Effect of continuity of team midwifery care on maternal and neonatal outcomes: a quasi-experimental study in Iran

Midwife-led continuity of care models have been linked to better clinical outcomes in certain developed countries. However, there is a paucity of research on these models in developing nations. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on primiparous women who referred to one private midwifery center and two public hospitals in Ahvaz, Iran to evaluate the effect of team midwifery care on maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women in Iran. Two hundred women were allocated either into the experimental (n = 100) or control (n = 100) groups. Women in the experimental group, received team midwifery care, while women in the control group, received routine care. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Mackey questionnaire, and a checklist. Women in the team midwifery care group experienced significantly higher rates of normal vaginal birth and exclusive breastfeeding compared to women in the control group. No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the rate of induction of labor and postpartum hemorrhage. The duration of labor was longer in the team midwifery care compared to the control group. Women in the team midwifery care group had a significantly higher rate of exclusive breastfeeding at six weeks postpartum compared to the control group (80 vs. 61%, p = 0.001). After excluding women with ruptured membranes and prolonged pregnancies, neonates in the intervention group had significantly higher first- and fifth-minute Apgar scores (p < 0.0001), and a lower rate of admission to intensive care unit in the intervention group compared to the control group (1 vs. 9%, p = 0.04). Also, women in the team midwifery group had skin-to-skin contact significantly earlier than those in the control group (33.87 +/- 66.26 min vs. 111.98 +/- 247.31 min, p = 0.578). Given the positive impact of continuous team midwifery care on maternal and neonatal outcomes, its implementation in maternity care systems, particularly in countries like Iran with high cesarean section rates, is strongly recommended.