The Liverpool urban obstetric flying squad: changing patterns of practice 1965-84.

Obstetric flying squads operate from most maternity units in the United Kingdom. The 20 years from 1965 to 1984 saw 860 calls being made to the obstetric flying squad in the Liverpool urban area, with striking changes occurring in both the number of calls made and the reasons for making the calls. Management of the problems encountered has now become almost exclusively conservative, with such procedures as blood transfusion and general anaesthesia being virtually eliminated from practice.