Medical retrieval of pregnant women in labour: A scoping review.
Australasian Emergency Care · 2022-11-02 · Scoping review
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Remote Australian women in labour often rely on retrieval services to allow birthing in specialist obstetric centres. However, there is currently debate over when not to transfer a woman in labour, for risk of an in-transit birth, associated with worse neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A scoping review methodology was undertaken, to define the scope of published literature on the topic and identify gaps in the current knowledge. RESULTS: A total of seven full texts were deemed suitable for synthesis, which were all retrospective observational studies. Four themes from the studies' findings were identified: population features, predicting time-to-birth, use of tocolysis and birth during medical evacuation. CONCLUSION: The evidence identified in this review was of low methodological quality and heterogenous. The key findings were that births in-flight are rare, despite geographical distances and long transport times, with a knowledge gap on predictors of time-to-birth.
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Tags
Helicopter & air ambulance · Neonates · Pregnant patients · Prehospital physicians · Rural & remote
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