Evaluating WHOs Labour Care Guide Versus Standard Care to Improve Newborn and Maternal Outcomes in Labor A Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the impact of two different guidelines for monitoring labor progress on neonatal and maternal outcomes. The study compares the World Health Organizations Labour Care Guide LCG with standard delivery care in Sweden. The goal is to see if using the LCG can reduce adverse neonatal outcomes and lower the rate of intrapartum Cesarean sections. This study uses a multicenter, stepped-wedge cluster randomized design to explore these effects along with economic considerations and experiences related to childbirth. Participants will receive labor monitoring either according to the WHOs LCG guidelines or standard care. The study will involve multiple delivery units in Sweden, and women in active labor will be randomly assigned to either group as the new guidelines are gradually introduced. Alongside the main study periods, researchers will examine perinatal interventions, labor complications, and collect qualitative data through questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews with women, their partners, and healthcare providers. During participation, women and their partners will be asked about their childbirth experiences, while providers compliance and views on using the LCG will also be assessed. The study will track outcomes such as perinatal mortality, neonatal morbidity, cesarean section rates, and obstetric events like postpartum hemorrhage and labor duration. Data collection and follow-up will occur from 12 weeks up to 18 months after delivery, including economic evaluations and provider experiences to fully understand the effects of the labor monitoring methods.

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