It is important to recognize excessive blood loss during childbirth, which is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. This article reviews methods to measure blood loss that could be used during childbirth. PubMed, CINAHL, and MEDLINE databases were searched using the phrases "blood loss" and "measurement." The bibliographies of publications were scanned for applicable references. A total of 46 publications are included in this review. The methods used to measure blood loss are categorized into visual estimation, direct measurement, gravimetric, photometry, and miscellaneous. Methods are described and compared. A combination of direct measurement and gravimetric methods are the most practical. Photometry is the most precise, but also the most expensive and complex to use. A variety of miscellaneous methods are presented, but none is a practical or reliable method. Visual estimation of blood loss is so inaccurate that its continued use in practice is questionable and it should not be used in research to evaluate treatment.

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There is a strong commitment from preceptors to give back to the profession through the teaching of the future generation of midwives. Many of the barriers to precepting could be addressed by ACNM, the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education, and individual midwifery education programs.

These findings suggest that low rates of cesarean in birth centers are not attributable to labor setting alone. The entire birth center care model, including prenatal preparation and relationship-based midwifery care, should be studied, promoted, and implemented by policy makers interested in achieving appropriate cesarean rates in the United States.

Determination of how, and under what conditions, clinicians decide when to use particular techniques to manage the third stage of labor and how these techniques influence the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage, is necessary. The clusters of practice combinations that emerged in this study suggest that there are extreme variations in clinician practices during management of the third stage of labor.

Background The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) practice is not well known. Purpose This study aimed to describe state practice barriers and explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on APRN practice. Methods A descriptive study design used a 20-item web-based survey open from June 1 through September 23, 2020. Findings A total of 7,467 APRNs responded from all 50 states, including nurse practitioners (n = 6,478, 86.8%), certified registered nurse anesthetists (n = 592, 7.9%), certified nurse-midwives (n = 278, 3.7%), and clinical nurse specialists (n = 242, 3.2%). A number of barriers to practice prior to the pandemic were identified. Most respondents (n=6334, 84.8%) identified that practice barriers limited the ability of APRNs to provide care during the pandemic. Discussion Barriers to APRN practice continue to restrict aspects of patient care and patient access to care, even in states with FPA, during the COVID-19 pandemic and with state executive orders waiving practice restrictions. The study findings can be used to advocate for policy changes to support APRN practice authority.

Shade Tree Clinic provides the basic components of prenatal care and assists women with other medical needs. Women also receive help when applying for and accessing public maternity insurance, and the clinic facilitates entry to any necessary specialist care while that insurance is processed. In many cases, necessary and time-sensitive care would be delayed if Shade Tree Clinic's prenatal services were not available. In addition, the clinic presents a valuable opportunity for interprofessional socialization, increased respect, and improved collaboration between students in different but complementary professions, which is an important experience while we move to meet national goals for interprofessional care among health professionals. This article is part of a special series of articles that address midwifery innovations in clinical practice, education, interprofessional collaboration, health policy, and global health.

Surveys of third-stage labor practices must include large numbers of actions to represent what may be the state of US practices. Survey design may need to include a multiple-forms approach to avoid participant burden. Designs should include the exploration of differences by provider type as well as within provider variation.