ABSTRACT
The routine use of episiotomy is a subject of considerable controversy. To delineate attitudes and practices, we surveyed various groups of obstetrical practitioners in New Mexico. Routine use was favored most by obstetricians, less by family practitioners, less yet by nurse midwives and least by lay midwives. Many of the reasons given both for and against routine use were the same, underscoring the lack of scientific data and prospective studies of episiotomy and its effects.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Episiotomy , Labor, Obstetric/physiology , Obstetrics , Adult , Female , Humans , Midwifery , New Mexico , Pregnancy , Women's Health ServicesABSTRACT
To examine the influence of intravenous (IV) solution content on ritodrine-induced metabolic changes, 25 patients treated with various IV solutions were studied before and after a bolus of fluid, and during IV drug therapy, for the effect of hematocrit, pH, lactate, glucose, and electrolyte concentrations. Results were viewed on a mg/kg/minute ritodrine dosage basis. Dextrose-containing fluids caused a significant elevation of glucose after bolus therapy, and 5% dextrose in water also significantly altered lactate and potassium levels. Dextrose enhanced drug-mediated changes in potassium, sodium, chloride, pH, and lactate. The CO2 content dropped in all patients, regardless of IV content. The best IV solution would appear to be plain lactated Ringer's, and the least desirable, 5% dextrose in water.
Subject(s)
Obstetric Labor, Premature/drug therapy , Ritodrine/pharmacology , Blood Glucose/analysis , Female , Glucose/administration & dosage , Hematocrit , Humans , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Infusions, Intravenous , Isotonic Solutions , Lactates/blood , Pregnancy , Ringer's Lactate , Ritodrine/administration & dosage , Water-Electrolyte Balance/drug effectsABSTRACT
Pregnancy outcomes when the mother has common variable hypogammaglobulinemia are poor unless immunoglobulin levels are returned to normal or near-normal range. Intravenous immunoglobulin infusions are the favored mode of therapy. Here, we report the fifth patient so treated. Weekly doses of 200 mg/kg during the third trimester were required. A healthy term baby was delivered and the postpartum course was uncomplicated.
Subject(s)
Agammaglobulinemia/therapy , Immunization, Passive , Pregnancy Complications/therapy , Adolescent , Female , Humans , PregnancyABSTRACT
This retrospective study examined the effects of very prolonged membrane rupture of more than 1 week on the development of pulmonary hypoplasia and positional deformities in the infants of 100 consecutive women. A control group of infants who were matched for gestational age at delivery, sex, and time of delivery was identified. The results indicate that there was a statistically significant difference (p less than 0.001) in the occurrence of pulmonary hypoplasia and positional deformities. The greatest impact of prolonged membrane rupture on fetal development was seen in the patients in whom membrane rupture occurred prior to 26 weeks' gestation and the duration of rupture was more than 5 weeks.
