May 4, 2021
Good contact between all those involved is the be-all and end-all of a smooth, self-determined birth. But especially in times of the coronavirus with its distance rules and contact restrictions, trusting exchange can prove difficult. Researchers at Jacobs University Bremen have now developed a German language app that aims to improve communication in obstetrics. It addresses expectant mothers, their relatives, and medical staff – especially midwives, whose work will be honored on May 5, 2021, with the International Day of the Midwife.
Midwives in Germany attended more than three quarters of a million births last year. They make an important contribution to medical care and to the safety of pregnant women, women giving birth, young mothers and newborns. The closest possible care between midwives and women giving birth is elementary to ensure a safe birth for mothers and newborns. However, one-to-one care between midwives and birthing mothers is currently only possible in one out of six cases. This can lead to uncertainty and anxiety.
This is where communication training can provide a remedy. These trainings help to minimize misunderstandings and uncertainties and ensure a better birth. Sonia Lippke, Professor of Health Psychology at Jacobs University, shows this in a scientific paper, which was recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Training should be repeated and offered to everyone, including midwifery students, obstetricians, nurses, medical staff as well as pregnant women, women giving birth and their partners.
The TeamBaby app, as the new application is called, offers such training free of charge. Its goal is to teach new communication skills and optimize existing ones through short and interactive exercises. It can be used free of charge and is part of a research project. Therefore, a short questionnaire must be answered before using it. In the first version, the application is available in German. An English version is in preparation.
Click here for the app:
https://www.jacobs-university.de/teambaby/app
Link to the study:
Lippke, S., Derksen, C., Keller, F. M., Kötting, L., Schmiedhofer, M., & Welp, A. (2021). Effectiveness of communication interventions in obstetrics – A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(5), 2616.
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/5/2616/pdf
Questions are answered by:
Dr. Sonia Lippke
Professor of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine
Tel.: +49 421 200-4730
Email: s.lippke [at] jacobs-university.de