title: Obstetric care of Jehovah's Witnesses: a 14-year observational study.
abstract: Over a 14-year period, the obstetric outcome of Jehovah's Witnesses in an inner city hospital was reviewed and the effect of refusal of blood on morbidity and mortality evaluated. Ninety women had 116 deliveries and of these, 24% were delivered by caesarean section, 10% had instrumental deliveries and 66% were normal vaginal deliveries. Postpartum haemorrhage of >1,000 mls occurred in 6% and postpartum anaemia was the commonest complication. The mean postdelivery haemoglobin (11.10 +/- 1.15 g/dl) was not significantly less from the mean predelivery haemoglobin level (11.81 +/- 1.62 g/dl) (P > 0.05, paired t test). The single maternal death occurred after caesarean hysterectomy, which when extrapolated, resulted in a 65-fold increased risk of maternal death compared to the national rate. The optimum management of pregnant women who decline transfusion is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric and Gynaecology, Stirling Royal Infirmary, Fourth Valley Hospitals, Livilands Gate, Stirling, Scotland.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Massiah
authors.forename: Shobana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Athimulam
authors.forename: Chin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okolo
authors.forename: Wai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yoong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000941:ethics; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D033221:Jehovah's Witnesses; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000941:ethics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data