[Early results of evidence-based perinatal care technologies implemented by Zestafoni maternity hospital].

The implementation of evidence-based effective perinatal care in Georgia is very limited. This study was planned as descriptive to define the results of implementation of effective perinatal care technologies, to compare them with existed obstetric practices and reliable research summaries. We identified procedures which should be avoided as routine and practices that should be encouraged. The rate of existed practices was defined retrospectively through analyses of hospital records and interview with health care providers participating in labor and delivery process. The results of implementation of effective perinatal care technologies were determined by exit interviews with postpartum women, verified using hospital notes. The four practices widely used in obstetric care where evidence suggests that they should be avoided as routine, decreased after implementation of effective perinatal care technologies: use of pubic shaving dropped from 97% to 6%, enema from 98% to 5%, episiotomy from 82% to 21%, and lithotomic position from 100% to 30%. Social support or companionship during labor and delivery has been encouraged and used routinely. Obstetric practice must follow best available evidence. There is a need to implement widely effective perinatal care technologies and develop evidence-based clinical practice guidelines which will ensure progressive changes in clinical practice.