Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32641323›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2020

How can consultant-led childbirth care at time of delivery be maximised? A modelling study.

Michael Allen, Emma Villeneuve, Martin Pitt, Steve Thornton

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 91% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 0 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Michael AllenMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom M.Allen@exeter.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-8746-9957
Emma VilleneuveMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
Martin PittMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.
Steve ThorntonBarts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.
University of Exeter · GBQueen Mary University of London · GB

Funding

Department of Health 14/19/08
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has advised that consolidation of birth centres, where reasonable, into birth centres of at least 6000 admissions per year should allow constant consultant presence. Currently, only 17% of mothers attend such birth centres. The objective of this work was to examine the feasibility of consolidation of birth centres, from the perspectives of birth centre size and travel times for mothers.

designComputer-based optimisation.

settingHospital-based births. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: 1.91 million admissions in 2014-2016.

methodsA multiple-objective genetic algorithm.

main outcome measuresTravel time for mothers and size of birth centres.

resultsCurrently, with 161 birth centres, 17% of women attend a birth centre with at least 6000 admissions per year. We estimate that 95% of women have a travel time of 30 min or less. An example scenario, with 100 birth centres, could provide 75% of care in birth centres with at least 6000 admissions per year, with 95% of women travelling 35 min or less to their closest birth centre. Planning at local level leads to reduced ability to meet admission and travel time targets.

conclusionsWhile it seems unrealistic to have all births in birth centres with at least 6000 admissions per year, it appears realistic to increase the percentage of mothers attending this type of birth centre from 17% to about 75% while maintaining reasonable travel times. Planning at a local level leads to suboptimal solutions.

Indexed as

Birthing CentersDelivery, ObstetricChildConsultantsFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornParturitionPerinatal CarePregnancyhealth policyhealth services administration & managementmaternal medicineobstetricsquality in health care

Identifiers

PMID32641323
PMCPMC7348651
OpenAlexW3041973981

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.