Airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected during deliveries with unmasked patients.

Background: Healthcare workers in obstetric clinics may be exposed to airborne SARS-CoV-2 when treating patients with COVID-19.

Method: In this study, performed during the midst of the pandemic, air samples were collected in delivery rooms during childbirth and analysed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA content.

Result: Six of 28 samples collected inside delivery rooms were positive for SARS-CoV-2, but none in anterooms or corridors.

Lateral episiotomy or no episiotomy in vacuum assisted delivery in nulliparous women (EVA): multicentre, open label, randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the effect of lateral episiotomy, compared with no episiotomy, on obstetric anal sphincter injury in nulliparous women requiring vacuum extraction.

Design: A multicentre, open label, randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Eight hospitals in Sweden, 2017-23.

Minimizing tearing during vaginal delivery with a perineal protection device: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: There is a growing body of evidence indicating that second-degree tears cause both short- and long-term consequences. Very few preventative measures have been found to reduce the incidence of these tears.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether the use of a perineal protection device during vaginal birth reduces severe perineal tearing (grade ≥2 tear) in primiparous women compared with routine manual perineal support.

[Preterm delivery: an overview on prediction, prevention and treatment].

Due to a low level of understanding of mechanisms involved in spontaneous preterm delivery there is a lack of reliable biomarkers. Existing biomarkers have a low positive predictive value but a high negative predictive value. Use of tests with high negative predictive value will reduce unnecessary interventions and hospitalization of women with threatening preterm delivery.

Lateral episiotomy versus no episiotomy to reduce obstetric anal sphincter injury in vacuum-assisted delivery in nulliparous women: study protocol on a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASIS) occurs in 5%-7% of normal deliveries and increases with vacuum extraction (VE) to 12%-14% in nulliparous women in Sweden. Lateral/mediolateral episiotomy may reduce the prevalence of OASIS at VE in nulliparous women. The current use of episiotomy is restrictive.

Risk of surgically managed pelvic floor dysfunction in relation to age at first delivery.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the risk of surgically treated stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in relation to mode of delivery and age at first childbirth.

Study Design: This was a cohort study. Data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register on women with only cesarean delivery (n = 30,880 women) or only vaginal delivery (n = 59,585 women) were compared with the Swedish Patient Register to calculate incidence rates and hazard ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) for SUI and POP surgery.

Risks of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery in relation to mode of childbirth.

Objective: To estimate the risk for stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery related to vaginal birth or cesarean delivery.

Study Design: A cohort study of all women having their first and all subsequent deliveries by cesarean (n = 33,167), and an age-matched sample of women only having vaginal deliveries (n = 63,229) between 1973 and 1983. Hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression models with 95% confidence intervals.