Exploring barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Uganda

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dc.contributor.advisorClow, Sheila
dc.contributor.advisorWalker, Sonja
dc.contributor.authorSsemwanga, Nassifu
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-27T10:31:26Z
dc.date.available2026-07-27T10:31:26Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.date.updated2026-07-27T10:30:36Z
dc.description.abstractBackground: The postnatal period is a critical phase in the lives of mothers and newborn babies, and almost half of the maternal and neonatal deaths occur in the first 24 hours after birth. However, the barriers and facilitators to immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives have received little attention, most especially in developing countries, including Uganda. This study explored the barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Central Uganda. Methods: This was a qualitative descriptive study conducted among purposively sampled midwives at Gombe District Hospital, Central Uganda. Information was gathered through three focus group discussions and four key informant interviews. Data were analysed using the inductive thematic approach of Colaizzi. Results: All participants were females aged between 23 and 59 years. Three themes emerged: “Optimising birth outcomes”, which reflects midwives understanding of the components of immediate postpartum and newborn care; “Overwhelming experience”, which highlights barriers such as a disabling work environment, demotivating conditions, and an uninformed practice; and “Comprehensive support system”, which encompasses facilitators such as an enabling work environment, effective leadership and management, and professional competence. An overarching theme, “Contradictions in Perspectives”, highlights the inconsistencies between the viewpoints of frontline midwives, who deal with daily realities, and midwifery managers, whose perspectives seem more aspirational. Conclusion: These findings emphasise the need for specific interventions to address barriers and strengthen facilitators, enhancing the overall quality of maternal care and birth outcomes.
dc.identifier.apacitationSsemwanga, N. (2026). <i>Exploring barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Uganda</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43673en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSsemwanga, Nassifu. <i>"Exploring barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Uganda."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, 2026. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43673en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSsemwanga, N. 2026. Exploring barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Uganda. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43673en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Ssemwanga, Nassifu AB - Background: The postnatal period is a critical phase in the lives of mothers and newborn babies, and almost half of the maternal and neonatal deaths occur in the first 24 hours after birth. However, the barriers and facilitators to immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives have received little attention, most especially in developing countries, including Uganda. This study explored the barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Central Uganda. Methods: This was a qualitative descriptive study conducted among purposively sampled midwives at Gombe District Hospital, Central Uganda. Information was gathered through three focus group discussions and four key informant interviews. Data were analysed using the inductive thematic approach of Colaizzi. Results: All participants were females aged between 23 and 59 years. Three themes emerged: “Optimising birth outcomes”, which reflects midwives understanding of the components of immediate postpartum and newborn care; “Overwhelming experience”, which highlights barriers such as a disabling work environment, demotivating conditions, and an uninformed practice; and “Comprehensive support system”, which encompasses facilitators such as an enabling work environment, effective leadership and management, and professional competence. An overarching theme, “Contradictions in Perspectives”, highlights the inconsistencies between the viewpoints of frontline midwives, who deal with daily realities, and midwifery managers, whose perspectives seem more aspirational. Conclusion: These findings emphasise the need for specific interventions to address barriers and strengthen facilitators, enhancing the overall quality of maternal care and birth outcomes. DA - 2026 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Barriers KW - Facilitators KW - Immediate KW - Postpartum KW - Newborn KW - Care KW - Midwives LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2026 T1 - Exploring barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Uganda TI - Exploring barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Uganda UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43673 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/43673
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSsemwanga N. Exploring barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Uganda. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43673en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciences
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectBarriers
dc.subjectFacilitators
dc.subjectImmediate
dc.subjectPostpartum
dc.subjectNewborn
dc.subjectCare
dc.subjectMidwives
dc.titleExploring barriers to and facilitators of immediate postpartum and newborn care by midwives in Uganda
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMSc
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