Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40481404›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025

Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative study.

Milton W Musaba, Ritah Nantale, Julius N Wandabwa, Agnes Napyo, Albert Ssesanga, Usaama Ssewankambo, Akello Eunice, Kenneth Mugabe, Brendah Nambozo, Faith Oguttu and 3 more

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. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

13 authors.

Milton W MusabaFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda.
Ritah NantaleAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH), Mbale, Uganda. ritahclaire24@gmail.com.
Julius N WandabwaFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda.
Agnes NapyoAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH), Mbale, Uganda.
Albert SsesangaAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH), Mbale, Uganda.
Usaama SsewankamboAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH), Mbale, Uganda.
Akello EuniceAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH), Mbale, Uganda.
Kenneth MugabeFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda.
Brendah NambozoAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH), Mbale, Uganda.
Faith OguttuAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH), Mbale, Uganda.
John Stephen ObboDepartment of Internal Medicine, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Mbale, Uganda.
Andrew D WeeksDepartment of Women's and Children's Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Crown Street, Liverpool, L8 7SS, UK.
David MukunyaAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH), Mbale, Uganda.

Funding

Thrasher Research Fund ID#01851
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Moyo device is an easy-to-use device that allows continuous electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (FHRM). We explored the acceptability of using the Moyo device for continuous intrapartum FHRM in Eastern Uganda.

methodsBetween November 2023 and August 2024, we introduced the Moyo device for continuous intrapartum FHRM among mothers with high-risk pregnancies at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in Eastern Uganda. We then conducted 34 in-depth interviews with 14 health workers who had used the Moyo device for continuous FHRM and with 20 mothers on whom the Moyo device was used. Participants were purposively selected and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. We analyzed data using thematic content analysis in Atlas ti.9 software and presented our findings using Sekhon's acceptability model.

resultsParticipants perceived the Moyo device as a useful and an easy-to-use tool for intrapartum FHRM. Mothers felt involved in monitoring their babies' condition, with the freedom to ambulate during labour. Moyo facilitated early detection of fetal distress, and triage of patients awaiting caesarean section in a very busy setting. The facilitators to its use were: adequate staff training, health education and counselling of mothers about the device, and tool attributes such as accuracy, reliability and being user friendly. The barriers included poor health worker attitudes, risk of cross-infection, short battery life and the device alarms that were perceived as disturbances.

conclusionThe Moyo device was acceptable to both health workers and mothers, with perceived improvements in both obstetric outcomes and birth experience. When introducing the device, careful attention needs to be paid to the training of both staff and the laboring women. Potential success of large scale roll out is supported by participants' positive attitudes toward the Moyo and high perceived effectiveness.

Indexed as

CardiotocographyFetal MonitoringHeart Rate, FetalPatient Acceptance of Health CareAdultFemaleFetal DistressHumansLabor, ObstetricPregnancyQualitative ResearchUgandaYoung AdultAcceptabilityFetal heart rate monitoringHealth workersMothersMoyo deviceUganda

Identifiers

PMID40481404
PMCPMC12142845

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.