Table 2.
Study characteristics
| Author & date | Title | Resource setting | Country | Setting | Population | Participants | Design | Methods | QA grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Wattar et al. 2017 [16] | Training on Kielland’s forceps: A survey of trainees’ opinions | HIC | England | Regional (not national) | Specialist trainee obstetricians | 87/172 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Cross-sectional survey | C |
| Alexander et al. 2001 [17] | An evaluation by focus group and survey of a course for Midwifery Ventouse Practitioners | HIC | England | National | Midwives who had completed ventouse advanced training | n = 8 focus group n = 18 survey (100% response rate) | Mixed methods | Focus group followed by survey | B |
| Bahl et al. 2008a [18] | Qualitative analysis by interviews and video recordings to establish the components of a skilled low-cavity non-rotational vacuum delivery | HIC | UK | Two university teaching hospitals: Dundee & Bristol | Obstetricians and midwives | n = 10 obstetricians, n = 8 midwives | Qualitative | Interviews, vignettes, video recordings | A/B |
| Bahl et al. 2010a [19] | Non-technical skills for obstetricians conducting forceps and vacuum deliveries: qualitative analysis by interviews and video recordings | HIC | UK | Two university teaching hospitals: Dundee & Bristol | Obstetricians and midwives | n = 10 obstetricians, n = 8 midwives | Qualitative | Interviews, vignettes, video recordings | A/B |
| Bahl et al. 2013a [20] | Qualitative analysis by interviews and video recordings to establish the components of a skilled rotational forceps delivery | HIC | UK | Two university teaching hospitals: Dundee & Bristol | Obstetricians and midwives | n = 10 obstetricians, n = 8 midwives | Qualitative | Interviews, vignettes, video recordings | A/B |
| Bahl et al. 2013a [21] | Decision-making in operative vaginal delivery: when to intervene, where to deliver and which instrument to use? Qualitative analysis of expert clinical practice | HIC | UK | Two university teaching hospitals: Dundee & Bristol | Obstetricians and midwives | n = 10 obstetricians, n = 8 midwives | Qualitative | Interviews, vignettes, video recordings | A/B |
| Biringer et al. 2019 [22] | Enhanced skills training in family medicine maternity care: Cross-sectional study of graduates’ experiences | HIC | Canada | National | Graduates of family medicine enhanced skills programs (2004–2014) | 87/233 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Cross-sectional questionnaire | C |
| Bofill et al. 1996a [23] | Forceps and vacuum delivery: A survey of North American residency programs | HIC | US | National | Residents (trainee O&G) | 210/291 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C/D |
| Bofill et al. 1996b [24] | Operative Vaginal Delivery: A Survey of Fellows of ACOG | HIC | US | National | Fellow obstetricians | 597/1600 | Quantitative | Randomised survey | C/D |
| Chinnoock et al. 2009 [25] | An anonymous survey of registrar training in the use of Kjelland’s forceps in Australia | HIC | Australia | National | Registrar obstetricians (trainee) | 197/303 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C/D |
| Crosby et al. 2017 [26] | An international assessment of trainee experience, confidence, and comfort in operative vaginal delivery | HIC | Ireland & Canada | International comparison | Trainee obstetricians | 31/56 eligible Canadian trainees, 21/48 eligible Irish trainees | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C/D |
| Devjee 2015 [27] | A survey of health professionals on the current use of forceps / ventouse and skills training for operative vaginal delivery | UMIC | South Africa | Provincial | Healthcare workers (includes Interns /Medical Officers/ Community service officers /Registrars /Specialists) | 197/250 (30 excluded for incompleteness) n = 15 Interns, n = 71 medical officers, n = 29 community service officers, n = 25 registrars, n = 15 specialists | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C/D |
| Eichelberger et al. 2015 [28] | Training needs in operative obstetrics for maternal–fetal medicine fellows | HIC | US | Regional (not national) | First year maternal–fetal medicine (MFM) fellows | 86/100 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C |
| Evans et al. 2009 [29] | Where there is no obstetrician – increasing capacity for emergency obstetric care in rural India: An evaluation of a pilot program to train general doctors | LMI | India | Two sites Surat (Gujarat) and Jaipur (Rajasthan) | Medical officers | n = 17 | Qualitative | Pilot study evaluation: program documents, facility observation, data abstraction at the facilities, and from semi-structured interviews with key informants (program and government staff, regional and international experts, trainees and trainers | B/C |
| Fauveau 2009 [30] | Is vacuum extraction still known, taught and practiced? A worldwide KAP survey | Low- middle | International study across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Caribbean Asia, the Pacific, Arab States, and Middle East Central Asia | International | Obstetricians, midwives, or public health experts specializing in maternal health | 111/121 countries investigated | Quantitative | Rapid Knowledge—Attitude—Practice (KAP) survey | D |
| Friedman et al. 2020 [31] | Resident Attitudes Towards Caesarean Delivery in Canadian Obstetrics and Gynaecology Residency Programs | HIC | Canada | National | Residents (trainee O&G) | 160/501 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Cross-sectional purposive survey with open text option | B |
| Hamza et al. 2020 [32] | Vaginal operative delivery in Germany: a national survey about experience and self-reported competency | HIC | Germany | National | Residents (trainee), specialists and consultants | n = 653 | Quantitative | Survey | B |
| Hankins et al. 1999 [33] | Forceps and vacuum delivery: Expectations of residency and fellowship training program directors | HIC | North America | National | Residents (trainee) and fellows | 219/354 | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C |
| Healyand Laufe 1985 [34] | Survey of obstetric forceps training in North America 1981 | HIC | North America | National residency programs | Chairmen of programs | 108/144 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C |
| Hodges et al. 2015b [35] | Learning from Experience: Development of a Cognitive Task-List to Assess the Second Stage of Labour for Operative Delivery | HIC | Canada | Three large teaching hospitals in Toronto | Obstetricians identified as skilled | n = 20 | Qualitative | Vignettes, video recordings, interviews, Delphi method | B/C |
| Powell et al. 2007 [36] | Vacuum and forceps training in residency: experience and self-reported competency | HIC | US | National | Chief residents (senior trainees) | n = 238 (20% of eligible participants) in first survey, n = 269 (23% of eligible participants) in second survey | Quantitative | Purposive survey repeated 1 year later due to low response rate in survey1 | C |
| Ramphul et al. 2012 [37] | Strategies to enhance assessment of the fetal head position before instrumental delivery: a survey of obstetric practice in the United Kingdom and Ireland | HIC | UK & Ireland | International comparison | Obstetricians working in CLUs | 323/423 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey with open text option | B |
| Robson and Pridmore. 1999 [38] | Have Kielland Forceps Reached Their ‘Use By’ Date? | HIC | Australia | One state (South Australia) | Obstetricians | 23/29 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey | D |
| Rose et al. 2019 [39] | Forceps-assisted vaginal delivery: the landscape of obstetrics and gynecology resident training | HIC | US | National | Residents (trainees) | 434/5061 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C |
| Sánchez del Hierro et al. 2014 [40] | Are recent graduates enough prepared to perform obstetric skills in their rural and compulsory year? A study from Ecuador | UMIC | Ecuador | Rural health centres in Southern Ecuador | Recently graduated medical doctors during their compulsory year of rural practice | 90/92 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey | B |
| Sarangapani et al. 2018 [41] | Video-Based Teaching in Patient and Instrument Selection for Operative Vaginal Deliveries | HIC | Canada | One university site | Residents (trainees) | 25/31 participated that were eligible-qualitative arm | MM overall, but qual data only to be used | Focus groups following training session | B |
| Saunier et al. 2015 [42] | French residents' training in instrumental deliveries: A national survey | HIC | France | National | Residents (1st years were excluded) | 263/758 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Purposive survey | C/D |
| Simpson et al. 2015b [43] | Learning From Experience: Development of a Cognitive Task List to Perform a Safe and Successful Non-Rotational Forceps Delivery | HIC | Canada | Three large teaching hospitals in Toronto | Obstetricians identified as skilled | n = 17 | Qualitative | Vignettes, video recording analysis | B/C |
| Smith 1991 [44] | GP trainees' views on hospital obstetric vocational training | HIC | UK | National | General practitioner trainees | 765/1019 participated that were eligible | Quantitative | Randomised survey | C/D |
| Tang et al. 2012 [45] | Impact of introducing consultant resident on-call in a District General Hospital | HIC | England | One hospital site | Consultants, junior trainees and midwives | n = 17 (unclear how many of each professional group) | Mixed methods | Retrospective study and interviews | C/D |
| Wilson and Casson 1990 [46] | Babes in the Woods: Teaching the Use of the Vacuum Extractor | HIC | Canada | One hospital site | Family physicians | n = 23 | Quantitative | Retrospective audit and survey (survey data to be used) | C |
aSame study different research questions reported in the separate publications
bSame study different research questions reported in the separate publications