title: The challenge of improving perinatal care in settings with limited resources. Observations of midwifery practices in Mozambique.
abstract: The aim of this study was to observe and analyse midwifery care routines related to asphyxia and hypothermia during the perinatal period and to investigate the effect of an in-service education program. A direct non-participant pre- and post-intervention observation study of midwifery a performance during childbirth was conducted at a labour ward in Maputo. The observed groups consisted of 702 and 616 midwifery-attended deliveries. Examination was also conducted of the partographs (702 vs. 616). The quality of midwifery care related to prevention and early detection of asphyxia and hypothermia was found to be inadequate and the intervention had no significant effect upon the midwives' performances. This could be attributed to the quality of the intervention itself or to failure of implementing managerial decisions such as transfer of partograph documentation from obstetricians to midwives. Change in professional performance does not automatically follow awareness of evidence-based midwifery practices, but requires behavioural change, which may be more difficult to achieve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Woman and Child Health, Division of Reproductive and Perinatal Health Care, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. kyllike.christensson@phs.ki.se
authors.forename: Kyllike
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Christensson
authors.forename: Karen Odberg
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Pettersson
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bugalho
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manuela
authors.forename: Clemencia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dgedge
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergström
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001238:Asphyxia Neonatorum / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education / Q000592:standards*; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012307:Risk Factors