Browsing by Author "Hofmeyr, George Justus"

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    Fetal movement counting for assessment of fetal wellbeing
    (Cochrane, 2015-10-15) Hofmeyr, George Justus; Mangesi, Lindeka; Smith, Valerie; Smyth, Rebecca M. D.
    Background : Fetal movement counting is a method by which a woman quantifies the movements she feels to assess the condition of her baby. The purpose is to try to reduce perinatal mortality by alerting caregivers when the baby might be compromised. This method may be used routinely, or only in women who are considered at increased risk of complications affecting the baby. Fetal movement counting may allow the clinician to make appropriate interventions in good time to improve outcomes. On the other hand, fetal movement counting may cause unnecessary anxiety to pregnant women, or elicit unnecessary interventions. Objectives : To assess outcomes of pregnancy where fetal movement counting was done routinely, selectively or was not done at all; and to compare different methods of fetal movement counting.
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    Interventions for helping to turn term breech babies to head first presentation when using external cephalic version
    (Cochrane, 2015-02-12) Cluver, Catherine Anne; Gyte, Gillian M. L.; Sinclair, Marlene; Dowswell, Therese; Hofmeyr, George Justus
    Background: Breech presentation is associated with increased complications. Turning a breech baby to head first presentation using external cephalic version (ECV) attempts to reduce the chances of breech presentation at birth so as to avoid the adverse effects of breech vaginal birth or caesarean section. Interventions such as tocolytic drugs and other methods have been used in an attempt to facilitate ECV. Objectives: To assess, from the best evidence available, the effects of interventions such as tocolysis, acoustic stimulation for midline spine position, regional analgesia (epidural or spinal), transabdominal amnioinfusion, systemic opioids and hypnosis, or the use of abdominal lubricants, on ECV at term for successful version, presentation at birth, method of birth and perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality.
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    Tranexamic acid for preventing postpartum haemorrhage
    (Cochrane, 2015-06-16) Cluver, Catherine Anne; Novikova, Natalia; Hofmeyr, George Justus
    Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a common and potentially life-threatening complication of labour. Several options for preventing PPH are available, but further advances in this field are important, especially the identification of safe, easy to use and cost-effective regimens. Tranexamic acid (TA), which is an antifibrinolytic agent that is used widely to prevent and treat haemorrhage, merits evaluation to assess whether it meets these criteria. Objectives: To determine, from the best available evidence, whether TA is effective and safe for preventing PPH in comparison to placebo or no treatment (with or without uterotonic co-treatment), or to uterotonic agents.