Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative study

Abstract Background The Moyo device is an easy-to-use device that allows continuous electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (FHRM). We explored the acceptability of using the Moyo device for continuous intrapartum FHRM in Eastern Uganda. Methods Between November 2023 and August 2024, we introduced th...

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Main Authors: Milton W. Musaba, Ritah Nantale, Julius N. Wandabwa, Agnes Napyo, Albert Ssesanga, Usaama Ssewankambo, Akello Eunice, Kenneth Mugabe, Brendah Nambozo, Faith Oguttu, John Stephen Obbo, Andrew D. Weeks, David Mukunya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07756-0
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author Milton W. Musaba
Ritah Nantale
Julius N. Wandabwa
Agnes Napyo
Albert Ssesanga
Usaama Ssewankambo
Akello Eunice
Kenneth Mugabe
Brendah Nambozo
Faith Oguttu
John Stephen Obbo
Andrew D. Weeks
David Mukunya
author_facet Milton W. Musaba
Ritah Nantale
Julius N. Wandabwa
Agnes Napyo
Albert Ssesanga
Usaama Ssewankambo
Akello Eunice
Kenneth Mugabe
Brendah Nambozo
Faith Oguttu
John Stephen Obbo
Andrew D. Weeks
David Mukunya
author_sort Milton W. Musaba
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The Moyo device is an easy-to-use device that allows continuous electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (FHRM). We explored the acceptability of using the Moyo device for continuous intrapartum FHRM in Eastern Uganda. Methods Between November 2023 and August 2024, we introduced the Moyo device for continuous intrapartum FHRM among mothers with high-risk pregnancies at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in Eastern Uganda. We then conducted 34 in-depth interviews with 14 health workers who had used the Moyo device for continuous FHRM and with 20 mothers on whom the Moyo device was used. Participants were purposively selected and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. We analyzed data using thematic content analysis in Atlas ti.9 software and presented our findings using Sekhon’s acceptability model. Results Participants perceived the Moyo device as a useful and an easy-to-use tool for intrapartum FHRM. Mothers felt involved in monitoring their babies’ condition, with the freedom to ambulate during labour. Moyo facilitated early detection of fetal distress, and triage of patients awaiting caesarean section in a very busy setting. The facilitators to its use were: adequate staff training, health education and counselling of mothers about the device, and tool attributes such as accuracy, reliability and being user friendly. The barriers included poor health worker attitudes, risk of cross-infection, short battery life and the device alarms that were perceived as disturbances. Conclusion The Moyo device was acceptable to both health workers and mothers, with perceived improvements in both obstetric outcomes and birth experience. When introducing the device, careful attention needs to be paid to the training of both staff and the laboring women. Potential success of large scale roll out is supported by participants’ positive attitudes toward the Moyo and high perceived effectiveness.
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spelling doaj-art-4c0913d3044f426eaca3f0d5657b9ffb2025-08-20T02:31:09ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932025-06-0125111110.1186/s12884-025-07756-0Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative studyMilton W. Musaba0Ritah Nantale1Julius N. Wandabwa2Agnes Napyo3Albert Ssesanga4Usaama Ssewankambo5Akello Eunice6Kenneth Mugabe7Brendah Nambozo8Faith Oguttu9John Stephen Obbo10Andrew D. Weeks11David Mukunya12Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Busitema UniversityAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH)Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Busitema UniversityAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH)Accelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH)Accelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH)Accelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH)Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Busitema UniversityAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH)Accelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH)Department of Internal Medicine, Mbale Regional Referral HospitalDepartment of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Women’s HospitalAccelerating Innovations in Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (AiMARCH)Abstract Background The Moyo device is an easy-to-use device that allows continuous electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (FHRM). We explored the acceptability of using the Moyo device for continuous intrapartum FHRM in Eastern Uganda. Methods Between November 2023 and August 2024, we introduced the Moyo device for continuous intrapartum FHRM among mothers with high-risk pregnancies at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in Eastern Uganda. We then conducted 34 in-depth interviews with 14 health workers who had used the Moyo device for continuous FHRM and with 20 mothers on whom the Moyo device was used. Participants were purposively selected and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. We analyzed data using thematic content analysis in Atlas ti.9 software and presented our findings using Sekhon’s acceptability model. Results Participants perceived the Moyo device as a useful and an easy-to-use tool for intrapartum FHRM. Mothers felt involved in monitoring their babies’ condition, with the freedom to ambulate during labour. Moyo facilitated early detection of fetal distress, and triage of patients awaiting caesarean section in a very busy setting. The facilitators to its use were: adequate staff training, health education and counselling of mothers about the device, and tool attributes such as accuracy, reliability and being user friendly. The barriers included poor health worker attitudes, risk of cross-infection, short battery life and the device alarms that were perceived as disturbances. Conclusion The Moyo device was acceptable to both health workers and mothers, with perceived improvements in both obstetric outcomes and birth experience. When introducing the device, careful attention needs to be paid to the training of both staff and the laboring women. Potential success of large scale roll out is supported by participants’ positive attitudes toward the Moyo and high perceived effectiveness.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07756-0Moyo deviceHealth workersMothersAcceptabilityFetal heart rate monitoringUganda
spellingShingle Milton W. Musaba
Ritah Nantale
Julius N. Wandabwa
Agnes Napyo
Albert Ssesanga
Usaama Ssewankambo
Akello Eunice
Kenneth Mugabe
Brendah Nambozo
Faith Oguttu
John Stephen Obbo
Andrew D. Weeks
David Mukunya
Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative study
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Moyo device
Health workers
Mothers
Acceptability
Fetal heart rate monitoring
Uganda
title Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative study
title_full Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative study
title_fullStr Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative study
title_short Acceptability of the Moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in Uganda: a qualitative study
title_sort acceptability of the moyo device for intrapartum fetal heart rate monitoring at a referral hospital in uganda a qualitative study
topic Moyo device
Health workers
Mothers
Acceptability
Fetal heart rate monitoring
Uganda
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07756-0
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