EMERGENCY OBSTETRIC AND

NEWBORN CARE: the DOH protocol

National Safe Motherhood Program

BY:Department of Health
Outline
 Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care
(EmONC) as a strategy for maternal and
newborn mortality reduction

 BEmONC and CEmONC

 Evidence based practices in EmONC
 Essential Newborn Care
Current Situation (2008 NDHS)
•Facility-based delivery: 44%
“Poor Access” •9/10 have some ANC (MOST
have at least 4 ANC visits
to Health •41% had post-natal visit
Services •FIC is 7 out of 10
•About half of children with
Health Systems illness are treated in health
are NOT fully facilities
Functioning
Efficiently
•High MMR :162/100,000
Poor (2006 FPS)
Health •High NMR: 16/1000 LB
Outcome •High IMR: 25/1,000 LB
•Under 5 MR: 34/1000 LB
 Maternal Mortality Ratio, Philippines
250
209 203
197
191
200 186 180
172
162

150

100

50

0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1998 2006 2010 2015
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 2008-0029

Implementing Health Reforms for Rapid Reduction of

Maternal and Newborn Mortality
 • Focus on Antenatal
Clinics
• TBA Training
Things we have • Encouraged Home Births
done that did not
work
EVERY PREGNANCY IS A RISK…
EVERY PREGNANT IS AT RISK!
Maternal Care: The Paradigm Shift

Identifies high risk

pregnancies for
RISK Approach
referral during the
prenatal period

Considers all
pregnant
EmONC Approach at risk of
complications at
Childbirth.
Emergency Obstetric and Newborn
Care(EmONC)
 … the elements of obstetrics & newborn care that
relates to the management of pregnancy, child birth
(delivery), the postpartum and the newborn period:

 Early detection and treatment of problem pregnancies to

prevent progression to an emergency.
 Management of complications:
 Hemorrhage FOR THE
 Obstructed labor
 Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia MOTHER
 Infection

 Infection
 Asphyxia FOR THE
 hypothermia
NEWBORN
Two Types of EmONC Services
 Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC)
provided at: RHU BHS
DH

 Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care

(CEmONC) provided at:
 BEmONC Services

• Administration of parenteral antibiotics (initial

loading dose)
• Administration of parenteral oxytocic drugs (for
active management of the 3rd stage of labor only)
• Administration of parenteral anticonvulsants for
pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (initial loading dose)
Basic Emergency
Obstetric and Newborn • Performance of manual removal of placenta
Care (BEmONC) • Performance of removal of retained products of
Facilities conception
• Performance of IMMINENT breech delivery
• Administration of Corticosteroids in preterm labor
• Performance of Essential Newborn Care
 CEmONC Services

• All of the BEMONC functions

• PLUS
• Capability for blood
Comprehensive
Emergency Obstetric
transfusion
Care (CEmOC) Facilities
• Capability for caesarean
section
Other Elements of Maternal and
Newborn Care
FROM EINC TO EMNC (ESSENTIAL
MATERNAL AND NEWBORN CARE)
PROVISION OF EFFECTIVE
ANTENATAL CARE
At least 4
visits spaced
at regular
intervals

WHO STANDARDS FOR MATERNAL AND NEWBORN CARE 2007

 Antenatal Care: the standards
 All pregnant women should have at least 4
antenatal care (ANC) assessments by a skilled
health professional.
 include all the interventions in the new
WHO/DOH antenatal care model
 Spaced at regular intervals: 1 during the first 2
trimesters and 2 during the 3rd trimester
 Starting as early as possible in the first trimester.

WHO/DOH STANDARDS FOR MATERNAL AND NEWBORN CARE 2007

 Antenatal Care: its objectives
 To prevent, treat health
Present problems/diseases
the facts
that are known to to
have an unfavourable outcome on
provide
pregnancy; information Provide
advice to
influence
 To educate/counsel women and their families for
decision
a healthy pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal
recovery, including care of the newborn, promotion of
early exclusive breastfeeding and family planning.
 Essential Elements of Antenatal Care

1. Pregnancy monitoring of the woman and

her unborn child.
 How old is patient?
 Gravidity? Parity?
 LMP? AOG?
 History of previous pregnancies
 Check for general danger signs
 Perform abdominal examination
 Essential Elements of Antenatal Care
Antenatal Steroids:
2. Recognition & management of pregnancy-related
The Evidence
complications. Judicious Antibiotic Use: The
> 8 months No fetal reduction
Overall movement in neonatal death
No clear evidence of benefit of Evidence
Ruptured
Reductionmembranes and nodisease
in RDS (respiratory labor
routine antibiotic and steroid use PPROM (prolonged rupture of
syndrome)
Fever orProlong
membrane): burningpregnancy
urination
SCREEN FOR:
< 8 months
Vaginal
Reduction
and reduce
in cerebro-ventricular
discharge
neonatal morbidity in
hemorrhage
Give antibiotic: women with
Signs gestationHIV
suggesting of ≤34
infection
Pre-eclampsia
ERYTHROMYCIN

weeks Reduction in necrotising enterocolitis
Smoking, alcohol or drug abuse
Alternative: Ampicillin PTL (preterm labor): Little
 Anemia
Give corticosteroids if no sign
Cough
evidence or breathing
Reduction
of benefit difficulty
in respiratory support
at a gestation ≤ and
NICU anti-TB
Taking
34 weeks. admissionsdrugs
of infection
 Syphilis
Betamethasone 12 mg IM q 24
 Reduction
Reduced in sepsis inoftheearly
the incidence first 48 hours
of life sepsis but caused
onset neonatal
hrs x 2 doses OR
 HIV status 6 mg IM q 12
Dexamethasone
ampicillin-resistance
Does not increaseand risksevere
of death,
neonatal infections
chorioamnionitis or puerperal
x 4 doses
 Diabetes Mellitus sepsis in the mother

19
 Essential Elements of Antenatal Care
Check Immunization
Status

3. Preventive measures • Not previously been

vaccinated or
 Tetanus toxoid immunization Immunization status is
 Iron/folate supplementation unknown: give 2
doses at 1 month
 Deworming (Mebendazole) apart before delivery.
 Antimalarial intermittent • With 1-4 doses of TT:
give 1 dose of TT at
preventive treatment and least 2 weeks before
promotion of insecticide treated nets
delivery
t

24
Essential Elements of Antenatal Care
4. Develop a Birth Plan
• the woman’s condition during pregnancy
• preferences for her place of delivery and
choice of birth attendant
• preparations needed should an emergency
situation arise during pregnancy, childbirth and
postpartum.
• Where to go? How to go? With whom?
• How much will it cost? Who will pay? How will
you pay?
• Who will care for your home and other children
when you are away?
Essential Elements of Antenatal Care
5. Health education and promotion for the woman and
her family
 Nutrition
 Self-care during pregnancy
 Adherence to advice on prophylactic treatments
 Danger signs, signs of labor
 Family planning, Breastfeeding and newborn screening
 Routine and follow-up visits
Labor, Delivery and Postpartum Care
 Labor, Delivery and Postpartum Care

 Assess the woman in labor

Determine stage of labor
Monitor labor using the PARTOGRAPH
Recognize and manage obstetrical
problems
 Care During Labor and Delivery
UNECESSARY INTERVENTIONS
• Enema
• Pubic hair shaving
• NPO
• IV fluids
• Amniotomy
• Oxytocin augmentation
 Enemas
The Practice: The Evidence
• To decrease the risk of • Upsetting and
infections. humiliating to the
• Shorten the duration woman in labor
of labor and • There is no evidence to
support routine use of
• Make delivery cleaner enemas during labor.
for the attending • It should be done only to
personnel those who request it.
 Routine perineal shaving
The Practice The Evidence

• There is insufficient evidence

• Shaving the pubic hair of women
in labor is done routinely before
birth as a hygienic practice
• to minimize infection risk if
there is tearing or cutting of the
area between the vagina and
anus.
• No trial assessed the views of
• It is also suggested that a shaved
area may make stitching tears or
cuts easier.
to recommend routine
perineal shaving for women
on admission in labor, (level
1, grade E)
the woman about shaving such
as pain, embarrasment and
discomfort during hair re-
growth.
 to reduce risk of
Fasting in labor: relic or
requirement
pulmonary aspiration
of gastric contents
(An evaluation of the scientific literature)

 Fasting during labor is a tradition that

continues with no evidence of improved
outcomes for mother or newborn. Only
one study evaluated the probable risk of
maternal aspiration mortality, which is
approximately 7 in 10 million births.
- Sleutel, M., and Golden, S., 1999
 Routine intravenous fluids

The Practice The Evidence

• to have ready • Interferes with the natural

access for birthing process restricts
emergency woman’s freedom to move
• IVF not as effective as
medications allowing food and fluids in
• to maintain labor to treat/prevent
dehydration, ketosis or
maternal hydration electrolyte imbalance
Amniotomy
The Practice
• Amniotomy is thought to
speed up contractions and
shorten the length of labor.
• To assess fetal status.
• It may enhance progress in the
active phase of labor and
negate the need for oxytocin
augmentation.
The Evidence
• It may increase the risk for
chorioamnionitis.
• Possible complications
include:
• cord prolapse,
• cord compression and
• FHR decelerations,
• bleeding from fetal or
placental vessels and
• discomfort from the
actual procedure.
There is no evidence supporting
strict bed rest in supine position
during the first stage of labor. In the
absence of complications, women
should be encouraged to change to
positions or move around during
labor.
Episiotomy
The Practice The Evidence

• Routine use of episiotomy •It must be used only

reduce anterior perineal selectively e.g. :
lacerations but fails to
accomplish any other •when the baby is big,
maternal or fetal benefits
traditionally ascribed to •when delivery is not
it. progressing because of
tight perineum, or
•when forceps is to be
used.
Deliver the Baby
When the birth opening is
stretching, support the
perineum and anus with a
clean swab to prevent
lacerations

Ensure controlled
delivery of the head
No significant impact on incidence of PPH (post-
partum
Laborhemorrhage)
and Delivery
Important neonatal outcomes:
Term babies: Uterine
less anemia massage:
in newborn
rd 24-48 hrs
Active
after birthManagement
The Evidence of 3 stage of labor
Preterms:
• less loss
Less blood infant
at 30anemia
minutes and
• intraventricular
less Less blood loss at 60hemorrhage
minutes
Oxytocin after delivery of the baby
• Reduction in the use of additional uterotonics
• The number of women losing >500 ml of
Delayed cord clamping
 blood approximately
Reduction in blood loss of 1 Liter or more
halved.
• Two
Reduction women
in use ofinblood
the uterine
the control
massage
group and none in
Controlled cord traction with counter
transfusion
group needed blood
Reduction in the use of additional uterotonics
traction on the uterus
transfusions
Oxytocin alone preferred over other uterotonic drugs
Ergometrine associated with more adverse side effects
Massage uterine fundus
 compared to oxytocin alone
No maternal deaths reported
Controlled cord traction with
countertraction