Obstetrics

Assisted Birth Shortens a Prolonged Second Stage of Labour

Operative vaginal delivery is used to expedite vaginal delivery for either maternal or foetal indication. Indications for operative delivery include maternal exhaustion, a non-reassuring foetal heart rate tracing, a prolonged second stage of labour or a need to shorten the second stage of labour. There has been a progressive shift away from the use of forceps in favour of the vacuum extractor as the instrument of choice.

Modern Medicine – Issue 1 2024

Expedite Labour with a Vacuum Assisted Delivery

Complications during childbirth result in the need for clinicians to use ‘assisted delivery’ in over 12% of cases (UK statistics). After more than 50 years in clinical practice, vacuum assisted delivery (VAD) devices remain a mainstay in physically assisting child delivery; sometimes preferred over forceps due to their ease of use and reduced maternal morbidity.

Modern Medicine – Issue 4 2023

Reviving Assisted Delivery Options Lessens Need for C-sections

When indicated for health reasons, caesarean section (CS) is an important surgical intervention to save lives of women and children. However, unnecessary CS (without medical/ obstetric indication) should be avoided, as maternal mortality is three times higher for CS than for normal vaginal delivery, which is associated with fewer complications and is more sustainable for healthcare systems.

Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2023

Timely Diagnosis of Pre-eclampsia is Key

Pre-eclampsia ( P E ) i s a pregnancy-specific multisystem hypertensive disorder that is a major contributor to maternal, neonatal morbidity and mortality. Angiogenesis-related factors, including sFlt-1 (soluble fmslike tyrosine kinase 1) and PlGF (placental growth factor), play an important role in placental dysfunction; altered levels are detectable several weeks before onset of pregnancy complications. In vitro diagnostic tests for these biomarkers can improve early diagnosis and facilitate prediction of maternal and foetal outcomes.

Modern Medicine – Issue 1 2022