CRPH News

The Choices and Challenges in Changing Childbirth Network Disseminates ten years of research by the CCCC Network (Egypt, Lebanon, Occupied Palestinian territories and Syria)

Riviera Hotel, Beirut from May 17th to 18th


The Choices and Challenges in Changing Childbirth Research Network (CCCC) held a two-day conference to disseminate 10 years of research on maternal and newborn health in Lebanon and the region. The conference took place on May 17 and 18 at the Riviera Hotel and included local, regional and international participants.

Housed in the Center for Research on Population and Health in AUB’s Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), the aims of the CCCC network are to create scientific evidence on childbirth practices in the region and to understand how maternity care can be made safer and more satisfactory. The specific objectives of the network are producing and publishing high-quality research, disseminating research findings through media and various activities with stakeholders, and encouraging evidence-based practice by health care providers.

Professor Jocelyn DeJong, CCCC Regional Coordinator, gave a historical overview of the network. She said that it started as “B-WELL” group of researchers addressing maternal health in Lebanon and was subsequently joined by researchers in Egypt, Syria and the occupied Palestinian territories interested to document and improve ‘normal childbirth’ (or pregnancies that are not high-risk). The network’s research has resulted in over 40 peer reviewed publications collectively many of which document the lack of full adherence to evidence-based practices for normal birth in hospitals and problems in the quality of care. The region has seen a rapidly increasing rate of cesarean section for example. Moreover, some unnecessary medical procedures (such as routine enema or episiotomy or IV infusion during labor which restricts women’s mobility) are often routine despite not being warranted by the latest scientific evidence.

Ms. Laura Wick from Birzeit University’s Institute of Community and Public Health and coordinator of the Palestinian team summarized research by the network on women’s perspectives of childbirth. She noted that women are not empowered to discuss issues related to their obstetric care and that few women’s groups address maternal health issues.

Dr. Hyam Bashour of Damascus University and coordinator of the Syrian team reported on research by the network that has tested whether certain types of interventions can improve quality of health care. Professor Tamar Kabakian, of FHS and coordinator of the Lebanese team, talked about the network’s research on post-partum care which has documented the underutilization and deficiencies in the type of postpartum services provided. She also spoke about an initiative in Lebanon to produce the “Salamet Hamlik” (Safe Pregnancy) newsletter to provide much needed information on pregnancy, delivery and postpartum issues to women.

Dr. Faysal El Kak of FHS and President of the Lebanese Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology spoke of the critical role of professional organizations in the improvement of maternal health care. Dr. Metin Gulmezoglu of the World Health Organization in Geneva, described some international efforts to improve the quality of maternal health care. Professor Oona Campbell, Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, talked about causes of maternal death and the need to improve quality of care, a focus of the network’s research. She noted that internationally there is a need for more robust tracking of progress, accountability, and greater political commitment to improve the health of mothers and newborns. In the final panel on regional perspectives on maternal health by countries not yet represented in the network, Professor Atf Gherissi, from the Tunis-El Manar University, gave an overview on the maternal health in North Africa (NA). Professor Hora Soltani, of Sheffield-Hallam University in the UK, described the maternal health situation in Iran and the need to expand women’s choices and improve evidence-based care there.

Participants concluded the meeting with calls for more regional exchange in the field so that research findings can be shared and ultimately have an impact on improving women’s and newborns’ health.