The 30minute decision to delivery time is unrealistic in morbidly obese women

The "30-minute rule" for expedited delivery: fact or fiction?

Initially developed from hospital feasibility data from the 1980s, the "30-minute rule" has perpetuated the belief that the decision-to-incision time in an emergency cesarean delivery should be <30 minutes to preserve favorable neonatal outcomes. Through a review of the history, available data on delivery timing and associated outcomes, and consideration of feasibility across several hospital systems, the use and applicability of this "rule" are explored, and its reconsideration is called for. Moreover, we have advocated for balanced consideration of maternal safety with rapidity of delivery, encouraged process-based approaches, and proposed standardization of terminology regarding delivery urgency. Furthermore, a standardized 4-tier classification system for delivery urgency, from class I, for a perceived threat to maternal or fetal life, to class IV, a scheduled delivery, and a call for further research with a standardized structure to facilitate comparison have been proposed.

Pregnancy Care for Patients With Super Morbid Obesity

The patient with obesity represents unique challenges to the medical community and, in the setting of pregnancy, additional risks to both mother and fetus. This document will focus on the risks and considerations needed to care for the women with obesity and her fetus during the antepartum, intrapartum, and immediate postpartum stages of pregnancy. Specific attention will be given to pregnancy in the setting of class III and super morbid obesity.

[Predictors of failed trial of labor in obese nulliparous]

OBJECTIVES

To identify predictors of failed trial of labour (TOL) in obese nulliparous at term.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective study about 213 nulliparous with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30kg/m(2) who delivered a vertex singleton after 37 weeks of gestation (WG). Planned caesarean sections were excluded. Maternal, sonographic, per-partum and neonatal characteristics were analyzed according to the mode of entry into labor and delivery route. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed.

RESULTS

The cesarean delivery rate was 28%. Induction of labor (aOR=4.3 [1.8-10.7]), prolonged pregnancy (aOR=10.8 [1.7-67.6]), macrosomia (aOR=5.6 [1.1-27.3]), meconium-stained amniotic fluid (aOR: 2.57 [1.03-6.42]), use of trinitrine (aOR=5.5 [1.39-21.6]) and neonatal head circumference greater than 35cm (aOR=3.1 [1.2-8.0]) were predictors of failed TOL. There was no significant correlation between failed TOL and preconceptional BMI. Univariate analysis revealed an association between excessive weight gain and failed TOL.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Predictors of failed TOL are the same in obese and non-obese women. Preconceptional BMI does not predict failed TOL in this nulliparous obese population.

[New aspects of obstetric anesthesia]

BACKGROUND

The risk profile of patients in obstetric anesthesia has substantially changed. Even more so than other disciplines, obstetric anesthesia is therefore in the true sense of the word dependent on the close coordination of all concerned and a good interdisciplinary cooperation.

AIM

This article explains the important anesthesiological risks connected with parturition and presents the corresponding concepts for prevention, diagnosis and management of peripartum complications.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The increase in the number of high risk pregnancies, which are mostly due to an increase in obesity, require clearly defined guidelines and interdisciplinary concepts which are described and discussed in this article. The neuraxial block is still the most effective procedure for treatment of birth pain and offers a promising new method with the programmed intermittent epidural boluses presented in this article. Finally, the German speaking countries Germany, Austria and Switzerland have developed a treatment algorithm for the management of postpartum hemorrhage which is presented here.

RESULTS

The anesthesiological components of a risk pregnancy must be recognized early and include obesity, preeclampsia and drug-induced coagulopathy. Epidural analgesia is the most effective analgesic procedure in obstetrics. Patient-controlled remifentanil analgesia currently represents the best alternative in cases of contraindications for a neuraxial procedure.

CONCLUSION

In risk situations, such as pre(eclempsia), emergency cesarean section, massive blood loss or other peripartum emergency situations, optimal interdisciplinary cooperation between midwives, obstetricians and anesthetists is required. However, not only emergency situations require a good interdisciplinary cooperation. Just as important is the cooperation to recognize risk pregnancies and a timely joint planning of the approaching birth.