OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of birth order on the risk of perinatal death in twin pregnancies. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, 1994-2003. PARTICIPANTS 1377 twin pregnancies with one intrapartum stillbirth or neonatal death from causes other than congenital abnormality and one surviving infant. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The risk of perin...

The transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child is the main cause of HIV/AIDS in children and child mortality. Two-thirds of children with HIV/AIDS are infected in the intrapartum period (Farley, 2000:1-2). Midwives, through effective practices, can lower the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child in the intrapartum period. The aim of the study was to determine which preventive practic...

Objective During labor the fetal head is subjected to pressure related to uterine contractions and maternal pushing. Here we systematically review what is known about fetal head compression and its effects on fetal intracranial pressure, oxygenation, blood flow and cerebral function, and the plausibility that it might cause isolated fetal brain injury. Study Design Systematic review of intrapar...

BACKGROUND Dissatisfaction with childbirth care can have a negative impact on a woman's health and well-being, as well as her relationships with her infant. AIM To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of dissatisfaction with intrapartum care by Jordanian women. METHOD A descriptive cross-sectional study was used. Participants (n = 320) who were 7 weeks post-partum were recruite...

BACKGROUND According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines, prolonged rupture of membranes mandates intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis for group B Streptococcus whenever maternal GBS status is unknown. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the local incidence, early detection and outcome of early-onset GBS sepsis in neonates born at 35-42 weeks gestation after PROM to women with unknown GBS ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical use of ST analysis (STAN) for intrapartum monitoring of high-risk pregnancies. DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING University hospital, Norway, 2004-2008. POPULATION Singleton pregnancies with a gestational age above 35(+6) weeks. METHODS Analysis of maternal and neonatal outcomes for all deliveries according to the method of intrapartum mo...

BACKGROUND Intrapartum fetal hypoxia remains an important cause of death and permanent handicap and in a significant proportion of cases there is evidence of suboptimal care related to fetal surveillance. Cardiotocographic (CTG) monitoring remains the basis of intrapartum surveillance, but its interpretation by healthcare professionals lacks reproducibility and the technology has not been shown...

BACKGROUND Unplanned out-of-hospital birth is often perceived as precipitate in nature, 'infrequent', 'normal' and 'uncomplicated'. However, international studies report unplanned out-of-hospital birth is associated with increased rates of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. This research describes intrapartum, immediate postpartum and neonatal care provided by paramedics in Queensla...

BACKGROUND Approximately one million stillbirths occur annually during labour; most of these stillbirths occur in low and middle-income countries and are associated with absent, inadequate, or delayed obstetric care. The low proportion of intrapartum stillbirths in high-income countries suggests that intrapartum stillbirths are largely preventable with quality intrapartum care, including prompt...

OBJECTIVE to explore midwives' perception of intrapartum risk for healthy nulliparous women in spontaneous labour at term of a healthy singleton pregnancy, in the Belgian Flanders, and to compare these results with those of a previous study undertaken in England. DESIGN survey of the care midwives would advocate and their perception of intrapartum risk using a standardised scenario. This stud...