This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Foetal indications

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Diabetes mellitus:

  • poorly controlled maternal diabetes results in complications such as macrosomia, polyhydramnios and pre-eclampsia
  • affected babies are often delivered by caesarian section

Placental insufficiency:

  • this is suggested by a "small-for-dates" foetus, maternal hypertension, proteinuria and/or previous foetal death
  • the first line of treatment is by attempted induction of labour. Failing this a caesarian section is indicated

Foetal distress:

  • foetal distress is more common in postmature foetuses and in prolonged labour
  • distress is assessed by monitoring the foetal heart rate and by foetal scalp blood sampling

Prolapse of the cord:

  • a caesarian section should be performed if the cervix is insufficiently dilated to permit immediate vaginal delivery

Bad obstetric history:

  • repeated stillbirths and neonatal deaths may be an indication for section

Old primigravida:

  • section for the older woman is not routine but one is more inclined to intervene when minor complications arise

Gross prematurity:

  • between weeks 26 to 32 the foetus is prone to intracranial haemorrhage
  • this may be avoided by caesarian section

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.