Objective: to know the degree of fulfillment of the requests that women reflect in their birth plans and to determine their influence on the main obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Method: retrospective, descriptive and analytical study with 178 women with birth plans in third-level hospital. Inclusion criteria: low risk gestation, cephalic presentation, single childbirth, delivered at term. Scheduled and urgent cesareans without labor were excluded. A descriptive and inferential analysis of the variables was performed. Results: the birth plan was mostly fulfilled in only 37% of the women. The group of women whose compliance was low (less than or equal to 50%) had a cesarean section rate of 18.8% and their children had worse outcomes in the Apgar test and umbilical cord pH; while in women with high compliance (75% or more), the percentage of cesareans fell to 6.1% and their children had better outcomes. Conclusion: birth plans have a low degree of compliance. The higher the compliance, the better is the maternal and neonatal outcomes. The birth plan can be an effective tool to achieve better outcomes for the mother and her child. Measures are needed to improve its compliance.

Objective: to evaluate the effects of labor stimulation with oxytocin on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Method: descriptive and analytical study with 338 women who gave birth at a tertiary hospital. Obstetric and neonatal variables were measured and compared in women submitted and non-submitted to stimulation with oxytocin. Statistics were performed using Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, Student t-test; and crude Odds Ratio with 95% confidence interval were calculated. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: stimulation with oxytocin increases the rates of cesarean sections, epidural anesthesia and intrapartum maternal fever in primiparous and multiparous women. It has also been associated with low pH values of umbilical cord blood and with a shorter duration of the first stage of labor in primiparous women. However, it did not affect the rates of 3rd and 4th degree perineal lacerations, episiotomies, advanced neonatal resuscitation, 5-minute Apgar scores and meconium. Conclusion: stimulation with oxytocin should not be used systematically, but only in specific cases. These findings provide further evidence to health professionals and midwives on the use of oxytocin during labor. Under normal conditions, women should be informed of the possible effects of labor stimulation with oxytocin.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether birth plans are associated with improved obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Study and Design: This retrospective case–control study (N = 182) was conducted at a hospital in Córdoba, Spain, between August 2008 and September 2011. Obstetric and neonatal outcomes were compared between groups (women with and without birth plans). Chi-square statistics and Student's t-tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: Women with birth plans were older and had a higher academic background than the control group. There were no significant differences between groups for any of the obstetric outcomes or 5-minute Apgar scores; however, there was a significant difference in umbilical artery cord blood pH values (p = .019). The percent of babies with umbilical cord blood pH < 7.24 among nulliparous women with birth plans (14.7%, n = 5) was lower than among babies of nulliparous women without birth plans (37.5%, n = 26). Clinical Implications: Findings of this study provide evidence that birth plans may be helpful and are not associated with any negative obstetric or neonatal outcomes. Mothers with birth plans and their babies have at least as good outcomes as those without a birth plan. Babies of nulliparous women with birth plans had better umbilical cord blood pH values than babies of nulliparous women without birth plans. Healthcare professionals can promote the use of birth plans as a resource to enhance communication of women's desires for labor and birth.

(1) Background: Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) has a high prevalence globally, and perinatal factors favor FSD, especially in the postpartum period. The aim was to determine the prevalence and factors influencing FSD in the postpartum period; (2) Methods: An observational study carried out in three primary care centers in southern Spain, with women in the postpartum period who had a single low-risk birth. One hundred and seventeen women answered the Female Sexual Function questionnaire during the 4th month postpartum, between January 2020 and December 2021. Sociodemographic, obstetric, neonatal variables and level of self-esteem were analyzed. A multiple logistic regression model was carried out; (3) Results: 78.4% had high level of self-esteem. FSD prevalence was 89.7%. Factors related to FSD were having an instrumental vaginal delivery, women with university studies, and prenatal preparation. Maternal age ≥ 35, multiparity, pathological processes in the child, a medium–low level of self-esteem and newborn weight were associated with disorders in some of domains of sexual function; (4) Conclusions: FSD is highly prevalent in the postpartum period and is associated with preventable factors. A preventive approach by health professionals to these factors is essential. Health services should implement postpartum follow-up programs, which may coincide in time and place with newborn follow-up programs.

Background: Birth plans are used for pregnant women to express their wishes and expectations about childbirth. The aim of this study was to compare obstetric and neonatal outcomes between women with and without birth plans. Methods: A multicentre, retrospective case–control study at tertiary hospitals in southern Spain between 2009 and 2013 was conducted. A total of 457 pregnant women were included, 178 with and 279 without birth plans. Women with low-risk gestation, at full-term and having been in labour were included. Sociodemographic, obstetric and neonatal variables were analysed and comparisons were established. Results: Women with birth plans were older, more educated and more commonly primiparous. Caesarean sections were less common in primiparous women with birth plans (18% vs. 29%, p = 0.027); however, no significant differences were found in instrumented births, 3rd–4th-degree tears or episiotomy rates. Newborns of primiparous women with birth plans obtained better results on 1 min Apgar scores, umbilical cord pH and advanced neonatal resuscitation. No significant differences were found on 5 min Apgar scores or other variables for multiparous women. Conclusions: Birth plans were related to less intervention, a more natural process of birth and better outcomes for mothers and newborns. Birth plans can improve the welfare of the mother and newborn, leading to birth in a more natural way.