Marijuana Use During Pregnancy and Lactation

Committee Opinion Number 722, October 2017

(Replaces Committee Opinion No. 637, July 2015) (Reaffirmed 2019)

ABSTRACT: Cannabis sativa (marijuana) is the illicit drug most commonly used during pregnancy. The self-reported prevalence of marijuana use during pregnancy ranges from 2% to 5% in most studies. A growing number of states are legalizing marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes, and its use by pregnant women could increase even further as a result. Because of concerns regarding impaired neurodevelopment, as well as maternal and fetal exposure to the adverse effects of smoking, women who are pregnant or contemplating pregnancy should be encouraged to discontinue marijuana use. Obstetri...

Employment Considerations During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

Committee Opinion Number 733, April 2018

ABSTRACT: In the United States, it is common for women, including mothers and pregnant women, to work outside the home. Working during pregnancy is generally safe. For those in high-risk occupations or with medically complicated pregnancies, work accommodations often can allow for continued safe employment. The major employment issues concerning pregnant women include pregnancy-related discrimination, work accommodations that allow continued employment, job-protected leave, and wage replacement while on leave. Workplace discrimination related to being pregnant and pregnancy-related harassment...

Screening for Perinatal Depression

Committee Opinion Number 757, November 2018

(Replaces Committee Opinion No. 630, May 2015)

ABSTRACT: Perinatal depression, which includes major and minor depressive episodes that occur during pregnancy or in the first 12 months after delivery, is one of the most common medical complications during pregnancy and the postpartum period, affecting one in seven women. It is important to identify pregnant and postpartum women with depression because untreated perinatal depression and other mood disorders can have devastating effects. Several screening instruments have been validated for use during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist...

Physical Activity and Exercise During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

Committee Opinion Number 650, December 2015

(Replaces Committee Opinion Number 267, January 2002) (Reaffirmed 2019)

ABSTRACT: Physical activity in all stages of life maintains and improves cardiorespiratory fitness, reduces the risk of obesity and associated comorbidities, and results in greater longevity. Physical activity in pregnancy has minimal risks and has been shown to benefit most women, although some modification to exercise routines may be necessary because of normal anatomic and physiologic changes and fetal requirements. Women with uncomplicated pregnancies should be encouraged to engage in aerobic and strength-conditioning exercises before, during, and after pregnancy. Obstetrician–gynecologis...

Postpartum Pain Management

Committee Opinion Number 742, July 2018

ABSTRACT: Pain and fatigue are the most common problems reported by women in the early postpartum period. Pain can interfere with a woman’s ability to care for herself and her infant. Untreated pain is associated with a risk of greater opioid use, postpartum depression, and development of persistent pain. Nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies are important components of postpartum pain management. Because 81% of women in the United States initiate breastfeeding during the postpartum period, it is important to consider the drug effects of all prescribed medications on the mother–infant ...

Lead Screening During Pregnancy and Lactation

Committee Opinion Number 533, August 2012

(Reaffirmed 2018)

Abstract: Prenatal lead exposure has known adverse effects on maternal health and infant outcomes across a wide range of maternal blood lead levels. Adverse effects of lead exposure are being identified at lower levels of exposure than previously recognized in both children and adults. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the first guidelines regarding the screening and management of pregnant and lactating women who have been exposed to lead.

Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Committee Opinion Number 548, January 2013

(Reaffirmed 2018)

ABSTRACT: The updated guidelines by the Institute of Medicine regarding gestational weight gain provide clinicians with a basis for practice. Health care providers who care for pregnant women should determine a woman’s body mass index at the initial prenatal visit and counsel her regarding the benefits of appropriate weight gain, nutrition and exercise, and, especially, the need to limit excessive weight gain to achieve best pregnancy outcomes. Individualized care and clinical judgment are necessary in the management of the overweight or obese woman who is gaining (or wishes to gain) less wei...

Labor and Delivery Management of Women With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Committee Opinion Number 751, September 2018

(Replaces Committee Opinion No. 234, May 2000)

ABSTRACT: This Committee Opinion is being revised to provide updated guidance on the management of pregnant women during pregnancy and delivery to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Prevention of transmission of HIV from the woman to her fetus or newborn is a major goal in the care of pregnant women infected with HIV. Continuing research into mother-to-child transmission of HIV has suggested that a substantial number of cases of perinatal HIV transmission occur as the result of fetal exposure to the virus during labor and delivery. The precise mech...

Umbilical Cord Blood Banking

Committee Opinion Number 771, March 2019

(Replaces Committee Opinion Number 648, December 2015)

ABSTRACT: Since the first successful umbilical cord blood transplant in 1988, it has been estimated that more than 35,000 transplants have been performed in children and adults for the correction of inborn errors of metabolism, hematopoietic malignancies, and genetic disorders of the blood and immune system. Two types of banks have emerged for the collection and storage of umbilical cord blood: 1) public banks and 2) private banks. The benefits and limitations of public versus private umbilical cord blood banking should be reviewed with the patient because they serve different purposes. This ...

Reproductive Health Care for Incarcerated Women and Adolescent Females

Committee Opinion Number 535, August 2012

(Reaffirmed 2019)

ABSTRACT: Increasing numbers of women and adolescent females are incarcerated each year in the United States and they represent an increasing proportion of inmates in the U.S. correctional system. Incarcerated women and adolescent females often come from disadvantaged environments and have high rates of chronic illness, substance abuse, and undetected health problems. Most of these females are of reproductive age and are at high risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Understanding the needs of incarcerated women and adol...

Access to Postpartum Sterilization

Committee Opinion Number 530, July 2012

(Reaffirmed 2018)

ABSTRACT: Postpartum tubal sterilization is one of the safest and most effective methods of contraception. Women who desire this type of sterilization typically undergo thorough counseling and informed consent during prenatal care and reiterate their desire for postpartum sterilization at the time of their hospital admission. Not all women who desire postpartum sterilization actually undergo the surgical procedure, and women with unfulfilled requests for postpartum sterilization have a high rate of repeat pregnancy (approaching 50%) within the following year. Potentially correctable barriers ...

Group Prenatal Care

Committee Opinion Number 731, March 2018

ABSTRACT: Individual prenatal care is intended to prevent poor perinatal outcomes and provide education to women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period through a series of one-on-one encounters between a woman and her obstetrician or other obstetric care provider. Concerns regarding increasing health care costs, health care provider availability, dissatisfaction with wait times, and the minimal opportunity for education and support associated with the individual care model have given rise to interest in alternative models of prenatal care. One alternative model, group pre...

Management of Suboptimally Dated Pregnancies

Committee Opinion Number 688, March 2017

(Reaffirmed 2019)

ABSTRACT: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists considers first-trimester ultrasonography to be the most accurate method to establish or confirm gestational age. Pregnancies without an ultrasonographic examination confirming or revising the estimated due date before 22 0/7 weeks of gestation should be considered suboptimally dated. This document provides guidance for managing pregnancies in which the best clinical estimate of gestational age is suboptimal. There is no role for elective delivery in a woman with a suboptimally dated pregnancy. Although guidelines for indicated...

Optimizing Postpartum Care

Committee Opinion Number 736, May 2018

(Replaces Committee Opinion Number 666, June 2016)

ABSTRACT: The weeks following birth are a critical period for a woman and her infant, setting the stage for long-term health and well-being. To optimize the health of women and infants, postpartum care should become an ongoing process, rather than a single encounter, with services and support tailored to each woman’s individual needs. It is recommended that all women have contact with their obstetrician–gynecologists or other obstetric care providers within the first 3 weeks postpartum. This initial assessment should be followed up with ongoing care as needed, concluding with a comprehensive ...

Oral Health Care During Pregnancy and Through the Lifespan

Committee Opinion Number 569, August 2013

(Reaffirmed 2019)

ABSTRACT: Oral health is an important component of general health and should be maintained during pregnancy and through a woman’s lifespan. Maintaining good oral health may have a positive effect on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other disorders. In 2007–2009, 35% of U.S. women reported that they did not have a dental visit within the past year and 56% of women did not visit a dentist during pregnancy. Access to dental care is directly related to income level; the poorest women are least likely to have received dental care. Optimal maternal oral hygiene during the perinatal period may ...

Hospital Disaster Preparedness for Obstetricians and Facilities Providing Maternity Care

Committee Opinion Number 726, December 2017

(Replaces Committee Opinion Number 555, March 2013)

ABSTRACT: Large-scale catastrophic events and infectious disease outbreaks highlight the need for disaster planning at all community levels. Features unique to the obstetric population (including antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum and neonatal care) warrant special consideration in the event of a disaster. Pregnancy increases the risks of untoward outcomes from various infectious diseases. Trauma during pregnancy presents anatomic and physiologic considerations that often can require increased use of resources such as higher rates of cesarean delivery. Recent evidence suggests that floods an...