Academic literature on the topic 'Maternity Early Warning Tools (MEWTs)'

Pregnant women are at risk of obstetric emergencies at all stages of life, including before, during, and after delivery. The lack of tools to help signal healthcare providers to initiate treatment can impact caregivers who cannot rely entirely on clinical judgment. Therefore, to avoid poor maternal outcomes due to delays or errors in maternal management, it is important that all midwifery staff understand the 'early warning signs' and are able to assess the clinical status of the mother using the MEOWS tool. This quantitative design study of the action research type using a cross-sectional method was conducted from October 2017 to July 2020 at the Maternity Unit, NGHA Dammam. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing maternal early warning signs to identify maternal deterioration and reduce maternal transfer to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The data collected is related to the number of mothers transferred to the ICU in the absence of educational training related to the MEOWS tool in the health care system from October 2017 until October 2018. Data related to the number of mothers transferred to the ICU due to deterioration was collected and compared with the data on the number of mothers admitted to the ICU after the MEOWS tool was fully implemented in June 2019 until July 2020. A total of thirty-three (N = 33) nurses participated in this survey and passed tests related to maternal warning signs. There are more than three quarters of them showing good knowledge about early warning signs of mothers with a mean score of 1.98 (SD = 0.402), reaching a mean score of 1.99 (SD = 0.179), which reflects a good attitude towards the practice (mean score = 2.00; SD =0.000). However, the results showed that none of the tested variables, including age, highest qualification, marital status, and years of work experience, had a significant relationship with their level of knowledge in identifying maternal impairment using MEOWS. The statistics of the mother's transfer to the ICU were also found to decrease compared to before the implementation of MEOWS in the system. This study suggests that MEOWS should be practiced among nurses in the maternity unit, improving the midwifery syllabus and continuing nurses' competence related to MEOWS practice.

Abstract Background Maternal morbidity and mortality related to infection is an international public health concern, but detection and assessment is often difficult as part of routine maternity care in many low- and middle-income countries due to lack of easily accessible diagnostics. Front-line healthcare providers are key for the early identification and management of the unwell woman who may have infection. We sought to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the use of screening tools to detect infectious maternal morbidity during and after pregnancy as part of routine antenatal and postnatal care. Enabling factors, barriers, and potential management options for the use of early warning scores were explored. Methods Key informant interviews (n = 10) and two focus group discussions (n = 14) were conducted with healthcare providers and managers (total = 24) working in one large tertiary public hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. Transcribed interviews were coded by topic and then grouped into categories. Thematic framework analysis was undertaken to identify emerging themes. Results Most healthcare providers are aware of the importance of the early detection of infection and would seek to better identify women with infection if resources were available to do so. In current practice, an early warning score was used in the high dependency unit only. Routine screening was not in place in the antenatal or postnatal departments. Barriers to implementing routine screening included lack of trained staff and time, lack of thermometers, and difficulties with the interpretation of the early warning scores. A locally adapted early warning screening tool was considered an enabler to implementing routine screening for infectious morbidity. Local ownership and clinical leadership were considered essential for successful and sustainable implementation for clinical change. Conclusions Although healthcare providers considered infection during and after pregnancy and childbirth a danger sign and significant morbidity, standardised screening for infectious maternal morbidity was not part of routine antenatal or postnatal care. The establishment of such a service requires the availability of free and easy to access rapid diagnostic testing, training in interpretation of results, as well as affordable targeted treatment. The implementation of early warning scores and processes developed in high-income countries need careful consideration and validation when applied to women accessing care in low resource settings.

Abstract Background Maternal morbidity and mortality related to infection is an international public health concern, but detection and assessment is often difficult as part of routine maternity care in many low- and middle-income countries due to lack of easily accessible diagnostics. Front-line healthcare providers are key for the early identification and management of the unwell woman who may have infection. We sought to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the use of screening tools to detect infectious maternal morbidity during and after pregnancy as part of routine antenatal and postnatal care. Enabling factors, barriers, and potential management options for the use of early warning scores were explored. Methods Key informant interviews (n = 10) and two focus group discussions (n = 14) were conducted with healthcare providers and managers (total = 24) working in one large tertiary public hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. Transcribed interviews were coded by topic and then grouped into categories. Thematic framework analysis was undertaken to identify emerging themes. Results Most healthcare providers are aware of the importance of the early detection of infection and would seek to better identify women with infection if resources were available to do so. In current practice, an early warning score was used in the high dependency unit only. Routine screening was not in place in the antenatal or postnatal departments. Barriers to implementing routine screening included lack of trained staff and time, lack of thermometers, and difficulties with the interpretation of the early warning scores. A locally adapted early warning screening tool was considered an enabler to implementing routine screening for infectious morbidity. Local ownership and clinical leadership were considered essential for successful and sustainable implementation for clinical change. Conclusions Although healthcare providers considered infection during and after pregnancy and childbirth a danger sign and significant morbidity, standardised screening for infectious maternal morbidity was not part of routine antenatal or postnatal care. The establishment of such a service requires the availability of free and easy to access rapid diagnostic testing, training in interpretation of results, as well as affordable targeted treatment. The implementation of early warning scores and processes developed in high-income countries need careful consideration and validation when applied to women accessing care in low resource settings.

Abstract Background The CRADLE Vital Signs Alert intervention (an accurate easy-to-use device that measures blood pressure and pulse with inbuilt traffic-light early warning system, and focused training package) was associated with reduced rates of eclampsia and maternal death when trialled in urban areas in Sierra Leone. Subsequently, implementation was successfully piloted as evidenced by measures of fidelity, feasibility and adoption. The CRADLE-5 trial will examine whether national scale-up, including in the most rural areas, will reduce a composite outcome of maternal and fetal mortality and maternal morbidity and will evaluate how the CRADLE package can be embedded sustainably into routine clinical pathways. Methods CRADLE-5 is a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial of the CRADLE intervention compared to routine maternity care across eight rural districts in Sierra Leone (Bonthe, Falaba, Karene, Kailahun, Koinadugu, Kono, Moyamba, Tonkolili). Each district will cross from control to intervention at six-weekly intervals over the course of 1 year (May 2022 to June 2023). All women identified as pregnant or within six-weeks postpartum presenting for maternity care in the district are included. Primary outcome data (composite rate of maternal death, stillbirth, eclampsia and emergency hysterectomy) will be collected. A mixed-methods process and scale-up evaluation (informed by Medical Research Council guidance for complex interventions and the World Health Organization ExpandNet tools) will explore implementation outcomes of fidelity, adoption, adaptation and scale-up outcomes of reach, maintenance, sustainability and integration. Mechanisms of change and contextual factors (barriers and facilitators) will be assessed. A concurrent cost-effectiveness analysis will be undertaken. Discussion International guidance recommends that all pregnant and postpartum women have regular blood pressure assessment, and healthcare staff are adequately trained to respond to abnormalities. Clinical effectiveness to improve maternal and perinatal health in more rural areas, and ease of integration and sustainability of the CRADLE intervention at scale has yet to be investigated. This trial will explore whether national scale-up of the CRADLE intervention reduces maternal and fetal mortality and severe maternal adverse outcomes and understand the strategies for adoption, integration and sustainability in low-resource settings. If successful, the aim is to develop an adaptable, evidence-based scale-up roadmap to improve maternal and infant outcomes. Trial registration ISRCTN 94429427. Registered on 20 April 2022.