William Ehman

Fetal Health Surveillance: Antepartum and Intrapartum Consensus Guideline

OBJECTIVE This guideline provides new recommendations pertaining to the application and documentation of fetal surveillance in the antepartum and intrapartum period that will decrease the incidence of birth asphyxia while maintaining the lowest possible rate of obstetrical intervention. Pregnancies with and without risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes are considered. This guideline presents an alternative classification system for antenatal fetal non-stress testing and intrapartum electronic fetal surveillance to what has been used previously. This guideline is intended for use by all health professionals who provide antepartum and intrapartum care in Canada. OPTIONS Consideration has been given to all methods of fetal surveillance currently available in Canada. OUTCOMES Short- and long-term outcomes that may indicate the presence of birth asphyxia were considered. The associated rates of operative and other labour interventions were also considered. EVIDENCE A comprehensive review of randomized controlled trials published between January 1996 and March 2007 was undertaken, and MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database were used to search the literature for all new studies on fetal surveillance both antepartum and intrapartum. The level of evidence has been determined using the criteria and classifications of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. SPONSOR This consensus guideline was jointly developed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the British Columbia Perinatal Health Program (formerly the British Columbia Reproductive Care Program or BCRCP) and was partly supported by an unrestricted educational grant from the British Columbia Perinatal Health Program.

Substance Use in Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE To improve awareness and knowledge of problematic substance use in pregnancy and to provide evidence-based recommendations for the management of this challenging clinical issue for all health care providers. OPTIONS This guideline reviews the use of screening tools, general approach to care, and recommendations for clinical management of problematic substance use in pregnancy. OUTCOMES Evidence-based recommendations for screening and management of problematic substance use during pregnancy and lactation. EVIDENCE Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library were searched for articles published from 1950 using the following key words: substance-related disorders, mass screening, pregnancy complications, pregnancy, prenatal care, cocaine, cannabis, methadone, opioid, tobacco, nicotine, solvents, hallucinogens, and amphetamines. Results were initially restricted to systematic reviews and randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials. A subsequent search for observational studies was also conducted because there are few RCTs in this field of study. Articles were restricted to human studies published in English. Additional articles were located by hand searching through article reference lists. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline up to December 2009. Grey (unpublished) literature was also identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology assessment-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. VALUES The quality of evidence was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on the Preventive Health Care. Recommendations for practice were ranked according to the method described in that report (Table 1). BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS This guideline is intended to increase the knowledge and comfort level of health care providers caring for pregnant women who have substance use disorders. Improved access to health care and assistance with appropriate addiction care leads to reduced health care costs and decreased maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. All pregnant women and women of childbearing age should be screened periodically for alcohol, tobacco, and prescription and illicit drug use. (III-A) 2. When testing for substance use is clinically indicated, urine drug screening is the preferred method. (II-2A) Informed consent should be obtained from the woman before maternal drug toxicology testing is ordered. (III-B) 3. Policies and legal requirements with respect to drug testing of newborns may vary by jurisdiction, and caregivers should be familiar with the regulations in their region. (III-A) 4. Health care providers should employ a flexible approach to the care of women who have substance use problems, and they should encourage the use of all available community resources. (II-2B) 5. Women should be counselled about the risks of periconception, antepartum, and postpartum drug use. (III-B) 6. Smoking cessation counselling should be considered as a first-line intervention for pregnant smokers. (I-A) Nicotine replacement therapy and/or pharmacotherapy can be considered if counselling is not successful. (I-A) 7. Methadone maintenance treatment should be standard of care for opioid-dependent women during pregnancy. (II-IA) Other slow-release opioid preparations may be considered if methadone is not available. (II-2B) 8. Opioid detoxification should be reserved for selected women because of the high risk of relapse to opioids. (II-2B) 9. Opiate-dependent women should be informed that neonates exposed to heroin, prescription opioids, methadone, or buprenorphine during pregnancy are monitored closely for symptoms and signs of neonatal withdrawal (neonatal abstinence syndrome). (II-2B) Hospitals providing obstetric care should develop a protocol for assessment and management of neonates exposed to opiates during pregnancy. (III-B) 10. Antenatal planning for intrapartum and postpartum analgesia may be offered for all women in consultation with appropriate health care providers. (III-B) 11. The risks and benefits of breastfeeding should be weighed on an individual basis because methadone maintenance therapy is not a contraindication to breastfeeding. (II-3B).

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection

OBJECTIVE to provide an update of the definition, epidemiology, clinical presentation, investigation, treatment, and prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections in women. OPTIONS continuous antibiotic prophylaxis, post-coital antibiotic prophylaxis, and acute self-treatment are all efficient alternatives to prevent recurrent urinary tract infection. Vaginal estrogen and cranberry juice can also be effective prophylaxis alternatives. EVIDENCE a search of PubMed and The Cochrane Library for articles published in English identified the most relevant literature. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. There were no date restrictions. VALUES this update is the consensus of the Sub-Committee on Urogynaecology of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Recommendations were made according to the guidelines developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1). OPTIONS recurrent urinary tract infections need careful investigation and can be efficiently treated and prevented. Different prophylaxis options can be selected according to each patients characteristics.

Ultrasonographic Cervical Length Assessment in Predicting Preterm Birth in Singleton Pregnancies

OBJECTIVES To review (1) the use of ultrasonographic-derived cervical length measurement in predicting preterm birth and (2) interventions associated with a short cervical length. OUTCOMES Reduction in rates of prematurity and/or better identification of those at risk, as well as possible prevention of unnecessary interventions. EVIDENCE Published literature was retrieved through searches of PubMed and The Cochrane Library up to December 2009, using appropriate controlled vocabulary and key words (preterm labour, ultrasound, cervix, incompetent cervix, transvaginal, transperineal, cervical length, fibronectin). Results were restricted to general and systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. There were no date or language restrictions. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology assessment-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. VALUES The evidence and this guideline were reviewed by the Diagnostic Imaging Committee and the Maternal Fetal Medicine Committee of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, and the recommendations were made according to the guidelines developed by The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1). BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS Preterm birth is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Use of the ultrasonographic technique reviewed in this guideline may help identify women at risk of preterm birth and, in some circumstances, lead to interventions that may reduce the rate of preterm birth. SPONSORS The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

Fetal and perinatal autopsy in prenatally diagnosed fetal abnormalities with normal karyotype.

OBJECTIVE To review the information on fetal and perinatal autopsies, the process of obtaining consent, and the alternative information-gathering options following a prenatal diagnosis of non-chromosomal malformations, and to assist clinicians in providing postnatal counselling regarding fetal diagnosis and recurrence risks. OUTCOMES To provide better counselling about fetal and perinatal autopsies for women and families who are dealing with a prenatally diagnosed non-chromosomal fetal anomaly. EVIDENCE Published literature was retrieved through searches of PubMed or Medline, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library in 2009 and 2010, using appropriate key words (fetal autopsy, postmortem, autopsy, perinatal postmortem examination, autopsy protocol, postmortem magnetic resonance imaging, autopsy consent, tissue retention, autopsy evaluation). Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. Additional publications were identified from the bibliographies of these articles. There were no date or language restrictions. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology assessment-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS This update educates readers about (1) the benefits of a fetal perinatal autopsy, (2) the consent process, and (3) the alternatives when the family declines autopsy. It also provides a standardized approach to fetal and perinatal autopsies, emphasizing pertinent additional sampling when indicated. VALUES The quality of evidence was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1). Recommendations 1. Standard autopsy should ideally be an essential part of fully investigating fetal loss, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths associated with non-chromosomal fetal malformations. (II-3A) 2. Clinicians and health care providers approaching parents for autopsy consent should discuss the options for a full, limited, or step-wise postmortem examination; the issue of retained fetal tissues; and the value of autopsy and the possibility that the information gained may not benefit them but may be of benefit to others. This information should be provided while respecting the personal and cultural values of the families. (III-A) 3. If parents are unwilling to give consent for a full autopsy, alternatives to full autopsy that provide additional clinical information must be presented in a manner that includes disclosure of limitations. (III-A) 4. External physical examination, medical photographs, and standard radiographic or computed tomography should be offered in all cases of fetal anomaly(ies) of non-chromosomal etiology. (II-2A) 5. Well-designed, large prospective studies are needed to evaluate the accuracy of postmortem magnetic resonance imaging. It cannot function as a substitute for standard full autopsy. (III-A) 6. The fetal and perinatal autopsies should be performed by trained perinatal or pediatric pathologists. (II-2A) 7. The need for additional sampling is guided by the results of previous prenatal and/or genetic investigations, as well as the type of anomalies identified in the fetus. Fibroblast cultures may allow future laboratory studies, particularly in the absence of previous karyotyping or if a biochemical disorder is suspected, and DNA analysis. (II-3A) 8. In cases requiring special evaluation, the most responsible health care provider should have direct communication with the fetopathologist to ensure that all necessary sampling is performed in a timely manner. (II-3A) 9. The most responsible health care providers must see the families in follow-up to share autopsy findings, plan for the management of future pregnancies, obtain consent for additional testing, and offer genetic counselling to other family members when appropriate. (III-A).

Rural Maternity Care

OBJECTIVE To provide an overview of current information on issues in maternity care relevant to rural populations. EVIDENCE Medline was searched for articles published in English from 1995 to 2012 about rural maternity care. Relevant publications and position papers from appropriate organizations were also reviewed. OUTCOMES This information will help obstetrical care providers in rural areas to continue providing quality care for women in their communities. Recommendations 1. Women who reside in rural and remote communities in Canada should receive high-quality maternity care as close to home as possible. 2. The provision of rural maternity care must be collaborative, woman- and family-centred, culturally sensitive, and respectful. 3. Rural maternity care services should be supported through active policies aligned with these recommendations. 4. While local access to surgical and anaesthetic services is desirable, there is evidence that good outcomes can be sustained within an integrated perinatal care system without local access to operative delivery. There is evidence that the outcomes are better when women do not have to travel far from their communities. Access to an integrated perinatal care system should be provided for all women. 5. The social and emotional needs of rural women must be considered in service planning. Women who are required to leave their communities to give birth should be supported both financially and emotionally. 6. Innovative interprofessional models should be implemented as part of the solution for high-quality, collaborative, and integrated care for rural and remote women. 7. Registered nurses are essential to the provision of high-quality rural maternity care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Maternity nursing skills should be recognized as a fundamental part of generalist rural nursing skills. 8. Remuneration for maternity care providers should reflect the unique challenges and increased professional responsibility faced by providers in rural settings. Remuneration models should facilitate interprofessional collaboration. 9. Practitioners skilled in neonatal resuscitation and newborn care are essential to rural maternity care. 10. Training of rural maternity health care providers should include collaborative practice as well as the necessary clinical skills and competencies. Sites must be developed and supported to train midwives, nurses, and physicians and provide them with the skills necessary for rural maternity care. Training in rural and northern settings must be supported. 11. Generalist skills in maternity care, surgery, and anaesthesia are valued and should be supported in training programs in family medicine, surgery, and anaesthesia as well as nursing and midwifery. 12. All physicians and nurses should be exposed to maternity care in their training, and basic competencies should be met. 13. Quality improvement and outcome monitoring should be integral to all maternity care systems. 14. Support must be provided for ongoing, collaborative, interprofessional, and locally provided continuing education and patient safety programs.

Sexual and Reproductive Health Counselling by Health Care Professionals

This document reflects emerging clinical and scientific advances on the date issued, and is subject to change. The information should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of treatment or procedure to be followed. Local institutions can dictate amendments to these opinions. They should be well documented if modified at the local level. None of these contents may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the SOGC. This policy statement was prepared by the Social and Sexual Issues Committee, reviewed by the Family Physicians Advisory Committee and the Clinical Practice Gynaecology Committee, and approved by the Executive and Council of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. SOCIAL AND SEXuAL ISSuES COMMITTEE Margaret Burnett, MD (Chair), Winnipeg MB Anjali Aggarwal, MD, Toronto ON Victoria Davis, MD, Scarborough ON Jeffrey Dempster, MD, Halifax NS William Fisher, PhD, London ON Karen MacKinnon, RN, PhD, Victoria BC Rosana Pellizzari, MD, Peterborough ON Viola Polomeno, RN, PhD, Ottawa ON Maegan Rutherford, MD, Halifax NS Vyta Senikas, MD, Ottawa ON Marie-Soleil Wagner, MD, Montreal QC FAMILY PHYSICIANS ADVISORY COMMITTEE William Ehman, MD (Chair), Nanaimo BC Anne Biringer, MD, Toronto ON Andrée Gagnon, MD, Blainville QC Lisa Graves, MD, Sudbury ON Jonathan Hey, MD, Saskatoon SK Jill Konkin, MD, Edmonton AB Francine Léger, MD, Montreal QC Cindy Marshall, MD, Lower Sackville NS

No. 282-Rural Maternity Care

OBJECTIVE To provide an overview of current information on issues in maternity care relevant to rural populations . EVIDENCE Medline was searched for articles published in English from 1995 to 2012 about rural maternity care . Relevant publications and position papers from appropriate organizations were also reviewed . OUTCOMES This information will help obstetrical care providers in rural areas to continue providing quality care for women in their communities . RECOMMENDATIONS

Recours au sulfate de magnésium à des fins de neuroprotection fœtale

Resume Objectif Fournir une directive clinique quant a l’administration prenatale de sulfate de magnesium (MgSO 4 ) a des fins de neuroprotection foetale pour ce qui est du nouveau-ne issu d’un accouchement preterme. Options L’administration prenatale de MgSO 4 devrait etre envisagee a des fins de neuroprotection foetale en presence d’un accouchement preterme imminent (defini comme une forte probabilite d’accouchement en raison d’un travail actif en presence d’une dilatation cervicale ≥ 4 cm, avec ou sans rupture pretravail des membranes preterme, et/ou un accouchement preterme planifie en raison d’indications foetales ou maternelles) chez une patiente en etant a ≤ 31+6 semaines. Il n’existe aucun autre agent neuroprotecteur foetal connu. Issues Les criteres d’evaluation sont l’incidence de l’infirmite motrice cerebrale (IMC) et le deces neonatal. Resultats La litterature publiee a ete recuperee par l’intermediaire de recherches menees dans PubMed ou Medline, CINAHL et The Cochrane Library, en mai 2010, au moyen d’un vocabulaire controle et de mots cles adequats (« magnesium sulphate », « cerebral palsy », « preterm birth »). Les resultats ont ete restreints aux analyses systematiques, aux essais comparatifs randomises / essais cliniques comparatifs et aux etudes observationnelles pertinentes. Aucune restriction n’a ete imposee en matiere de date ou de langue. Les recherches ont ete mises a jour de facon reguliere et integrees a la directive clinique jusqu’en aout 2010. La litterature grise (non publiee) a ete identifiee par l’intermediaire de recherches menees dans les sites Web d’organismes s’interessant a l’evaluation des technologies dans le domaine de la sante et d’organismes connexes, dans des collections de directives cliniques, dans des registres d’essais cliniques et aupres de societes de specialite medicale nationales et internationales. Valeurs La qualite des resultats a ete evaluee au moyen des criteres decrits dans le rapport du Groupe d’etude canadien sur les soins de sante preventifs (Tableau 1). Avantages, desavantages et couts L’administration prenatale de sulfate de magnesium a des fins de neuroprotection foetale attenue le risque de « deces ou d’IMC » (RR, 0,85; IC a 95 %, 0,74 – 0,98; 4 essais, 4 446 nouveau-nes), de « deces ou d’IMC allant de moderee a grave » (RR, 0,85; IC a 95 %, 0,73 – 0,99; 3 essais, 4 250 nouveau-nes), de « toute forme d’IMC » (RR, 0,71; IC a 95 %, 0,55 – 0,91; 4 essais, 4 446 nouveaunes), d’« IMC allant de moderee a grave » (RR, 0,60; IC a 95 %, 0,43 – 0,84; 3 essais, 4 250 nouveau-nes) et de « dysfonction substantielle de la motricite globale » (incapacite de marcher sans aide) (RR, 0,60; IC a 95 %, 0,43 – 0,83; 3 essais, 4 287 nouveau-nes) a l’âge de deux ans. Les resultats etaient concordants d’un essai et d’une meta-analyse a l’autre. Nous n’anticipons aucune hausse significative des couts de sante, puisque les femmes admissibles au traitement prenatal au MgSO 4 seront considerees comme etant sur le point de connaitre un accouchement preterme. Validation La directive clinique nationale australienne a ete publiee en mars 2010 par le Antenatal Magnesium Sulphate for Neuroprotection Guideline Development Panel. L’administration prenatale de MgSO 4 a ete recommandee a des fins de neuroprotection foetale en fonction de la meme posologie que celle qui est recommandee dans la presente directive clinique. Cependant, l’administration de MgSO4 n’a ete recommandee qu’a Commanditaire Instituts de recherche en sante du Canada (IRSC).