anal incontinence (AI) over their lifetime. OBJECTIVE To evaluate current evidence for a protective benefit of planned caesarean section (CS) to prevent AI after OASI. SEARCH STRATEGY MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase 1974-2024, CINAHL and Cochrane to 7 February 2024 (PROSPERO CRD42022372442). SELECTION CRITERIA All studies reporting outcomes after OASI and a subsequent birth, by any mode. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Eighty-six of 2646 screened studies met inclusion criteria, with nine studies suitable to meta-analyse the primary outcome of 'adjusted AI' after OASI and subsequent birth. Subgroups: short-term AI, long-term AI, AI in asymptomatic women. SECONDARY OUTCOMES total AI, quality of life, satisfaction/regret, solid/liquid/flatal incontinence, faecal urgency, AI in women with and without subsequent birth, change in AI pre- to post- subsequent birth. MAIN RESULTS There was no evidence of a difference in adjusted AI after subsequent vaginal birth compared with CS after OASI across all time periods (OR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.72-1.20; 9 studies, 2104 participants, I2 = 0% p = 0.58), for subgroup analyses or secondary outcomes. There was no evidence of a difference in AI in women with or without subsequent birth (OR = 1.00 95% CI 0.65-1.54; 10 studies, 970 participants, I2 = 35% p = 0.99), or pre- to post- subsequent birth (OR = 0.79 95% CI 0.51-1.25; 13 studies, 5496 participants, I2 = 73% p = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS Due to low evidence quality, we are unable to determine whether planned caesarean is protective against AI after OASI. Higher quality evidence is required to guide personalised decision-making for asymptomatic women and to determine the effect of subsequent birth mode on long-term AI outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Carter
- The Warrell Unit, Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Rebecca Hall
- The Warrell Unit, Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Kelechi Ajoku
- The Warrell Unit, Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Jenny Myers
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Rohna Kearney
- The Warrell Unit, Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Okeahialam NA, Sultan AH, Thakar R. The prevention of perineal trauma during vaginal birth. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:S991-S1004. [PMID: 37635056 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Perineal trauma after vaginal birth is common, with approximately 9 of 10 women being affected. Second-degree perineal tears are twice as likely to occur in primiparous births, with a incidence of 40%. The incidence of obstetrical anal sphincter injury is approximately 3%, with a significantly higher rate in primiparous than in multiparous women (6% vs 2%). Obstetrical anal sphincter injury is a significant risk factor for the development of anal incontinence, with approximately 10% of women developing symptoms within a year following vaginal birth. Obstetrical anal sphincter injuries have significant medicolegal implications and contribute greatly to healthcare costs. For example, in 2013 and 2014, the economic burden of obstetrical anal sphincter injuries in the United Kingdom ranged between £3.7 million (with assisted vaginal birth) and £9.8 million (with spontaneous vaginal birth). In the United States, complications associated with trauma to the perineum incurred costs of approximately $83 million between 2007 and 2011. It is therefore crucial to focus on improvements in clinical care to reduce this risk and minimize the development of perineal trauma, particularly obstetrical anal sphincter injuries. Identification of risk factors allows modification of obstetrical practice with the aim of reducing the rate of perineal trauma and its attendant associated morbidity. Risk factors associated with second-degree perineal trauma include increased fetal birthweight, operative vaginal birth, prolonged second stage of labor, maternal birth position, and advanced maternal age. With obstetrical anal sphincter injury, risk factors include induction of labor, augmentation of labor, epidural, increased fetal birthweight, fetal malposition (occiput posterior), midline episiotomy, operative vaginal birth, Asian ethnicity, and primiparity. Obstetrical practice can be modified both antenatally and intrapartum. The evidence suggests that in the antenatal period, perineal massage can be commenced in the third trimester of pregnancy to increase muscle elasticity and allow stretching of the perineum during birth, thereby reducing the risk of tearing or need for episiotomy. With regard to the intrapartum period, there is a growing body of evidence from the United Kingdom, Norway, and Denmark suggesting that the implementation of quality improvement initiatives including the training of clinicians in manual perineal protection and mediolateral episiotomy can reduce the incidence of obstetrical anal sphincter injury. With episiotomy, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics recommends restrictive rather than routine use of episiotomy. This is particularly the case with unassisted vaginal births. However, there is a role for episiotomy, specifically mediolateral or lateral, with assisted vaginal births. This is specifically the case with nulliparous vacuum and forceps births, given that the use of mediolateral or lateral episiotomy has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of obstetrical anal sphincter injury in these groups by 43% and 68%, respectively. However, the complications associated with episiotomy including perineal pain, dyspareunia, and sexual dysfunction should be acknowledged. Despite considerable research, interventions for reducing the risk of perineal trauma remain a subject of controversy. In this review article, we present the available data on the prevention of perineal trauma by describing the risk factors associated with perineal trauma and interventions that can be implemented to prevent perineal trauma, in particular obstetrical anal sphincter injury.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abdul H Sultan
- Croydon University Hospital, London, United Kingdom; St George's University of London
| | - Ranee Thakar
- Croydon University Hospital, London, United Kingdom; St George's University of London.
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Harvey G, Rycroft-Malone J, Seers K, Wilson P, Cassidy C, Embrett M, Hu J, Pearson M, Semenic S, Zhao J, Graham ID. Connecting the science and practice of implementation - applying the lens of context to inform study design in implementation research. FRONTIERS IN HEALTH SERVICES 2023; 3:1162762. [PMID: 37484830 PMCID: PMC10361069 DOI: 10.3389/frhs.2023.1162762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The saying "horses for courses" refers to the idea that different people and things possess different skills or qualities that are appropriate in different situations. In this paper, we apply the analogy of "horses for courses" to stimulate a debate about how and why we need to get better at selecting appropriate implementation research methods that take account of the context in which implementation occurs. To ensure that implementation research achieves its intended purpose of enhancing the uptake of research-informed evidence in policy and practice, we start from a position that implementation research should be explicitly connected to implementation practice. Building on our collective experience as implementation researchers, implementation practitioners (users of implementation research), implementation facilitators and implementation educators and subsequent deliberations with an international, inter-disciplinary group involved in practising and studying implementation, we present a discussion paper with practical suggestions that aim to inform more practice-relevant implementation research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Harvey
- Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Jo Rycroft-Malone
- Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Seers
- Warwick Medical School, Faculty of Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Wilson
- Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Cassidy
- School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Mark Embrett
- Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Jiale Hu
- College of Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Mark Pearson
- Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Sonia Semenic
- Ingram School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Junqiang Zhao
- Centre for Research on Health and Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ian D. Graham
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Jurczuk M, Thakar R, Carroll FE, Phillips L, van der Meulen J, Gurol-Urganci I, Sevdalis N. Design and management considerations for control groups in hybrid effectiveness-implementation trials: Narrative review & case studies. FRONTIERS IN HEALTH SERVICES 2023; 3:1059015. [PMID: 36926502 PMCID: PMC10012616 DOI: 10.3389/frhs.2023.1059015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Hybrid effectiveness-implementation studies allow researchers to combine study of a clinical intervention's effectiveness with study of its implementation with the aim of accelerating the translation of evidence into practice. However, there currently exists limited guidance on how to design and manage such hybrid studies. This is particularly true for studies that include a comparison/control arm that, by design, receives less implementation support than the intervention arm. Lack of such guidance can present a challenge for researchers both in setting up but also in effectively managing participating sites in such trials. This paper uses a narrative review of the literature (Phase 1 of the research) and comparative case study of three studies (Phase 2 of the research) to identify common themes related to study design and management. Based on these, we comment and reflect on: (1) the balance that needs to be struck between fidelity to the study design and tailoring to emerging requests from participating sites as part of the research process, and (2) the modifications to the implementation strategies being evaluated. Hybrid trial teams should carefully consider the impact of design selection, trial management decisions, and any modifications to implementation processes and/or support on the delivery of a controlled evaluation. The rationale for these choices should be systematically reported to fill the gap in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Jurczuk
- Centre for Quality Improvement and Clinical Audit, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ranee Thakar
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Croydon University Hospitals NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fran E Carroll
- Centre for Quality Improvement and Clinical Audit, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lizzie Phillips
- Centre for Quality Improvement and Clinical Audit, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, United Kingdom.,Maternity Services, University Hospital Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Jan van der Meulen
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ipek Gurol-Urganci
- Centre for Quality Improvement and Clinical Audit, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nick Sevdalis
- Centre for Implementation Science, Health Service and Population Research Department, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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Ryan T, Smith V. Care bundles for women during pregnancy, labor/birth, and postpartum: a scoping review protocol. JBI Evid Synth 2022; 20:2319-2328. [DOI: 10.11124/jbies-22-00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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A hybrid type I, multi-center randomized controlled trial to study the implementation of a method for Sustained cord circulation And VEntilation (the SAVE-method) of late preterm and term neonates: a study protocol. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:593. [PMID: 35883044 PMCID: PMC9315331 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-04915-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An intact umbilical cord allows the physiological transfusion of blood from the placenta to the neonate, which reduces infant iron deficiency and is associated with improved development during early childhood. The implementation of delayed cord clamping practice varies depending on mode of delivery, as well as gestational age and neonatal compromise. Emerging evidence shows that infants requiring resuscitation would benefit if respiratory support were provided with the umbilical cord intact. Common barriers to providing intact cord resuscitation is the availability of neonatal resuscitation equipment close to the mother, organizational readiness for change as well as attitudes and beliefs about placental transfusion within the multidisciplinary team. Hence, clinical evaluations of cord clamping practice should include implementation outcomes in order to develop strategies for optimal cord management practice. METHODS The Sustained cord circulation And Ventilation (SAVE) study is a hybrid type I randomized controlled study combining the evaluation of clinical outcomes with implementation and health service outcomes. In phase I of the study, a method for providing in-bed intact cord resuscitation was developed, in phase II of the study the intervention was adapted to be used in multiple settings. In phase III of the study, a full-scale multicenter study will be initiated with concurrent evaluation of clinical, implementation and health service outcomes. Clinical data on neonatal outcomes will be recorded at the labor and neonatal units. Implementation outcomes will be collected from electronic surveys sent to parents as well as staff and managers within the birth and neonatal units. Descriptive and comparative statistics and regression modelling will be used for analysis. Quantitative data will be supplemented by qualitative methods using a thematic analysis with an inductive approach. DISCUSSION The SAVE study enables the safe development and evaluation of a method for intact cord resuscitation in a multicenter trial. The study identifies barriers and facilitators for intact cord resuscitation. The knowledge provided from the study will be of benefit for the development of cord clamping practice in different challenging clinical settings and provide evidence for development of clinical guidelines regarding optimal cord clamping. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04070560 . Registered 28 August 2019.
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White C, Atchan DM. POSTPARTUM MANAGEMENT OF PERINEAL INJURY - A CRITICAL NARRATIVE REVIEW OF LEVEL 1 EVIDENCE. Midwifery 2022; 112:103410. [DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2022.103410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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