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Table 4 Characteristics of the review included for interpersonal care and social support

From: Evidence from facility level inputs to improve quality of care for maternal and newborn health: interventions and findings

Reviews (n=5)

Description of included interventions

Type of studies included (no)

Targeted health care providers

Outcome reported

Pooled data (Y/N)

Results

    

Outcomes

MNCH specific outcomes

  

Flenady 2008[43]

Any intervention provided by professional or non-professional individuals or groups aimed at improving psychological wellbeing after perinatal death.

No trials included

Professional or non-professional

  

N/A

No studies identified for inclusion

Hodnett 2010[41]

Standardized or individualized programs of additional social support, provided in either home visits, during regular antenatal clinic visits, and/or by telephone on several occasions during pregnancy.

RCT’s: 17

Pregnant women at risk of having preterm or growth restricted babies, or both in developed countries

 

Antenatal hospital admission

Yes

0.79 (0.68-0.92)

     

Caesarean birth

 

0.87 (0.78-0.97)

     

Preterm birth

 

0.92 (0.83-1.01)

     

Perinatal mortality

 

0.96 (0.74-1.26)

Hodnett 2011[23]

Labour support by either a familiar or unfamiliar person (with or without healthcare professional qualifications).

Trials: 21

Healthcare professional (nurse, midwife) or training as a doula or childbirth educator, or be a family member, spouse/partner, friend or stranger with little or no special training in labour support in developed countries

 

Spontaneous vaginal birth

Yes

1.08 (1.04-1.12)

     

Intrapartum analgesia

 

0.90 (0.84-0.97)

     

Dissatisfaction

 

0.69 (0.59-0.79)

     

Labour duration

 

-0.58 (-0.86 to -0.30)

     

Caesarean

 

0.79 (0.67-0.92)

     

Instrumental vaginal birth

 

0.90 (0.84-0.96)

     

Regional analgesia

 

0.93 (0.88-0.99)

     

Baby with a low 5-minute Apgar score

 

0.70 (0.50-0.96)

Logsdon 2004[63]

Paraprofessional (individuals who have received specialized training in order to meet the needs of a patient population or to implement a research or project intervention) support to pregnant and parenting women.

Total : 8 studies

RCT: 3

Pre-post:1

Reterospective:3

Descriptive: 1

Paraprofessionals in developed countries

 

Incidence of premature birth and low birth weight and small for gestational age infants, use of healthcare services, school retention in mothers and repeat pregnancies, child abuse, discipline, and maternal-infant interaction

No

Narrative

Renfrew 2012[42]

‘Support’ interventions include elements such as reassurance, praise, information, and the opportunity to discuss and to respond to the mother’s questions, and it could also include staff training to improve the supportive care given to women during breast feeding.

RCT’s / Quasi: 52

Health professionals or lay people, trained or untrained, in hospital and community settings. Mostly in HIC

 

Stopping ‘any breastfeeding’ before 6 months

Yes

0.91 (0.88-0.96)