Tubal Ligation with Cesarean Delivery

Number 205

Tubal ligation at the time of cesarean delivery requires significant additional physician work even though the technical work of the procedure is brief. Informed consent by the patient requires con...

Scheduled Cesarean Delivery and the Prevention of Vertical Transmission of HIV Infection

Number 234

(Reaffirmed 2010, Replaces No. 219, August 1999)

Prevention of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from mother to fetus or newborn (vertical transmission) is a major goal in the care of pregnant women infected with HIV. An import...

Statement on Surgical Assistants

Number 240

(Reaffirmed 2008, Replaces No. 145, November 1994)

Competent surgical assistants should be available for all major obstetric and gynecologic operations. In many cases, the complexity of the surgery or the patient's condition will require the assistan...

Circumcision

Number 260

(Reaffirmed 2011)

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports the current position of the American Academy of Pediatrics that finds the existing evidence insufficient to recommend routine neonatal...

Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

Number 267

(Reaffirmed 2009)

ABSTRACT: The physiologic and morphologic changes of pregnancy may interfere with the ability to engage safely in some forms of physical activity. A woman's overall health, including obstetric and me...

Management of Asymptomatic Pregnant or Lactating Women Exposed to Anthrax

Number 268

ABSTRACT: Anthrax infections are diagnosed by isolating Bacillus anthracis from body fluids or by measuring specific antibodies in the blood of persons suspected to have the disease. It is recommende...

Obstetric Management of Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries

Number 275

(Reaffirmed 2005, Replaces No. 121, April 1993)

ABSTRACT: Effective rehabilitation and modern reproductive technology may increase the number of women considering pregnancy who have spinal cord injuries (SCIs). It is important that obstetricians c...

Avoiding Inappropriate Clinical Decisions Based on False-Positive Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Test Results

Number 278

(Reaffirmed 2009)

ABSTRACT: Clinically significant false-positive human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) test results are rare. However, some individuals have circulating factors in their serum (eg, heterophilic antibodie...

Pain Relief During Labor

Number 295

(Reaffirmed 2008, Replaces No. 231, February 2000)

ABSTRACT: Pain management should be provided whenever medically indicated. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) believe t...

Nonmedical use of Obstetric Ultrasonography

Number 297

(Reaffirmed 2012)

ABSTRACT: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has endorsed the "Prudent Use" statement from the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) discouraging the use of ...

Guidelines for Diagnostic Imaging During Pregnancy

Number 299

(Reaffirmed 2009, Replaces No. 158, September 1995)

ABSTRACT: Undergoing a single diagnostic X-ray procedure does not result in radiation exposure adequate to threaten the well-being of the developing preembryo, embryo, or fetus and is not an indicati...

The Importance of Preconception Care in the Continuum of Women's Health Care

Number 313

(Reaffirmed 2012)

ABSTRACT: The goal of preconception care is to reduce the risk of adverse health effects for the woman, fetus, or neonate by optimizing the woman's health and knowledge before planning and conceiving...

Screening for Tay - Sachs Disease

Number 318

(Reaffirmed 2010, Replaces No. 162, November 1995)

ABSTRACT: Tay–Sachs disease (TSD) is a severe progressive neurologic disease that causes death in early childhood. Carrier screening should be offered before pregnancy to individuals and couples at h...

Maternal Decision Making Ethics and the Law

Number 321

ABSTRACT: Recent legal actions and policies aimed at protecting the fetus as an entity separate from the woman have challenged the rights of pregnant women to make decisions about medical interventio...

Perinatal Risks Associated With Assisted Reproductive Technology

Number 324

(Reaffirmed 2007)

ABSTRACT: Over the past two decades, the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has increased dramatically worldwide and has made pregnancy possible for many infertile couples. A growing bod...

Inappropriate Use of the Terms Fetal Distress and Birth Asphyxia

Number 326

ABSTRACT: The Committee on Obstetric Practice is concerned about the continued use of the term "fetal distress" as an antepartum or intrapartum diagnosis and the term "birth asphyxia" as a neonatal d...

The Apgar Score

Number 333

(Reaffirmed 2010, Replaces No. 174, July 1996)

ABSTRACT: The Apgar score provides a convenient shorthand for reporting the status of the newborn infant and the response to resuscitation. The Apgar score has been used inappropriately to predict sp...

Analgesia and Cesarean Delivery Rates

Number 339

(Reaffirmed 2010, Replaces No. 269, February 2002)

ABSTRACT: Neuraxial analgesia techniques are the most effective and least depressant treatments for labor pain. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists previously recommended that pra...

Mode of Term Singleton Breech Delivery

Number 340

(Reaffirmed 2012, Replaces No. 265, December 2001)

ABSTRACT: In light of recent studies that further clarify the long-term risks of vaginal breech delivery, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that the decision regardin...

Amnioinfusion Does Not Prevent Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

Number 346

(Reaffirmed 2012)

ABSTRACT: Amnioinfusion has been advocated as a technique to reduce the incidence of meconium aspiration and to improve neonatal outcome. However, a large proportion of women with meconium-stained am...

Umbilical Cord Blood Gas and Acid-Base Analysis

Number 348

(Reaffirmed 2012)

ABSTRACT: Umbilical cord blood gas and acid-base assessment are the most objective determinations of the fetal metabolic condition at the moment of birth. Moderate and severe newborn encephalopathy, ...

Sex Selection

Number 360

(Reaffirmed 2011)

ABSTRACT: In this Committee Opinion, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Committee on Ethics presents various ethical considerations and arguments relevant to both prefertilizati...

Breastfeeding: Maternal and Infant Aspects

Number 361

ABSTRACT: Evidence continues to mount regarding the value of breastfeeding for both women and their infants. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strongly supports breastfeeding an...

Nalbuphine Hydrochloride Use for Intrapartum Analgesia

Number 376

(Reaffirmed 2012)

ABSTRACT: Safety concerns have been raised regarding the use of nalbuphine hydrochloride during labor. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists finds data are insufficient to recommend...

Management of Delivery of a Newborn With Meconium-Stained Amniotic Fluid

Number 379

(Reaffirmed 2010)

ABSTRACT: In accordance with the new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association, all infants with meconium-stained amniotic fluid should no longer routinely...