Due to copyright issues, an electronic copy of the thesis must be ordered from the faculty. For the faculty to have time to process the order, the order must be received by the faculty at the latest 2 days before the public defence. Orders received later than 2 days before the defence will not be processed. After the public defence, please address any inquiries regarding the thesis to the candidate.
Trial Lecture – time and place
See Trial Lecture.
Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Kim Hinshaw, University of Sunderland, United Kingdom
- Second opponent: Associate Professor Yinon Gilboa, Tel Aviv University, Israel
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor Karin Cecilie Lødrup Carlsen, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Associate Professor Katariina Laine, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Professor II Anne Flem Jacobsen, University of Oslo
Summary
Increased knowledge of the mechanics of labour and improved diagnostic methods in labour may improve quality and patient safety.
Accurate diagnosis of fetal head rotation and descent is crucial for ensuring high-quality obstetric care. Unfortunately, contemporary textbooks and training programs lack a comprehensive description of the mechanics of labour, and the terminology is inconsistent. Numerous studies highlight the inadequacy of current diagnostic examinations performed during labour. The mechanics of labour remain understudied, primarily due to lack of adequate imaging modalities.
The aims of the thesis were to explore how existing knowledge of labour mechanics and anatomy can be used to improve existing methods, and how ultrasound can be used to develop new diagnostic methods and deepen our understanding of labour mechanics.
A new, structured method of clinical examination performed substantially compared to ultrasound than clinical examination in previous studies. Furthermore, ultrasound emerges as a valuable tool for expanding our knowledge of labour mechanics. Ultrasound can be employed to examine the physiological reshaping of the fetal head during birth, revealing associations between certain reshaping patterns and a lower incidence of spontaneous deliveries. To address a previous lack of comprehensive examination for fetal head descent, a novel transabdominal ultrasound was proposed, which demonstrated strong correlation with established methods.
The key takeaway is that a new, structured method of clinical examination was highly accurate, implying that skills training may improve the quality of the clinical examination. In addition, the use of ultrasound in labour can improve diagnostics and our understanding of the natural mechanisms of human birth. Thus, ultrasound is a promising avenue for future insights into the fundamental processes occurring during human birth.
Additional information
Contact the research support staff.