The Use of Protocols in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Excerpt

There was, is, and there always will be a clamor for a protocol-based approach to treat acute conditions in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Conditions like post-partum hemorrhage, rupture of the uterus, abruptio placenta, ectopic pregnancy, and gestational trophoblastic neoplasm come to mind readily. At times, severe differences can arise when protocols of different “schools of thought” are sought to be debated, and rightly so. Questions then arise and with it some doubts. Does labor have to be “programmed?” Should epidural analgesia be administered only when the patient is in active labor? Can protocols be designed broadly for the condition and specifically altered for each individual? Should doctors be “forced” to follow protocols? Why protocols anyway? …