Women's Birth Beliefs During Pregnancy and Postpartum in the Netherlands: A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Women and care providers increasingly regard childbirth as a medical process, resulting in high use of medical interventions, which could negatively affect a woman's childbirth experience. Women's birth beliefs may be key to understanding the decisions they make and the acceptance of medical interventions in childbirth. In this study we explore women's beliefs about birth as a natural and medical process and the factors that are associated with women's birth beliefs.

Women's decision-making autonomy in Dutch maternity care.

Background: A positive childbirth experience is an important outcome of maternity care. A significant component of a positive birth experience is the ability to exercise autonomy in decision-making. In this study, we explore women's reports of their autonomy during conversations about their care with maternity care practitioners during pregnancy and childbirth.

Sources of information used by women during pregnancy and the perceived quality.

Background: Access to reliable information is critical to women's experience and wellbeing during pregnancy and childbirth. In our information-rich society, women are exposed to a wide range of information sources. The primary objective of this study was to explore women's use of information sources during pregnancy and to examine the perceived usefulness and trustworthiness of these sources.

Evaluating the effect of an educational intervention on student midwife self-efficacy for their role as physiological childbirth advocates.

Introduction: Midwifery education that strengthens self-efficacy can support student midwives in their role as advocates for a physiological approach to childbirth.

Methods: To assess the effect of an educational intervention on self-efficacy, a pre- and post-intervention survey was administered to a control group and an intervention group of third year student midwives. The General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) was supplemented with midwifery-related self-efficacy questions related to behaviour in home and hospital settings, the communication of evidence, and ability to challenge practice.

Impact of maternal height on birthweight classification in singleton births at term: a cohort study in The Netherlands.

Objective: To assess the association between maternal height and birthweight in a healthy population and to study the effect of maternal height on the classification of birthweight as small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA).

Methods: A descriptive, observational retrospective study was conducted in a low risk population in the Netherlands. The study included term singleton healthy nonsmoking pregnant women with normal body mass index ( = 9291).

Effect of the use of a national information brochure about fetal movements on patient delay.

Background: Perinatal audits in the Netherlands showed that stillbirth was nearly always preceded by a period of reduced fetal movements. Patient or caregiver delay was identified as a substandard care factor.

Aim: To determine whether the use of a new information brochure for pregnant women on fetal movements results in less patient delay in contacting their maternity caregiver.

Creating an Optimality Index - Netherlands: a validation study.

Background: At present, the maternity care system in the Netherlands is being reorganized into an integrated model of care, shifting the focus of midwives to include increasing numbers of births in hospital settings and clients with medium risk profiles. In light of these changes, it is useful for midwives to have a tool which may help them in reflecting upon care practices that promote physiological childbirth practices. The Optimality Index-US is an evidence based tool, designed to measure optimal perinatal care processes and outcomes.

Factors affecting perceived change in physical activity in pregnancy.

Objective: reduction of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy is common but undesirable, as it is associated with negative outcomes, including excessive gestational weight gain. Our objective was to explore changes in five types of activity that occurred during pregnancy and the behavioural determinants of the reported changes in PA.

Design: we performed a secondary analysis of a cross sectional survey that was constructed using the ASE-Model - an approach to identifying the factors that drive behaviour change that focuses on Attitude, Social influence, and self-Efficacy.

The use of midwife-led primary antenatal care by obese women in The Netherlands: An explorative cohort study.

Objective: to study the effect of body mass index (BMI) on the use of antenatal care by women in midwife-led care.

Design: an explorative cohort study.

Setting: 11 Dutch midwife-led practices.

The effect of gestational weight gain on likelihood of referral to obstetric care for women eligible for primary, midwife-led care after antenatal booking.

Objective: to examine the effect of gestational weight gain (GWG) on likelihood of referral from midwife-led to obstetrician-led care during pregnancy and childbirth for women in primary care at the outset of their pregnancy.

Design: secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study.

Setting: Dutch midwife-led practices.

A simple formula for the calculation of sample size in pilot studies.

One of the goals of a pilot study is to identify unforeseen problems, such as ambiguous inclusion or exclusion criteria or misinterpretations of questionnaire items. Although sample size calculation methods for pilot studies have been proposed, none of them are directed at the goal of problem detection. In this article, we present a simple formula to calculate the sample size needed to be able to identify, with a chosen level of confidence, problems that may arise with a given probability.

Weight gain in healthy pregnant women in relation to pre-pregnancy BMI, diet and physical activity.

Objective: to explore gestational weight gain in healthy women in relation to pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index, diet and physical activity.

Design: a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 455 healthy pregnant women of all gestational ages receiving antenatal care from an independent midwife in the Netherlands. Weight gain was assessed using the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines and classified as below, within, or above the guidelines.

Factors influencing maternal distress among Dutch women with a healthy pregnancy.

Background: Maternal distress is a public health concern. Assessment of emotional wellbeing is not integrated in Dutch antenatal care. Midwives need to understand the influencing factors in order to identify women who are more vulnerable to experience maternal distress.

Dutch midwives' behavioural intentions of antenatal management of maternal distress and factors influencing these intentions: an exploratory survey.

Objective: to explore midwives' behavioural intentions and the determinants of these intentions with regard to the management of antenatal care of women with maternal distress.

Design: an exploratory survey using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics calculated expanded TPB constructs, demographic information, personal characteristics and work related details.

Influence on birthing positions affects women's sense of control in second stage of labour.

Objective: to explore whether choices in birthing positions contributes to women's sense of control during birth.

Design: survey using a self-report questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate which factors associated with choices in birthing positions affected women's sense of control.

Patterns of gestational weight gain in healthy, low-risk pregnant women without co-morbidities.

Background: little is known of the impact of gestational weight gain (GWG) in relation to Body Mass Index (BMI) classification on perinatal outcomes in healthy pregnant women without co-morbidities. As a first step, the prevalence of obesity and the distribution of GWG in relation to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2009 guidelines for GWG were examined.

Methods: data from a prospective cohort study of - a priori - low risk, pregnant women from five midwife-led practices (n=1449) were analysed.

Preferred place of birth: characteristics and motives of low-risk nulliparous women in the Netherlands.

Objective: to explores preferences, characteristics and motives regarding place of birth of low-risk nulliparous women in the Netherlands.

Design: a prospective cohort study of low-risk nulliparous women and their partners starting their pregnancy in midwifery-led care or in obstetric-led care. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, including questions on demographic, psychosocial and pregnancy factors and statements about motives with regard to place of birth.

The effect of guiding questions on students' performance and attitude towards statistics.

Background: In this study, the effect of guidance on students' performance was investigated. This effect was hypothesized to be manifested through a reduction of cognitive load and enhancement of self-explanations.

Aim: The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of guiding questions on students' understanding of statistics.

The effect of directive tutor guidance on students' conceptual understanding of statistics in problem-based learning.

Background: Education is aimed at students reaching conceptual understanding of the subject matter, because this leads to better performance and application of knowledge. Conceptual understanding depends on coherent and error-free knowledge structures. The construction of such knowledge structures can only be accomplished through active learning and when new knowledge can be integrated into prior knowledge.