Current Women's Health Reviews - Volume 9, Issue 3, 2013

Electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) via cardiotocography was introduced into clinical practice over four decades ago. The intent of fetal monitoring is secondary prevention and early recognition of fetal compromise, including hypoxia and acidosis, so that fetal death can be prevented. Clinical research has failed to show that EFM improves neonatal outcomes including cerebral palsy and has not been shown to be superior to int Read More

Electronic fetal monitoring is the recommended method of intrapartum fetal surveillance in high risk pregnancies and the cardiotocography (CTG) forms an integral part of intrapartum care on most modern labour wards. Despite the questions about its efficacy and controversy regarding increased rates of operative delivery associated with its use, continuous CTG remains the predominant method of intrapartum fetal mon Read More

The introduction of intrapartum fetal monitoring has failed to achieve one of its major goals - to reduce perinatal morbidity and mortality secondary to intrapartum hypoxic events. Despite this, it remains at common place in labour wards around the world. Although there is now a much greater understanding of fetal physiology and the fetus’ normal adaptation in labour, there continues to be around 500 intrapartum stillbirths in Read More

Continuous electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (EFM) using a cardiotocograph (CTG) is associated with a high false positive rate of approximately 60%. Current scientific evidence does not support a significant reduction in perinatal mortality or cerebral palsy, except for a 50% reduction in neonatal convulsions. Recent scientific evidence has questioned the role of ‘peripheral’ tests of fetal wellbeing such as fetal scalp blood Read More

Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (EFM) in labour began its evolution in 1950s and became commercially available in late 1960s. EFM was introduced to identify those fetuses that were exposed to intrapartum hypoxia and were not able to tolerate ongoing hypoxic stress. Failure of compensatory mechanisms could lead to the development of respiratory and/or metabolic acidosis secondary to the intrapartum hypoxi Read More

Substance abuse and addiction are a major burden to society, both in financial costs and public health. Biologic and psychosocial differences in substance misuse exist between sexes. These differences influence the prevalence, presentation, comorbidity, and treatment of substance use disorders and suggest that a tailored and personalized approach should be developed specifically for women. Likewise, mental illness in Read More

Objective: To determine frequency, transcription and integration rates for high risk Human papillomavirus (HR HPV) types 16 and 18 in neoplastic cervical tissue of women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: Cervical tissue of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1 (CIN 1) or greater severity were obtained from 112 women with SLE. HPV typing and integration was assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using p Read More

Bedside teaching is a commonly used educational tool in obstetrics and gynecology. In this clinical commentary, we analyzed and reviewed strategies for bedside teaching and guidelines for its use, and discussed its advantages and disadvantages. Electronic databases were searched for the period covering the years 2000 to 2012 for studies in the English language with the main outcome measure of the effectiveness of b Read More

Objectives: The aim of this study is to deliberate the dynamics of reproductive health care, abortion and the role of nurses in Turkey in a comparative manner. Terms related to reproductive health have been highlighted in order to bring clarity to the conceptual framework of the topic. This topic has always been evaluated in Turkey from a legislative viewpoint and has not primarily been evaluated from the ethical viewp Read More