Practice observed: is speculum examination on admission a necessary procedure in the management of all cases of antepartum haemorrhage?

The objective of the study was to determine the justification or otherwise of admission speculum examination in women presenting with antepartum haemorrhage and the outcome/ benefits of the practice on women with antepartum haemorrhage presenting to the delivery suite of a UK teaching hospital. Factors studied included gestational age at presentation, associated factors with the bleeding, grade of medical/ midwifery staff performing the admission speculum examination, findings on speculum examination and ultrasound scan and the overall pregnancy outcome. Of the 564 (4.9%) women who presented with antepartum haemorrhage; 521 had an admission speculum examination; 94.4% of these were by senior house officers (SHOs). The findings were a normal cervix (69%) and ectopy (21.3%). Of the women, 14.4% had recurrent bleeding and 8.5% went into preterm labour. The complications of the pregnancies, timing of delivery and management were independent of speculum examination. Admission speculum examination did not influence the management of pregnancies and the complications thereafter. These results suggest that such an intrusive procedure may not be justifiable in women presenting with antepartum haemorrhage.