Timing of indicated late-preterm and early-term birth

CY Spong, BM Mercer, M D'Alton… - Obstetrics & …, 2011 - journals.lww.com
CY Spong, BM Mercer, M D'Alton, S Kilpatrick, S Blackwell, G Saade
Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2011journals.lww.com
The growing public health awareness of prematurity and its complications has prompted
careful evaluation of the timing of deliveries by clinicians and hospitals. Preterm birth is
associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and affects more than half a million births
in the United States each year. In some situations, however, a late-preterm or early-term
birth is the optimal outcome for the mother, child, or both owing to conditions that can result
in worse outcomes if pregnancy is allowed to continue. These conditions may be …
The growing public health awareness of prematurity and its complications has prompted careful evaluation of the timing of deliveries by clinicians and hospitals. Preterm birth is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and affects more than half a million births in the United States each year. In some situations, however, a late-preterm or early-term birth is the optimal outcome for the mother, child, or both owing to conditions that can result in worse outcomes if pregnancy is allowed to continue. These conditions may be categorized as placental, maternal, or fetal, including conditions such as placenta previa, preeclampsia, and multiple gestations. Some risks associated with early delivery are common to all conditions, including prematurity-related morbidities (eg, respiratory distress syndrome and intraventricular hemorrhage) as well as maternal intrapartum morbidities such as failed induction and cesarean delivery. However, when continuation of the pregnancy is associated with more risks such as hemorrhage, uterine rupture, and stillbirth, preterm delivery maybe indicated. In February 2011, the Eunice
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