Search

The umbilical cord connects the baby and mother during pregnancy. The cord is cut after birth. The cord stump then dries and falls off, generally within five to 15 days. Infection of the umbilical cord stump (omphalitis), caused by skin bacteria, is a significant cause of illness and death in newborn babies in developing countries. This review evaluated ...

No evidence that applying sprays, creams or powders are any better than keeping the baby's cord clean and dry at birth. The umbilical cord connects the baby to its food and oxygen supply in the womb, and is clamped and cut at birth. The cord stump dries, shrivels and becomes black before falling off the baby's belly button, five to 15 days after birth. ...

An epidural is the most effective method for pain relief during labour. It is often used by women even though it can prolong labour and increase the need for forceps and ventouse (vacuum) birth. Instrumental deliveries are associated with the possibility of the woman developing prolapse, urinary incontinence, or painful sexual intercourse. Low-dose ...

Vaginal tears can occur during childbirth, most often at the vaginal opening as the baby's head passes through, especially if the baby descends quickly. Tears can involve the perineal skin or extend to the muscles and the anal sphincter and anus. The midwife or obstetrician may decide to make a surgical cut to the perineum with scissors or scalpel (episiotomy) ...

In the womb, the baby's blood flows through the umbilical cord to and from the baby and the placenta bringing oxygen and nutrition to the baby from the mother's blood. If the umbilical cord is left unclamped for a short time after the birth, some of the blood from the placenta passes to the baby (this is called placental transfusion) to increase the ...

An injectable uterotonic is the drug of choice for routine third stage management when the placenta is delivered. Oral or sublingual misoprostol may be used where no injectable uterotonic is available. After her baby is born, the woman's womb (uterus) contracts and bleeding decreases. If the womb does not contract, postpartum haemorrhage (heavy bleeding) ...

Women should be encouraged to give birth in comfortable positions, which are usually upright. In traditional cultures, women naturally give birth in upright positions like kneeling, standing or squatting. In Western societies, doctors have influenced women to give birth on their backs, sometimes with their legs up in stirrups. This review included 22 ...

In low- and middle-income countries, postpartum haemorrhage is a major cause of maternal deaths and ill health. In high-income countries, the problems are much less but there is still a small risk of major bleeding problems for women after giving birth. Active management of the third stage of labour, which is generally used to reduce blood loss at birth, ...

Almost all maternal deaths occur in the developing world. Bleeding during labour is responsible for at least a quarter of these deaths, with the majority due to postpartum haemorrhage. Failure of the muscles of the uterus to contract properly with separation of the placenta is the most common cause of postpartum haemorrhage. One of the leading causes ...

Excessive blood loss after birth remains an important cause of severe ill health and death of mothers particularly in settings where births still occur at home. The commonly used drugs (oxytocin and ergometrine) that help to reduce blood loss by making the womb contract immediately after birth need to be given by injection, and therefore cannot be used ...