ArticleGlobal health action2017
Improved maternity care if midwives learn to perform ultrasound: a qualitative study of Rwandan midwives' experiences and views of obstetric ultrasound.
Article in Global health action, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05765539 (Performance of the Echopen Probe in Its Clinical Use for Pregnancy Follow-up in Senegal), which is not on this map. Cited by 26 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Performance of the Echopen Probe in Its Clinical Use for Pregnancy Follow-up in Senegal
Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 52 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Approaches, barriers, and facilitators to and strategies for normalizing the provision of ultrasound scanning by midwives in the antenatal clinic.Reproductive health · 2026Article
- Article
- Evaluation of large-scale implementation of obstetric point of care ultrasound in eight counties in Kenya using RE-AIM framework.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Modality-level obstacles and initiatives to improve representation in fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging research samples.Developmental cognitive neuroscience · 2025Article
- Routine antenatal ultrasound by nurse-midwives in rural Kenya: a pragmatic trial assessing feasibility and effects of theFrontiers in global women's health · 2025Article
- Article
- Article
- Article
- The training of midwives to perform obstetric ultrasound scan in Africa for task shifting and extension of scope of practice: a scoping review.BMC medical education · 2023Article
- Obstetric ultrasound training programmes for midwives: A scoping review.Health SA = SA Gesondheid · 2023Article
- Contribution of portable obstetric ultrasound service innovation in averting maternal and neonatal morbidities and mortalities at semi-urban health centers of Ethiopia: a retrospective facility-based study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2022Article
- Enablers and barriers to introduction of obstetrics ultrasound service at primary care facilities in a resource-limited setting: a qualitative study in four regions of Ethiopia.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2022Article
- Experiences of midwives on Vscan limited obstetric ultrasound use: a qualitative exploratory study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2022Article
- The impact of the Fundamental Critical Course on knowledge acquisition in Rwanda.The Southern African journal of critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Society · 2022Article
- Antenatal Doppler ultrasound implementation in a rural sub-Saharan African setting: exploring the perspectives of women and healthcare providers.Reproductive health · 2021Article
- Maternal health care professionals' experiences and views on the use of obstetric ultrasound in Rwanda: A cross-sectional study.BMC health services research · 2021Article
- Point-of-care ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2021Review
- Article
- A Curriculum Model for Multidisciplinary Training of Midwife Sonographers in a Low Resource Setting.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundObstetric ultrasound has become an indispensable part of antenatal care worldwide. Although the use of ultrasound has shown benefits in the reduction of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality, it has also raised many ethical challenges. Because of insufficient numbers of midwives in Rwanda, uncomplicated pregnancy care is usually provided by nurses in local health centres. Obstetric ultrasound is generally performed by physicians at higher levels of healthcare, where midwives are also more likely to be employed.
objectivesTo explore Rwandan midwives' experiences and views of the role of obstetric ultrasound in relation to clinical management, including ethical aspects.
methodsA qualitative study design was employed. Six focus group discussions were held in 2015 with 23 midwives working in maternity care in rural and urban areas of Rwanda, as part of the CROss Country Ultrasound Study (CROCUS).
resultsObstetric ultrasound was experienced as playing a very important role in clinical management of pregnant women, but participants emphasised that it should not overshadow other clinical examinations. The unequal distribution of ultrasound services throughout Rwanda was considered a challenge, and access was described as low, especially in rural areas. To increase the quality of maternity care, some advocated strongly for midwives to be trained in ultrasound and for physicians to receive additional training. In general, pregnant women were perceived both as requesting more ultrasound examinations than they received, and as not being satisfied with an antenatal consultation if ultrasound was not performed.
conclusionsObstetric ultrasound plays a significant role in maternity care in Rwanda. Increasing demand for ultrasound examinations from pregnant women needs to be balanced with medical indication and health benefits. Training of midwives to perform obstetric ultrasound and further training for physicians would help to address access to ultrasound for greater numbers of women across Rwanda. RESPONSIBLE EDITOR Virgilio Mariano Salazar Torres, Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.