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Management of the Jehovah's Witness in Obstetrics and Gynecology: A Comprehensive Medical, Ethical, and Legal Approach.

Obstetrical & gynecological survey
August 1, 2016
Burak Zeybek et al. (7 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to review medical, ethical, and legal implications of managing Jehovah's Witness patients in obstetrics and gynecology, including alternatives to blood transfusion such as iron supplementation.

Results Summary

The study highlights iron supplementation as a key medical management option for anemia in patients refusing blood transfusions, alongside other therapies like erythropoietin and emerging treatments. Early diagnosis and treatment initiation are emphasized for effective management.

Population

Jehovah's Witness patients in obstetrical and gynecological settings who refuse blood transfusions.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (9)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
iron supplementation
neutral
anemia
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
medical management option
#1
erythropoietin
neutral
anemia
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
medical management option
#2
antihepcidin antibodies
neutral
anemia
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
promising therapy in development
#3
hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers
neutral
anemia
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
promising therapy in development
#4
antifibrinolytics
decrease
blood loss
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
option to decrease blood loss
#5
desmopressin
decrease
blood loss
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
option to decrease blood loss
#6
recombinant factor VII
decrease
blood loss
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
option to decrease blood loss
#7
factor concentrates
decrease
blood loss
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
option to decrease blood loss
#8
minimally invasive approaches
decrease
surgical blood loss
patients who refuse blood transfusion
-
should be pursued
#9
Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Obstetricians and gynecologists frequently deal with hemorrhage so they should be familiar with management of patients who refuse blood transfusion. Although there are some reports in the literature about management of Jehovah's Witness patients in obstetrics and gynecology, most of them are case reports, and a comprehensive review about these patients including ethicolegal perspective is lacking. OBJECTIVE: This review outlines the medical, ethical, and legal implications of management of Jehovah's Witness patients in obstetrical and gynecological settings. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A search of published literature using PubMed, Ovid Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was conducted about physiology of oxygen delivery and response to tissue hypoxia, mortality rates at certain hemoglobin levels, medical management options for anemic patients who refuse blood transfusion, and ethical/legal considerations in Jehovah's Witness patients. RESULTS: Early diagnosis of anemia and immediate initiation of therapy are essential in patients who refuse blood transfusion. Medical management options include iron supplementation and erythropoietin. There are also some promising therapies that are in development such as antihepcidin antibodies and hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers. Options to decrease blood loss include antifibrinolytics, desmopressin, recombinant factor VII, and factor concentrates. When surgery is the only option, every effort should be made to pursue minimally invasive approaches. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: All obstetricians and gynecologists should be familiar with alternatives and "less invasive" options for patients who refuse blood transfusions.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Anemia, Iron-DeficiencyBlood TransfusionDelivery, ObstetricFemaleHematologic AgentsHemorrhageHumansJehovah's WitnessesPhysician-Patient RelationsPostpartum HemorrhagePregnancyPregnancy Complications, HematologicTreatment Refusal
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality85/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations21
Citations/Year2.3
Relative Citation Ratio1.22
NIH Percentile57.6%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score1.94
Normalized Score0.67
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