Medical Education Division
Our Products
On-Line Store

Operational Obstetrics & Gynecology

Normal Pregnancy

Diagnosis of Pregnancy	Disability	Thermal Stress
Pregnancy Tests	Maternal Skin Changes	Noise
Prenatal Care	Nausea	Vibration
Nutrition	Heartburn	Solvents
Prenatal Vitamins	Sciatica	Heavy Metals
Laboratory Tests	Carpal Tunnel Syndrome	X-rays
Ultrasound Scans	URI	Radiation
Estimating Gestational Age	Antibiotics	CRT Exposure
Fetal Heart Beat	Other Drugs	Diving
Exercise	Immunizations	Hyperbaric Therapy
		Aircrew Status

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Approximately 30% of pregnant women will develop numbness in one or both hands following the distribution of the median nerve. (index finger, middle finger, medial surface of ring finger, with sparing of the lateral surface of the ring finger and the little finger).

This is due to swelling and compression of the median nerve as it passes through the "carpal tunnel" in the wrist.

The dominant hand is more frequently effected. It is usually worse in the morning and improved in the evening. After delivery, the condition goes away gradually.

No treatment is necessary for this condition, so long as the motor portion of the nerve is still functioning normally. When treatment is necessary, splinting the wrist in a "cockup splint" will be helpful. Injection of the carpal tunnel with steroids may also be done (after 24 weeks of pregnancy).

Rarely, surgery may be necessary to free up the median nerve, although this is almost never required during pregnancy.

Home ╖ Introduction ╖ Medical Support of Women in Field Environments ╖ The Prisoner of War Experience ╖ Routine Care ╖ Pap Smears ╖ Human Papilloma Virus ╖ Contraception ╖ Birth Control Pills ╖ Vulvar Disease ╖ Vaginal Discharge ╖ Abnormal Bleeding ╖ Menstrual Problems ╖ Abdominal Pain ╖ Urination Problems ╖ Menopause ╖ Breast Problems ╖ Sexual Assault ╖ Normal Pregnancy ╖ Abnormal Pregnancy ╖ Normal Labor and Delivery ╖ Problems During Labor and Delivery ╖ Care of the Newborn

Bureau of Medicine and Surgery
Department of the Navy
2300 E Street NW
Washington, D.C
20372-5300

Operational Obstetrics & Gynecology - 2nd Edition
The Health Care of Women in Military Settings
CAPT Michael John Hughey, MC, USNR
NAVMEDPUB 6300-2C
January 1, 2000

This web version of Operational Obstetrics & Gynecology is provided by The Brookside Associates Medical Education Division. It contains original contents from the official US Navy NAVMEDPUB 6300-2C, but has been reformatted for web access and includes advertising and links that were not present in the original version. This web version has not been approved by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates is a private organization, not affiliated with the United States Department of Defense. All material in this version is unclassified.

Advertise on this Site