OBGYN.net Staff

Articles by OBGYN.net Staff

OBGYN.net Conference CoverageFrom American Association of Reproductive Medicine55th Annual Meeting of ASRM held conjointly with CFAS- Toronto, Ontario, Canada - September, 1999

AMNIOTIC FLUID EMBOLISM •AFE us thought to occur when amniotic fluid, fetal cells, hair, or other debris enter the maternal circulation. • Ricardo Meyer (1926); reported the presence of fetal cellular debris in the maternal circulation • Steiner and Luschbaugh (1941) described the autopsy findings of eight cases of AFE. Until 1950, only 17 cases had been reported • AFE was not listed as a distinct heading in causes of maternal mortality until 1957 when it was labeled as obstetric shock • Since then more than 400 cases have been documented, probably as a result of an increased awareness.

The CDC has released a report on the state of breastfeeding support in US hospitals, Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care, which found that less than 4% of US hospitals provided the full range of support a mother needs to be able to breastfeed, and only about one quarter of the hospitals support mothers and babies at discharge with the services they need, be it a follow-up visit, a phone call from hospital staff, or referrals to lactation consultants, WIC, and other important community support systems.