by Robert Preidt
. Health reporter
Weight Loss Meal Plans Women - Light Meal During Labor May Be Safe for Most Women
Saturday, (HealthDay News) - Work and delivery is often a tiring ordeal for many women, and the current guidelines exclude eating.
But new Canadian research suggests that a light meal during work could be a good idea for healthier women.
"Our findings suggest that a change in practice makes sense," co-author Christopher Harty, medical student at Memorial University, São João, Newfoundland, said in a news communication of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. It was programmed to present the findings Saturday at the Society's annual meeting in San Diego.Traditionally, women were informed to avoid eating or drinking during work due to concerns that can inhale food or liquids in their lungs - a condition known as aspiration. Aspiration, in turn, can sometimes lead to pneumonia, the researchers said
But they have observed that medical advances now have made this problem highly unlikely in modern environments. According to the researchers, aspiration during work is extremely rare: in the United States, there was only one aspiration case during the work and delivery between 2005 and 2013.
The low suction risk is likely due to advances in anesthesia care, such as increasing the use of epidurations and spinal blocks rather than providing anesthesia through a mask on the nose and mouth, the researchers said.
In the new study, Harty's team revisited the issue. They have reviewed 385 studies published since 1990 and concluded that avoiding food and liquids during work can be unnecessary for many women.
In fact, having a light meal can be beneficial because the energy and calorie demands of work are so high for women - similar to administering a marathon, according to the researchers.Instead of defining a "without eating" rule, "anesthesiologists and obstetricians should work together to assess each patient individually," Harty said. "Those that they determine are at low risk of suction can probably eat a light meal during work. This gives your hopeful choices in your delivery experience and prevents it from being deficient in calories, helping to provide energy during work."
Two experts agreed with the notion, but they added that identifying patients to "low risk" for aspiration is fundamental.
"A light meal during work can be beneficial to most low-risk pregnant women, especially those who wish to start, continuous regional pain control," said Dr. Anthony Vintzileos, president of obstetrics and gynecology at Winthrop - University Hospital in Mineola, NY
But he pointed out that aspiration can be a problem if an emergency cessation is required due to fetal suffering. In such cases, general anesthesia can be used, and "a recent maternal meal can put the woman at risk of aspiration," explained Vintzilees.
Therefore, "the anesthesiologist and obstetricians must exercise a good judgment to evaluate each patient individually to have a light or liquid meal during work," he said.
DR. Francine Hippolyte is an obstetrician / gynecologist at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY, she agreed with the study authors that "low-risk mothers benefit significantly when they allow you to eat at work - it is an important consideration given The unpredictable duration, given the unpredictable duration. Working and delivery, as well as all the energy and effort that is needed during and after the work experience. "
"Once a patient is correctly identified as low risk, it must at least be allowed to have a clear liquid diet, especially given advances in anesthesia and recent studies," Hippolyte said.
Specialists note that the discoveries presented in medical meetings should be considered preliminary until they are published in a revised peer magazine.
