Rates of sexually transmitted diseases are increasing in women of reproductive age. Thus, pregnancies complicated by these infections have and will continue to become more prevalent. A number of these infections, such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes simplex virus, and syphilis,…
Acknowledgment We would like to acknowledge the work of Patrick Duff, MD, whose previous chapter on Maternal and Fetal Infections served as the template for this chapter and has been edited accordingly. – Infectious diseases are among the most common…
Infectious disease is frequently encountered by the obstetrician. Some conditions, such as urinary tract infections, endometritis, wound infection, and mastitis, pose a risk primarily to the mother. Other disorders, such as group B streptococci (GBS) infection and toxoplasmosis, are of…
Acknowledgment The authors would like to acknowledge Elliott K. Main, MD, for his work on the previous edition of this chapter. Quality Improvement Maternal mortality is a tragedy for the woman and her family, as well as for health care…
Physicians have always striven to provide patients with the very best care and outcomes. However, in the past 40 years, health care has become progressively more complex, increasingly dependent on technology, and reliant on more team members to provide care.…
Acknowledgments We would like to thank Kara Beth Markham and Edmund Funai for drafting and maintaining this chapter over the course of the previous editions. Classification of Hypertensive Disorders Interpretation of available data regarding hypertension in pregnancy is difficult because…
Initial evaluation of suspected fetal growth abnormality includes accurately determining gestational age and then distinguishing between a fetus that is constitutionally small but normal and a fetus with true fetal growth restriction (estimation of fetal weight usually <3rd percentile, evidence…
Bleeding in the later stages of pregnancy has been described as “third-trimester bleeding” or “antepartum hemorrhage.” Late-pregnancy bleeding is a significant cause of maternal and fetal morbidity, fetal mortality, and preterm delivery. Traditional accounts of such bleeding have addressed placenta…
Epidemiology Stillbirth, defined as fetal death at 20 weeks’ gestation or more, is one of the most common adverse pregnancy outcomes, with an estimated 2.6 million stillbirths at 28 weeks’ gestation or more occurring worldwide annually. , It has been…
Pregnancy loss is the most common complication of pregnancy; up to 70% of all fertilized eggs and approximately 20% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will not result in a live birth. Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects 1% to 2% of…