Birth Small Talk

Talking about birth

IA

Mysterious cats and CTG monitoring

Early last year I wrote a post about Dr Who and alternative universes, highlighting the way that people make meaning of their individual experiences. For those of us who are health practitioners, it is important to reflect on the way we make meaning because it is easy to slip into what are known as cognitive biases. We can’t always avoid these, but it does help to have examples of such […]

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Is CTG monitoring for higher risk women beneficial?

@melaniethemidwife (aka Melanie Jackson) has put together a fabulous summary of our recent research paper. Thanks Melanie – you have captured it really well! Small, K. A., Sidebotham, M., Fenwick, J., & Gamble, J. (2020, Sept). Intrapartum cardiotocograph monitoring and perinatal outcomes for women at risk: Literature review. Women and Birth, 33(5), 411-418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2019.10.002

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What is intermittent auscultation?

Most high-income countries require maternity clinicians who work with women during labour to attend regular courses on the use and interpretation of CTG monitoring. I’ve been to more than a few during my time – but I have never been to an education session where there was a specific focus on how to use and interpret IA.

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