Exploring the use of health technology in community-based midwifery care - an interview study.

Holly Edmundson, Margaret Glogowska, Gail Hayward, Jude Mossop

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Holly EdmundsonNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK. holly.edmundson@phc.ox.ac.uk.

Margaret GlogowskaNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK.

Gail HaywardNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK.

Jude MossopNuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Level 4, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.

Funding

HEE/NIHR ICA Programme Pre-doctoral Clinical Academic Fellowship NIHR304915

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNew portable health technologies may offer solutions to challenges in current maternity care, but little is known about their current usage, existing problems, or areas of unmet needs. PURPOSE: To better understand the use of health technology in community midwifery care in the UK.

methodsMidwives with current or recent experience working in community settings were recruited using social media. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken. These were transcribed and thematically analyzed.

resultsThirteen midwives were interviewed between October 2021 and March 2022. The main themes and subthemes were: (1) Problems with current equipment: (a) Issues in the context of remote working, b) Concerns regarding accuracy, and c) Midwives' perceptions of service user experiences. (2) Equipment challenges working within the UK National Health Service: (a) Lack of availability of appropriate equipment, and (b) Lack of autonomy in how to utilize equipment. 3) Areas of unmet needs.

conclusionThis study has shown that there are several areas of unmet needs for community midwives that should be investigated. However, and arguably more pressing, is improving the availability and quality of health technologies and other equipment that is already widely used. Midwives were interested in technologies that support decision making, reduce the number of hospital visits for their patients, improve their workload, and reduce medicalisation. At the same time, there is fear that technology may displace midwives' wisdom. Where new technologies are introduced, support and training should be provided to address potential resistance.

Indexed as

Biomedical TechnologyCommunity Health ServicesMaternal Health ServicesMidwiferyAdultAttitude of Health PersonnelFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMiddle AgedPregnancyQualitative ResearchUnited KingdomClinical decision-makingCommunity healthcareCommunity midwiferyDiagnostic technologyDigital healthHealth technologyMaternity careMidwifery equipmentPoint-of-care testing (POCT)Workforce challenges

Identifiers

PMID40087622

DOI10.1186/s12884-025-07406-5

PMCPMC11907803

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY

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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.