title: Are rural general practitioner--obstetricians performing too many prenatal ultrasound examinations? Evidence from western Labrador.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of prenatal ultrasonography (PNU) in western Labrador in 1994, assess the appropriateness of the ultrasound examinations according to current guidelines and determine whether there was any relation between number of PNU examinations and patient management and obstetric outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of all obstetric charts and PNU requisition forms for all deliveries in one hospital in 1994.
  
  
  METHODS
  Labrador City and Wabush, Newfoundland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, there were 103 singleton deliveries, and these mothers underwent a total of 225 PNU studies (mean 2.16 studies per delivery). More than half (53.3%) of the examinations were classified as inappropriate. There were no significant differences in the number of studies between low- and high-risk pregnancies or between uncomplicated deliveries and those in which induction or instrumental or operative delivery occurred, nor was there any relation between number of PNU examinations and maternal or neonatal outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with PNU use as recommended by the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination, this type of examination was overused in Labrador City and Wabush, although the rate of use was comparable to that reported in other Canadian studies. This overuse was not associated with any identifiable effect on maternal or neonatal outcome or on the management of pregnancy and labour. More judicious use of PNU, in accordance with evidence-based guidelines, is recommended.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton. etmd@telusplanet.net
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Freake
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Worrall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009523:Newfoundland and Labrador; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*