Determinants of the optimal time in gestation to initiate antenatal fetal testing: a decision-analytic approach

Article Abstract:

Prenatal fetal testing may be most useful in finding conditions that may compromise survival when performed at 34 weeks of pregnancy. Prenatal fetal testing is used when various risks to the mother or fetus are present, to improve the fetus's chance of survival and health. Researchers used a mathematical model to determine how early in pregnancy to conduct fetal testing. The best time to perform fetal testing may depend on the false-positive rate of a test for dead fetuses, the stillbirth rate, and mortality rates according to week of pregnancy. Performing fetal testing at 34 weeks of pregnancy may provide more useful results than testing at an earlier time, and may allow interventions to be performed that could save the fetus's life.

Planning, Testing, Fetus, Prenatal diagnosis

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Routine maternal platelet count: an assessment of a technologically driven screening practice

Article Abstract:

Pregnant women should no longer be tested for thrombocytopenia. This condition is characterized by low blood platelet levels. Automated blood cell counters routinely measure the level of platelets in blood. If the level is low, the woman will be diagnosed with thrombocytopenia even if she has no symptoms. However, thrombocytopenia that occurs only in pregnancy is not likely to harm the fetus. There are blood cell counting machines that do not measure blood platelet levels. Obstetricians should insist that clinical laboratories use these machines.

Diagnosis, Measurement, Medical examination, Pregnant women, Medical screening, Health screening, Blood platelets, Thrombocytopenia

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Prophylactic cesarean delivery for fetal macrosomia diagnosed by means of ultrasonography -- a Faustian bargain?

Article Abstract:

It is probably unnecessary to give a cesarean delivery to every non-diabetic pregnant woman who has a large baby. Many obstetricians do a cesarean delivery in these cases to prevent injury to the baby. However, it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to prevent a single injury.

Care and treatment, Cesarean section, Fetal macrosomia

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