Inaugural Lecture by TCD’s Professor of Obstetrics Professor Deirdre Murphy: Evidence-based Obstetric care
Posted on: 09 May 2008
“Obstetric care involves a close working relationship between obstetricians, midwives, neonatologists and anaesthetists. It requires an understanding of pregnancy physiology, pathophysiology, the limitations and potential benefits of obstetric interventions, and an awareness of the psychological implications of pregnancy events and the care received”, stated TCD’s Professor of Obstetrics, Deirdre Murphy and Consultant Obstetrician based at the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital on the occasion of her inaugural lecture as Chair of Obstetrics at TCD on May 7th last.
“High quality antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care can have a huge impact on health care outcomes for the mother and her child. The clinical academic is faced with the challenge of achieving excellence in patient care, research and teaching. An evidence based approach is essential in bridging the gaps between these disciplines”.
“Obstetric research takes many forms including laboratory-based studies, clinical trials, longitudinal studies following the progress of cohorts of women and more recently qualitative research addressing women’s experiences of pregnancy and childbirth”.
In the course of the lecture, Professor Murphy described a number of key studies. The role of genetic factors in the aetiology of pre-eclampsia was used as an example of the potential for translational research in this field. Furthermore, a series of studies arising from a cohort of women who experienced operative delivery in the second stage of labour were described. Commenting on their significance, Professor Murphy stated: “These studies enhance our understanding of optimal intrapartum care whilst providing invaluable insights into approaches to teaching and training, and facilitating informed counselling of pregnant and postpartum women”.
A randomised controlled trial of decision making about delivery after a previous caesarean section was presented with a concurrent qualitative study of women’s experiences.
“The potentially seamless links between understanding the sources of morbidity both physical and psychological inherent in pregnancy and childbirth, the ability to apply this understanding to direct patient care and the implementation of a developing knowledge base into teaching and training provides the basis for evidence-based obstetric care. The ultimate goal is to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies within an environment of mutual trust and shared decision-making.”
Extracts from the lecture by Professor Deirdre Murphy, Professor of Obstetrics at the
