BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
A double blinded randomised placebo-controlled study of intramuscular pethidine for pain relief in the first stage of labour.
It has recently been suggested that systemic pethidine is ineffective in relieving labour pain. This study aims to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of pethidine in labour. ⋯ Systemic pethidine was more effective at relieving labour pain than placebo. Its analgesic effect, however, was modest.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Antisepsis for abdominal hysterectomy: a randomised controlled trial of povidone-iodine gel.
To assess whether infectious morbidity after total abdominal hysterectomy is decreased by the addition of 20 cc povidone-iodine gel at the vaginal apex after the usual vaginal preparation with povidone-iodine solution. ⋯ Povidone-iodine vaginal gel antisepsis led to a 9% relative decrease in overall infectious morbidity after abdominal hysterectomy, which was not statistically significant. Povidone-iodine vaginal gel decreased the risk of pelvic abscess after total abdominal hysterectomy.
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The morphology of the fetal ECG complex provides information on the fetal condition during labour, such as the ST segment and T-wave configuration. We hypothesised that the intrapartum fetal QT interval may provide additional information on the condition of the fetus, as it is known that the QT interval reacts to situations of stress and exercise. ⋯ In intrapartum hypoxia, resulting in metabolic acidosis, a significant shortening of the fetal QT and QTc is present, irrespective of changes in heart rate. In control cases, this shortening does not occur. The intrapartum fetal QT interval may therefore provide additional information on the condition of the fetus.