| dc.description.abstract | Objective: To assess whether a basic ultrasound examination following the ordinary
clinical examination on admission to a maternity ward, had any impact for improved
diagnostics and the clinical management of labor.
Methods: This is an observational study, which was carried out at the largest
hospital in Tanzania. A four-step basic ultrasound examination was performed after
the clinical examination by the local midwife, on women admitted in labor. We
assessed the fetal presentation, fetal cardiac activity, number of fetuses and the
placental location. Outcome information was collected from the birth protocol.
Results: A total of 63 women were recruited into the study and were examined with
ultrasound on admission to the maternity ward. 21% of the women had received
suboptimal primary pregnancy healthcare. Ten women had not been examined with
ultrasound, while five women had received 4-5 ultrasound examinations each. The
median pregnancy length at delivery was 265 days, and the cesarean section rate in
the study population was 35%.
Conclusion: The local midwives proved to be very skilled at clinical examinations,
and the ultrasound examinations were thus of limited value, and did not crucially alter
the decision-making, diagnosis nor management of labor in this small study sample. | nb_NO |
