A qualitative analysis of women's short accounts of labour and birth in a Western Australian public tertiary hospital

This paper reports the findings of the postnatal qualitative arm of a larger study, which investigated women's prenatal and postnatal levels of childbirth fear. Women's expectations and experiences of labour and birth in a Western Australian public tertiary hospital were identified following thematic analysis of short written accounts from 141 participants who had given birth in the previous 6 to 14 weeks. Four major categories emerged to describe features and mediating factors in the trajectory of childbirth and the early puerperium. "Anticipating Labour and Birth," "Labour and Birth Depicted," "Mediating Factors and their Consequences," and "Evaluating, Resolving, and Looking Ahead" portray women's comparative reflections on expectations and realities of birth, on mediating influences, and on moving on from their experience. These findings will provide maternity care professionals with insight into the personal and environmental features of the childbirth setting which colours women's recollections. Being aware of what women value during labour and birth will reinforce the need for professionals to provide care using a mindful approach that considers the potential psychological, emotional, and behavioural implications of events.     

Protease inhibitor therapy and fetal growth potential in HIV-positive women

Our objective was to test if protease inhibitors (PIs) increase the incidence of fetal growth restriction (FGR). Human immunodeficiency (HIV)-seropositive women were studied. At birth the neonatal weight percentile was assigned by predicted growth potential (GP), accounting for race, parity, weight, height, gestational age, birthweight, and gender (Gardosi, 1992). FGR was defined as GP < 10% percentile. Maternal age, CD4 count, viral load, weight gain, prenatal care, tobacco, alcohol, substance abuse, and PI use were related to FGR using chi-square and multiple regression analysis. Ninety-three of 191 women received PI. In these, FGR occurred in 27 (29%) compared with 15 (15.3%) in the non-PI group ( P = 0.02). Maternal CD4 count ( P < 0.0001) was the primary determinant, and smoking ( P = 0.037) was an independent cofactor for FGR (Nagelkerke r2 = 0.24). Twenty-six of 82 (31.7%) smokers had FGR, versus 16 of 109 (14.7%) of nonsmokers (odds ratio, 2.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.33 to 5.46; P = 0.005). After exclusion of the CD4 count, PI became a cofactor for FGR ( P = 0.021 and Nagelkerke r2 = 0.104). We concluded that maternal HIV status and smoking determine the risk for FGR. Although PIs increase the risk for FGR, this effect appears to depend on maternal disease severity.     

Research unwrapped. Obstetric skills and drills

Although I have highlighted some issues with this study and the wider context in which it sits. I do not believe that it is a bad piece of research per se. As above, the biggest problem with this study for me is that the researchers have omitted to discuss some of its limitations. No research is perfect, and perfection is not the aim. The aim is to increase knowledge, and this can only be done where we look at research findings alongside consideration of how they might have been affected by research design and decisions. This study shows, for the first time, that obstetric 'skills and drills' training does make a difference. On average, participants got 20.6 more questions right in a 185-question multiple-choice test after training than before. Does this mean they will be better equipped to look after women and babies in practice? We don't know. Is this the best kind of training that they could have undertaken? We don't know. What do the people who participated--and those who chose not to participate--in this study think and feel about these things? We don't know that either. But this study is a step on the road towards finding out if the courses that everybody is having to go on as a result of the CNST requirement are actually of any value, and that can surely only be a good thing.     

Supracervical hysterectomy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether supracervical hysterectomy (SCH) is a reasonable alternative to total abdominal hysterectomy in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: We reviewed the records of patients with advanced ovarian cancer who underwent a SCH at one institution between 1993 and 2004 and a similar cohort who underwent total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) at the same institution during the same period. Patients without complete surgical staging done at the institution were excluded. Independent-sample t tests, Fisher exact test, and log rank tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The study included 47 patients who underwent SCH (mean age, 59.6 years) and 190 who underwent TAH. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age (P=.51), preoperative CA 125 level (P=.55), or receipt of taxane-based and platinum-based chemotherapy (P=.84). Although limited by sample size, there were no significant differences between the two groups in rates of intraoperative complications (4 of 47 in the SCH group, or 8.5%, compared with 7 of 190 in the TAH group, or 3.7%; P=.24), vaginal or cervical recurrence (5 of 47 in the SCH group, or 10.6%, compared with 22 of 190 in the TAH group, or 11.6%; P=1.00), or in progression-free survival (SCH of 1.01 years compared with TAH of 1.19 years; P=.64) or overall survival (SCH of 3.28 years compared with TAH of 3.36 years; P=.12). CONCLUSION: Supracervical hysterectomy may be a reasonable alternative to TAH in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.