Prenatal Education in the Digital Age.

The millennial pregnant patient expects an innovative approach to prenatal care. Patients are reaching to peer support online communities or engaging in direct-to-consumer mobile applications during their pregnancy. Currently developed solutions show promise, however, the clinical impact and generalizability of these solutions remains unclear. Technology has the potential to decrease health care disparities, improve patient and provider satisfaction as well as clinical outcomes. In this article we discuss traditional models of prenatal education as well and suggest how obstetricians should consider utilizing technology as an approach to provide prenatal education to their patients.

Progress of induced labor in trial of labor after cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the first stage of labor progress in women who undergo an induction of labor after cesarean delivery with women who have spontaneous labor after cesarean delivery. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutive women who had been admitted for delivery with a vertex-presenting fetus who achieved vaginal delivery after cesarean delivery. We compared women who underwent an induction of labor after cesarean delivery with women with spontaneous labor after cesarean delivery. Labor curves were constructed with a repeated-measures analysis; interval-censored regression was used to estimate the median time spent to dilate 1 cm, stratified by induction status, and adjusted by obesity, macrosomia, epidural, and previous vaginal delivery. RESULTS: Of 473 laboring women with a previous cesarean delivery, 234 women (49%) were induced. After adjustment for obesity, macrosomia, epidural, and previous vaginal delivery, women who underwent an induction had significantly longer labors than those women who experienced spontaneous labor. The median time to dilate from 4-10 cm took 5.6 hours (95% confidence interval, 1.8-18.0 hours) in the induction group and 3.2 hours (95% confidence interval, 1.0-10.3 hours) in the spontaneous labor group (P < .01). The time to progress 1 cm in dilation from 3-7 cm was different; however, after 7 cm, the time to progress 1 cm was not statistically different. CONCLUSION: Women who undergo an induction of labor after cesarean delivery have a longer latent labor phase, but a similar active phase than those women who experience spontaneous labor. When making the diagnosis of labor dystocia for women who undergo an induction of labor after cesarean delivery, clinicians should use the same normative standards for labor treatment of women without a previous cesarean delivery as has been shown in previous work.

Fetal descent in labor.

OBJECTIVE: Studies using contemporary populations and modern statistical methods have redefined our understanding of cervical dilation in labor. However, modern norms for fetal descent in labor have not been developed. We sought to estimate norms for fetal descent and estimate the expected fetal station for given cervical dilations. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of consecutive-term, vertex singletons who delivered vaginally. Detailed history, labor, and delivery information, including cervical examinations, were collected. A repeated-measures analysis was used to construct average descent curves. Interval-censored regression was used to estimate duration of labor between levels of station and to estimate the median station at a given dilation. Each analysis was stratified by parity and labor type (spontaneous compared with induced or augmented). RESULTS: Of 4,618 consecutive-term spontaneous vaginal deliveries, 1,526 (33%) were nulliparous. Sixty-one percent were augmented or induced. Multiparous women had faster fetal descent at all stations except from +2 to +3 station. The median time to descend from one station point to another ranged from 0.1 to 1.6 hours, but the 95th percentiles encompassed over 12 hours at the same high-station among nulliparous women who achieved vaginal delivery. Fetal descent was more rapid in women who labored spontaneously without augmentation. Multiparous women tended to have a higher station than nulliparous women until late in the first stage. CONCLUSION: Multiparous women and women who are not augmented or induced have faster fetal descent. There is wide variation in the expected station by increments of dilation. However, 95% of women have a fetal station of 0 or lower at complete cervical dilation.

Normal first stage of labor in women undergoing trial of labor after cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare first-stage labor patterns in women undergoing trial of labor after cesarean delivery (TOLAC) and those without a previous cesarean to explore whether a uterine scar alters this stage of labor. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of consecutive term vertex singletons who reached the second stage of labor. Cervical examinations and obstetric outcomes were collected from medical records. Labor curves of those laboring spontaneously, stratified by TOLAC status, were constructed using a repeated-measures analysis. Interval-censored regression was used to estimate duration of labor, centimeter by centimeter, stratified by TOLAC status and adjusted for race, obesity, macrosomia, and previous vaginal delivery. RESULTS: Of 5,388 consecutive term births, 2,021 labored spontaneously and were included. The 1,881 laboring women with no previous cesarean delivery were compared with 140 women undergoing TOLAC. There was no significant difference in rates of cervical dilation between the groups. The median time for dilation from 4 to 10 cm was 3.0 hours for TOLAC and 2.8 hours for non-TOLAC (P=.52). A post hoc sample size calculation (alpha=0.05) shows 90% power to detect a median difference of 0.4 hours with the fixed sample size available. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in first-stage labor curves or cervical dilation rate between women undergoing TOLAC and those without a previous cesarean. Diagnoses of labor disorders should be made with similar standards between those with and without a uterine scar. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Home versus clinic-based specimen collection for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health concern that must be addressed with innovative screening methods to supplement traditional approaches. Home-based screening with self-collected urine or vaginal specimens is a highly feasible and acceptable method, and shows promise in improving STI screening rates in both men and women. Home collection kits have been offered in a variety of settings, with results ranging from very modest improvements in screening rates to 100-fold increases beyond the rates observed with clinic-based screening. This article describes and evaluates the effectiveness and limitations of various home screening strategies used for the detection of STIs.

Screening for sexually transmitted infections at home or in the clinic?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim is to assess the evidence in support of home-based versus clinic-based screening for sexually transmitted infections. RECENT FINDINGS: Home-based screening for sexually transmitted infections has been shown to be a feasible approach for men and women from a variety of settings, including high-risk, low-income, and resource-poor communities. In recent studies, the testing rate with home-based screening was up to 11 times greater than the testing rate with clinic-based screening. For most individuals, self-collection and testing of urine or vaginal specimens at home was considered to be easy, acceptable, and often preferred over testing at a clinic. There is limited evidence with regard to the cost effectiveness of home-based versus clinic-based screening for sexually transmitted infections. However, a study from the United States concluded that home-based screening is cost saving. SUMMARY: Improvements in screening rates for sexually transmitted infections can be achieved with home-based screening methods. Making low-cost home test kits available may encourage at-risk young individuals with less access to clinic care, who may not otherwise be screened, to self-test for sexually transmitted infections.

Home compared with clinic-based screening for sexually transmitted infections: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether home-based screening for sexually transmitted infections results in a higher sexually transmitted infection screening rate compared with clinic-based screening in participants using long-acting reversible contraception. METHODS: We performed a randomized clinical trial of women using long-acting reversible contraception methods in the Contraceptive CHOICE Project (n=558). Participants were randomly assigned to home-based testing (swabs mailed to the participant's home) or clinic-based testing. Self-collected vaginal swabs were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae using strand displacement analysis. We estimated the relative risk (RR) of screening by group using Poisson regression with robust error variance. RESULTS: The randomization groups were similar at baseline, except for marital status; the clinic group had more never-married women (62.0% compared with 51.6%), and the home group had more divorced women (12.1% compared with 5.6%, P=.007). Women in the home group were more likely to self-report screening compared with women in the clinic group in the multivariable analysis (56.3% compared with 32.9%; RR 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-2.0). When analyzed by tests received or documented in medical records, similar results were obtained (56.3% compared with 25.0%; RR 2.2; 95% CI 1.7-2.7). Women who completed screening had higher levels of education and were more likely to receive public assistance compared with those who did not complete screening. CONCLUSION: Long-acting reversible contraception users randomized to sexually transmitted infection screening at home were more likely to complete screening than those randomized to traditional clinic-based screening. Home-based screening may be useful in women using long-acting reversible contraceptive methods who may not present for regular screening. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01184157.

Leiomyomas at routine second-trimester ultrasound examination and adverse obstetric outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with the presence of leiomyomas. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of all consecutive singleton pregnancies from 1990 to 2007 undergoing routine second-trimester fetal anatomic ultrasound survey. The presence or absence of leiomyomas was noted at second-trimester ultrasound examination. Primary and secondary obstetric outcomes were obtained as the individual progressed to delivery. Women with at least one leiomyoma at the time of second-trimester anatomic survey were compared with women without leiomyomas. Primary outcomes were intrauterine fetal death, breech presentation, placenta previa, cesarean delivery, placental abruption, preeclampsia, intrauterine fetal growth restriction, preterm premature rupture of membranes, and preterm birth. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of 72,373 women who underwent routine second-trimester anatomic survey, 64,047 women had complete obstetric follow-up data. The incidence of leiomyomas was 3.2% (n=2,058). Breech presentation (5.3% compared with 3.1%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]1.3-1.9), placenta previa (1.4% compared with 0.5%, adjusted OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.5-3.2), cesarean delivery (33.1% compared with 24.2%, adjusted OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.4), placental abruption (1.4% compared with 0.7%, adjusted OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.4-3.0), preterm premature rupture of membranes (3.3% compared with 2.4%, adjusted OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.7), preterm birth less than 37 weeks (15.1% compared with 10.5%, adjusted OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.3-1.8), and less than 34 weeks (3.9% compared with 2.8%, adjusted OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.8), and intrauterine fetal death in women with a fetus with growth restriction (3.9% compared with 1.5%, adjusted OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-5.0) were significantly associated with the presence of leiomyomas. CONCLUSION: Women with leiomyomas are at low risk for obstetric complications compared with women without leiomyomas. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Home screening compared with clinic-based screening for sexually transmitted infections.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate completion rate and acceptability of home screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared with clinic-based screening in a prospective cohort study. METHODS: The first 462 women enrolled in the Contraceptive Choice Project were screened at the 12-month follow-up for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae using strand displacement analysis of self-collected vaginal swabs. In a telephone interview, participants were given a choice of no-cost screening with swabs mailed to the participant's home (home-based) or screening that was available at area family planning clinics without an appointment (clinic-based). The clinic-based group also included women who elected to screen with their regular provider according to the clinician's normal practice. We analyzed the rates of screening, including patient preference and the proportion of completed tests by testing method. RESULTS: Women were more likely to choose to screen for STIs at home than at a clinic or with their own medical provider (75.7% compared with 16.1% compared with 8.2%, P<.001). Women choosing clinic testing were more likely to be African American than those choosing home testing. African-American women constituted 42% of the clinic group compared with 28% of the home group (relative risk [RR] 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-2.31). The groups did not differ in other demographic characteristics, STI risk factors, or access to health care. Overall, 228 women (56.6%) completed screening. Women who chose home-based testing were more likely to complete a test compared with all clinic-based testers (64.6% compared with 31.6%, RR 2.04, 95% CI 1.51-2.76). CONCLUSION: Women overwhelmingly preferred to screen for STIs at home. Future interventions to increase screening rates in young women should consider alternative screening strategies such as home-based or patient-controlled testing. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.