American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Dec 2016
The "virtual" obstetrical intensive care unit: providing critical care for contemporary obstetrics in nontraditional locations.
Management of the critically ill pregnant patient presents a clinical dilemma in which there are sparse objective data to determine the optimal setting for provision of high-quality care to these patients. This clinical scenario will continue to present a challenge for providers as the chronic illness and comorbid conditions continue to become more commonly encountered in the obstetric population. Various care models exist across a broad spectrum of facilities that are characterized by differing levels of resources; however, no studies have identified which model provides the highest level of care and patient safety while maintaining a reasonable degree of cost-effectiveness. ⋯ We propose a model in which a virtual intensive care unit team composed of preselected specialists from multiple disciplines (maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, obstetric anesthesiology, cardiology, pulmonology, etc) participate in the provision of individualized, precontemplated care that is readily adapted to the specific patient's clinical needs, regardless of setting. With this team-based approach, an environment of trust and familiarity is fostered among team members and well thought-out patient care plans are developed through routine prebrief discussions regarding individual clinical care for parturients anticipated to required critical care services. Incorporating debriefings between team members following these intricate cases will allow for the continued evolution of care as the medical needs of this patient population change as well.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Nov 2016
Multicenter StudySocial networking and Internet use among pelvic floor patients: a multicenter survey.
Internet resources are becoming increasingly important for patients seeking medical knowledge. It is imperative to understand patient use and preferences for using the Internet and social networking websites to optimize patient education. ⋯ Women presenting to urogynecology practices have high Internet use and a desire to learn about their conditions via social networking websites. Despite this, obstetrician-gynecologists remain a common resource for information. Nonetheless, urogynecology practices and national organizations would likely benefit from increasing their Internet resources for patient education in pelvic floor disorders, though patients should be made aware of available resources.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Nov 2016
Observational StudyPrevalence of positive screening test for cognitive impairment among elderly urogynecologic patients.
Impaired cognition has been correlated with adverse postoperative outcomes, such as an increased incidence of delirium, a longer length of hospital stay, and higher 6 month mortality. The incidence of cognitive impairment in the elderly is high. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 8 adults aged 60 years and older deal with memory loss and confusion, and less than 20% inform their health care providers. Most studies in the elderly or cognitively impaired have been conducted at Veterans Administration hospitals, in which the majority of patients are male. As the female patient population ages, it is increasingly important to describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment in this specific population as well as identify and manage risk factors for cognitive decline in the ambulatory and perioperative setting. ⋯ In our study population positive screening for cognitive impairment, as measured by validated questionnaires, was prevalent among women aged >75 years. Screening for potential cognitive impairment in an ambulatory urogynecology population is feasible and useful in clinical practice. Our subjects were interested in cognitive screening because a third of them self-reported early cognitive changes. These tools are effective in screening for previously unrecognized impaired cognition, a definitive diagnosis, and hence treatment requires additional evaluation. Future studies could evaluate which screening tools for cognitive impairment would be most helpful in assessing patients prior to surgery in an effort to further decrease perioperative morbidity in elderly woman.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Nov 2016
Review Meta AnalysisExercise during pregnancy in normal-weight women and risk of preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Preterm birth is the major cause of perinatal mortality in the United States. In the past, pregnant women have been recommended to not exercise because of presumed risks of preterm birth. Physical activity has been theoretically related to preterm birth because it increases the release of catecholamines, especially norepinephrine, which might stimulate myometrial activity. Conversely, exercise may reduce the risk of preterm birth by other mechanisms such as decreased oxidative stress or improved placenta vascularization. Therefore, the safety of exercise regarding preterm birth and its effects on gestational age at delivery remain controversial. ⋯ Aerobic exercise for 35-90 minutes 3-4 times per week during pregnancy can be safely performed by normal-weight women with singleton, uncomplicated gestations because this is not associated with an increased risk of preterm birth or with a reduction in mean gestational age at delivery. Exercise was associated with a significantly higher incidence of vaginal delivery and a significantly lower incidence of cesarean delivery, with a significantly lower incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders and therefore should be encouraged.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · Nov 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyNonresponse to 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate for recurrent spontaneous preterm birth prevention: clinical prediction and generation of a risk scoring system.
Spontaneous preterm birth remains a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality among nonanomalous neonates in the United States. Spontaneous preterm birth tends to recur at similar gestational ages. Intramuscular 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate reduces the risk of recurrent spontaneous preterm birth. Unfortunately, one-third of high-risk women will have a recurrent spontaneous preterm birth despite 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate therapy; the reasons for this variability in response are unknown. ⋯ Several clinical characteristics define women at risk for recurrent preterm birth at a similar gestational age despite 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate therapy and can be used to generate a clinical risk predictor score. These data should be refined and confirmed in other cohorts, and women at high risk for nonresponse should be targets for novel therapeutic intervention studies.