Women's Acceptability of and Satisfaction With Self-Monitoring Blood Pressure During Pregnancy.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptability and satisfaction of pregnant women at risk of hypertensive disorders with self-monitoring their blood pressure.

Design: A prospective cross-sectional study.

Methods: Women at risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy were recommended to self-monitor their blood pressure at the study site to reduce hospital visits.

Association between pregnancy intention and completion of newborn and infant continuum of care in Sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The newborn and infant continuum of care such as essential newborn care, early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding, and immunisation are highly recommended for improving the quality of life and survival of infants. However, newborn and infant mortality remains high across Sub-Saharan African countries. While unintended pregnancies are associated with adverse newborn and infant health outcomes, there is inconclusive evidence on whether pregnancy intention influences newborn and infant continuum of care completion.

Barriers and facilitators of access to maternity care for African-born women living in Australia: a meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence.

Background: Adverse perinatal health outcomes are notably high among African-born women living in Australia. This problem is partly attributed to their lower engagement in maternity care services as compared to Australian-born women. Various barriers might limit African-born women's access to and use of services; however, these barriers are not well documented.

Obesity in women giving birth in Victoria, 2010-2019: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of obesity in pregnant women in Victoria, 2010-2019.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study; analysis of Victorian Perinatal Data Collection data.

Setting, Participants: Women who gave birth in seventeen Victorian Department of Health areas (eight metropolitan, nine regional), 2010-2019.

An innovative low-cost breast pump-hire program to enhance breastfeeding rates in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Aim: To evaluate the outcomes of a low-cost hospital-grade breast pump hire program for women experiencing financial hardship with infants in neonatal intensive care.

Design: A multi-method evaluation including data audits and surveys.

Methods: Twenty-four electric breast pumps were purchased and rented to mothers at a cost of $1/day.

Breastfeeding and pre-pregnancy bariatric surgery: A scoping review.

Background: Bariatric surgery is a procedure for people with class II and III obesity who are unable to lose weight using traditional methods. The incidence rate of bariatric surgery in reproductive-age women is increasing rapidly, so the number of women who become pregnant after bariatric surgery is rising.

Aim: To collate and synthesise available literature regarding breastfeeding following bariatric surgery.

Sustainability of rural Victorian maternity services: 'We can work together'.

Background: Rural maternity service closures and service level reductions are continually increasing across Victoria. There is limited understanding of how rural board members and executives make decisions about their maternity service's operations and sustainability.

Aim: To examine perspectives of rural Victorian board members and executives on the sustainability of rural maternity services.

Development of the essential learning outcomes for the midwifery student continuity of care learning model: A Delphi study.

Background: In Australia, midwifery students are required to undertake at least ten Continuity of Care Experiences (CoCE) during their education. The learning outcomes of this experience have never been explicit or standardised resulting in inconsistent assessment.

Aim: To develop and identify standardised learning outcomes for the CoCE.

Barriers and enablers to antenatal care attendance for women referred to social work services in a Victorian regional hospital: A qualitative descriptive study.

Background: Women referred to social work services during pregnancy are more likely to experience social disadvantage than those who are not, resulting in reduced antenatal care attendance. Lack of antenatal care engagement leads to poor identification and management of concerns that can have immediate and long-term health consequences for women and their babies. Identifying the barriers and enablers to antenatal care attendance for women referred to social work services is important for designing models of care that promote effective engagement.

Pregnant women with diabetes and their clinician's experience of participating in a pilot randomised controlled trial of corticosteroid administration in late pregnancy: A qualitative study.

Background: Little research exists to support the administration of corticosteroids to pregnant women with diabetes. Pregnant women are often excluded from clinical trials due to concerns of harm to the foetus.

Aim: This study aimed to understand the experiences of women and clinicians of participating in the Prevention of neonatal Respiratory distress with antenatal corticosteroids before Elective Caesarean section in women with Diabetes pilot randomised controlled trial to determine the acceptability of the study protocol.

Advocacy, accountability and autonomy; the learning intention of the midwifery student continuity of care experience.

Problem: The Continuity of Care Experience is a mandated inclusion in midwifery education programs leading to registration as a midwife in Australia. The practice-based learning experience has evolved over time, yet there remains no standardised learning intentions, objectives, or outcomes for the model.

Aim: To identify the key learning intentions of the Continuity of Care Experience by an expert panel to support the development of learning outcomes.

Satisfaction with maternity triage following implementation of the Birmingham Symptom-Specific Obstetric Triage System (BSOTS): Perspectives of women and staff.

Aim: To explore the satisfaction and experiences of women and staff with the BSOTS in an Australian hospital.

Design: Cross-sectional descriptive survey.

Methods: Surveys were distributed to women and staff between February and May 2022.

The Green Maternity project: A midwife-led initiative to promote correct waste segregation on an Australian postnatal ward.

Aims: Healthcare waste production is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, negatively impacting the environment. Ineffective healthcare waste disposal results in greater measures to manage it which is costly to both the environment and healthcare organizations. This study aimed to improve waste management in a tertiary maternity hospital.

Food insecurity screening procedures used in reproductive healthcare settings.

Context: Food insecurity is an important determinant of health and should be identified by clinicians during routine reproductive healthcare. The procedures used in reproductive healthcare settings to identify people experiencing food insecurity have not been fully researched.

Objective: The objective of this study was to synthesize evidence from published studies that describe the procedures implemented by clinicians in healthcare settings to identify food insecurity in pregnant women, or women of reproductive age (15 years-49 years).

Experiences and information needs of women who become pregnant after bariatric surgery: An interpretive descriptive qualitative study.

Background: Obesity is known to negatively impact fertility and increase pregnancy related complications. Many women of childbearing age opt for bariatric surgery to lose weight in the preconception period. Physiological changes of bariatric surgery are associated with both benefits and risks for maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Rural maternity and media discourse analysis: Framing new narratives.

Introduction: Continued rural maternity closure across Australia has seen impacts on women and families such as financial pressures, quality and safety concerns, and emotional pressure. This review aimed at understanding how media coverage of rural maternity and closure are presented and what impact this may have on maternity service sustainability.

Objective: This research seeks to examine media discourse and characteristics of online newspaper articles related to rural maternity services.

Language used to describe the Australian midwifery workforce: A change opportunity to improve professional identity.

Background: Tertiary level midwifery educational pathways to achieve registration as a midwife vary in Australia, with a shift from the hospital to the university sector more than 20 years ago. These pathways are often referred to in the workforce setting to distinguish midwives with different academic backgrounds.

Aim: To discuss the genesis of midwifery education in the Australian setting and explore the impact of the language used to describe the educational backgrounds on the professional identity of midwives.

Evaluating the implementation of the Birmingham Symptom-specific Obstetric Triage System (BSOTS) in Australia.

Background: Obstetric triage is usually undertaken by a midwife and involves conducting a physical assessment to identify a woman's presenting problem. The Birmingham Symptom-specific Obstetric Triage System (BSOTS) was developed in the United Kingdom (UK) to overcome challenges associated with triaging women by standardising the maternity triage process. The Australian study site is the first hospital outside the UK to implement this approach.

A dedicated antenatal clinic for pregnant women with morbid and super-obesity: Patient characteristics, outcomes, perceptions and lessons learnt from establishing the DIAMOND clinic.

Background: The DIAMOND antenatal clinic was established to provide multidisciplinary continuity of care to pregnant women living with morbid (body mass index (BMI) ≥40 kg/m ) or super-obesity (BMI ≥50 kg/m ).

Aim: The aim was to describe clinic processes, demographics, clinical outcomes and women's perceptions of the clinic.

Methods: Women who received antenatal care in the clinic between 2016 and 2019 (n = 257) had routine data collected for retrospective analysis.

Australian maternity service provision: a comparative analysis of state and territory maternity care frameworks.

Objective Healthcare delivery in Australia is managed at state and territory levels. This paper aims to compare the content and structure of publicly accessible Australian maternity service state and territory frameworks which guide the delivery of maternity care. Methods A scoping review was conducted to identify publicly accessible Australian state and territory maternity service frameworks.

Australian maternity care, considering risk and supporting safety: A scoping review.

Objective: Assessment of women's risk status influences the operationalisation of maternity. Decisions are made at a health service executive level, related to the ongoing level of maternity care provided, and/or sustainability of the maternity service. The aim of this scoping review was to explore how health service executives considered maternity risk when operationalising safe maternity services in Australia.

The introduction of registered undergraduate students of midwifery in a tertiary hospital: Experiences of staff, supervisors, and women.

Background: The Registered Undergraduate Student of Midwifery (RUSOM) workforce model provides final year midwifery students an opportunity of paid employment and gain experience as an assistant to midwives. A RUSOM supports the work of midwives by providing care to women and their newborns. Little is known about how the RUSOM role impacts the range of stakeholders in maternity care settings.