Yes Meaghan: I should have qualified the "30 minute rule" as I agree it is entirely arbitary, but is what is used to "disqualify" a service or hospital around here (Washington). In reality people are often a couple of hours from a hospital. As you said having an emergency plan is what is important, so that if the unlikely event occurs you can swing into action.
I have a question of a previous response that said the air ambulance was reluctant to take multips for fear they would deliver in flight. My question would be, if we are requesting an emergency transport of a multiparous women in active labour, then we probably have diagnosed an obstructed labour with or without fetal distress(amongst other things), the problem is precisely that either the baby wont come out or it wont come out soon enough. We would give terbutaline/brethine to stop contractions and stabilize both the mother and baby, I can't see the baby being delivered in flight as being a problem, if it happened (I know things just happen sometimes) then the midwife would still be in attendance with full birth kit etc., and mother and baby would be on their way to the hospital in the event of a continuing emergent situation. I can see the reluctance to transport a normally progressing multiparous women in normal active labour as she probably would give birth on the plane and should have just been at home. regards, marilyn -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
