Over the past two decades, we have made significant progress in reducing morbidity and mortality among mothers and newborns. However, the health care delivery and provisions in these areas still have rooms for development to cater to future changes in lifestyle and demands.
All transformational leaps in clinical practice, genetics, and technological advances in diagnoses and treatment should have some basic milestones for direction. The advances and future direction in Obstetrics should involve: improving the health of the female population, enhancing the experience of the patient in care, and reigning in the cost of procedures.
The current and upcoming research in the broad field of obstetrics and gynaecology are clocking development in many areas such as gynaecologic oncology, menstrual cycle, pregnancy diabetes, etc. Let’s talk about some of these advances.
- According to studies, bariatric surgeries undertaken to minimise the risks associated with obesity-related complications in pregnancy can lead to a 30% reduction in congenital anomalies in pregnancies that follow.
- Iron deficiency during pregnancy is quite common, but if not treated with due diligence, the risks to mother and child are quite adverse and severe. New advances in obstetrics have recommended early identification of non-anaemic women who stand at high risk of iron deficiency to start on prophylactic iron therapy, among other things. For cases of iron intolerance or severe anaemia, intravenous iron is also suggested.
- The delayed onset of labour pains is a cause of concern for patients and doctors. The chances of neonatal morbidity and neonatal mortality rise in the pregnancies that continue for more than 41 weeks, according to a multi-study review. This finding has much bearing on the labour induction decisions and expectant management as well.
- The new advancement of coaxial electrospinning, which is a fabrication process, can have significant future applications in obstetrics. For instance, it can be used in STI prevention and developing contraceptive products.
- The number of pre-eclampsia patients, both pregnant and postpartum, who die due to stroke, can be significantly lowered according to a study. The improvement of quality care during observation with implementation of thorough anti-hypertensive treatment can reduce maternal morbidity.
- Medical imaging gets better and smarter, with the advent of handheld devices. The new single probe ultrasound technology can now be connected with smartphones. This portable ultrasound imaging capability will be much appreciated in emergency cases during travel or shifting of patients.
- The American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ACOG) has updated the time of vaginal screening cultures for pregnant women to ascertain the prevention of early-onset GBS infection in new births. The guidelines also recommend advancing the intrapartum prophylactic antibiotics among selected women based on specific parameters.
- A new cervical dilator can soon put the tenaculum pincers out of practice. The new gadget has been designed for better access to uterine cavities, which is comfortable for the patient while giving consistent access to doctors.
As we move ahead with advancements in the field, it’s also important to keep an eye on current priorities. Quality care delivered with compassion and skills and the capacity to deal with normal pregnancies as well as complications that call for prompt, life-saving interventions are factors that concern both patients and care providers.
In this regard, healthcare facilities like Alana are taking steps in the right direction. They bring together some of the best obstetrician Sydney to provide experienced care during the consultation, delivery, and antenatal phases. Also, their all-woman specialist team providing quality healthcare adds a uniquely personal connection to the doctor-patient relationship.
Disclosure: collaborative post
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