Uneventful Vaginal Delivery Research Articles

Catecholamines in amniotic fluid as indicators of intrapartum fetal stress.

Catecholamines were measured in the amniotic fluid and in the first voided newborn urine obtained from appropriate-for-date infants of term deliveries. Catecholamine values in the amniotic fluid and urine were nearly equal when expressed in terms of creatinine. Significant positive correlations were observed between the amniotic fluid and urine of norepinephrine and epinephrine. In normal cases (n = 32) that underwent uneventful vaginal delivery, the 95% confidence limits for norepinephrine and epinephrine in the amniotic fluid were 1.53 to 2.33 ng/ml and 0.16 to 0.30 ng/ml, respectively. In cases of moderate stress (n = 12), only norepinephrine showed significantly higher values than the normal cases, while in cases of severe stress (n = 12), norepinephrine became more significantly high, and epinephrine was found to be elevated significantly. A significant difference was noted in the incidence of fetal stress between the infants with more than and those with less than 2.30 ng/ml of norepinephrine, the upper limits of the normal 95% confidence limits. However, for epinephrine such a significant difference was not noted. It was concluded that amniotic fluid catecholamines are of fetal origin and reflect fetal sympathoadrenal activity directly, even during labor, and that their level may be a good indicator of fetal condition and stress.

Pregnancy in patients with mitral valve prolapse

The obstetrical performances and outcomes of 37 pregnancies in women with mitral valve prolapse between 1979 and 1982 are reviewed. Thirteen patients were diagnosed before pregnancy and 24 patients were detected at antenatal examinations. Three ended in cesarean sections for obstetrical complications and 34 in uneventful vaginal deliveries at term. No cardiac complications occurred in these patients. There was no maternal mortality. Thirty-six babies were born without congenital abnormalities. One baby was hydropic due to haemoglobinopathy and died. Prophylactic antibiotics is recommended in selected cases. Early detection and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias is mandatory.

Pregnancy and Takayasu's arteritis

Thirteen patients with Takayasu's arteritis had 30 pregnancies between 1970 and 1982. The 11 pregnancies occurring before the disease became clinically evident were uneventful. Eleven patients had 19 pregnancies after manifestation of the disease. Four ended in abortion, four in cesarean section, and 11 in uneventful vaginal delivery at term. There was no major obstetric problem apart from hypertension, and there was no maternal death directly related to the pregnancy per se. All 15 babies were born without asphyxia and congenital abnormality. The nine with some evidence of intrauterine growth retardation could be predicted by a prognostic score taking into account the timing of therapy, the severity of the hypertension, and the extent of arterial involvement.

An evaluation of the usefulness of x-ray pelvimetry: Comparison of the Thoms and modified Ball methods with manual pelvimetry

One hundred studies by x-ray pelvimetry of cephalic presentations were retrospectively analyzed. The Thoms method of interpretation was compared to the modified Ball technique, and both were then contrasted with manual assessment of the pelvis, as prognostic indicators for safe vaginal delivery. Uneventful nonoperative vaginal deliveries occurred in 28.6% of patients with either inlet or midpelvic disproportion by the Thoms method, and in 22.5% of women with absolute disproportion in either plane by the modified Ball method. Neither of the two pelvimetric techniques was significantly more accurate than manual assessment of the pelvis in predicting obstetric outcome. The modified Ball technique offered no improvement over the Thoms method. In view of the high rate of false positives in this series, and the potential oncogenic risk of fetal irradiation, argument is presented for a full trial of labor in vertex presentations, except in the most clinically obvious cases of cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD). The data from this study suggest that there is no significant role for x-ray pelvimetry in the diagnosis and management of CPD in cephalic presentations.

Unilateral torsion of fallopian tube at 32 of weeks of pregnancy followed by a normal delivery

A 24 year primi gravida at 32 weeks pregnancy presented with acute abdomen simulating torted ovariantumor that underwent laparatomy/unilateral salpingectomy with the diagnosis of fallopian tube torsion ispresented because of uneventful term vaginal delivery despite postoperative complication like gaped abdominalwound needing secondary suture.Keywords: acute abdomen in pregnancy; acute abdomen due to fallopian tube torsion.DOI: 10.3126/njog.v4i1.3336Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology June-July 2009; 4(1): 58-59