title: Oxygen for intrauterine resuscitation: of unproved benefit and potentially harmful.
abstract: Maternal oxygen is often given to laboring women to improve fetal metabolic status or in an attempt to alleviate nonreassuring fetal heart rate patterns. However, the only 2 randomized trials investigating the use of maternal oxygen supplementation in laboring women do not support that such supplementation is likely to be of benefit to the fetus. And by increasing free radical activity, maternal oxygen supplementation may even be harmful. Based on a review of the available literature, we conclude that until it is studied properly in a randomized clinical trial, maternal oxygen supplementation in labor should be reserved for maternal hypoxia, and should not be considered an indicated intervention for nonreassuring fetal status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI. Electronic address: mhamel@wihri.org.
authors.forename: Maureen S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hamel
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Brenna L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women and Infants Hospital, Providence, RI.
authors.forename: Dwight J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rouse
mesh_terms: D000137:Acid-Base Imbalance / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000628:therapy; D005323:Fetal Monitoring; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000097:blood; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006801:Humans; D018496:Hyperoxia / Q000150:complications; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood; D012151:Resuscitation
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals
keywords: fetal resuscitation; labor; maternal oxygen