Science & Sensibility

Lamaze International’s popular series, Research Summaries for Normal Birth, was discontinued in 2008 after four years of quarterly round-ups so that we could launch Science & Sensibility. In order to bring all of our research resources together in one place, we are adding the Research Summaries archive to Science & Sensibility.

In honor of National Midwifery Week, we present the Research Summaries archives on the safety and effectiveness of midwifery care. Although I only summarized three articles specifically about midwifery in my four years writing Research Summaries, many of the studies summarized in other topics were carried out by midwives and midwifery researchers.  Together these bodies of research unwaveringly support midwifery care and midwife-led models of care for improving the health of mothers and infants.

1. Case Study Reveals Economic and Political Forces that Hinder Access to Midwifery Care
Goodman S (2007). Piercing the veil: the marginalization of midwives in the United States. Social science & medicine (1982), 65 (3), 610-21 PMID: 17475381

2. Pilot Study Suggests Midwifery Care Is Optimal for Moderate-Risk Women
Cragin L, & Kennedy HP (2006). Linking obstetric and midwifery practice with optimal outcomes. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN / NAACOG, 35 (6), 779-85 PMID: 17105644

3. Midwifery Process Places Emphasis on Keeping Birth Normal
Kennedy HP, & Shannon MT (2004). Keeping birth normal: research findings on midwifery care during childbirth. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN / NAACOG, 33 (5), 554-60 PMID: 15495700

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Amy Romano Uncategorized From the Research Summaries Archives, maternity care systems, midwives

Lamaze International’s popular series, Research Summaries for Normal Birth, was discontinued in 2008 after four years of quarterly round-ups so that we could move to the blog format and launch Science & Sensibility. In order to bring all of our research resources together in one place, we are adding the Research Summaries archive to Science & Sensibility.

This week we are presenting the archive of summaries of research on induction and augmentation of labor. Don’t forget that you can find all induction and augmentation posts at Science & Sensibility (including this archive) by clicking on ”induction” or “augmentation” in the tag cloud.

The articles summarized in this archive are listed here. Please click on the extended post to read the summaries.

1. Hill MJ, McWilliams GD, Garcia-Sur D, Chen B, Munroe M, & Hoeldtke NJ (2008). The effect of membrane sweeping on prelabor rupture of membranes: a randomized controlled trial. Obstetrics and gynecology, 111 (6), 1313-9 PMID: 18515514

2. Smyth RM, Alldred SK, & Markham C (2007). Amniotomy for shortening spontaneous labour. Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) (4) PMID: 17943891

3. Gaudernack LC, Forbord S, & Hole E (2006). Acupuncture administered after spontaneous rupture of membranes at term significantly reduces the length of birth and use of oxytocin. A randomized controlled trial. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 85 (11), 1348-53 PMID: 17091416

4. Kramer MS, Rouleau J, Baskett TF, Joseph KS, & Maternal Health Study Group of the Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System (2006). Amniotic-fluid embolism and medical induction of labour: a retrospective, population-based cohort study. Lancet, 368 (9545), 1444-8 PMID: 17055946

5. Main EK, Moore D, Farrell B, Schimmel LD, Altman RJ, Abrahams C, Bliss MC, Polivy L, & Sterling J (2006). Is there a useful cesarean birth measure? Assessment of the nulliparous term singleton vertex cesarean birth rate as a tool for obstetric quality improvement. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 194 (6) PMID: 16643812

6. Fok WY, Chan LY, Tsui MH, Leung TN, Lau TK, & Chung TK (2006). When to induce labor for post-term? A study of induction at 41 weeks versus 42 weeks. European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, 125 (2), 206-10 PMID: 16139416

7. Allen VM, O’Connell CM, Farrell SA, & Baskett TF (2005). Economic implications of method of delivery. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 193 (1), 192-7 PMID: 16021078

8. Luthy DA, Malmgren JA, & Zingheim RW (2004). Cesarean delivery after elective induction in nulliparous women: the physician effect. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 191 (5), 1511-5 PMID: 15547518

9. Ngwenya S, & Lindow SW (2004). 24 hour rhythm in the timing of pre-labour spontaneous rupture of membranes at term. European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, 112 (2), 151-3 PMID: 14746949

10. Magann EF, Doherty DA, Field K, Chauhan SP, Muffley PE, & Morrison JC (2004). Biophysical profile with amniotic fluid volume assessments. Obstetrics and gynecology, 104 (1), 5-10 PMID: 15228994

11. Daniel-Spiegel E, Weiner Z, Ben-Shlomo I, & Shalev E (2004). For how long should oxytocin be continued during induction of labour? BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 111 (4), 331-4 PMID: 15008768

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Amy Romano Uncategorized augmentation, From the Research Summaries Archives, induction, labor progress, practice variation, safety

Lamaze International’s popular series, Research Summaries for Normal Birth, was discontinued in 2008 after four years of quarterly round-ups so that we could move to the blog format and launch Science & Sensibility. In order to bring all of our research resources together in one place, we are adding the Research Summaries archive to Science & Sensibility.

This week we are presenting the archive of summaries of research on care in the second stage of labor. Don’t forget that you can find all second stage Science & Sensibility posts (including this archive) by clicking on “second stage” in the tag cloud.

The articles summarized in this archive are listed here. Please click on the extended post to read the summaries.

1. Digital Rotation When the Baby is OP Decreases Need for Cesarean Section and Instrumental Vaginal Delivery
   Reichman, O., Gdansky, E., Latinsky, B., Labi, S., & Samueloff, A. (2007). Digital rotation from occipito-posterior to occipito-anterior decreases the need for cesarean section. European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2006.12.025.
2. Coached Pushing Offers No Benefit to Moms or Babies and May Be Harmful
   Bloom, S. L., Casey, B. M., Schaffer, J. I., McIntire, D. D., Leveno, K. J. (2006). A randomized trial of coached versus uncoached maternal pushing during the second stage of labor. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 194, 10-3.
3. Upright Positions in Second Stage May Decrease Instrumental Deliveries in Women with Epidural Analgesia
   Roberts, C. L., Algert, C. S., Cameron, C. A., & Torvaldsen, S. (2005). A meta-analysis of upright positions in the second stage to reduce instrumental deliveries in women with epidural analgesia. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 84(8), 794-798.
4. Delayed, “Physiologic” Pushing Improves Fetal Oxygenation in Women Using Epidural Analgesia
   JSimpson, K. R., & James, D. C. (2005). Effects of immediate versus delayed pushing during second-stage labor on fetal well-being: a randomized clinical trial. Nursing Research, 54(3), 149-157.

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Amy Romano Uncategorized epidurals, From the Research Summaries Archives, interventions, safety, second stage

Lamaze International launched Science & Sensibility to bring updates and analysis on new research to childbirth educators and other birth professionals as early as possible. We know you are on the front lines, answering questions about newsworthy research and bringing the latest evidence-based information to expectant women every week. The decision to launch Science & Sensibility meant that we would retire Lamaze’s quarterly e-newsletter, Research Summaries for Normal Birth. We know how much many of you appreciated Research Summaries, so over the next couple of months, we will be moving its archives to Science & Sensibility. We’re excited to have all of Lamaze’s research resources in one place. If you miss getting Research Summaries in your inbox, you can sign up to receive Science & Sensibility posts by email. Just click on “Subscribe to Science & Sensibility” on the right hand side of this page.

To kick off our From the Research Summaries Archive Series, and in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I bring you all of our research summaries from 2004-2008 about breastfeeding. Don’t forget that you can find all breastfeeding-related Science & Sensibility posts (including this archive) by clicking on “breastfeeding” in the tag cloud. Please also check out these other great breastfeeding resources from Lamaze International.

The articles summarized in this archive are listed here. Please click on the extended post to read the summaries.

1. Study Challenges Conventional Breastfeeding Advice, Suggests Mothers Should Be Semi-Reclined to Nurse More Effectively
   Colson, S. D., Meek, J. H., & Hawdon, J. M. (2008). Optimal positions for the release of primitive neonatal reflexes stimulating breastfeeding. Early Human Development, doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2007.12.003.
2. Epidural Use in Labor Appears to Disturb Newborns’ Physiologic Response to Skin-to-skin Contact
   Jonas, W., Wiklund, I., Nissen, E., Ransjo-Arvidson, A. B., & Uvnas-Moberg, K. (2007). Newborn skin temperature two days postpartum during breastfeeding related to different labour ward practices. Early Human Development, 83(1), 55-62.
3. Updated Cochrane Systematic Review Finds Stronger Evidence of Benefit for Early Skin-to-skin Contact
   Moore, E., Anderson, G., &; Bergman, N. (2007). Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3)(3), CD003519.
4. Group Prenatal Care Reduces Preterm Birth by One-Third, Improves Breastfeeding Success
   Ickovics, J. R., Kershaw, T. S., Westdahl, C., Magriples, U., Massey, Z., Reynolds, H., et al. (2007). Group prenatal care and perinatal outcomes: A randomized controlled trial. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 110(2), 330-339.
5. Home Birth and Breastfeeding May Set the Stage for Healthy Immune Systems in Infants
   Penders, J., Thijs, C., Vink, C., Stelma, F. F., Snijders, B., Kummeling, I., et al. (2006). Factors influencing the composition of the intestinal microbiota in early infancy. Pediatrics, 118(2), 511 – 521.
6. Cochrane Systematic Review Confirms Effectiveness of Breastfeeding for Reducing Procedural Pain in Newborns
   Shah, P. S., Aliwalas, L. L., & Shah, V. (2006). Breastfeeding or breastmilk for procedural pain in neonates. The Cochrane Library, Issue 3.
7. New Pediatric Growth Charts Reflect Breastfeeding as the Norm
   WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group (2006). “WHO Child Growth Standards.” Acta Paediatrica, Supplement 450.
8. Longer Duration of Breastfeeding is Associated with Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
   Stuebe, A. M., Rich-Edwards, J. W., Willett, W. C., Manson, J. E., Michels, K. B. (2005). Duration of lactation and incidence of type-2 diabetes. JAMA, 294(20), 2601-10.
9. Exposure to Smell of Mother’s Milk Reduces Distress During Painful Newborn Procedures
   Rattaz, C., Goubet, N., & Bullinger, A. (2005). The calming effect of a familiar odor on full-term newborns. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 26(2), 86-92.
10. Evidence-Based AAP Policy Emphasizes Link Between Normal Birth and Successful Breastfeeding
    American Academy of Pediatrics. (2005). Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics, 115 (2), 496-506.
11. Beneficial Effects of Kangaroo Care Are Not Limited to Preterm Newborns
    Ferber, S. G. and Makhoul, I.R. (2004). “The effect of skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care) shortly after birth on the neurobehavioral responses of the term newborn: a randomized, controlled trial.” Pediatrics. 113 (4): 858-65.

Click on the extended post to read the summaries. Read more…

Amy Romano research for advocacy breastfeeding, epidurals, From the Research Summaries Archives, home birth, hospitals, interventions, newborns, no separation, pain, practice guidelines, pregnancy, skin-to-skin contact