Trends in the quality of maternal and neonatal care in Sweden and Norway as compared to 12 WHO European countries: A cross-sectional survey investigating maternal perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Maternal-neonatal healthcare services were severely disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic in even high-income countries within the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. The objective of this study was to compare trends in the quality of maternal and neonatal care (QMNC) in Sweden and Norway to 12 other countries from the WHO European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify domains for improvement.

Material And Methods: This cross-sectional study included women giving birth in Europe from March 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022.

Health workers' perspectives on the quality of maternal and newborn health care around the time of childbirth: Results of the Improving MAternal Newborn carE in the EURO Region (IMAgiNE EURO) project in 12 countries of the World Health Organization European Region.

Background: Health workers' (HWs') perspectives on the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) are not routinely collected. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to document HWs' perspectives on QMNC around childbirth in 12 World Health Organization (WHO) European countries.

Methods: HWs involved in maternal/neonatal care for at least one year between March 2020 and March 2023 answered an online validated WHO standards-based questionnaire collecting 40 quality measures for improving QMNC.

Somali immigrant women's knowledge of and experiences with folic acid supplement use before and during pregnancy: A qualitative study from Norway.

Introduction: Health authorities in many countries recommend that women should take folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy to prevent having babies with neural tube defects. Somali immigrant women in Norway use less folic acid supplements than the recommended amount and subsequently, less than Norwegian-born women.

Objectives: To explore Somali immigrant women's knowledge of and experiences with using folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy.

Midwives' experiences with providing home-based postpartum care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

Aim: To explore midwives' experiences with providing home-based postpartum care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway.

Design: A descriptive and explorative qualitative study.

Methods: The study is based on semi-structured individual interviews with 11 midwives experienced in offering home-based postpartum care.

Midwives' experiences with a safe childbirth checklist: A grounded theory study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore midwives' experiences with a safe childbirth checklist used in handover situations from birth to hospital discharge. Quality of care and patient safety is highly recognised and a priority within health services globally. In handover situations, checklists have proven to reduce unwanted variation by standardising processes, which in turn contribute to increased quality of care.

Women's experiences and views on early breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway: quantitative and qualitative findings from the IMAgiNE EURO study.

Background: Little is known about women's experience of care and views on early breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway.

Methods: Women (n = 2922) who gave birth in a facility in Norway between March 2020 and June 2021 were invited to answer an online questionnaire based on World Health Organization (WHO) Standard-based quality measures, exploring their experiences of care and views on early breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. To examine associations between year of birth (2020, 2021) and early breastfeeding-related factors, we estimated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using multiple logistic regression.

Quality of maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth for migrant versus nonmigrant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the IMAgiNE EURO study in 11 countries of the WHO European region.

Objective: To describe the perception of quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth among migrant and nonmigrant women in Europe.

Methods: Women who gave birth at a health facility in 11 countries of the WHO European Region from March 2020 to July 2021 were invited to answer an online questionnaire including demographics and childbirth experience. Data were analyzed and compared for 1781 migrant and 20 653 nonmigrant women.

Quality of health care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study in Norway and trends over time.

Objective: To describe maternal perception of the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in facilities in Norway during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Women who gave birth in a Norwegian facility from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, filled out a structured online questionnaire based on 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. Quantile regression analysis was performed to assess changes in QMNC index over time.

WHO Standards-based questionnaire to measure health workers' perspective on the quality of care around the time of childbirth in the WHO European region: development and mixed-methods validation in six countries.

Objectives: Develop and validate a WHO Standards-based online questionnaire to measure the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth from the health workers' perspective.

Design: Mixed-methods study.

Setting: Six countries of the WHO European Region.

Quality of facility-based maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic: online survey investigating maternal perspectives in 12 countries of the WHO European Region.

Background: Multi-country studies assessing the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as defined by WHO Standards, are lacking.

Methods: Women who gave birth in 12 countries of the WHO European Region from March 1, 2020 - March 15, 2021 answered an online questionnaire, including 40 WHO Standard-based Quality Measures.

Findings: 21,027 mothers were included in the analysis.

Epidural analgesia for labour pain in nulliparous women in Norway in relation to maternal country of birth and migration related factors.

Objective: To investigate associations between maternal country of birth and other migration related factors (length of residence, reason for migration, paternal origin) and epidural analgesia for labour pain in nulliparous women in Norway.

Design: Population-based register study including nulliparous migrant women (n = 75,922) and non-migrant women (n = 444,496) with spontaneous or induced labour. Data were retrieved from the Medical Birth Registry and Statistics Norway, 1990-2013.

Somali women's experiences of antenatal care: A qualitative interview study.

Objective: To explore Somali women's experiences of antenatal care in Norway.

Design: A qualitative study based on individual semi-structured interviews conducted either face-to-face or over the phone.

Setting: Norway.

Solo Mothers After Assisted Conception and Their Experiences with Postnatal Care.

Purpose: To explore solo mothers' postnatal caring experiences.

Patients And Methods: A qualitative interview study including nine solo mothers living in six different counties in Norway. The mothers had a total of twelve children conceived through assisted fertilization and donor sperm.

Emergency medical technicians' experiences with unplanned births outside institutions: A qualitative interview study.

Aim: To explore emergency medical technicians' experiences with unplanned births outside institutions.

Design: A qualitative interview study.

Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews with 12 emergency medical technicians in Norway.

Women's experiences with giving birth before arrival.

Objective: To explore women's experiences with giving birth before arrival.

Design: A qualitative interview study.

Setting: Individual semi structured interviews with women from Western Norway conducted in their homes in 2015.