2009 Annual Evidence Update on Antenatal and Pregnancy Care

NHS Evidence – women’s health held its third Annual Evidence Update on Antenatal and Pregnancy Care from Monday 28 September – Sunday 4 October. The Evidence Update builds on the accumulated knowledge-base and provides an up-to-date summary of the latest evidence in this area that has been subject to rigorous selection criteria.  It is very difficult for busy health professionals to keep up-to-date with the huge volume of literature that is published each year and so the NHS Evidence – women’s health provide specialist collections to do this for you.  The contents include:

Information needs

  • Provision of information and antenatal education
  • Maternity health benefits and working during pregnancy
  • Diet
  • Medicines
  • Exercise, sex, alcohol and smoking
  • Travel

Common pregnancy problems

  • Emotional changes
  • Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy
  • Heartburn, constipation, haemorrhoids, varicose veins and vaginal discharge and infections during pregnancy
  • Backache, symphysis pubis dysfunction and carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy

Antenatal care

  • Provision of antenatal care
  • Measurement of weight and body mass index, breast examination, pelvic examination, female genital mutilation, domestic violence and psychiatric screening
  • Measurement of symphyseal-fundal distance and routine monitoring of fetal movements
  • Pregnancy after 41 weeks
  • Breech presentation at term
  • Maternal obesity

Antenatal ultrasound and fetal heart monitoring

  • Gestational age assessment: LMP and ultrasound
  • Auscultation of fetal heart and cardiotocography
  • Ultrasound assessment in the 2nd and 3rd trimester

Pregnancy complications

  • Magnesium sulphate, fetal neuroprotection and preterm delivery
  • Progesterone and preterm birth

Screening in pregnancy

Dental treatment during pregnancy

The website and recent update can be viewed here

A PDF version of the 2009 Antenatal and Pregnancy Care Annual Evidence Update is also available