Perceptions of the ability to efficiently utilise the full scope of midwifery practice in the newly introduced midwifery profession in Nepal.

Aim: To explore the readiness of Bachelor in Midwifery graduates in Nepal to provide midwifery care aligned with the definition competently on graduation and to identify barriers affecting their practice.

Background: Nepal has introduced an internationally standardised BSc midwifery education programme designed to enable midwives to work competently and independently in midwifery care on entering the profession.

Design: A qualitative interview study was conducted and analysed using inductive content analysis.

Improving apgar scores and reducing perineal injuries through midwife-led quality improvements: an observational study in Uganda.

Background: Globally, the quality of maternal and newborn care remains inadequate, as seen through indicators like perineal injuries and low Apgar scores. While midwifery practices have the potential to improve care quality and health outcomes, there is a lack of evidence on how midwife-led initiatives, particularly those aimed at improving the use of dynamic birth positions, intrapartum support, and perineal protection, affect these outcomes.

Objective: To explore how the use of dynamic birth positions, intrapartum support, and perineal protection impact the incidence of perineal injuries and the 5-min Apgar score within the context of a midwife-led quality improvement intervention.

Evaluating a midwifery leadership programme: a process evaluation study.

Background: Despite global support for midwifery leadership investment, there is a notable lack of scientific evaluations of leadership programmes worldwide for midwives. The Government of India's Midwifery Initiative launched the Midwifery Leadership Programme to enhance the leadership capacity of state-level midwifery leaders.

Aim: To evaluate the Midwifery Leadership Programme in India using implementation science as a framework.

Women's experiences of giving birth in healthcare facilities in India -A systematic literature review of qualitative research.

Background: Childbirth in healthcare facilities has increased in South-East Asia and the focus on quality of childbirth care has increased in the region. Without a deeper understanding of women's experience of giving birth in healthcare facilities, the quality of care cannot be improved. The aim of this study was to synthesise available qualitative research from India that explores women's experiences of giving birth in healthcare facilities.

Challenges of maternity continuum of care within the primary health care in northwest Ethiopia: interpretive description using a socio-ecological model.

Background: The maternity continuum of care plays a vital role in improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, its uptake remains low in Ethiopia, highlighting the need to identify challenges within the primary health care system to inform practice. Hence, this study aimed to explore the challenges of the maternity continuum of care within the primary health care system in northwest Ethiopia.

Integrating sexual and reproductive health in higher education and healthcare services in Ukraine: A sustainable initiative for empowering war-affected youth.

Integrating Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) into educational programs and healthcare services supports the EU Eastern Partnership and the UN's Agenda 2030. A Swedish Institute (SI)-funded project empowers undergraduate students in medicine, psychology, and social work to support SRHR among youth and young adults in wartime and post-war Ukraine by incorporating the subject into university curricula. In August 2024, a study tour to Sweden was conducted by managers and faculty from Ukrainian universities, during which the visitors to Sweden identified the need to establish Youth Clinics at Ukrainian universities to address the SRHR needs of the war-affected youth population.

Deciphering the effects of radiopharmaceutical therapy in the tumor microenvironment of prostate cancer: an in-silico exploration with spatial transcriptomics.

Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) is an emerging prostate cancer treatment that delivers radiation to specific molecules within the tumor microenvironment (TME), causing DNA damage and cell death. Given TME heterogeneity, it's crucial to explore RPT dosimetry and biological impacts at the cellular level. We integrated spatial transcriptomics (ST) with computational modeling to investigate the effects of RPT targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), fibroblast activation protein (FAP), and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) each labelled with beta-emitting lutetium-177 (Lu) and alpha-emitting actinium-225 (Ac).

Rwanda's success in advancing midwifery education: a blueprint of a sustainable, nationally driven curriculum standardization.

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) defines and sets the Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice and provides a framework for developing and reviewing midwifery curricula. This framework ensures that pre-service midwifery education designed for students leads to the demonstration of the required midwifery specific competencies. The development of the ICM competencies in 2024 confirms the timeliness of the effort of Rwanda to update its national curricula.

The understanding of dynamic birth positions for women in labor and childbirth - A hybrid concept analysis.

Problem And Background: The assessment of advantages and drawbacks associated with varying birthing positions has predominantly centered around medical or technical considerations and few studies have accounted for a woman's ability to attune to her bodily instincts during labor and birth. The objective of this study was to define the concept of dynamic birth positions and its significance within the birthing process.

Methods: This hybrid concept analysis consisted of three phases: theoretical, fieldwork, and analytical.

Nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors at referral hospitals in Ethiopia: A mixed-methods approach.

Background: Caring plays a vital role in nursing and serves as an indicator of quality. Nurse caring behaviors are directed towards patients' safety and wellbeing. Nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors are affected by different factors.

Initiated Breastfeeding and Physiological Patterns in Newborn Infants When Reunited With Mother After Separation Due to Elective Cesarean Birth.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two caregiving models on full-term healthy infants' wakefulness, rooting and sucking reflexes, initiation of breastfeeding, and physiological parameters when reunited with their mothers after a mother-infant separation of 130 min after elective cesarean birth.

Methods: Ninety-five mother-infant pairs participated in a randomized controlled trial, in which full-term healthy infants were allocated to be either dressed in their mothers' arms (n = 56) or skin-to-skin with their mother (n = 39) when reunited with the mother within 130 min after cesarean birth. Data were collected by the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) to assess the infants' wakefulness and prebreastfeeding behaviors.

Midwife-led quality improvement: Increasing the use of evidence-based birth practices in Uganda.

Background: Addressing the evidence-to-practice gap in midwifery is vital for improving maternal and newborn health outcomes. Despite the potential of involving midwives in quality improvement interventions to address this gap, such interventions are understudied. In a Ugandan urban hospital, midwifery practices with a significant evidence-to-practice gap have been identified as areas for clinical improvement.

Development of a Quality Assurance Assessment Tool to meet accreditation standards for midwifery education: A Delphi study.

Background: Ensuring the quality of midwifery education is critical for producing a qualified and competent midwifery workforce for sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn care services. While global standards advocate for quality enhancement and accreditation systems, challenges persist, particularly in low-income countries like Bangladesh.

Aim: To validate and culturally adapt a Quality Assurance Assessment tool aligned with global midwifery education standards for application in Bangladesh.

One size does not fit all: Perspectives from Swedish midwives on fetal movement counselling.

Problem: Migration continues to play a role in determining health outcomes related to pregnancy and childbirth in Sweden.

Background: Migrant women have, compared to Swedish-born women, increased risks of adverse birth outcomes. Previous research suggests that migrant women seek care for decreased fetal movements less than Swedish-born women.

Perceived associations between the menstrual cycle and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A qualitative interview study exploring lived experiences.

Background: The research gap regarding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in people who were assigned female at birth has led to a lack of knowledge and adequate approaches in clinical practice, as well as diagnosis processes. Recent studies report potential associations between reproductive hormones and ADHD, but existing research remains scarce.

Aim: This study aims to explore the experiences of people who perceive an association between their menstrual cycle and their ADHD symptoms.

Perceptions of caring behaviors: Experiences of nurses in Ethiopia.

Caring is a universal phenomenon that influences nurse-patient interactions and feelings, forming the foundation of the nursing profession. How nurses perceive and experience caring in low-income settings is not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore Ethiopian nurses' perceptions and experiences of caring using a qualitative descriptive design.

Quality midwifery care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: A focus group study with midwives, nurses, and midwifery educators.

Introduction: Bangladesh has made remarkable strides in the development of the midwifery profession. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has had profound effects on healthcare systems worldwide, including those related to reproductive, perinatal, and maternal health. Given the recent advancements in the midwifery field in Bangladesh, it is crucial to examine the pandemic's impact on existing barriers and the capacity of midwifery professionals to deliver high-quality care.

Experience and perceptions of healthcare providers on clinical management and care of near-miss infants: a qualitative content analysis.

Introduction: Neonatal Near Miss (NNM) refers to neonates with severe complications who almost died but survived immediately after birth. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of NNM has been assessed using a validated Neonatal Near-Miss Assessment Scale. However, understanding the experiences and perceptions of healthcare providers in the clinical management and care of NNM infants remains unexplored.

Cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of Childbirth Experience Questionnaire 2 in Karnataka state, India.

Background: Women's birthing experience is a sensitive indicator of the quality of childbirth care and can impact the physical and mental health of both women and their neonates. Negligible evidence exists on Indian women's birth experiences and-to the best of authors' knowledge-no questionnaire has been tested in India for measuring women's birthing experiences. This study aimed to test the construct validity and reliability of the Kannada-translated Revised Childbirth Experience Questionnaire.

Putting co-creation into practice: lessons learned from developing a midwife-led quality improvement intervention.

Background: Integrating evidence-based midwifery practices improves healthcare quality for women and newborns, but an evidence-to-practice gap exists. Co-created quality improvement initiatives led by midwives could bridge this gap, prevent resource waste and ensure intervention relevance. However, how to co-create a midwife-led quality improvement intervention has not been scientifically explored.

Facilitators influencing midwives to leadership positions in policy, education and practice: A systematic integrative literature review.

The development of midwives as leaders is a crucial step towards achieving equality in sexual, reproductive, maternal, and neonatal health, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). However, many midwives work only to implement policies made by others rather than being drivers of policy changes. Little is known and researched about why midwives are not involved in decision and policymaking related to sexual, reproductive, maternal, and neonatal health.

Miscommunication influences how women act when fetal movements decrease an interview study with Swedish Somali migrant women.

Objective: To explore how Swedish Somali migrant women perceive fetal movements, process information about fetal movements, and take actions if decreased fetal activity occurs.

Design: A qualitative study based on individual semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analysed using content analysis.

Costs and intermediate outcomes for the implementation of evidence-based practices of midwifery under a MIDWIZE framework in an urban health facility in Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: Three evidence-based midwife-led care practices: dynamic birth positions (DBP), immediate skin-to-skin contact (SSC) with zero separation between mother and newborn, and delayed cord clamping (DCC), were implemented in four sub-Saharan African countries after an internet-based capacity building program for midwifery leadership in quality improvement (QI). Knowledge on costs of this QI initiative can inform resource mobilization for scale up and sustainability.

Methods: We estimated the costs and intermediate outcomes from the implementation of the three evidence-based practices under the midwife-led care (MIDWIZE) framework in a single facility in Kenya through a pre- and post-test implementation design.

Patients' perceptions of caring behaviors at referral hospitals in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional survey.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine patients' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors and to identify factors associated with these perceptions.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at three referral hospitals in Ethiopia. A consecutive sample of male and female patients ( = 652, response rate 98.