STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the predictive utility of obstetric risk factors for identifying before the onset of labour those women at high risk of obstetric complications in a developing world setting, where home deliveries predominate and emergency transport is scarce. DESIGN Risk factors derived from two population based, case-control studies (one of cephalopelvic disproportion and one of po...

BACKGROUND Despite declining trends maternal mortality remains an important public health issue in Mozambique. The delays to reach an appropriate health facility and receive care faced by woman with pregnancy related complications play an important role in the occurrence of these deaths. This study aims to examine the contribution of the delays in relation to the causes of maternal death in fac...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this systematic literature review is to review current scientific knowledge on the definition of and the indications for maternal/obstetric intensive care (MIC). METHODS We conducted a extensive search in OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE, COCHRANE, CINHAL and CEBAM using the keywords: maternal/obstetric intensive care, subacute care, intermediate care, postacute care, critical ...

BACKGROUND Maternal mortality and morbidity are among the top public health priorities in Brazil, being quite high, especially among the most disadvantage women. A case control study was developed to identify risk factors for severe maternal morbidity in Sao Luis, one of the poorest Brazilian State Capitals. METHODS The case-control study was carried out between 01/03/2009 and 28/02/2010 in t...

OBJECTIVE To assess the accessibility, utilization and quality of emergency obstetric care in the five southernmost provinces of Thailand. METHODS A descriptive study was conducted in the five southernmost provinces of Thailand including fifty-six government hospitals and the admitted obstetric women. The accessibility of hospitals that provided emergency obstetric care was assessed over a 3-...

CONTEXT Obstetric providers are logical choices for conveying information about physical activity to their pregnant patients. However, research regarding obstetric providers counseling pregnant patients about physical activity is sparse. OBJECTIVES To investigate the association between obstetric providers discussing exercise with their pregnant patients and patients' exercise behaviors and t...

Every year, more than 400,000 infants are born to mothers who are depressed, which makes perinatal depression the most underdiagnosed obstetric complication in America. Postpartum depression leads to increased costs of medical care, inappropriate medical care, child abuse and neglect, discontinuation of breastfeeding, and family dysfunction and adversely affects early brain development. Pediatr...

BACKGROUND HELLP syndrome (a combination of hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and low platelet count) is a severe variant of preeclampsia that generally occurs before delivery but can occur post partum. This syndrome is more common than eclampsia and frequently leads to devastating neurological consequences such as intracerebral hemorrhage. OBJECTIVE Although mentioned in the obstetric...