Eileen K. Hutton

Outcomes Associated with Planned Home and Planned Hospital Births in Low‐Risk Women Attended by Midwives in Ontario, Canada, 2003–2006: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND Midwives in Ontario, Canada, provide care in the home and hospital and are required to submit data for all births to the Ontario Ministry of Health database. The purpose of this study was to compare maternal and perinatal/neonatal mortality and morbidity and intrapartum intervention rates for women attended by Ontario midwives who planned a home birth compared with similar low-risk women who planned a hospital birth between 2003 and 2006. METHODS The database provided outcomes for all women planning a home birth at the onset of labor (n = 6,692) and for a cohort, stratified by parity, of similar low-risk women planning a hospital birth. RESULTS The rate of perinatal and neonatal mortality was very low (1/1,000) for both groups, and no difference was shown between groups in perinatal and neonatal mortality or serious morbidity (2.4% vs 2.8%; relative risk [RR], 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.84 [0.68-1.03]). No maternal deaths were reported. All measures of serious maternal morbidity were lower in the planned home birth group as were rates for all interventions including cesarean section (5.2% vs 8.1%; RR [95% CI]: 0.64 [0.56, 0.73]). Nulliparas were less likely to deliver at home, and had higher rates of ambulance transport from home to hospital than multiparas planning home birth and had rates of intervention and outcomes similar to, or lower than, nulliparas planning hospital births. CONCLUSIONS Midwives who were integrated into the health care system with good access to emergency services, consultation, and transfer of care provided care resulting in favorable outcomes for women planning both home or hospital births.

Less-Tight versus Tight Control of Hypertension in Pregnancy

BACKGROUND The effects of less-tight versus tight control of hypertension on pregnancy complications are unclear. METHODS We performed an open, international, multicenter trial involving women at 14 weeks 0 days to 33 weeks 6 days of gestation who had nonproteinuric preexisting or gestational hypertension, office diastolic blood pressure of 90 to 105 mm Hg (or 85 to 105 mm Hg if the woman was taking antihypertensive medications), and a live fetus. Women were randomly assigned to less-tight control (target diastolic blood pressure, 100 mm Hg) or tight control (target diastolic blood pressure, 85 mm Hg). The composite primary outcome was pregnancy loss or high-level neonatal care for more than 48 hours during the first 28 postnatal days. The secondary outcome was serious maternal complications occurring up to 6 weeks post partum or until hospital discharge, whichever was later. RESULTS Included in the analysis were 987 women; 74.6% had preexisting hypertension. The primary-outcome rates were similar among 493 women assigned to less-tight control and 488 women assigned to tight control (31.4% and 30.7%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77 to 1.35), as were the rates of serious maternal complications (3.7% and 2.0%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio, 1.74; 95% CI, 0.79 to 3.84), despite a mean diastolic blood pressure that was higher in the less-tight-control group by 4.6 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.7 to 5.4). Severe hypertension (≥160/110 mm Hg) developed in 40.6% of the women in the less-tight-control group and 27.5% of the women in the tight-control group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS We found no significant between-group differences in the risk of pregnancy loss, high-level neonatal care, or overall maternal complications, although less-tight control was associated with a significantly higher frequency of severe maternal hypertension. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; CHIPS Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN71416914; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01192412.).

Childbirth Fear, Anxiety, Fatigue, and Sleep Deprivation in Pregnant Women

OBJECTIVE To explore womens levels of childbirth fear, sleep deprivation, anxiety, and fatigue and their relationships during the third trimester of pregnancy. DESIGN A cross-sectional descriptive survey of a community sample. PARTICIPANTS Six hundred and fifty English-speaking nulliparous and multiparous women, 17 to 46 years of age and between 35 and 39 weeks gestation, with uncomplicated pregnancies. METHODS Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire, Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory, Mindells Sleep Questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue Questionnaire. RESULTS Twenty-five percent of women reported high levels of childbirth fear and 20.6% reported sleeping less than 6 hours per night. Childbirth fear, fatigue, sleep deprivation, and anxiety were positively correlated. Fewer women attending midwives reported severe fear of childbirth than those attending obstetricians. Women with high childbirth fear were more likely to have more daily stressors, anxiety, and fatigue, as well as less help. Higher levels of anxiety predicted higher levels of childbirth fear among women. CONCLUSION One fourth of women reported high childbirth fear. Womens fear of childbirth was related to fatigue, available help, stressors, and anxiety. Fear of childbirth appears to be part of a complex picture of womens emotional experiences during pregnancy.

Despite 2009 guidelines, few women report being counseled correctly about weight gain during pregnancy

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the information that pregnant women report receiving when being counseled about weight gain and the risks of inappropriate gain. STUDY DESIGN With the use of a self-administered questionnaire at prenatal clinics in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a cross-sectional survey was conducted of women who had had at least 1 prenatal visit, who could read English, and who had a live singleton gestation. RESULTS Three hundred ten women completed the survey, which was a 93.6% response rate. Although 28.5% (95% confidence interval, 23.5-33.6%) reported that their health care provider had made a recommendation about how much weight they should gain, only 12.0% (95% confidence interval, 8-16.1%) of the women reported having achieved the recommended weight gain in accordance with the 2009 guidelines. One quarter of the women reported being told that there were risks with inappropriate gain. CONCLUSION Despite the recent 2009 publication of the gestational weight gain guidelines, only 12% of women reported being counseled correctly, which suggests an urgent need for improved patient education.

Factors associated with adverse perinatal outcome in the Term Breech Trial

BACKGROUND In the Term Breech Trial, the risk of adverse perinatal outcome was lower with planned cesarean section versus planned vaginal birth. We undertook secondary analyses to determine factors associated with adverse perinatal outcome. STUDY DESIGN By using multiple logistic regression analyses, we determined the effect of prelabor cesarean section, cesarean section during early labor, cesarean section during active labor versus vaginal birth, and other factors, on adverse perinatal outcome. For 1384 fetuses delivered after labor, we determined the effect of variables associated with labor on adverse perinatal outcome. RESULTS The risk of adverse perinatal outcome was lowest with prelabor cesarean section (odds ratio [OR]=0.13) and highest with vaginal birth. For those delivered after labor, labor augmentation (P=.007), birth weight less than 2.8 kg (P=.003), and longer time between pushing and delivery (P<.001) increased the risk, whereas the presence of an experienced clinician at delivery (P=.004) reduced the risk of adverse perinatal outcome. CONCLUSION Breech infants at term are best delivered by prelabor cesarean section.

The Early External Cephalic Version (ECV) 2 Trial: an international multicentre randomised controlled trial of timing of ECV for breech pregnancies

Please cite this paper as: Hutton E, Hannah M, Ross S, Delisle M, Carson G, Windrim R, Ohlsson A, Willan A, Gafni A, Sylvestre G, Natale R, Barrett Y, Pollard J, Dunn M, Turtle P, for the Early ECV2 Trial Collaborative Group. The Early External Cephalic Version (ECV) 2 Trial: an international multicentre randomised controlled trial of timing of ECV for breech pregnancies. BJOG 2011;118:564–577.

Evaluation of primary care midwifery in the Netherlands: design and rationale of a dynamic cohort study (DELIVER)

BackgroundIn the Netherlands, midwives are autonomous medical practitioners and 78% of pregnant women start their maternity care with a primary care midwife. Scientific research to support evidence-based practice in primary care midwifery in the Netherlands has been sparse. This paper describes the research design and methodology of the multicenter multidisciplinary prospective DELIVER study which is the first large-scale study evaluating the quality and provision of primary midwifery care.Methods/DesignBetween September 2009 and April 2011, data were collected from clients and their partners, midwives and other healthcare professionals across the Netherlands. Clients from twenty midwifery practices received up to three questionnaires to assess the expectations and experiences of clients (e.g. quality of care, prenatal screening, emotions, health, and lifestyle). These client data were linked to data from the Netherlands Perinatal Register and electronic client records kept by midwives. Midwives and practice assistants from the twenty participating practices recorded work-related activities in a diary for one week, to assess workload. Besides, the midwives were asked to complete a questionnaire, to gain insight into collaboration of midwives with other care providers, their tasks and attitude towards their job, and the quality of the care they provide. Another questionnaire was sent to all Dutch midwifery practices which reveals information regarding the organisation of midwifery practices, provision of preconception care, collaboration with other care providers, and provision of care to ethnic minorities. Data at client, midwife and practice level can be linked. Additionally, partners of pregnant women and other care providers were asked about their expectations and experiences regarding the care delivered by midwives and in six practices client consults were videotaped to objectively assess daily practice.DiscussionIn total, 7685 clients completed at least one questionnaire, 136 midwives and assistants completed a diary with work-related activities (response 100%), 99 midwives completed a questionnaire (92%), and 319 practices across the country completed a questionnaire (61%), 30 partners of clients participated in focus groups, 21 other care providers were interviewed and 305 consults at six midwifery practices were videotaped.The multicenter DELIVER study provides an extensive database with national representative data on the quality of primary care midwifery in the Netherlands. This study will support evidence-based practice in primary care midwifery in the Netherlands and contribute to a better understanding of the maternity care system.

Effect of spontaneous pushing versus valsalva pushing in the second stage of labour on mother and fetus: a systematic review of randomised trials

Please cite this paper as: Prins M, Boxem J, Lucas C, Hutton E. Effect of spontaneous pushing versus Valsalva pushing in the second stage of labour on mother and fetus: a systematic review of randomised trials. BJOG 2011;118:662–670.

Why home birth? A qualitative study exploring women's decision making about place of birth in two Canadian provinces

OBJECTIVE the aim of this study was to increase our understanding of why Canadian women choose to give birth at home. Despite on-going debate regarding the safety of home birth, a small number of Canadian women choose home as a place to give birth. The factors influencing a womans decision to plan a home birth remain poorly understood. DESIGN a qualitative, grounded theory approach using semi-structured interviews. PARTICIPANTS a purposive sample of women from two Canadian provinces, who planned to give birth at home in their current pregnancy or who had planned a home birth within the last 2 years. FINDINGS thematic analysis highlighted key motivating factors as well as a decision-making framework by which women chose home birth. The decision making process includes an exploration of internal motivators for wanting home birth, a phase of information gathering and taking ownership for the decision to give birth at home. KEY CONCLUSIONS the study showed that women in two geographically distinct parts of Canada approach decision making around home birth in a similar fashion and provides a framework for decision making for choosing to birth at home. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE improved understanding of the decision making process for choice of birth place is useful for midwives for the provision of information to their clients and for midwifery policy and practice within Canada.

Sterile water injection for labour pain: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials

Background  Up to one‐third of labouring women will experience painful ‘back labour’. Sterile water injected lateral to the lumbosacral spine is a simple and well‐researched approach to this pain.