Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Our unrequited love for simple explanation.

Roger B Newman1

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, 96 Jonathan Lucas Street, Suite 634, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.

Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association
|September 19, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Critical appraisal of studies is vital in perinatology. Misinterpreting home uterine activity monitoring (HUAM) results can lead to misguided clinical practice, emphasizing the need to scrutinize methodology over sensationalized findings.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Maternal vitamin D status and preterm birth: an eight-year retrospective cohort study in the Southeastern United States.

Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association·2026
Same author

Childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes following hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Pregnancy hypertension·2026
Same author

Placental histopathology and early childhood neurodevelopment in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes cohort.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2026
Same author

Adherence to the Planetary Health Diet Index and Fetal Body Composition.

JAMA network open·2025
Same author

Racial differences in the associations between prenatal exposure to environmental phenol mixtures and preterm birth.

International journal of hygiene and environmental health·2025
Same author

Day-specific standard for fetal growth percentiles in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies-Singletons.

American journal of obstetrics and gynecology·2025

Area of Science:

  • Perinatology
  • Clinical Trials
  • Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

  • Perinatology often faces pressure to adopt new findings quickly.
  • Sensationalized media and commentaries can oversimplify complex study results.
  • Misinterpreting study data can lead to misguided clinical decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To emphasize the importance of critical appraisal of published studies in perinatology.
  • To highlight how study methodology influences the generalizability of findings.
  • To use the home uterine activity monitoring (HUAM) study as a cautionary example.

Main Methods:

  • The abstract discusses a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) study on home uterine activity monitoring (HUAM).
  • It critiques the interpretation and dissemination of the study's findings.

Related Experiment Videos

  • It stresses the importance of evaluating study population, methodology, analysis, and conclusions.

    • Main Results:

    • The NICHD study found that while increased uterine contraction frequency correlated with preterm delivery risk, HUAM was not an efficient predictor.
    • Media and editorials incorrectly translated these results to suggest HUAM was ineffective.
    • The study's design involved blinded contraction data and lacked emergency monitoring, impacting its conclusions on HUAM's effectiveness.

    Conclusions:

    • A critical and independent appraisal of published trials is essential in clinical practice.
    • Evidence-based medicine requires careful attention to study methodology, not just results.
    • Misinterpreting studies like the NICHD HUAM trial can negatively impact patient care and outcomes.