Routine heart and lung auscultation in prenatal care.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the value of routine heart and lung auscultation (HLA) in pregnant women.


METHODS
Descriptive study by record review of maternal case-files.


RESULTS
Of 3191 mothers, there were 24 with heart disease (0.8%) and 53 with lung disease (1.7%). On routine HLA, only two new cases of heart disease, both with asymptomatic valvular conditions, were detected, and none of lung disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Routine chest auscultation is of very little value in prenatal care.
Divanovic
E
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of the Witwatersrand, and Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Buchmann
E J
EJ
D001314:Auscultation; D005260:Female; D006326:Heart Auscultation; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis; D011295:Prenatal Care