'A small person that we made' - Parental conceptualisation of the unborn child: A constructivist grounded theory.

Background: The way that expectant parents think and feel about the fetus during pregnancy is thought to be somewhat predictive of their later relationship with the child. However, efforts to identify determinants, correlates and consequences of the parental-fetal tie have had conflicting results. This is likely to be partially attributable to issues in existing conceptualisations of the phenomenon.

A narrative review of interventions addressing the parental-fetal relationship.

Background: Expectant parents develop varying degrees of emotional affiliation with the unborn child. Interventions supporting this relationship may be beneficial given its link to maternal health behaviour during pregnancy, as well as the parental-infant bond after birth.

Aim: To identify and describe the effects of programmes and strategies that have addressed the parental-fetal relationship.

The dynamics of epidural and opioid analgesia during labour.

Purpose: To investigate the association of analgesia, opioids or epidural, or the combination of both with labour duration and spontaneous birth in nulliparous women.

Methods: A secondary data analysis of an existing cohort study was performed and included nulliparous women (n = 2074). Durations of total labour and first and second labour stage were calculated with Kaplan-Meier estimation for the four different study groups: no analgesia (n = 620), opioid analgesia (n = 743), epidural analgesia (n = 482), and combined application (n = 229).

[Evidence-based midwifery practice in Scotland: a discussion of the problems].

In recent years there has been a drive to base all health care provision upon the most recent, appropriate scientific evidence. This has prompted an interest in research by midwives in clinical practice who want to ensure that they are providing the best possible care. Those midwives who do not use evidenced based practice but instead teach, support and demonstrate ritualistic practices without reference to the substantial research available, are limiting women's choice in maternity care.