Cristóbal Rengel Díaz

Background/Objectives: Breastfeeding initiation after cesarean section is frequently delayed due to postoperative routines and early mother–infant separation. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols have been introduced in obstetrics to improve maternal recovery and may facilitate practices aligned with a family-centered model of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between ERAS implementation and breastfeeding outcomes, including early feeding patterns and effective breastfeeding at discharge. Methods: An analytical longitudinal study was conducted including women undergoing scheduled cesarean section between January 2025 and November 2025 at Quirón Salud Málaga Hospital (Spain). A total of 131 women were enrolled in this study. Two groups were compared: an exposed group that received an ERAS protocol (n = 65) for scheduled cesarean section and a control group (n = 66) managed with conventional in-hospital care. An intrasubject analysis was conducted, and associations were assessed using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors independently associated with effective breastfeeding. Results: The ERAS group showed a stable feeding pattern over time, with a high persistence of exclusive breastfeeding (Stuart–Maxwell χ²(2) = 1.14; p = 0.565). In multivariable analysis, ERAS implementation remained an independent factor (adjusted OR 3.79; 95% CI 1.50–9.55; p = 0.005), together with early skin-to-skin (adjusted OR 2.68; 95% CI 1.13–6.36; p = 0.026), as was breastfeeding support (adjusted OR 2.72; 95% CI 1.02–7.22; p = 0.045). LATCH scores were also higher in the ERAS group (p = 0.0005; r = 0.34). Conclusions: Women managed under ERAS presented a higher prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge and better breastfeeding performance. ERAS implementation was associated with improved breastfeeding outcomes, possibly through clinical conditions that facilitate early contact and structured breastfeeding support.

The purpose of this study is to report on the validation process of a questionnaire that explores health science students’ attitudes towards women’s childbirth experiences. This questionnaire can help inform education programs to enhance the quality of woman-professional interactions, and to improve women’s experiences of childbirth. A standardized procedure for the development and validation of the questionnaire included: item development and psychometric pre-validation, Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient calculation, test–retest and item-total correlation for the reliability analysis. Content validity was undertaken by Delphi method with sixteen panelists over two rounds. We determined the factor structure and refined and validated the questionnaire according to the responses of a cohort of 560 students using principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation. Confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken. A 52-items questionnaire CAVE-st: (acronym for cuestionario de actitudes sobre vivencias y experiencias en el parto) was developed and validated. The results of the factor analysis finally revealed four latent dimensions. The questionnaire CAVE-st is a valid and reliable tool to assess health science students’ attitude towards women’s childbirth experiences. Further work to translate and adapt the instrument in other cultures and languages will be undertaken.

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate what educational needs were being neglected in current perinatal educational program in the University of Malaga. We performed a cross-sectional study using the Students’ questionnaire on attitudes towards childbirth (CAVE-st) in a sample of 378 students who were finishing their undergraduate or postgraduate academic perinatal program, including medical and nursing students. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was 0.895. The mean score of CAVE-st in the sample was 200.34 (DT 21.0). The scores were below the median value in more than 53% of the students, especially in medical students. Female students scored systematically higher in the overall scale and its subscales, even after adjusting for study groups. On the other hand, the students with children scored significantly lower in the subscale that explored their attitudes towards unexpected results. A huge margin for improvement was recognizable in those subscales related with childbirth medicalization, respect to women decisions, and health-care prioritization. Students’ attitude towards childbirth need to be improved as a means to improve women’s childbirth experience and prevent birth-related trauma. The current undergraduate and postgraduate training in perinatal care lacks a comprehensive and biopsychosocial perspective that would improve the quality of clinical practice during childbirth.

Introduction. The loss of a pregnancy puts women at risk of suffering post-traumatic stress disorder. This circumstance can influence a subsequent pregnancy, and the link with the future baby. Objective. The main objective of this work was to identify the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among post-partum women who give birth after having suffered a previous gestational loss and to identify possible relationships between PTSD and the variables studied. Method. An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study. A total of 115 puerperal women who had suffered a previous gestational loss completed questionnaires containing sociodemographic variables, obstetric history, and responses to the Davidson Trauma Scale. Results. A score of 40 was established as a cut-off point in the Davidson Trauma Scale for the identification of PTSD. 21.7% of the participants scored 40 or above. Significant differences were found related to age (p = .030), number of pregnancies (p = .033), and number of gestational losses (p = .001). The probability of PTSD increases significantly in relation to the number of losses. Respondents are 2.55 times (β = .94 p = .027) more likely to suffer PTSD the higher the number of gestational losses suffered. Discussion and conclusion. There are significant differences in the presence of PTSD among puerperal women in terms of age, number of pregnancies, and number of gestational losses. Post-partum women are more likely to suffer PTSD after a gestational loss the higher the number of gestational losses suffered.

Background. Around 30% of pregnancies conclude in a gestational loss. Most women who suffer a gestational loss become pregnant again. However, mothers who have experienced this situation live the new pregnancy with fear and anxiety. Objective. To perform an update of the main works done in the study of post-traumatic stress and related symptoms during pregnancy after a gestational loss. Method. The Medline database was consulted. Articles published from 2007 to date were selected. Key words related to the topic of study were used. Results. The studies reviewed showed five entities that deserve attention during a pregnancy achieved after a gestational loss: post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, relationship, and relationship with the future child. There is a relationship between the presence of post-traumatic stress and the risk of developing depression and anxiety. Discussion and conclusion. Women who experience perinatal loss, regardless of the type of loss and the gestational age in which it occurs, are at risk of continuing grief, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress in later pregnancy. The gestational age and the time elapsed between the perinatal loss and the next pregnancy seem to be the most influential factors in the development of post-traumatic stress sindrome, and symptoms of dysfunctional grief, anxiety, and depression.

Management of pregnancy in patients with rare diseases is often guided by incomplete knowledge because of a lack of high-quality case control studies or single-centre experience. Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder that results in calcification of elastic fibres of the skin, retina, and arteries, leading to skin lesions, eventual central visual loss, and potential arterial insufficiency in most patients. It is due to mutations in ABCC6, which encodes the eponymous membrane transport protein. We review the literature on pregnancy in PXE, including the effects of the diseases on pregnancy and its complications, the effect of PXE on the foetus, and the effects of pregnancy on PXE, and conclude that in the majority of pregnancies in women with PXE, the outcome for mother, baby, and the disease is uneventful. We also provide recommendations for managing pregnancy in PXE.