Resonance between beginning of life and end of life: an un-trodden path to health in Maternity Services?

This paper presents a secondary analysis and discussion of two research projects, which separately  explored existential aspects of beginning of life (among first time mothers) and end of life (among dying and their relatives) respectively. Findings from two studies conducted in different research designs are discussed through common theoretical understandings of secular, spiritual and religious aspects of life. In the paper we focus in particular on, how becoming a mother can actualize existential considerations and how the resonance to the same actualizations in relation to dying, can potentially inform maternity services. Two summary arguments, the existential-spiritual and the health professional argument substantiate our reason to emphasize how spiritual care might be as relevant at beginning of life, as it is at end of life.Denne artikel er en sekundær analyse og diskussion af to forskningsprojekter, som søgte at udforske eksistentielle karakteristika ved henholdsvis livets begyndelse (blandt nybagte mødre) og livets afslutning (blandt døende og deres pårørende). På baggrund af empiri genereret via forskellige forskningsmetoder diskuteres resultaterne i lyset af en fællesteoretisk forståelse af sekulære, religiøse og spirituelle aspekter i menneskelivet. I artiklen fokuserer vi i særlig grad på, hvordan det at blive mor kan aktualisere eksistentielle overvejelser og hvordan resonansen til samme aktualisering i forbindelse med døden, kan informere sundhedsvæsenets svangreomsorg. Med begrundelse i to sammenfattende argumenter, det eksistentielle/åndelige og det sundhedsfaglige, argumenterer vi for, at eksistentiel og åndelig omsorg potentielt kan være relevant ved livets begyndelse på samme vis som ved livets afslutning

Perinatal and Neonatal Outcomes in Immigrants From Conflict-Zone Countries : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

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Prevalence of preterm birth in Scandinavian countries : a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and International Immigration Status: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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Skønhed i coronapandemiens skygge

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Spiritual assessment in healthcare practice - A resource guide for nurses, midwifery and other health care professionals

There is a growing realization of the need to adopt a lifespan approach to understanding spirituality. This chapter will focus on spirituality within the context of childbirth and parenthood transition, looking at the current evidence and application within this important area of healthcare practice. It will explore firstly how mothers’ and families may experience the need for spiritual care, and secondly on the personal challenges faced by midwives in providing spiritual care and their need for support. The chapter will provide a rationale for how and why spiritual assessment is needed within midwifery practice and the events surrounding childbirth.non peer-reviewe

First child’s impact on parental relationship: an existential perspective

Abstract Background The first child’s birth is for most mothers a profound experience carrying the potential to change life orientations and values. However, little is known of how becoming a mother influences the existential dimensions of life within the parental relationship for example how motherhood may change how we view our partner and what we find important. The aim of this study was to explore how becoming a mother might change the parental relationship seen from the mother’s perspective with a specific focus on dimensions related to existential meaning-making. Methods In 2011, 499 Danish first time mothers answered a questionnaire, from which five core items related to changes in the partner relationship from the perspective of the mother, informed this study. The cohort consisted of mothers who gave birth before the 32nd week of gestation (n = 127) and mothers who gave birth at full term (n = 372). Item 1 focused on thoughts and conversations with her partner about the life change. Item 2 referred to the potential feeling of stronger ties to the partner. Item 3 related to the feeling of being connected to ‘something bigger than one self’ together with the partner. Item 4 focused on potential conflicts due to having a child, and item 5 referred to the experience of dreams. Possible answers ranged from ‘To a high degree’ to ‘Not at all’. Results Most respondents found birth of the first child to have forged stronger ties to their partner and have led to both thoughts and conversations about how life together as a couple changed. At the same time, some experienced more conflicts with their partner than before giving birth, however, the majority did actually not. More than half felt their relationship linked to ‘something bigger than themselves’ or had had dreams on being a family. Conclusion Findings suggest motherhood transition to be a significant transformer of partnership relation influencing also existential meaning-making. Having the potential to be of importance for the health and vitality of the mother, partner and child, it seems essential to scientifically and clinically address concerns related to existential meaning-making in partner relationship

Counselling for prenatal anomaly screening-A plea for integration of existential life questions

The availability in many countries of new prenatal anomaly screening methods, such as the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), and the potential broadening of testing for genetic conditions, creates an ongoing debate about the accompanying existential dilemmas at both societal level and for individual new parents. In many countries, the main goal of counselling for prenatal anomaly screening is to facilitate the reproductive decision-making process of future parents. Therefore, counsellors share information to enable a woman and her partner to think about the pros and cons of participating in screening, try to clarify possible moral dilemmas, and dwell on existential life questions. In line with the CanMEDS framework, healthcare professionals must combine the role of communicator (providing health education) with that of professional (by recognising and responding to existential life questions while facilitating decision-making). This is not easy but it is essential for providing balanced counselling. At present, counselling tends to be sufficient regarding health education, whereas guidance in decision-making, including attention for existential life questions and philosophy of life, offers room for improvement. In this paper, we suggest slowing down and turning the traditional prenatal counselling encounter upside down by starting as a counselling professional instead of a healthcare information sharing communicator and thus making the story of the woman and her partner, within their societal context, the starting point and the basis of the counselling encounter.status: publishe

Models for midwifery care: A mapping review

INTRODUCTION According to WHO, midwives are found competent to provide evidence-based and normalcy-facilitating maternity care. Models for midwifery care exist, but seem to be lacking explicit epistemological status, mainly focusing on the practical and organizational level of care delivery. To make the values and attitudes of care visible, it is important to implement care models with explicit epistemological status. The aim of this paper is to identify and gain an overview of publications of theoretical models for midwifery care.METHODS A mapping review was conducted with systematic searches in nine databases for studies describing a theoretical model or theory for midwifery care that either did or was intended to impact clinical practice. Eligibility criteria were refined during the selection process. RESULTS Six models from six papers originating from different parts of the world were included in the study. The included models were developed using different methodologies and had different philosophical underpinnings and complexity gradients. Some characteristics were common, the most distinctive being the emphasis of the midwife–woman relationship, secondly the focus on woman-centeredness, and thirdly the salutogenic focus in care. CONCLUSIONS Overall, scarcity exists regarding theoretical models for midwifery care with explicit epistemological status. Further research is needed in order to develop generic theoretical models with an epistemological status to serve as a knowledge base for midwifery healthcar

Models for midwifery care: A mapping review

Introduction: According to WHO, midwives are found competent to provide evidencebased and normalcy-facilitating maternity care. Models for midwifery care exist, but seem to be lacking explicit epistemological status, mainly focusing on the practical and organizational level of care delivery. To make the values and attitudes of care visible, it is important to implement care models with explicit epistemological status. The aim of this paper is to identify and gain an overview of publications of theoretical models for midwifery care. Methods: A mapping review was conducted with systematic searches in nine databases for studies describing a theoretical model or theory for midwifery care that either did or was intended to impact clinical practice. Eligibility criteria were refined during the selection process. Results: Six models from six papers originating from different parts of the world were included in the study. The included models were developed using different methodologies and had different philosophical underpinnings and complexity gradients. Some characteristics were common, the most distinctive being the emphasis of the midwife–woman relationship, secondly the focus on woman-centeredness, and thirdly the salutogenic focus in care. Conclusions: Overall, scarcity exists regarding theoretical models for midwifery care with explicit epistemological status. Further research is needed in order to develop generic theoretical models with an epistemological status to serve as a knowledge base for midwifery healthcare