Sociodemographic factor associations with maternal and placental outcomes: A cluster and partial least squares regression analysis.

Introduction: Maternal social disadvantage adversely affects maternal and offspring health, with limited research on placental outcomes. Therefore, we examined maternal sociodemographic factor associations with placental and birth outcomes in general (Lifeways Cross-Generation Cohort) and at-risk (PEARS Study of mothers with overweight or obesity) populations of pregnant women.

Methods: TwoStep cluster analysis profiled Lifeways mothers (n = 250) based on their age, parity, marital status, household income, private healthcare insurance, homeowner status, and education.

The importance of communication and involvement in decision-making: A study in Ireland exploring birth satisfaction using the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R).

Introduction: Evaluation in healthcare services has become a priority, globally. The Government of Ireland has highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement to identify the needs of women in the design and delivery of high-quality health services, driven by necessity rather than financial ability. The Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R), an internationally validated tool, and recommended for measuring childbirth satisfaction by the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM); however, it has yet to be considered in the Irish context.

'Labour Hopscotch': Women's evaluation of using the steps during labor.

Introduction: Concerns have been expressed globally about the decline in rates of physiological birth and rising intervention rates during labor and birth. The 'Labour Hopscotch' Framework, a visual depiction of steps required to remain active during labor was implemented in a large tertiary maternity hospital in Ireland. The aim of this study was to evaluate the steps of the Labour Hopscotch women found most useful, examine the use of non-pharmacological and pharmacological methods of pain relief used during labor and finally to investigate the labor and birth outcomes of women who used 'Labour Hopscotch' during labor.

Exploring midwives' experiences of implementing the Labour Hopscotch Framework: A midwifery innovation.

Introduction: Midwives are ideally placed to promote physiological birth and improve women's birth experiences. Freedom of movement in labor is highly recommended as it reduces a need for obstetric interventions in labor and prevents and corrects labor complications, such as poor progress and malposition of the fetus. The Labour Hopscotch Framework (LHF) provides women and midwives with a visual depiction of the steps they can undertake to remain active and, in this way, support physiological birth processes.

Maternal C3 complement and C-reactive protein and pregnancy and fetal outcomes: A secondary analysis of the PEARS RCT-An mHealth-supported, lifestyle intervention among pregnant women with overweight and obesity.

Objectives: Elevated circulating levels of complement component 3 (C3) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Lifestyle interventions may hold potential to ameliorate these effects. We investigated the effect of an antenatal healthy lifestyle intervention on maternal C3 and CRP concentrations and assessed their relationship with maternal and fetal metabolic markers and outcomes.

Effect of an Antenatal Lifestyle Intervention on Dietary Inflammatory Index and Its Associations with Maternal and Fetal Outcomes: A Secondary Analysis of the PEARS Trial.

We investigated the effect of an antenatal lifestyle intervention of a low-glycaemic index (GI) diet and physical activity on energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) and explored its relationship with maternal and child health in women with overweight and obesity. This was a secondary analysis of 434 mother-child pairs from the Pregnancy Exercise and Nutrition Study (PEARS) trial in Dublin, Ireland. E-DII scores were calculated for early (10-16 weeks) and late (28 weeks) pregnancy.

Quality of life and sexual function after a pregnancy complicated by placenta accreta spectrum.

Background And Aims: Little is known about the impact of Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) on quality of life (QoL). This study aims to explore QoL and sexual function after a pregnancy complicated by PAS.

Methods: Women who experienced a pregnancy complicated by PAS were invited to complete an online survey.

Perineal management: Midwives' confidence and educational needs.

Objective: The overall aim of this study was to collate information to inform the updating of a perineal management educational programme for midwives. This paper explores midwives' confidence and educational needs in managing the woman's perineum during the second stage of labour, focusing on future quality initiatives to improve midwives' experiences and expertise in the prevention of perineal trauma during birth.

Design: A mixed-methods sequential exploratory design was used.

Limited Impact of Fetal Sex and Maternal Body Mass Index on Fetal and Maternal Insulin Resistance and Lipid Metabolism: Findings from the PEARs Study.

The intrauterine environment can have a significant impact on fetal and maternal well-being, both during pregnancy and in later life. We aimed to identify how fetal sex and maternal body mass index (BMI) influence insulin resistance and metabolic function during pregnancy with maternal BMI > 25 kg/m. This secondary analysis assessed data from the PEARS-randomized controlled trial that recruited pregnant women with body mass indexes 25-39.