Quality of care at childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium: a cross-sectional study based on WHO standards.

Objectives: To examine quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around childbirth in facilities in Belgium during the COVID-19 pandemic and trends over time.

Design: A cross-sectional observational study.

Setting: Data of the Improving MAternal Newborn carE in the EURO region study in Belgium.

Women's suggestions on how to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care: A qualitative analysis from the IMAgiNE EURO survey in Italy during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Collecting women's views and suggestions for improving quality of maternal-newborn care (QMNC) is a crucial aspect of maternity care evaluation often overlooked in Italy and globally. Childbearing women experienced numerous challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic including the rapid and significant reorganization of maternity services and care. Their perspective on what to prioritize for QMNC improvement is hence pivotal.

Trends in the quality of maternal and neonatal care in Sweden and Norway as compared to 12 WHO European countries: A cross-sectional survey investigating maternal perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Maternal-neonatal healthcare services were severely disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic in even high-income countries within the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. The objective of this study was to compare trends in the quality of maternal and neonatal care (QMNC) in Sweden and Norway to 12 other countries from the WHO European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify domains for improvement.

Material And Methods: This cross-sectional study included women giving birth in Europe from March 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022.

Implementation of the WHO Standards to assess the quality of paediatric care using health workers as source of data: findings of a multicentre study (CHOICE) in Italy.

Objectives: There is little experience in implementing the WHO Standards for improving the quality of care (QOC) for children. We describe the use of 75 WHO-Standard based Quality Measures to assess paediatric QOC, using health workers (HWs) as data sources.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Parental stress, depression, anxiety and participation to care in neonatal intensive care units: results of a prospective study in Italy, Brazil and Tanzania.

Background: Studies comparing the frequency of different mental health conditions across different settings and evaluating their association with parental participation in newborn care are lacking. We aimed at evaluating the frequency of parental stress, anxiety and depression, along with the level of participation in newborn care, among parents of newborns in Italy, Brazil and Tanzania.

Methods: Parental stress, anxiety, depression and participation in care were assessed prospectively in parents of newborns in eight neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) utilising: the Parental Stressor Scale in NICU (PSS:NICU); the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and EPDS-Anxiety subscale (EPDS-A); the Index of Parental Participation in NICU (IPP-NICU).

Family-centred care interventions in neonatal intensive care units: a scoping review of randomised controlled trials providing a menu of interventions, outcomes and measurement methods.

Background: Benefits of different types of family-centred care (FCC) interventions in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have been reported. However, a comprehensive review of existing FCC intervention studies was lacking.

Objective: This review aimed at synthesising the characteristics of FCC interventions, related outcomes and measurement methods in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in NICU, and providing menus of options to favour implementation and further research.

Characteristics of intervention studies on family-centred care in neonatal intensive care units: a scoping review of randomised controlled trials.

Background: Different definitions of family-centred care (FCC) exist in the newborn setting, and many FCC interventions have been tested, while a comprehensive review synthesising characteristics of existing intervention studies is still lacking.

Objective: This review aims at summarising the characteristics of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on FCC interventions in neonatal intensive care units.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library up to 31 January 2022, and reference lists of included studies and other reviews.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Italian version of the Paediatric Palliative Screening Scale.

Unlabelled: The number of children eligible for Paediatric Palliative Care has dramatically increased over the years, with few tools that can help with early identification. The Paediatric Palliative Screening Scale is a dedicated German, English, and Portuguese screening tool. We aimed to translate and perform a cultural adaptation to the Italian setting of the Paediatric Palliative Screening Scale.

Parental stress, depression, anxiety and participation in care in neonatal intensive care unit: a cross-sectional study in Italy comparing mothers versus fathers.

Background: This study aimed at documenting the levels of stress, depression, anxiety and participation in care among mothers versus fathers of newborns hospitalised in a third-level neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Northern Italy.

Methods: Parental stress, depression and anxiety were assessed by the Parental Stressor Scale in NICU (PSS:NICU), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Participation in care was evaluated with the Index of Parental Participation.

Mobile Vaccination Teams for Improving Vaccination Coverage in the Kyrgyz Republic: Results of a National Health System-Strengthening Project during the First Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

(1) Background: This implementation study reports on the results of the mobile vaccination teams' (MVTs) activities during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kyrgyzstan, when other vaccination services were disrupted. (2) Methods: Through a national health system-strengthening project under an order of the Ministry of Health, in 2020, the number of MVTs was increased, focusing on internal immigrant settlements around the cities of Bishkek and Osh and geographically remote areas. MVTs provided free vaccination services.

Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic: a subset of the IMAgiNE EURO cross-sectional study.

Background: Evidence has shown that restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively affected breastfeeding support and outcomes in hospitals in many countries. The aims of the study were to describe exclusive breastfeeding rates and identify factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge among women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel.

Methods: A cross-sectional online anonymous survey based on WHO standards for improving quality of maternal and newborn care in health facilities was conducted among a sample of women who gave birth to a healthy singleton infant in Israel during the pandemic (between March 2020 and April 2022).

Vulnerable newborn types: analysis of subnational, population-based birth cohorts for 541 285 live births in 23 countries, 2000-2021.

Objective: To examine prevalence of novel newborn types among 541 285 live births in 23 countries from 2000 to 2021.

Design: Descriptive multi-country secondary data analysis.

Setting: Subnational, population-based birth cohort studies (n = 45) in 23 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) spanning 2000-2021.

Women's experiences and views on early breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway: quantitative and qualitative findings from the IMAgiNE EURO study.

Background: Little is known about women's experience of care and views on early breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway.

Methods: Women (n = 2922) who gave birth in a facility in Norway between March 2020 and June 2021 were invited to answer an online questionnaire based on World Health Organization (WHO) Standard-based quality measures, exploring their experiences of care and views on early breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. To examine associations between year of birth (2020, 2021) and early breastfeeding-related factors, we estimated odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using multiple logistic regression.

[Violated birth integrity during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: experiences of women with maternity care].

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic may increase women's vulnerability through violations of their integrity during birth. In a cross-sectional study (March 2020 to March 2022), we investigated how women giving birth experienced maternity care during the pandemic in Germany and which factors were associated with their birth integrity.

Methods: In a survey (validated questionnaire and two open-ended questions), women ≥ 18 years described their experiences of maternity care.

Women's perspectives on the quality of maternal and newborn care in childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latvia: Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study on 40 WHO standards-based quality measures.

Objective: To investigate women's perspectives on the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Latvia, comparing the years 2020 and 2021, among women who went into labor or had a prelabor cesarean.

Methods: Women giving birth in healthcare facilities in Latvia from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, answered an online questionnaire including 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. Descriptive and multivariate quantile regression analyses were performed to compare QMNC in 2020 and 2021.

Quality of maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth for migrant versus nonmigrant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the IMAgiNE EURO study in 11 countries of the WHO European region.

Objective: To describe the perception of quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) around the time of childbirth among migrant and nonmigrant women in Europe.

Methods: Women who gave birth at a health facility in 11 countries of the WHO European Region from March 2020 to July 2021 were invited to answer an online questionnaire including demographics and childbirth experience. Data were analyzed and compared for 1781 migrant and 20 653 nonmigrant women.

Quality of maternal and newborn care around the time of childbirth in Luxembourg during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results of the IMAgiNE EURO study.

Objective: To investigate the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during childbirth in Luxembourg from women's perspectives.

Methods: Women giving birth in facilities in Luxembourg between March 1, 2020, and July 1, 2021, answered a validated online WHO standards-based questionnaire as part of the multicountry IMAgINE EURO study. Descriptive and multivariate quantile regression analyses were performed.

Quality of health care around the time of childbirth during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the IMAgiNE EURO study in Norway and trends over time.

Objective: To describe maternal perception of the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) in facilities in Norway during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Women who gave birth in a Norwegian facility from March 1, 2020, to October 28, 2021, filled out a structured online questionnaire based on 40 WHO standards-based quality measures. Quantile regression analysis was performed to assess changes in QMNC index over time.

Rates of instrumental vaginal birth and cesarean and quality of maternal and newborn health care in private versus public facilities: Results of the IMAgiNE EURO study in 16 countries.

Objective: To explore the quality of maternal and newborn care (QMNC) during the COVID-19 pandemic by facility type among 16 European countries, comparing rates of instrumental vaginal birth and cesarean.

Methods: Women who gave birth in the WHO European Region from March 1, 2020, to February 7, 2022, answered a validated online questionnaire. Rates of instrumental birth, instrumental vaginal birth, and cesarean, and a QMNC index were calculated for births in public versus private facilities.

Individual and country-level variables associated with the medicalization of birth: Multilevel analyses of IMAgiNE EURO data from 15 countries in the WHO European region.

Objective: To investigate potential associations between individual and country-level factors and medicalization of birth in 15 European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Online anonymous survey of women who gave birth in 2020-2021. Multivariable multilevel logistic regression models estimating associations between indicators of medicalization (cesarean, instrumental vaginal birth [IVB], episiotomy, fundal pressure) and proxy variables related to care culture and contextual factors at the individual and country level.

IMAgiNE EURO: Data for action on quality of maternal and newborn care in 20 European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A summary of the findings in the Supplement, highlighting the heterogeneity in reported quality of maternity care and inequalities within and between countries in the European region.