Acupuncture use in obstetrics has been increasing in Western medicine, especially to alleviate complications of pregnancy, the most important cause of maternal mortality worldwide. One quarter of maternal deaths are caused by complications in the third stage of labor, an interval between complete delivery of the baby and the complete expulsion of the placenta. This review analyzes the increased acupuncture use for pregnancy complications as a potential method of reducting maternal mortality during the third stage of labor. This overview focuses on acupuncture points and techniques to manage the third stage of labor and help patients with retained placentas. Passive (or expectant) management of the third stage of labor is occasionally associated with massive obstetric hemorrhage, a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in low-income countries. Active management of the third stage of labor has been shown to reduce the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. Use of acupuncture in the first and second stages of labor could lead to a faster separation of the placenta in the third stage of labor. The possible effects of acupuncture in cases of retained placentas may have significant implications for possible complications and final outcomes of labor. Further studies are needed for more conclusive results.
Osteochondrodysplasias comprise a large, genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by abnormalities of cartilage and bone growth. They are often associated with abnormalities in other organ systems. They are classified as lethal or non-lethal skeletal dysplasias. Thanatophoric dysplasia is the most common form of lethal skeletal dysplasia with an incidence of 0.69 per 10.000 births. Heterozygous achondroplasia is the most common non-lethal dysplasia with an incidence of 0.15 per 10.000 births. We will present two cases of skeletal dysplasia. The first case is the case of lethal osteochondrodysplasia in the fetus of a 41-year-old multiparous woman, who came to our hospital in active preterm labor, in the 33 th week of uncontrolled pregnancy. The second case is the case of non-lethal osteochondrodysplasia in the fetus of a 31-year-old multiparous woman. The fetal short femur length was detected in the 30 th week of pregnancy.
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