BACKGROUND Hands-and-knees positioning during labor has been recommended on the theory that gravity and buoyancy may promote fetal head rotation to the anterior position and reduce persistent back pain. A Cochrane review found insufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of this intervention during labor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal hands-and-knees pos...

BACKGROUND The occipito-posterior (OP) fetal head position during the first stage of labour occurs in 10-34% of cephalic presentations. Most will spontaneous rotate in anterior position before delivery, but 5-8% of all births will persist in OP position for the third stage of labour. Previous observations have shown that this can lead to an increase of complications, such as an abnormally long ...

OBJECTIVE The cardiovascular system maintains homeostasis through a series of adaptive responses to physiological requirements. However, little is known about the adaptation of fetal cardiac function to gravity, according to gestational age. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the adaptive responses of cardiac function to postural changes, using Tei index measurements. METHODS Fetal ec...

The best way to assess fetal condition is to observe the oxygen status of the fetus (as well as to assess the condition of infants, children, and adults). Previously, several fetal oximeters have been developed; however, no instrument has been utilized in clinical practice because of the low-capturing rate of the fetal oxygen saturation. To overcome the problem, we developed a doctor's finger-m...

Two cases of fetal abdominal masses were discovered in utero by real-time ultrasound. They were diagnosed as follicle ovarian cysts and multicystic kidney in the early days of life. Ultrasound should be used on all pregnant women in the second trimester, not only for assessment of fetal growth and placental position, but also for prenatal diagnosis of fetal malformation and fetal abdominal mass...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of hands and knees position and pelvic rocking exercises on the incidence of fetal occiput posterior position at birth. DESIGN Multicentre randomised controlled trial. SETTING Seven maternity units in New South Wales, Australia, encompassing teaching hospitals and district general hospitals. PARTICIPANTS 2547 pregnant women at 37 weeks' gestation; 1292 r...

The aim of the study was to evaluate cardiovascular effects and fetal behavior during moxibustion, acupuncture or acupuncture plus moxibustion applied on the BL.67 acupoint of women (beside the outer corner of the 5th toenail) in fetal breech presentation. During the acupoint stimulation (20 min, two times a week), the women were submitted to computerized non-stress test. Fourteen cases were tr...

To investigate the effect of intrauterine positions on fetal growth throughout gestation, data from a total of 65 gilts (n = 784 fetuses) that were slaughtered at assigned days of gestation (d 43, 58, 73, 91, 101, and 108) on a project to evaluate fetal mineral deposition were used. Placenta units were removed from the uterus, and position, sex, weight, and crown-rump length (CRL) of each fetus...

Objective: To investigate the accuracy of intrapartum digital vaginal examination in assessing fetal head position during active labour, and to compare accuracy of intrapartum digital vaginal examination for fetal head position between specialist trainee doctors and specialist obstetricians. Methods: A total of 100 patients at term with normal singleton cephalic-presenting fetuses were recruite...