Biomedical subjects

M F Ashworth

Publications and source records attributed to M F Ashworth.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1991

The effects of hospitalization for bed rest on duration of gestation, fetal growth and neonatal morbidity in triplet pregnancy.

Nineteen women attending a special multiple pregnancy antenatal clinic with a triplet pregnancy were randomly allocated to either bed rest in hospital from 24 weeks gestation onwards until delivery, or to continue conventional outpatient management. Conclusions are limited by the trial size, but the study suggests that routine hospitalization for bed rest decreases the incidence of preterm delivery and light-for-gestational age infants and reduces the need for intensive neonatal care. Although still compatible with change variation, the observations, if confirmed in a larger randomized study, would have considerable implications for clinical practice. The policy needs further evaluation in a large multicentered collaborative study.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Failure to prevent preterm labour and delivery in twin pregnancy using prophylactic oral salbutamol.

A double blind, controlled study was performed to see whether the use of prophylactic oral salbutamol would reduce the incidence of preterm labour in twin pregnancy. Of the 144 women studied, 74 took salbutamol and 70 placebo. No difference was found in the length of gestation, birthweight or fetal outcome, although fewer babies suffered from respiratory distress syndrome in the salbutamol group. Women did not experience troublesome side-effects from salbutamol.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1990

Harare Hospital maternal mortality report for 1987 and a comparison with previous reports.

There were 39 maternal deaths at Harare Hospital during 1987, giving a maternal mortality rate of 122/100,000 live births. If women who lived outside the Harare Municipality were excluded, the maternal mortality rate for the Greater Harare Maternity Unit was 53/100,000 live births. The cases were reviewed at monthly meetings in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Hypertensive disease in pregnancy caused 28pc of the deaths with haemorrhage, puerperal sepsis and abortion accounting for 18pc each. Avoidable factors were felt to be present in 88pc of cases and these are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Vaginoplasty using amnion.

Fifteen patients with various developmental and acquired abnormalities of the vagina were treated by the application of human amnion over a mold after surgical dissection of a space for the new vagina or enlargement of an existing but strictured one. Excellent results were achieved in cases of complete and partial vaginal agenesis, and there was improvement in all of the patients with vaginal strictures.

Adolescent↗