OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of vaginal progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth and neonatal morbidity and mortality in asymptomatic women with a twin gestation and a sonographic short cervix (cervical length ≤ 25 mm) in the mid-trimester. METHODS This was an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data (IPD) from randomized controlled trials comparing v...

OBJECTIVE To estimate the impact of caesarean delivery on the incidence of selected neonatal outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS A 15-year, population-based, cohort study (1988-2002) using the Nova Scotia Atlee Perinatal Database compared neonatal outcomes in term newborns born by spontaneous and assisted vaginal delivery, with newborns born by caesarean delivery, with and without labour, using mu...

BACKGROUND Mothers delivering as private patients in Australia have a high rate of assisted deliveries, which could lead to adverse infant outcomes in this group of patients. We investigated whether the risk of adverse infant outcomes after assisted deliveries was different for mothers admitted as public or private patients for delivery, when compared with unassisted deliveries. METHODS AND F...

BACKGROUND Increased use of operative vaginal delivery (i.e., forceps or vacuum application), of which 20% occurs at midpelvic station, has been advocated to reduce the rate of cesarean delivery. We aimed to quantify severe perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality associated with attempted midpelvic operative vaginal delivery. METHODS We studied all term singleton deliveries in Canada b...

OBJECTIVES The goal of our study was to assess the effect of water birth on obstetrical outcome, the maternal and neonatal infection rate in a selected low risk collective. STUDY DESIGN In this prospective observational study (1998-2002) 513 women, wished to have a water birth. The study was approved by the local ethical committee, informed consent was obtained. According to the course of del...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate pelvic floor muscle strength before and after vaginal birth. DESIGN Prospective repeated measures study. SETTING Main district hospital. POPULATION Fifty-five women: 25 primiparae and 20 multiparae following vaginal birth, and 10 women following elective caesarean delivery as a control group. METHODS Pelvic muscle strength was evaluated by palpation, perineometry a...

objective: to study the pregnancy outcomes in first trimester vaginal bleeding. materials and methods: this cross sectional study was done on 60 pregnant women with first trimester vaginal bleeding referring to university hospitals affiliated to islamic azad university, tehran, iran. all women were evaluated for the outcomes including abortion, preterm rapture of membranes, preterm labor, secon...

OBJECTIVE To provide evidence-based guidelines for the provision of a trial of labour (TOL) after Caesarean section. OUTCOME Fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality associated with vaginal birth after Caesarean (VBAC) and repeat Caesarean section. EVIDENCE MEDLINE database was searched for articles published from January 1, 1995, to February 28, 2004, using the key words "vaginal birth a...

UNLABELLED Preterm birth increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes and is the leading cause of neonatal mortality. A significant cause of preterm birth is in utero infection with vaginal microorganisms. These vaginal microorganisms are often recovered from the amniotic fluid of preterm birth cases. A vaginal microorganism frequently associated with preterm birth is group B streptococcus (GBS...

Childbearing among unmarried women has been the subject of intense public policy and public health concern for decades, much of it reflecting concerns about the impact on family structure and the economic security of children. Nonmarital births are at higher risk of having adverse birth outcomes such as low birthweight, preterm birth, and infant mortality than are children born to married women...