International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics : the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics
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Int J Gynaecol Obstet · Oct 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialIntrauterine lidocaine gel application for pain relief during and after hysterosalpingography.
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Over the last twenty years the international community-realizing that the tragedy of women dying during pregnancy and in childbirth could no longer be tolerated-launched a series of initiatives aimed at making safe motherhood a cornerstone of health services in all countries. Making pregnancy and delivery safe events is particularly complex, as it involves infrastructural and logistic, as well as technical, issues. Women die because they have no access to skilled personnel during pregnancy and at the time of delivery and because--if an emergency situation arises--they cannot reach a facility where emergency obstetric services are available. ⋯ Five member societies from the developed world (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, the Italian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of the United Kingdom; and the Swedish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology) agreed to provide support to their counterparts in these five selected areas. The project is now in its final stage. Results are, by and large, positive, demonstrating that, by motivating health professionals in the field and for a relatively modest financial outlay, more efficient use of existing services could be made in a sustainable fashion to save lives.
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Cesarean section without medical indication is cited as a factor in the increase in the rate of cesarean delivery in modern obstetric practice. Individual obstetricians often express strong views supporting or refuting the right of women to request operative delivery and their rights to decline or fulfill this request. Such strong opinions may be misplaced as the available evidence does not conclusively support either view-point.
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Int J Gynaecol Obstet · Aug 2003
Review Meta AnalysisMisoprostol use during the third stage of labor.
To systematically review the efficacy of misoprostol compared with placebo or other uterotonics in preventing maternal morbidity associated with the third stage of labor. ⋯ Misoprostol was inferior to oxytocin and other uterotonics with regard to any of the third stage of labor outcomes assessed. However, when compared to placebo, misoprostol had a decreased risk of needing additional uterotonics. Thus, in less-developed countries where administration of parenteral uterotonic drugs may be problematic, misoprostol represents a reasonable agent for the management of the third stage of labor. Additional randomized clinical trials examining objective outcome measures (i.e. need for blood transfusion or 10% hemoglobin change) may further define benefits and risks of misoprostol use during the third stage of labor.
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To evaluate the maternal and fetal outcome of pregnancies complicated by cardiac disease in a developing country. ⋯ Rheumatic heart disease was the predominant type. Patients in NYHA class I/II had a better maternal and fetal outcome than those in NYHA class III/IV. Surgical correction of the cardiac lesion prior to pregnancy was associated with better pregnancy outcome. Pregnant women with prosthetic valves tolerated pregnancy well.