American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · May 2002
ReviewParacervical block for labor analgesia: a brief historic review.
This historic review was written to clarify the known efficacy and side effects of paracervical blockade for labor analgesia. Although the popularity of the technique has diminished considerably, it continues to be used by some clinicians with ostensibly good results. The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR;SR-PREG) and the electronic database MEDLINE were searched for studies reported in English to determine efficacy and side effects of paracervical block. ⋯ Postparacervical block fetal bradycardia is the most significant side effect with a reported incidence ranging from 0% to approximately 40%. Overall, it appears that the incidence of postparacervical block fetal bradycardia is approximately 15%. However, the etiology of the observed fetal bradycardia remains unclear, and the incidence of adverse impact on fetal or neonatal outcome remains uncertain because there are too few trials with too few patients.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · May 2002
ReviewUnintended effects of epidural analgesia during labor: a systematic review.
Epidural analgesia is used by more than half of laboring women, yet there is no consensus about what unintended effects it causes. To evaluate the state of our knowledge, we performed a systematic review of the literature examining the unintended maternal, fetal, and neonatal effects of epidural analgesia used for pain relief in labor by low-risk women. Our review included randomized and observational studies appearing in peer review journals since 1980. ⋯ Women should be informed of unintended effects of epidural clearly supported by the evidence, especially since epidural use is almost always an elective procedure. Further research is needed to advance our understanding of the unintended effects of epidural. Improved information would permit women to make truly informed decisions about the use of pain relief during labor.
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The objective of this review is to outline gastrointestinal factors that may be relevant to nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Gastric neuromuscular dysfunctions of the stomach include abnormalities in gastric myoelectrical activity, gastric tone, and contractility, all of which may result in gastroparesis. ⋯ In pregnant women with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, standard gastrointestinal diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux, peptic ulcers, and cholecystitis must be considered. A diagnostic approach and therapeutic options for treating nausea and vomiting of pregnancy based on understanding of gastric neuromuscular dysfunction is outlined.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · May 2002
Linking olfaction with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, recurrent abortion, hyperemesis gravidarum, and migraine headache.
The experience of women was sought about nausea and vomiting, its relation to olfaction, its occurrence among pregnant women with anosmia, and the potential association of hyperemesis gravidarum and migraine headache. ⋯ The frequency of nausea and vomiting, caused most often by nonpregnancy-related triggers, is high among women. In a small sample of women with congenital anosmia, nausea and vomiting of pregnancy occurred in only 1 pregnancy, suggesting that olfaction is a highly selected trigger for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. The shared nausea and vomiting experience of hyperemesis gravidarum and migraine headache among women suggests a common mechanism, possibly based on allelic variations within the DRD2 (dopaminergic receptor) gene. Because olfactory receptors, odor types, and MHC antigens are closely integrated, and because olfactory stimuli often incite episodes of pregnancy, nausea, and vomiting, hyperemesis gravidarum, and migraine headache, these genes and their products invite further scrutiny. The pregnancy-conserving effect of PNV and the MHC antigen overlap in couples with recurrent abortion are important clues possibly relating olfaction, MHC antigens, and reproductive success or failure.