Improving Diversity in Recruitment: Lessons Learned During the REACH Pregnancy Circles Pilot Trial - PMC Our ability to address inequities in health outcomes is hampered by the under‐representation of underserved groups in research. Research exploring this topic has focused on observational studies in the American context. This is a pivotal concern for ...

This paper explores lessons learned from improving diversity in recruitment to the REACH Pregnancy Circles pilot trial: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... #recruitment #pregnancy #antenatalcare #diversity #groupcare

The challenges and opportunities for implementing group antenatal care (‘Pregnancy Circles’) as part of standard NHS maternity care: A co-designed qualitative study To identify the challenges and opportunities for rolling out a bespoke model of group antenatal care called Pregnancy Circles (PC) within the National…

How do health professionals feel about implementing REACH Pregnancy circles? Read this paper to find out: ow.ly/lRl950Y5A2l #antenatalcare #groupcare #implementationscience #implementation #midwives

Group antenatal care: findings from a pilot randomised controlled trial of REACH Pregnancy Circles Pilot and Feasibility Studies - Antenatal care has the potential to impact positively on maternal and child outcomes, but traditional models of care in the UK have been shown to have limitations...

This paper describes the findings from a pilot randomised controlled trial of REACH Pregnancy Circles: ow.ly/ZnX150Y5zWF #antenatalcare #pilottrial #RCT #pregnancycare #groupcare

Tile with the PLRG & BMFMS 2026 logos, details of 4 poster presentations from PLRG members, profile photos of Prof Keelin O'Donoghue and Dr Tommy Harty who are attending the conference, along with a QR code to the PLRG website, and details of various PLRG social media platforms (Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn)

#BMFMS2026 takes place on 26+27 March in Leeds: bmfmsconference.co.uk/2026/en/page...

Looking forward to attending & sharing our work

@keelinodonoghue.bsky.social @infantcentreucc.bsky.social @uccresearch.bsky.social

#AntenatalCare #TwinPregnancies #Miscarriage #PregnancyTissue #PerinatalDeath

What do women think about REACH Pregnancy circles? Find out here: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.... #pregnancy #antenatalcare #groupantenatalcare

Read the paper that outlines the principles and evidence behind group antenatal care and the REACH Pregnancy Programme here: ow.ly/7Vu650Y5zOW. #maternalhealth #antenatalcare #pregnancycircles #pregnancy

What do women think about REACH Pregnancy circles? Find out here: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.... #pregnancy #antenatalcare #groupantenatalcare

Read the paper that outlines the principles and evidence behind group antenatal care and the REACH Pregnancy Programme here: ow.ly/7Vu650Y5zOW. #maternalhealth #antenatalcare #pregnancycircles #pregnancy

`It makes sense and it works': Maternity care providers' perspectives on the feasibility of a group antenatal care model (Pregnancy Circles) To test the feasibility of introducing a group antenatal care initiative (Pregnancy Circles) in an area with high levels of social deprivation and cul…

"It makes sense and it works." Read about maternity care providers' views on REACH pregnancy circles: ow.ly/Xrfp50Y5zMh

#MaternalHealth #PregnancyCare #Midwifery #antenatalcare #HealthResearch #MaternityCare

REACH Pregnancy Programme (Pregnancy Circles) is the largest international trial of group antenatal care. Learn more about this groundbreaking research: ow.ly/VtYp50Y5zvI

#MaternalHealth #PregnancyCare #AntenatalCare #Research #PublicHealth #REACHProgramme

New research aims to transform breastfeed preparation and improve outcomes from birth | University College Cork Learn, Study and Research in UCC, Ireland's first 5 star university. Our tradition of independent thinking will prepare you for the world and the workplace in a vibrant, modern, green campus.

👩‍🍼A new project will explore how to best support women to learn antenatal hand expression and safely collect colostrum, often referred to as “liquid gold” for its concentrated protective and nutritional properties.

www.ucc.ie/en/news/2026...

#breastfeeding #antenatalcare

Exploring the implementation of an educational film within antenatal care to reduce the risk of cytomegalovirus infection in pregnancy: A qualitative study - BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Background Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss and neuro-disability in childhood. In the absence of a licensed vaccine, adoption of hygiene-base...

Prevention begins with conversation.

Read more: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

#researchspotlight #internationalprenatalinfectionpreventionmonth #prenatalinfectionprevention #cmvawareness #midwiferypractice #antenatalcare #aimn

Challenges for a Maternal-Care Health Recommender System in Indonesia: Formative Preimplementation Qualitative Study Background: Maternal evaluation during routine antenatal care visits may reduce maternal morbidity and mortality by identifying and addressing issues early on. A health recommender system could help health professionals and pregnant women monitor daily health parameters, provide tailored recommendations, and support timely antenatal care. Objective: This study aims to qualitatively analyze challenges in the preimplementation of health recommender system for maternal care in Indonesia as perceived by multiple stakeholders, including health care providers, patients, health system managers, government officers, and technology vendors. Methods: The methodology used a qualitative approach, where qualitative data were obtained from interviews of 37 respondents from multiple stakeholders, consisting of 15 health workers and 15 patients from private and government health care facilities, 4 officers from government health offices, 2 directors of health application vendors, and 1 manager from a private health clinic. These semistructured interview results were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: This qualitative study identifies key challenges in implementing a health recommender system for maternal care in Indonesia across the people, process, infrastructure, and policy dimensions. Intercoder reliability for the coding process demonstrated almost perfect agreement (Cohen κ=0.90), supporting the consistency of the coding process. Six major challenges were revealed, mostly regarding skill, accuracy, completeness, timeliness, cost, and standardization. These 6 major challenges were mentioned 96 times, accounting for 64.43% of all codes extracted from the interviews. These findings emphasize the value of user involvement in system design to meet health care professionals’ and patients’ needs, technical advancements to foster trust and support effective decision-making, as well as enhanced data accuracy, reliable and timely service delivery, cost management, and clear regulatory standards. Conclusions: This formative, preimplementation qualitative study highlights the importance of involving users in system design and future implementation to meet the needs of health care professionals and patients. Reducing input errors and improving system reliability are critical to building trust and supporting effective point-of-care decision-making and, in later phases, facility-level monitoring as part of public health surveillance. Adherence to regulatory standards and the establishment of standardized guidelines will be key to enabling broader implementation. Further #usability, #feasibility, and pilot studies are required before any evaluation of effectiveness.

JMIR Formative Res: Challenges for a Maternal-Care Health Recommender System in Indonesia: Formative Preimplementation Qualitative Study #MaternalHealth #HealthTech #AntenatalCare #HealthcareInnovation #PregnancySupport

A study from @UQNews shows women with < 2 antenatal visits are 15× more likely to drink alcohol later in pregnancy.
We need early, ongoing & non-judgemental support.
#Pregnancy #AntenatalCare #HealthEquity www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clini...
#FASD #prenancy #alcohol

Referral for Dilated Fetal Rectum: Rarely a Pathologic Entity.
Barnewolt, Carol E et al.
Paper
Details
#FetalMedicine #PediatricRadiology #AntenatalCare

Recent UQ research reveals: Women with fewer than 2 antenatal visits are up to 15× more likely to drink later in pregnancy.
The message? Early, regular, non-judgemental antenatal support is crucial.
🔗 news.uq.edu.au/2025-08-ante...
#MaternalHealth #Pregnancy #AntenatalCare

Expectant Mothers’ Reflections on Childhood and Parenting: Cross-Sectional Study Background: The significance of parenting practices for children’s development and health has gained increased attention, aligning with life course perspectives on health. Adverse childhood experiences are widespread and linked to impaired parenting in adulthood. Understanding how expectant parents reflect on their childhoods, and how such reflections can be fostered as part of antenatal care, is essential for supporting healthier caregiving and helping to break cycles of intergenerational adversity. Objective: This study aimed to explore pregnant women’s perspectives on parenting and sources of support in light of their childhood experiences, including responses to a key question about what they want to pass on to their child. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2022 among pregnant women recruited through social media platforms, including Facebook groups and Instagram accounts. The Pearson chi-square test was used to examine associations between the assessment of childhood and 4 parenting-related variables. Free-text responses were analyzed for content, categorized, and quantified. Results: Among 1402 pregnant women across Norway, 10% (139/1393) reported difficult childhoods. Among them, 28.1% (39/139) felt that their upbringing would significantly influence their parenting, compared to 15.9% (171/1074) of those with good childhoods (P

JMIR Formative Res: Expectant Mothers’ Reflections on Childhood and Parenting: Cross-Sectional Study #Parenting #ExpectingMothers #ChildhoodReflections #AntenatalCare #HealthierParenting

Anna Horn | City St George's, University of London Anna Horn is a research student at the School of Health and Psychological Sciences of City, University of London.

Anna Horn @feministnoire is a PhD student in the centre. Her PhD is titled: Centring Liberation: A Black Feminist Ethnography of Group Antenatal Care. ow.ly/umEN50WPw3p #BlackFeminism #AntenatalCare #Ethnography

Determinants of an Unintended Pregnancy among Women Attending Ante Natal Care at Health Facilities in Lemi Kura Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Institution based Case-Control Study
Achamo, T., Alamdo, A. G. et al.
Paper
Details
#UnintendedPregnancy #AnteNatalCare #EthiopiaHealthStudy

Association of Self-Rated Health in Pregnancy With Maternal Childhood Experiences, Socioeconomic Status, Parity, and Choice of Antenatal Care Providers: Cross-Sectional Study Background: Background: During pregnancy, self-rated health (SRH) and self-rated mental health (SRMH) are key indicators of health status and predictors of future healthcare needs. Various factors, including maternal childhood, socioeconomic status, and parity, may influence health during pregnancy. How pregnant women seek antenatal care from midwives and general practitioners (GPs) based on their health perceptions remains unclear. Understanding these health factors can help healthcare providers become more aware of the diverse needs of pregnant women. Objective: Objective: This study aims to assess how SRH and SRMH during pregnancy are associated with maternal childhood experiences, socioeconomic status, parity, and antenatal care provided by midwives or general practitioners (GPs). Methods: Methods: An anonymous, web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to March 2022 among pregnant women in Norway, distributed via Facebook and Instagram. The survey included questions on SRH, SRMH, socioeconomic status, childhood perceptions, and antenatal program participation. Pearson’s chi-squared test and logistic regression models were used to explore associations and estimate odds ratios for good SRH and SRMH. Results: Results: Among 1,402 participants, 94.7% reported good or very good health before pregnancy, dropping to 67.8% during pregnancy (p

JMIR Formative Res: Association of Self-Rated Health in Pregnancy With Maternal Childhood Experiences, Socioeconomic Status, Parity, and Choice of Antenatal Care Providers: Cross-Sectional Study #PregnancyHealth #MaternalHealth #AntenatalCare #SelfRatedHealth #MentalHealthInPregnancy

In 24 LLMICs, under-five mortality reduction requires prioritizing breastfeeding promotion, maternal education, antenatal care, and addressing other key determinants.

#Meded #SoMe4PedSurg #RiskFactors #AntenatalCare #Breastfeeding #UnderFiveMortality #Pediatrics

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Lots of fun today with a really engaged group (adults and toddlers alike!) using #storytelling and journey mapping to identify barriers to #AntenatalCare
Putting into practice learning from a fab #storytelling training from @alisonthomson.bsky.social
#ParticipatoryResearchMethods

At MCD, we’re working to improve the health and well-being of women and children by increasing access to care, improving hygiene and sanitation, decreasing malaria in pregnancy, and more: loom.ly/nmX_8X4 #GlobalHealth #WomensHealth #AntenatalCare #ChildrensHealth #RMNCH

New toolkit 💡⚙️🌍 For a multi-country research project, we’ve created this guide to help introduce group-based care for pregnant women into health facilities. The model offers healthcare, interactive learning & community building. Take a look: ci.uct.ac.za/group-care-f...
#First1000Days #AntenatalCare

Luvindao calls for action on maternal deaths Niël Terblanché At the World Health Day commemoration in Katima Mulilo on Monday, the minister of health and social services, Dr Esperance Luvindao, addressed the pressing issue of maternal mortality in Namibia. She described many causes of maternal deaths as preventable tragedies that require urgent action. “Improved antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, exclusive breastfeeding, and better nutrition could further reduce these fatalities,” Luvindao said while stressing the necessity of people taking more time to care for and help each other. She also expressed concern that only 49% of mothers in Namibia practise exclusive breastfeeding, a factor contributing to child stunting. The minister called upon community members to work alongside healthcare providers. “We must be our brothers’ keepers,” she urged. She reiterated the importance of early detection, education, while stressing that recognising warning signs during pregnancy can prevent complications such as bleeding, hypertensive disorders, and infections. “When it is identified early, much can be done to prevent these causes of death,” she stated. The World Health Organisation’s country representative, Dr Richard Banda, commended Namibia’s efforts in reducing maternal mortality rates. He said that the country has decreased its maternal mortality rate from 400 per 100,000 deliveries to 139. Banda stressed the ongoing challenges faced by many nations, particularly in the African region, where maternal deaths occur every seven seconds. He revealed that 2.3 million babies die within their first month of life, and 1.9 million are stillborn annually. “Behind these numbers are lives lost and shattered families,” he said. Banda pointed out that 65 countries globally are projected to miss the targets for reducing newborn deaths by 2030. He attributed these shortcomings to underfunded health systems, infrastructure gaps, health worker shortages, conflicts, emergencies, and climate-related shocks. Banda called on governments and stakeholders to increase investment in maternal and newborn health, including infrastructure, human resources, and essential medical supplies. “Building health systems that can deliver high-quality, accessible, and equitable care to all women and newborns is imperative,” he said. This year’s World Health Day, held under the theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” served as a platform to acknowledge Namibia’s progress and to address the ongoing challenges in maternal and child health. Banda stressed the collective responsibility of communities and healthcare systems in safeguarding the well-being of mothers and children, advocating for continued collaboration and investment in health services.

#MaternalHealth #PreventMaternalDeaths #AntenatalCare #ExclusiveBreastfeeding #ChildNutrition

Teenager under investigation for hiding newborn baby’s body A girl (17) from Ompandakani at Ondangwa in the Oshana region is under police investigation after allegedly concealing the birth of her baby. According to the Namibian Police’s spokesperson, deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, when the teenager gave birth to a baby and hid the body. “Her relatives became suspicious after noticing blood spots in the house when they woke up in the morning. Upon questioning, the suspect admitted that she had suffered a miscarriage,” Shikwambi said. According to Shikwambi, the teenager’s family was reportedly unaware of her pregnancy and she had not received any antenatal care. She has since been admitted to Onandjokwe State Hospital for medical examination. “The fetus was transported to the Oshakati police mortuary as investigations continue,” the police spokesperson said. The post Teenager under investigation for hiding newborn baby’s body appeared first on The Namibian.

#Namibia #TeenPregnancy #PoliceInvestigation #Oshana #AntenatalCare

Teenager under investigation for hiding newborn baby’s body A girl (17) from Ompandakani at Ondangwa in the Oshana region is under police investigation after allegedly concealing the birth of her baby. According to the Namibian Police’s spokesperson, deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, when the teenager gave birth to a baby and hid the body. “Her relatives became suspicious after noticing blood spots in the house when they woke up in the morning. Upon questioning, the suspect admitted that she had suffered a miscarriage,” Shikwambi said. According to Shikwambi, the teenager’s family was reportedly unaware of her pregnancy and she had not received any antenatal care. She has since been admitted to Onandjokwe State Hospital for medical examination. “The fetus was transported to the Oshakati police mortuary as investigations continue,” the police spokesperson said. The post Teenager under investigation for hiding newborn baby’s body appeared first on The Namibian.

#Namibia #TeenPregnancy #PoliceInvestigation #Oshana #AntenatalCare

In collaboration w country leaders in #DRCongo, USAID MOMENTUM & partners work to address systemic challenges & engage local communities thru #MaternalHealth initiatives that emphasize exclusive #Breastfeeding alongside #AntenatalCare & nutrition support. Read how: usaidmomentum.org/from-day-one...

#PersonalTraining #NordicWalking #BiomechanicsCoaching Injury prevention and rehabilitation…

#ComplementaryTherapies #Aromatherapy #Massage #AntenatalCare and lots more!

Just when you think #MandarinLeisure is busy enough, I’ll throw in a bit of amateur #Photography too

Phew!