Childbirth

Childbirth is a special event for women. Maternal satisfaction regarding childbirth is quite important, that is why this factor has to be taken into account. A bad experience related to childbirth could lead to serious psychological and organic consequences such as postpartum depression, mother-baby bond deterioration and chronic pelvic pain. Childbirth image changed over the years to the extent that an increasingly physiological process keeping analgesia and safety is more and more desired. In this perspective, this study aims to investigate an approach so-called ambulatory epidural. Indeed, only a few studies have been conducted and the ones published in 1990s did not involve the current recommended pharmacological protocols.

EARLY-PREG is an open-cohort clinical study with a preconception, longitudinal, bidirectional and counterfactual design. The aim of this cohort is to investigate the proteomic signatures of maternal-embryonic communication by interrogating a growing biorepository of maternal fluids and tissues collected during the first two weeks after fertilisation. Participants in the EARLY-PREG cohort consist of healthy couples seeking pregnancy, as well as women who are not seeking to conceive. The three main outcomes in the cohort are defined according to menstrual cycles in which conception is achieved and those in which conception is not achieved. Their clinical definitions are as follows: * Pregnancy with a full-term live birth refers to the cycle in which the ovum is fertilised, leading to pregnancy, with beta-hCG levels above the clinical threshold for a positive pregnancy test. * Early pregnancy loss refers to a miscarriage up to 12 6/7 weeks. * Non-pregnancy refers to a menstrual cycle in which conception does not occur, confirmed by a clinically negative beta-hCG test. When referring to the same individual, this is, by definition, considered the counterfactual to the corresponding conception cycle.

Accidentally retained surgical items or swabs are well-recognised errors that result in adverse consequences for patients. This error is one of the commonest "Never Events" - patient safety incidents that are considered preventable. Although uncommon, these incidents can have devastating consequences. Retained surgical items have 70% re-interventions, reaching 80% morbidity and 35% mortality. Swabs or sponges are like small towels that soak up blood and body fluids so that the surgeon can visualise the operating area effectively. Swabs are used in all areas of surgery which include operations on the tummy, chest, limbs. They are also used in the vagina during childbirth, to assess for tears and to minimise blood oozing from the vagina. The common risk factors for this error are out of hours surgical or childbirth procedures, multiple handovers in the care of the patient, raised BMI (Body Mass Index) and unplanned change to the operative intervention. As the name suggests, a 'never event' should never happen in the first place. Never. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Incidents involving surgical swabs being left behind, particularly during a caesarean section or a perineal repair following a vaginal birth, are still happening despite over 100 years of institutional awareness of the problem and tentative solutions being implemented in clinical practice. never-event incidents involving retained surgical swabs are a widespread problem affecting healthcare systems worldwide. It is therefore reasonable to ask the question: why are surgical swabs being left behind and what can be done to prevent this from happening?

Abstract This study will be conducted to determine the effect of sharing positive birth experiences and mental imagery on birth self-efficacy and fear of childbirth. The study is a single-center, parallel-group, stratified block (in terms of fear of childbirth level) randomized controlled experimental study. The study sample will consist of a total of 84 participants, with 42 in the intervention group and 42 in the control group. The study is planned to be conducted between July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. Inclusion criteria for the study are: WİJMA A scale score average below 85, age over 18, being primiparous, being in the 20th to 26th week of pregnancy, having no complications in the mother or fetus during pregnancy (gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, congenital anomalies, etc.), having no communication problems (mental, auditory, visual, language, etc.), and volunteering to participate in the study. The study data will be collected using a personal information form, the Wijma Childbirth Expectancy/Experience Scale Version A (W-DEQ A), and the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (CBSEI-C32). Women will be invited to participate in online training sessions in groups of 3-10 people. Positive birth stories will be shared with the women, and visualization exercises will be demonstrated. Following the training sessions, the follow-up phase of the study will begin, and women will be provided with an audio recording of the visualization guidelines in MP3 format. Women will be asked to perform visualization exercises at least once or twice daily for a minimum of eight weeks. No intervention will be applied to the control group.

Childbirth is generally regarded as a positive life-changing experience. Up to 44% of women may however experience this as a traumatic event, with 3% suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after childbirth. The aetiology of a traumatic childbirth experience is a complex interplay between pre-birth, intra-partum and postnatal factors. Feelings of loss of control, lack of interaction with the obstetric caregiver and lack of emotional or practical support during labour are important contributing factors. This trial aims to investigate the effect of providing Visual Biofeedback (VB) through Trans-Perineal Ultrasound (TPU) during the active 2nd stage of labour on maternal childbirth satisfaction. The hypothesis is that the intervention will improve patient-caregiver communication and enhance parturient women's sense of control and empowerment, ultimately improving the birth experience.

In this proposed study, the investigators hope to assess the quality of recovery after delivery in a local population that would take into account physiological and psychological parameters to better understand the recovery process after delivery. The investigators will identify risk factors, especially those that are modifiable and associated with a poorer ObsQoR score and hence a poor quality of recovery after delivery. This data may then be used to educate women and manage expectations in the postpartum period, and help develop potential therapeutic interventions.

There is a need for studies with a high level of evidence regarding the effect of supportive care given during the preconceptional period, pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum processes. With this planned study, it is aimed to evaluate the effect of continuous midwife support during pregnancy, birth and postpartum periods, starting from the preconceptional period, on various parameters related to pregnancy, birth and postpartum period. The research is planned as a randomized controlled experimental study. It consists of two groups, the study group and the control group. 75 women out of 150 women will form the control group and 75 women will form the study group. The women in the working group will be given individual training in line with their needs. Data will be collected by using the checklist and many scales used by the control and study groups in preconceptional counseling recommended by ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists).

Regular exercise during pregnancy and postpartum leads to health benefits for mother and child. Inactivity during pregnancy and after delivery is now treated as risky behavior. Physically active pregnant women significantly less often suffer from, among others, gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain, lipids disorders, hypertension, preeclampsia, depressive symptoms, functional and structural disorders, including stress urinary incontinence, back pain or diastasis recti abdominis (DRA). Prenatal physical activity reduces the risk of premature delivery and miscarriage, fetal macrosomia, complications in labor or the risk of metabolic disorders in children. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has become one of the most popular trends in the fitness sector. The effectiveness of HIIT on a number of health indicators has been proven in various populations but limited data are available on HIIT during pregnancy. The first hypothesis is that the HIIT, implemented during pregnancy and after childbirth, as a stronger exercise stimulus, will have a better impact on selected biological and psychological parameters of mothers, as well as on selected health parameters of their children, compared to the MICT (moderate intensity continuous training). Therefore, it promises better preventive effects on pregnancy complications and ailments as well as non-communicable diseases occurring in these populations. In the second hypothesis, it was assumed that HIIT and MICT implemented during pregnancy and after childbirth, tailored to the specific needs of the perinatal period, will not differ in the effectiveness of maintaining normal functional parameters in women, including prevention of urinary incontinence, back pain, DRA, etc. Pregnant women who apply for the study will be divided into three groups: those attending the HIIT, MICT or educational programs. During the study, the participants will be under standard obstetric care. As comparative groups, non-pregnant women will be also recruited. The investigators will collect data on selected biological, functional and psychological parameters in the study women at each trimester of pregnancy, during the puerperium and one year after childbirth. The data from the medical documentation on the course of childbirth and the assessment of the new-born, as well as the results of preventive examinations in the study women's children aged one, two, four and six years will be also analyzed.