XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
 Latest Research
 Cancer
 Psychiatry
 Genetics
 Surgery
 Aging
 Ophthalmology
 Gynaecology
 Neurosciences
 Pharmacology
 Cardiology
 Obstetrics
 Infectious Diseases
 Respiratory Medicine
 Pathology
 Endocrinology
 Immunology
 Nephrology
 Gastroenterology
 Biotechnology
 Radiology
 Dermatology
 Microbiology
 Haematology
 Dental
 ENT
 Environment
 Embryology
 Orthopedics
 Metabolism
 Anaethesia
 Paediatrics
 Public Health
 Urology
 Musculoskeletal
 Clinical Trials
 Physiology
 Biochemistry
 Cytology
 Traumatology
 Rheumatology
 
 Medical News
 Health
 Opinion
 Healthcare
 Professionals
 Launch
 Awards & Prizes
 
 Careers
 Medical
 Nursing
 Dental
 
 Special Topics
 Euthanasia
 Ethics
 Evolution
 Odd Medical News
 Feature
 
 World News
 Tsunami
 Epidemics
 Climate
 Business
 
 India
Search

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 12:32:53 PM

Obstetrics Channel
subscribe to Obstetrics newsletter

Latest Research : Obstetrics

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Clinical examination not sensitive enough to detect breech babies
Aug 4, 2006 - 7:33:00 PM, Reviewed by: Dr. Priya Saxena

Clinical examination detected 70% of non-cephalic presentations. Correct diagnosis was greater for women with a previous pregnancy and lower body mass index.

 
The routine examination doctors use to check if a baby is lying in the correct position before birth is not sensitive enough, concludes a study published on bmj.com today. The authors suggest that there is room for improvement by all pregnancy care providers.

The position of a baby in the womb in late pregnancy is important because if it is not lying in the normal head-down position (known as cephalic presentation) vaginal delivery may be difficult or impossible. Diagnosis of non-cephalic presentation after the onset of labour is associated with increased complications and death.

Fetal presentation is usually assessed by palpating the abdomen, but little is known about the accuracy of this in late pregnancy. So researchers in Australia decided to examine the diagnostic accuracy of this procedure.

They identified 1633 women with a single pregnancy at 35-37 weeks' gestation attending an antenatal clinic at an obstetric hospital in Sydney. Each woman underwent clinical examination to assess the position of their baby. This was followed by an ultrasound scan to confirm the diagnosis.

Clinical examination detected 70% of non-cephalic presentations. Correct diagnosis was greater for women with a previous pregnancy and lower body mass index.

If this figure was applied to a general maternity population of 1000 women, clinical examination would identify 101 women as having a non-cephalic presentation but in only 56 would this be correct; 24 women with non-cephalic presentation would be missed altogether, say the authors.

Introduction of routine ultrasonography to assess fetal presentation in late pregnancy would improve diagnostic accuracy, but costs, resource availability, and feasibility need to be considered, as well as the potential deskilling of care providers in performing clinical examination, they write. However, lower rates of accuracy found among overweight or obese women suggest that ultrasonography in late pregnancy for these women is required.

Clinical examination to assess fetal presentation is a relatively simple procedure and, with ongoing diligence and regular audit and feedback, accuracy may be increased. Variability in accuracy rates by examiner and level of experience also suggest there is room for improvement by all pregnancy care providers, they conclude.
 

- British Medical Journal
 

www.bmj.com

 
Subscribe to Obstetrics Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 



Related Obstetrics News

Medical induction of labor increases risk of amniotic-fluid embolism
Senior obstetrician are less hasty about caesarean sections
Carbon monoxide may be beneficial in pre-eclampsia
Prenatal diagnostic tests decrease the risk of miscarriage
Miscarriage significantly associated with increasing paternal age
Clinical examination not sensitive enough to detect breech babies
Preeclampsia risk reduced by regular multivitamins near time of conception
Why Listeriosis rates are 20-fold higher during pregnancy
Why birth interventions are on the rise
Pregnancy Complications Still High For Women With Diabetes


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us