A cost analysis of upscaling access to continuity of midwifery carer: Population-based microsimulation in Queensland, Australia.

Objective: To quantify the economic impact of upscaling access to continuity of midwifery carer, compared with current standard maternity care, from the perspective of the public health care system.

Methods: We created a static microsimulation model based on a whole-of-population linked administrative data set containing all public hospital births in one Australian state (Queensland) between July 2017 to June 2018 (n = 37,701). This model was weighted to represent projected State-level births between July 2023 and June 2031.

Enabling the context for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Birthing on Country services: Participatory action research.

Problem: Establishment of Birthing on Country services owned and governed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services has been slow.

Background: Birthing on Country services have demonstrated health and cost benefits and require redesign of maternity care. During the Building On Our Strengths feasibility study, use of endorsed midwives and licensing of birth centres has proven difficult.

A pre-post implementation study of a care bundle to reduce perineal trauma in unassisted births conducted by midwives.

Problem: The perineal-bundle is a complex intervention widely implemented in Australian maternity care facilities.

Background: Most bundle components have limited or conflicting evidence and the implementation required many midwives to change their usual practice for preventing perineal trauma.

Aim: To measure the effect of perineal bundle implementation on perineal injury for women having unassisted births with midwives.

The financial impact of offering publicly funded homebirths: A population-based microsimulation in Queensland, Australia.

Background: Despite strong evidence of benefits and increasing consumer demand for homebirth, Australia has failed to effectively upscale it. To promote the adoption and expansion of homebirth in the public health care system, policymakers require quantifiable results to evaluate its economic value. To date, there has been limited evaluation of the financial impact of birth settings for women at low risk of pregnancy complications.

Impact of the Thompson method on breastfeeding exclusivity and duration: Multi-method design.

Background: How hospital clinicians facilitate breastfeeding in the first 48-72 h is critical to breastfeeding exclusivity and duration. Mothers who discharge hospital directly breastfeeding are more likely to continue exclusively breastfeeding at 3-months.

Objective: To assess the impact of facility-wide implementation of a physiological breastfeeding method (the Thompson method) on direct breastfeeding at hospital discharge and exclusive breastfeeding at 3-months of age.

Health engagement: a systematic review of tools modifiable for use with vulnerable pregnant women.

Objective: To examine available health engagement tools suitable to, or modifiable for, vulnerable pregnant populations.

Design: Systematic review.

Eligibility Criteria: Original studies of tool development and validation related to health engagement, with abstract available in English, published between 2000 and 2022, sampling people receiving outpatient healthcare including pregnant women.

Developing and evaluating Birthing on Country services for First Nations Australians: the Building On Our Strengths (BOOSt) prospective mixed methods birth cohort study protocol.

Background: With the impact of over two centuries of colonisation in Australia, First Nations families experience a disproportionate burden of adverse pregnancy and birthing outcomes. First Nations mothers are 3-5 times more likely than other mothers to experience maternal mortality; babies are 2-3 times more likely to be born preterm, low birth weight or not to survive their first year. 'Birthing on Country' incorporates a multiplicity of interpretations but conveys a resumption of maternity services in First Nations Communities with Community governance for the best start to life.

Designing a Needs-Oriented Psychological Intervention for Chinese Women Undergoing an Abortion.

Accessing good quality abortion care is a fundamental human right and contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals. However, well-designed abortion care that meets women's needs is limited. This study aims to systematically develop an intervention to promote the psychological well-being of Chinese women undergoing an abortion.

Effects of the STress-And-coping suppoRT (START) intervention on depression and coping of Chinese women seeking a first-trimester abortion: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Abortion is a stressful life event associated with wide variability in women's perceptions and adjustment. There is scarce evidence on interventions to help women cope with abortion and achieve positive psychological health outcomes. This study tested the effect of a stress and coping theory-formed intervention (START) on depression and coping of Chinese women undergoing a first-trimester abortion.

Navigating pregnancy and early motherhood in prison: a thematic analysis of mothers' experiences.

Background: Maternal imprisonment negatively impacts mothers and their children and is likely to have lifelong and intergenerational sequelae. In many jurisdictions nationally and internationally, young children (usually those less than 5 years) can reside with their mothers in prison. However, there is considerable debate regarding the impact of prison environments on incarcerated mothers and their children who are born, and/or raised in prison.

The STress-And-Coping suppoRT Intervention (START) for Chinese Women Undergoing Abortion: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.

Background: Although undergoing an abortion is stressful for most women, little attention has been given to their psychological wellbeing. This protocol aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and primary effects of a complex intervention to promote positive coping behaviors and alleviate depression symptoms among Chinese women who have undergone an abortion.

Methods: A two-arm randomized controlled trial design will be used.

Development of a co-designed, evidence-based, multi-pronged strategy to support normal birth.

Australia's caesarean section (CS) rate has been steadily increasing for decades. In response to this, we co-designed an evidence-based, multi-pronged strategy to increase the normal birth rate in Queensland and reduce the need for CS. We conducted three workshops with a multi-stakeholder group to identify a broad range of options to reduce CS, prioritise these options, and achieve consensus on a final strategy.

Is a randomized controlled trial of waterbirth possible? An Australian feasibility study.

Background: The safety of waterbirth is contested because of the lack of evidence from randomized trials and conflicting results. This research assessed the feasibility of a prospective study of waterbirth (trial or cohort).

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study at an Australian maternity hospital.

Evaluation of a First Peoples-led, emotion-based pedagogical intervention to promote cultural safety in undergraduate non-Indigenous health professional students.

Background: Undergraduate health students learn cultural safety in complex and emotional ways. Pedagogies that account for these complexities must be developed and evaluated.

Objectives: To evaluate a First Peoples-led emotion-based pedagogical intervention on non-Indigenous health professional students' development towards cultural safety.

Critical ethnography in maternity care research: bridging creativity and rigour - a discussion paper.

Ethnography is a useful research method for maternity care research, because it can identify elements of actual practice that may be missed using non-observational research. However, because of the relative creative freedom of writing ethnography, it can be difficult for novice researchers, because there is no particular set of steps to follow. Much of the work of an ethnography is actually just watching, thinking and writing.

Examining the transformative potential of emotion in education: A new measure of nursing and midwifery students' emotional learning in first peoples' cultural safety.

Background: There is growing evidence that non-Indigenous health students engage with cultural safety content in complex emotional ways. Identifying those emotions may contribute to transformative learning.

Objectives: To develop and test a measure of student emotion using an approach that centres relevant theory and First Peoples' perspectives, values and lived realities.

How a perineal care bundle impacts midwifery practice in Australian maternity hospitals: A critical, reflexive thematic analysis.

Background: A care bundle to reduce severe perineal trauma (the bundle) was introduced in 28 Australian maternity hospitals in 2018. The bundle includes five components of which only one - warm perineal compresses - has highest level evidence. There is scant published research about the impact of implementation of perineal bundles.

Nonpharmacological interventions to improve the psychological well-being of women accessing abortion services and their satisfaction with care: A systematic review.

How women perceive and experience abortion impacts their subsequent psychological well-being. This systematic review evaluated nonpharmacological interventions designed to support women undergoing abortion services and improve their psychological well-being and satisfaction with care. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts, and PTSD Pubs.

Women's unmet needs in early labour: Qualitative analysis of free-text survey responses in the M@NGO trial of caseload midwifery.

Objective: to analyse women's experiences of early labour care in caseload midwifery in Australia.

Design: this study sits within a multi-site randomised controlled trial of caseload midwifery versus standard care. Participant surveys were conducted at 6-weeks and 6-months after birth.

Midwives' self-reported knowledge and skills to assess and promote maternal health literacy: A national cross-sectional survey.

Background: Little is known about midwives' knowledge and skills to assess and promote maternal health literacy.

Aims: To test the reliability and validity of a new tool to assess midwives' health literacy knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, midwives were recruited through professional and social media networks.

Immediate, uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding after birth: A cross-sectional electronic survey.

Objective: To determine the incidence of immediate, uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding after birth; and which factors are associated with it.

Design: Cross-sectional e-survey was developed and piloted prior to distribution. Sampling was purposive and included snowball sampling.

Implementing Birthing on Country services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families: RISE Framework.

Background: Birthing on Country is an international movement to return maternity services to First Nations communities and community control for improved health and wellbeing.

Question: How can we implement Birthing on Country services for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander families across Australia?

Methods: We have developed a framework from theoretical, policy and research literature on Birthing on Country; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices from across Australia; reviews exploring programs that have improved outcomes for Indigenous mothers and infants; and the retrospective synthesis of learnings from two empirical studies that have redesigned maternal infant health services and improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

Results: The RISE Framework has four pillars to drive important reform: (1) Redesign the health service; (2) Invest in the workforce; (3) Strengthen families; and, (4) Embed Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community governance and control.

The impact of caseload midwifery, compared with standard care, on women's perceptions of antenatal care quality: Survey results from the M@NGO randomized controlled trial for women of any risk.

Background: The measurement and interpretation of patient experience is a distinct dimension of health care quality. The Midwives @ New Group practice Options (M@NGO) randomized control trial of caseload midwifery compared with standard care among women regardless of risk reported both clinical and cost benefits. This study reports participants' perceptions of the quality of antenatal care within caseload midwifery, compared with standard care for women of any risk within that trial.