The Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology
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Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol · Apr 2005
Impact of an early pregnancy problem service on patient care and Emergency Department presentations.
To examine the impact of a 'next day' outpatient clinic, the Early Pregnancy Problem Service, on patients presenting to the Emergency Department with pain or bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy. This clinic was established in June 1996. ⋯ Following the introduction of the Early Pregnancy Problem Service, women presenting with first trimester pain or bleeding who did not require emergency hospital admission spent significantly less time in the Emergency Department.
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Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol · Dec 2004
Determining the fetal scalp lactate level that indicates the need for intervention in labour.
Fetal scalp lactate testing has been shown to be as useful as pH with added benefits. One remaining question is 'What level of lactate should trigger intervention in the first stage of labour?' ⋯ Fetal blood sampling remains the standard for further investigating-non-reassuring cardiotocograph (CTG) traces. Even so, it is a poor predictor of fetal outcomes. Scalp lactate has been shown to be at least as good a predictor as scalp pH, with the advantages of being easier, cheaper and with a lower rate of technical failure. Our study found that a cut off fetal scalp lactate level of 4.2 mmol/L, in combination with an assessment of the entire clinical picture, is a useful tool in identifying those women who need intervention.
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Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol · Dec 2004
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyImpact of first-stage ambulation on mode of delivery among women with epidural analgesia.
New techniques for administering epidural analgesia allow increased mobility for labouring women with epidurals. ⋯ Although ambulation in the first stage of labour for women with epidural analgesia provided no clear benefit to delivery outcomes or satisfaction with analgesia, neither were there are any obvious harms.
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Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol · Dec 2004
Comparative StudyWomen's experiences and preferences following Caesarean birth.
To seek women's views on their planned mode of birth in a subsequent pregnancy when they had a single prior Caesarean birth in the immediately preceding pregnancy. ⋯ A proportion of women have a strong preference for mode of birth in a subsequent pregnancy, which is established within 6 months of the woman's birth experience.