BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
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It is well-established that maternal smoking has adverse birth outcomes (low birthweight, LBW, and preterm births). The comprehensive Irish workplace smoking ban was successfully introduced in March 2004. We examined LBW and preterm birth rates 1 year before and after the workplace smoking ban in Dublin. ⋯ Significant declines in preterm births and in maternal smoking rates after the smoking ban are welcome signs. However, the increased LBW birth risks might reflect a secular trend, as observed in many industrialised nations, and merits further investigations.
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This study examines the validity and reliability of the British Society for Colposcopy and Cytopathology (BSCCP) objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The BSCCP OSCE results obtained over eight OSCE circuits were analysed using SPSS 15. ⋯ The reliability of the OSCE's range from Cronbach's alpha of 0.617 to 0.775. The OSCE has face, content and concurrent validity.
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Little is known about how breastfeeding rates are affected by drugs routinely administered in labour. ⋯ Prospective studies on drugs in labour are needed to investigate potential causative associations between intrapartum medications and breastfeeding. Such studies will delineate the optimum balance between breastfeeding and maternal health, most importantly the risk of PPH.