To the Editor: Murray et al recently suggested that after an initial screening urinalysis, routine urinalysis could be eliminated from antenatal care without adverse outcomes for women.1 Their conclusions are based on a prospective observational study of 1000 women, 26 of whom developed pre-eclampsia, with 6/24 (25%) developing new proteinuria before the onset of hypertension. We have concerns about the authors' claims, which, we believe, are not justified by their findings.
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- 2. Brown MA, Hague WM, Higgins J, et al. The detection, investigation and management of hypertension in pregnancy: full consensus statement. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol 2000; 40: 139-155.
- 3. The Department of Health. Why mothers die: report on confidential inquiries into maternal deaths in the United Kingdom 1994-1996. London: HMSO, 1998.
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- 5. Villar J, Carroli G, Khan-Neelofur D, et al. Patterns of routine antenatal care for low-risk pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2001; (4): CD000934.
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