Strategic Research for saving lives at birth in low-resource settings
We focus on labor and birth care, emphasising WHO Labour Care Guide, increased use of vacuum-assisted births, and reduced 2nd stage C-sections. Our work also supports newborn resuscitation through monitoring, real-time guidance, feedback, and supporting PDSA processes.
A learning solution for Safe Vacuum Assisted Births
Short name:
Safe Vacuum Learning
Aim and Objectives:
To reduce unnecessary C-sections and shorten time from decision to delivery when 2nd stage intervention is indicated.
- To make vacuum assisted birth safe for women, newborns, and health workers.
- To develop a scalable and sustainable learning solution.
- To evaluate how learning translates to changes in beliefs and behaviors.
Partners:
Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stavanger University Hospital, Oslo MET, TAMA, AGOTA, Erasmus Medical Center.
Laerdal concepts:
- A cascade model to train and sustain safe vacuum competencies.
- A compendium to support implementation of Safe Vacuum assisted births.
- A simulator for self-directed training in the maternity unit.
Links to partner page:
Supportive use of WHO Labour Care Guide for more Timely Obstetric Interventions
Short name:
Moyo Care
Objective and aim:
The primary objective of this project is to enhance timely use of obstetric interventions by integrating a digital implementation of the WHO Labour Care Guide with the existing Safer Births Bundle of Care program.
The project aims to train, equip, and support healthcare workers to promptly identify and manage fetal distress and prolonged labor.
This thereby reduces the interval from detection to decision and ultimately to delivery while minimizing unnecessary cesarean sections (CS).
Key aims include:
- Implementing the clinical use of Moyo Care in combination with Moyo 2 to improve labor monitoring and expedite decision-making processes. Assessing the user-friendliness, feasibility, and acceptability of these monitoring solutions.
- Evaluating a comprehensive training and implementation strategy, which involves training dedicated local facilitators, establishing regular in-situ simulation sessions guided by local data, providing clinical mentorship, and utilizing the VAB compendium as a support tool.
- Describing the implementation process, its impact, and safety for mothers, infants, and healthcare providers.
Partners:
Haydom Lutheran Hospital, Stavanger University Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Oslo MET
Ethical approval:
NIMR/HQ/R.8a/Vol.IX/5019
Laerdal concepts and regulatory:
Moyo 2 is an improved model of the Moyo fetal heart rate monitor that can send data to Moyo Care. Moyo Care is a digital version of the WHO Labour Care Guide, developed with input from Haydom doctors and midwives.
A graphical visualization is used to show the progress of labor, estimating time for slow progress together with fetal heart rate and other variables in the Labour Care guide.
This process reduces the burden of monitoring, decision making, and documentation.
Supporting newborn resuscitation in Nepal
Short name:
MALA
Aim and objectives:
The aim is to improve care during newborn resuscitation in order to reduce neonatal mortality and long-term complications associated with birth asphyxia.
This is part of the overall strategy of better supporting healthcare providers in resource-constrained clinical settings with relevant information about effectiveness of ventilation and changes in heart rate during newborn resuscitation.
Partners:
Golden Community, University of Gothenburg
Funding:
Laerdal Foundation and university grant from University of Gothenburg
Ethical approval:
- Government of Nepal Bharatpur Hospital IRB: Ref: 081/82-024
- Norwegian IRB (REK): IRB No: 677097
- Swedish IRB: Reg. No: 2025-01320-02
Laerdal concepts and regulatory:
- Audio visual presentation of newborn heart rate from NeoBeat.
- Audio visual presentation of estimated volume and rate of expired air calculated on basis of PEEP sound analysis from Laerdal Upright resuscitator with PEEP.
- Liveborn Web - video recordings of newborn resuscitation, including heart rate and ventilation parameters, made available for local review.
Link to partner page:
