Dear Alicia,

Another case in point for accepting practices that may or may not be
efficacious....yesterday's Time Magazine, under "Losers":

"In 99.8% of cases, fetal-monitor readings -- which are supposed to detect
early signs of brain damage to the fetus -- are sending false alamrs.
 Consequently, say researchers, women are often rushed into unnecessary
cesareans."  (They quote the NEJM, I believe).

I think you are absolutely right -- there are so many things that we do
medically (and in nursing) that are not "scientifically" proven to be
appropriate, but because we were taught by our predecessors that this was the
way to treat things (another case in point -- taking babies off the breast
and putting fullterm babies under bililights when the bili is 16, or 14, or
12 on day 3 or 4) which was done for years, and is still done in many cases.
 Or giving glucose water to "flush out" the bilirubin....

and the list goes on....

Jan Barger, in Wheaton where it looks as though it may be a nice day....