Global research priorities related to the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: results of a global consultation

Abstract Background The World Health Organization (WHO) published the WHO Labour Care Guide (LCG) in 2020 to support the implementation of its 2018 recommendations on intrapartum care. The WHO LCG promotes evidence-based labour monitoring and stimulates shared decision-making between maternity care...

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Main Author: World Health Organization Labour Care Guide Research Prioritization Group
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-04-01
Series:Reproductive Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-023-01600-4
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author World Health Organization Labour Care Guide Research Prioritization Group
author_facet World Health Organization Labour Care Guide Research Prioritization Group
author_sort World Health Organization Labour Care Guide Research Prioritization Group
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The World Health Organization (WHO) published the WHO Labour Care Guide (LCG) in 2020 to support the implementation of its 2018 recommendations on intrapartum care. The WHO LCG promotes evidence-based labour monitoring and stimulates shared decision-making between maternity care providers and labouring women. There is a need to identify critical questions that will contribute to defining the research agenda relating to implementation of the WHO LCG. Methods This mixed-methods prioritization exercise, adapted from the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) and James Lind Alliance (JLA) methods, combined a metrics-based design with a qualitative, consensus-building consultation in three phases. The exercise followed the reporting guideline for priority setting of health research (REPRISE). First, 30 stakeholders were invited to submit online ideas or questions (generation of research ideas). Then, 220 stakeholders were invited to score "research avenues" (i.e., broad research ideas that could be answered through a set of research questions) against six independent and equally weighted criteria (scoring of research avenues). Finally, a technical working group (TWG) of 20 purposively selected stakeholders reviewed the scoring, and refined and ranked the research avenues (consensus-building meeting). Results Initially, 24 stakeholders submitted 89 research ideas or questions. A list of 10 consolidated research avenues was scored by 75/220 stakeholders. During the virtual consensus-building meeting, research avenues were refined, and the top three priorities agreed upon were: (1) optimize implementation strategies of WHO LCG, (2) improve understanding of the effect of WHO LCG on maternal and perinatal outcomes, and the process and experience of labour and childbirth care, and (3) assess the effect of the WHO LCG in special situations or settings. Research avenues related to the organization of care and resource utilization ranked lowest during both the scoring and consensus-building process. Conclusion This systematic and transparent process should encourage researchers, program implementers, and funders to support research aligned with the identified priorities related to WHO LCG. An international collaborative platform is recommended to implement prioritized research by using harmonized research tools, establishing a repository of research priorities studies, and scaling-up successful research results.
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spelling doaj.art-0904babce8824f9d9d3fa0c7e292ad0d2023-04-09T11:18:03ZengBMCReproductive Health1742-47552023-04-0120111410.1186/s12978-023-01600-4Global research priorities related to the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: results of a global consultationWorld Health Organization Labour Care Guide Research Prioritization Group0UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health OrganizationAbstract Background The World Health Organization (WHO) published the WHO Labour Care Guide (LCG) in 2020 to support the implementation of its 2018 recommendations on intrapartum care. The WHO LCG promotes evidence-based labour monitoring and stimulates shared decision-making between maternity care providers and labouring women. There is a need to identify critical questions that will contribute to defining the research agenda relating to implementation of the WHO LCG. Methods This mixed-methods prioritization exercise, adapted from the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) and James Lind Alliance (JLA) methods, combined a metrics-based design with a qualitative, consensus-building consultation in three phases. The exercise followed the reporting guideline for priority setting of health research (REPRISE). First, 30 stakeholders were invited to submit online ideas or questions (generation of research ideas). Then, 220 stakeholders were invited to score "research avenues" (i.e., broad research ideas that could be answered through a set of research questions) against six independent and equally weighted criteria (scoring of research avenues). Finally, a technical working group (TWG) of 20 purposively selected stakeholders reviewed the scoring, and refined and ranked the research avenues (consensus-building meeting). Results Initially, 24 stakeholders submitted 89 research ideas or questions. A list of 10 consolidated research avenues was scored by 75/220 stakeholders. During the virtual consensus-building meeting, research avenues were refined, and the top three priorities agreed upon were: (1) optimize implementation strategies of WHO LCG, (2) improve understanding of the effect of WHO LCG on maternal and perinatal outcomes, and the process and experience of labour and childbirth care, and (3) assess the effect of the WHO LCG in special situations or settings. Research avenues related to the organization of care and resource utilization ranked lowest during both the scoring and consensus-building process. Conclusion This systematic and transparent process should encourage researchers, program implementers, and funders to support research aligned with the identified priorities related to WHO LCG. An international collaborative platform is recommended to implement prioritized research by using harmonized research tools, establishing a repository of research priorities studies, and scaling-up successful research results.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-023-01600-4WHO labour care guideResearch priority settingChildbirthIntrapartum careWomen-centred careChildbirth experience
spellingShingle World Health Organization Labour Care Guide Research Prioritization Group
Global research priorities related to the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: results of a global consultation
Reproductive Health
WHO labour care guide
Research priority setting
Childbirth
Intrapartum care
Women-centred care
Childbirth experience
title Global research priorities related to the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: results of a global consultation
title_full Global research priorities related to the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: results of a global consultation
title_fullStr Global research priorities related to the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: results of a global consultation
title_full_unstemmed Global research priorities related to the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: results of a global consultation
title_short Global research priorities related to the World Health Organization Labour Care Guide: results of a global consultation
title_sort global research priorities related to the world health organization labour care guide results of a global consultation
topic WHO labour care guide
Research priority setting
Childbirth
Intrapartum care
Women-centred care
Childbirth experience
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-023-01600-4
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