Male predominance in fetal distress during labor.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between fetal sex and the occurrence of fetal distress during labor.

Study Design: This was a prospective cohort study that incorporated data about 423,033 singleton pregnancies from the national perinatal database for secondary obstetric care in The Netherlands. All singleton pregnancies on record that were delivered under the responsibility of obstetricians in The Netherlands between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 1994, were analyzed.

Non-invasive management of patients with suspected ectopic pregnancy: a survey among Dutch gynaecologists.

Objective: To investigate if implementation of a non-invasive diagnostic work up of patients with suspected ectopic pregnancy, involving transvaginal sonography and serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) measurement decreases the likelihood of performing diagnostic laparoscopies.

Study Design: We interviewed 27 Dutch gynaecologists using 16 structured case summaries in a fractional factorial design. Each case summary concerned a hypothetical patient with suspected ectopic pregnancy.

Treatment of tubal pregnancy in the netherlands: an economic comparison of systemic methotrexate administration and laparoscopic salpingostomy.

Objective: This study was undertaken to compare from a societal perspective the costs of systemic methotrexate administration with those of laparoscopic salpingostomy for the treatment of patients with tubal pregnancy.

Study Design: An economic evaluation was set up in tandem with a multicenter randomized clinical trial that compared systemic methotrexate administration and laparoscopic salpingostomy for the treatment of 100 hemodynamically stable patients with laparoscopically confirmed unruptured tubal pregnancy. Data on resources used for treatment and lost production time were prospectively collected and costs of both treatments were calculated by multiplying actual expenses for resource units at a single center and resource unit use measured in all centers.

Are gestational age and endometrial thickness alternatives for serum human chorionic gonadotropin as criteria for the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy?

Objective: To compare gestational age and endometrial stripe thickness measurement with serum hCG measurement as criteria for the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy (EP).

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Two large teaching hospitals in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Can noninvasive diagnostic tools predict tubal rupture or active bleeding in patients with tubal pregnancy?

Objective: To evaluate the ability of noninvasive diagnostic tools to predict tubal rupture and active bleeding in patients with tubal pregnancy.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Two large teaching hospitals in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.