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Nurse Education in Practice May 2023To synthesise the experiences of nursing students encountering patient death and caring for patients under palliative care or at end-of-life and their families in... (Review)
Review
AIM
To synthesise the experiences of nursing students encountering patient death and caring for patients under palliative care or at end-of-life and their families in clinical settings BACKGROUND: Nurses are pivotal in caring for dying patients and families. It has been reported that nursing students feel unprepared in caring for dying patients and handling patient death. Understanding their experiences would better inform how palliative care education can be improved and how students can be better supported in clinical settings.
DESIGN
A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis METHODS: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest and Google Scholar were searched for peer-reviewed articles and theses/dissertations published between 1 January 2012-25 Feb 2023. Qualitative studies of any design reporting nursing students' experiences of patient death, caring for patients under palliative care, at end-of-life, or with time-limiting diseases in clinical settings in English were included. Study quality was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Data were synthesised using Sandelowski and Barroso's 2-step framework through a meta-summary using thematic analysis, which were then integrated into meta-syntheses using an event timeline.
RESULTS
The review included 71 studies from 26 countries (n = 1586 nursing students). The meta-summary contained 8 themes and 23 subthemes: (1) Communication experience with patients and families, (2) Satisfaction with care provided to patients and families, (3) Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on death and dying, (4) Perceptions of death and dying, (5) Impact of death, (6) Nursing education on palliative end-of-life care, (7) Support systems and coping methods, (8) Learning outcomes. The meta-synthesis depicted nursing students' experiences before, during and after encountering dying patients, families and patient death. Suggestions for nursing faculty and clinical staff on how they could equip students with necessary skills and knowledge and support them in clinical settings were also provided.
CONCLUSIONS
While caring for dying patients and families was beneficial to nursing students' learning and professional development, they encountered many challenges. Governments, clinical and academic nursing leaders must prioritise the integration of palliative care content into the curricula across nursing schools in face of increasing palliative and end-of-life care needs in patients. Nursing schools should ensure that students are adequately prepared by designing culturally and socioeconomically relevant curricula, integrating theoretical and experiential learning and offering students a thorough understanding of palliative and end-of-life care. Clinical staff and nursing instructors should support students emotionally and guide them in patient care.
Topics: Humans; Students, Nursing; Pandemics; COVID-19; Terminal Care; Palliative Care; Death
PubMed: 37004470
DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2023.103625 -
Nurse Education Today Jun 2021To examine the effectiveness of end-of-life educational interventions in improving nurses and nursing students' attitude toward death and care of dying patients. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Effectiveness of end-of-life educational interventions at improving nurses and nursing students' attitude toward death and care of dying patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVES
To examine the effectiveness of end-of-life educational interventions in improving nurses and nursing students' attitude toward death and care of dying patients.
DESIGN
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials.
DATA SOURCES
English language studies were sourced from five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global) to November 2020.
REVIEW METHODS
A meta-analysis was conducted using the random-effect model. Standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were used as the effect measure under the inverse-variance method. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I statistics and Cochran's Q chi-squared test. The Cochrane risk of bias tool conducted quality appraisal at the study level while the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach conducted quality appraisal at the outcome level.
RESULTS
Nine studies were included. Meta-analyses showed that end-of-life educational interventions were effective in improving attitude toward death and care of dying patients among nurses and nursing students at post-intervention. The sustainability of improvement of both attitudes could not be determined due to the lack of follow-up assessments by the included studies. Subgroup analyses revealed that both nurses and nursing students showed similar attitude improvement, online educational courses were feasible and attitude toward death may require longer interventions (more than 2 months) to show improvement.
CONCLUSIONS
Future trials could be improved by organizing both group-based segments and combined sessions for nurses and nursing students. Online components could be incorporated for convenience. Topics related to spirituality and grief management should be included. Future research is needed to examine the sustainability of nurses and nursing students' improvement in attitude toward death and care of dying patients, as well as how the change in their attitude affects their clinical practices.
Topics: Attitude to Death; Death; Humans; Patients; Students, Nursing; Terminal Care
PubMed: 33866077
DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104892 -
Nursing Interventions to Facilitate the Grieving Process after Perinatal Death: A Systematic Review.International Journal of Environmental... May 2021Perinatal death is the death of a baby that occurs between the 22nd week of pregnancy (or when the baby weighs more than 500 g) and 7 days after birth. After perinatal... (Review)
Review
Perinatal death is the death of a baby that occurs between the 22nd week of pregnancy (or when the baby weighs more than 500 g) and 7 days after birth. After perinatal death, parents experience the process of perinatal grief. Midwives and nurses can develop interventions to improve the perinatal grief process. The aim of this review was to determine the efficacy of nursing interventions to facilitate the process of grief as a result of perinatal death. A systematic review of the literature was carried out. Studies that met the selection criteria underwent a quality assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. Four articles were selected out of the 640 found. Two are quasi-experimental studies, and two are randomized controlled clinical studies. The interventions that were analyzed positively improve psychological self-concept and role functions, as well as mutual commitment, depression, post-traumatic stress and symptoms of grief. These interventions are effective if they are carried out both before perinatal loss and after it has occurred. The support of health professionals for affected parents, their participation in the loss, expressing feelings and emotions, using distraction methods, group sessions, social support, physical activity, and family education are some of the effective interventions.
Topics: Emotions; Female; Grief; Humans; Parturition; Perinatal Death; Pregnancy; Social Support
PubMed: 34073728
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18115587 -
Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine Jul 2022The etiology of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young people continues to attract much attention. This meta-analysis aimed to identify the most frequent causes of SCD in... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
INTRODUCTION
The etiology of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young people continues to attract much attention. This meta-analysis aimed to identify the most frequent causes of SCD in individuals aged ≤35 years, the differences between athletes and non-athletes and geographic areas.
METHODS
Studies published between 01/01/1990 and 01/31/2020 and evaluating post-mortem the aetiology of SCD in young individuals (≤35 years) were included. Individuals were divided into athletes and non-athletes. Studies that did not report separate data between athletes and non-athletes were excluded.
RESULTS
Thirty-four studies met the inclusion criteria, and a total population of 5,060 victims of SCD were analyzed (2,890 athletes, 2,170 non-athletes). Comparing the causes of SCD between athletes and non-athletes, non-ischemic left ventricular scar (NILVS) (5.1% vs. 1.1%, p=0.01) was more frequent in the former, while coronary artery disease (CAD) (19.6% vs. 9.1%, p=0.009), arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) (11.5% vs. 4.7%, p=0.03) and channelopathies (8.4% vs. 1.9%, p=0.02) were more frequent in the latter. In studies published in the last decade, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) (p=0.002), dilated cardiomyopathy (p=0.047), and anomalous origin of coronary arteries (AOCA) (p=0.009) were more frequently the causes of SCD in athletes while aortic dissection (0.022) was the cause in non-athletes. HCM (p=0.01) and AOCA (p=0.004) were more frequently the causes of SCD in the US while ACM (p=0.001), structurally normal heart (p=0.02), and channelopathies (p=0.02) were more frequent in Europe.
CONCLUSIONS
Among the causes of SCD, NILVS was the more frequent cause in athletes, while CAD, ACM and channelopathies were more frequent causes in non-athletes. The causes of SCD differ between the US and Europe.
Topics: Adolescent; Athletes; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic; Channelopathies; Coronary Artery Disease; Death, Sudden, Cardiac; Heart Ventricles; Humans
PubMed: 34166791
DOI: 10.1016/j.tcm.2021.06.001 -
International Journal of Gynaecology... Oct 2022To evaluate the risk levels for maternal and perinatal complications at > 40, > 45 and > 50 years old compared with younger controls. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the risk levels for maternal and perinatal complications at > 40, > 45 and > 50 years old compared with younger controls.
METHODS
Electronic databases were searched from their inception until March 2021. We included studies reporting pregnancy outcome in pregnant women aged 40, 45, and 50 years or older compared with controls at the time of delivery. Case reports and case series were excluded. The primary outcome was the incidence of stillbirth. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effects model of DerSimonian and Laird, to produce summary treatment effects in terms of relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Heterogeneity was measured using I (Higgins I ). Subgroup analyses in women older than 45 years and in those older than 50 years were performed.
RESULTS
Twenty-seven studies, including 31 090 631 women, were included in the meta-analysis. The overall quality of the included studies was moderate to high. Most of the included studies were retrospective cohort studies (21/27), four were population-based studies, and two were cross-sectional studies. Women aged ≥40 years had significantly higher risk of stillbirth (RR 2.16, 95% CI 1.86-2.51), perinatal mortality, intrauterine growth restriction, neonatal death, admission to neonatal intensive care unit, pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery, cesarean delivery, and maternal mortality compared with women younger than 40 years old (RR 3.18, 95% CI 1.68-5.98). The increased risks for maternal mortality were 42.76 and 11.60 for women older than 50 years and for those older than 45 years, respectively, whereas those for stillbirth were 3.72 and 2.32. The risk of stillbirth and cesarean delivery was significantly higher in women >45 years compared with those aged 40-45 years, and in those aged >50 years compared with those aged 45-50 years. The risk of maternal mortality was significantly higher in women aged >50 years compared with those aged 40-45 (RR 60.40, 95% CI 13.28-274.74).
CONCLUSION
The risk of stillbirth, cesarean delivery, and maternal mortality increases with advancing maternal age. The risk ratios for maternal mortality were 3.18, 11.60, and 42.76 in women older than 40, older than 45, and older than 50 years, respectively. These data should be used when women with advanced maternal age are counseled regarding their risk in pregnancy.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
The review was registered with the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (registration No.: CRD42020208788).
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Age; Middle Aged; Perinatal Death; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth; Retrospective Studies; Stillbirth
PubMed: 35044694
DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14100 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Sep 2016To determine the risks of stillbirth and neonatal complications by gestational age in uncomplicated monochorionic and dichorionic twin pregnancies. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
To determine the risks of stillbirth and neonatal complications by gestational age in uncomplicated monochorionic and dichorionic twin pregnancies.
DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
DATA SOURCES
Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases (until December 2015).
REVIEW METHODS
Databases were searched without language restrictions for studies of women with uncomplicated twin pregnancies that reported rates of stillbirth and neonatal outcomes at various gestational ages. Pregnancies with unclear chorionicity, monoamnionicity, and twin to twin transfusion syndrome were excluded. Meta-analyses of observational studies and cohorts nested within randomised studies were undertaken. Prospective risk of stillbirth was computed for each study at a given week of gestation and compared with the risk of neonatal death among deliveries in the same week. Gestational age specific differences in risk were estimated for stillbirths and neonatal deaths in monochorionic and dichorionic twin pregnancies after 34 weeks' gestation.
RESULTS
32 studies (29 685 dichorionic, 5486 monochorionic pregnancies) were included. In dichorionic twin pregnancies beyond 34 weeks (15 studies, 17 830 pregnancies), the prospective weekly risk of stillbirths from expectant management and the risk of neonatal death from delivery were balanced at 37 weeks' gestation (risk difference 1.2/1000, 95% confidence interval -1.3 to 3.6; I(2)=0%). Delay in delivery by a week (to 38 weeks) led to an additional 8.8 perinatal deaths per 1000 pregnancies (95% confidence interval 3.6 to 14.0/1000; I(2)=0%) compared with the previous week. In monochorionic pregnancies beyond 34 weeks (13 studies, 2149 pregnancies), there was a trend towards an increase in stillbirths compared with neonatal deaths after 36 weeks, with an additional 2.5 per 1000 perinatal deaths, which was not significant (-12.4 to 17.4/1000; I(2)=0%). The rates of neonatal morbidity showed a consistent reduction with increasing gestational age in monochorionic and dichorionic pregnancies, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit was the commonest neonatal complication. The actual risk of stillbirth near term might be higher than reported estimates because of the policy of planned delivery in twin pregnancies.
CONCLUSIONS
To minimise perinatal deaths, in uncomplicated dichorionic twin pregnancies delivery should be considered at 37 weeks' gestation; in monochorionic pregnancies delivery should be considered at 36 weeks.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42014007538.
Topics: Female; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Newborn, Diseases; Intensive Care, Neonatal; Perinatal Death; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Twin; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Stillbirth; Twins, Dizygotic; Twins, Monozygotic
PubMed: 27599496
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.i4353 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Dec 2020Stillbirth is generally defined as a death prior to birth at or after 22 weeks' gestation. It remains a major public health concern globally. Antenatal interventions may... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Stillbirth is generally defined as a death prior to birth at or after 22 weeks' gestation. It remains a major public health concern globally. Antenatal interventions may reduce stillbirths and improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in settings with high rates of stillbirth. There are several key antenatal strategies that aim to prevent stillbirth including nutrition, and prevention and management of infections.
OBJECTIVES
To summarise the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews on the effects of antenatal interventions for preventing stillbirth for low risk or unselected populations of women.
METHODS
We collaborated with Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Information Specialist to identify all their published reviews that specified or reported stillbirth; and we searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (search date: 29 Feburary 2020) to identify reviews published within other Cochrane groups. The primary outcome measure was stillbirth but in the absence of stillbirth data, we used perinatal mortality (both stillbirth and death in the first week of life), fetal loss or fetal death as outcomes. Two review authors independently evaluated reviews for inclusion, extracted data and assessed quality of evidence using AMSTAR (A Measurement Tool to Assess Reviews) and GRADE tools. We assigned interventions to categories with graphic icons to classify the effectiveness of interventions as: clear evidence of benefit or harm; clear evidence of no effect or equivalence; possible benefit or harm; or unknown benefit or harm or no effect or equivalence.
MAIN RESULTS
We identified 43 Cochrane Reviews that included interventions in pregnant women with the potential for preventing stillbirth; all of the included reviews reported our primary outcome 'stillbirth' or in the absence of stillbirth, 'perinatal death' or 'fetal loss/fetal death'. AMSTAR quality was high in 40 reviews with scores ranging from 8 to 11 and moderate in three reviews with a score of 7. Nutrition interventions Clear evidence of benefit: balanced energy/protein supplementation versus no supplementation suggests a probable reduction in stillbirth (risk ratio (RR) 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39 to 0.94, 5 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 3408 women; moderate-certainty evidence). Clear evidence of no effect or equivalence for stillbirth or perinatal death: vitamin A alone versus placebo or no treatment; and multiple micronutrients with iron and folic acid versus iron with or without folic acid. Unknown benefit or harm or no effect or equivalence: for all other nutrition interventions examined the effects were uncertain. Prevention and management of infections Possible benefit for fetal loss or death: insecticide-treated anti-malarial nets versus no nets (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.97, 4 RCTs; low-certainty). Unknown evidence of no effect or equivalence: drugs for preventing malaria (stillbirth RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.36, 5 RCTs, 7130 women, moderate certainty in women of all parity; perinatal death RR 1.24, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.63, 4 RCTs, 5216 women, moderate-certainty in women of all parity). Prevention, detection and management of other morbidities Clear evidence of benefit: the following interventions suggest a reduction: midwife-led models of care in settings where the midwife is the primary healthcare provider particularly for low-risk pregnant women (overall fetal loss/neonatal death reduction RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.99, 13 RCTs, 17,561 women; high-certainty), training versus not training traditional birth attendants in rural populations of low- and middle-income countries (stillbirth reduction odds ratio (OR) 0.69, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.83, 1 RCT, 18,699 women, moderate-certainty; perinatal death reduction OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.83, 1 RCT, 18,699 women, moderate-certainty). Clear evidence of harm: a reduced number of antenatal care visits probably results in an increase in perinatal death (RR 1.14 95% CI 1.00 to 1.31, 5 RCTs, 56,431 women; moderate-certainty evidence). Clear evidence of no effect or equivalence: there was evidence of no effect in the risk of stillbirth/fetal loss or perinatal death for the following interventions and comparisons: psychosocial interventions; and providing case notes to women. Possible benefit: community-based intervention packages (including community support groups/women's groups, community mobilisation and home visitation, or training traditional birth attendants who made home visits) may result in a reduction of stillbirth (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.91, 15 RCTs, 201,181 women; low-certainty) and perinatal death (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.86, 17 RCTs, 282,327 women; low-certainty). Unknown benefit or harm or no effect or equivalence: the effects were uncertain for other interventions examined. Screening and management of fetal growth and well-being Clear evidence of benefit: computerised antenatal cardiotocography for assessing infant's well-being in utero compared with traditional antenatal cardiotocography (perinatal mortality reduction RR 0.20, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.88, 2 RCTs, 469 women; moderate-certainty). Unknown benefit or harm or no effect or equivalence: the effects were uncertain for other interventions examined.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
While most interventions were unable to demonstrate a clear effect in reducing stillbirth or perinatal death, several interventions suggested a clear benefit, such as balanced energy/protein supplements, midwife-led models of care, training versus not training traditional birth attendants, and antenatal cardiotocography. Possible benefits were also observed for insecticide-treated anti-malarial nets and community-based intervention packages, whereas a reduced number of antenatal care visits were shown to be harmful. However, there was variation in the effectiveness of interventions across different settings, indicating the need to carefully understand the context in which these interventions were tested. Further high-quality RCTs are needed to evaluate the effects of antenatal preventive interventions and which approaches are most effective to reduce the risk of stillbirth. Stillbirth (or fetal death), perinatal and neonatal death need to be reported separately in future RCTs of antenatal interventions to allow assessment of different interventions on these rare but important outcomes and they need to clearly define the target populations of women where the intervention is most likely to be of benefit. As the high burden of stillbirths occurs in low- and middle-income countries, further high-quality trials need to be conducted in these settings as a priority.
Topics: Cardiotocography; Female; Fetal Death; Fetal Development; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Insecticide-Treated Bednets; Midwifery; Nutrition Assessment; Perinatal Death; Pregnancy; Prenatal Care; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Stillbirth; Systematic Reviews as Topic
PubMed: 33336827
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009599.pub2 -
Transplant International : Official... Nov 2021In donation after circulatory death (DCD), (thoraco)abdominal regional perfusion (RP) restores circulation to a region of the body following death declaration. We... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
In donation after circulatory death (DCD), (thoraco)abdominal regional perfusion (RP) restores circulation to a region of the body following death declaration. We systematically reviewed outcomes of solid organ transplantation after RP by searching PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane libraries. Eighty-eight articles reporting on outcomes of liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, and lung transplants or donor/organ utilization were identified. Meta-analyses were conducted when possible. Methodological quality was assessed using National Institutes of Health (NIH)-scoring tools. Case reports (13/88), case series (44/88), retrospective cohort studies (35/88), retrospective matched cohort studies (5/88), and case-control studies (2/88) were identified, with overall fair quality. As blood viscosity and rheology change below 20 °C, studies were grouped as hypothermic (HRP, ≤20 °C) or normothermic (NRP, >20 °C) regional perfusion. Data demonstrate that RP is a safe alternative to in situ cold preservation (ISP) in uncontrolled and controlled DCDs. The scarce HRP data are from before 2005. NRP appears to reduce post-transplant complications, especially biliary complications in controlled DCD livers, compared with ISP. Comparisons for kidney and pancreas with ISP are needed but there is no evidence that NRP is detrimental. Additional data on NRP in thoracic organs are needed. Whether RP increases donor or organ utilization needs further research.
Topics: Death; Graft Survival; Humans; Organ Preservation; Organ Transplantation; Perfusion; Retrospective Studies; Tissue Donors; Tissue and Organ Procurement
PubMed: 34570380
DOI: 10.1111/tri.14121 -
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management Jan 2020There is no clear definition of what constitutes a good death or its features. Patients, caregivers, physicians, and relatives have different notions of a good death....
CONTEXT
There is no clear definition of what constitutes a good death or its features. Patients, caregivers, physicians, and relatives have different notions of a good death. Discussions have been driven by academic perspectives, with little research available on the patients' perspectives.
OBJECTIVES
To explore the notions of a good death from the patients' perspective.
METHODS
A systematic literature search was conducted up to November 2017 using CINAHL®, MEDLINE®, EMBASE®, and PsycINFO® databases. Search terms used were "quality of death," "good death," "quality of dying," or "good dying." Scientific empirical studies that included the exploration of the notion of a good death in adult patients with advanced and life-threatening diseases were selected separately by two researchers. Hawker's et al. criteria were used to assess the quality of articles. The analysis was conducted using a thematic analysis.
RESULTS
Two thousand six hundred and fifty two titles were identified; after elimination of duplicates, screening, and final selection, 29 relevant publications remained for analysis. Sample populations included patients with terminal diseases (AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and cancer). Core elements for a "good death" included control of pain and symptoms, clear decision-making, feeling of closure, being seen and perceived as a person, preparation for death, and being still able to give something to others; whereas other factors such as culture, financial issues, religion, disease, age, and life circumstances were found to shape the concept across groups. Studies agree on the individuality of death and dying while revealing a diverse set of preferences, regarding not only particular attributes but also specific ways in which they contribute to a good death.
CONCLUSIONS
Although sharing common core elements, patients' notions of good death are individual, unique, and different. They are dynamic in nature, fluctuating within particular groups and during the actual process of dying. Formal and informal caregivers should carefully follow-up and respect the patient's individual concepts and preferences regarding death and dying, while attending to shared core elements, to better adjust clinical decisions.
Topics: Attitude to Death; Death; Humans; Palliative Care; Terminal Care
PubMed: 31404643
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2019.07.033 -
The Journal of Maternal-fetal &... Dec 2023Women's choice of birth following a cesarean delivery either includes a trial of elective repeat cesarean section (ERCS) or a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC). No... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
Women's choice of birth following a cesarean delivery either includes a trial of elective repeat cesarean section (ERCS) or a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC). No comprehensive overview or systematic summary is currently available.
METHODS
EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to 1 February 2020. Studies reporting the safety of TOLAC and ERCS in pregnant women with prior cesarean delivery were included. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.0. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were adopted as the effective measures.
RESULTS
A total of 13 studies covering 676,532 cases were included in this meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that the rates of uterine rupture (OR = 3.35, 95%CI [1.57, 7.15], = 81%), neonatal asphyxia (OR = 2.32, 95%CI [1.76, 3.08], = 0%) and perinatal death (OR = 1.71, 95%CI [1.29, 2.25], = 0%) were higher in the TOLAC group compared with the ERCS group. The rates of peripartum hysterectomy (OR = 0.70, 95%CI [0.44, 1.11], = 62%), blood transfusion (OR = 1.24, 95%CI [0.72, 2.12], = 95%), and puerperal infection (OR = 1.11, 95%CI [0.77, 1.60], = 95%) showed no significant differences between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
TOLAC is associated with a higher risk of uterine rupture, neonatal asphyxia, and perinatal death compared with ERCS. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the risks of all complications were small in both groups. This information is important for healthcare providers and women choosing the delivery type.
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Female; Pregnancy; Humans; Cesarean Section; Cesarean Section, Repeat; Trial of Labor; Perinatal Death; Uterine Rupture; Asphyxia; Vaginal Birth after Cesarean; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 37217450
DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2214831