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Obstetric care of Jehovah's Witnesses: a 14-year observational study.

Massiah, N.

Obstetric care of Jehovah's Witnesses: a 14-year observational study. - 2007

NMUH Staff Publications 276

<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">Over a 14-year period, the obstetric outcome of Jehovah’s Witnesses in an inner city hospital was reviewed and the effect of refusal of blood on morbidity and mortality evaluated. Ninety women had 116 deliveries and of these, 24% were delivered by caesarean section, 10% had instrumental deliveries and 66% were normal vaginal deliveries. Postpartum haemorrhage of &gt;1,000&nbsp;mls occurred in 6% and postpartum anaemia was the commonest complication. The mean postdelivery haemoglobin (11.10&nbsp;±&nbsp;1.15&nbsp;g/dl) was not significantly less from the mean predelivery haemoglobin level (11.81&nbsp;±&nbsp;1.62&nbsp;g/dl) (</span><em class="a-plus-plus" style="outline: 0px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">P&nbsp;</em><span style="line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">&gt;&nbsp;0.05, paired&nbsp;</span><em class="a-plus-plus" style="outline: 0px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">t</em><span style="line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">&nbsp;test). The single maternal death occurred after caesarean hysterectomy, which when extrapolated, resulted in a 65-fold increased risk of maternal death compared to the national rate. The optimum management of pregnant women who decline transfusion is discussed</span></span>
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