Women's satisfaction with the birthing experience in relation to duration of labour, obstetric interventions and mode of birth.

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of the duration of labour on women's satisfaction with their birthing experience. STUDY DESIGN: All labours and births during a four-year period at a secondary level Hospital were included in a continuous audit of events and outcomes based on the Ten Group Classification System (TGCS). The women scored their overall satisfaction with their birth experience on an ordinal Visual Analog Scale. RESULTS: 1780 nulliparous women with a cephalic fetus at term and spontaneous onset of labour in TGCS Group 1 gave birth during the study period. 1716 had complete data on duration of labour and, of these, 1380 (80,4 %) rated their satisfaction with their birthing experience. Satisfaction with the birthing experience was significantly related to mode of birth, oxytocin augmentation, epidural anaesthesia and to duration of labour. Duration of labour and mode of birth had independent significant statistical effect on the satisfaction with the birthing experience. CONCLUSION: Although various aspects of labour management are associated with a negative birth experience, the effect of prolonged labour is independently significant and measures taken to avoid prolonged labour could result in a net benefit to the woman's satisfaction.

The continuous audit of events and outcomes of labour and birth using the Ten Group Classification System and its role in quality improvement.

OBJECTIVE: The knowledge of a labour and birth unit's rates of events and outcomes is essential to design any quality improvement initiative. It is in the same way important to have a system to analyse results of the ongoing changes within the unit. The Ten Group Classification System is the framework for doing this in a systematic and clinically relevant way. We aimed to use this classification system as a quality improvement tool. STUDY DESIGN: All labours and births during four years at a secondary level Hospital were included in a continuous analysis and of events and outcomes based on the Ten Group Classification System. From the results of the audit, policies and guidelines were designed and updated to improve outcomes. RESULTS: The normal vaginal birth rate in Group 1 increased during the four-year-period and the Caesarean Section rate in Group 2 A dropped after the introduction of a new induction method. The overall Caesarean Section rate decreased. The experience of giving birth improved in Groups 1, 2 A and 3. CONCLUSION: The use of a continuous audit of events and outcomes based on a clinically significant classification for all women makes it possible to improve quality. Other labour and birth units are encouraged to collect and present data in a way that allows comparisons between units and over time.

Immune profile in relation to sex steroid cyclicity in healthy women and women with multiple sclerosis.

To prospectively study systemic in vivo immunological effects of sex hormones, using different phases of oral combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC), and the natural menstrual cycles in both healthy women and in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), blood samples from sixty female MS patients and healthy controls with and without CHC were drawn in high and low estrogenic/progestogenic phases. Expression of Th-associated genes in blood cells was determined by qPCR and a panel of cytokines and chemokines was measured in plasma. High hormone level phases were associated with increases in Th1 (TBX21) and Th2 (GATA3) associated markers, as well as the B cell-associated chemokine CXCL13, while the inhibitory regulator CTLA-4 was decreased. These changes were not observed in MS patients, of whom most were treated with immunomodulatory drugs. Our data indicate immune activating properties in vivo of high steroid sex hormone levels during both CHC and normal menstrual cyclicity.

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis during use of combined hormonal contraception.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence and disease course of multiple sclerosis (MS) is influenced by sex steroids, and several studies have shown less disease activity during high estrogen states. We have previously shown variation in symptom experience related to the estrogen/progestogen phase in women using combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC) in a small sample. The aim of this study was to confirm these results in a larger sample. STUDY DESIGN: Self-assessment of symptoms of MS in relation to CHC cycle by 22 female MS patients. A symptom diary based on a validated instrument for cyclical symptoms was used. Mean symptom scores for high and low estrogen/progestogen phases were compared. RESULTS: The women scored four out of ten symptoms significantly higher during the pill-free week than during the CHC phase (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Women with MS report more pronounced symptoms during the pill-free, low-estrogen/progestogen phase of CHC use. Future studies should investigate, with a prospective, controlled design, the effects that continuous-use regimens of CHC have in women with MS.