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Sample records for prenatal visits outcomes

  1. Prenatal Care: First Trimester Visits

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... care provider will discuss the importance of proper nutrition and prenatal vitamins. Your first prenatal visit is a good time to discuss exercise, sex during pregnancy and other lifestyle issues. You might also discuss your work environment and the use of medications during pregnancy. If ...

  2. Measuring adequacy of prenatal care: does missing visit information matter?

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    Kurtzman, Jordan H; Wasserman, Erin B; Suter, Barbara J; Glantz, J Christopher; Dozier, Ann M

    2014-09-01

    Kotelchuck's Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization (APNCU) Index is frequently used to classify levels of prenatal care. In the Finger Lakes Region (FLR) of upstate New York, prenatal care visit information late in pregnancy is often not documented on the birth certificate. We studied the extent of this missing information and its impact on the validity of regional APNCU scores. We calculated the "weeks between" a mother's last prenatal care visit and her infant's date of birth. We adjusted the APNCU algorithm creating the Last Visit Adequacy of Prenatal Care (LV-APNC) Index using the last recorded prenatal care visit date as the end point of care and the expected number of visits at that time. We compared maternal characteristics by care level with each index, examining rates of reclassification and number of "weeks between" by birth hospital. Stuart-Maxwell, McNemar, chi-square, and t-tests were used to determine statistical significance. Based on 58,462 births, the mean "weeks between" was 2.8 weeks. Compared with their APNCU Index score, 42.4 percent of mothers were reclassified using the LV-APNC Index. Major movement occurred from Intermediate (APNCU) to Adequate or Adequate Plus (LV-APNC) leaving the Intermediate Care group a more at-risk group of mothers. Those with Adequate or Adequate Plus Care (LV-APNC) increased by 31.6 percent, surpassing the Healthy People 2020 objective. In the FLR, missing visit information at the end of pregnancy results in an underestimation of mothers' prenatal care. Future research is needed to determine the extent of this missing visit information on the national level. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Prenatal care and pregnancy outcomes: A cross-sectional study in Luanda, Angola.

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    Nimi, Tazi; Fraga, Sílvia; Costa, Diogo; Campos, Paulo; Barros, Henrique

    2016-11-01

    To describe prenatal care in Angolan women delivered at a large tertiary care unit, and to explore the association between prenatal care and selected perinatal outcomes. We conducted a cross-sectional study between December 2012 and February 2013, involving 995 women aged 13-46years, delivered at Lucrécia Paím Maternity, Luanda. Trained interviewers collected information on timing, frequency, place, and satisfaction with prenatal care; sociodemographic and clinical characteristics; birth weight; and gestational age. Logistic regression models were fitted, and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (OR, 95%CI) estimated. Quantitatively inadequate prenatal care (<4 visits) was more common in younger, less educated, poorer women, followed in public institutions, and those who felt more dissatisfied with care. More visits, both in primiparas and multiparas, were independently associated with more cesarean deliveries. After adjustment, having fewer than four visits was significantly associated with low birth weight (OR 2.00; 95% CI, 1.15-3.50) and preterm delivery (OR 2.74; 95% CI, 1.69-4.44 for 2-4 visits); similar associations were found regarding late entrance into care. Early entrance into prenatal care and the recommended number of visits are major determinants of mode of delivery and pregnancy outcomes, constituting targets to improve perinatal health. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Improved Outcomes for Hispanic Women with Gestational Diabetes Using the Centering Pregnancy© Group Prenatal Care Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schellinger, Megan M; Abernathy, Mary Pell; Amerman, Barbara; May, Carissa; Foxlow, Leslie A; Carter, Amy L; Barbour, Kelli; Luebbehusen, Erin; Ayo, Katherine; Bastawros, Dina; Rose, Rebecca S; Haas, David M

    2017-02-01

    Objective To determine the impact of Centering Pregnancy © -based group prenatal care for Hispanic gravid diabetics on pregnancy outcomes and postpartum follow-up care compared to those receiving traditional prenatal care. Methods A cohort study was performed including 460 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) who received traditional or Centering Pregnancy © prenatal care. The primary outcome measured was completion of postpartum glucose tolerance testing. Secondary outcomes included postpartum visit attendance, birth outcomes, breastfeeding, and initiation of a family planning method. Results 203 women received Centering Pregnancy © group prenatal care and 257 received traditional individual prenatal care. Women receiving Centering Pregnancy © prenatal care were more likely to complete postpartum glucose tolerance testing than those receiving traditional prenatal care, (83.6 vs. 60.7 %, respectively; p prenatal care (30.2 vs. 42.1 %; p = 0.009), and were less likely to undergo inductions of labor (34.5 vs. 46.2 %; p = 0.014). When only Hispanic women were compared, women in the Centering group continued to have higher rates of breastfeeding and completion of postpartum diabetes screening. Conclusion for Practice Hispanic women with GDM who participate in Centering Pregnancy © group prenatal care may have improved outcomes.

  5. Maternal and fetal outcome in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: the impact of prenatal care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barbosa, Isabela Roberta Cruz; Silva, Wesley Bruno Merencio; Cerqueira, Grace Sanches Gutierrez; Novo, Neil Ferreira; Almeida, Fernando Antonio; Novo, Joe Luiz Vieira Garcia

    2015-08-01

    Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are the most important cause of maternal and fetal death and pregnancy complications in Latin America and the Caribbean. The objective of this study was to characterize the epidemiological profile of women with HDP admitted to a Brazilian tertiary reference hospital, and to evaluate maternal and fetal outcome in each HDP and the impact of prenatal care on the maternal and fetal outcome. HDP in 1501 women were classified according to usual definitions as chronic hypertension (n = 564), pre-eclampsia (n = 579), eclampsia (n = 74) and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension (n = 284). Adverse maternal and fetal outcomes registered as maternal death and near miss and fetal outcomes documented as stillbirth, neonatal death and newborn respiratory complications were compiled. Prenatal care was classified as complete (⩾ 6 visits), incomplete (prenatal care or prenatal not done had progressive higher mortality rates and greater frequency of near miss cases, and their children had higher mortality rates. In a tertiary reference hospital, eclampsia and chronic hypertension superimposed on pre-eclampsia are associated with a worst outcome for mothers and fetuses, whereas complete prenatal care is associated with a better maternal and fetal outcome in HDP. © The Author(s), 2015.

  6. Etiology of adverse prenatal Outcome in overweight women

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    Ameneh Safarzadeh

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available To survey the etiology of adverse prenatal outcome in overweight. This comparative cohort study was conducted from 2010 to 2012. Total 440 gravid women 220were overweight and 220 normal weight pregnant women during at the first visit of pregnancy and third trimester were assessed. The risks for preterm labor, gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, caesarian section and Macrosomia were higher for those who were overweight at the third trimester of pregnancy (P < 0.05. Maternal BMI was associated with a higher risk for gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, preeclampsia, caesarian section and fetal macrosomia (P< 0.05. This research demonstrates that maternal BMI was associated with increased risks for adverse pregnancy outcomes.

  7. Exploring status and determinants of prenatal and postnatal visits in western China: in the background of the new health system reform.

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    Fan, Xiaojing; Zhou, Zhongliang; Dang, Shaonong; Xu, Yongjian; Gao, Jianmin; Zhou, Zhiying; Su, Min; Wang, Dan; Chen, Gang

    2017-07-20

    Prenatal and postnatal visits are two effective interventions for protection and promotion of maternal health by reducing maternal mortality and improving the quality of birth. There is limited nationally representative data regarding the changes of prenatal and postnatal visits since the latest health system reform initiated in 2009 in Shaanxi, China. The aim of this study was to explore the current status and determinants of prenatal and postnatal visits in the background of new health system reform. Data were drawn from two waves of National Health Service Surveys in Shaanxi Province which were conducted prior and post the health system reform in 2008 and 2013, respectively. A concentration index was employed to measure the degree of income-related inequality of maternal health services utilization. Multilevel mix-effects logistic regressions were applied to study the factors associated with prenatal and postnatal visits. The study sample consists of 2398 women aged 15-49 years old. The data of the 5th National Health Services Survey in 2013 showed in the criterion of the World Health Organization (WHO), the percentage of women receiving ≥4 prenatal visits was 84.79% for urban women and 82.20% for rural women, with women receiving ≥3 postnatal visits were 26.48 and 25.29% for urban and rural women respectively. In the criterion of China's ≥ 5 prenatal visits the percentages were 72.25% for urban women and 70.33% for rural women; 61.69% of urban women and 71.50% of rural women received ≥1 postnatal visits. As for urban women, the concentration index of postnatal visit utilization was -0.075 (95% CI:-0.148, -0.020) after the health system reform. The determinants related to prenatal and postnatal visits were the change of reform, women's education, parity and the delivery institution. This study showed the utilization of prenatal and postnatal visits met the requirement of the WHO, higher than other areas in China and other developing countries after

  8. Exploring status and determinants of prenatal and postnatal visits in western China: in the background of the new health system reform

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaojing Fan

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prenatal and postnatal visits are two effective interventions for protection and promotion of maternal health by reducing maternal mortality and improving the quality of birth. There is limited nationally representative data regarding the changes of prenatal and postnatal visits since the latest health system reform initiated in 2009 in Shaanxi, China. The aim of this study was to explore the current status and determinants of prenatal and postnatal visits in the background of new health system reform. Methods Data were drawn from two waves of National Health Service Surveys in Shaanxi Province which were conducted prior and post the health system reform in 2008 and 2013, respectively. A concentration index was employed to measure the degree of income-related inequality of maternal health services utilization. Multilevel mix-effects logistic regressions were applied to study the factors associated with prenatal and postnatal visits. Results The study sample consists of 2398 women aged 15-49 years old. The data of the 5th National Health Services Survey in 2013 showed in the criterion of the World Health Organization (WHO, the percentage of women receiving ≥4 prenatal visits was 84.79% for urban women and 82.20% for rural women, with women receiving ≥3 postnatal visits were 26.48 and 25.29% for urban and rural women respectively. In the criterion of China’s ≥ 5 prenatal visits the percentages were 72.25% for urban women and 70.33% for rural women; 61.69% of urban women and 71.50% of rural women received ≥1 postnatal visits. As for urban women, the concentration index of postnatal visit utilization was −0.075 (95% CI:-0.148, −0.020 after the health system reform. The determinants related to prenatal and postnatal visits were the change of reform, women’s education, parity and the delivery institution. Conclusions This study showed the utilization of prenatal and postnatal visits met the requirement of the WHO

  9. Prenatal care and child growth and schooling in four low- and medium-income countries.

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    Liu, Xiaoying; Behrman, Jere R; Stein, Aryeh D; Adair, Linda S; Bhargava, Santosh K; Borja, Judith B; da Silveira, Mariangela Freitas; Horta, Bernardo L; Martorell, Reynaldo; Norris, Shane A; Richter, Linda M; Sachdev, Harshpal S

    2017-01-01

    The effectiveness of prenatal care for improving birth and subsequent child outcomes in low-income countries remains controversial, with much of the evidence to date coming from high-income countries and focused on early-life outcomes. We examined associations between prenatal care visits and birth weight, height-for-age at 24 months and attained schooling in four low- and middle-income countries. We pooled data from prospective birth-cohort studies from Brazil, Guatemala, Philippines and South Africa. We created a prenatal care utilization index based on the number and timing of prenatal visits. Associations were examined between this index and birth weight, height-for-age at 24 months, and highest attained schooling grade until adulthood. Among 7203 individuals in the analysis, 68.9% (Philippines) to 96.7% (South Africa) had at least one prenatal care visit, with most having at least four visits. Over 40% of Brazilians and Guatemalans had their first prenatal visit in the first trimester, but fewer Filipinos (13.9%) and South Africans (19.8%) did so. Prenatal care utilization was not significantly associated with birth weight (p>0.05 in pooled data). Each unit increase in the prenatal care utilization index was associated with 0.09 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.15) higher height-for-age z-score at 24 months and with 0.26 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.35) higher schooling grades attained. Although there was some heterogeneity and greater imprecision across sites, the results were qualitatively similar among the four different populations. While not related to birth weight, prenatal care utilization was associated with important outcomes later in life, specifically higher height-for-age at 24 months and higher attained school grades. These results suggest the relevance of prenatal care visits for human capital outcomes important over the lifecycle.

  10. Attendance at prenatal care and adverse birth outcomes in China: A follow-up study based on Maternal and Newborn's Health Monitoring System.

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    Huang, Aiqun; Wu, Keye; Zhao, Wei; Hu, Huanqing; Yang, Qi; Chen, Dafang

    2018-02-01

    to evaluate the independent association between attendance at prenatal care and adverse birth outcomes in China, measured either as the occurrence of preterm birth or low birth weight. a follow-up study. the data was collected from maternal and newborn's health monitoring system at 6 provinces in China. all pregnant women registered in the system at their first prenatal care visit. We included 40152 registered pregnant women who had delivered between October 2013 and September 2014. attendance at prenatal care was evaluated using Kessner index. χ 2 tests were used to examine the correlations between demographic characteristics and preterm birth or low birth weight. The associations between attendance at prenatal care and birth outcomes were explored using multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models. the prevalence for preterm birth and low birth weight was 3.31% and 2.55%. The null models showed region clustering on birth outcomes. Compared with women who received adequate prenatal care, those with intermediate prenatal care (adjusted OR 1.62, 95%CI 1.37-1.92) or inadequate prenatal care (adjusted OR 2.78, 95%CI 2.24-3.44) had significantly increased risks for preterm birth, and women with intermediate prenatal care (adjusted OR 1.31, 95%CI 1.10-1.55) or inadequate prenatal care (adjusted OR 1.70, 95%CI 1.32-2.19) had significantly increased risks for low birth weight. We found very significant dose-response patterns for both preterm birth (p-trendprenatal care in China has independent effects on both preterm birth and low birth weight. Appropriate timing and number of prenatal care visits can help to reduce the occurrence of preterm birth or low birth weight. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Prenatal care utilization for mothers from low-income areas of New Mexico, 1989-1999.

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    Michael A Schillaci

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Prenatal care is considered to be an important component of primary health care. Our study compared prenatal care utilization and rates of adverse birth outcomes for mothers from low- and higher-income areas of New Mexico between 1989 and 1999.Prenatal care indicators included the number of prenatal care visits and the first month of prenatal care. Birth outcome indicators included low birth weight, premature birth, and births linked with death certificates. The results of our study indicated that mothers from low-income areas started their prenatal care significantly later in their pregnancies between 1989 and 1999, and had significantly fewer prenatal visits between 1989 and 1997. For the most part, there were not significant differences in birth outcome indicators between income groupings.These findings suggest that while mothers from low-income areas received lower levels of prenatal care, they did not experience a higher level of adverse birth outcomes.

  12. Prenatal Care Utilization for Mothers from Low-Income Areas of New Mexico, 1989–1999

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schillaci, Michael A.; Waitzkin, Howard; Carson, E. Ann; Romain, Sandra J.

    2010-01-01

    Background Prenatal care is considered to be an important component of primary health care. Our study compared prenatal care utilization and rates of adverse birth outcomes for mothers from low- and higher-income areas of New Mexico between 1989 and 1999. Methodology/Principal Findings Prenatal care indicators included the number of prenatal care visits and the first month of prenatal care. Birth outcome indicators included low birth weight, premature birth, and births linked with death certificates. The results of our study indicated that mothers from low-income areas started their prenatal care significantly later in their pregnancies between 1989 and 1999, and had significantly fewer prenatal visits between 1989 and 1997. For the most part, there were not significant differences in birth outcome indicators between income groupings. Conclusions/Significance These findings suggest that while mothers from low-income areas received lower levels of prenatal care, they did not experience a higher level of adverse birth outcomes. PMID:20862298

  13. Prenatal Care: Third Trimester Visits

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    ... Pregnancy week by week During the third trimester, prenatal care might include vaginal exams to check the baby's position. By Mayo Clinic Staff Prenatal care is an important part of a healthy pregnancy, ...

  14. Prenatal Care: Second Trimester Visits

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Pregnancy week by week During the second trimester, prenatal care includes routine lab tests and measurements of your ... too. By Mayo Clinic Staff The goal of prenatal care is to ensure that you and your baby ...

  15. Reasons for declining extended information visit on prenatal screening among pregnant women and their partners.

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    Wätterbjörk, Inger; Sahlberg-Blom, Eva; Nilsson, Kerstin; Blomberg, Karin

    2015-12-01

    A two-step model on information on prenatal screening consists of brief information at the first visit at the Maternal Health Care Centre and an offer of extended information at a separate visit. There is a lack of knowledge why some pregnant women and their partners refrain from the extended information visit. The aim of this study was to explore their reasons. Eight qualitative interviews were analyzed using Interpretive Description. In the first theme 'From an individual view', the interviewees saw the invitation from their own points of view. They refrained because they did not want to receive any more information or had taken an individual position against chromosomal testing. In the theme, 'From a societal view', the interviewees perceived the offer as part of a societal view on prenatal screening that they could not support. The findings show that these interviewees' reasons of declining an extended information visit are multidimensional and influenced by different views, from both an individual perspective and a more societal one. Health care professionals should be aware that some persons could have a different view on health care services and could be reluctant to accept offered services. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Associations of prenatal exposure to phenols with birth outcomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Rong; Chen, Min-jian; Ding, Guo-dong; Chen, Xiao-jiao; Han, Xiu-mei; Zhou, Kun; Chen, Li-mei; Xia, Yan-kai; Tian, Ying; Wang, Xin-ru

    2013-01-01

    Many phenols are known to mimic or antagonize hormonal activities and may adversely affect fetal growth. A study of 567 pregnant women was conducted to investigate the relationship between prenatal phenol exposure and birth outcomes, including birth weight, length, and gestational age. We measured the concentrations of bisphenol A, benzophenone-3, 4-n-octylphenol and 4-n-nonylphenol in maternal urine and examine their association with birth outcomes. Categories of urinary benzophenone-3 concentration were associated with decreased gestational age in all infants (p for trend = 0.03). Between middle and low exposure groups, we also found bisphenol A was negatively associated with gestational duration (β adjusted = −0.48 week; 95% confidence interval: −0.91, −0.05). After stratification by gender, we found the consistent results in infant boys with those in all infants, but we did not observe significant association for girls. In conclusion, we found prenatal phenol exposure was sex-specifically related to birth outcomes. -- Highlights: •We examined relationship of prenatal exposure to phenols with birth outcomes. •We determined urinary concentrations of various phenols. •BP-3 and BPA were negatively associated with gestational age. •There was sex-specific association between phenol exposure and birth outcomes. -- Prenatal phenol exposure was sex-specifically related to birth outcomes

  17. Association of the Affordable Care Act Dependent Coverage Provision With Prenatal Care Use and Birth Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daw, Jamie R; Sommers, Benjamin D

    2018-02-13

    The effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) dependent coverage provision on pregnancy-related health care and health outcomes is unknown. To determine whether the dependent coverage provision was associated with changes in payment for birth, prenatal care, and birth outcomes. Retrospective cohort study, using a differences-in-differences analysis of individual-level birth certificate data comparing live births among US women aged 24 to 25 years (exposure group) and women aged 27 to 28 years (control group) before (2009) and after (2011-2013) enactment of the dependent coverage provision. Results were stratified by marital status. The dependent coverage provision of the ACA, which allowed young adults to stay on their parent's health insurance until age 26 years. Primary outcomes were payment source for birth, early prenatal care (first visit in first trimester), and adequate prenatal care (a first trimester visit and 80% of expected visits). Secondary outcomes were cesarean delivery, premature birth, low birth weight, and infant neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. The study population included 1 379 005 births among women aged 24-25 years (exposure group; 299 024 in 2009; 1 079 981 in 2011-2013), and 1 551 192 births among women aged 27-28 years (control group; 325 564 in 2009; 1 225 628 in 2011-2013). From 2011-2013, compared with 2009, private insurance payment for births increased in the exposure group (36.9% to 35.9% [difference, -1.0%]) compared with the control group (52.4% to 51.1% [difference, -1.3%]), adjusted difference-in-differences, 1.9 percentage points (95% CI, 1.6 to 2.1). Medicaid payment decreased in the exposure group (51.6% to 53.6% [difference, 2.0%]) compared with the control group (37.4% to 39.4% [difference, 1.9%]), adjusted difference-in-differences, -1.4 percentage points (95% CI, -1.7 to -1.2). Self-payment for births decreased in the exposure group (5.2% to 4.3% [difference, -0.9%]) compared with the

  18. [Pre-pregnancy nutritional status, maternal weight gain, prenatal care, and adverse perinatal outcomes among adolescent mothers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Marta Maria Antonieta de Souza; Baião, Mirian Ribeiro; de Barros, Denise Cavalcante; Pinto, Alessandra de Almeida; Pedrosa, Priscila La Marca; Saunders, Claudia

    2012-03-01

    To identify the association between pre-gestational nutritional status, maternal weight gain, and prenatal care with low birth weight (LBW) and prematurity outcomes in infants of adolescent mothers. Cross-sectional study with 542 pairs of adolescent mothers and their children attending a public maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Data were collected from medical records. To determine the association between independent variables and the outcomes studied, odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated With respect to pre-pregnancy nutritional status of adolescents, 87% had normal weight, 1% were underweight, 10% were overweight, and 2% obese. Inadequate total gestational weight gain (72%) exceeded adequacy (28%). Birth weight was favored with greater gestational weight gain, and reduced with late onset of prenatal care. The comparison between the low birth weight and normal birth weight groups revealed significant differences between variable means: interval between the past pregnancy and current pregnancy (p = 0.022), pre-gestational weight (p = 0.018); pre-gestational body mass index (p pregnancy weight and body mass index before pregnancy. The minimum frequency of six prenatal care visits was a protective factor against LBW and prematurity.

  19. [Predictive factors of the outcomes of prenatal hydronephrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bragagnini, Paolo; Estors, Blanca; Delgado, Reyes; Rihuete, Miguel Ángel; Gracia, Jesús

    2016-12-01

    To determine prenatal and postnatal independent predictors of poor outcome, spontaneous resolution, or the need for surgery in patients with prenatal hydronephrosis. We performed a retrospective study of patients with prenatal hydronephrosis. The renal pelvis APD was measured in the third prenatal trimester ultrasound, as well as in the first and second postnatal ultrasound. Other variables were taken into account, both prenatal and postnatal. For statistical analysis we used Student t-test, chi-square test, survival analysis, logrank test, and ROC curves. We included 218 patients with 293 renal units (RU). Of these, 147/293 (50.2%) RU were operated. 76/293 (25.9%) RU had spontaneous resolution and other 76/293 (25.9%) RU had poor outcome. As risk factors for surgery we found low birth weight (OR 3.84; 95% CI 1.24-11.84), prematurity (OR 4.17; 95% CI 1.35-12.88), duplication (OR 4.99; 95% CI 2.21-11.23) and the presence of nephrourological underlying pathology (OR 53.54; 95% CI 26.23-109.27). For the non-spontaneous resolution, we found as risk factors the alterations of amniotic fluid volume (RR 1.46; 95% CI 1.33-1.60) as well as the underlying nephrourological pathology and duplication. In the poor outcome, we found as risk factors the alterations of amniotic fluid volume (OR 4.54; 95% CI 1.31-15.62), the presence of nephrourological pathology (OR 4.81 95% CI 2.60-8.89) and RU that was operated (OR 4.23, 95% CI 2.35-7.60). The APD of the renal pelvis in all three ultrasounds were reliable for surgery prediction (area under the curve 0.65; 0.82; 0.71) or spontaneous resolution (area under the curve 0.80; 0.91; 0.80), only the first postnatal ultrasound has predictive value in the poor outcome (area under the curve 0.73). The higher sensitivity and specificity of the APD as predictor value was on the first postnatal ultrasound, 14.60 mm for surgery; 11.35 mm for spontaneous resolution and 15.50 mm for poor outcome. The higher APD in the renal pelvis in any of the

  20. Facilitators of prenatal care access in rural Appalachia.

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    Phillippi, Julia C; Myers, Carole R; Schorn, Mavis N

    2014-12-01

    There are many providers and models of prenatal care, some more effective than others. However, quantitative research alone cannot determine the reasons beneficial models of care improve health outcomes. Perspectives of women receiving care from effective clinics can provide valuable insight. We surveyed 29 women receiving care at a rural, Appalachian birth center in the United States with low rates of preterm birth. Semi-structured interviews and demographic questionnaires were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis of manifest content. Insurance was the most common facilitator of prenatal access. Beneficial characteristics of the provider and clinic included: personalized care, unrushed visits, varied appointment times, short waits, and choice in the type and location of care. There is a connection between compassionate and personalized care and positive birth outcomes. Women were willing to overcome barriers to access care that met their needs. To facilitate access to prenatal care and decrease health disparities, healthcare planners, and policy makers need to ensure all women can afford to access prenatal care and allow women a choice in their care provider. Clinic administrators should create a welcoming clinic environment with minimal wait time. Unrushed, woman-centered prenatal visits can increase access to and motivation for care and are easily integrated into prenatal care with minimal cost. Copyright © 2014 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Adequate Prenatal Care Reduces the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with History of Infertility: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alibekova, Raushan; Huang, Jian-Pei; Chen, Yi-Hua

    2013-01-01

    Objectives To investigate the effects of various measures of prenatal care on adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with a history of infertility. Study Design A retrospective cohort study. Methods Data were derived by linking 2 large nationwide population-based datasets, the National Health Insurance Research Database and Taiwan Birth Certificate Registry. The study sample included 15,056 women with an infertility diagnosis and 60,224 randomly selected women without infertility matched to the study sample by maternal age. A conditional logistic regression analysis was performed for the analysis. Results Women diagnosed with infertility respectively had 1.39 (95% CI, 1.06~1.83), 1.15 (95% CI, 1.08~1.24), 1.13 (95% CI, 1.08~1.18), and 1.08 (95% CI, 1.05~1.12) higher odds of having very low birth weight (VLBW) babies, preterm births, labor complications, and cesarean sections (CSs) compared to women without infertility. Inadequate numbers of total and major prenatal visits and late initiation of prenatal care increased the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with infertility, especially the risk of a VLBW baby. However, no significant associations were found for the risks of adverse birth outcomes in infertile women with adequate prenatal care compared to fertile women with adequate care. Conclusions Study findings suggest that adequate prenatal care can reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with infertility. PMID:24358347

  2. Health behaviour information provided to clients during midwife-led prenatal booking visits: Findings from video analyses.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baron, R.; Martin, L.; Gitsels-van der Wal, J.T.; Noordman, J.; Heymans, M.W.; Spelten, E.R.; Brug, J.; Hutton, E.K.

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: to quantify to what extent evidence-based health behaviour topics relevant for pregnancy are discussed with clients during midwife-led prenatal booking visits and to assess the association of client characteristics with the extent of information provided. DESIGN: quantitative video

  3. Health behaviour information provided to clients during midwife-led prenatal booking visits : Findings from video analyses

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baron, R.; Martin, L.; Gitsels-van der Wal, J.T.; Noordman, J.; Heymans, M.W.; Spelten, E.R.; Brug, J.; Hutton, E.K.

    2017-01-01

    Objective to quantify to what extent evidence-based health behaviour topics relevant for pregnancy are discussed with clients during midwife-led prenatal booking visits and to assess the association of client characteristics with the extent of information provided. Design quantitative video

  4. Health behaviour information provided to clients during midwife-led prenatal booking visits: findings from video analyses.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Baron, R.; Martin, L.; Gitsels-van der Wal, J.T.; Noordman, J.; Heymans, M.W.; Spelten, E.; Brug, J.; Hutton, E.K.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: to quantify to what extent evidence-based health behaviour topics relevant for pregnancy are discussed with clients during midwife-led prenatal booking visits and to assess the association of client characteristics with the extent of information provided. Design: quantitative video

  5. Prenatal emotion management improves obstetric outcomes: a randomized control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jian; Li, He-Jiang; Wang, Jue; Mao, Hong-Jing; Jiang, Wen-Ying; Zhou, Hong; Chen, Shu-Lin

    2015-01-01

    Negative emotions can cause a number of prenatal problems and disturb obstetric outcomes. We determined the effectiveness of prenatal emotional management on obstetric outcomes in nulliparas. All participants completed the PHQ-9 at the baseline assessment. Then, the participants were randomly assigned to the emotional management (EM) and usual care (UC) groups. The baseline evaluation began at 31 weeks gestation and the participants were followed up to 42 days postpartum. Each subject in the EM group received an extra EM program while the participants in the UC groups received routine prenatal care and education only. The PHQ-9 and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scale (EPDS) were used for assessment. The EM group had a lower PHQ-9 score at 36 weeks gestation, and 7 and 42 days after delivery (P Prenatal EM intervention could control anxiety and depressive feelings in nulliparas, and improve obstetric outcomes. It may serve as an innovative approach to reduce the cesarean section rate in China.

  6. Gestational Weight Gain and Breastfeeding Outcomes in Group Prenatal Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brumley, Jessica; Cain, M Ashley; Stern, Marilyn; Louis, Judette M

    2016-09-01

    This study sought to examine the differences in pregnancy outcomes with a focus on gestational weight gain for women attending group prenatal care compared to standard individual prenatal care. A matched case-control study was conducted including 65 women who chose group care and 130 women who chose standard individual care. Women were matched based on prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) category, eligibility for midwifery care, and age within 5 years. Women choosing group prenatal care and women choosing standard individual care had similar gestational weight gain, birth weight, gestational age at birth, and mode of birth. Women choosing group prenatal care did have a significantly higher rate of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 weeks postpartum (odds ratio [OR], 4.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81-9.15; P care. Group prenatal care participation resulted in equivalent gestational weight gain as well as pregnancy outcomes as compared to standard individual care. Breastfeeding rates were improved for women choosing group prenatal care. Randomized controlled trials are needed in order to eliminate selection bias. © 2016 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

  7. Incentives for increasing prenatal care use by women in order to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Till, Sara R; Everetts, David; Haas, David M

    2015-12-15

    Prenatal care is recommended during pregnancy as a method to improve neonatal and maternal outcomes. Improving the use of prenatal care is important, particularly for women at moderate to high risk of adverse outcomes. Incentives are sometimes utilized to encourage women to attend prenatal care visits. To determine whether incentives are an effective tool to increase utilization of timely prenatal care among women. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 January 2015) and the reference lists of all retrieved studies. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs, and cluster-RCTs that utilized direct incentives to pregnant women explicitly linked to initiation and frequency of prenatal care were included. Incentives could include cash, vouchers, coupons or products not generally offered to women as a standard of prenatal care. Comparisons were to no incentives and to incentives not linked directly to utilization of care. We also planned to compare different types of interventions, i.e. monetary versus products or services. Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion and methodological quality. Two review authors independently extracted data. Data were checked for accuracy. We identified 11 studies (19 reports), six of which we excluded. Five studies, involving 11,935 pregnancies were included, but only 1893 pregnancies contributed data regarding our specified outcomes. Incentives in the studies included cash, gift card, baby carrier, baby blanket or taxicab voucher and were compared with no incentives. Meta-analysis was performed for only one outcome 'Return for postpartum care' and this outcome was not pre-specified in our protocol. Other analyses were restricted to data from single studies.Trials were at a moderate risk of bias overall. Randomization and allocation were adequate and risk of selection bias was low in three studies and unclear in two studies. None of the studies were blinded to the

  8. The comparative effects of group prenatal care on psychosocial outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heberlein, Emily C; Picklesimer, Amy H; Billings, Deborah L; Covington-Kolb, Sarah; Farber, Naomi; Frongillo, Edward A

    2016-04-01

    To compare the psychosocial outcomes of the CenteringPregnancy (CP) model of group prenatal care to individual prenatal care, we conducted a prospective cohort study of women who chose CP group (N = 124) or individual prenatal care (N = 124). Study participants completed the first survey at study recruitment (mean gestational age 12.5 weeks), with 89% completing the second survey (mean gestational age 32.7 weeks) and 84% completing the third survey (6 weeks' postpartum). Multiple linear regression models compared changes by prenatal care model in pregnancy-specific distress, prenatal planning-preparation and avoidance coping, perceived stress, affect and depressive symptoms, pregnancy-related empowerment, and postpartum maternal-infant attachment and maternal functioning. Using intention-to-treat models, group prenatal care participants demonstrated a 3.2 point greater increase (p prenatal planning-preparation coping strategies. While group participants did not demonstrate significantly greater positive outcomes in other measures, women who were at greater psychosocial risk benefitted from participation in group prenatal care. Among women reporting inadequate social support in early pregnancy, group participants demonstrated a 2.9 point greater decrease (p = 0.03) in pregnancy-specific distress in late pregnancy and 5.6 point higher mean maternal functioning scores postpartum (p = 0.03). Among women with high pregnancy-specific distress in early pregnancy, group participants had an 8.3 point greater increase (p prenatal planning-preparation coping strategies in late pregnancy and a 4.9 point greater decrease (p = 0.02) in postpartum depressive symptom scores. This study provides further evidence that group prenatal care positively impacts the psychosocial well-being of women with greater stress or lower personal coping resources. Large randomized studies are needed to establish conclusively the biological and psychosocial benefits of group

  9. Expanding Prenatal Care to Unauthorized Immigrant Women and the Effects on Infant Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swartz, Jonas J; Hainmueller, Jens; Lawrence, Duncan; Rodriguez, Maria I

    2017-11-01

    To measure the effect of access to prenatal care on unauthorized and low-income, new legal permanent resident immigrant women and their offspring. We used a difference-in-differences design that leverages the staggered rollout of Emergency Medicaid Plus by county from 2008 to 2013 as a natural experiment to estimate the effect on health service utilization for women and health outcomes for their infants. Regular Medicaid pregnancies were used as an additional control in a triple difference design. Our sample included pregnancies covered by Emergency Medicaid (35,182), Emergency Medicaid Plus (12,510), and Medicaid (166,054). After expansion of access to prenatal care, there was an increase in prenatal visits (7.2 more visits, 95% CI 6.45-7.96), receipt of adequate prenatal care (28% increased rate, CI 26-31), rates of diabetes screening (61% increased rate, CI 56-66), and fetal ultrasonograms (74% increased rate, CI 72-76). Maternal access to prenatal care was also associated with an increased number of well child visits (0.24 more visits, CI 0.07-0.41), increased rates of recommended screenings and vaccines (0.04 increased probability, CI 0.002-0.074), and reduced infant mortality (-1.01/1,000, CI -1.42 to -0.60) and rates of extremely low birth weight (less than 1,000 g) (-1.33/1,000, CI -2.44 to -0.21). Our results provide evidence of increased utilization and improved health outcomes for unauthorized immigrants and their children who are U.S. citizens after introduction of prenatal care expansion in Oregon. This study contributes to the debate around reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program in 2017.

  10. Exploring the social determinants of racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal care utilization and maternal outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gadson, Alexis; Akpovi, Eloho; Mehta, Pooja K

    2017-08-01

    Rates of maternal morbidity and mortality are rising in the United States. Non-Hispanic Black women are at highest risk for these outcomes compared to those of other race/ethnicities. Black women are also more likely to be late to prenatal care or be inadequate users of prenatal care. Prenatal care can engage those at risk and potentially influence perinatal outcomes but further research on the link between prenatal care and maternal outcomes is needed. The objective of this article is to review literature illuminating the relationship between prenatal care utilization, social determinants of health, and racial disparities in maternal outcome. We present a theoretical framework connecting the complex factors that may link race, social context, prenatal care utilization, and maternal morbidity/mortality. Prenatal care innovations showing potential to engage with the social determinants of maternal health and address disparities and priorities for future research are reviewed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. [Analysis of the status and influential factors for prenatal care and postpartum visit among pregnant women based on the First Health Service Survey in Hunan Province].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wei; Cheng, Xunjie; Zhang, Lin; Ning, Peishan; Li, Li; Deng, Xin; Deng, Jing; Hu, Guoqing

    2016-11-28

    To evaluate the status and influential factors for prenatal care and postpartum visit among pregnant women in Hunan Province from 2008 to 2013 based on the data from the First Health Service Survey in Hunan Province.
 Methods: Based on the data of prenatal care and postpartum visit among pregnant women from the First Health Service Survey of Hunan Province in 2013, proportion of pregnant women, who didn't meet the criteria for prenatal care and postpartum visit, were calculated (≥5 times for prenatal care and ≥2 times for postpartum visit, according to the National Basic Public Health Service program, 2009 Edition). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify the influencial factors.
 Results: A total of 1 035 eligible women were included in data analysis. The proportion of pregnant women who did not meet the criteria were 40.12% (95% CI 24.91%-55.33%) for prenatal care and 64.88% (95% CI 39.70%-90.06%) for postpartum visit. After adjusting other confounding factors, pregnant women with middle- and high-income had lower proportions of not meeting the criteria than those with low-income, with adjusted odds ratios of 0.41 and 0.39, respectively. Multiparae had higher proportion of not meeting the criteria than primiparas, with adjusted odds ratio of 1.54, and pregnant women with age 25-34 years and 35-64 years had lower proportions of not meeting the criteria than those with age 15-24 years. In term of postpartum visit, pregnant women with middle- to high-income had lower proportions of not meeting the criteria than those with low-income, with adjusted odds ratios of 0.50, 0.46 and 0.54, respectively; multiparae had higher proportion of not meeting the criteria than primiparas, with the adjusted odds ratio of 2.30.
 Conclusion: Proportions of pregnant women of not meeting the criteria are high in Hunan Province. Local government should strengthen the management to decrease the proportions of pregnant women who do not meet the standard in

  12. Group Prenatal Care Attendance: Determinants and Relationship with Care Satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunningham, Shayna D; Grilo, Stephanie; Lewis, Jessica B; Novick, Gina; Rising, Sharon Schindler; Tobin, Jonathan N; Ickovics, Jeannette R

    2017-04-01

    Objectives Group prenatal care results in improved birth outcomes in randomized controlled trials, and better attendance at group prenatal care visits is associated with stronger clinical effects. This paper's objectives are to identify determinants of group prenatal care attendance, and to examine the association between proportion of prenatal care received in a group context and satisfaction with care. Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis of pregnant adolescents (n = 547) receiving group prenatal care in New York City (2008-2012). Multivariable linear regression models were used to test associations between patient characteristics and percent of group care sessions attended, and between the proportion of prenatal care visits that occurred in a group context and care satisfaction. Results Sixty-seven groups were established. Group sizes ranged from 3 to 15 women (mean = 8.16, SD = 3.08); 87 % of groups enrolled at least five women. Women enrolled in group prenatal care supplemented group sessions with individual care visits. However, the percent of women who attended each group session was relatively consistent, ranging from 56 to 63 %. Being born outside of the United States was significantly associated with higher group session attendance rates [B(SE) = 11.46 (3.46), p = 0.001], and women who received a higher proportion of care in groups reported higher levels of care satisfaction [B(SE) = 0.11 (0.02), p prenatal care as possible in a group setting, as well as value-based reimbursement models and other incentives to encourage more widespread adoption of group prenatal care.

  13. Preschool outcomes following prenatal serotonin reuptake inhibitor exposure: differences in language and behavior, but not cognitive function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Katrina C; Smith, Alicia K; Stowe, Zachary N; Newport, D Jeffrey; Brennan, Patricia A

    2016-02-01

    To test the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) is associated with language and behavioral outcomes in preschool-aged children, while accounting for confounds such as concomitant exposures and maternal mental illness. An observational, prospective, longitudinal study of mental illness in pregnancy was conducted at a university-based women's mental health clinic (April 2010-November 2012). A sample of 178 mother-child dyads participated in a laboratory visit at preschool age (2.5-5.5 years). The majority of women (87%) received psychotropic medication during pregnancy. Psychiatric status (based on DSM-IV), other medication use, and substance use were serially assessed and tested as confounds. Primary outcome measures included standardized measures of expressive language and cognitive function and mother and alternate caregiver ratings of child behavior problems, including the Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist. Linear regression analyses revealed that, after controlling for relevant covariates, expressive language scores from the Test of Early Language Development, 3rd edition, were negatively associated with prenatal SRI exposure (β = -0.15, t = -2.41), while the PDD behavioral problems subscales completed by alternate caregivers and mothers were positively associated with prenatal SRI exposure (β = 0.17, t = 2.01; β = 0.16, t = 2.00, respectively). Cognitive function, measured using the Differential Ability Scales, 2nd edition, was not associated with any medication exposures. The current data suggest a small but significant association between prenatal SRI exposure and preschool outcomes, including expressive language and behavior problems. These data corroborate data from recent, population-based studies, although overall, published findings are mixed. Replication and identification of moderating risk factors are needed to understand potential clinical implications.

  14. The SMILE Program: Does Timing and Dosing of Nurse Home Visits Matter in Reducing Adverse Birth Outcomes for African American Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-13

    aspiration, prenatal drug exposure, anemia , sickle cell trait, or identification of any other adverse health condition to include premature birth...p=.840), preeclampsia (LBW: χ 2 = .034, df= 1, p=.967; Premature: χ 2 =.087, df= 1, p=.920), placenta previa (LBW: χ 2 = .173, df= 1, p=.845...interdisciplinary approaches to research and practice (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. HOME VISITATION & BIRTH OUTCOMES 29 Fry-Johnson, Y . W

  15. Effectiveness of Home Visits in Pregnancy as a Public Health Measure to Improve Birth Outcomes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kayoko Ichikawa

    Full Text Available Birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW, and small for gestational age (SGA, are crucial indicators of child development and health.To evaluate whether home visits from public health nurses for high-risk pregnant women prevent adverse birth outcomes.In this quasi-experimental cohort study in Kyoto city, Japan, high-risk pregnant women were defined as teenage girls (range 14-19 years old, women with a twin pregnancy, women who registered their pregnancy late, had a physical or mental illness, were of single marital status, non-Japanese women who were not fluent in Japanese, or elderly primiparas. We collected data from all high-risk pregnant women at pregnancy registration interviews held at a public health centers between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2012, as well as birth outcomes when delivered from the Maternal and Child Health Handbook (N = 964, which is a record of prenatal check-ups, delivery, child development and vaccinations. Of these women, 622 women were selected based on the home-visit program propensity score-matched sample (pair of N = 311 and included in the analysis. Data were analyzed between January and June 2014.In the propensity score-matched sample, women who received the home-visit program had lower odds of preterm birth (odds ratio [OR], 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39 to 0.98 and showed a 0.55-week difference in gestational age (95% CI: 0.18 to 0.92 compared to the matched controlled sample. Although the program did not prevent LBW and SGA, children born to mothers who received the program showed an increase in birth weight by 107.8 g (95% CI: 27.0 to 188.5.Home visits by public health nurses for high-risk pregnant women in Japan might be effective in preventing preterm birth, but not SGA.

  16. What Happens during Prenatal Visits?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... smoke, drink, or take drugs, and whether you exercise regularly. Ask about your stress level. Perform prenatal blood tests to do the ... increased risk of health problems during pregnancy? Will stress during pregnancy affect my ... minerals linked to problem with ovulation Release: Elevated blood pressure before pregnancy may increase chance ...

  17. Postnatal outcomes of prenatally diagnosed 45,X/46,XX.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokita, Mari J; Sybert, Virginia P

    2016-05-01

    High quality information is critical for informed decision-making in pregnancy following a prenatal diagnosis of sex chromosome aneuploidy. The goal of this study was to define the spectrum of outcomes in patients with prenatally diagnosed 45,X/46,XX mosaic Turner syndrome in order to provide a better basis for genetic counseling at the time of intrauterine diagnosis. Phenotype data for twenty-five patients with prenatally diagnosed 45,X/46,XX mosaicism were collected by retrospective chart review and, when possible, semi-structured telephone interview. Existing data from a cohort of 58 patients with postnatally diagnosed 45,X/46,XX mosaicism were used for comparison. Relative to those diagnosed postnatally, prenatal patients were more likely to have normal growth and normal secondary sexual development, less likely to manifest distinctive Turner syndrome features such as nuchal webbing and edema, and had significantly fewer renal defects. These differences underscore the need for a nuanced approach to prenatal counseling in cases of 45,X/46,XX mosaicism. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Prenatal coke: what's behind the smoke? Prenatal cocaine/alcohol exposure and school-age outcomes: the SCHOO-BE experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delaney-Black, V; Covington, C; Templin, T; Ager, J; Martier, S; Compton, S; Sokol, R

    1998-06-21

    Despite media reports and educators' concerns, little substantive data have been published to document or refute the emerging reports that children prenatally exposed to cocaine have serious behavioral problems in school. Recent pilot data from this institution have indeed demonstrated teacher-reported problem behaviors following prenatal cocaine exposure after controlling for the effects of prenatal alcohol use and cigarette exposure. Imperative in the study of prenatal exposure and child outcome is an acknowledgement of the influence of other control factors such as postnatal environment, secondary exposures, and parenting issues. We report preliminary evaluation from a large ongoing historical prospective study of prenatal cocaine exposure on school-age outcomes. The primary aim of this NIDA-funded study is to determine if a relationship exists between prenatal cocaine/alcohol exposures and school behavior and, if so, to determine if the relationship is characterized by a dose-response relationship. A secondary aim evaluates the relationship between prenatal cocaine/alcohol exposures and school achievement. Both relationships will be assessed in a black, urban sample of first grade students using multivariate statistical techniques for confounding as well as mediating and moderating prenatal and postnatal variables. A third aim is to evaluate the relationship between a general standardized classroom behavioral measure and a tool designed to tap the effects thought to be specific to prenatal cocaine exposure. This interdisciplinary research team can address these aims because of the existence of a unique, prospectively collected perinatal Database, funded in part by NIAAA and NICHD. The database includes repeated measures of cocaine, alcohol, and other substances for over 3,500 births since 1986. Information from this database is combined with information from the database of one of the largest public school systems in the nation. The final sample will be

  19. Prenatal Coke: What's Behind the Smoke?: Prenatal Cocaine/Alcohol Exposure and School-Age Outcomes: The SCHOO-BE Experiencea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delaney-Black, Virginia; Covington, Chandice; Templin, Tom; Ager, Joel; Martier, Sue; Compton, Scott; Sokol, Robert

    1998-06-01

    Despite media reports and educators' concerns, little substantive data have been published to document or refute the emerging reports that children prenatally exposed to cocaine have serious behavioral problems in school. Recent pilot data from this institution have indeed demonstrated teacher-reported problem behaviors following prenatal cocaine exposure after controlling for the effects of prenatal alcohol use and cigarette exposure. Imperative in the study of prenatal exposure and child outcome is an acknowledgment of the influence of other control factors such as postnatal environment, secondary exposures, and parenting issues. We report preliminary evaluation from a large ongoing historical prospective study of prenatal cocaine exposure on school-age outcomes. The primary aim of this NIDA-funded study is to determine if a relationship exists between prenatal cocaine/alcohol exposures and school behavior and, if so, to determine if the relationship is characterized by a dose-response relationship. A secondary aim evaluates the relationship between prenatal cocaine/alcohol exposures and school achievement. Both relationships will be assessed in a black, urban sample of first grade students using multivariate statistical techniques for confounding as well as mediating and moderating prenatal and postnatal variables. A third aim is to evaluate the relationship between a general standardized classroom behavioral measure and a tool designed to tap the effects thought to be specific to prenatal cocaine exposure. This interdisciplinary research team can address these aims because of the existence of a unique, prospectively collected Perinatal Database, funded in part by NIAAA and NICHD. The database includes repeated measures of cocaine, alcohol, and other substances for over 3,500 births since 1986. Information from this database is combined with information from the database of one of the largest public school systems in the nation. The final sample will be composed

  20. [Prenatal intestinal volvulus: A life-threatening event with good long-term outcome].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raherison, R; Grosos, C; Lemale, J; Blondiaux, E; Sabourdin, N; Dahan, S; Rosenblatt, J; Guilbert, J; Jouannic, J-M; Mitanchez, D; Audry, G; Auber, F

    2012-04-01

    To describe the outcome of neonates with prenatal intestinal volvulus. All neonates with prenatal intestinal volvulus managed in our institution between May 2004 and December 2010 were retrospectively studied. All neonates with prenatal or neonatal diagnosis of prenatal intestinal volvulus were included. We analyzed age at diagnosis, fetal ultrasound (US) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, clinical signs at birth, surgical findings, management, and postoperative outcome. Ten neonates with prenatal intestinal volvulus were identified. Prenatal US scans or MRI demonstrated evidence of meconium peritonitis in one fetus and bowel dilatation in 2 others. The mean gestational age at birth was 36 weeks (range, 31-38 weeks) and the mean birth weight was 2811g (range, 2050-3700g). One premature neonate developed respiratory distress and required ventilatory support at birth. In 7 neonates, clinical examination showed distended abdomen and emesis, whereas plain abdominal radiographs showed intestinal obstruction. All neonates underwent surgery and all had normal intestinal rotation, except one with total intestinal volvulus secondary to malrotation. Other causes of volvulus were suspected in 4 neonates: mesenteric defect (n=1), intestinal atresia (n=2) and narrow mesentery (n=1). Detorsion of total volvulus, ileostomy, or intestinal resection with primary anastomosis was performed in 2, 5, and 3 neonates, respectively. One patient with total intestinal volvulus secondary to malrotation died, whereas all other neonates survived. In one patient, the postoperative course was complicated by intestinal dysmotility of the distal small bowel requiring a secondary jejunoileostomy. Stoma closure was subsequently performed at 1 year of age with good outcome. One patient developed angiocholitis treated successfully with antibiotics. Median time to initiate enteral feeds was 7 days (range, 4-16 days) and all patients were subsequently weaned from parenteral nutrition

  1. Modifying effect of prenatal care on the association between young maternal age and adverse birth outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, C L; Coeli, C M; Pinheiro, R S; Brandão, E R; Camargo, K R; Aguiar, F P

    2012-06-01

    The objectives were to investigate the prevalence of adverse birth outcomes according to maternal age range in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2002, and to evaluate the association between maternal age range and adverse birth outcomes using additive interaction to determine whether adequate prenatal care can attenuate the harmful effect of young age on pregnancy outcomes. A cross-sectional analysis was performed in women up to 24 years of age who gave birth to live children in 2002 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. To evaluate adverse outcomes, the exposure variable was maternal age range, and the outcome variables were very preterm birth, low birth weight, prematurity, and low 5-minute Apgar score. The presence of interaction was investigated with the composite variable maternal age plus prenatal care. The proportions and respective 95% confidence intervals were calculated for adequate schooling, delivery in a public maternity hospital, and adequate prenatal care, and the outcomes according to maternal age range. The chi-square test was used. The association between age range and birth outcomes was evaluated with logistic models adjusted for schooling and type of hospital for each prenatal stratum and outcome. Attributable proportion was calculated in order to measure additive interaction. Of the 40,111 live births in the sample, 1.9% corresponded to children of mothers from 10-14 years of age, 38% from 15-19 years, and 59.9% from 20-24 years. An association between maternal age and adverse outcomes was observed only in adolescent mothers with inadequate prenatal care, and significant additive interaction was observed between prenatal care and maternal age for all the outcomes. Adolescent mothers and their newborns are exposed to greater risk of adverse outcomes when prenatal care fails to comply with current guidelines. Copyright © 2012 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Prenatal and infancy home visiting by nurses: from randomized trials to community replication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olds, David L

    2002-09-01

    This paper summarizes a 25-year program of research that has attempted to improve the early health and development of low-income mothers and children and their future life trajectories with prenatal and infancy home visiting by nurses. The program has been tested in two separate large-scale randomized controlled trials with different populations living in different contexts. The program has been successful in improving parental care of the child as reflected in fewer injuries and ingestions that may be associated with child abuse and neglect; and maternal life-course, reflected in fewer subsequent pregnancies, greater work force participation, and reduced use of public assistance and food stamps. In the first trial, the program also produced long-term effects on the number of arrests, convictions, emergent substance use, and promiscuous sexual activity of 15-year-old children whose nurse-visited mothers were low-income and unmarried when they registered in the study during pregnancy. Since 1996, the program has been offered for public investment outside of research contexts. Careful attention has been given to ensuring that the program is replicated with fidelity to the model tested in the scientifically controlled studies by working with community leaders to ensure that organization and community contexts are favorable for the program; by providing the nurses with excellent training and technical assistance and detailed visit-by-visit guidelines; and by providing organizations with a web-based clinical information system that creates a basis for monitoring program performance and continuous quality improvement.

  3. MOMS: Obstetrical Outcomes and Risk Factors for Obstetrical Complications Following Prenatal Surgery

    Science.gov (United States)

    JOHNSON, Mark P.; BENNETT, Kelly A.; RAND, Larry; BURROWS, Pamela K.; THOM, Elizabeth A.; HOWELL, Lori J.; FARRELL, Jody A.; DABROWIAK, Mary E.; BROCK, John W.; FARMER, Diana L.; ADZICK, N. Scott

    2016-01-01

    Background The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) was a multi-center randomized trial to compare prenatal and standard postnatal closure of myelomeningocele. The trial was stopped early at recommendation of the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee and outcome data for 158 of the 183 randomized women published. Objective In this report, pregnancy outcomes for the complete trial cohort are presented. We also sought to analyze risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcome among those women who underwent prenatal myelomeningocele repair. Study Design Pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two surgery groups. For women who underwent prenatal surgery antecedent demographic, surgical and pregnancy complication risk factors were evaluated for the following outcomes: premature spontaneous membrane rupture on or before 34 weeks 0 days (PPROM), spontaneous membrane rupture at any gestational age (SROM), preterm delivery at 34 weeks 0 days or earlier (PTD) and non-intact hysterotomy (minimal uterine wall tissue between fetal membranes and uterine serosa, or partial or complete dehiscence at delivery) and chorioamniotic membrane separation. Risk factors were evaluated using chi-square and Wilcoxon tests and multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 183 women were randomized: 91 to prenatal surgery and 92 to postnatal surgery groups. Analysis of the complete cohort confirmed initial findings: that prenatal surgery was associated with an increased risk for membrane separation, oligohydramnios, spontaneous membrane rupture, spontaneous onset of labor and earlier gestational age at birth. In multivariable logistic regression of the prenatal surgery group adjusting for clinical center, earlier gestational age at surgery and chorioamniotic membrane separation were associated with increased risk of SROM (odds ratio [OR] 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.22; OR 2.96, 95% CI 1.05-8.35, respectively). Oligohydramnios was associated with an increased risk

  4. Projected Outcomes of Nurse-Family Partnership Home Visitation During 1996-2013, USA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Ted R

    2015-08-01

    Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) targets intensive prenatal and postnatal home visitation by registered nurses to low-income first-time mothers. Through 2013, 177,517 pregnant women enrolled in NFP programs. This article projects how NFP will affect their lives and the lives of their babies. NFP has been evaluated in six randomized trials and several more limited analyses of operational programs. We systematically reviewed evaluation findings on 21 outcomes and calculated effects on three more. We added outcome data from the NFP national data system and personal communications that filled outcome data gaps on some trials. We assumed effectiveness in replication declined by 21.8 %, proportionally with the decline in mean visits per family from trials to operational programs. By 2031, NFP program enrollments in 1996-2013 will prevent an estimated 500 infant deaths, 10,000 preterm births, 13,000 dangerous closely spaced second births, 4700 abortions, 42,000 child maltreatment incidents, 36,000 intimate partner violence incidents, 90,000 violent crimes by youth, 594,000 property and public order crimes (e.g., vandalism, loitering) by youth, 36,000 youth arrests, and 41,000 person-years of youth substance abuse. They will reduce smoking during pregnancy, pregnancy complications, childhood injuries, and use of subsidized child care; improve language development; increase breast-feeding; and raise compliance with immunization schedules. They will eliminate the need for 4.8 million person-months of child Medicaid spending and reduce estimated spending on Medicaid, TANF, and food stamps by $3.0 billion (present values in 2010 dollars). By comparison, NFP cost roughly $1.6 billion. Thus, NFP appears to be a sound investment. It saves money while enriching the lives of participating low-income mothers and their offspring and benefiting society more broadly by reducing crime and safety net demand.

  5. Visit-to-Visit Variability in Blood Pressure and Kidney and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Nephropathy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McMullan, Ciaran J; Lambers Heerspink, Hiddo J; Parving, Hans-Henrik

    2014-01-01

    -to-visit variability was calculated from the SD of the systolic blood pressure from 4 visits occurring 3-12 months postrandomization. OUTCOMES: The kidney disease outcome was defined as time to confirmed doubling of serum creatinine level, end-stage renal disease, or death; the cardiovascular outcome was defined......BACKGROUND: Increased systolic blood pressure variability between outpatient visits is associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular end points. However, few studies have examined the association of visit-to-visit variability in systolic blood pressure with clinically relevant kidney...... disease outcomes. We analyzed the association of systolic blood pressure visit-to-visit variability with renal and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among individuals with diabetes and nephropathy. STUDY DESIGN: Observational analysis of IDNT (Irbesartan Diabetic Nephropathy Trial) and the RENAAL...

  6. Antenatal care visits and pregnancy outcomes at a Kenyan rural ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The goal of antenatal care (ANC) is to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. Fewer ANC visits in focused antenatal care (FANC) model can affect maternal and perinatal outcomes in low income settings where the number ANC visits are often low. Objective: To determine the number of ANC visits and their ...

  7. [Social factors associated with use of prenatal care in Ecuador].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Gómez, Amaya; Cevallos, William; Grijalva, Mario J; Silva-Ayçaguer, Luis C; Tamayo, Susana; Jacobson, Jerry O; Costales, Jaime A; Jiménez-Garcia, Rodrigo; Hernández-Barrera, Valentín; Serruya, Suzanne; Riera, Celia

    2016-11-01

    Prenatal care is a pillar of public health, enabling access to interventions including prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and congenital syphilis. This paper describes social factors related to use of prenatal care in Ecuador. In 2011 and 2012, participant clinical history and interview information was analyzed from a national probability sample of 5 998 women presenting for delivery or miscarriage services in 15 healthcare facilities in Ecuador, to estimate prevalence of HIV, syphilis, and Chagas disease, and prenatal care coverage. The study found that 94.1% of women had attended at least one prenatal visit, but that attendance at no less than four visits was 73.1%. Furthermore, lower educational level, greater number of pregnancies, occupation in the agriculture or livestock sector, and membership in ethnic indigenous, Afro-Ecuadorian, or other minority groups were factors associated with lack of use (no prenatal visits) or insufficient use of prenatal care (fewer than four visits or first visit at >20 weeks gestation) in Ecuador. These results point to persistence of marked inequalities in access to and use of prenatal health services attributable to socioeconomic factors and to the need to strengthen strategies to address them, to reach the goal of universal prenatal care coverage.

  8. The Effect of Local Smokefree Regulations on Birth Outcomes and Prenatal Smoking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartholomew, Karla S; Abouk, Rahi

    2016-07-01

    Objectives We assessed the impact of varying levels of smokefree regulations on birth outcomes and prenatal smoking. Methods We exploited variations in timing and regulation restrictiveness of West Virginia's county smokefree regulations to assess their impact on birthweight, gestational age, low birthweight, very low birthweight, preterm birth, and prenatal smoking. We conducted regression analysis using state Vital Statistics individual-level data for singletons born to West Virginia residents between 1995-2010 (N = 293,715). Results Only more comprehensive smokefree regulations were associated with statistically significant favorable effects on birth outcomes in the full sample: Comprehensive (workplace/restaurant/bar ban) demonstrated increased birthweight (29 grams, p workplace/restaurant ban) demonstrated a small decrease in very low birthweight (-0.2 %, p workplace ban) was associated with a 23 g (p < 0.01) decrease in birthweight; Limited (partial ban) had no effect. Comprehensive's improvements extended to most maternal groups, and were broadest among mothers 21+ years, non-smokers, and unmarried mothers. Prenatal smoking declined slightly (-1.7 %, p < 0.01) only among married women with Comprehensive. Conclusions Regulation restrictiveness is a determining factor in the impact of smokefree regulations on birth outcomes, with comprehensive smokefree regulations showing promise in improving birth outcomes. Favorable effects on birth outcomes appear to stem from reduced secondhand smoke exposure rather than reduced prenatal smoking prevalence. This study is limited by an inability to measure secondhand smoke exposure and the paucity of data on policy implementation and enforcement.

  9. [Gastroschisis: Prenatal ultrasonography and obstetrical criteria for predicting neonatal outcome].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ducellier, G; Moussy, P; Sahmoune, L; Bonneau, S; Alanio, E; Bory, J-P

    2016-09-01

    Prenatal diagnosis of complex laparoschisis is difficult and yet it is associated with a significantly increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to define ultrasonographic factor and obstetrical criteria to predicting adverse neonatal outcome. Retrospective cohort study over 10 years, of 35 gastroschisis cases in CHU of Reims (France). The primary outcome was the neonatal death due to gastroschisis. The sonographic markers was bowel dilatation intra- or extra-abdominale, amniotic fluid, intra-uterin growth. The obstetrical criteria was fetal vitality, fetal heart rate, type of delivery, the weight and the term of birth. There were 28 live births, 16 children with favorable outcome, 8 children with adverse perinatal outcome and 4 deaths. There were any sonographic criteria to predicting adverse neonatal outcome. Only the birth weight less than 2000g was associated with an increase gastrointestinal complications (P=0.049). The type of the delivery was not associated with an adverse prenatal outcome. The birth weight less than 2000g seems to be associate with an increase gastrointestinal complications. It is important to fight against prematurity in case of gastroschisis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  10. Medicaid reimbursement, prenatal care and infant health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonchak, Lyudmyla

    2015-12-01

    This paper evaluates the impact of state-level Medicaid reimbursement rates for obstetric care on prenatal care utilization across demographic groups. It also uses these rates as an instrumental variable to assess the importance of prenatal care on birth weight. The analysis is conducted using a unique dataset of Medicaid reimbursement rates and 2001-2010 Vital Statistics Natality data. Conditional on county fixed effects, the study finds a modest, but statistically significant positive relationship between Medicaid reimbursement rates and the number of prenatal visits obtained by pregnant women. Additionally, higher rates are associated with an increase in the probability of obtaining adequate care, as well as a reduction in the incidence of going without any prenatal care. However, the effect of an additional prenatal visit on birth weight is virtually zero for black disadvantaged mothers, while an additional visit yields a substantial increase in birth weight of over 20 g for white disadvantaged mothers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. LB01.06: VISIT-TO-VISIT BLOOD PRESSURE VARIABILITY AND CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOMES IN FELODIPINE EVENT REDUCTION STUDY.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Y; Zhang, X; Liu, L; Zanchetti, A

    2015-06-01

    Many antihypertensive outcome trials have shown that visit-to-visit blood pressure variability is correlated closely with clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients. The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between visit-to-visit blood pressure variability (BPV) and the major cardiovascular outcomes in the Chinese hypertensive patients. Felodipine Event Reduction (FEVER) study was a double-blind, randomized trial on 9711 Chinese hypertensive patients, in whom cardiovascular outcomes were significantly reduced by more intense therapy achieving a mean of 138 mmHg SBP compared with less-intense therapy achieving a mean of 142 mmHg. Visit-to-visit BPV during the follow-up period [defined as standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), and average real variability(ARV)] was derived from casual cuff BP measures after six months follow-up until the end of the study. Hazard ratios (HRs), for the incidence of CVD associated with SD, CV, and ARV of SBP and DBP were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models. Overall predictive power [area under receiver operating characteristic (AUC ROC) curve] of the level of blood pressure, blood pressure variability and other baseline characteristics was calculated. In FEVER study, visit-to-visit variability in SBP were significant predictors of subsequent stroke [eg, hazard ratios [HR] for ARV, SD and CV was 1.071 (95% CI: 1.025-1.118), 1.373 (95% CI: 1.159-1.626) and 0.572 (95% CI: 0.451-0,726)]. Visit-to-visit variability in DBP were also showed similar trend [eg, HR for ARV, SD and CV was 1.066 (95% CI: 0.992-1.145), 1.931 (95% CI: 1.435-2.598) and 0.558 (95% CI: 0.438-0,710)]. However, using the analysis of AUC ROC analysis, the risk importance sequence of the stroke events in this cohort was level of SBP, age, level of DBP ARV, SD, sex, CV and treatment. Visit-to-visit blood pressure variability has some effects on the cardiovascular outcomes in the Chinese hypertensive patents in the cohort in

  12. Prenatal lignan exposures, pregnancy urine estrogen profiles and birth outcomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Rong; Chen, Minjian; Zhou, Kun; Chen, Daozhen; Yu, Jing; Hu, Weiyue; Song, Ling; Hang, Bo; Wang, Xinru; Xia, Yankai

    2015-01-01

    During pregnancy, human exposure to endogenous estrogens and xenoestrogens (such as lignans) may comprehensively impact the gestational maintenance and fetal growth. We measured the concentrations of 5 lignans and the profile of 13 estrogen metabolites (EMs) in the urine samples of 328 pregnant women and examined their associations with birth outcomes. We found significantly positive associations between gestational age and urinary matairesinol (MAT), enterodiol (END) and enterolactone (ENL), as well as 16-hydroxylation pathway EMs. There were consistently positive relationships between END and the 16-hydroxylation pathway EMs. The positive relationships of MAT, END and ENL exposures with the length of gestation were mainly in the low exposure strata of the levels of these EMs. This study reveals that MAT, END and ENL as well as 16-hydroxylation pathway EMs are associated with birth outcomes, and that there are interactive relationships between lignans and 16-hydroxylation pathway EMs with birth outcomes. - Highlights: • We examined relations between prenatal lignan exposures and birth outcomes. • We examined relations between pregnancy urine estrogen profiles and birth outcomes. • MAT, END and ENL are associated with birth outcomes. • 16-hydroxylation pathway EMs are associated with birth outcomes. • There are interactive relationships between ligans and EMs with birth outcomes. - Prenatal lignan exposures and EM levels were interactively related to birth outcomes

  13. Disposition and Health Outcomes among Infants Born to Mothers with No Prenatal Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedman, Susan Hatters; Heneghan, Amy; Rosenthal, Miriam

    2009-01-01

    Objective: This study assessed infant disposition and health outcomes among offspring born to mothers without prenatal care, based on maternal characteristics and the reason for lack of prenatal care (i.e., denial of pregnancy, concealment of pregnancy, primary substance use, financial barriers and multiparity). Methods: A retrospective record…

  14. The Effect of Prenatal Home Visiting for Adolescent Mothers on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taherh Hadian

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Adolescence pregnancy is high risk both for mother and child. This systematic review aimed to determine the effect of home visiting on maternal and neonatal outcomes in adolescent mothers.Materials and Methods: This systematic review was performed by searching English databases including Cochran library, PubMed, Google scholar, Scopus, web of science, Embase, Ovid and Persian databases including SID, Magiran, and Barakat Knowledge Network System without time limitation. The search terms included "adolescent or teen pregnancy", "adolescent or teen mothers", "home visiting", "home visitation" and "home visit". Results: According to databases search, 967 papers were found that among them 913 papers were not related. Among 54 related papers, 44 abstracts and 10 full texts were studied. At the end, 7 RCT included in this systematic review. The meta-analysis result done on 375 person indicated that mental health in the home visiting group was significantly better than the control group (routine care or cares except considered intervention (standard mean difference: -0.33; 95%CI: -0.57 to -0.10; p=0.006, I2=0%. Also, meta-analysis done on 185 persons showed that there was no significant difference between two groups in terms of repeat pregnancy (odds ratio: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.33 to 2.03; p=0.67; I2=50% and repeat birth (odds ratio: 0.90; 95%CI: 0.35 to 2.31; P= 0.820, I2=0%. Conclusion: Results indicates that home visiting can improve mental health but does not have any effect on repeat pregnancy and repeat birth. Clinical trials with accurate methodology by controlling effect of number and duration of home visiting are recommended.

  15. Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Prenatal Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Genco Usta

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available The influence of prenatal stress on psychopathology has been observed in many animal and human studies. In many studies, stress during prenatal period has been shown to result in negative feedback dysregulation and hyperactivity of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis. Prenatal stres also may cause increased risk of birth complications, startle or distress in response to novel and surprising stimuli during infancy; lower Full Scale IQs, language abilities and attention deficiency in period of 3-5 years; increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome, anxiety symptoms, depressive disorder and impulsivity during adolescence. Additionally, timing of prenatal stress is also important and 12-22 weeks of gestation seems to be the most vulnerable period. The results underline the need for early prevention and intervention programs for highly anxious women during pregnancy. Administration of prenatal stress monitoring to public health programs or removing pregnant women who have been exposed to life events such as natural disaster, terror attack to secure areas that provide basic needs may be crucial.

  16. Pattern of prenatal care utilization in Tehran: A population based longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolahi, Ali-Asghar; Abbasi-Kangevari, Mohsen; Abdollahi, Morteza; Ehdaeivand, Farnaz; Arshi, Shahnam

    2017-09-28

    To assess the pattern of prenatal care utilization in Tehran in 2015. A total of 2005 pregnant women who lived in the catchment area of the study participated. Participants were followed from the sixth week of pregnancy until birth. Data were collected either through interviews or from written medical records. More than 95% of mothers completed all eight prenatal care visits. Some 99% of mothers completed at least four visits. The prenatal care utilization was equal among all different socio-economic regions in Tehran. Gynecologists were the main healthcare providers in prenatal care visits. In addition, 75% of mothers went to gynecologists at their office or in hospitals for ordering first-trimester screening tests. Prenatal care utilization complied with both national guidelines and recommendations of World Health Organization regarding the number of conducted visits. Equal accessibility and availability of prenatal care service despite the socio-economical differences of families is suggestive of equity and social justice in terms of providing health services in both public and private sectors. Among healthcare providers, gynecologists were the main healthcare provider for prenatal care visits. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. The Effect of Centering Pregnancy versus Traditional Prenatal Care Models on Improved Adolescent Health Behaviors in the Perinatal Period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trotman, Gylynthia; Chhatre, Gayatri; Darolia, Renuka; Tefera, Eshetu; Damle, Lauren; Gomez-Lobo, Veronica

    2015-10-01

    To determine if the CenteringPregnancy model of prenatal care improves maternal health behaviors in adolescent pregnancy. We conducted a retrospective chart review comparing 150 pregnant adolescents who received prenatal care between 2008 to 2012 with CenteringPregnancy to those receiving care in traditional prenatal care models with either multiprovider or single-provider visits. Outcome measures included weight gain during pregnancy, compliance to prenatal care appointments, infant feeding method, postpartum follow up and contraceptive use postpartum. A χ(2) analysis was used to compare outcomes between the 3 groups at a 2-tailed α of .05. Fifty individuals were evaluated in each group. Adolescents in the CenteringPregnancy group were more likely to comply with prenatal and postpartum visits and to meet the 2009 Institute of Medicine gestational weight guidelines for weight gain in pregnancy than were adolescents in either multiprovider (62.0% vs 38.0%, P = .02) or single-provider (62.0% vs 38.0%, P = .02) groups. The CenteringPregnancy group was also more likely to solely breastfeed compared with adolescents in the multiprovider group (40.0% vs 20.0%, P = .03) and include breastfeeding in addition to bottle-feeding compared with both multiprovider (32.0% vs 14.0%, P = .03) and single-provider (32.0% vs 12.0%, P = .03) patient groups. Additionally, the CenteringPregnancy group had increased uptake of long-acting reversible contraception and were less likely to suffer from postpartum depression. CenteringPregnancy Prenatal Care program aids in compliance to prenatal visits, appropriate weight gain, increased uptake of highly effective contraception, and breastfeeding among adolescent mothers. Copyright © 2015 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Prenatal Care: New Hampshire Residents - 1976.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mires, Maynard H.; Sirc, Charles E.

    Data from 1976 New Hampshire birth certificates were used to examine the correlations between the degree (month of pregnancy that prenatal care began) and intensity (number of prenatal visits) of prenatal care and low infant birth weight, illegitimacy, maternal age, maternal education, and complications of pregnancy. The rate of low birth weight…

  19. Prenatal vitamins: what is in the bottle?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duerbeck, Norman B; Dowling, David D; Duerbeck, Jillinda M

    2014-12-01

    Nearly all obstetricians routinely prescribe prenatal vitamins to their pregnant patients at the time of the first prenatal visit. Many times, patients' understanding of the health benefits of prenatal vitamins differs substantially from that of the prescribing physician. The following is a review of the most common ingredients found in prenatal vitamins and their purported health benefits.

  20. Quality of Prenatal Care Services in Karabuk Community Health Center

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binali Catak

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality and quantity of prenatal care services according to gestastional week in Karabuk Community Health Center (CHC. Methods: In this descriptive study 365 pregnant women was selected as sample among 753 pregnant women registered at Karabuk CHC in 18/01/2011. 93.0% of women in the selected sample has been visited in their homes and the face to face interviews were done. The questionnaire was prepared according to Prenatal Care Management Guidelines (PCMG of Ministry of Health. Findings The number of follow-ups was not complete in 23.7% of 15-24 month, 34.4% of 25-32 month, 52,1% of 33-42 month pregnant women. At least four follow-up visits were completed only in 66,7% of postpartum women. Timing of first visit was after 15th week in 15,6% of women. In follow up visits 62.5% of of women’s height were never measured, in 13,0% the women hearth sound of infants didn’t monitored at least once. Laboratory test numbers were under the level required by PCMG. The delivery conditions weren’t planned in 41,8% of last trimester and postpartum women and training about breastfeeding wasn’t given to 15,5 of the same group. Result In family medicine model in Karabuk CHC developments in number of prenatal follow-up visits were observed, but no substantial improvements were found in quality of prenatal visits. Regular in service trainings shoud be given to family doctors and midwives. The use of prenatal care guideline published by MoH should be increased. Keywords: Prenatal care, pregnancy, timing of first visit, qality of prenatal care [TAF Prev Med Bull 2012; 11(2.000: 153-162

  1. Disparities in Maternal Child and Health Outcomes Attributable to Prenatal Tobacco Use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohlman, Mary Katherine; Levy, David T

    2016-03-01

    Previous estimates of smoking-attributable adverse outcomes, such as preterm births (PTBs), low birth weight (LBW) and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs) generally do not address disparities by maternal age, racial/ethnic group or socioeconomic status (SES). This study develops estimates of smoking-attributable PTB, LBW and SIDS for the US by age, SES and racial/ethnic groupings. Data on the number of births and the prevalence of PTB, LBW and SIDS were used to develop the number of outcomes by age, race/ethnicity, and SES. The prevalence of prenatal smoking by age, race/ethnic and education and the relative risk of outcomes for smokers were used to calculate smoking-attributable fractions of outcomes. Prenatal smoking among ages 15-24 is above 12 %, with 20-24 year olds representing at least 35 % of PTB, LBW SIDS cases. Women with a high school education or less represented more than 50 % of PTB and LBW births, and 44 % of SIDS cases. While non-Hispanic Whites had the majority of smoking-attributable outcomes, non-Hispanic Blacks represented a disproportionately high percentage of PTBs (18 %), LBW births (22 %), and SIDS cases (13 %). Reducing prenatal smoking has the potential to reduce adverse birth outcomes and costs with long-term implications, especially among the young, non-Hispanic Blacks and those of lower SES. Stricter tobacco control policies, especially higher cigarette taxes, higher minimum purchase ages for tobacco and improved cessation interventions can help reduce disparities and the cost to insurers, especially public costs through Medicaid.

  2. Mediating role of stress reactivity in the effects of prenatal tobacco exposure on childhood mental health outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Aesoon; O'Malley, Stephanie S; King, Sarah L; Picciotto, Marina R

    2014-02-01

    Prenatal tobacco exposure, through maternal smoking during pregnancy, has been associated with adverse mental health outcomes in childhood. However, the mechanisms by which prenatal tobacco exposure compromises mental health later in life are unclear. We hypothesized that sensitized reactivity to stressful life events in early childhood mediates the effect of prenatal tobacco exposure on mental health outcomes in middle childhood, after accounting for earlier mental health outcomes. Data were from 12,308 mothers and their children drawn from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a large prospective population-based study. Mothers' self-reports of smoking during pregnancy, mothers' ratings of their child's reactivity to stressful life events, and teachers' and mothers' ratings of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire assessing 5 domains of mental health outcomes were measured. A positive association was found between prenatal tobacco exposure and stress reactivity between the ages of 2 and 6. In turn, stress reactivity was positively associated with peer (isolation), hyperactivity, conduct, and emotional problems (but not prosocial behaviors) between the ages of 7 and 11, after accounting for the mental health outcome at age 4 and other confounders. Heightened stress reactivity in preschool ages mediated the effect of prenatal tobacco exposure on adverse mental health outcomes between the ages of 7 and 11. Interventions to assist children exposed to tobacco smoke during gestation in coping with stressful life events may help mitigate psychiatric symptoms in this population.

  3. Characteristics and outcome and the omphalocele circumference/abdominal circumference ratio in prenatally diagnosed fetal omphalocele

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kleinrouweler, C. E.; Kuijper, C. F.; van Zalen-Sprock, M. M.; Mathijssen, I. B.; Bilardo, C. M.; Pajkrt, E.

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate the outcome of fetuses with prenatally diagnosed omphalocele and to investigate the predictive value of the omphalocele circumference/abdominal circumference (OC/AC) ratio - a measure for the relative size of the omphalocele. This study includes all fetuses prenatally diagnosed with

  4. African American women and prenatal care: perceptions of patient-provider interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahlem, Chin Hwa Y; Villarruel, Antonia M; Ronis, David L

    2015-02-01

    Poor patient-provider interaction among racial/ethnic minorities is associated with disparities in health care. In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, we examine African American women's perspectives and experiences of patient-provider interaction (communication and perceived discrimination) during their initial prenatal visit and their influences on perceptions of care received and prenatal health behaviors. Pregnant African American women (n = 204) and their providers (n = 21) completed a pre- and postvisit questionnaire at the initial prenatal visit. Women were also interviewed face to face at the subsequent return visit. Women perceived high quality patient-provider communication (PPC) and perceived low discrimination in their interaction with providers. Multiple regression analyses showed that PPC had a positive effect on trust in provider (p prenatal care satisfaction (p prenatal health behaviors. Findings suggest that quality PPC improves the prenatal care experience for African American women. © The Author(s) 2014.

  5. The Effects of Prenatal Care Utilization on Maternal Health and Health Behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Ji

    2017-08-01

    While many economic studies have explored the role of prenatal care in infant health production, the literature is sporadic on the effects of prenatal care on the mother. This research contributes to this understudied but important area using a unique large dataset of sibling newborns delivered by 0.17 million mothers. We apply within-mother estimators to find robust evidence that poor prenatal care utilization due to late onset of care, low frequency of care visits, or combinations of the two significantly increases the risks of maternal insufficient gestational weight gain, prenatal smoking, premature rupture of membranes, precipitous labor, no breastfeeding, postnatal underweight, and postpartum smoking. The magnitude of the estimates relative to the respective sample means of the outcome variables ranges from 3% to 33%. The results highlight the importance of receiving timely and sufficient prenatal care in improving maternal health and health behaviors during pregnancy as well as after childbirth. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Comparisons of Website Visit Behavior between Purchase Outcomes and Product Categories

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chatpong Tangmanee

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The online retail business has grown substantially. Given distinctive product categories (e.g. search or experience goods, owners must put an effort in the design of websites so every visit may end with a purchase. Clickstream panel data allowing examination into website visiting behavior (i.e. the number of pages viewed (or pageview or the visit duration are increasingly accessible. However, it is unclear whether the differences of the two visiting behavior between purchase outcome or product categories are significant. The present study hopes to fill the void. An analysis of 27,528 visit sessions extracted from ComScore verifies that (1 the difference of page views between purchase outcomes and that between product categories were significant and (2 only the difference of visit duration between the product categories was significant but that between purchase outcomes was insignificant. In addition to theoretical insight into online behavior across purchasing horizons and product categories using clickstream data, online retail practitioners could apply the findings to enhance the possibility of the purchases at their online stores.

  7. Visit-to-visit cholesterol variability correlates with coronary atheroma progression and clinical outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Donald; Nicholls, Stephen J; St John, Julie; Elshazly, Mohamed B; Kapadia, Samir R; Tuzcu, E Murat; Nissen, Steven E; Puri, Rishi

    2018-04-21

    Utilizing serial intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS), we aimed to exam the association of intra-individual lipid variability, coronary atheroma progression, and clinical outcomes. We performed a post hoc patient-level analysis of nine clinical trials involving 4976 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent serial coronary IVUS in the setting of a range of medical therapies. We assessed the associations between progression in percent atheroma volume (ΔPAV), clinical outcomes, and visit-to-visit lipid variability including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), non-HDL-C, total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C, and apolipoprotein B (ApoB). Variability of lipid parameters was measured using intra-individual standard deviation over 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Atherogenic lipoprotein variability significantly associated with ΔPAV [odds ratio (95% confidence interval; P-value), LDL-C: 1.09 (1.02, 1.17, P = 0.01); non-HDL-C: 1.10 (1.02, 1.18, P = 0.01); TC/HDL-C: 1.14 (1.06, 1.24, P = 0.001); ApoB: 1.13 (1.03, 1.24, P = 0.01)]. Survival curves revealed significant stepwise relationships between cumulative major adverse cardiovascular events and increasing quartiles of atherogenic lipoprotein variability at 24-months follow-up (log-rank P C). Stronger associations were noted between achieved lipoprotein levels and ΔPAV [LDL-C: 1.27 (1.17, 1.39; P C: 1.32 (1.21, 1.45; P C: 1.31 (1.19, 1.45; P < 0.001); ApoB: 1.20 (1.07, 1.35; P = 0.003)]. Greater visit-to-visit variability in atherogenic lipoprotein levels significantly associates with coronary atheroma progression and clinical outcomes, although the association between achieved atherogenic lipoproteins and atheroma progression appears stronger. These data highlight the importance of achieving low and consistent atherogenic lipoprotein levels to promote plaque regression and improve clinical outcomes.

  8. The Effect of Prenatal Home Visiting for Adolescent Mothers on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Taherh Hadian; Mojgan Mirghafourvand; Sakineh Mohammad-Alizadeh Charandabi; Solmaz Ghanbari; Jila Nahaeii; Shahla Meedya

    2018-01-01

    Background: Adolescence pregnancy is high risk both for mother and child. This systematic review aimed to determine the effect of home visiting on maternal and neonatal outcomes in adolescent mothers.Materials and Methods: This systematic review was performed by searching English databases including Cochran library, PubMed, Google scholar, Scopus, web of science, Embase, Ovid and Persian databases including SID, Magiran, and Barakat Knowledge Network System without time limitation. The search...

  9. Family health strategy and equity in prenatal care: a population based cross-sectional study in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrade, Mônica Viegas; Noronha, Kenya Valéria Micaela de Souza; Queiroz Barbosa, Allan Claudius; Souza, Michelle Nepomuceno; Calazans, Júlia Almeida; Carvalho, Lucas Resende de; Rocha, Thiago Augusto Hernandes; Silva, Núbia Cristina

    2017-01-21

    Prenatal care coverage is still not universal or adequately provided in many low and middle income countries. One of the main barriers regards the presence of socioeconomic inequalities in prenatal care utilization. In Brazil, prenatal care is supplied for the entire population at the community level as part of the Family Health Strategy (FHS), which is the main source of primary care provided by the public health system. Brazil has some of the greatest income inequalities in the world, and little research has been conducted to investigate prenatal care utilization of FHS across socioeconomic groups. This paper addresses this gap investigating the socioeconomic and regional differences in the utilization of prenatal care supplied by the FHS in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data comes from a probabilistic household survey carried out in 2012 representative of the population living in urban areas in the state of Minas Gerais. The sample size comprises 1,420 women aged between 13 and 45 years old who had completed a pregnancy with a live born in the last five years prior to the survey. The outcome variables are received prenatal care, number of antenatal visits, late prenatal care, antenatal tests, tetanus immunization and low birthweight. A descriptive analysis and logistic models were estimated for the outcome variables. The coverage of prenatal care is almost universal in catchment urban areas of FHT of Minas Gerais state including both antenatal visits and diagnostic procedures. Due to this high level of coverage, socioeconomic inequalities were not observed. FHS supplied care for around 80% of the women without private insurance and 90% for women belonging to lower socioeconomic classes. Women belonging to lower socioeconomic classes were at least five times more likely to receive antenatal visits and any of the antenatal tests by the FHS compared to those belonging to the highest classes. Moreover, FHS was effective in reducing low birthweight. Women who

  10. Using Prenatal Advocates to Implement a Psychosocial Education Intervention for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder during Pregnancy: Feasibility, Care Engagement, and Predelivery Behavioral Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Upshur, Carole C; Wenz-Gross, Melodie; Weinreb, Linda; Moffitt, Jennifer Jo Averill

    2016-01-01

    Pregnant women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) engage in more high-risk behavior and use less prenatal care. Although treating depression in pregnancy is becoming widespread, options for addressing PTSD are few. This study was designed to test the feasibility of implementing a manualized psychosocial PTSD intervention, Seeking Safety, delivered by prenatal advocates. All women entering prenatal care at two federally qualified health centers were screened for current symptoms of PTSD. One site was selected randomly to have prenatal care advocates deliver eight Seeking Safety topics for women that indicated clinical or subclinical PTSD symptoms. Baseline and pre-delivery interviews were conducted, which collected background characteristics and assessed PTSD severity and coping skills. Medical records were collected to document care visits. Documentation of participation rates, fidelity to the treatment, and qualitative feedback from advocates and participants was collected. More than one-half (57.3%) of the intervention women received all Seeking Safety sessions and fidelity ratings of the session showed acceptable quality. Using an intent-to-treat analysis, intervention women participated in significantly more prenatal care visits (M = 11.7 versus 8.9; p accounting for baseline differences, intervention women also reduced negative coping skills but not PTSD symptoms. Using prenatal care advocates to deliver Seeking Safety sessions to women screening positive for PTSD symptoms at entry to prenatal care is a promising intervention that seems to increase prenatal care participation and may reduce negative coping strategies. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Expect With Me: development and evaluation design for an innovative model of group prenatal care to improve perinatal outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunningham, Shayna D; Lewis, Jessica B; Thomas, Jordan L; Grilo, Stephanie A; Ickovics, Jeannette R

    2017-05-18

    Despite biomedical advances and intervention efforts, rates of preterm birth and other adverse outcomes in the United States have remained relatively intransigent. Evidence suggests that group prenatal care can reduce these risks, with implications for maternal and child health as well as substantial cost savings. However, widespread dissemination presents challenges, in part because training and health systems have not been designed to deliver care in a group setting. This manuscript describes the design and evaluation of Expect With Me, an innovative model of group prenatal care with a strong integrated information technology (IT) platform designed to be scalable nationally. Expect With Me follows clinical guidelines from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Expect With Me incorporates the best evidence-based features of existing models of group care with a novel integrated IT platform designed to improve patient engagement and support, enhance health behaviors and decision making, connect providers and patients, and improve health service delivery. A multisite prospective longitudinal cohort study is being conducted to examine the impact of Expect With Me on perinatal and postpartum outcomes, and to identify and address barriers to national scalability. Process and outcome evaluation will include quantitative and qualitative data collection at patient, provider, and organizational levels. Mixed-method data collection includes patient surveys, medical record reviews, patient focus groups; provider surveys, session evaluations, provider focus groups and in-depth interviews; an online tracking system; and clinical site visits. A two-to-one matched cohort of women receiving individual care from each site will provide a comparison group (n = 1,000 Expect With Me patients; n = 2,000 individual care patients) for outcome and cost analyses. By bundling prevention and care services into a high-touch, high-tech group prenatal care model

  12. Perceptions of focused prenatal care among women attending two tertiary centers in Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eleje, George U; Onwusulu, Daniel N; Ezeama, Chukwuemeka O; Afiadigwe, Evaristus A; Eke, Ahizechukwu C; Ikechebelu, Joseph I; Ugboaja, Joseph O; Okwuosa, Ayodele O

    2015-11-01

    To determine women's perceptions and expectations of focused prenatal care visits. The present questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey was performed among pregnant women in their third trimester attending two tertiary health centers in southern Nigeria between January and March 2012. Obstetric data, histories, and information on preferences for prenatal visits were obtained using questionnaires. A total of 353 questionnaires were appropriately completed. Among 277 participants who stated a preference for the number of prenatal care visits, 241 (87.0%) reported a preference of more than four. Among 203 parous women, 132 (65.0%) had no previous negative obstetric experience. Only previous stillbirth (odds ratio [OR] 2.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-6.77; P = 0.039) among multiparous women, and HIV/AIDS (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.06-1.17; P = 0.048) among all women were significantly associated with a preference for more prenatal visits. Previous negative obstetric experiences did not generally affect preference for prenatal visits. However, pregnant women expressed dissatisfaction with a reduced number of visits. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformations: Evolution and Outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Shiu Chen

    2009-09-01

    Conclusion: The outcomes of the prenatally detected CCAMs were good in our cases. If the CCAM is not complicated by hydrops fetalis, maintaining the pregnancy with continuing management seems to be a reasonable recommendation. Despite antenatal resolution of CCAM on ultrasound, postnatal examination with chest radiography and computed tomography scan is necessary.

  14. Clinical outcome and follow-up of prenatal hydronephrosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Afshin Safaei Asl

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Hydronephrosis is probably the most common congenital abnormality detected prenatally by ultrasonography This study was performed to determine the cause and outcome of prenatal hydronephrosis in our hospital. A total of 45 infants, with 57 prenatally hydronephrotic renal units, were enrolled into this study. For the purpose of this study, the degree of hydronephrosis was defined as mild, moderate or severe. Postnatal ultrasonography was performed as soon as possible in those with bilateral hyronephrosis and 3-7 days after birth in those with unilateral hydronephrosis. Voiding cystourethrogram was performed in 6-8 weeks time. In the absence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR, Diethylenetriamene penta acetate scan was performed to exclude obstructive uropathy. There were 29 males and 16 females (male:female ratio 1.8:1, and unilateral and bilateral hydronephrosis were seen in 33 (73% and 12 (27% of the cases, res-pectively. Hydronephrosis was caused by ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO in 20 (44.5%, VUR in 10 (22.2%, ureterovesical junction obstruction in four (8.9 %, posteriorurethral valves in four (8.9 %, UPJO with VUR in two (4.4% and non-VUR non-obstructive in one (2.2%. During follow-up, 16 patients (35.5% required operative intervention while seven (15.5% improved spontaneously. Fetal hydronephrosis needs close follow-up during both ante-natal and postnatal periods. In this study, the most common cause for hydronephrosis were UPJO and VUR. Also seen in this study is the noteworthy point that mild fetal hydronephrosis is relatively benign and does not require surgical intervention in most cases and surgery should be performed only if there is renal function compromise. Prenatal consultation with a pediatric nephrologist and urologist is useful in decreasing parental anxiety and facilitating postnatal management.

  15. Birth outcome measures and prenatal exposure to 4-tert-octylphenol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lv, Shenliang; Wu, Chunhua; Lu, Dasheng; Qi, Xiaojuan; Xu, Hao; Guo, Jianqiu; Liang, Weijiu; Chang, XiuLi

    2016-01-01

    Exposure to 4-tert-octylphenol (tOP) has been linked with adverse health outcomes in animals and humans, while epidemiological studies about associations between prenatal exposure to tOP and fetal growth are extremely limited. We measured urinary tOP concentrations in 1100 pregnant women before their delivery, and examined whether tOP levels were associated with birth outcomes, including weight, length, head circumference and ponderal index at birth. tOP could be detected in all samples, and the median uncorrected and creatinine-corrected tOP concentrations were 0.90 μg/L (range from 0.25 to 20.05 μg/L) and 1.33 μg/g creatinine (range from 0.15 to 42.49 μg/g creatinine), respectively. Maternal urinary log-transformed tOP concentrations were significantly negatively associated with adjusted birth weight [β (g) = −126; 95% confidence interval (CI): −197, −55], birth length [β (cm) = −0.53; 95% CI:−0.93, −0.14], and head circumference [β (cm) = −0.30; 95% CI: −0.54, −0.07], respectively. Additionally, considering sex difference, these significant negative associations were also found among male neonates, while only higher maternal tOP concentrations were associated with a significant decrease in birth weight among female neonates. This study suggested significant negative associations between maternal urinary tOP concentrations and neonatal sizes at birth, and they differed by neonatal sex. Further epidemiological studies are required to more fully elaborate the associations between prenatal tOP exposure and birth outcomes. - Highlights: • We measured 4-tert-octylphenol (tOP) in urine from 1100 Chinese pregnant women. • The associations between maternal tOP levels and birth outcomes were investigated. • Prenatal exposure to tOP in the selected area was widespread at higher levels. • Maternal tOP levels were significantly negatively associated with birth sizes. • The associations between tOP and birth outcomes might

  16. Causes and outcome of prenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmadzadeh Ali

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Hydronephrosis is the most common abnormal finding in the urinary tract on prenatal screening with ultrasonography (U/S. Hydronephrosis may be obstructive or non-obstructive; obstructive lesions are more harmful to the developing kidneys. The aim of the study was to evaluate the causes of renal pelvic dilatation and the outcome of postnatal treatment in infants with hydronephrosis diagnosed prenatally with U/S. We prospectively studied 67 (60 males newborns with hydronephrosis diagnosed prenatally and confirmed postnatally with U/S from Sept. 2005 to Oct. 2007. The patients were allocated to three groups based on the mea-surement of the anteroposterior renal pelvic diameter (APRPD in transverse plane: mild (6-9.9 mm, moderate (10-14.9 mm and severe (> 15 mm hydronephrosis. Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG was obtained in all of the patients to rule out vesicoureteral reflux (VUR. In cases with negative VUR, Diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA scan with diuretic renography was performed to detect ureteropelvic joint obstruction (UPJO. Twenty two cases (32.8% had mild, 20 (29.9% had moderate, and 25 (37.3% had severe hydronephrosis. The causes of hydroneph-rosis were VUR (40.2%, UPJO (32.8%, posterior urethral valves (PUVs (13.4 %, and transient hydronephrosis (13.4 %. The lesion was obstructive in 37 (55.2% infants. Totally, 33 (49.2% patients with hydronephrosis (9 mild, 9 moderate, and 15 severe subsequently developed com-plications such as UTI and renal insufficiency, or required surgery. Associated abnormalities were observed in 15 (22.4% patients. We conclude that every newborn with any degree of hydro-nephrosis should be assessed postnatally for specific diagnosis and treatment.

  17. Causes and outcome of prenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmadzadeh, Ali; Tahmasebi, Morteza; Gharibvand, Mohammad Momen

    2009-01-01

    Hydronephrosis is the most common abnormal finding in the urinary tract on prenatal screening with ultrasonography (U/S). Hydronephrosis may be obstructive or nonobstructive; obstructive lesions are more harmful to the developing kidneys. The aim of the study was to evaluate the causes of renal pelvic dilatation and the outcome of postnatal treatment in infants with hydronephrosis diagnosed prenatally with U/S. We prospectively studied 67 (60 males) newborns with hydronephrosis diagnosed prenatally and confirmed postnatally with U/S from Sept. 2005 to Oct. 2007. The patients were allocated to three groups based on the mea-surement of the anteroposterior renal pelvic diameter (APRPD) in transverse plane: mild (6-9.9 mm), moderate (10-14.9 mm) and severe (> 15 mm) hydronephrosis. Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) was obtained in all of the patients to rule out vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). In cases with negative VUR, Diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA) scan with diuretic renography was performed to detect ureteropelvic joint obstruction (UPJO). Twenty two cases (32.8%) had mild, 20 (29.9%) had moderate, and 25 (37.3%) had severe hydronephrosis. The causes of hydronephrosis were VUR (40.2%), UPJO (32.8%), posterior urethral valves (PUVs) (13.4 %), and transient hydronephrosis (13.4 %). The lesion was obstructive in 37 (55.2%) infants. Totally, 33 (49.2%) patients with hydronephrosis (9 mild, 9 moderate, and 15 severe) subsequently developed complications such as UTI and renal insufficiency, or required surgery. Associated abnormalities were observed in 15 (22.4%) patients. We conclude that every newborn with any degree of hydronephrosis should be assessed postnatally for specific diagnosis and treatment. (author)

  18. The effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes: a protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunn, Jayleen K L; Rosales, Cecilia B; Center, Katherine E; Nuñez, Annabelle V; Gibson, Steven J; Ehiri, John E

    2015-03-13

    The effects of exposure to marijuana in utero on fetal development are not clear. Given that the recent legislation on cannabis in the US is likely to result in increased use, there is a need to assess the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes. The objective of this review is to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to cannabis on pregnancy outcomes (including maternal and child outcomes). Major databases will be searched from inception to the latest issue, with the aim of identifying studies that reported the effects of prenatal exposure to cannabis on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes. Two investigators will independently review all titles and abstracts to identify potential articles. Discrepancies will be resolved by repeated review, discussion and consensus. Study quality assessment will be undertaken, using standard protocols. To qualify for inclusion, studies must report at least one maternal or neonatal outcome post partum. Cross-sectional, case-control, cohort and randomised controlled trials published in English will be included. In order to rule out the effects of other drugs that may affect fetal development and pregnancy outcomes, studies will only be included if they report outcomes of prenatal exposure to cannabis while excluding other illicit substances. Data from eligible studies will be extracted, and data analysis will include a systematic review and critical appraisal of evidence, and meta-analysis if data permit. Meta-analysis will be conducted if three or more studies report comparable statistics on the same outcome. The review which will result from this protocol has not already been conducted. Preparation of the review will follow the procedures stated in this protocol, and will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Ethical approval of data will not be required since the review will use data that are already available in the

  19. Group prenatal care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazzoni, Sara E; Carter, Ebony B

    2017-06-01

    Patients participating in group prenatal care gather together with women of similar gestational ages and 2 providers who cofacilitate an educational session after a brief medical assessment. The model was first described in the 1990s by a midwife for low-risk patients and is now practiced by midwives and physicians for both low-risk patients and some high-risk patients, such as those with diabetes. The majority of literature on group prenatal care uses CenteringPregnancy, the most popular model. The first randomized controlled trial of CenteringPregnancy showed that it reduced the risk of preterm birth in low-risk women. However, recent meta-analyses have shown similar rates of preterm birth, low birthweight, and neonatal intensive care unit admission between women participating in group prenatal care and individual prenatal care. There may be subgroups, such as African Americans, who benefit from this type of prenatal care with significantly lower rates of preterm birth. Group prenatal care seems to result in increased patient satisfaction and knowledge and use of postpartum family planning as well as improved weight gain parameters. The literature is inconclusive regarding breast-feeding, stress, depression, and positive health behaviors, although it is theorized that group prenatal care positively affects these outcomes. It is unclear whether group prenatal care results in cost savings, although it may in large-volume practices if each group consists of approximately 8-10 women. Group prenatal care requires a significant paradigm shift. It can be difficult to implement and sustain. More randomized trials are needed to ascertain the true benefits of the model, best practices for implementation, and subgroups who may benefit most from this innovative way to provide prenatal care. In short, group prenatal care is an innovative and promising model with comparable pregnancy outcomes to individual prenatal care in the general population and improved outcomes in some

  20. Impact of Air Pollutants on Outpatient Visits for Acute Respiratory Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ran Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The air pollution in China is a severe problem. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of air pollutants on acute respiratory outcomes in outpatients. Outpatient data from 2 December 2013 to 1 December 2014 were collected, as well as air pollutant data including ozone (O3, nitrogen dioxide (NO2, carbon monoxide (CO, sulfur dioxide (SO2, and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10. We screened six categories of acute respiratory outcomes and analyzed their associations with different air pollutant exposures, including upper respiratory tract infection (URTI, acute bronchitis (AB, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD, acute exacerbation of asthma (AE-asthma, and acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis (AEBX. A case-crossover design with a bidirectional control sampling approach was used for statistical analysis. A total of 57,144 patients were enrolled for analysis. PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, and CO exposures were positively associated with outpatient visits for URTI, AB, CAP, and AEBX. PM10, SO2, and CO exposures were positively associated with outpatient visits for AECOPD. Exposure to O3 was positively associated with outpatient visits for AE-asthma, but negatively associated with outpatient visits for URTI, CAP, and AEBX. In conclusion, air pollutants had acute effects on outpatient visits for acute respiratory outcomes, with specific outcomes associated with specific pollutants.

  1. Psychosocial Stress During First Pregnancy Predicts Infant Health Outcomes in the First Postnatal Year.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phelan, A L; DiBenedetto, M R; Paul, I M; Zhu, J; Kjerulff, K H

    2015-12-01

    To evaluate the impact of psychosocial stress during pregnancy on infant health outcomes in the first postnatal year. A sample of 3000 women completed a stress inventory (the Psychosocial Hassles Scale) during their third trimester before first childbirth. Infant health outcomes were measured via maternal report at 1, 6 and 12 months postpartum. Poisson regression was used to model the effect of maternal stress during pregnancy on infant health outcomes in the first year, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, education, insurance coverage, marital status, and cigarette smoking during pregnancy. Women who were younger, minority, unmarried, publicly insured and without a college degree were more likely to report high levels of prenatal stress. High prenatal stress was a significant predictor of maternal reporting of gastrointestinal illness (p stress was also a significant predictor of urgent care visits (p stress is associated with increased maternal reporting of infant illness, as well as increased frequency of both urgent care visits and emergency department visits.

  2. [Prenatal care in Latin America].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buekens, P; Hernández, P; Infante, C

    1990-01-01

    Available data on the coverage of prenatal care in Latin America were reviewed. In recent years, only Bolivia had a coverage of prenatal care of less than 50 per cent. More than 90 per cent of pregnant women received prenatal care in Chile, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Prenatal care increased between the 1970 and 1980 in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru. The coverage of prenatal care decreased in Bolivia and Colombia. The mean number of visits increased in Cuba and Puerto Rico. The increase of prenatal care in Guatemala and Honduras is due to increased care by traditional birth attendants, compared to the role of health care institutions. We compared the more recent data on tetanus immunization of pregnant women to the more recent data on prenatal care. The rates of tetanus immunization are always lower than the rates of prenatal care attendance, except in Costa Rica. The rates of tetanus immunization was less than half as compared to the rates of prenatal care in Bolivia, Guatemala, and Peru. To improve the content of prenatal care should be an objective complementary to the increase of the number of attending women.

  3. The effect of prenatal support on birth outcomes in an urban midwestern county.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlenker, Thomas; Dresang, Lee T; Ndiaye, Mamadou; Buckingham, William R; Leavitt, Judith W

    2012-12-01

    In Dane County, Wisconsin, the black-white infant mortality gap started decreasing from 2000 and was eliminated from 2004 to 2007. Unfortunately, it has reappeared since 2008. This paper examines risk factors and levels of prenatal care to identify key contributors to the dramatic decline and recent increase in black infant mortality and extremely premature birth rates. This retrospective cohort study analyzed approximately 100,000 Dane County birth, fetal, and infant death records from 1990 to 2007. Levels of prenatal care received were categorized as "less-than-standard," "standard routine" or "intensive." US Census data analysis identified demographic and socioeconomic changes. Infant mortality rates and extremely premature ( birth rates were main outcome measures. Contributions to improved outcomes were measured by calculating relative risk, risk difference and population attributable fraction (PAF). Mean income and food stamp use by race were analyzed as indicators of general socioeconomic changes suspected to be responsible for worsening outcomes since 2008. Risk of extremely premature delivery for black women receiving standard routine care and intensive care decreased from 1990-2000 to 2001-2007 by 77.8% (95% CI = 49.9-90.1%) and 57.3% (95% CI = 27.6-74.8%) respectively. Women receiving less-than-standard care showed no significant improvement over time. Racial gaps in mean income and food stamp use narrowed 2002-2007 and widened since 2008. Prenatal support played an important role in improving black birth outcomes and eliminating the Dane County black-white infant mortality gap. Increasing socioeconomic disparities with worsening US economy since 2008 likely contributed to the gap's reappearance.

  4. Outcome after prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nef, Samuel; Neuhaus, Thomas J; Spartà, Giuseppina; Weitz, Marcus; Buder, Kathrin; Wisser, Josef; Gobet, Rita; Willi, Ulrich; Laube, Guido F

    2016-05-01

    Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract are common findings on fetal ultrasound. The aim of this prospective observational study was to describe outcome and risk factors in 115 patients born 1995-2001. All prenatally diagnosed children were stratified into low- and high-risk group and followed postnatally clinically and by imaging at defined endpoints. Risk factors were evaluated using odds ratios. Neonatal diagnosis included pelvi-ureteric junction obstruction (n = 33), vesicoureteral reflux (n = 27), solitary mild pelvic dilatation (postnatal anteroposterior diameter 5-10 mm; n = 25), and further diagnosis as primary obstructive megaureter, unilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney, renal dysplasia and posterior urethral valves. In 38 children with prenatal isolated hydronephrosis, ultrasound normalized at median age of 1.2 years (range 0.1-9). Surgery was performed in 34 children at median age of 0.4 years (0.1-10.8). Persistent renal anomalies without surgery were present in 43 children and followed in 36 for median time of 16 years (12.2-18). Oligohydramnios and postnatal bilateral anomalies were significantly associated with surgery and impaired renal function. The majority of children had a favourable postnatal outcome, in particular children with prenatally low risk, i.e. isolated uni- or bilateral hydronephrosis. Oligohydramnios and postnatal bilateral anomalies were risk factors for non-favourable outcome. • In congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract significantly poorer outcome is known in patients with bilateral renal hypoplasia or solitary kidney associated with posterior urethral valves. • Other factors as proteinuria and vesicoureteral reflux were associated with a higher risk of progression to chronic renal failure in these patients. What is New: • Unlike other studies giving us above-mentioned information, we included all patients with any kind of prenatally diagnosed congenital anomalies of the kidney

  5. Sex chromosome trisomies in Europe: prevalence, prenatal detection and outcome of pregnancy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boyd, Patricia Anne; Loane, Maria; Garne, Ester

    2011-01-01

    This study aims to assess prevalence and pregnancy outcome for sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) diagnosed prenatally or in the first year of life. Data held by the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies (EUROCAT) database on SCT cases delivered 2000-2005 from 19 population-based registries ...

  6. Developmental programming: deficits in reproductive hormone dynamics and ovulatory outcomes in prenatal, testosterone-treated sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veiga-Lopez, A; Ye, W; Phillips, D J; Herkimer, C; Knight, P G; Padmanabhan, V

    2008-04-01

    Prenatal testosterone excess leads to neuroendocrine, ovarian, and metabolic disruptions, culminating in reproductive phenotypes mimicking that of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The objective of this study was to determine the consequences of prenatal testosterone treatment on periovulatory hormonal dynamics and ovulatory outcomes. To generate prenatal testosterone-treated females, pregnant sheep were injected intramuscularly (days 30-90 of gestation, term=147 days) with 100 mg of testosterone-propionate in cottonseed oil semi-weekly. Female offspring born to untreated control females and prenatal testosterone-treated females were then studied during their first two breeding seasons. Sheep were given two injections of prostaglandin F2alpha 11 days apart, and blood samples were collected at 2-h intervals for 120 h, 10-min intervals for 8 h during the luteal phase (first breeding season only), and daily for an additional 15 days to characterize changes in reproductive hormonal dynamics. During the first breeding season, prenatal testosterone-treated females manifested disruptions in the timing and magnitude of primary gonadotropin surges, luteal defects, and reduced responsiveness to progesterone negative feedback. Disruptions in the periovulatory sequence of events during the second breeding season included: 1) delayed but increased preovulatory estradiol rise, 2) delayed and severely reduced primary gonadotropin surge in prenatal testosterone-treated females having an LH surge, 3) tendency for an amplified secondary FSH surge and a shift in the relative balance of FSH regulatory proteins, and 4) luteal responses that ranged from normal to anovulatory. These outcomes are likely to be of relevance to developmental origin of infertility disorders and suggest that differences in fetal exposure or fetal susceptibility to testosterone may account for the variability in reproductive phenotypes.

  7. Let's Talk About Breastfeeding: The Importance of Delivering a Message in a Home Visiting Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGinnis, Sandra; Lee, Eunju; Kirkland, Kristen; Miranda-Julian, Claudia; Greene, Rose

    2018-05-01

    To examine the potential impact of paraprofessional home visitors in promoting breastfeeding initiation and continuation among a high-risk population. A secondary analysis of program data from a statewide home visitation program. Thirty-six Healthy Families New York sites across New York State. A total of 3521 pregnant mothers at risk of poor child health and developmental outcomes. Home visitors deliver a multifaceted intervention that includes educating high-risk mothers on benefits of breastfeeding, encouraging them to breastfeed and supporting their efforts during prenatal and postnatal periods. Home visitor-reported content and frequency of home visits, participant-reported breastfeeding initiation and duration, and covariates (Kempe Family Stress Index, race and ethnicity, region, nativity, marital status, age, and education). Logistic regression. Breastfeeding initiation increased by 1.5% for each 1-point increase in the percentage of prenatal home visits that included breastfeeding discussions. Breastfeeding continuation during the first 6 months also increased with the percentage of earlier home visits that included breastfeeding discussions. Additionally, if a participant receives 1 more home visit during the third month, her likelihood of breastfeeding at 6 months increases by 11%. Effect sizes varied by months postpartum. Delivering a breastfeeding message consistently during regular home visits is important for increasing breastfeeding rates. Given that home visiting programs target new mothers least likely to breastfeed, a more consistent focus on breastfeeding in this supportive context may reduce breastfeeding disparities.

  8. Prenatal care: preparation for childbirth in primary healthcare in the south of Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Mariana Faria; Teixeira, Érica Mairene Bocate; Silva, Márcia Aparecida Dos Santos; Corsi, Nathalia Maciel; Ferrari, Rosângela Aparecida Pimenta; Pelloso, Sandra Marisa; Cardelli, Alexandrina Aparecida Maciel

    2018-03-12

    To evaluate the relationship between prenatal care and delivery guidelines In Primary Health Care. This is a cross-sectional study, with 358 puerperal women of a public maternity from the south of Brazil. The data collection was performed from July to October of 2013, with prenatal card data transcription and a structured interview. The data has been analyzed through the use of the Chi-square test (p≤0.05). The prenatal care had a high coverage (85,5%) and early start by 71,8% of the women, however, 52% of them did not receive orientation for the childbirth. There was a statistical association between receiving orientation for the childbirth and fewer visits (p=0.028), longer interval between the last prenatal visit and the childbirth (p=0.002), and the classification of the prenatal care as intermediate and inadequate (p=0.024). Despite of the ideal number of visits, the quality of care has been classified as intermediate or inadequate, besides that, precarious access to the orientation for the childbirth during the prenatal care has been evidenced.

  9. Prenatal cocaine exposure and neonatal/infant outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cambell, Shelly

    2003-01-01

    Illegal drug use throughout the nation is a problem of epidemic proportion. Of particular concern is drug use among pregnant women. In most cases, these women have little hope of achieving a better life for themselves or their children. Illegal drugs, cocaine in particular, can have devastating effects on the neonate. These effects can last well into childhood and can exhibit themselves in academic, social, and family situations. Challenges for the neonatal nurse include early identification of these infants and use of available resources. This article addresses prenatal cocaine use and support services for drug-dependent women, effects of cocaine during the neonatal period, possible neonatal and infant outcomes, and implications for nursing practice.

  10. Association of Maternal Body Mass Index with Adverse Maternal and Prenatal Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahele Alijahan

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: The present study aimed to determine association between abnormal maternal body mass index and adverse maternal/prenatal outcomesMaterials and Methods: In this descriptive-correlation study 8270 pregnant women referred to rural and urban health centers of Ardabil district (from Mar 2009 to Dec 2010 were studied. Data were collected from prenatal healthcare records using a self designed questionnaire. Women with twin pregnancy, less than 18 and above 35 of age, and women with systemic or chronic disease were excluded from the study. The variables examined in this study include, demographic information (e.g. age, social and economy status, and literacy, present pregnancy information (e.g. parity, hemoglobin level, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and prenatal information (e.g. preterm delivery, low birth weight, and congenital malformation. Data were analyzed through Kruscal wallis, chi-square, and logistic regression tests using SPSS-16.Results: Eight point two, 25 and 15.4% pregnant of women were underweight, overweight, and obese, respectively. Obese women were at increased risk for macrosomia (OR=1.820, CI: 1.345-2.447, p=0.001, unwanted pregnancy (OR= 1.436, CI: 1.198-1.720, p=0.001, pregnancy induced hypertension (OR= 1.633, CI: 1.072-2.486, p=0.022, preeclampsia (OR= 4.666, CI: 2.353-9.2550, p=0.001, and still birth (OR= 2.602, CI: 1.306-5.184, p=0.007. However, the risk of low birth weight delivery in underweight women were 1.6 times higher than the normal cases (OR= 1.674, CI: 0962-2.912, p=0.068.Conclusion: Considering high prevalence of abnormal maternal body mass index and its associated adverse maternal and prenatal outcomes; consultation before pregnancy is recommended in order to achieve normal body mass index and reduce the relevant complications.

  11. Time of HIV Diagnosis and Engagement in Prenatal Care Impact Virologic Outcomes of Pregnant Women with HIV.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florence M Momplaisir

    Full Text Available HIV suppression at parturition is beneficial for maternal, fetal and public health. To eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, an understanding of missed opportunities for antiretroviral therapy (ART use during pregnancy and HIV suppression at delivery is required.We performed a retrospective analysis of 836 mother-to-child pairs involving 656 HIV-infected women in Philadelphia, 2005-2013. Multivariable regression examined associations between patient (age, race/ethnicity, insurance status, drug use and clinical factors such as adequacy of prenatal care measured by the Kessner index which classifies prenatal care as inadequate, intermediate, or adequate prenatal care; timing of HIV diagnosis; and the outcomes: receipt of ART during pregnancy and viral suppression at delivery.Overall, 25% of the sample was diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy; 39%, 38%, and 23% were adequately, intermediately, and inadequately engaged in prenatal care. Eight-five percent of mother-to-child pairs received ART during pregnancy but only 52% achieved suppression at delivery. Adjusting for patient factors, pairs diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.25-0.61 and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-1.00 than those diagnosed before pregnancy. Similarly, women with inadequate prenatal care were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.06, 95% CI 0.03-0.11 and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.47 than those with adequate prenatal care.Targeted interventions to diagnose HIV prior to pregnancy and engage HIV-infected women in prenatal care have the potential to improve HIV related outcomes in the perinatal period.

  12. Time of HIV Diagnosis and Engagement in Prenatal Care Impact Virologic Outcomes of Pregnant Women with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Momplaisir, Florence M; Brady, Kathleen A; Fekete, Thomas; Thompson, Dana R; Diez Roux, Ana; Yehia, Baligh R

    2015-01-01

    HIV suppression at parturition is beneficial for maternal, fetal and public health. To eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, an understanding of missed opportunities for antiretroviral therapy (ART) use during pregnancy and HIV suppression at delivery is required. We performed a retrospective analysis of 836 mother-to-child pairs involving 656 HIV-infected women in Philadelphia, 2005-2013. Multivariable regression examined associations between patient (age, race/ethnicity, insurance status, drug use) and clinical factors such as adequacy of prenatal care measured by the Kessner index which classifies prenatal care as inadequate, intermediate, or adequate prenatal care; timing of HIV diagnosis; and the outcomes: receipt of ART during pregnancy and viral suppression at delivery. Overall, 25% of the sample was diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy; 39%, 38%, and 23% were adequately, intermediately, and inadequately engaged in prenatal care. Eight-five percent of mother-to-child pairs received ART during pregnancy but only 52% achieved suppression at delivery. Adjusting for patient factors, pairs diagnosed with HIV during pregnancy were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.25-0.61) and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-1.00) than those diagnosed before pregnancy. Similarly, women with inadequate prenatal care were less likely to receive ART (AOR 0.06, 95% CI 0.03-0.11) and achieve viral suppression (AOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.47) than those with adequate prenatal care. Targeted interventions to diagnose HIV prior to pregnancy and engage HIV-infected women in prenatal care have the potential to improve HIV related outcomes in the perinatal period.

  13. Neurodevelopmental outcome in prenatally diagnosed isolated agenesis of the corpus callosum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Folliot-Le Doussal, Lise; Chadie, Alexandra; Brasseur-Daudruy, Marie; Verspyck, Eric; Saugier-Veber, Pascale; Marret, Stéphane

    2018-01-01

    Neurodevelopmental outcome in children with agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) is correlated with the presence or absence of associated brain abnormalities. Indeed, neurodevelopmental outcome shows severe disabilities when the ACC is not isolated whereas in isolated forms, the neurologic development is mainly normal. Contrary to data in several published studies, the prognosis remains uncertain even in isolated forms, which may lead in France to medical termination of pregnancy. To evaluate long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in children with prenatally diagnosed isolated ACC. This is a follow-up study conducted in Normandy (France). It included a cohort of 25 children born between January 1991 and June 2016, with a prenatal diagnosis of isolated ACC and who were followed for at least two years. The average follow-up was 8±5years. ACC was complete in 17 patients (68%), partial in 5 (20%) and hypoplastic in 3 (12%). Whereas global motor development was normal in each case, normal neurodevelopmental outcome or mild disabilities occurred in 88% children and moderate/severe neuro-disabilities were present in 12% of children. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV evaluations and Intellectual Total Quotients were within normal range, but we observed lower scores in verbal comprehension, social judgment, executive functions. A lower score in morphosyntax was observed among 52% of children with oral language disorders. Neurodevelopmental outcome was favorable in most of our patients with isolated ACC, but mild learning disabilities emerged in older children. Long-term follow-up until school age is essential to provide early diagnosis and appropriate care support. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. The need to include obstetric nurses in prenatal care visits in the public health system

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    Selma Aparecida Lagrosa Garcia

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To investigate, with a qualitative approach, the role of Obstetric Nurses at the primary level of care given to women’s health as a vital component of the multidisciplinary team, which today is fundamental for providing care, prevention as well as health education and promotion, especially in programs whose activities are geared towards primary care of pregnant, parturient, and puerpera women. Methods: Brazilian laws and the determinations of Nursing Councils in reference to the activities of the obstetric nurse were researched, including the nurse’s responsibilities and limits. The bibliographic search was conducted in health-related journals, lay publications, and the Internet. Results: The conflicts between professional physicians and nurses were discussed. Conclusions: It was concluded that the activities of the nurse, conducting low-risk prenatal clinical visits in the basic healthcare network, has legal and ethical support and provides true benefit to the clients.

  15. Prenatal care utilization in rural areas and urban areas of Haiti El uso de servicios de atención prenatal en áreas rurales y urbanas de Haití

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    Pierre Kébreau Alexandre

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: This study is based on the 2000 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS conducted in Haiti. Using the DHS information on women aged 15 to 49 who had given birth during the three years preceding the survey interview, this study was intended to: (1 examine the determinants of the likelihood of the women using prenatal care in the rural areas and in the urban areas of the country and (2 for the women who made at least one prenatal care visit, examine the determinants of the number of prenatal visits in the rural areas and the urban areas. METHODS: The multivariate analysis used logistic models to identify which factors explained the decision to seek prenatal care, and negative binomial models were used to determine how many prenatal visits were conducted by the subgroup of women who did make prenatal care visits. RESULTS: Estimated at the mean values of the control variables, the expected probability of using prenatal care services in rural Haiti was 77.16%, compared to 85.83% in urban Haiti. Among users of prenatal care services, mothers in rural areas made an expected number of 3.78 prenatal care visits, compared to 5.06 visits for the women in urban areas. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial percentage of pregnant women have access to prenatal care services in Haiti, but mothers in rural areas who decided to seek care still fell slightly below the four visits recommended by the World Health Organization. The education levels of both mothers and their partners is a dominant predictor of prenatal care use. Longer travel times and greater distances to health centers in rural areas constituted barriers to repeated visits. Policymakers and health care providers need to take these findings into consideration as they decide on the delivery and management of health care services in Haiti.OBJETIVOS: El presente estudio se basa en la Encuesta de Demografía y Salud del año 2000 en Haití. Los objetivos del estudio, que se basó en información sobre las

  16. HOME VISIT QUALITY VARIATIONS IN TWO EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS IN RELATION TO PARENTING AND CHILD VOCABULARY OUTCOMES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roggman, Lori A; Cook, Gina A; Innocenti, Mark S; Jump Norman, Vonda; Boyce, Lisa K; Christiansen, Katie; Peterson, Carla A

    2016-05-01

    Home-visiting programs aiming to improve early child development have demonstrated positive outcomes, but processes within home visits to individual families are rarely documented. We examined family-level variations in the home-visiting process (N = 71) from extant video recordings of home visits in two Early Head Start programs, using an observational measure of research-based quality indicators of home-visiting practices and family engagement, the Home Visit Rating Scales (HOVRS). HOVRS scores, showing good interrater agreement and internal consistency, were significantly associated with parent- and staff-reported positive characteristics of home visiting as well as with parenting and child language outcomes tested at program exit. When home-visiting processes were higher quality during the program, home visit content was more focused on child development, families were more involved in the overall program, and most important, scores on measures of the parenting environment and children's vocabulary were higher at the end of the program. Results showed that home visit quality was indirectly associated with child language outcomes through parenting outcomes. Observation ratings of home visit quality could be useful for guiding program improvement, supporting professional development, and increasing our understanding of the links between home-visiting processes and outcomes. © 2016 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  17. The impact of prenatal and neonatal infection on neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm infants

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Iris; Neil, Jeffrey J.; Huettner, Phyllis C.; Smyser, Christopher D.; Rogers, Cynthia E.; Shimony, Joshua S.; Kidokoro, Hiroyuki; Mysorekar, Indira U.; Inder, Terrie E.

    2014-01-01

    Objective Determine the association of prenatal and neonatal infections with neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm infants. Study Design Secondary retrospective analysis of 155 very preterm infants at a single tertiary referral center. General linear or logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association with hospital factors; brain injury, growth, and development; and neurobehavioral outcome. Result Necrotizing enterocolitis with sepsis was associated with reduced transcer...

  18. Prenatal Heavy Metal Exposure and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Myanmar: A Birth-Cohort Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyi Mar Wai

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Arsenic, cadmium and lead are well-known environmental contaminants, and their toxicity at low concentration is the target of scientific concern. In this study, we aimed to identify the potential effects of prenatal heavy metal exposure on the birth outcomes among the Myanmar population. This study is part of a birth-cohort study conducted with 419 pregnant women in the Ayeyarwady Division, Myanmar. Face-to-face interviews were performed using a questionnaire, and maternal spot urine samples were collected at the third trimester. Birth outcomes were evaluated at delivery during the follow up. The median values of adjusted urinary arsenic, cadmium, selenium and lead concentration were 74.2, 0.9, 22.6 and 1.8 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that prenatal cadmium exposure (adjusted odds ratio (OR = 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI: 1.01–1.21; p = 0.043, gestational age (adjusted OR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.72–0.95; p = 0.009 and primigravida mothers (adjusted OR = 4.23; 95% CI: 1.31–13.65; p = 0.016 were the predictors of low birth weight. The present study identified that Myanmar mothers were highly exposed to cadmium. Prenatal maternal cadmium exposure was associated with an occurrence of low birth weight.

  19. Prenatal Heavy Metal Exposure and Adverse Birth Outcomes in Myanmar: A Birth-Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wai, Kyi Mar; Mar, Ohn; Kosaka, Satoko; Umemura, Mitsutoshi; Watanabe, Chiho

    2017-11-03

    Arsenic, cadmium and lead are well-known environmental contaminants, and their toxicity at low concentration is the target of scientific concern. In this study, we aimed to identify the potential effects of prenatal heavy metal exposure on the birth outcomes among the Myanmar population. This study is part of a birth-cohort study conducted with 419 pregnant women in the Ayeyarwady Division, Myanmar. Face-to-face interviews were performed using a questionnaire, and maternal spot urine samples were collected at the third trimester. Birth outcomes were evaluated at delivery during the follow up. The median values of adjusted urinary arsenic, cadmium, selenium and lead concentration were 74.2, 0.9, 22.6 and 1.8 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that prenatal cadmium exposure (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.21; p = 0.043), gestational age (adjusted OR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.72-0.95; p = 0.009) and primigravida mothers (adjusted OR = 4.23; 95% CI: 1.31-13.65; p = 0.016) were the predictors of low birth weight. The present study identified that Myanmar mothers were highly exposed to cadmium. Prenatal maternal cadmium exposure was associated with an occurrence of low birth weight.

  20. Empowering Women's Prenatal Communication: Does Literacy Matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roter, Debra L; Erby, Lori H; Rimal, Rajiv N; Smith, Katherine C; Larson, Susan; Bennett, Ian M; Cole, Katie Washington; Guan, Yue; Molloy, Matthew; Bienstock, Jessica

    2015-01-01

    This study was designed to evaluate the impact of an interactive computer program developed to empower prenatal communication among women with restricted literacy skills. A total of 83 women seeing 17 clinicians were randomized to a computer-based communication activation intervention (Healthy Babies Healthy Moms [HBHM]) or prenatal education (Baby Basics [BB]) prior to their prenatal visit. Visit communication was coded with the Roter Interaction Analysis System, and postvisit satisfaction was reported. Participants were on average 24 years of age and 25 weeks pregnant; 80% were African American. Two thirds scored ≤8th grade on a literacy screener. Women with literacy deficits were more verbally active, disclosed more medical and psychosocial/lifestyle information, and were rated as more dominant by coders in the HBHM group relative to their counterparts in the BB group (all ps literacy in the HBHM relative to the BB group (p literacy deficits. Satisfaction, however, tended to be lower for these women.

  1. Prenatally Diagnosis and Outcome of Fetuses with Cardiac Rhabdomyoma – Single Centre Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bejiqi, Ramush; Retkoceri, Ragip; Bejiqi, Hana

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND Cardiac rhabdomyoma (CRs) are the most common primary tumour of the heart in infants and children. Usually are multiple and, basing on the location can cause a haemodynamic disturbance, dysrhythmias or heart failure during the fetal and early postnatal period. CRs have a natural history of spontaneous regression and are closely associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). It has an association with tuberous sclerosis (TS), and in those, the tumour may regress and disappear completely, or remain consistent in size. AIM: We aimed to evaluate the prenatal diagnosis, clinical presentation and outcome of CRs and their association with TSC in a single centre. The median follow-up period was three years (range: 6 months - 5 years). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed medical records of all fetuses diagnosed prenatally with cardiac rhabdomyoma covering the period January 2010 to December 2016 which had undergone detailed ultrasound evaluation at a single centre with limited technical resources. RESULTS: Twelve fetuses were included in the study; mostly had multiple tumours and a total of 53 tumours were identified in all patients - the maximum was one fetus with16 tumours. All patients were diagnosed prenatally by fetal echocardiography. In two patient’s haemodynamic disturbances during the fetal period was noted and pregnancies have been terminated. After long consultation termination of pregnancy was chosen by the parents in totally 8 cases. In four continuing pregnancies during the first year of live tumours regressed. TSC was diagnosed in all patients during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac rhabdomyoma are benign from the cardiovascular standpoint in most affected fetuses. An early prenatal diagnosis may help for an adequate planning of perinatal monitoring and treatment with the involvement of a multidisciplinary team. Large tumour size, the number of tumours and localisation may cause hydrops, and they are significantly associated with poor

  2. Opioid Addiction in Pregnancy: Does Depression Negatively Impact Adherence With Prenatal Care?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hensley, Lauren; Sulo, Suela; Kozmic, Sarah; Parilla, Barbara V

    We aimed to evaluate whether depression in pregnancy in women with opioid dependency negatively impacts adherence with prenatal care. This was a retrospective chart analysis of opioid-dependent pregnant women over a 6-year period at 2 large referral and tertiary care centers. The primary outcome was adherence with prenatal care based on the concurrent diagnosis of depression. Adherence was assessed by looking at the number of observed versus expected prenatal visits. Secondary outcomes included neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay, and incidence and severity of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). A total of 74 patient charts were reviewed. 45/74 (60.8%) of the opioid-dependent pregnant patients were either diagnosed with depression (n = 41), anxiety (n = 2), or scored >10 on the Edinburgh Prenatal Depression Scale (n = 1). Patients with a diagnosis of depression were significantly less adherent with prenatal care; 80% adherent (73% vs 93%; P = 0.03), 90% adherent (62% vs 93%; P = 0.003). A higher number of patients in the depression group had an infant treated for withdrawal (62% vs 38%; P = 0.041), and had longer NICU stays (27% vs 21%; P = 0.018). Analysis of the whole cohort of opioid dependent gravidas revealed Buprenorphine maintenance therapy had the lowest mean NAS score 6.5 ± 4.4, compared with methadone maintenance 10.6 ± 3.6, and no maintenance therapy 9.4 ± 4.0 (P = 0.008). Depression negatively impacts adherence with prenatal care and was significantly associated with a higher incidence of neonatal withdrawal and longer NICU stays. Buprenorphine therapy had the lowest incidence and severity of NAS when compared with methadone and no maintenance therapy.

  3. Prenatal Air Pollution Exposure and Early Cardiovascular Phenotypes in Young Adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carrie V Breton

    Full Text Available Exposure to ambient air pollutants increases risk for adverse cardiovascular health outcomes in adults. We aimed to evaluate the contribution of prenatal air pollutant exposure to cardiovascular health, which has not been thoroughly evaluated. The Testing Responses on Youth (TROY study consists of 768 college students recruited from the University of Southern California in 2007-2009. Participants attended one study visit during which blood pressure, heart rate and carotid artery arterial stiffness (CAS and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT were assessed. Prenatal residential addresses were geocoded and used to assign prenatal and postnatal air pollutant exposure estimates using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality System (AQS database. The associations between CAS, CIMT and air pollutants were assessed using linear regression analysis. Prenatal PM10 and PM2.5 exposures were associated with increased CAS. For example, a 2 SD increase in prenatal PM2.5 was associated with CAS indices, including a 5% increase (β = 1.05, 95% CI 1.00-1.10 in carotid stiffness index beta, a 5% increase (β = 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.10 in Young's elastic modulus and a 5% decrease (β = 0.95, 95% CI 0.91-0.99 in distensibility. Mutually adjusted models of pre- and postnatal PM2.5 further suggested the prenatal exposure was most relevant exposure period for CAS. No associations were observed for CIMT. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to elevated air pollutants may increase carotid arterial stiffness in a young adult population of college students. Efforts aimed at limiting prenatal exposures are important public health goals.

  4. Prenatal exposure to very severe maternal obesity is associated with adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mina, T H; Lahti, M; Drake, A J; Räikkönen, K; Minnis, H; Denison, F C; Norman, J E; Reynolds, R M

    2017-01-01

    Prenatal maternal obesity has been linked to adverse childhood neuropsychiatric outcomes, including increased symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), internalizing and externalizing problems, affective disorders and neurodevelopmental problems but few studies have studied neuropsychiatric outcomes among offspring born to very severely obese women or assessed potential familial confounding by maternal psychological distress. We evaluated neuropsychiatric symptoms in 112 children aged 3-5 years whose mothers had participated in a longitudinal study of obesity in pregnancy (50 very severe obesity, BMI ⩾40 kg/m2, obese class III and 62 lean, BMI 18.5-25 kg/m2). The mothers completed the Conners' Hyperactivity Scale, Early Symptomatic Syndrome Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examination Questionnaire (ESSENCE-Q), Child's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to assess child neuropsychiatric symptoms. Covariates included child's sex, age, birthweight, gestational age, socioeconomic deprivation levels, maternal age, parity, smoking status during pregnancy, gestational diabetes and maternal concurrent symptoms of anxiety and depression assessed using State Anxiety of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Index (STAI) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), respectively. Children exposed to prenatal maternal very severe obesity had significantly higher scores in the Conners' Hyperactivity Scale; ESSENCE-Q; total sleep problems in CSHQ; hyperactivity, conduct problems and total difficulties scales of the SDQ; higher externalizing and total problems, anxious/depressed, aggressive behaviour and other problem syndrome scores and higher DSM-oriented affective, anxiety and ADHD problems in CBCL. Prenatal maternal very severe obesity remained a significant predictor of child neuropsychiatric problems across multiple scales independent of demographic factors, prenatal factors and

  5. A Comparative Analysis of Prenatal Care and Fetal Growth in Eight South American Countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodhouse, Cristina; Lopez Camelo, Jorge; Wehby, George L.

    2014-01-01

    There has been little work that comprehensively compared the relationship between prenatal care and infant health across multiple countries using similar data sources and analytical models. Such comparative analyses are useful for understanding the background of differences in infant health between populations. We evaluated the association between prenatal care visits and fetal growth measured by birth weight (BW) in grams or low birth weight (Prenatal care visits were significantly (at pprenatal care and fetal growth are population-specific and may not be generalizable to other populations. Furthermore, as one of the indicators for a country’s healthcare system for maternal and child health, prenatal care is a highly variable indicator between countries in South America. PMID:24625630

  6. Outcome for Fetuses with Prenatally Detected Congenital Heart Disease and Cardiac Arrhythmias in Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheng-Mou Hsiao

    2007-01-01

    Conclusion: Outcome for fetuses with prenatally detected CHD remains poor, with the prognosis negatively influenced by the presence of complex heart defects as well as extracardiac and chromosomal anomalies. However, prognosis is good for fetuses with cardiac arrhythmia, except with long QT syndrome or hydrops fetalis.

  7. Prenatal nonylphenol exposure, oxidative and nitrative stress, and birth outcomes: A cohort study in Taiwan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Pei-Wei; Chen, Mei-Lien; Huang, Li-Wei; Yang, Winnie; Wu, Kuen-Yuh; Huang, Yu-Fang

    2015-01-01

    Data concerning the effects of prenatal exposures to nonylphenol (NP) and oxidative stress on neonatal birth outcomes from human studies are limited. A total of 146 pregnant women were studied (1) to investigate the association between prenatal NP exposure and maternal oxidative/nitrative stress biomarkers of DNA damage (8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-nitroguanine (8-NO 2 Gua)) and lipid peroxidation (8-iso-prostaglandin F 2α (8-isoPF 2α ), 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-mercapturic acid (HNE-MA)) and (2) to explore the associations among oxidative stress biomarkers, NP exposure, and neonatal birth outcomes, including gestational age, birth weight, length, Ponderal index, and head and chest circumferences. NP significantly increased the 8-OHdG and 8-NO 2 Gua levels. All infants born to mothers with urinary 8-OHdG levels above the median exhibited a significantly shorter gestational duration (B adjusted  = −4.72 days; 95% CI: −8.08 to −1.36 days). No clear association was found between NP levels and birth outcomes. Prenatal 8-OHdG levels might be a novel biomarker for monitoring fetal health related to NP exposure. - Highlights: • A cohort of pregnant women was established and followed until delivery. • NP significantly increased 8-OHdG and 8-NO 2 Gua levels. • Maternal 8-OHdG levels were associated with significantly decreased gestational duration. • No clear association was observed between NP and birth outcomes. - NP increased 8-OHdG and 8-NO 2 Gua levels; high 8-OHdG levels significantly decreased gestation length.

  8. More Than a "Number": Perspectives of Prenatal Care Quality from Mothers of Color and Providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coley, Sheryl L; Zapata, Jasmine Y; Schwei, Rebecca J; Mihalovic, Glen Ellen; Matabele, Maya N; Jacobs, Elizabeth A; Anderson, Cynthie K

    African American mothers and other mothers of historically underserved populations consistently have higher rates of adverse birth outcomes than White mothers. Increasing prenatal care use among these mothers may reduce these disparities. Most prenatal care research focuses on prenatal care adequacy rather than concepts of quality. Even less research examines the dual perspectives of African American mothers and prenatal care providers. In this qualitative study, we compared perceptions of prenatal care quality between African American and mixed race mothers and prenatal care providers. Prenatal care providers (n = 20) and mothers who recently gave birth (n = 19) completed semistructured interviews. Using a thematic analysis approach and Donabedian's conceptual model of health care quality, interviews were analyzed to identify key themes and summarize differences in perspectives between providers and mothers. Mothers and providers valued the tailoring of care based on individual needs and functional patient-provider relationships as key elements of prenatal care quality. Providers acknowledged the need for knowing the social context of patients, but mothers and providers differed in perspectives of "culturally sensitive" prenatal care. Although most mothers had positive prenatal care experiences, mothers also recalled multiple complications with providers' negative assumptions and disregard for mothers' options in care. Exploring strategies to strengthen patient-provider interactions and communication during prenatal care visits remains critical to address for facilitating continuity of care for mothers of color. These findings warrant further investigation of dual patient and provider perspectives of culturally sensitive prenatal care to address the service needs of African American and mixed race mothers. Copyright © 2017 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. After laparoscopic Heller myotomy, do emergency department visits or readmissions predict poor long-term outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Sharona; Villadolid, Desiree; Al-Saadi, Sam; Boyle, Robert; Cowgill, Sarah M; Rosemurgy, Alexander

    2008-12-01

    Laparoscopic Heller myotomy is a first-line treatment for achalasia. To improve outcomes after myotomy and to determine if poor early results predict later outcomes, emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions within 60 days following laparoscopic Heller myotomy were studied. Since 1992, 352 patients have undergone laparoscopic Heller myotomy and are followed through a prospectively maintained registry. Causes of ED visits and readmissions within 60 days after myotomy were determined. Patients scored their symptoms of achalasia before myotomy and at last follow-up; scores were compared to determine if the reasons leading to ED visits and/or readmissions impacted long-term outcome after myotomy. Fourteen (4%) patients had ED visits, and 18 (5%) patients had readmissions within 60 days following myotomy. Sixty-four percent of ED visits were for dysphagia/vomiting and 36% were for abdominal/chest pain, while 37% of readmissions were for dysphagia/vomiting. Pneumonia was complicated by empyema in four patients, all without leaks; two patients expired. Despite ED visits/readmissions, achalasia symptom (e.g., dysphagia, regurgitation, choking, heartburn, and chest pain) frequency and severity scores improved after myotomy (p Heller myotomy. ED visits were generally due to complaints related to achalasia or edema after myotomy, while readmissions were generally related to complications of operative intervention or chronic ill health. Despite ED visits or readmissions early after myotomy, symptoms of achalasia are well palliated by myotomy long-term.

  10. Prenatally Diagnosis and Outcome of Fetuses with Cardiac Rhabdomyoma – Single Centre Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramush Bejiqi

    2017-03-01

    CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac rhabdomyoma are benign from the cardiovascular standpoint in most affected fetuses. An early prenatal diagnosis may help for an adequate planning of perinatal monitoring and treatment with the involvement of a multidisciplinary team. Large tumour size, the number of tumours and localisation may cause hydrops, and they are significantly associated with poor neonatal outcome.

  11. Outcomes of Follow-Up Visits to Chronic Nonmalignant Pain Patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Jan

    2010-01-01

    Follow-up visits by clinical nurse specialists are beneficial for patients with various chronic conditions. It is unknown whether patients with chronic nonmalignant pain can achieve similar benefit. The aim of this study was to assess outcomes of follow-up visits by clinical nurse specialists...... to chronic nonmalignant pain patients regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL), pain, opioid treatment, quality of sleep, and depression. A total of 102 patients were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled trial during a 2-year period after discharge from multidisciplinary pain treatment...... and randomized to intervention or control group. Intervention group patients (n = 52) received home visits every fourth month for 2 years. The findings showed that HRQoL improved generally more in the intervention group. Statistically significant improvements were observed for physical function and bodily pain...

  12. Women's and care providers' perspectives of quality prenatal care: a qualitative descriptive study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Much attention has been given to the adequacy of prenatal care use in promoting healthy outcomes for women and their infants. Adequacy of use takes into account the timing of initiation of prenatal care and the number of visits. However, there is emerging evidence that the quality of prenatal care may be more important than adequacy of use. The purpose of our study was to explore women's and care providers' perspectives of quality prenatal care to inform the development of items for a new instrument, the Quality of Prenatal Care Questionnaire. We report on the derivation of themes resulting from this first step of questionnaire development. Methods A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 pregnant women and 40 prenatal care providers recruited from five urban centres across Canada. Data were analyzed using inductive open and then pattern coding. The final step of analysis used a deductive approach to assign the emergent themes to broader categories reflective of the study's conceptual framework. Results The three main categories informed by Donabedian's model of quality health care were structure of care, clinical care processes, and interpersonal care processes. Structure of care themes included access, physical setting, and staff and care provider characteristics. Themes under clinical care processes were health promotion and illness prevention, screening and assessment, information sharing, continuity of care, non-medicalization of pregnancy, and women-centredness. Interpersonal care processes themes were respectful attitude, emotional support, approachable interaction style, and taking time. A recurrent theme woven throughout the data reflected the importance of a meaningful relationship between a woman and her prenatal care provider that was characterized by trust. Conclusions While certain aspects of structure of care were identified as being key dimensions of quality prenatal care, clinical and

  13. Differences in pregnancy outcomes, prenatal care utilization, and maternal complications between teenagers and adult women in Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang Hyung; Lee, Seung Mi; Lim, Nam Gu; Kim, Hyun Joo; Bae, Sung-Hee; Ock, Minsu; Kim, Un-Na; Lee, Jin Yong; Jo, Min-Woo

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Teenage mothers are at high risk for maternal and neonatal complications. This study aimed to evaluate the socioeconomic circumstances of teenage pregnancy, and determine whether these increased risks remained after adjustment for socioeconomic circumstances in Korea. Using the National Health Insurance Corporation database, we selected women who terminated pregnancy, by delivery or abortion, from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Abortion, delivery type, and maternal complications were defined based on the International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision. We compared teenagers (13–19 years at the time of pregnancy termination) with other age groups and investigated differences based on socioeconomic status, reflected by Medical Aid (MA) and National Health Insurance (NHI) beneficiaries. We used multivariate analysis to define the factors associated with preterm delivery. Among 463,847 pregnancies, 2267 (0.49%) involved teenagers. Teenage mothers were more likely to have an abortion (33.4%) than deliver a baby when compared with other age groups (20.8%; P teenage mothers had never received prenatal care throughout pregnancy. Among teenage mothers, 61.7% of MA recipients made fewer than 4 prenatal care visits (vs 38.8% of NHI beneficiaries) (P Teenage mothers more often experienced preterm delivery and perineal laceration (P Teenage mothers (Teenage mothers had higher risk of inadequate prenatal care and subsequently of preterm delivery, which remained significantly higher after adjusting for socioeconomic confounding variables and adequacy of prenatal care in Korean teenagers (P < 0.001). PMID:27559960

  14. Discrimination Begins in the Womb: Evidence of Sex- Selective Prenatal Investments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bharadwaj, Prashant; Lakdawala, Leah K.

    2013-01-01

    This paper investigates whether boys receive preferential prenatal treatment in a setting where son preference is present. Using micro health data from India, we highlight sex-selective prenatal investments as a new channel via which parents practice discriminatory behavior. We find that mothers visit antenatal clinics and receive tetanus…

  15. Comparing CenteringPregnancy® to standard prenatal care plus prenatal education

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background There is significant evidence to support the importance of prenatal care in preventing adverse outcomes such as preterm birth and low infant birth weight. Previous studies have indicated that the benefits of prenatal care are not evenly distributed throughout the social strata. In addition, emerging evidence suggests that among particular populations, rates of preterm birth are unchanged or increasing. This suggests that an alternate care model is necessary, one that seeks to addresses some of the myriad of social factors that also contribute to adverse birth outcomes. In previous studies, the group prenatal care model CenteringPregnancy® had been shown to reduce adverse birth outcomes, but to date, no comparison had been made with a model that included prenatal education. This study sought to investigate whether any significant difference remained within the comparison groups when both models accounted for social factors. Methods This analysis was based on survey data collected from a prospective cohort of pregnant women through the All Our Babies Study in Calgary, Alberta. Results At baseline, there were significant differences between the comparison groups in their psychosocial health, with the women in the CenteringPregnancy® group scoring higher levels of depressive symptoms, stress and anxiety. At four months postpartum, the differences between the groups were no longer significant. Conclusions: These results suggest that CenteringPregnancy® can recruit and retain a demographically vulnerable group of women with a constellation of risk factors for poor pregnancy and birth outcomes, including poverty, language barriers and poor mental health. Post program, the rates of stress, anxiety and depression were similar to other women with more social and financial advantage. These findings suggest that CenteringPregnancy® may be a community based care strategy that contributes to improved mental health, knowledge, and behaviours to optimize outcomes

  16. What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Weaker: Prenatal Pollution Exposure and Educational Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Nicholas J.

    2012-01-01

    I examine the impact of prenatal total suspended particulate (TSP) exposure on educational outcomes using county-level variation in the timing and severity of the industrial recession of the early 1980s as a shock to ambient TSPs (similar to Chay and Greenstone 2003b). I then instrument for pollution levels using county-level changes in relative…

  17. Anaemia, prenatal iron use, and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haider, Batool A; Olofin, Ibironke; Wang, Molin; Spiegelman, Donna; Ezzati, Majid; Fawzi, Wafaie W

    2013-06-21

    To summarise evidence on the associations of maternal anaemia and prenatal iron use with maternal haematological and adverse pregnancy outcomes; and to evaluate potential exposure-response relations of dose of iron, duration of use, and haemoglobin concentration in prenatal period with pregnancy outcomes. Systematic review and meta-analysis Searches of PubMed and Embase for studies published up to May 2012 and references of review articles. Randomised trials of prenatal iron use and prospective cohort studies of prenatal anaemia; cross sectional and case-control studies were excluded. 48 randomised trials (17 793 women) and 44 cohort studies (1 851 682 women) were included. Iron use increased maternal mean haemoglobin concentration by 4.59 (95% confidence interval 3.72 to 5.46) g/L compared with controls and significantly reduced the risk of anaemia (relative risk 0.50, 0.42 to 0.59), iron deficiency (0.59, 0.46 to 0.79), iron deficiency anaemia (0.40, 0.26 to 0.60), and low birth weight (0.81, 0.71 to 0.93). The effect of iron on preterm birth was not significant (relative risk 0.84, 0.68 to 1.03). Analysis of cohort studies showed a significantly higher risk of low birth weight (adjusted odds ratio 1.29, 1.09 to 1.53) and preterm birth (1.21, 1.13 to 1.30) with anaemia in the first or second trimester. Exposure-response analysis indicated that for every 10 mg increase in iron dose/day, up to 66 mg/day, the relative risk of maternal anaemia was 0.88 (0.84 to 0.92) (P for linear trendtrend=0.005) and risk of low birth weight decreased by 3% (relative risk 0.97, 0.95 to 0.98) for every 10 mg increase in dose/day (P for linear trendtrend=0.002); however, mean haemoglobin was not associated with the risk of low birth weight and preterm birth. No evidence of a significant effect on duration of gestation, small for gestational age births, and birth length was noted. Daily prenatal use of iron substantially improved birth weight in a linear dose-response fashion

  18. Prenatal Phthalate Exposures and Childhood Fat Mass in a New York City Cohort.

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    Buckley, Jessie P; Engel, Stephanie M; Mendez, Michelle A; Richardson, David B; Daniels, Julie L; Calafat, Antonia M; Wolff, Mary S; Herring, Amy H

    2016-04-01

    Experimental animal studies and limited epidemiologic evidence suggest that prenatal exposure to phthalates may be obesogenic, with potential sex-specific effects of phthalates having anti-androgenic activity. We aimed to assess associations between prenatal phthalate exposures and childhood fat mass in a prospective cohort study. We measured phthalate metabolite concentrations in third-trimester maternal urine in a cohort of women enrolled in New York City between 1998 and 2002 (n = 404). Among 180 children (82 girls and 98 boys), we evaluated body composition using a Tanita scale at multiple follow-up visits between ages 4 and 9 years (363 total visits). We estimated associations of standard deviation differences or tertiles of natural log phthalate metabolite concentrations with percent fat mass using linear mixed-effects regression models with random intercepts for repeated outcome measurements. We assessed associations in multiple metabolite models and adjusted for covariates including prepregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and breastfeeding. We did not observe associations between maternal urinary phthalate concentrations and percent body fat in models examining continuous exposures. Fat mass was 3.06% (95% CI: -5.99, -0.09%) lower among children in the highest tertile of maternal urinary concentrations of summed di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (ΣDEHP) metabolites than in children in the lowest tertile. Though estimates were imprecise, there was little evidence that associations between maternal urinary phthalate concentrations and percent fat mass were modified by child's sex. Prenatal phthalate exposures were not associated with increased body fat among children 4-9 years of age, though high prenatal DEHP exposure may be associated with lower fat mass in childhood. Buckley JP, Engel SM, Mendez MA, Richardson DB, Daniels JL, Calafat AM, Wolff MS, Herring AH. 2016. Prenatal phthalate exposures and childhood fat

  19. The effect of e-cigarette indoor vaping restrictions on adult prenatal smoking and birth outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Michael T; Pesko, Michael F

    2017-12-01

    We estimate the effect of county-level e-cigarette indoor vaping restrictions on adult prenatal smoking and birth outcomes using United States birth record data for 7 million pregnant women living in places already comprehensively banning the indoor use of traditional cigarettes. We use both cross-sectional and panel data to estimate our difference-in-difference models. Our panel model results suggest that adoption of a comprehensive indoor vaping restriction increased prenatal smoking by 2.0 percentage points, which is double the estimate obtained from a cross-sectional model. We also document heterogeneity in effect sizes along lines of age, education, and type of insurance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Physical violence by an intimate partner and the inappropriate use of prenatal care services among women in Northeastern Brazil.

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    Carneiro, Jackelyne Faierstein; Valongueiro, Sandra; Ludermir, Ana Bernarda; Araújo, Thália Velho Barreto de

    2016-01-01

    To analyze the association between physical violence by an intimate partner (PVIP) and the inappropriate use of prenatal care services. A nested cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,026 women, based on data from a prospective cohort study designed to investigate intimate partner violence among pregnant women enrolled in the Family Health Program (PSF) in Recife, Northeastern Brazil. The use of prenatal care services was assessed with basis on the guidelines from the Program for Humanization of Prenatal Care and Childbirth (Brazilian Ministry of Health) and considered the time of the first prenatal care visit and the total number of visits during the pregnancy. Data were collected through two face-to-face interviews (one in the last pregnancy trimester and the other in the postpartum period), using standardized questionnaires and data on Pregnancy Card records. An unconditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence intervals to measure the association between an PVIP and the inappropriate use of prenatal care services, using the stepwise method. The prevalence of the inappropriate use of prenatal care services was 44.1% and of an PVIP, 25.6%. In the logistic regression analysis, an intimatePVIP was associated with inappropriate prenatal care (OR = 1.37; 95%CI 1.01 - 1.85; p = 0.04) after adjustment by variables confirmed as confounders (parity, alcohol use in pregnancy, and education level). Women who are victims of an PVIP have more chance of receiving inappropriate prenatal care due to late onset of prenatal care, fewer prenatal care visits, or both.

  1. Pregnancy outcomes in prenatally diagnosed 47, XXX and 47, XYY syndromes: a 30-year French, retrospective, multicentre study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruchy, Nicolas; Blondeel, Eleonore; Le Meur, Nathalie; Joly-Hélas, Géraldine; Chambon, Pascal; Till, Marianne; Herbaux, Martine; Vigouroux-Castera, Adeline; Coussement, Aurélie; Lespinasse, James; Amblard, Florence; Jimenez Pocquet, Mélanie; Lebel-Roy, Camille; Carré-Pigeon, Frédérique; Flori, Elisabeth; Mugneret, Francine; Jaillard, Sylvie; Yardin, Catherine; Harbuz, Radu; Collonge-Rame, Marie-Agnès; Vago, Philippe; Valduga, Mylène; Leporrier, Nathalie; Vialard, François

    2016-06-01

    Sex chromosome aneuploidies are frequently detected fortuitously in a prenatal diagnosis. Most cases of 47, XXX and 47, XYY syndromes are diagnosed in this context, and parents are thus faced with an unexpected situation. The objective of the present study was to characterize a French cohort of prenatally diagnosed cases of 47, XXX and 47, XYY and to evaluate the termination of pregnancy (TOP) rate before and after France's implementation of multidisciplinary centres for prenatal diagnosis in 1997. This retrospective study identified respectively 291 and 175 cases of prenatally diagnosed 47, XXX and 47, XYY between 1976 and 2012. For each case, the indication, maternal age, karyotype and outcome were recorded. Most diagnoses of the two conditions were fortuitous. The occurrence of 47, XXX was associated with advanced maternal age. The overall TOP rate was higher for 47, XXX (22.9%) than for 47, XYY (14.6%), although this difference was not statistically significant. However, the TOP rates fell significantly after 1997 (from 41.1% to 11.8% for 47, XXX and from 25.8% to 6.7% for 47, XYY). The TOP rates after prenatal diagnoses of 47, XXX and 47, XYY fell significantly after 1997, following France's implementation of multidisciplinary centres for prenatal diagnosis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Determinants of prenatal care use: evidence from 32 low-income countries across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

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    Guliani, Harminder; Sepehri, Ardeshir; Serieux, John

    2014-08-01

    While much has been written on the determinants of prenatal care attendance in low-income countries, comparatively little is known about the determinants of the frequency of prenatal visits in general and whether there are separate processes generating the decisions to use prenatal care and the frequency of use. Using the Demographic and Health Surveys data for 32 low-income countries (across Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America) and appropriate two-part and multilevel models, this article empirically assesses the influence of a wide array of observed individual-, household- and community-level characteristics on a woman's decision to use prenatal care and the frequency of that use, while controlling for unobserved community level factors. The results suggest that, though both the decision to use care and the number of prenatal visits are influenced by a range of observed individual-, household- and community-level characteristics, the influence of these determinants vary in magnitude for prenatal care attendance and the frequency of prenatal visits. Despite remarkable consistency among regions in the association of individual, household and community indicators with prenatal care utilization, the estimated coefficients of the risk factors vary greatly across the three world regions. The strong influence of household wealth, education and regional poverty on the use of prenatal care suggests that safe motherhood programmes should be linked with the objectives of social development programmes such as poverty reduction, enhancing the status of women and increasing primary and secondary school enrolment rate among girls. Finally, the finding that teenage mothers and unmarried women and those with unintended pregnancies are less likely to use prenatal care and have fewer visits suggests that safe mother programmes need to pay particular attention to the disadvantaged and vulnerable subgroups of population whose reproductive health issues are often fraught with

  3. Associations of Household Wealth and Individual Literacy with Prenatal Care in Ten West African Countries.

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    Taylor, Yhenneko J; Laditka, Sarah B; Laditka, James N; Huber, Larissa R Brunner; Racine, Elizabeth F

    2016-11-01

    Objective To examine associations of household wealth and individual literacy with prenatal care in West Africa. Methods Data on women with recent births in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone were obtained from 2006 to 2010 Demographic and Health Surveys (n = 58,512). Separate logistic regressions estimated associations of literacy and wealth quintiles with prenatal care, controlling for age, parity, marital status, rural/urban residence, religion, multiple births, pregnancy wantedness, and the woman's involvement in decision-making at home. Any prenatal care was defined by ≥1 prenatal care visit. Adequate prenatal care was defined as at least four prenatal care visits beginning in the first trimester, at least one with a skilled provider. Results Seventy-eight percent of women had any prenatal care; 23 % had adequate care. Women who were not literate had lower odds of having any prenatal care (odds ratio, OR 0.29; 95 % confidence interval, CI 0.26-0.33) and lower odds of adequate care (OR 0.73, CI 0.68-0.78). Women in the poorest wealth quintile were substantially less likely to have any prenatal care than women in the wealthiest quintile (OR 0.24, CI 0.11-0.18), and less likely to have adequate care (OR 0.31, CI 0.27-0.35). Conclusions for Practice A substantial percentage of women in West Africa have no prenatal care. Few have adequate care. Illiteracy and poverty are important risk factors for having little or no prenatal care. Increasing education for girls, promoting culturally appropriate messages about prenatal care, and building trust in providers may increase prenatal care.

  4. Individual and Area Level Factors Associated with Prenatal, Delivery, and Postnatal Care in Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budhwani, Henna; Hearld, Kristine Ria; Harbison, Hanne

    2015-10-01

    This research examines individual and area level factors associated with maternal health care utilization in Pakistan. The 2012-2013 Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys data was used to model five outcomes: prenatal care within the first trimester, four plus prenatal visits, birth attendance by a skilled attendant, birth in a medical facility, and receipt of postnatal care. Less than half of births were to mothers receiving prenatal care in the first trimester, and approximately 57 % had trained personnel at delivery. Over half were born to mothers who received postnatal care. Evidence was found to support the positive effect of individual level variables, education and wealth, on the utilization of maternal health care across all five measures. Although, this study did not find unilateral differences between women residing in rural and urban settings, rural women were found to have lower odds of utilizing prenatal services as compared to mothers in urban environments. Additionally, women who cited distance as a barrier, had lower odds of receiving postnatal health care, but still engaged in prenatal services and often had a skilled attendant present at delivery. The odds of utilizing prenatal care increased when women resided in an area where prenatal utilization was high, and this variability was found across measures across provinces. The results found in this paper highlight the uneven progress made around improving prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care in Pakistan; disparities persist which may be attributed to factors both at the individual and community level, but may be addressed through a consorted effort to change national policy around women's health which should include the promotion of evidence based interventions such as incentivizing health care workers, promoting girls' education, and improving transportation options for pregnant women and recent mothers with the intent of ultimately lowering the Maternal Mortality Rate as recommended in the U

  5. Factors influencing the behavior of pregnant women towards using prenatal care services in Iranian healthcare centers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parisa Parsa

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & aim: Care provision is one of the most important factors in preventing and reducing mortality among pregnant mothers. Despite availability, the uptake of health services in health centers is undesirable. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the behavior of pregnant women towards using prenatal care services based on health belief model in healthcare centers of Tuyserkan, Hamadan Province, Iran. Methods: In this descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study, 165 mothers visiting the health care centers of Tuyserkan, Hamadan Province, Iran, 1-15 days postpartum were chosen using the convenient sampling method during 2015. A self-structured questionnaire comprising items on demographics, knowledge, and health belief model constructs was employed for data collection. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-test, and logistic regression. Results: The study revealed that 72.1% of the pregnant women had regular visits, while 27.9% had irregular visits. Logistic regression reflected that knowledge (OR=0.929 and self-efficacy (OR= 0.976 were effective variables on regular prenatal visits. Conclusion: Considering pregnant women's physiological and anatomical conditions, prenatal care and regular visits are essential; thus, effective interventions in this area should be planned and implemented.

  6. Maternal Prenatal Psychological Distress and Preschool Cognitive Functioning: the Protective Role of Positive Parental Engagement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schechter, Julia C; Brennan, Patricia A; Smith, Alicia K; Stowe, Zachary N; Newport, D Jeffrey; Johnson, Katrina C

    2017-02-01

    Considerable animal research and available human studies suggest that psychological distress experienced by mothers during gestation is associated with later neurodevelopmental deficits in offspring; however, little research has examined potential protective factors that might mitigate this risk. The current study examined the impact of maternal prenatal psychological distress during pregnancy on cognitive outcomes in preschoolers (ages 2.5-5 years) and positive parenting as a potential protective factor. Mother-child dyads (N = 162, mean child age = 44 months, 49 % female) were recruited from a longitudinal cohort of women who had previously participated in a study of maternal mood disorders during pregnancy. Maternal prenatal distress was assessed with multiple measures collected throughout pregnancy. During a follow-up visit, mothers were interviewed about their psychological symptoms since the birth of the child, parenting behaviors were recorded during a parent-child interaction, and children's cognitive abilities were measured using the Differential Ability Scales, 2nd Edition. Maternal prenatal distress significantly predicted lower general cognitive abilities; however, this relationship was strongest for children whose mothers exhibited low levels of positive engagement and not significant when mothers exhibited high levels of positive engagement. Results suggest that positive parental engagement can protect against the detrimental effects of maternal prenatal distress on preschoolers' cognitive abilities.

  7. Prenatal drug exposure: infant and toddler outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandstra, Emmalee S; Morrow, Connie E; Mansoor, Elana; Accornero, Veronica H

    2010-04-01

    This manuscript provides an overview of the current scientific literature on the impact of maternal drug use, specifically opioids and cocaine, during pregnancy on the acute and long-term outcomes of infants and toddlers from birth through age 3 years. Emphasis with regard to opioids is placed on heroin and opioid substitutes used to treat opioid addiction, including methadone, which has long been regarded as the standard of care in pregnancy, and buprenorphine, which is increasingly being investigated and prescribed as an alternative to methadone. Controlled studies comparing methadone at high and low doses, as well as those comparing methadone with buprenorphine, are highlighted and the diagnosis and management of neonatal abstinence syndrome is discussed. Over the past two decades, attention of the scientific and lay communities has also been focused on the potential adverse effects of cocaine and crack cocaine, especially during the height of the cocaine epidemic in the United States. Herein, the findings are summarized from prospective studies comparing cocaine-exposed with non-cocaine-exposed infants and toddlers with respect to anthropometric growth, infant neurobehavior, visual and auditory function, and cognitive, motor, and language development. The potentially stigmatizing label of the so-called "crack baby" preceded the evidence now accumulating from well-designed prospective investigations that have revealed less severe sequelae in the majority of prenatally exposed infants than originally anticipated. In contrast to opioids, which may produce neonatal abstinence syndrome and infant neurobehavioral deficits, prenatal cocaine exposure appears to be associated with what has been described as statistically significant but subtle decrements in neurobehavioral, cognitive, and language function, especially when viewed in the context of other exposures and the caregiving environment which may mediate or moderate the effects. Whether these early findings may

  8. Neurodevelopmental outcomes at 5 years in children exposed prenatally to maternal dental amalgam: the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Gene E; van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Love, Tanzy M T; McSorley, Emeir M; Bonham, Maxine P; Mulhern, Maria S; Yeates, Alison J; Davidson, Philip W; Shamlaye, Conrad F; Strain, J J; Thurston, Sally W; Harrington, Donald; Zareba, Grazyna; Wallace, Julie M W; Myers, Gary J

    2013-01-01

    Limited human data are available to assess the association between prenatal mercury vapor (Hg⁰)) exposure from maternal dental amalgam restorations and neurodevelopment of children. We evaluated the association between maternal dental amalgam status during gestation and children's neurodevelopmental outcomes at 5 years in the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study (SCDNS). Maternal amalgam status was determined prospectively in a longitudinal cohort study examining the associations of prenatal exposure to nutrients and methylmercury (MeHg) with neurodevelopment. A total of 236 mother-child pairs initially enrolled in the SCDNS in 2001 were eligible to participate. Maternal amalgam status was measured as number of amalgam surfaces (the primary metric) and number of occlusal points. The neurodevelopmental assessment battery was comprised of age-appropriate tests of cognitive, language, and perceptual functions, and scholastic achievement. Linear regression analysis controlled for MeHg exposure, maternal fatty acid status, and other covariates relevant to child development. Maternal amalgam status evaluation yielded an average of 7.0 surfaces (range 0-28) and 11.0 occlusal points (range 0-40) during pregnancy. Neither the number of maternal amalgam surfaces nor occlusal points were associated with any outcome. Our findings do not provide evidence to support a relationship between prenatal exposure to Hg⁰ from maternal dental amalgam and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children at 5 years of age. © 2013.

  9. Perceived social support interacts with prenatal depression to predict birth outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nylen, Kimberly J; O'Hara, Michael W; Engeldinger, Jane

    2013-08-01

    Prenatal depression has been linked to adverse reproductive outcomes including preterm labor and delivery, and low birth weight. Social support also has been linked to birth outcomes, and may buffer infants from the adverse impact of maternal depression. In this prospective study, 235 pregnant women completed questionnaires about depression and social support. Clinical interviews were administered to assess for DSM-IV axis I disorders. Following delivery, birth outcomes were obtained from medical records. Babies of depressed mothers weighed less, were born earlier and had lower Apgar scores than babies of nondepressed mothers. Depressed women had smaller social support networks and were less satisfied with support from social networks. We found no direct associations between perceived social support and birth weight. However, depressed women who rated their partners as less supportive had babies who were born earlier and had lower Apgar scores than depressed mothers with higher perceived partner support. Women's perception of partner support appears to buffer infants of depressed mothers from potential adverse outcomes. These results are notable in light of the low-risk nature of our sample and point to the need for continued depression screening in pregnant women and a broader view of risk for adverse birth outcomes. The results also suggest a possible means of intervention that may ultimately lead to reductions in adverse birth outcomes.

  10. Infant and childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: overview and design of a Finnish Register-Based Study (FinESSI

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    Malm Heli

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Experimental animal studies and one population-based study have suggested an increased risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcome after prenatal exposure to SSRIs. We describe the methods and design of a population-based study examining the association between prenatal SSRI exposure and neurodevelopment until age 14. Methods and design This is a cohort study of national registers in Finland: the Medical Birth Register, the Register of Congenital Malformations, the Hospital Discharge Register including inpatient and outpatient data, the Drug Reimbursement Register, and the Population Register. The total study population includes 845,345 women and their live-born, singleton offspring aged 14 or younger and born during Jan 1st 1996-Dec 31st 2010. We will compare the prevalence of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring exposed prenatally to SSRIs to offspring exposed to prenatal depression and unexposed to SSRIs. Associations between exposure and outcome are assessed by statistical methods including specific modeling to account for correlated outcomes within families and differences in duration of follow-up between the exposure groups. Descriptive results. Of all pregnant women with pregnancy ending in delivery (n = 859,359, 1.9% used SSRIs. The prevalence of diagnosed depression and depression-related psychiatric disorders within one year before or during pregnancy was 1.7%. The cumulative incidence of registered psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders was 6.9% in 2010 among all offspring born during the study period (age range 0–14 years. Discussion The study has the potential for significant public health importance in providing information on prenatal exposure to SSRIs and long-term neurodevelopment.

  11. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 731: Group Prenatal Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-03-01

    Individual prenatal care is intended to prevent poor perinatal outcomes and provide education to women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period through a series of one-on-one encounters between a woman and her obstetrician or other obstetric care provider. Concerns regarding increasing health care costs, health care provider availability, dissatisfaction with wait times, and the minimal opportunity for education and support associated with the individual care model have given rise to interest in alternative models of prenatal care. One alternative model, group prenatal care, may be beneficial or preferred for some practice settings and patient populations, although individual prenatal care remains standard practice. Group prenatal care models are designed to improve patient education and include opportunities for social support while maintaining the risk screening and physical assessment of individual prenatal care. Bringing patients with similar needs together for health care encounters increases the time available for the educational component of the encounter, improves efficiency, and reduces repetition. Evidence suggests patients have better prenatal knowledge, feel more ready for labor and delivery, are more satisfied with care in prenatal care groups, and initiate breastfeeding more often. There is no evidence that suggests that group prenatal care causes harm. Individual and group care models warrant additional study with a goal of demonstrating differences in outcomes and identifying populations that benefit most from specific care models.

  12. The impact of the State Children's Health Insurance Program's unborn child ruling expansions on foreign-born Latina prenatal care and birth outcomes, 2000-2007.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drewry, Jonathan; Sen, Bisakha; Wingate, Martha; Bronstein, Janet; Foster, E Michael; Kotelchuck, Milton

    2015-07-01

    The 2002 "unborn child ruling" resulted in State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) expansion for states to cover prenatal care for low-income women without health insurance. Foreign-born Latinas who do not qualify for Medicaid coverage theoretically should have benefited most from the policy ruling given their documented low rates of prenatal care utilization. This study compares prenatal care utilization and subsequent birth outcomes among foreign-born Latinas in six states that used the unborn child ruling to expand coverage to those in ten states that did not implement the expansion. This policy analysis examines cross-sectional pooled US natality data from the pre-enactment years (2000-2003) versus post-enactment years (2004-2007) to estimate the effect of the UCR on prenatal care utilization and birth outcome measures for foreign-born Latinas. Then using a difference-in-difference estimator, we assessed these differences across time for states that did or did not enact the unborn child ruling. Analyses were then replicated on a high-risk subset of the population (single foreign-born Latinas with lower levels of education). The SCHIP unborn child ruling policy expansion increased PNCU over time in the six enacting states. Foreign-born Latinas in expansion enacting states experienced increases in prenatal care utilization though only the high-risk subset were statistically significant. Birth outcomes did not change. The SCHIP unborn child ruling policy was associated with enhanced PNC for a subset of high-risk foreign-born Latinas.

  13. Fetal cardiac axis in tetralogy of Fallot: associations with prenatal findings, genetic anomalies and postnatal outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Y; Edington, S; Fleenor, J; Sinkovskaya, E; Porche, L; Abuhamad, A

    2017-07-01

    To compare prenatal findings, associated genetic anomalies and postnatal outcome in fetuses with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with normal cardiac axis (CAx) and those with abnormal CAx. In this retrospective cohort study, 85 cases diagnosed with TOF by prenatal ultrasound at our clinic between 2005 and 2015 were reviewed. Follow-up ultrasound and postnatal outcome were available for 68 cases. One case complicated with absent pulmonary valve syndrome and a further seven cases diagnosed postnatally with anomalies other than TOF were excluded from the study. The remaining 60 cases of postnatally confirmed TOF were divided according to CAx into two groups: those with normal CAx (n = 33) and those with abnormal CAx (n = 27). CAx was defined as the angle between the interventricular septum and midline of the fetal thorax at the level of the four-chamber view. CAx > 65° or < 25° was considered abnormal. Prenatal sonographic findings, associated genetic anomalies and postnatal outcome were compared between the two groups. Fetuses with TOF and abnormal CAx were more likely to have pulmonary atresia (40.7% vs 15.2%; P = 0.026) and right-sided aortic arch (48.1% vs 21.2%; P = 0.028) than those with normal CAx. Postnatal death occurred in 30.4% of infants with abnormal CAx vs 6.5% with normal CAx (P = 0.028). Incidence of tested genetic anomalies was similar between the two groups. In fetuses with TOF, abnormal CAx is associated with the presence of pulmonary atresia, right-sided aortic arch and a higher risk of postnatal death. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Five year trends in maternal smoking behaviour reported at the first prenatal appointment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynolds, C M E; Egan, B; McKeating, A; Daly, N; Sheehan, S R; Turner, M J

    2017-11-01

    Maternal smoking is a key modifiable risk factor in preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes such as intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth and stillbirth. This observational study examined annual trends of maternal smoking reported at the first prenatal visit in women who delivered in a large university maternity hospital for the 5 years 2011-2015. We examined clinical and sociodemographic data computerised routinely for women who presented for prenatal care at the hospital between 2011 and 2015. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the maternal characteristics, health behaviours and psychiatric history associated with smoking behaviours. Of the 42,509 women the mean age was 31.4 ± 5.5 years, mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was 25.6 ± 5.1 kg/m 2 , and 39.5% were nulliparas. Overall, 52.6% reported they had never smoked, 34.9% were ex-smokers, 10.5% smoked ≤10 cigarettes per day, 1.9% smoked ≥11 cigarettes per day and 0.1% smoked e-cigarettes. Between 2011 and 2015 the prevalence of maternal cigarette smoking decreased from 14.3 to 10.9% (P Smoking during pregnancy was most strongly associated with younger age, multiparity, unemployment, unplanned pregnancy, a history of psychiatric problems, alcohol intake and illicit drug usage. The number of women who reported smoking at the first prenatal visit decreased annually. Amongst women who continue to smoke during pregnancy, there is a clustering of adverse lifestyle behaviour and psychological problems that may need to be addressed if smoking cessation interventions are going to succeed in improving fetal programming.

  15. Concordance between self-reported pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and BMI measured at the first prenatal study contact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natamba, Barnabas K; Sanchez, Sixto E; Gelaye, Bizu; Williams, Michelle A

    2016-07-26

    The 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) gestational weight recommendations are tailored to women's pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). Limited evidence exists on methods for estimating women's pre-pregnancy BMI, particularly for women living in low and middle income countries. Using data from collected among Peruvian pregnant women, we compared the concordance between self-reported pre-pregnancy BMI with BMI measured at the earliest prenatal study visit. Data were from the Pregnancy Outcomes Maternal and Infant Study (PrOMIS), a cohort of pregnant women at the Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal (INMP) in Lima, Peru. 2605 women aged 18 to 49 years (mean ± SD gestational age = 10.9 ± 3.3 weeks) were included in the study. Self-reported pre-pregnancy weight and height and measured weight and height were collected at the first prenatal study contact. We assessed the concordance between measured and self-reported BMI; and, the agreement among indicators of nutritional status obtained using measured and self-reported BMI. On average, weight measured at the first prenatal study visit was 0.27 kg higher than self-reported pre-pregnancy weight (p overweight or obese BMI categories tended to be lower when using self-reported BMI (38.2 %) than when using measured BMI (47.7 %). Self-reported pre-pregnancy BMI was strongly correlated with BMI measured at the first prenatal study contact. The findings potentially suggest that, in this context, there is minimal change between pre-pregnancy BMI and BMI measured at the first prenatal study contact; or, that women in this study just recalled their most recent measured anthropometrics (including values obtained during the index pregnancy but before enrollment in the PrOMIS study).

  16. Does prenatal maternal stress impair cognitive development and alter temperament characteristics in toddlers with healthy birth outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Peng; Sun, Meng-Sha; Hao, Jia-Hu; Chen, Yu-Jiang; Jiang, Xiao-Min; Tao, Rui-Xue; Huang, Kun; Tao, Fang-Biao

    2014-03-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the cognitive and behavioural development of children with healthy birth outcomes whose mothers were exposed to prenatal stress but did not experience pregnancy complications. In this prospective study, self-reported data, including the Prenatal Life Events Checklist about stressful life events (SLEs) during different stages of pregnancy, were collected at 32 to 34 weeks' gestation. Thirty-eight healthy females (mean age 27 y 8 mo, SD 2 y 4 mo) who were exposed to severe SLEs in the first trimester were defined as the exposed infant group, and 114 matched comparison participants were defined as the unexposed infant group (1:3). Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Toddler Temperament Scale were used to evaluate the cognitive development and temperament characteristics of the infants with healthy birth outcomes when they were 16 to 18 months old. A randomized block multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the mental development index scores of the infants of mothers with prenatal exposure to SLEs in the first trimester averaged seven points (95% confidence interval 3.23-10.73 points) lower than those of the unexposed infants. Moreover, the infants in the exposed group achieved higher scores for regularity (adjusted mean [SD] 2.77 [0.65] vs. 2.52 [0.78], F(5,146) =5.27, p=0.023) and for persistence and attention span (adjusted mean 3.61 [0.72] vs. 3.35 [0.52], F(5,146) =5.51, p=0.020). This study provides evidence that lower cognitive ability and less optimal worse behavioural response in infants might independently result from prenatal maternal stress. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

  17. The Outcomes of Chinese Visiting Scholars' Experiences at Canadian Universities: Implications for Faculty Development at Chinese Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qin; Jiang, Yumei

    2015-01-01

    This article examines the outcomes of the overseas experiences of Chinese visiting scholars and the implications of visiting scholar programs for faculty development at Chinese universities. On the basis of semi-structured interviews with 17 returned Chinese visiting scholars who spent six to 12 months in a faculty of education at one of five…

  18. Investing in CenteringPregnancy™ Group Prenatal Care Reduces Newborn Hospitalization Costs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crockett, Amy; Heberlein, Emily C; Glasscock, Leah; Covington-Kolb, Sarah; Shea, Karen; Khan, Imtiaz A

    CenteringPregnancy™ group prenatal care is an innovative model with promising evidence of reducing preterm birth. The outpatient costs of offering CenteringPregnancy pose barriers to model adoption. Enhanced provider reimbursement for group prenatal care may improve birth outcomes and generate newborn hospitalization cost savings for insurers. To investigate potential cost savings for investment in CenteringPregnancy, we evaluated the impact on newborn hospital admission costs of a pilot incentive project, where BlueChoice Health Plan South Carolina Medicaid managed care organization paid an obstetric practice offering CenteringPregnancy $175 for each patient who participated in at least five group prenatal care sessions. Using a one to many case-control matching without replacement, each CenteringPregnancy participant was matched retrospectively on propensity score, age, race, and clinical risk factors with five individual care participants. We estimated the odds of newborn hospital admission type (neonatal intensive care unit [NICU] or well-baby admission) for matched CenteringPregnancy and individual care cohorts with four or more visits using multivariate logistic regression. Cost savings were calculated using mean costs per admission type at the delivery hospital. Of the CenteringPregnancy newborns, 3.5% had a NICU admission compared with 12.0% of individual care newborns (p Investing in CenteringPregnancy for 85 patients ($14,875) led to an estimated net savings for the managed care organization of $67,293 in NICU costs. CenteringPregnancy may reduce costs through fewer NICU admissions. Enhanced reimbursement from payers to obstetric practices supporting CenteringPregnancy sustainability may improve birth outcomes and reduce associated NICU costs. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Prenatal and Postpartum Care Disparities in a Large Medicaid Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parekh, Natasha; Jarlenski, Marian; Kelley, David

    2018-03-01

    Objectives Pennsylvania's maternal mortality, infant mortality, and preterm birth rates rank 24th, 35th, and 25th in the country, and are higher among racial and ethnic minorities. Provision of prenatal and postpartum care represents one way to improve these outcomes. We assessed the extent of disparities in the provision and timeliness of prenatal and postpartum care for women enrolled in Pennsylvania Medicaid. Methods We performed a cross-sectional evaluation of representative samples of women who delivered live births from November 2011 to 2015. Our outcomes were three binary effectiveness-of-care measures: prenatal care timeliness, frequency of prenatal care, and postpartum care timeliness. Pennsylvania's Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) were required to submit these outcomes to the state after reviewing administrative and medical records through a standardized, validated sampling process. We assessed for differences in outcomes by race, ethnicity, region, year, and MCO using logistic regression. Results We analyzed data for 12,228 women who were 49% White, 31% Black/African American, 4% Asian, and 15% Hispanic/Latina. Compared to Black/African American women, white and Asian women had higher odds of prenatal and postpartum care. Hispanic/Latina women had higher frequency of prenatal care than non-Hispanic women. Pennsylvania's Southeast had lower prenatal care and Northwest had lower postpartum care than other regions. Prenatal care significantly decreased in 2014 and increased in 2015. We observed differences between MCOs, and as MCO performance diminished, racial disparities within each plan widened. We explored hypotheses for observed disparities in secondary analyses. Conclusions for Practice Our data demonstrate that interventions should address disparities by race, region, and MCO in equity-promoting measures.

  20. Prenatal Maternal Stress Programs Infant Stress Regulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Elysia Poggi; Glynn, Laura M.; Waffarn, Feizal; Sandman, Curt A.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Prenatal exposure to inappropriate levels of glucocorticoids (GCs) and maternal stress are putative mechanisms for the fetal programming of later health outcomes. The current investigation examined the influence of prenatal maternal cortisol and maternal psychosocial stress on infant physiological and behavioral responses to stress.…

  1. Congenital hydrocephalus - prevalence, prenatal diagnosis and outcome of pregnancy in four European regions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Garne, Ester; Loane, Maria; Addor, Marie-Claude

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To describe prevalence, prenatal diagnosis and outcome for fetuses and infants with congenital hydrocephalus. METHODS: Data were taken from four European registries of congenital malformations (EUROCAT). The registries included are based on multiple sources of information and include...... defects were not included in the study. RESULTS: Eighty-seven cases with congenital hydrocephalus were identified during the study period giving an overall prevalence of 4.65 per 10,000 births. There were 41 livebirths (47%), four fetal deaths (5%) and 42 TOPFA (48%). Nine percent of all cases were from...

  2. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 731 Summary: Group Prenatal Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-03-01

    Individual prenatal care is intended to prevent poor perinatal outcomes and provide education to women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period through a series of one-on-one encounters between a woman and her obstetrician or other obstetric care provider. Concerns regarding increasing health care costs, health care provider availability, dissatisfaction with wait times, and the minimal opportunity for education and support associated with the individual care model have given rise to interest in alternative models of prenatal care. One alternative model, group prenatal care, may be beneficial or preferred for some practice settings and patient populations, although individual prenatal care remains standard practice. Group prenatal care models are designed to improve patient education and include opportunities for social support while maintaining the risk screening and physical assessment of individual prenatal care. Bringing patients with similar needs together for health care encounters increases the time available for the educational component of the encounter, improves efficiency, and reduces repetition. Evidence suggests patients have better prenatal knowledge, feel more ready for labor and delivery, are more satisfied with care in prenatal care groups, and initiate breastfeeding more often. There is no evidence that suggests that group prenatal care causes harm. Individual and group care models warrant additional study with a goal of demonstrating differences in outcomes and identifying populations that benefit most from specific care models.

  3. Effects of Prenatal Care on Child Health at Age 5

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noonan, Kelly; Corman, Hope; Schwartz-Soicher, Ofira; Reichman, Nancy E.

    2012-01-01

    Objectives The broad goal of contemporary prenatal care is to promote the health of the mother, child, and family through the pregnancy, delivery, and the child’s development. Although the vast majority of mothers giving birth in developed countries receive prenatal care, past research has not found compelling evidence that early or adequate prenatal care has favorable effects on birth outcomes. It is possible that prenatal care confers health benefits to the child that do not become apparent until after the perinatal period. Methods Using data from a national urban birth cohort study in the U.S., we estimate the effects of prenatal care on four markers of child health at age 5—maternal-reported health status, asthma diagnosis, overweight, and height. We implement a number of different strategies to address the issue of potential omitted variables bias as well as a large number of specification checks to validate the findings. Results and Conclusions Prenatal care, defined a number of different ways, does not appear to have any effect on the outcomes examined. The findings are robust and suggest that routine health care encounters during the prenatal period could potentially be used more effectively to enhance children’s health trajectories. However, future research is needed to explore the effects of prenatal care on additional child health and developmental outcomes as well as the effects of preconceptional and maternal lifetime helathcare on child health. PMID:22374319

  4. Prenatal surgery for myelomeningocele and the need for cerebrospinal fluid shunt placement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tulipan, Noel; Wellons, John C.; Thom, Elizabeth A.; Gupta, Nalin; Sutton, Leslie N.; Burrows, Pamela K.; Farmer, Diana; Walsh, William; Johnson, Mark P.; Rand, Larry; Tolivaisa, Susan; D’Alton, Mary E.; Adzick, N. Scott

    2016-01-01

    Object The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) was a multicenter randomized trial comparing the safety and efficacy of prenatal and postnatal closure of myelomeningocele. The trial was stopped early because of the demonstrated efficacy of prenatal surgery, and outcomes on 158 of 183 pregnancies were reported. Here, the authors update the 1-year outcomes for the complete trial, analyze the primary and related outcomes, and evaluate whether specific prerandomization risk factors are associated with prenatal surgery benefit. Methods The primary outcome was a composite of fetal loss or any of the following: infant death, CSF shunt placement, or meeting the prespecified criteria for shunt placement. Primary outcome, actual shunt placement, and shunt revision rates for prenatal versus postnatal repair were compared. The shunt criteria were reassessed to determine which were most concordant with practice, and a new composite outcome was created from the primary outcome by replacing the original criteria for CSF shunt placement with the revised criteria. The authors used logistic regression to estimate whether there were interactions between the type of surgery and known prenatal risk factors (lesion level, gestational age, degree of hindbrain herniation, and ventricle size) for shunt placement, and to determine which factors were associated with shunting among those infants who underwent prenatal surgery. Results Ninety-one women were randomized to prenatal surgery and 92 to postnatal repair. The primary outcome occurred in 73% of infants in the prenatal surgery group and in 98% in the postnatal group (p < 0.0001). Actual rates of shunt placement were only 44% and 84% in the 2 groups, respectively (p < 0.0001). The authors revised the most commonly met criterion to require overt clinical signs of increased intracranial pressure, defined as split sutures, bulging fontanelle, or sunsetting eyes, in addition to increasing head circumference or hydrocephalus. Using

  5. Fetal sex modifies effects of prenatal stress exposure and adverse birth outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wainstock, Tamar; Shoham-Vardi, Ilana; Glasser, Saralee; Anteby, Eyal; Lerner-Geva, Liat

    2015-01-01

    Prenatal maternal stress is associated with pregnancy complications, poor fetal development and poor birth outcomes. Fetal sex has also been shown to affect the course of pregnancy and its outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether fetal sex modifies the association between continuous exposure to life-threatening rocket attack alarms and adverse pregnancy outcomes. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in which the exposed group was comprised of 1846 women exposed to rocket-attack alarms before and during pregnancy. The unexposed group, with similar sociodemographic characteristics, delivered during the same period of time at the same medical center, but resided out of rocket-attack range. Multivariable models for each gender separately, controlling for possible confounders, evaluated the risk associated with exposure for preterm births (PTB), low birthweight (LBW), small for gestational age and small head circumference (HC). In both univariable and multivariable analyses exposure status was a significant risk factor in female fetuses only: PTB (adj. OR = 1.43; 1.04-1.96), LBW (adj. OR = 1.41; 1.02-1.95) and HC stress.

  6. Incorporating breastfeeding education into prenatal care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pitts, Adrienne; Faucher, Mary Ann; Spencer, Rebecca

    2015-03-01

    Prenatal breastfeeding education increases breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, and duration. Current research regarding antenatal breastfeeding education suggests that recurrent, individual, and technology-based education programs are effective in providing women with evidence-based breastfeeding information and guidance. This project was implemented at an obstetrical practice in the northeast United States. Pregnant women between 32 weeks of gestation and birth, receiving care from certified nurse-midwives, were the targeted population. Three breastfeeding modules were created and offered to women at the 32-, 34-, and 36-week prenatal visit via computer tablets. Women answered questionnaires at the end of each module, serving as a measure for participation and content learning. Women also completed a questionnaire at the 6-week postpartum visit to assess summative perceptions. Twenty-three women participated, and 21 women completed questionnaires at 6 weeks postpartum. All women answered the content questions at the end of the modules correctly. Sixty-seven percent reported prior breastfeeding experience, 95% initiated breastfeeding, 86% were exclusively breastfeeding at 6 weeks postpartum, and 71% of the women planned to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months. Sixty-seven percent reported the modules promoted or affirmed their decision to breastfeed, whereas 5% would have preferred group-based education. Providers documented breastfeeding education 52% of the time. The results of this project indicate that women successfully learned breastfeeding content via the tablet methodology. The results confirm that prenatal breastfeeding education, in the office setting, is well accepted by women. In order to assess the impact of the program on breastfeeding success, further study is needed.

  7. Factors influencing prospective mother with prenatal qualified doctor care among the reproductive women in Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiser, Humayun; Nasrin, Tasmina

    2018-12-01

    Maternal and child mortality are the key indicators of health and development of the country. Maternal and child health are interconnected to prenatal care. Consulting a doctor at the prenatal stage will not only ensure mother's and her unborn babies' safety, but also has a great influence to reduce the maternal and infant mortality. In this paper, an attempt has been made to analyze the status of prenatal care provided by the qualified doctor among pregnant mothers in Bangladesh. Data and required information of 8793 reproductive women were collected from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2014. Logistic regression model has been used to identify the most significant determinants of the prenatal doctor visits. In this research, it is found that prenatal cares by a qualified doctor during pregnancy depend on several social and demographic characteristics of a woman. It is observed that women staying both urban and rural areas have similar behaviour of caring regarding their pregnancy related complications. Beside this Respondent's age, education, her husband's education and the number of ever born children have significant contribution on prenatal doctor visit. On the other hand, division, religion, husband's desire for children has no effect on it. Overall the model is able to predict 71.65% women into their appropriate group based on these factors.

  8. Caring for Our Future: The Content of Prenatal Care. A Report of the Public Health Service Expert Panel on the Content of Prenatal Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Institutes of Health (DHHS), Bethesda, MD.

    This report describes effective approaches for enhancing maternal, infant, and family outcomes based on the scientific and systematic assessment of the content of prenatal care conducted by the Public Health Service's Expert Panel on the Content of Prenatal Care. The range of risks, both medical and psychosocial, that the prenatal care provider…

  9. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy due to Mitochondrial Disease: Prenatal Diagnosis, Management, and Outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lutgardo García-Díaz

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A case of prenatally diagnosed fetal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is reported. The mother was referred to our department at 37 weeks' gestation because of suspected congenital heart disease. Prenatal echocardiography showed biventricular hypertrophy and pericardial effusion, without additional abnormalities. Postnatal echocardiography confirmed prenatal diagnosis. Neonatal EKG showed biventricular hypertrophy and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Skeletal muscle biopsy was consistent with mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation defect involving a combined defect of respiratory complexes I and IV. Echocardiographic followup during the first year of life showed progressive regression of hypertrophy and evolution to left ventricular myocardial noncompaction.

  10. Fish consumption and prenatal methylmercury exposure: cognitive and behavioral outcomes in the main cohort at 17 years from the Seychelles child development study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidson, Philip W; Cory-Slechta, Deborah A; Thurston, Sally W; Huang, Li-Shan; Shamlaye, Conrad F; Gunzler, Douglas; Watson, Gene; van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Zareba, Grazyna; Klein, Jonathan D; Clarkson, Thomas W; Strain, J J; Myers, Gary J

    2011-12-01

    People worldwide depend upon daily fish consumption as a major source of protein and other nutrients. Fish are high in nutrients essential for normal brain development, but they also contain methylmercury (MeHg), a neurotoxicant. Our studies in a population consuming fish daily have indicated no consistent pattern of adverse associations between prenatal MeHg and children's development. For some endpoints we found performance improved with increasing prenatal exposure to MeHg. Follow up studies indicate this association is related to the beneficial nutrients present in fish. To determine if the absence of adverse outcomes and the presence of beneficial associations between prenatal MeHg and developmental outcomes previously reported persists into adolescence. This study was conducted on the Main Cohort of the Seychelles Child Development Study (SCDS). We examined the association between prenatal MeHg exposure and subjects' performance at 17 years of age on 27 endpoints. The test battery included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), the Woodcock-Johnson (W-J-II) Achievement Test, subtests of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), and measures of problematic behaviors. Analyses for all endpoints were adjusted for postnatal MeHg, sex, socioeconomic status, maternal IQ, and child's age at testing and the child's IQ was added for problematic behavioral endpoints. Mean prenatal MeHg exposure was 6.9 ppm. There was no association between prenatal MeHg and 21 endpoints. Increasing prenatal MeHg was associated with better scores on four endpoints (higher W-J-II math calculation scores, reduced numbers of trials on the Intra-Extradimensional Shift Set of the CANTAB), fewer reports of substance use and incidents of and referrals for problematic behaviors in school. Increasing prenatal MeHg was adversely associated with one level of referrals to a school counselor. At age 17 years there was no consistent

  11. Ethnicity, education attainment, media exposure, and prenatal care in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trinh, Ha Ngoc; Korinek, Kim

    2017-02-01

    Prenatal care coverage in Vietnam has been improving, but ethnic minority women still lag behind in receiving adequate level and type of care. This paper examines ethnic disparities in prenatal care utilization by comparing two groups of ethnic minority and majority women. We examine the roots of ethnic disparity in prenatal care utilization, focusing on how education and media exposure change health behaviours and lessen disparities. We rely on the 2002 Vietnam Demographic and Health Survey to draw our sample, predictors and the three dimensions of prenatal care, including timing of onset, frequency of visits, and type of provider. Results from multinomial-, and binary-logistic regression provide evidence that ethnic minority women are less likely to obtain frequent prenatal care and seek care from professional providers than their majority counterparts. However, we find that ethnic minority women are more likely to obtain early care compared to ethnic majority women. Results for predicted probabilities suggest that education and media exposure positively influenced prenatal care behaviours with higher level of education and media exposure associating with accelerated probability of meeting prenatal care requirements. Our results imply the needs for expansion of media access and schools as well as positive health messages being broadcasted in culturally competent ways.

  12. Improving the Life Chances of Vulnerable Children and Families with Prenatal and Infancy Support of Parents: The Nurse-Family Partnership

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David L. Olds

    2012-07-01

    adverse maternal and child outcomes that are important in their own right, but that also have significant implications for the development of criminal behavior. This paper summarizes a three-decade program of research that has attempted to improve the health and development of mothers and infants and their future life prospects with prenatal and infancy home visiting by nurses. The program, known as the Nurse-Family Partnership, is designed for low-income mothers who have had no previous live births. The home visiting nurses have three major goals: to improve the outcomes of pregnancy by helping women improve their prenatal health; to improve the child’s health and development by helping parents provide more sensitive and competent care of the child; and to improve parental life-course by helping parents plan future pregnancies, complete their educations, and find work. Given consistent effects on prenatal health behaviors, parental care of the child, child abuse and neglect, child health and development, maternal life-course, and criminal involvement of the mothers and children, the program is now being offered for public investment throughout the United States, where careful attention is being given to ensuring that the program is being conducted in accordance with the program model tested in the randomized trials. The program also is being adapted, developed, and tested in countries outside of the US: the Netherlands, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Australia, and Canada, as well as Native American and Alaskan Native populations in the US, where programmatic adjustments are being made to accommodate different populations served and health and human service contexts. We believe it is important to test this program in randomized controlled trials in these new settings before it is offered for public investment.

  13. A Brief Prenatal Intervention of Behavioral Change to Reduce the Risk of Maternal Cytomegalovirus: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, Brenna L; Gans, Kim M; Raker, Christina; Hipolito, Evelyn R; Rouse, Dwight J

    2017-10-01

    To estimate the effects of a brief prenatal behavioral intervention on risk behaviors for maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Women were screened with CMV serology during prenatal care before 20 weeks of gestation and followed for at least 10 weeks. Women without serologic evidence of primary CMV infection were approached. Participants were apprised of serostatus and then randomized 2:1 to either a brief behavioral intervention during their prenatal care visit or to standard care (a brochure). The 7- to 10-minute in-office intervention included a video and hygiene education using motivational interviewing. Participants were then given a reminder calendar to take home and weekly text message reminders. The primary outcome was change in behavioral compliance score on a scale of 0-100. Secondary outcomes included process evaluation and domains of behavior change. A sample size of 180 participants was planned to compare the behavioral compliance score change of at least 15% between intervention and control groups with 80% power and 2.5% two-sided α. From April 2013 to October 2014, 197 women were randomized. One hundred eighty-seven (96%) had outcome data available. Mean gestational age at screening and randomization was 9 4/7 and 13 6/7 weeks of gestation, respectively. Primary outcome assessment occurred at a mean of 28 4/7 weeks of gestation. Baseline behavioral compliance scores increased modestly in the intervention group (mean: 7-point increase from 80.7 to 87.7, 95% CI 2.4-5.9) compared with the comparison group (mean: 4-point increase from 79.7 to 84.1, 95% CI 5.9-8.4; mean difference in change score: 3.0, 95% CI, 0.8-5.2; P=.007). Those in the intervention group reported change in risk perception related to perceived severity and susceptibility, self-efficacy, and perceived norms (Pbehavioral intervention delivered in the prenatal care setting was modestly effective at changing behaviors related to CMV infection risk. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01819519.

  14. Prenatal care: associations with prenatal depressive symptoms and social support in low-income urban women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidebottom, Abbey C; Hellerstedt, Wendy L; Harrison, Patricia A; Jones-Webb, Rhonda J

    2017-10-01

    We examined associations of depressive symptoms and social support with late and inadequate prenatal care in a low-income urban population. The sample was prenatal care patients at five community health centers. Measures of depressive symptoms, social support, and covariates were collected at prenatal care entry. Prenatal care entry and adequacy came from birth certificates. We examined outcomes of late prenatal care and less than adequate care in multivariable models. Among 2341 study participants, 16% had elevated depressive symptoms, 70% had moderate/poor social support, 21% had no/low partner support, 37% had late prenatal care, and 29% had less than adequate prenatal care. Women with both no/low partner support and elevated depressive symptoms were at highest risk of late care (AOR 1.85, CI 1.31, 2.60, p care (AOR 0.74, CI 0.54, 1.10, p = 0.051). Women with moderate/high depressive symptoms were less likely to experience less than adequate care compared to women with low symptoms (AOR 0.73, CI 0.56, 0.96, p = 0.022). Social support and partner support were negatively associated with indices of prenatal care use. Partner support was identified as protective for women with depressive symptoms with regard to late care. Study findings support public health initiatives focused on promoting models of care that address preconception and reproductive life planning. Practice-based implications include possible screening for social support and depression in preconception contexts.

  15. Language Outcomes at 12 Years for Children Exposed Prenatally to Cocaine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Barbara A.; Minnes, Sonia; Short, Elizabeth J.; Min, Meeyoung O.; Wu, Miaoping; Lang, Adelaide; Weishampel, Paul; Singer, Lynn T.

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: In this study, the authors aimed to examine the long-term effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on the language development of 12-year-old children using a prospective design, controlling for confounding prenatal drug exposure and environmental factors. Method: Children who were exposed to cocaine in utero (PCE; "n" = 183)…

  16. Exploring the Group Prenatal Care Model: A Critical Review of the Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thielen, Kathleen

    2012-01-01

    Few studies have compared perinatal outcomes between individual prenatal care and group prenatal care. A critical review of research articles that were published between 1998 and 2009 and involved participants of individual and group prenatal care was conducted. Two middle range theories, Pender’s health promotion model and Swanson’s theory of caring, were blended to enhance conceptualization of the relationship between pregnant women and the group prenatal care model. Among the 17 research studies that met inclusion criteria for this critical review, five examined gestational age and birth weight with researchers reporting longer gestations and higher birth weights in infants born to mothers participating in group prenatal care, especially in the preterm birth population. Current evidence demonstrates that nurse educators and leaders should promote group prenatal care as a potential method of improving perinatal outcomes within the pregnant population. PMID:23997549

  17. Prenatal magnetic resonance and ultrasonographic findings in small-bowel obstruction: imaging clues and postnatal outcomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubio, Eva I.; Blask, Anna R.; Bulas, Dorothy I.; Badillo, Andrea T.

    2017-01-01

    Prenatal small-bowel obstruction can result from single or multiple atresias, and it can be an isolated abnormality or part of a syndrome. It is sometimes the first manifestation of cystic fibrosis. Accurate prediction of the level of obstruction and length of bowel affected can be difficult, presenting a challenge for counseling families and planning perinatal management. To review the prenatal US and MRI findings of small-bowel obstruction and to assess whether fetal MRI adds information that could improve prenatal counseling and perinatal management. We retrospectively reviewed 12 prenatally diagnosed cases of small-bowel obstruction evaluated by both US and MRI from 2005 to 2015. We analyzed gestational age at evaluation, US and MRI findings, gestational age at delivery and postnatal outcomes. The final diagnoses were jejunal atresia (7), ileal atresia (1), cystic fibrosis (3) and combined jejunal and anal atresia (1). Four of the eight with jejunal atresia were found to have multiple small-bowel atresias. Prenatal perforation was noted in three. We identified a trend of increasing complexity of bowel contents corresponding to progressively distal level of obstruction, as indicated by increasing US echogenicity and high T1 signal on MRI. Seven cases of jejunal atresia and one case of ileal atresia demonstrated small ascending, transverse and descending colon (microcolon) with filling of a normal-diameter rectum. In contrast, all three fetuses with cystic fibrosis and the fetus with jejunal-anal atresia demonstrated microcolon as well as abnormal paucity or absence of rectal meconium. Polyhydramnios was present in nine. Eight were delivered prematurely, of whom seven had polyhydramnios. The fetus with jejunal and anal atresia died in utero. Postnatally, three had short gut syndrome, all resulting from multiple jejunal atresias; these three were among a subset of four fetuses whose bowel diameter measured more than 3 cm. Eight infants had no further

  18. Prenatal magnetic resonance and ultrasonographic findings in small-bowel obstruction: imaging clues and postnatal outcomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rubio, Eva I.; Blask, Anna R.; Bulas, Dorothy I. [Children' s National Medical System, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Washington, DC (United States); Badillo, Andrea T. [Children' s National Medical System, Division of General and Thoracic Surgery, Washington, DC (United States)

    2017-04-15

    Prenatal small-bowel obstruction can result from single or multiple atresias, and it can be an isolated abnormality or part of a syndrome. It is sometimes the first manifestation of cystic fibrosis. Accurate prediction of the level of obstruction and length of bowel affected can be difficult, presenting a challenge for counseling families and planning perinatal management. To review the prenatal US and MRI findings of small-bowel obstruction and to assess whether fetal MRI adds information that could improve prenatal counseling and perinatal management. We retrospectively reviewed 12 prenatally diagnosed cases of small-bowel obstruction evaluated by both US and MRI from 2005 to 2015. We analyzed gestational age at evaluation, US and MRI findings, gestational age at delivery and postnatal outcomes. The final diagnoses were jejunal atresia (7), ileal atresia (1), cystic fibrosis (3) and combined jejunal and anal atresia (1). Four of the eight with jejunal atresia were found to have multiple small-bowel atresias. Prenatal perforation was noted in three. We identified a trend of increasing complexity of bowel contents corresponding to progressively distal level of obstruction, as indicated by increasing US echogenicity and high T1 signal on MRI. Seven cases of jejunal atresia and one case of ileal atresia demonstrated small ascending, transverse and descending colon (microcolon) with filling of a normal-diameter rectum. In contrast, all three fetuses with cystic fibrosis and the fetus with jejunal-anal atresia demonstrated microcolon as well as abnormal paucity or absence of rectal meconium. Polyhydramnios was present in nine. Eight were delivered prematurely, of whom seven had polyhydramnios. The fetus with jejunal and anal atresia died in utero. Postnatally, three had short gut syndrome, all resulting from multiple jejunal atresias; these three were among a subset of four fetuses whose bowel diameter measured more than 3 cm. Eight infants had no further

  19. Prenatal care in combination with maternal educational level has a synergetic effect on the risk of neonatal low birth weight: new findings in a retrospective cohort study in Kunshan City, China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin-Lin Dai

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To investigate the dose-response relationship and synergetic effect of the maternal educational level and two measures of prenatal care on neonatal low birth weight (LBW risk. METHODS: Data were derived from the Perinatal Health Care Surveillance System (PHCSS from January 2001 to September 2009 in Kunshan City, Jiangsu province, eastern China, which included data on 31412 women with a normal birth weight delivery and 640 women with a LBW delivery. Logistic modelling was performed to estimate the association including the joint effects with odds ratio (OR and 95% confidence interval (CI between the prenatal care measures and LBW risk after adjusting for the potential confounders. The dose-response relationship between the number of prenatal care visits and the risk of LBW was investigated by modeling the quantitative exposure with restricted cubic splines (RCS. RESULTS: There was a significant synergetic effect on the LBW risk between maternal educational attainment and the number of prenatal care visits (χ(2 = 4.98, P = 0.0257, whereas no significant maternal educational attainment interaction was found with the week of initiation of prenatal care after adjusting for relevant confounding factors (χ(2 = 2.04, P = 0.1530, and the LBW risk displayed a 'U-shape' curve tendency among the different number of prenatal care visits (P for nonlinearity = 0.0002 using RCS. In particular, the ORs were approaching the curve's bottom when the women had 9 or 10 prenatal care visits. Comparing with 5 prenatal care visits, the ORs and 95%CI of LBW risk for 7, 9, 11 and ≥ 13 visits were 0.92 (0.82-1.03, 0.50 (0.38-0.66, 0.62 (0.47-0.82, and 0.99 (0.61-1.60, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that appropriate prenatal care, in combination with a higher maternal educational level, can produce a protective interaction effect on LBW risk. Reasonable health resource assignment for different social statuses should be taken into account by

  20. Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of focal musculoskeletal anomalies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryu, Jung Kyu; Cho, Jeong Yeon; Lee, Young Ho; Kim, Ei Jeong; Chun, Yi Kyeong [Samsung Cheil Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2002-09-15

    Focal musculoskeletal anomalies are various and may be an isolated finding or may be found in conjunction with numerous associations, including genetic syndromes, Karyotype abnormals, central nervous system anomalies and other general musculoskeletal disorders. Early prenatal diagnosis of these focal musculoskeletal anomalies nor only affects prenatal care and postnatal outcome but also helps in approaching other numerous associated anomalies.

  1. Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of focal musculoskeletal anomalies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Jung Kyu; Cho, Jeong Yeon; Lee, Young Ho; Kim, Ei Jeong; Chun, Yi Kyeong

    2002-01-01

    Focal musculoskeletal anomalies are various and may be an isolated finding or may be found in conjunction with numerous associations, including genetic syndromes, Karyotype abnormals, central nervous system anomalies and other general musculoskeletal disorders. Early prenatal diagnosis of these focal musculoskeletal anomalies nor only affects prenatal care and postnatal outcome but also helps in approaching other numerous associated anomalies.

  2. Using an electronic medical record to improve communication within a prenatal care network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernstein, Peter S; Farinelli, Christine; Merkatz, Irwin R

    2005-03-01

    In 2002, the Institute of Medicine called for the introduction of information technologies in health care settings to improve quality of care. We conducted a review of hospital charts of women who delivered before and after the implementation of an intranet-based computerized prenatal record in an inner-city practice. Our objective was to assess whether the use of this record improved communication among the outpatient office, the ultrasonography unit, and the labor floor. The charts of patients who delivered in August 2002 and August 2003 and received their prenatal care at the Comprehensive Family Care Center at Montefiore Medical Center were analyzed. Data collected included the presence of a copy of the prenatal record in the hospital chart, the date of the last documented prenatal visit, and documentation of any prenatal ultrasonograms performed. Forty-three charts in each group were available for review. The prenatal chart was absent in 16% of the charts of patients from August 2002 compared with only 2% in August 2003 charts (P intranet-based prenatal chart significantly improves communication among providers.

  3. Impact of prenatal care on postpartum child care

    OpenAIRE

    NWARU, BRIGHT

    2007-01-01

    Background: Although prenatal care has come a long way to be regarded as a standard routine care in pregnancy since its formal organization in the early 20th century, with several modifications to its content, it is just of recent that considerable attention was drawn to questions about its effectiveness. This awareness has led to several evaluations of the impact of prenatal care. Initially, these assessments concentrated on the effect of prenatal care on the more traditional outcomes (b...

  4. Yoga and massage therapy reduce prenatal depression and prematurity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria; Medina, Lissette; Delgado, Jeannette; Hernandez, Andrea

    2012-04-01

    Eighty-four prenatally depressed women were randomly assigned to yoga, massage therapy or standard prenatal care control groups to determine the relative effects of yoga and massage therapy on prenatal depression and neonatal outcomes. Following 12 weeks of twice weekly yoga or massage therapy sessions (20 min each) both therapy groups versus the control group had a greater decrease on depression, anxiety and back and leg pain scales and a greater increase on a relationship scale. In addition, the yoga and massage therapy groups did not differ on neonatal outcomes including gestational age and birthweight, and those groups, in turn, had greater gestational age and birthweight than the control group. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Does additional prenatal care in the home improve birth outcomes for women with a prior preterm delivery? A randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lutenbacher, Melanie; Gabbe, Patricia Temple; Karp, Sharon M; Dietrich, Mary S; Narrigan, Deborah; Carpenter, Lavenia; Walsh, William

    2014-07-01

    Women with a history of a prior preterm birth (PTB) have a high probability of a recurrent preterm birth. Some risk factors and health behaviors that contribute to PTB may be amenable to intervention. Home visitation is a promising method to deliver evidence based interventions. We evaluated a system of care designed to reduce preterm births and hospital length of stay in a sample of pregnant women with a history of a PTB. Single site randomized clinical trial. Eligibility: >18 years with prior live birth ≥20-home visits by certified nurse-midwives guided by protocols for specific risk factors (e.g., depressive symptoms, abuse, smoking). Data was collected via multiple methods and sources including intervention fidelity assessments. Average age 27.8 years; mean gestational age at enrollment was 15 weeks. Racial breakdown mirrored local demographics. Most had a partner, high school education, and 62% had Medicaid. No statistically significant group differences were found in gestational age at birth. Intervention participants had a shorter intrapartum length of stay. Enhanced prenatal care by nurse-midwife home visits may limit some risk factors and shorten intrapartum length of stay for women with a prior PTB. This study contributes to knowledge about evidence-based home visit interventions directed at risk factors associated with PTB.

  6. Prenatal care in a specialized diabetes in pregnancy program improves compliance with postpartum testing in GDM women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huynh, Terri; Ghaffari, Neda; Bastek, Jamie; Durnwald, Celeste

    2017-05-01

    To evaluate whether prenatal care in a specialized diabetes in pregnancy program (DMC) improves compliance with completion of the 2-h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (2HrOGTT) in GDM women. A retrospective cohort study of GDM women delivering in a university health system between January 2011 and March 2014 was performed. Women were divided into two groups: those receiving care in prenatal clinics over an 18-month period prior to the establishment of the diabetes in pregnancy clinic (pre-DMC) and those receiving prenatal care in a specialized diabetes in pregnancy clinic (post-DMC). The primary outcome was completion of the 2HrOGTT postpartum. Clinical characteristics associated with 2HrOGTT completion were evaluated. Time trend analysis was performed to evaluate month to month variation in 2HrOGTT compliance for secular trends. A total of 292 women were analyzed, 147 post-DMC and 118 pre-DMC. The 2HrOGTT was ordered more frequently in the post-DMC compared to pre-DMC (90.0 versus 53.0%, p prenatal care post-DMC were 2.98 times more likely to complete the 2HrOGTT compared to those receiving care pre-DMC (OR 2.98 [1.34, 6.62], p = 0.007). Providers were 5.9 times more likely to order the recommended testing for GDM women who attended the postpartum visit in the post-DMC period. GDM women who receive prenatal care in a specialized diabetes in pregnancy program are more likely to complete the 2HrOGTT in the postpartum period.

  7. Home visits during pregnancy: consequences on pregnancy outcome, use of health services, and women's situations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blondel, B; Bréart, G

    1995-08-01

    This review of eight randomized controlled trials assessed two different types of home visits during pregnancy: (1) those offering social support to high-risk women; and (2) those providing medical care to women with complications. In both categories, pregnancy outcome was not improved when women received home visits. The summary odds ratio for preterm delivery (better integration of hospital and home services might allow a more rational use of health services for women with complications. In addition, we need to define more precisely the content of home visits providing social support. For this, further research is required on how emotional support, health education, and advice influence the health of women and infants and mother-child interactions.

  8. Impact of prenatal care provider on the use of ancillary health services during pregnancy

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Recent declines in the provision of prenatal care by family physicians and the integration of midwives into the Canadian health care system have led to a shift in the pattern of prenatal care provision; however it is unknown if this also impacts use of other health services during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess the impact of the type of prenatal care provider on the self-reported use of ancillary services during pregnancy. Methods Data for this study was obtained from the All Our Babies study, a community-based prospective cohort study of women’s experiences during pregnancy and the post-partum period. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to assess the association between type of prenatal care provider and use of ancillary health services in pregnancy. Results During pregnancy, 85.8% of women reported accessing ancillary health services. Compared to women who received prenatal care from a family physician, women who saw a midwife were less likely to call a nurse telephone advice line (OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.18-0.50) and visit the emergency department (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.24-0.89), but were more likely receive chiropractic care (OR = 4.07, 95% CI: 2.49-6.67). Women who received their prenatal care from an obstetrician were more likely to visit a walk-in clinic (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.11-2.05) than those who were cared for by a family physician. Conclusions Prenatal care is a complex entity and referral pathways between care providers and services are not always clear. This can lead to the provision of fragmented care and create opportunities for errors and loss of information. All types of care providers have a role in addressing the full range of health needs that pregnant women experience. PMID:23497179

  9. Long-term cognitive and cardiac outcomes after prenatal exposure to chemotherapy in children aged 18 months or older: an observational study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Amant, F.; Calsteren, K. van; Halaska, M.J.; Gziri, M.M.; Hui, W.; Lagae, L.; Willemsen, M.A.A.P.; Kapusta, L.; Calster, B. van; Wouters, H; Heyns, L.; Han, S.N.; Tomek, V.; Mertens, L.; Ottevanger, P.B.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy for the treatment of maternal cancers during pregnancy has become more acceptable in the past decade; however, the effect of prenatal exposure to chemotherapy on cardiac and neurodevelopmental outcomes of the offspring is still uncertain. We aimed to record the general

  10. Prenatal and childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and child cognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Maria H; Oken, Emily; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Calafat, Antonia M; Ye, Xiaoyun; Bellinger, David C; Webster, Thomas F; White, Roberta F; Sagiv, Sharon K

    2018-06-01

    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are suspected developmental toxicants, but epidemiological evidence on neurodevelopmental effects of PFAS exposure is inconsistent. We examined associations of prenatal and childhood PFAS exposure with performance on assessments of cognition in children. We included mother-child pairs from Project Viva, a longitudinal Boston-area birth cohort enrolled during 1999-2002. We quantified concentrations of eight PFASs, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), in plasma collected from women during pregnancy (median 9.7 weeks gestation) and from children at a visit in mid-childhood (median age 7.7 years). In early childhood (median age 3.2 years) we administered standardized assessments of visual motor skills and vocabulary comprehension, and in mid-childhood we assessed visual motor skills, visual memory, and verbal and non-verbal intelligence. Using multivariable regression, we estimated associations of prenatal and childhood PFAS plasma concentrations with children's cognitive assessment scores, adjusted for relevant covariates including breastfeeding, maternal intelligence, parental education, and household income. Samples sizes ranged from 631 to 971, depending on analysis. Prenatal PFAS concentrations were associated with both better and worse cognitive performance; children with top quartile prenatal concentrations of some PFASs had better visual motor abilities in early childhood and non-verbal IQ and visual memory in mid-childhood, while children with upper quartile prenatal PFOA and PFOS had lower mid-childhood visual-motor scores. In cross-sectional analyses of mid-childhood PFAS concentrations and cognitive assessments, visual-motor scores on the Wide Range Assessment of Visual Motor Abilities (WRAVMA) (standardized mean = 100, standard deviation = 15) were lower among children with higher PFHxS (fourth quartile (Q4) vs. Q1: -5.0, 95

  11. Prenatal Care in Combination with Maternal Educational Level Has a Synergetic Effect on the Risk of Neonatal Low Birth Weight: New Findings in a Retrospective Cohort Study in Kunshan City, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Xiao-Ming; Shen, Yue-Ping

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To investigate the dose-response relationship and synergetic effect of the maternal educational level and two measures of prenatal care on neonatal low birth weight (LBW) risk. Methods Data were derived from the Perinatal Health Care Surveillance System (PHCSS) from January 2001 to September 2009 in Kunshan City, Jiangsu province, eastern China, which included data on 31412 women with a normal birth weight delivery and 640 women with a LBW delivery. Logistic modelling was performed to estimate the association including the joint effects with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) between the prenatal care measures and LBW risk after adjusting for the potential confounders. The dose-response relationship between the number of prenatal care visits and the risk of LBW was investigated by modeling the quantitative exposure with restricted cubic splines (RCS). Results There was a significant synergetic effect on the LBW risk between maternal educational attainment and the number of prenatal care visits (χ2 = 4.98, P = 0.0257), whereas no significant maternal educational attainment interaction was found with the week of initiation of prenatal care after adjusting for relevant confounding factors (χ2 = 2.04, P = 0.1530), and the LBW risk displayed a ‘U-shape’ curve tendency among the different number of prenatal care visits (P for nonlinearity = 0.0002) using RCS. In particular, the ORs were approaching the curve’s bottom when the women had 9 or 10 prenatal care visits. Comparing with 5 prenatal care visits, the ORs and 95%CI of LBW risk for 7, 9, 11 and ≥13 visits were 0.92 (0.82–1.03), 0.50 (0.38–0.66), 0.62 (0.47–0.82), and 0.99 (0.61–1.60), respectively. Conclusions Our findings suggest that appropriate prenatal care, in combination with a higher maternal educational level, can produce a protective interaction effect on LBW risk. Reasonable health resource assignment for different social statuses should be

  12. Risk factors of HIV-1 vertical transmission (VT) and the influence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in pregnancy outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barral, Maria F M; de Oliveira, Gisele R; Lobato, Rubens C; Mendoza-Sassi, Raul A; Martínez, Ana M B; Gonçalves, Carla V

    2014-01-01

    In the absence of intervention, the rate of vertical transmission of HIV can range from 15-45%. With the inclusion of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy and the choice of delivery route this amounts to less than 2%. However ARV use during pregnancy has generated several questions regarding the adverse effects of the gestational and neonatal outcome. This study aims to analyze the risk factors for vertical transmission of HIV-1 seropositive pregnant women living in Rio Grande and the influence of the use of ARVs in pregnancy outcome. Among the 262 pregnant women studied the rate of vertical transmission of HIV was found to be 3.8%. Regarding the VT, there was a lower risk of transmission when antiretroviral drugs were used and prenatal care was conducted at the referral service. However, the use of ART did not influence the outcome of pregnancy. However, initiation of prenatal care after the first trimester had an influence on low birth weight, as well as performance of less than six visits increased the risk of prematurity. Therefore, the risk factors analyzed in this study appear to be related to the realization of inadequate pre-natal and maternal behavior.

  13. RISK FACTORS OF HIV-1 VERTICAL TRANSMISSION (VT AND THE INFLUENCE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY (ART IN PREGNANCY OUTCOME

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria F.M. Barral

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In the absence of intervention, the rate of vertical transmission of HIV can range from 15-45%. With the inclusion of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy and the choice of delivery route this amounts to less than 2%. However ARV use during pregnancy has generated several questions regarding the adverse effects of the gestational and neonatal outcome. This study aims to analyze the risk factors for vertical transmission of HIV-1 seropositive pregnant women living in Rio Grande and the influence of the use of ARVs in pregnancy outcome. Among the 262 pregnant women studied the rate of vertical transmission of HIV was found to be 3.8%. Regarding the VT, there was a lower risk of transmission when antiretroviral drugs were used and prenatal care was conducted at the referral service. However, the use of ART did not influence the outcome of pregnancy. However, initiation of prenatal care after the first trimester had an influence on low birth weight, as well as performance of less than six visits increased the risk of prematurity. Therefore, the risk factors analyzed in this study appear to be related to the realization of inadequate pre-natal and maternal behavior.

  14. Childhood Maltreatment History, Posttraumatic Relational Sequelae, and Prenatal Care Utilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Sue Anne; Seng, Julia

    2015-01-01

    Objective To test the hypothesis that childhood maltreatment history would be associated with inadequate prenatal care utilization. Design A post-hoc analysis of a prospective cohort study of the effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on pregnancy outcomes. Setting Recruitment took place via prenatal clinics from three academic health systems in southeast Michigan. Participants This analysis included 467 diverse, nulliparous, English-speaking adult women expecting their first infants. Methods Data were gathered from structured telephone interviews at two time points in pregnancy and from prenatal medical records. Results Contrary to our hypothesis, history of childhood maltreatment was associated with better likelihood of using adequate prenatal care. Risk for inadequate prenatal care occurred in association with the posttraumatic stress and interpersonal sensitivity that can result from maltreatment, with low alliance with the maternity care provider, and with public insurance coverage. Prior mental health treatment was associated with using adequate prenatal care. Conclusion When childhood maltreatment survivors were resilient or have used mental health treatment, they were more likely to utilize adequate prenatal care. The maternity care relationship or service delivery model (e.g., no continuity of care) as well as structural factors may adversely affect utilization among PTSD-affected survivors. Since inadequate care was associated with adverse outcomes, further studies of these modifiable factors are warranted. PMID:23772546

  15. Effects of prenatal alcohol and cigarette exposure on offspring substance use in multiplex, alcohol-dependent families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Jessica W; Hill, Shirley Y

    2014-12-01

    Prenatal exposures to alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs of abuse are associated with numerous adverse consequences for affected offspring, including increased risk for substance use and abuse. However, maternal substance use during pregnancy appears to occur more often in those with a family history of alcohol dependence. Utilizing a sample that is enriched for familial alcohol dependence and includes controls selected for virtual absence of familial alcohol dependence could provide important information on the relative contribution of familial risk and prenatal exposures to offspring substance use. A sample of multigenerational families specifically ascertained to be at either high or low risk for developing alcohol dependence (AD) provided biological offspring for a longitudinal prospective study. High-risk families were selected based on the presence of 2 alcohol-dependent sisters. Low-risk families were selected on the basis of minimal first and second-degree relatives with AD. High-risk (HR = 99) and Low-risk offspring (LR = 110) were assessed annually during childhood and biennially in young adulthood regarding their alcohol, drug, and cigarette use. At the first childhood visit, mothers were interviewed concerning their prenatal use of substances. High-risk mothers were more likely to use alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs during pregnancy than low-risk control mothers, and to consume these substances in greater quantities. Across the sample, prenatal exposure to alcohol was associated with increased risk for both offspring cigarette use and substance use disorders (SUD), and prenatal cigarette exposure was associated with increased risk for offspring cigarette use. Controlling for risk status by examining patterns within the HR sample, prenatal cigarette exposure remained a specific predictor of offspring cigarette use, and prenatal alcohol exposure was specifically associated with increased risk for offspring SUD. Women with a family history of

  16. Qualitative Comparison of Women's Perspectives on the Functions and Benefits of Group and Individual Prenatal Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heberlein, Emily C; Picklesimer, Amy H; Billings, Deborah L; Covington-Kolb, Sarah; Farber, Naomi; Frongillo, Edward A

    2016-01-01

    Women's definitions and experiences of the functions and benefits of their routine prenatal care are largely absent from research and public discourse on prenatal care outcomes. This qualitative study aimed to develop a framework of women's prenatal care experiences by comparing the experiences of women in individual and group prenatal care. We conducted serial qualitative interviews with racially diverse low-income women receiving individual prenatal care (n = 14) or group prenatal care (n = 15) through pregnancy and the early postpartum period. We completed 42 second-trimester, 48 third-trimester, and 44 postpartum interviews. Using grounded theory, the semistructured interviews were coded for themes, and the themes were integrated into an explanatory framework of prenatal care functions and benefits. Individual and group participants described similar benefits in 3 prenatal care functions: confirming health, preventing and monitoring medical complications, and building supportive provider relationships. For the fourth function, educating and preparing, group care participants experienced more benefits and different benefits. The benefits for group participants were enhanced by the supportive group environment. Group participants described greater positive influences on stress, confidence, knowledge, motivation, informed decision making, and health care engagement. Whereas pregnant women want to maximize their probability of having a healthy newborn, other prenatal care outcomes are also important: reducing pregnancy-related stress; developing confidence and knowledge for improving health; preparing for labor, birth, and newborn care; and having supportive relationships. Group prenatal care may be more effective in attaining these outcomes. Achieving these outcomes is increasingly relevant in health care systems prioritizing woman-centered care and improved birth outcomes. How to achieve them should be part of policy development and research. © 2016 by the

  17. Prenatal meditation influences infant behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Ka Po

    2014-11-01

    Meditation is important in facilitating health. Pregnancy health has been shown to have significant consequences for infant behaviors. In view of limited studies on meditation and infant temperament, this study aims to explore the effects of prenatal meditation on these aspects. The conceptual framework was based on the postulation of positive relationships between prenatal meditation and infant health. A randomized control quantitative study was carried out at Obstetric Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong. 64 pregnant Chinese women were recruited for intervention and 59 were for control. Outcome measures were cord blood cortisol, infant salivary cortisol, and Carey Infant Temperament Questionnaire. Cord blood cortisol level of babies was higher in the intervention group (pmeditation can influence fetal health. Carey Infant Temperament Questionnaire showed that the infants of intervention group have better temperament (pmeditation in relation to child health. Present study concludes the positive effects of prenatal meditation on infant behaviors and recommends that pregnancy care providers should provide prenatal meditation to pregnant women. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Prenatal air pollution exposure induces sexually dimorphic fetal programming of metabolic and neuroinflammatory outcomes in adult offspring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolton, Jessica L; Auten, Richard L; Bilbo, Staci D

    2014-03-01

    Environmental chemical exposures during critical windows of development may contribute to the escalating prevalence of obesity. We tested the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP), a primary component of air pollution, would prime microglia long-term, resulting in exacerbated metabolic and affective outcomes following exposure to a high-fat diet in adulthood. Time-mated mouse dams were intermittently exposed to respiratory instillations of either vehicle (VEH) or DEP throughout gestation. Adult male and female offspring were then fed either a low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 9 weeks. The male offspring of DEP-exposed dams exhibited exaggerated weight gain, insulin resistance, and anxiety-like behavior on HFD compared to the male offspring of VEH-exposed dams, whereas female offspring did not differ according to prenatal treatment. Furthermore, HFD induced evidence of macrophage infiltration of both adipose tissue and the brain in both sexes, but these cells were more activated specifically in DEP/HFD males. DEP/HFD males also expressed markedly higher levels of microglial/macrophage, but not astrocyte, activation markers in the hippocampus, whereas females exhibited only a suppression of astrocyte activation markers due to HFD. In a second experiment, DEP male offspring mounted an exaggerated peripheral IL-1β response to an LPS challenge at postnatal day (P)30, whereas their central IL-1β response did not differ from VEH male offspring, which is suggestive of macrophage priming due to prenatal DEP exposure. In sum, prenatal air pollution exposure "programs" offspring for increased susceptibility to diet-induced metabolic, behavioral, and neuroinflammatory changes in adulthood in a sexually dimorphic manner. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Sensitivity analysis for missing dichotomous outcome data in multi-visit randomized clinical trial with randomization-based covariance adjustment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Siying; Koch, Gary G; Preisser, John S; Lam, Diana; Sanchez-Kam, Matilde

    2017-01-01

    Dichotomous endpoints in clinical trials have only two possible outcomes, either directly or via categorization of an ordinal or continuous observation. It is common to have missing data for one or more visits during a multi-visit study. This paper presents a closed form method for sensitivity analysis of a randomized multi-visit clinical trial that possibly has missing not at random (MNAR) dichotomous data. Counts of missing data are redistributed to the favorable and unfavorable outcomes mathematically to address possibly informative missing data. Adjusted proportion estimates and their closed form covariance matrix estimates are provided. Treatment comparisons over time are addressed with Mantel-Haenszel adjustment for a stratification factor and/or randomization-based adjustment for baseline covariables. The application of such sensitivity analyses is illustrated with an example. An appendix outlines an extension of the methodology to ordinal endpoints.

  20. The outcome of the working visits by the experts to the fuel provider enterprises

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mironov, Y.; Molchanov, V.

    2015-01-01

    The working visits by the international experts to the fabrication plants of nuclear fuels and the zirconium alloy component facility took part in the framework of the „Zero failure level“ project. The purpose of these working visits was to determine whether there are any cause-effect relationships between the production of nuclear fuel and the fuel failures as well as to identify the trends and reasons for such failures. As an outcome of the analysis of the production processes at the fabrication plants of the nuclear fuel and the zirconium alloys component facility, the system root causes affecting the failures of the nuclear fuel were not identified

  1. Preliminary study into the components of the fear-avoidance model of LBP: change after an initial chiropractic visit and influence on outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Newell Dave

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the last decade the sub grouping of low back pain (LBP patients according to their likely response to treatment has been identified as a research priority. As with other patient groups, researchers have found few if any factors from the case history or physical examination that are helpful in predicting the outcome of chiropractic care. However, in the wider LBP population psychosocial factors have been identified that are significantly prognostic. This study investigated changes in the components of the LBP fear-avoidance beliefs model in patients pre- and post- their initial visit with a chiropractor to determine if there was a relationship with outcomes at 1 month. Methods Seventy one new patients with lower back pain as their primary complaint presenting for chiropractic care to one of five clinics (nine chiropractors completed questionnaires before their initial visit (pre-visit and again just before their second appointment (post-visit. One month after the initial consultation, patient global impression of change (PGIC scores were collected. Pre visit and post visit psychological domain scores were analysed for any association with outcomes at 1 month. Results Group mean scores for Fear Avoidance Beliefs (FAB, catastrophisation and self-efficacy were all improved significantly within a few days of a patient's initial chiropractic consultation. Pre-visit catastrophisation as well as post-visit scores for catastrophisation, back beliefs (inevitability and self-efficacy were weakly correlated with patient's global impression of change (PGIC at 1 month. However when the four assessed psychological variables were dichotomised about pre-visit group medians those individuals with 2 or more high variables post-visit had a substantially increased risk (OR 36.4 (95% CI 6.2-213.0 of poor recovery at 1 month. Seven percent of patients with 1 or fewer adverse psychological variables described poor benefit compared to 73% of those

  2. Prenatal Nitrate Exposure and Childhood Asthma. Influence of Maternal Prenatal Stress and Fetal Sex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bose, Sonali; Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu Mathilda; Hsu, Hsiao-Hsien Leon; Di, Qian; Rosa, Maria José; Lee, Alison; Kloog, Itai; Wilson, Ander; Schwartz, Joel; Wright, Robert O; Cohen, Sheldon; Coull, Brent A; Wright, Rosalind J

    2017-12-01

    Impact of ambient pollution upon children's asthma may differ by sex, and exposure dose and timing. Psychosocial stress can also modify pollutant effects. These associations have not been examined for in utero ambient nitrate exposure. We implemented Bayesian-distributed lag interaction models to identify sensitive prenatal windows for the influence of nitrate (NO 3 - ) on child asthma, accounting for effect modification by sex and stress. Analyses included 752 mother-child dyads. Daily ambient NO 3 - exposure during pregnancy was derived using a hybrid chemical transport (Geos-Chem)/land-use regression model and natural log transformed. Prenatal maternal stress was indexed by a negative life events score (high [>2] vs. low [≤2]). The outcome was clinician-diagnosed asthma by age 6 years. Most mothers were Hispanic (54%) or black (29%), had a high school education or less (66%), never smoked (80%), and reported low prenatal stress (58%); 15% of children developed asthma. BDILMs adjusted for maternal age, race, education, prepregnancy obesity, atopy, and smoking status identified two sensitive windows (7-19 and 33-40 wk gestation), during which increased NO 3 - was associated with greater odds of asthma, specifically among boys born to mothers reporting high prenatal stress. Cumulative effects of NO 3 - across pregnancy were also significant in this subgroup (odds ratio = 2.64, 95% confidence interval = 1.27-5.39; per interquartile range increase in ln NO 3 - ). Prenatal NO 3 - exposure during distinct sensitive windows was associated with incident asthma in boys concurrently exposed to high prenatal stress.

  3. Prenatal sex selection and girls' well-being: Evidence from India

    OpenAIRE

    Hu, Luojia; Schlosser, Analia

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we study the impact of prenatal sex selection on the well-being of girls by analyzing changes in children's nutritional status and mortality during the years since the diffusion of prenatal sex determination technologies in India. We further examine various channels through which prenatal sex selection might affect girls’ outcomes. Using repeated cross-sections from a rich survey dataset, we show that high sex ratios at birth reflect the practice of sex selective abortion. We t...

  4. Endocrine-disrupting activity of hydraulic fracturing chemicals and adverse health outcomes after prenatal exposure in male mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassotis, Christopher D.; Klemp, Kara C.; Vu, Danh C.; Lin, Chung-Ho; Meng, Chun-Xia; Besch-Williford, Cynthia L.; Pinatti, Lisa; Zoeller, R. Thomas; Drobnis, Erma Z.; Balise, Victoria D.; Isiguzo, Chiamaka J.; Williams, Michelle A.; Tillitt, Donald E.; Nagel, Susan C.

    2015-01-01

    Oil and natural gas operations have been shown to contaminate surface and ground water with endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In the current study, we fill several gaps in our understanding of the potential environmental impacts related to this process. We measured the endocrine-disrupting activities of 24 chemicals used and/or produced by oil and gas operations for five nuclear receptors using a reporter gene assay in human endometrial cancer cells. We also quantified the concentration of 16 of these chemicals in oil and gas wastewater samples. Finally, we assessed reproductive and developmental outcomes in male C57BL/6J mice after the prenatal exposure to a mixture of these chemicals. We found that 23 commonly used oil and natural gas operation chemicals can activate or inhibit the estrogen, androgen, glucocorticoid, progesterone, and/or thyroid receptors, and mixtures of these chemicals can behave synergistically, additively, or antagonistically in vitro. Prenatal exposure to a mixture of 23 oil and gas operation chemicals at 3, 30, and 300 μg/kg · d caused decreased sperm counts and increased testes, body, heart, and thymus weights and increased serum testosterone in male mice, suggesting multiple organ system impacts. Our results suggest possible adverse developmental and reproductive health outcomes in humans and animals exposed to potential environmentally relevant levels of oil and gas operation chemicals.

  5. Prenatal nutrition, epigenetics and schizophrenia risk: can we test causal effects?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkbride, James B; Susser, Ezra; Kundakovic, Marija; Kresovich, Jacob K; Davey Smith, George; Relton, Caroline L

    2012-06-01

    We posit that maternal prenatal nutrition can influence offspring schizophrenia risk via epigenetic effects. In this article, we consider evidence that prenatal nutrition is linked to epigenetic outcomes in offspring and schizophrenia in offspring, and that schizophrenia is associated with epigenetic changes. We focus upon one-carbon metabolism as a mediator of the pathway between perturbed prenatal nutrition and the subsequent risk of schizophrenia. Although post-mortem human studies demonstrate DNA methylation changes in brains of people with schizophrenia, such studies cannot establish causality. We suggest a testable hypothesis that utilizes a novel two-step Mendelian randomization approach, to test the component parts of the proposed causal pathway leading from prenatal nutritional exposure to schizophrenia. Applied here to a specific example, such an approach is applicable for wider use to strengthen causal inference of the mediating role of epigenetic factors linking exposures to health outcomes in population-based studies.

  6. The Motivation-Facilitation Theory of Prenatal Care Access.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillippi, Julia C; Roman, Marian W

    2013-01-01

    Despite the availability of services, accessing health care remains a problem in the United States and other developed countries. Prenatal care has the potential to improve perinatal outcomes and decrease health disparities, yet many women struggle with access to care. Current theories addressing access to prenatal care focus on barriers, although such knowledge is minimally useful for clinicians. We propose a middle-range theory, the motivation-facilitation theory of prenatal care access, which condenses the prenatal care access process into 2 interacting components: motivation and facilitation. Maternal motivation is the mother's desire to begin and maintain care. Facilitation represents the goal of the clinic to create easy, open access to person-centered beneficial care. This simple model directs the focus of research and change to the interface of the woman and the clinic and encourages practice-level interventions that facilitate women entering and maintaining prenatal care. © 2013 by the American College of Nurse‐Midwives.

  7. Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis and outcome of placenta previa accreta after cesarean delivery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jauniaux, Eric; Bhide, Amar

    2017-07-01

    Women with a history of previous cesarean delivery, presenting with a placenta previa, have become the largest group with the highest risk for placenta previa accreta. The objective of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound imaging in the prenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta and the impact of the depth of villous invasion on management in women presenting with placenta previa or low-lying placenta and with 1 or more prior cesarean deliveries. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, clinicalTrials.gov, and MEDLINE for studies published between 1982 and November 2016. Criteria for the study were cohort studies that provided data on previous mode of delivery, placenta previa, or low-lying placenta on prenatal ultrasound imaging and pregnancy outcome. The initial search identified 171 records, of which 5 retrospective and 9 prospective cohort studies were eligible for inclusion in the quantitative analysis. The studies were scored on methodological quality using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. The 14 cohort studies included 3889 pregnancies presenting with placenta previa or low-lying placenta and 1 or more prior cesarean deliveries screened for placenta accreta. There were 328 cases of placenta previa accreta (8.4%), of which 298 (90.9%) were diagnosed prenatally by ultrasound. The incidence of placenta previa accreta was 4.1% in women with 1 prior cesarean and 13.3% in women with ≥2 previous cesarean deliveries. The pooled performance of ultrasound for the antenatal detection of placenta previa accreta was higher in prospective than retrospective studies, with a diagnostic odds ratios of 228.5 (95% confidence interval, 67.2-776.9) and 80.8 (95% confidence interval, 13.0-501.4), respectively. Only 2 studies provided detailed data on the relationship between the depth of villous invasion and the number of previous cesarean deliveries, independently of the depth of the villous invasion. A cesarean hysterectomy was performed in

  8. Data from three prospective longitudinal human cohorts of prenatal marijuana exposure and offspring outcomes from the fetal period through young adulthood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabrielle L. McLemore

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This article includes data from three prospective longitudinal human cohorts of prenatal marijuana exposure (PME and offspring outcomes from the fetal period through young adulthood. The table herein contains an overview of the major adverse effects associated with PME from the following human cohorts: (1 The Ottawa Prenatal Prospective Study (OPPS; (2 The Maternal Health Practices and Child Development Study (MHPCD; and (3 The Generation R Study (Gen R. In the OPPS, fetal gestational age was measured and age-appropriate standardized neuropsychological instruments were used to assess neonatal responses, and infant–child and adolescent–young adult cognitive and behavioral skills. In the MHPCD, birth length and weight, neonatal body length, and infant–child sleep, cognition, and behavioral parameters were measured. In the Gen R, birth weight and growth were measured, as were infant–child attention and aggression. The data in this article are in support of our report entitled “Prenatal Cannabis Exposure - The "First Hit" to the Endocannabinoid System” (K.A. Richardson, A.K. Hester, G.L. McLemore, 2016 [13].

  9. The effectiveness of adolescent-specific prenatal interventions on improving attendance and reducing harm during and after birth: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tibingana-Ahimbisibwe, Brenda; Katabira, Catherine; Mpalampa, Lena; Harrison, Roger A

    2016-08-18

    Adolescent pregnancy has been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes including pre-term birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW) and perinatal death. To systematically review the effect of adolescent-specific interventions on reducing PTB, LBW, and perinatal death and increasing prenatal care attendance. Possible studies for inclusion were identified by a comprehensive search of OvidSP MEDLINE (limits: humans, 1990-present), EMBASE (limits: humans, 1990-2015), Popline and Global Health Database from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and PubMed International scientific databases, and references of identified articles were searched from 1990 to present. All types of controlled studies of prenatal interventions were exclusive to adolescents and at least one of the outcomes of interest. Investigators identified relevant studies and entered the data in a pro forma. Data were summarised as forest plots and narrative synthesis. Twenty-two studies (three randomised controlled trials (RCTs), four prospective cohort studies, nine retrospective cohort studies, five case controls and one natural experiment) were included with all but one study being carried out in higher-income countries. Seven of the 16 studies reporting on PTB found a statistically significant reduction in PTB rates between adolescent-specific prenatal care (intervention) and non-age specific prenatal care odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) ranged from OR: 0.15 (95% CI: 0.03-0.83) to OR: 0.59 (95% CI: 0.45-0.78). Nine of the 12 studies reported statistically significant higher mean prenatal attendance rates among the intervention group compared to controls (ranging from a mean number of visits of 14.3 vs. 10.7 pbirth rate but their effect on perinatal death is uncertain. There is a distinct lack of evidence of the effectiveness of these interventions for adolescents living in low-middle income countries, despite having the majority of adolescent pregnancies, and associated risk of harm. No high

  10. Outcomes of a Randomized Trial of a Cognitive Behavioral Enhancement to Address Maternal Distress in Home Visited Mothers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFarlane, Elizabeth; Burrell, Lori; Duggan, Anne; Tandon, Darius

    2017-03-01

    Objectives To assess the effectiveness of a 6-week, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group-based enhancement to home visiting to address stress and prevent depression as compared with home visiting as usual in low income mothers of young children. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 95 low-income mothers of young children to assess the effectiveness of a 6-week, cognitive behavioral group-based enhancement to Healthy Families America and Parents as Teachers home visiting (HV/CBT = 49) to address stress and prevent depression as compared with home visiting as usual (HV = 46). Booster sessions for the HV/CBT group were offered at 3 and 6 months. Participants completed measures of coping, stress and depression at three points: baseline prior to randomization, post-intervention, and 6 months post-intervention. Parent child interaction was also measured at 6 months. Results Intent-to-treat analyses found improved coping and reduced stress and depression post-intervention. While impacts on these outcomes were attenuated at 6 months, positive impacts were observed for selected aspects of mothers' interactions with their children. Maternal characteristics at baseline were associated with participation in the intervention and with post-intervention and 6-month outcomes. Mothers with lower levels of stress and those with fewer children were more likely to attend intervention sessions. Mothers with lower levels of stress had more favorable post intervention outcomes. Conclusions CBT group-based enhancement to home visiting improved maternal coping, reduced stress and depression immediately post intervention but not at 6 months, suggesting more work is needed to sustain positive gains in low-income mothers of young children.

  11. Risk of impaired cognition after prenatal exposure to psychotropic drugs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wibroe, M A; Mathiasen, R; Pagsberg, A K

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Prenatal exposure to psychotropic drugs may affect the trajectories of brain development. In a register study, we investigated whether such exposure is associated with long-term impaired cognitive abilities. METHOD: Individuals born in Denmark in 1995-2008 were included. As proxies...... of a neurological/mental disorder after prenatal exposure to psychoanaleptics (primarily antidepressants) (OR: 1.86[1.24-2.78). CONCLUSION: Prenatal exposure to psychotropic drugs affects proxy outcomes of cognitive disabilities at school age. Exposure to psycholeptics carries the largest risk. The role...

  12. Pregnancy and alcohol use: evidence and recommendations for prenatal care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Beth A; Sokol, Robert J

    2008-06-01

    Pregnancy alcohol consumption has been linked to poor birth outcomes and long-term developmental problems. Despite this, a significant number of women drink during pregnancy. Although most prenatal care providers are asking women about alcohol use, validated screening tools are infrequently employed. Research has demonstrated that currently available screening methods and intervention techniques are effective in identifying and reducing pregnancy drinking. Implementing universal screening and appropriate intervention for pregnancy alcohol use should be a priority for prenatal care providers, as these efforts could substantially improve pregnancy, birth, and longer term developmental outcomes for those affected.

  13. Prenatal stress modifies behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function in female guinea pig offspring: effects of timing of prenatal stress and stage of reproductive cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapoor, Amita; Matthews, Stephen G

    2008-12-01

    Prenatal stress is associated with altered behavior and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function postnatally. Recent studies suggest that these outcomes are dependent on the timing of the prenatal stress. The majority of these studies have been carried out in male offspring. We hypothesized that a short period of prenatal stress would result in female offspring that exhibit differences in open-field behavior and HPA axis activity, but the outcome would depend on the timing of the prenatal stress and the stage of the reproductive cycle. Pregnant guinea pigs were exposed to a strobe light during the fetal brain growth spurt [gestational d 50-52 (PS50)] or during the period of rapid brain myelination [gestational d 60-62 (PS60)]. Open-field activity was assessed in juvenile and adult female offspring. HPA axis function was tested in adult offspring. All tests in adulthood were carried out during the estrous and luteal phases of the reproductive cycle to determine the effect of stage on HPA axis programming. Tissues were collected upon completion of the study for analysis by in situ hybridization. PS60 offspring exhibited decreased activity in an open field during the estrous phase of the reproductive cycle compared with control offspring. Both PS50 and PS60 offspring exhibited a lower salivary cortisol response to a stressor, only during the estrous phase. Consistent with the behavioral and endocrine data, PS60 females exhibited lower plasma estradiol levels, reduced ovary weight, and increased glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that there are effects of prenatal stress on behavior and HPA axis functioning in female offspring but that the outcomes are dependent on the timing of the prenatal stress together with the status of the reproductive cycle.

  14. Impact of Psychosocial Risk Factors on Prenatal Care Delivery: A National Provider Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krans, Elizabeth E.; Moloci, Nicholas M.; Housey, Michelle T.; Davis, Matthew M.

    2014-01-01

    Objective To evaluate providers’ perspectives regarding the delivery of prenatal care to women with psychosocial risk factors. Methods A random, national sample of 2095 prenatal care providers (853 obstetricians and gynecologists (Ob/Gyns), 270 family medicine (FM) physicians and 972 midwives) completed a mailed survey. We measured respondents’ practice and referral patterns regarding six psychosocial risk factors: adolescence (age ≤ 19), unstable housing, lack of paternal involvement and social support, late prenatal care (> 13 weeks gestation), domestic violence and drug or alcohol use. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses assessed the association between prenatal care provider characteristics and prenatal care utilization patterns. Results Approximately 60% of Ob/Gyns, 48.4% of midwives and 32.2% of FM physicians referred patients with psychosocial risk factors to clinicians outside of their practice. In all three specialties, providers were more likely to increase prenatal care visits with alternative clinicians (social workers, nurses, psychologists/psychiatrists) compared to themselves for all six psychosocial risk factors. Drug or alcohol use and intimate partner violence were the risk factors that most often prompted an increase in utilization. In multivariate analyses, Ob/Gyns who recently completed clinical training were significantly more likely to increase prenatal care utilization with either themselves (OR=2.15; 95% CI 1.14–4.05) or an alternative clinician (2.27; 1.00–4.67) for women with high psychosocial risk pregnancies. Conclusions Prenatal care providers frequently involve alternative clinicians such as social workers, nurses and psychologists or psychiatrists in the delivery of prenatal care to women with psychosocial risk factors. PMID:24740719

  15. Group Prenatal Care: A Financial Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowley, Rebecca A; Phillips, Lindsay E; O'Dell, Lisa; Husseini, Racha El; Carpino, Sarah; Hartman, Scott

    2016-01-01

    Multiple studies have demonstrated improved perinatal outcomes for group prenatal care (GPC) when compared to traditional prenatal care. Benefits of GPC include lower rates of prematurity and low birth weight, fewer cesarean deliveries, improved breastfeeding outcomes and improved maternal satisfaction with care. However, the outpatient financial costs of running a GPC program are not well established. This study involved the creation of a financial model that forecasted costs and revenues for prenatal care groups with various numbers of participants based on numerous variables, including patient population, payor mix, patient show rates, staffing mix, supply usage and overhead costs. The model was developed for use in an urban underserved practice. Adjusted revenue per pregnancy in this model was found to be $989.93 for traditional care and $1080.69 for GPC. Cost neutrality for GPC was achieved when each group enrolled an average of 10.652 women with an enriched staffing model or 4.801 women when groups were staffed by a single nurse and single clinician. Mathematical cost-benefit modeling in an urban underserved practice demonstrated that GPC can be not only financially sustainable but possibly a net income generator for the outpatient clinic. Use of this model could offer maternity care practices an important tool for demonstrating the financial practicality of GPC.

  16. The Impact of the Professional Qualifications of the Prenatal Care Provider on Breastfeeding Duration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallenborn, Jordyn T; Lu, Juan; Perera, Robert A; Wheeler, David C; Masho, Saba W

    2018-03-01

    A prenatal commitment to breastfeed is a strong predictor for breastfeeding success. Prenatal care providers have the opportunity to educate and promote breastfeeding. However, differences in education and training between healthcare providers such as physicians and midwives may result in differing breastfeeding outcomes. This study explores whether breastfeeding initiation and duration differ by prenatal care provider. Longitudinal data from the Infant Feeding Practices Survey II were analyzed (N = 2,832 women). Prenatal care providers were categorized as obstetrician, family/other physician, and midwife/nurse-midwife. Breastfeeding initiation was dichotomized (yes; no). Breastfeeding duration and exclusive breastfeeding duration were reported in weeks. Logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between prenatal care provider and breastfeeding initiation. Cox proportional hazard models provided crude and adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence limits to determine the relationship between type of prenatal care provider and breastfeeding duration. After adjusting for confounders, women who received care from a midwife were 68% less likely to never breastfed than women whose prenatal care was provided by an obstetrician. Women whose prenatal care was provided by a midwife had 14% lower risk of discontinuing breastfeeding and 23% lower risk of discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding. No significant association was found between women whose prenatal care was provided by a family physician or other type of physician and breastfeeding initiation and duration. Findings highlight the importance of prenatal care providers on breastfeeding duration. Future studies should examine factors (i.e., training, patient-provider interaction) that contribute to differences in breastfeeding outcomes by type of prenatal care provider.

  17. FUNCTIONALLY UNIVENTRICULAR HEARTS: IMPACT OF PRE-NATAL DIAGNOSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Francesco Corno

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Within the last few decades the pre-natal echocardiographic diagnosis of congenital heart defects has made substantial progresses, particularly for the identification of complex malformation. Functionally univentricular hearts categorize a huge variety of heart malformations. Since no one of the patients with these congenital heart defects can ever undergo a bi-ventricular type of repair, early recognition and decision-making from the neonatal period are required in order to allow for appropriate multiple-step diagnostic and treatment procedures, either of interventional cardiology and/or surgery, on the pathway of univentricular heart. In the literature strong disagreements exist about the potential impact of the pre-natal diagnosis on the early and late outcomes of complex congenital heart defects. This review of the recent reports has been undertaken to better understand the impact of pre-natal diagnosis in functionally univentricular hearts taking into consideration the following topics:•pre-natal screening•outcomes and survival•general morbidity•neurologic and developmental consequences•pregnancy management and delivery planning•resources utilization and costs/benefits issues•ethical implications, parents counseling, interruption of pregnancy versus treatment

  18. Prenatal education for congenital toxoplasmosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Mario, Simona; Basevi, Vittorio; Gagliotti, Carlo; Spettoli, Daniela; Gori, Gianfranco; D'Amico, Roberto; Magrini, Nicola

    2015-10-23

    Congenital toxoplasmosis is considered a rare but potentially severe infection. Prenatal education about congenital toxoplasmosis could be the most efficient and least harmful intervention, yet its effectiveness is uncertain. To assess the effects of prenatal education for preventing congenital toxoplasmosis. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 May 2015), and reference lists of relevant papers, reviews and websites. Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials of all types of prenatal education on toxoplasmosis infection during pregnancy. Cluster-randomized trials were eligible for inclusion. Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. Two cluster-randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (involving a total of 5455 women) met the inclusion criteria. The two included trials measured the effectiveness of the intervention in different ways, which meant that meta-analysis of the results was not possible. The overall quality of the two studies, as assessed using the GRADE approach, was low, with high risk of detection and attrition bias in both included trials.One trial (432 women enrolled) conducted in Canada was judged of low methodological quality. This trial did not report on any of the review's pre-specified primary outcomes and the secondary outcomes reported results only as P values. Moreover, losses to follow-up were high (34%, 147 out of 432 women initially enrolled). The authors concluded that prenatal education can effectively change pregnant women's behavior as it increased pet, personal and food hygiene. The second trial conducted in France was also judged of low methodological quality. Losses to follow-up were also high (44.5%, 2233 out of 5023 women initially enrolled) and differential (40% in the intervention group and 52% in the control group). The authors concluded that prenatal education for congenital toxoplasmoses has a

  19. Prenatal programming of childhood overweight and obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Jennifer S; Lee, Tiffany A; Lu, Michael C

    2007-09-01

    To review the scientific evidence for prenatal programming of childhood overweight and obesity, and discuss its implications for MCH research, practice, and policy. A systematic review of observational studies examining the relationship between prenatal exposures and childhood overweight and obesity was conducted using MOOSE guidelines. The review included literature posted on PubMed and MDConsult and published between January 1975 and December 2005. Prenatal exposures to maternal diabetes, malnutrition, and cigarette smoking were examined, and primary study outcome was childhood overweight or obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI) for children ages 5 to 21. Four of six included studies of prenatal exposure to maternal diabetes found higher prevalence of childhood overweight or obesity among offspring of diabetic mothers, with the highest quality study reporting an odds ratio of adolescent overweight of 1.4 (95% CI 1.0-1.9). The Dutch famine study found that exposure to maternal malnutrition in early, but not late, gestation was associated with increased odds of childhood obesity (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5-2.4). All eight included studies of prenatal exposure to maternal smoking showed significantly increased odds of childhood overweight and obesity, with most odds ratios clustering around 1.5 to 2.0. The biological mechanisms mediating these relationships are unknown but may be partially related to programming of insulin, leptin, and glucocorticoid resistance in utero. Our review supports prenatal programming of childhood overweight and obesity. MCH research, practice, and policy need to consider the prenatal period a window of opportunity for obesity prevention.

  20. Adequate and Ever Use of Prenatal Care in Fars Province 2000-2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aliyar Ahmadi

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Prenatal care consists of a series of clinical visits and services offered to pregnant women throughout the antepartum period. Despite advances in the extent of prenatal care use in Iran, some women still avoid using these services. It is, therefore, very important to investigate the prevalence of prenatal care use, and to identify the factors associated with it. This study analyzes prenatal care use in Fars Province between 2000 and 2010, identifying the associations between women’s demographic and socio-economic characteristics and prenatal care use. Methods: The study is quantitative and based on secondary data drawn from IDHS 2000 and MIDHS 2010. The sample consisted of 765 individuals from Fars Province. The data were weighted to reflect the characteristics of the rural-urban population. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS-18. In the inferential analysis, bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were applied. Results: It was indicated that both the quantity and quality of prenatal care increased during 2000–2010. Obstetricians and gynecologists became the primary reference point for women accessing healthcare during this period. Our study indicates that, in the final analytical model, the educational attainment (OR=1.32, P=0.035, urban place of residence (OR=10.49, P=0.003, sanitary and health status of households (OR=5.04, P<0.001, and knowledge of family planning (OR=1.14, P<0.001 were significantly related to the use of prenatal care. Conclusion: Women who do not have access to prenatal care are mainly from families with low socio-economic status. Thus socially vulnerable groups receive deficient prenatal care, indicating the need for government investment and planning in a comprehensive insurance system.

  1. Australian private midwives with hospital visiting rights in Queensland: Structures and processes impacting clinical outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenwick, J; Brittain, H; Gamble, J

    2017-12-01

    Reporting the outcomes for women and newborns accessing private midwives with visiting rights in Australia is important, especially since this data cannot currently be disaggregated from routinely collected perinatal data. 1) Evaluate the outcomes of women and newborns cared for by midwives with visiting access at one Queensland facility and 2) explore private midwives views about the structures and processes contributing to clinical outcomes. Mixed methods. An audit of the 'all risk' 529 women receiving private midwifery care. Data were compared with national core maternity variables using Chi square statistics. Telephone interviews were conducted with six private midwives and data analysed using thematic analysis. Compared to national data, women with a private midwife were significantly more likely to be having a first baby (49.5% vs 43.6% p=0.007), to commence labour spontaneously (84.7% vs 52.7%, p<0.001), experience a spontaneous vaginal birth (79% vs 54%, p<0.001) and not require pharmacological pain relief (52.9% vs 23.1%, p<0.001). The caesarean section rate was significantly lower than the national rate (13% vs 32.8%, p<0.001). In addition fewer babies required admission to the Newborn Care Unit (5.1% vs 16%, p<0.001). Midwives were proud of their achievements. Continuity of care was considered fundamental to achieving quality outcomes. Midwives valued the governance processes embedded around the model. Private midwives with access to the public system is safe. Ensuring national data collection accurately captures outcomes relative to model of care in both the public and private sector should be prioritised. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Effect of frequency of clinic visits and medication pick-up on antiretroviral treatment outcomes: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutasa-Apollo, Tsitsi; Ford, Nathan; Wiens, Matthew; Socias, Maria Eugenia; Negussie, Eyerusalem; Wu, Ping; Popoff, Evan; Park, Jay; Mills, Edward J; Kanters, Steve

    2017-07-21

    Expanding and sustaining antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage may require simplified HIV service delivery strategies that concomitantly reduce the burden of care on the health system and patients while ensuring optimal outcomes. We conducted a systematic review to assess the impact of reduced frequency of clinic visits and drug dispensing on patient outcomes. As part of the development process of the World Health Organization antiretroviral (ARV) guidelines, we systematically searched medical literature databases for publications up to 30 August 2016. Information was extracted on trial characteristics, patient characteristics and the following outcomes: mortality, morbidity, treatment adherence, retention, patient and provider acceptability, cost and patients exiting the programme. When feasible, conventional pairwise meta-analyses were conducted. Results and discussion Of 6443 identified citations, 21 papers, pertaining to 16 studies, were included in this review, with 11 studies contributing to analyses. Although analyses were feasible, they were limited by the sparse evidence base, despite the importance of the research area, and relatively low quality. Comparative analyses of eight studies reporting on frequency of clinic visits showed that less frequent clinic visits led to higher odds of being retained in care (odds ratio [OR]: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.21-2.99). No differences were found with respect to viral failure, morbidity or mortality; however, most estimates were favourable to reduced clinic visits. Reduced frequency of ARVs pick-ups showed a trend towards better retention (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 0.62-6.04). Strategies using community support tended to have better outcomes; however, their implementation varied, particularly by location. External validity may be questionable. Our systematic review suggests that reduction of clinical visits (and likely ARVs pick-ups) may improve clinical outcomes, and that they are a viable option to relieve health systems and reduce

  3. The association between prenatal sleep quality and obstetric outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, Hsuan-Man; Ko, Shu-Hua; Chen, Chung-Hey

    2014-09-01

    Pregnancy-associated sleep disorder is a new category on the latest version of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders. It is a significant problem for pregnant women. The present follow-up study assesses the association between sleep quality during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and obstetric-neonatal outcomes. A prospective follow-up study design was used. Follow-up examination of the obstetric birth records in the immediate postpartum period were carried out on 128 second-trimester and 120 third-trimester women and their newborns in two hospitals in Taiwan. Poor sleep quality was identified using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data were collected from October 2007 to June 2008. The prevalence of poor sleepers (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score > 5) was 58% for second-trimester participants and 66% for third-trimester participants; participants who were unemployed reported a significantly higher prevalence of poor sleep quality than those who were employed. Subsequent review of the participant's obstetric birth records revealed that third-trimester poor sleepers were more likely to have had a vacuum-assisted delivery. This study identified poor sleep quality during the third trimester as a novel risk factor for vacuum-assisted delivery. We suggest that prenatal healthcare providers focus greater attention to the sleep disturbance condition of pregnant women and provide proactive sleep counseling to facilitate pregnant women's adjustment to the new psychosocial and physiological demands of motherhood.

  4. The Influence of Group Versus Individual Prenatal Care on Phase of Labor at Hospital Admission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilden, Ellen L; Emeis, Cathy L; Caughey, Aaron B; Weinstein, Sarah R; Futernick, Sarah B; Lee, Christopher S

    2016-07-01

    Group prenatal care, an alternate model of prenatal care delivery, has been associated with various improved perinatal outcomes in comparison to standard, individual prenatal care. One important maternity care process measure that has not been explored among women who receive group prenatal care versus standard prenatal care is the phase of labor (latent vs active) at hospital admission. A retrospective case-control study was conducted comparing 150 women who selected group prenatal care with certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) versus 225 women who chose standard prenatal care with CNMs. Analyses performed included descriptive statistics to compare groups and multivariate regression to evaluate the contribution of key covariates potentially influencing outcomes. Propensity scores were calculated and included in regression models. Women within this sample who received group prenatal care were more likely to be in active labor (≥ 4 cm of cervical dilatation) at hospital admission (odds ratio [OR], 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-2.99; P = .049) and were admitted to the hospital with significantly greater cervical dilatation (mean [standard deviation, SD] 5.7 [2.5] cm vs. 5.1 [2.3] cm, P = .005) compared with women who received standard prenatal care, controlling for potential confounding variables and propensity for group versus individual care selection. Group prenatal care may be an effective and safe intervention for decreasing latent labor hospital admission among low-risk women. Neither group prenatal care nor active labor hospital admission was associated with increased morbidity. © 2016 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

  5. Impact of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders on Emergency Department Visit Outcomes for HIV Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian Y. Choi, MD, MPH

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: A disproportionate number of individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV have mental health and substance-use disorders (MHSUDs, and MHSUDs are significantly associated with their emergency department (ED visits. With an increasing share of older adults among HIV patients, this study investigated the associations of MHSUDs with ED outcomes of HIV patients in four age groups: 21-34, 35-49, 50-64, and 65+ years. Methods: We used the 2012 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS dataset (unweighted n=23,244,819 ED events by patients aged 21+, including 115,656 visits by patients with HIV. Multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses, with “treat-and-release” as the base outcome, were used to examine associations between ED outcomes and MHSUDs among visits that included a HIV diagnosis in each age group. Results: Mood and “other” mental disorders had small effects on ED-to-hospital admissions, as opposed to treat-and-release, in age groups younger than 65+ years, while suicide attempts had medium effects (RRR=3.56, CI [2.69-4.70]; RRR=4.44, CI [3.72-5.30]; and RRR=5.64, CI [4.38- 7.26] in the 21-34, 35-49, and 50-64 age groups, respectively. Cognitive disorders had mediumto-large effects on hospital admissions in all age groups and large effects on death in the 35-49 (RRR=7.29, CI [3.90-13.62] and 50-64 (RRR=5.38, CI [3.39-8.55] age groups. Alcohol use disorders (AUDs had small effects on hospital admission in all age groups (RRR=2.35, 95% CI [1.92-2.87]; RRR=2.15, 95% CI [1.95-2.37]; RRR=1.92, 95% CI [1.73-2.12]; and OR=1.93, 95% CI [1.20-3.10] in the 21-34, 35-49, 50-64, and 65+ age groups, respectively. Drug use disorders (DUDs had small-to-medium effects on hospital admission (RRR=4.40, 95% CI [3.87-5.0]; RRR=4.07, 95% CI [3.77-4.40]; RRR=4.17, 95% CI [3.83-4.55]; and OR=2.53, 95% CI [2.70- 3.78] in the 21-34, 35-49, 50-64, and 65+ age groups, respectively. AUDs and DUDs were also significantly related to

  6. Prenatal Diagnosis

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    Ozge Ozalp Yuregir

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Prenatal diagnosis is the process of determining the health or disease status of the fetus or embryo before birth. The purpose is early detection of diseases and early intervention when required. Prenatal genetic tests comprise of cytogenetic (chromosome assessment and molecular (DNA mutation analysis tests. Prenatal testing enables the early diagnosis of many diseases in risky pregnancies. Furthermore, in the event of a disease, diagnosing prenatally will facilitate the planning of necessary precautions and treatments, both before and after birth. Upon prenatal diagnosis of some diseases, termination of the pregnancy could be possible according to the family's wishes and within the legal frameworks. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2012; 21(1.000: 80-94

  7. Determinants of prenatal health care utilisation by low-risk women: a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feijen-de Jong, Esther I; Jansen, Danielle E M C; Baarveld, Frank; Boerleider, Agatha W; Spelten, Evelien; Schellevis, François; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

    2015-06-01

    Prenatal health care is pivotal in providing adequate prevention and care to pregnant women. We examined the determinants of inadequate prenatal health care utilisation by low-risk women in primary midwifery-led care in the Netherlands. We used longitudinal data from the population-based DELIVER study with 20 midwifery practices across the Netherlands in 2009 and 2010 as the experimental setting. The participants were 3070 pregnant women starting pregnancy care in primary midwifery care. We collected patient-reported data on potential determinants of prenatal care utilisation derived from the Andersen model. Prenatal health care utilisation was measured by a revised version of the Kotelchuck Index, which measures a combination of care entry and number of visits. Low-risk pregnant women (not referred during pregnancy) were more likely to use prenatal care inadequately if they intended to deliver at a hospital, if they did not use folic acid adequately periconceptionally, or if they were exposed to cigarette smoke during pregnancy. Among those who were referred to secondary care, women reporting a chronic illnesses or disabilities, and women who did not use folic acid periconceptionally were more likely to make inadequate use of prenatal care. Inadequate prenatal health care use in primary midwifery care is more likely in specific groups, and the risk groups differ when women are referred to secondary care. The findings suggest routes that can target interventions to women who are at risk of not adequately using prenatal prevention and care services. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Salvadoran fathers' attendance at prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum care La presencia de los padres salvadoreños durante la atención prenatal, el parto y la atención posparto

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    Marion W. Carter

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To provide a baseline perspective on the prevalence of Salvadoran men's attendance at prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum well-baby care and on sociodemographic factors associated with their attendance, with the goal of informing efforts to help men play more positive roles in maternal-child health. METHODS: The data came from the 2003 Salvadoran National Male Health Survey. The data focused on fathers (n = 418 and their most recent live-born child in the preceding five years. Factors associated with the fathers' participation in prenatal care visits, attendance at delivery, and participation in postnatal well-baby visits were explored using logistic and multinomial regression models. RESULTS: Ninety percent of the recent Salvadoran fathers who were surveyed participated in a prenatal care visit, attended the delivery, or participated in a postpartum well-baby care visit; 34% participated in all three of the activities. Attendance at delivery was most common, reported by 81% of fathers; the most common reason that subjects cited for not attending was that they had had to work. CONCLUSIONS: A large majority of the Salvadoran fathers participated in at least one prenatal care visit, delivery, or a postpartum well-baby care visit. While attendance alone does not necessarily indicate that men are supporting their partners, the results suggest that norms are in place for men to play positive roles in maternal-child health matters. Furthermore, the participation of fathers in these maternal and child health care activities may provide new opportunities to educate and further support men in both their own health and their family's health.OBJETIVO: Proporcionar información de base acerca de la frecuencia con la cual los hombres salvadoreños acuden a la atención prenatal, al parto y a la atención del bebé sano después del parto, así como acerca de los factores sociodemográficos que se asocian con su asistencia a esas actividades, a

  9. Effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on special education in school-aged children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Todd P; Liu, Jing; Das, Abhik; Lester, Barry; Lagasse, Linda; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta S; Bauer, Charles R; Higgins, Rosemary

    2008-07-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on special education at age 7 with adjustment for covariates. As part of the prospective, longitudinal, multisite study of children with prenatal cocaine exposure (Maternal Lifestyle Study), school records were reviewed for 943 children at 7 years to determine involvement in special education outcomes: (1) individualized education plan; (2) special education conditions; (3) support services; (4) special education classes; and (5) speech and language services. Logistic regression was used to examine the effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on these outcomes with environmental, maternal, and infant medical variables as covariates, as well as with and without low child IQ. Complete data for each analysis model were available for 737 to 916 children. When controlling for covariates including low child IQ, prenatal cocaine exposure had a significant effect on individualized education plan. When low child IQ was not included in the model, prenatal cocaine exposure had a significant effect on support services. Male gender, low birth weight, white race, and low child IQ also predicted individualized education plan. Low birth weight and low child IQ were significant in all models. White race was also significant in speech and language services. Other covariate effects were model specific. When included in the models, low child IQ accounted for more of the variance and changed the significance of other covariates. Prenatal cocaine exposure increased the likelihood of receiving an individualized education plan and support services, with adjustment for covariates. Low birth weight and low child IQ increased the likelihood of all outcomes. The finding that white children were more likely to get an individualized education plan and speech and language services could indicate a greater advantage in getting educational resources for this population.

  10. [Gene mutation analysis and prenatal diagnosis of a family with Bartter syndrome].

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    Li, Long; Ma, Na; Li, Xiu-Rong; Gong, Fei; DU, Juan

    2016-08-01

    To investigate the mutation of related genes and prenatal diagnosis of a family with Bartter syndrome (BS). The high-throughput capture sequencing technique and PCR-Sanger sequencing were used to detect pathogenic genes in the proband of this family and analyze the whole family at the genomic level. After the genetic cause was clarified, the amniotic fluid was collected from the proband's mother who was pregnant for 5 months for prenatal diagnosis. The proband carried compound heterozygous mutations of c.88C>T(p.Arg30*) and c.968+2T>A in the CLCNKB gene; c.88C>T(p.Arg30*) had been reported as a pathogenic mutation, and c.968+2T>A was a new mutation. Pedigree analysis showed that the two mutations were inherited from the mother and father, respectively. Prenatal diagnosis showed that the fetus did not inherit the mutations from parents and had no mutations at the two loci. The follow-up visit confirmed that the infant was in a healthy state, which proved the accuracy of genetic diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis. The compound heterozygous mutations c.88C>T(p.Arg30*) and c.968+2T>A in the CLCNKB gene are the cause of BS in the proband, and prenatal diagnosis can prevent the risk of recurrence of BS in this family.

  11. MATERNAL INTERACTION QUALITY MODERATES EFFECTS OF PRENATAL MATERNAL EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS ON GIRLS' INTERNALIZING PROBLEMS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endendijk, Joyce J; De Bruijn, Anouk T C E; Van Bakel, Hedwig J A; Wijnen, Hennie A A; Pop, Victor J M; Van Baar, Anneloes L

    2017-09-01

    The role of mother-infant interaction quality is studied in the relation between prenatal maternal emotional symptoms and child behavioral problems. Healthy pregnant, Dutch women (N = 96, M = 31.6, SD = 3.3) were allocated to the "exposed group" (n = 46), consisting of mothers with high levels of prenatal feelings of anxiety and depression, or the "low-exposed group" (n = 50), consisting of mothers with normal levels of depressive or anxious symptoms during pregnancy. When the children (49 girls, 47 boys) were 23 to 60 months of age (M = 39.0, SD = 9.6), parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (T.M. Achenbach & L.A. Rescorla, ), and mother-child interaction quality during a home visit was rated using the Emotional Availability Scales. There were no differences in mother-child interaction quality between the prenatally exposed and low-exposed groups. Girls exposed to high prenatal emotional symptoms showed more internalizing problems, if maternal interaction quality was less optimal. No significant effects were found for boys. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  12. Home Visiting Processes: Relations with Family Characteristics and Outcomes

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    Peterson, Carla A.; Roggman, Lori A.; Green, Beth; Chazan-Cohen, Rachel; Korfmacher, Jon; McKelvey, Lorraine; Zhang, Dong; Atwater, Jane B.

    2013-01-01

    Variations in dosage, content, and family engagement with Early Head Start (EHS) home visiting services were examined for families participating in the EHS Research and Evaluation Project. Families were grouped by characteristics of maternal age, maternal ethnicity, and level of family risk. All home visiting variables were related differentially…

  13. Clients' Perception of Outcome of Team-Based Prenatal and Reproductive Genetic Counseling in Serbian Service Using the Perceived Personal Control (PPC) Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuturilo, Goran; Vucinic, Olivera Kontic; Novakovic, Ivana; Ignjatovic, Svetlana; Mijovic, Marija; Sulovic, Nenad; Vukolic, Dusan; Komnenic, Milica; Tadic, Jasmina; Cetkovic, Aleksandar; Belic, Aleksandra; Ljubic, Aleksandar

    2016-02-01

    This is the first study in Serbia and the region of South-East Europe dedicated to clients' perception of outcome and efficiency of prenatal and reproductive genetic counseling. The primary aim of this study was to assess overall value and success of genetic counseling in prenatal and reproductive care with regard to perceived personal control of clients, reflecting also in a part patient comprehension, knowledge retention, and empowerment in decision-making. The standardized Perceived Personal Control questionnaire (PPC) was used for the assessment of 239 female participants. First, we performed a complete validation of the psychometric characteristics of the Serbian-language version of the PPC questionnaire. The validation of the questionnaire permits other researchers from Serbian-speaking regions of South-East Europe to use this standard instrument to assess the effectiveness of prenatal genetic counseling in their communities and analyze advantages and disadvantages of their counseling models. We also measured social and demographic characteristics of participants. Further, we analyzed effects of our team-based prenatal and reproductive genetic counseling model through (a) calculation of PPC scores at three different stages (before initial, after initial, and before second counseling session), and (b) by assessing participants' responses by indication for referral (advanced maternal age, abnormal biochemical screening, family history of hereditary disorders, maternal exposure to drugs, exposure to radiation, exposure to infective agents, infertility or recurrent abortions, and miscellaneous). The results indicate that participants' knowledge after initial counseling increased significantly and after that remained stable and sustainable. A satisfactory level of confidence among participants had been achieved, in that many felt an increased sense of control over their situation and emotional response to it. Indirectly, these results indicate the success of a

  14. Prenatal Intake of Vitamins and Allergic Outcomes in the Offspring: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vahdaninia, Mariam; Mackenzie, Heather; Helps, Suzannah; Dean, Taraneh

    Allergic diseases have seen a rise worldwide, with children suffering the highest burden. Thus, early prevention of allergic diseases is a public health priority. To synthesize the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of vitamin interventions during pregnancy on developing allergic diseases in offspring. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registration, E-theses, and Web of Science. Study quality was evaluated using Cochrane's risk of bias tool. Included RCTs had a minimum of 1-month follow-up postgestation. A total of 5 RCTs met the inclusion criteria, including 2456 children who used vitamins C + E (1 study), vitamin C (1 study), and vitamin D (3 studies) compared with placebo/control. Two studies were judged to have a high risk of bias for performance bias or a high rate of loss to follow-up. All were rated as low risk of bias for blinding of outcome assessment. We did not perform meta-analysis with vitamin C or vitamin C + E studies due to high heterogeneity between the 2 included studies. However, we did conduct a meta-analysis with trials on vitamin D (including 1493 children) and the results showed an association between the prenatal intake of vitamin D and the risk of developing recurrent wheeze in offspring (relative risk (RR), 0.812; 95% CI, 0.67-0.98). The current evidence suggests that prenatal supplementation of vitamin D might have a beneficial effect on recurrent wheezing in children. Longer-term follow-up of these studies is needed to ascertain whether this observed effect is sustained. There is lack of evidence on the effect of other vitamins for the prevention of respiratory and/or allergic outcomes. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Patient perspectives with abbreviated versus standard pre-test HIV counseling in the prenatal setting: a randomized-controlled, non-inferiority trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohan, Deborah; Gomez, Elvira; Greenberg, Mara; Washington, Sierra; Charlebois, Edwin D

    2009-01-01

    In the US, an unacceptably high percentage of pregnant women do not undergo prenatal HIV testing. Previous studies have found increased uptake of prenatal HIV testing with abbreviated pre-test counseling, however little is known about patient decision making, testing satisfaction and knowledge in this setting. A randomized-controlled, non-inferiority trial was conducted from October 2006 through February 2008 at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH), the public teaching hospital of the City and County of San Francisco. A total of 278 English- and Spanish-speaking pregnant women were randomized to receive either abbreviated or standard nurse-performed HIV test counseling at the initial prenatal visit. Patient decision making experience was compared between abbreviated versus standard HIV counseling strategies among a sample of low-income, urban, ethnically diverse prenatal patients. The primary outcome was the decisional conflict score (DCS) using O'Connor low-literacy scale and secondary outcomes included satisfaction with test decision, basic HIV knowledge and HIV testing uptake. We conducted an intention-to-treat analysis of 278 women--134 (48.2%) in the abbreviated arm (AA) and 144 (51.8%) in the standard arm (SA). There was no significant difference in the proportion of women with low decisional conflict (71.6% in AA vs. 76.4% in SA, p = .37), and the observed mean difference between the groups of 3.88 (95% CI: -0.65, 8.41) did not exceed the non-inferiority margin. HIV testing uptake was very high (97. 8%) and did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (99.3% in AA vs. 96.5% in SA, p = .12). Likewise, there was no difference in satisfaction with testing decision (97.8% in AA vs. 99.3% in SA, p = .36). However, women in AA had significantly lower mean HIV knowledge scores (78.4%) compared to women in SA (83.7%, pprocess, while associated with slightly lower knowledge, does not compromise patient decision making or satisfaction regarding HIV testing

  16. Associations between Prenatal Exposure to Black Carbon and Memory Domains in Urban Children: Modification by Sex and Prenatal Stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cowell, Whitney J; Bellinger, David C; Coull, Brent A; Gennings, Chris; Wright, Robert O; Wright, Rosalind J

    2015-01-01

    Whether fetal neurodevelopment is disrupted by traffic-related air pollution is uncertain. Animal studies suggest that chemical and non-chemical stressors interact to impact neurodevelopment, and that this association is further modified by sex. To examine associations between prenatal traffic-related black carbon exposure, prenatal stress, and sex with children's memory and learning. Analyses included N = 258 mother-child dyads enrolled in a Boston, Massachusetts pregnancy cohort. Black carbon exposure was estimated using a validated spatiotemporal land-use regression model. Prenatal stress was measured using the Crisis in Family Systems-Revised survey of negative life events. The Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML2) was administered at age 6 years; outcomes included the General Memory Index and its component indices [Verbal, Visual, and Attention Concentration]. Relationships between black carbon and WRAML2 index scores were examined using multivariable-adjusted linear regression including effect modification by stress and sex. Mothers were primarily minorities (60% Hispanic, 26% Black); 67% had ≤12 years of education. The main effect for black carbon was not significant for any WRAML2 index; however, in stratified analyses, among boys with high exposure to prenatal stress, Attention Concentration Index scores were on average 9.5 points lower for those with high compared to low prenatal black carbon exposure (P3-way interaction = 0.04). The associations between prenatal exposure to black carbon and stress with children's memory scores were stronger in boys than in girls. Studies assessing complex interactions may more fully characterize health risks and, in particular, identify vulnerable subgroups.

  17. Evaluation of Outcome- Prenatal Diagnosis Indication and Results Suitability in Families Referred to our Laboratory For Prenatal Diagnosis

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    Ayşegül Türkyılmaz

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Since our aim is to establish the importance, necessity and concept of prenatal diagnosis in our region and supply routine service at a stage which we admit as a transitional period for application, all of the materials of amniocentesis, cordocentesis and corion villi sample referred to laboratories were evaluated without refusal.When we examined prenatal diagnoses of these specimens, we found Down Risk (according to triple test result in 164 specimens (%34, fetal anomaly risk in 122 (%25, advanced age in 69 (%14 poor-obstetric anamnesis in 27(%5, Down Syndrome- infant history in 20 (%4, family request in 17, and habitual abortus (%3 etc. in specimens. Lymphocyte Culture prepared in duplicate for each specimen and chromosome were obtained from total of ten slides for each specimen. Slides were stained with Giemsa Banding Technic (GTG Banding. Total (10x481 4810 slides were evaluated for diagnosis.There were no false positive and false negative results.

  18. Adequacy of Prenatal Care and Gestational Weight Gain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeo, SeonAe; Crandell, Jamie L; Jones-Vessey, Kathleen

    2016-02-01

    The goal of prenatal care is to maximize health outcomes for a woman and her fetus. We examined how prenatal care is associated with meeting the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for gestational weight gain. The study used deidentified birth certificate data supplied by the North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics. The sample included 197,354 women (≥18 years) who delivered singleton full-term infants in 2011 and 2012. A generalized multinomial model was used to identify how adequate prenatal care was associated with the odds of gaining excessive or insufficient weight during pregnancy according to the 2009 IOM guidelines. The model adjusted for prepregnancy body size, sociodemographic factors, and birth weight. A total of 197,354 women (≥18 years) delivered singleton full-term infants. The odds ratio (OR) for excessive weight gain was 2.44 (95% CI 2.37-2.50) in overweight and 2.33 (95% CI 2.27-2.40) in obese women compared with normal weight women. The OR for insufficient weight gain was 1.15 (95% CI 1.09-1.22) for underweight and 1.34 (95% CI 1.30-1.39) for obese women compared with normal weight women. Prenatal care at the inadequate or intermediate levels was associated with insufficient weight gain (OR: 1.32, 95% CI 1.27-1.38; OR: 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.21, respectively) compared with adequate prenatal care. Women with inadequate care were less likely to gain excessive weight (OR: 0.88, 95% CI 0.86-0.91). Whereas prenatal care was effective for preventing insufficient weight gain regardless of prepregnancy body size, educational background, and racial/ethnic group, there were no indications that adequate prenatal care was associated with reduced risk for excessive gestational weight gain. Further research is needed to improve prenatal care programs for preventing excess weight gain.

  19. Breastfeeding: guidance received in prenatal care, delivery and postpartum care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mayara Caroline Barbieri

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to analyze the guidelines considering breastfeeding given by health professionals to women during prenatal care, delivery and postpartum care. Quantitative and descriptive work developed at Regional Pinheiros, Maringá-PR, from the registry in SisPreNatal, from May to August 2009. Data were collected through interviews conducted with parents at home, using a structured instrument. Participants were 36 mothers, most of whom received counseling for breastfeeding during prenatal (58.3%, maternity (87.6% and in nursing visits to newborn (84.6%. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 37.5%, even with the end of maternity leave. The rate is still below the recommended by the World Health Organization for exclusive breastfeeding. The present results may contribute to the monitoring of health actions and development of new strategies in the maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding.

  20. Quality of prenatal care questionnaire: instrument development and testing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heaman, Maureen I; Sword, Wendy A; Akhtar-Danesh, Noori; Bradford, Amanda; Tough, Suzanne; Janssen, Patricia A; Young, David C; Kingston, Dawn A; Hutton, Eileen K; Helewa, Michael E

    2014-06-03

    Utilization indices exist to measure quantity of prenatal care, but currently there is no published instrument to assess quality of prenatal care. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a new instrument, the Quality of Prenatal Care Questionnaire (QPCQ). Data for this instrument development study were collected in five Canadian cities. Items for the QPCQ were generated through interviews with 40 pregnant women and 40 health care providers and a review of prenatal care guidelines, followed by assessment of content validity and rating of importance of items. The preliminary 100-item QPCQ was administered to 422 postpartum women to conduct item reduction using exploratory factor analysis. The final 46-item version of the QPCQ was then administered to another 422 postpartum women to establish its construct validity, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Exploratory factor analysis reduced the QPCQ to 46 items, factored into 6 subscales, which subsequently were validated by confirmatory factor analysis. Construct validity was also demonstrated using a hypothesis testing approach; there was a significant positive association between women's ratings of the quality of prenatal care and their satisfaction with care (r = 0.81). Convergent validity was demonstrated by a significant positive correlation (r = 0.63) between the "Support and Respect" subscale of the QPCQ and the "Respectfulness/Emotional Support" subscale of the Prenatal Interpersonal Processes of Care instrument. The overall QPCQ had acceptable internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96), as did each of the subscales. The test-retest reliability result (Intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.88) indicated stability of the instrument on repeat administration approximately one week later. Temporal stability testing confirmed that women's ratings of their quality of prenatal care did not change as a result of giving birth or between the early postpartum

  1. Quality of prenatal care questionnaire: instrument development and testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Utilization indices exist to measure quantity of prenatal care, but currently there is no published instrument to assess quality of prenatal care. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a new instrument, the Quality of Prenatal Care Questionnaire (QPCQ). Methods Data for this instrument development study were collected in five Canadian cities. Items for the QPCQ were generated through interviews with 40 pregnant women and 40 health care providers and a review of prenatal care guidelines, followed by assessment of content validity and rating of importance of items. The preliminary 100-item QPCQ was administered to 422 postpartum women to conduct item reduction using exploratory factor analysis. The final 46-item version of the QPCQ was then administered to another 422 postpartum women to establish its construct validity, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results Exploratory factor analysis reduced the QPCQ to 46 items, factored into 6 subscales, which subsequently were validated by confirmatory factor analysis. Construct validity was also demonstrated using a hypothesis testing approach; there was a significant positive association between women’s ratings of the quality of prenatal care and their satisfaction with care (r = 0.81). Convergent validity was demonstrated by a significant positive correlation (r = 0.63) between the “Support and Respect” subscale of the QPCQ and the “Respectfulness/Emotional Support” subscale of the Prenatal Interpersonal Processes of Care instrument. The overall QPCQ had acceptable internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.96), as did each of the subscales. The test-retest reliability result (Intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.88) indicated stability of the instrument on repeat administration approximately one week later. Temporal stability testing confirmed that women’s ratings of their quality of prenatal care did not change as a result of giving

  2. Prenatal Diagnosis of Cloacal Exstrophy: A Case Report and Differential Diagnosis with a Simple Omphalocele

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    Ching-Yu Chou

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Cloacal exstrophy is a rare congenital disorder that may lead to mortality and morbidity. Although the prenatal diagnosis of cloacal exstrophy can be made by a midtrimester ultrasound, it is difficult to differentiate it from a simple omphalocele that can be corrected completely by surgery without morbidity. We reported a case with cloacal exstrophy and reviewed previous literature on differentiating it from an omphalocele. A 33-year-old, pregnant female visited our outpatient center for prenatal care at the 22nd gestational week. The midtrimester ultrasound showed fetal anomalies including a protruding mass from umbilicus, absence of bladder, ambiguous genitalia, and bilateral renal hydronephrosis. The parents received prenatal genetic counseling and decided to continue the pregnancy. A female baby was delivered at the 37th gestational week via vaginal delivery, and cloacal exstrophy without omphalocele was diagnosed. Cloacal exstrophy is a complicated congenital disorder that should be differentiated from a simple omphalocele. Prenatal counseling and postnatal care in a tertiary medical center are important for parents and the fetus, respectively.

  3. Paraprofessional-delivered home-visiting intervention for American Indian teen mothers and children: 3-year outcomes from a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barlow, Allison; Mullany, Britta; Neault, Nicole; Goklish, Novalene; Billy, Trudy; Hastings, Ranelda; Lorenzo, Sherilynn; Kee, Crystal; Lake, Kristin; Redmond, Cleve; Carter, Alice; Walkup, John T

    2015-02-01

    The Affordable Care Act provides funding for home-visiting programs to reduce health care disparities, despite limited evidence that existing programs can overcome implementation and evaluation challenges with at-risk populations. The authors report 36-month outcomes of the paraprofessional-delivered Family Spirit home-visiting intervention for American Indian teen mothers and children. Expectant American Indian teens (N=322, mean age=18.1 years) from four southwestern reservation communities were randomly assigned to the Family Spirit intervention plus optimized standard care or optimized standard care alone. Maternal and child outcomes were evaluated at 28 and 36 weeks gestation and 2, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months postpartum. At baseline the mothers had high rates of substance use (>84%), depressive symptoms (>32%), dropping out of school (>57%), and residential instability (51%). Study retention was ≥83%. From pregnancy to 36 months postpartum, mothers in the intervention group had significantly greater parenting knowledge (effect size=0.42) and parental locus of control (effect size=0.17), fewer depressive symptoms (effect size=0.16) and externalizing problems (effect size=0.14), and lower past month use of marijuana (odds ratio=0.65) and illegal drugs (odds ratio=0.67). Children in the intervention group had fewer externalizing (effect size=0.23), internalizing (effect size=0.23), and dysregulation (effect size=0.27) problems. The paraprofessional home-visiting intervention promoted effective parenting, reduced maternal risks, and improved child developmental outcomes in the U.S. population subgroup with the fewest resources and highest behavioral health disparities. The methods and results can inform federal efforts to disseminate and sustain evidence-based home-visiting interventions in at-risk populations.

  4. THE USE OF INDUSTRIAL VISITS TO ENHANCE LEARNING AT ENGINEERING COURSES

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    TIRUNELVELI N. P. PADMESH

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Industrial visits represent an important activity in any engineering undergraduate programme that contributes to the achievement of various essential learning outcomes and programme objectives. This paper reports on an attempt to make the industrial visit an integral part of the Engineering Design and Communication course. This is achieved through identifying learning outcomes and a suitable industrial site to achieve them. For this purpose a thermal power plant was indentified as a site to be visited by students. The visit was planned to help students to achieve the learning outcomes. A number of questions in form of surveys, related to the learning outcomes, were prepared and given to the students to answer. The pre-visit, after-visit, and post-visit surveys were aimed at priming the minds of the students, gauging the level of satisfaction, and assessing the level of retention of knowledge, respectively. Students found this method very useful and they were able to remember a fair bit of information after about semester from the trip date. Our assessment of this exercise is the objectives have been achieved.

  5. Evaluating fidelity in home-visiting programs a qualitative analysis of 1058 home visit case notes from 105 families.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Saïas

    Full Text Available Implementation fidelity is a key issue in home-visiting programs as it determines a program's effectiveness in accomplishing its original goals. This paper seeks to evaluate fidelity in a 27-month program addressing maternal and child health which took place in France between 2006 and 2011.To evaluate implementation fidelity, home visit case notes were analyzed using thematic qualitative and computer-assisted linguistic analyses.During the prenatal period, home visitors focused on the social components of the program. Visitors discussed the physical changes in pregnancy, and psychological and social environment issues. Discussing immigration, unstable employment and financial related issues, family relationships and dynamics and maternity services, while not expected, were found in case notes. Conversely, health during pregnancy, early child development and postpartum mood changes were not identified as topics within the prenatal case notes. During the postnatal period, most components of the intervention were addressed: home visitors observed the mother's adaptation to the baby; routine themes such as psychological needs and medical-social networks were evaluated; information on the importance of social support and on adapting the home environment was given; home visitors counseled on parental authority, and addressed mothers' self-esteem issues; finally, they helped to find child care, when necessary. Some themes were not addressed or partially addressed: health education, child development, home environment, mother's education plans and personal routine, partner support and play with the child. Other themes were not expected, but found in the case notes: social issues, mother-family relationship, relation with services, couple issues, quality of maternal behavior and child's language development.In this program, home visitors experienced difficulties addressing some of the objectives because they gave precedence to the families' urgent needs

  6. Low Rate of Prenatal Diagnosis among Neonates with Critical Aortic Stenosis: Insight into the Natural History In Utero (Aortic Stenosis)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freud, Lindsay R.; Moon-Grady, Anita; Escobar-Diaz, Maria C.; Gotteiner, Nina L.; Young, Luciana T.; McElhinney, Doff B.; Tworetzky, Wayne

    2014-01-01

    Objectives To better understand the natural history and spectrum of fetal aortic stenosis (AS), we aimed to 1) determine the prenatal diagnosis rate of neonates with critical AS and a biventricular (BV) outcome; and 2) describe the findings at fetal echocardiography in prenatally diagnosed patients. Methods A multi-center, retrospective study was performed from 2000 to 2013. Neonates with critical AS who were discharged with a BV outcome were included. The prenatal diagnosis rate was compared to that reported for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Fetal echocardiographic findings in prenatally diagnosed patients were reviewed. Results Only 10 of 117 neonates (8.5%) with critical AS and a BV outcome were diagnosed prenatally, a rate significantly lower than that for HLHS in the contemporary era (82%; p<0.0001). Of the 10 patients diagnosed prenatally, all developed LV dysfunction by a median gestational age of 33 weeks (range, 28–35). When present, Doppler abnormalities such as retrograde flow in the aortic arch (n=2), monophasic mitral inflow (n=2), and left to right flow across the foramen ovale (n=8) developed late in gestation (median 33 weeks). Conclusion The prenatal diagnosis rate among neonates with critical AS and a BV outcome is very low, likely due to a relatively normal 4-chamber view in mid-gestation with development of significant obstruction in the 3rd trimester. This natural history contrasts with that of severe mid-gestation AS with evolving HLHS and suggests that the timing in gestation of significant AS has an important impact on subsequent left heart growth in utero. PMID:25251721

  7. Developing a prenatal nursing care International Classification for Nursing Practice catalogue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, L; Coenen, A; Tao, H; Jansen, K R; Jiang, A L

    2017-09-01

    This study aimed to develop a prenatal nursing care catalogue of International Classification for Nursing Practice. As a programme of the International Council of Nurses, International Classification for Nursing Practice aims to support standardized electronic nursing documentation and facilitate collection of comparable nursing data across settings. This initiative enables the study of relationships among nursing diagnoses, nursing interventions and nursing outcomes for best practice, healthcare management decisions, and policy development. The catalogues are usually focused on target populations. Pregnant women are the nursing population addressed in this project. According to the guidelines for catalogue development, three research steps have been adopted: (a) identifying relevant nursing diagnoses, interventions and outcomes; (b) developing a conceptual framework for the catalogue; (c) expert's validation. This project established a prenatal nursing care catalogue with 228 terms in total, including 69 nursing diagnosis, 92 nursing interventions and 67 nursing outcomes, among them, 57 nursing terms were newly developed. All terms in the catalogue were organized by a framework with two main categories, i.e. Expected Changes of Pregnancy and Pregnancy at Risk. Each category had four domains, representing the physical, psychological, behavioral and environmental perspectives of nursing practice. This catalogue can ease the documentation workload among prenatal care nurses, and facilitate storage and retrieval of standardized data for many purposes, such as quality improvement, administration decision-support and researches. The documentations of prenatal care provided data that can be more fluently communicated, compared and evaluated across various healthcare providers and clinic settings. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

  8. Unpredictable Variable Prenatal Stress Programs Expression of Genes Involved in Appetite Control and Energy Expenditure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moyer, E. L.; Al-Shayeb, B.; Baer, L. A.; Ronca, A. E.

    2016-01-01

    Exposure to stress in the womb shapes neurobiological and physiological outcomes of offspring in later life, including body weight regulation and metabolic profiles. Our previous work utilizing a centrifugation-induced hyper-gravity demonstrated significantly increased (8-15%) body mass in male, but not female, rats exposed throughout gestation to chronic 2-g from conception to birth. We reported a similar outcome in adult offspring exposed throughout gestation to Unpredictable Variable Prenatal Stress (UVPS). Here we examine gene expression changes and the plasma of animals treated with our UVPS model to identify a potential role for prenatal stress in this hypergravity programming effect. Specifically we focused on appetite control and energy expenditure pathways in prenatally stressed adult (90-day-old) male Sprague-Dawley rats.

  9. The population-level impacts of a national health insurance program and franchise midwife clinics on achievement of prenatal and delivery care standards in the Philippines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozhimannil, Katy Backes; Valera, Madeleine R; Adams, Alyce S; Ross-Degnan, Dennis

    2009-09-01

    Adequate prenatal and delivery care are vital components of successful maternal health care provision. Starting in 1998, two programs were widely expanded in the Philippines: a national health insurance program (PhilHealth); and a donor-funded franchise of midwife clinics (Well Family Midwife Clinics). This paper examines population-level impacts of these interventions on achievement of minimum standards for prenatal and delivery care. Data from two waves of the Demographic and Health Surveys, conducted before (1998) and after (2003) scale-up of the interventions, are employed in a pre/post-study design, using longitudinal multivariate logistic and linear regression models. After controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, the PhilHealth insurance program scale-up was associated with increased odds of receiving at least four prenatal visits (OR 1.04 [95% CI 1.01-1.06]) and receiving a visit during the first trimester of pregnancy (OR 1.03 [95% CI 1.01-1.06]). Exposure to midwife clinics was not associated with significant changes in achievement of prenatal care standards. While both programs were associated with slight increases in the odds of delivery in a health facility, these increases were not statistically significant. These results suggest that expansion of an insurance program with accreditation standards was associated with increases in achievement of minimal standards for prenatal care among women in the Philippines.

  10. The population-level impacts of a national health insurance program and franchise midwife clinics on achievement of prenatal and delivery care standards in the Philippines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozhimannil, Katy Backes; Valera, Madeleine R.; Adams, Alyce S.; Ross-Degnan, Dennis

    2009-01-01

    Objectives Adequate prenatal and delivery care are vital components of successful maternal health care provision. Starting in 1998, two programs were widely expanded in the Philippines: a national health insurance program (PhilHealth); and a donor-funded franchise of midwife clinics (Well-Family Midwife Clinics). This paper examines population-level impacts of these interventions on achievement of minimum standards for prenatal and delivery care. Methods Data from two waves of the Demographic and Health Surveys, conducted before (1998) and after (2003) scale up of the interventions, are employed in a pre/post study design, using longitudinal multivariate logistic and linear regression models. Results After controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, the PhilHealth insurance program scale up was associated with increased odds of receiving at least four prenatal visits (OR 1.04 [95% CI 1.01–1.06]) and receiving a visit during the first trimester of pregnancy (OR 1.03 [95% CI 1.01–1.06]). Exposure to midwife clinics was not associated with significant changes in achievement of prenatal care standards. While both programs were associated with slight increases in the odds of delivery in a health facility, these increases were not statistically significant. Conclusions These results suggest that expansion of an insurance program with accreditation standards was associated with increases in achievement of minimal standards for prenatal care among women in the Philippines. PMID:19327862

  11. Perinatal Outcomes in Pregnant Women Users of Illegal Drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Tenilson Amaral; Bersusa, Ana Aparecida Sanches; Santos, Tatiana Fiorelli Dos; Aquino, Márcia Maria Auxiliadora de; Mariani Neto, Corintio

    2016-04-01

    Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perinatal outcomes in pregnant women who use illicit drugs. Methods A retrospective observational study of patients who, at the time of delivery, were sent to or who spontaneously sought a public maternity hospital in the eastern area of São Paulo city. We compared the perinatal outcomes of two distinct groups of pregnant women - illicit drugs users and non-users - that gave birth in the same period and analyzed the obstetric and neonatal variables. We used Student's t-test to calculate the averages among the groups, and the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test to compare categorical data from each group. Results We analyzed 166 women (83 users and 83 non-users) in both groups with a mean of age of 26 years. Ninety-five percent of the drug users would use crack or pure cocaine alone or associated with other psychoactive substances during pregnancy. Approximately half of the users group made no prenatal visit, compared with 2.4% in the non-users group (p illicit drugs. Conclusions The use of illicit drugs, mainly crack cocaine, represents an important perinatal risk. Any medical intervention in this population should combine adherence to prenatal care with strategies for reducing maternal exposure to illicit drugs. Thieme Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

  12. Violence during pregnancy and newborn outcomes: a cohort study in a disadvantaged population in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunes, Maria Angélica Antunes; Camey, Suzi; Ferri, Cleusa P; Manzolli, Patrícia; Manenti, Carlo Nunes; Schmidt, Maria Inês

    2011-02-01

    Violence against pregnant women is an increasing public health concern. The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of violence during pregnancy, to identify characteristics associated and to assess the impact of violence on newborn outcomes. Prospective cohort study of 652 pregnant women attending primary care clinics in Southern Brazil, from June 2006 to September 2007. Women with gestational age ranging from 16th and 36th were enrolled and their exposure to violence and mental disorder was assessed. After the birth they were contacted by telephone when information on obstetric and neonatal outcomes was obtained. Any violence during current pregnancy was reported by 18.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 15.3-21.4%] participants, 15.0% (95% CI 12.3-17.8%) psychological violence, 6% (95% CI 4.2-7.8%) physical violence and 3% (0-0.5%) sexual violence. These women were more often of low income, did not work or study and had inadequate prenatal care and pregnancy weight gain. There was a statistically significant crude association between exposure to physical and psychological violence [relative risk (RR) 3.21 (1.51-6.80)]. After adjustment for family income, number of prenatal visits, length of gestation and gestational weight gain, the effect size decreased, but remained statistically significant (RR 2.18; 95% CI 1.16-4.08%). In disadvantaged settings in Brazil, violence in pregnancy is frequent; it is associated with inadequate maternal weight gain during pregnancy and prenatal care, and increases risk of low birth-weight. Thus, violence in pregnancy imposes a challenge to effective prenatal care delivery with potential benefits to the mother and her baby.

  13. Behavioural outcome of school-age children after prenatal exposure to coumarins

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wesseling, J; Van Driel, D; Heymans, HSA; Van der Veer, E; Sauer, PJJ; Touwen, BCL; Smrkovsky, M

    In utero exposure to coumarin derivatives may affect the development of the central nervous system of the child, irrespective of the period of exposure in pregnancy. Little is known about effects on development in the long term. The aim of the present study was to determine whether prenatal exposure

  14. Behavioural outcome of school-age children after prenatal exposure to coumarins

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wesseling, J.; van Driel, D.; Heymans, H. S.; Van der Veer, E.; Sauer, P. J.; Touwen, B. C.; Smrkovsky, M.

    2000-01-01

    In utero exposure to coumarin derivatives may affect the development of the central nervous system of the child, irrespective of the period of exposure in pregnancy. Little is known about effects on development in the long term. The aim of the present study was to determine whether prenatal exposure

  15. Adequacy of Prenatal Care and Gestational Weight Gain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crandell, Jamie L.; Jones-Vessey, Kathleen

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background: The goal of prenatal care is to maximize health outcomes for a woman and her fetus. We examined how prenatal care is associated with meeting the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for gestational weight gain. Sample: The study used deidentified birth certificate data supplied by the North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics. The sample included 197,354 women (≥18 years) who delivered singleton full-term infants in 2011 and 2012. Methods: A generalized multinomial model was used to identify how adequate prenatal care was associated with the odds of gaining excessive or insufficient weight during pregnancy according to the 2009 IOM guidelines. The model adjusted for prepregnancy body size, sociodemographic factors, and birth weight. Results: A total of 197,354 women (≥18 years) delivered singleton full-term infants. The odds ratio (OR) for excessive weight gain was 2.44 (95% CI 2.37–2.50) in overweight and 2.33 (95% CI 2.27–2.40) in obese women compared with normal weight women. The OR for insufficient weight gain was 1.15 (95% CI 1.09–1.22) for underweight and 1.34 (95% CI 1.30–1.39) for obese women compared with normal weight women. Prenatal care at the inadequate or intermediate levels was associated with insufficient weight gain (OR: 1.32, 95% CI 1.27–1.38; OR: 1.15, 95% CI 1.09–1.21, respectively) compared with adequate prenatal care. Women with inadequate care were less likely to gain excessive weight (OR: 0.88, 95% CI 0.86–0.91). Conclusions: Whereas prenatal care was effective for preventing insufficient weight gain regardless of prepregnancy body size, educational background, and racial/ethnic group, there were no indications that adequate prenatal care was associated with reduced risk for excessive gestational weight gain. Further research is needed to improve prenatal care programs for preventing excess weight gain. PMID:26741198

  16. Psychopathology and special education enrollment in children with prenatal cocaine exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Todd P; Lester, Barry; Lagasse, Linda; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta S; Bauer, Charles R; Whitaker, Toni M; Higgins, Rosemary; Hammond, Jane; Roberts, Mary B

    2012-06-01

    This study evaluated how enrollment in special education services in 11-year-old children relates to prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE), psychopathology, and other risk factors. Participants were 498 children enrolled in The Maternal Lifestyle Study, a prospective, longitudinal, multisite study examining outcomes of children with PCE. Logistic regression was used to examine the effect of PCE and psychopathology on enrollment in an individualized education plan (IEP; a designation specific to children with special education needs), with environmental, maternal, and infant medical variables as covariates. PCE, an interaction of PCE and oppositional defiant disorder, child attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, parent-reported internalizing behaviors, and teacher-reported externalizing behaviors, predicted enrollment in an IEP. Other statistically significant variables in the model were male gender, low birth weight, being small for gestational age, white race, caregiver change, low socioeconomic status, low child intelligence quotient, caregiver depression, and prenatal marijuana exposure. PCE increased the likelihood of receiving an IEP with adjustment for covariates. Psychopathology also predicted this special education outcome, in combination with and independent of prenatal cocaine exposure.

  17. Determinants of late and/or inadequate use of prenatal healthcare in high-income countries: a systematic review

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Feijen-de Jong, E.I.; Jansen, D.E.M.C.; Baarveld, F.; van der Schans, C.P.; Schellevis, F.G.; Reijneveld, S.A.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Prenatal healthcare is likely to prevent adverse outcomes, but an adequate review of utilization and its determinants is lacking. Objective: To review systematically the evidence for the determinants of prenatal healthcare utilization in high-income countries. Method: Search of

  18. Impact of barbecued meat consumed in pregnancy on birth outcomes accounting for personal prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Birth cohort study in Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jedrychowski, Wieslaw; Perera, Frederica P; Tang, Deliang; Stigter, Laura; Mroz, Elzbieta; Flak, Elzbieta; Spengler, John; Budzyn-Mrozek, Dorota; Kaim, Irena; Jacek, Ryszard

    2012-04-01

    We previously reported an association between prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and lower birth weight, birth length, and head circumference. The main goal of the present analysis was to assess the possible impact of coexposure to PAH-containing barbecued meat consumed during pregnancy on birth outcomes. The birth cohort consisted of 432 pregnant women who gave birth at term (>36 wk of gestation). Only non-smoking women with singleton pregnancies, 18-35 y of age, and who were free from chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, were included in the study. Detailed information on diet over pregnancy was collected through interviews and the measurement of exposure to airborne PAHs was carried out by personal air monitoring during the second trimester of pregnancy. The effect of barbecued meat consumption on birth outcomes (birth weight, length, and head circumference at birth) was adjusted in multiple linear regression models for potential confounding factors such as prenatal exposure to airborne PAHs, child's sex, gestational age, parity, size of mother (maternal prepregnancy weight, weight gain in pregnancy), and prenatal environmental tobacco smoke. The multivariable regression model showed a significant deficit in birth weight associated with barbecued meat consumption in pregnancy (coeff = -106.0 g; 95%CI: -293.3, -35.8). The effect of exposure to airborne PAHs was about the same magnitude order (coeff. = -164.6 g; 95%CI: -172.3, -34.7). Combined effect of both sources of exposure amounted to birth weight deficit of 214.3 g (95%CI: -419.0, -9.6). Regression models performed for birth length and head circumference showed similar trends but the estimated effects were of borderline significance level. As the intake of barbecued meat did not affect the duration of pregnancy, the reduced birth weight could not have been mediated by a shortened gestation period. In conclusion, the study results provided epidemiologic

  19. Prenatal Cocaine Exposure: A Comparison of 2-Year-Old Children in Parental and Nonparental Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Josephine V.; Bakeman, Roger; Coles, Claire D.; Platzman, Kathleen A.; Lynch, Mary Ellen

    2004-01-01

    Effects of prenatal cocaine exposure and parental versus nonparental care on outcome at 2 years of age were examined. The sample included 83 cocaine-exposed and 63 nonexposed children and their caregivers; 49 and 34 of the cocaine-exposed children experienced parental and nonparental care, respectively. Prenatal drug exposure was not related…

  20. No. 348-Joint SOGC-CCMG Guideline: Update on Prenatal Screening for Fetal Aneuploidy, Fetal Anomalies, and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Audibert, Francois; De Bie, Isabelle; Johnson, Jo-Ann; Okun, Nanette; Wilson, R Douglas; Armour, Christine; Chitayat, David; Kim, Raymond

    2017-09-01

    To review the available prenatal screening options in light of the recent technical advances and to provide an update of previous guidelines in the field of prenatal screening. Health care providers involved in prenatal screening, including general practitioners, obstetricians, midwives, maternal fetal medicine specialists, geneticists, and radiologists. All pregnant women receiving counselling and providing informed consent for prenatal screening. Published literature was retrieved through searches of Medline, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library in and prior to March 2016 using an appropriate controlled vocabulary (prenatal diagnosis, amniocentesis, chorionic villi sampling, non-invasive prenatal screening) and key words (prenatal screening, prenatal genetic counselling). Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies written in English and published from January 1985 to May 2016. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical speciality societies. Evidence will be reviewed 5 years after publication to determine whether all or part of the guideline should be updated. However, if important new evidence is published prior to the 5-year cycle, the review process may be accelerated for a more rapid update of some recommendations. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Prenatal Tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Careers Archives Health Topics Pregnancy Before or between pregnancies Nutrition, weight & fitness Prenatal care Is it safe? Labor & ... Report Cards Careers Archives Pregnancy Before or between pregnancies Nutrition, weight & fitness Prenatal care Is it safe? Labor & ...

  2. Prospective cohort pilot study of 2-visit CAD/CAM monolithic complete dentures and implant-retained overdentures: Clinical and patient-centered outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bidra, Avinash S; Farrell, Kimberly; Burnham, David; Dhingra, Ajay; Taylor, Thomas D; Kuo, Chia-Ling

    2016-05-01

    Presently, no studies have evaluated clinical outcomes or patient-centered outcomes for complete dentures fabricated with computer-aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology. The purpose of this prospective cohort pilot study was to evaluate the clinical and patient-centered outcomes for CAD/CAM monolithic dentures fabricated in 2 visits. Twenty participants with an existing set of maxillary complete dentures opposing either mandibular complete dentures or implant-retained overdentures that required replacement were recruited in this study. A 2-visit duplicate denture protocol was used to fabricate 40 arches of monolithic dentures with CAD/CAM technology. A 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) instrument was then used to record 12 outcomes at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Predetermined values were assigned to grade the VAS rating of each outcome as favorable (70.1-100) and unfavorable (≤70). Favorable ratings were sub-divided as excellent (90.1-100), good (80.1-90), and fair (70.1-80). The clinical outcomes were evaluated independently by 2 experienced prosthodontists at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Patients evaluated the corresponding patient-centered outcomes during the same time intervals. Additional descriptive variables were also recorded. Each clinical and patient-centered outcome was summarized by medians and ranges. Differences in all ratings recorded at baseline and at 1 year were tested by 1-sided sign test (α=.05). Of 20 participants, 3 were lost to follow-up, and 3 were unsatisfied with the digital dentures and withdrew from the study. These 3 participants were considered treatment failures. Of the 14 remaining participants, 9 had implant-retained mandibular overdentures, and 5 had conventional mandibular complete dentures. For clinical outcomes, the 12 studied outcomes were favorably evaluated by the 2 prosthodontist judges at the 1-year follow-up. Evaluations showed minimal differences between baseline and 1 year. An

  3. Characteristics and Outcomes of Pediatric Heart Failure-Related Emergency Department Visits in the United States: A Population-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mejia, Erika J; O'Connor, Matthew J; Lin, Kimberly Y; Song, Lihai; Griffis, Heather; Mascio, Christopher E; Shamszad, Pirouz; Donoghue, Aaron; Ravishankar, Chitra; Shaddy, Robert E; Rossano, Joseph W

    2018-02-01

    To describe the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of heart failure-related emergency department (ED) visits in pediatric patients. We aimed to test the hypothesis that these visits are associated with higher admission rates, mortality, and resource utilization. A retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample for 2010 of patients ≤18 years of age was performed to describe ED visits with and without heart failure. Cases were identified using International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes and assessed for factors associated with admission, mortality, and resource utilization. Among 28.6 million pediatric visits to the ED, there were 5971 (0.02%) heart failure-related cases. Heart failure-related ED patients were significantly more likely to be admitted (59.8% vs 4.01%; OR 35.3, 95% CI 31.5-39.7). Among heart failure-related visits, admission was more common in patients with congenital heart disease (OR 5.0, 95% CI 3.3-7.4) and in those with comorbidities including respiratory failure (OR 78.3, 95% CI 10.4-591) and renal failure (OR 7.9, 95% CI 1.7-36.3). Heart failure-related cases admitted to the hospital had a higher likelihood of death than nonheart failure-related cases (5.9% vs 0.32%, P failure (OR 4.5, 95% CI 2.2-9.2) and renal failure (OR 7.8, 95% CI 2.9-20.7). Heart failure-related ED visits were more expensive than nonheart failure-related ED visits ($1460 [IQR $861-2038] vs $778 [IQR $442-1375] [P failure-related visits represent a minority of pediatric ED visits but are associated with increased hospital admission and resource utilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Current maternal age recommendations for prenatal diagnosis: a reappraisal using the expected utility theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sicherman, N; Bombard, A T; Rappoport, P

    1995-01-01

    The expected utility theory suggests eliminating an age-specific criterion for recommending prenatal diagnosis to patients. We isolate the factors which patients and physicians need to consider intelligently in prenatal diagnosis, and show that the sole use of a threshold age as a screening device is inadequate. Such a threshold fails to consider adequately patients' attitudes regarding many of the possible outcomes of prenatal diagnosis; in particular, the birth of a chromosomally abnormal child and procedural-related miscarriages. It also precludes testing younger women and encourages testing in patients who do not necessarily require or desire it. All pregnant women should be informed about their prenatal diagnosis options, screening techniques, and diagnostic procedures, including their respective limitations, risks, and benefits.

  5. Providing information about prenatal screening for Down syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skjøth, Mette Maria; Draborg, Eva; Pedersen, Claus Duedal

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: In recent decades there have been advances in the options for prenatal screening. Screening programmes for Down syndrome are well established in many countries. It is important that pregnant women are well informed about the benefits and risks of screening. A variety of interventions...... screening for Down syndrome. DESIGN: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW: METHODS: A systematic search was performed using the PUBMED and EMBASE databases. The search terms included MeSH terms and free text and were combined by Boolean terms (AND, OR) with no restriction on language or time. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main...... information about prenatal screening for Down syndrome can improve their ability to make an informed choice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved....

  6. Prenatal Diagnosis of Transposition of the Great Arteries over a 20-Year Period: Improved but Imperfect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escobar-Diaz, Maria C; Freud, Lindsay R; Bueno, Alejandra; Brown, David W; Friedman, Kevin; Schidlow, David; Emani, Sitaram; del Nido, Pedro; Tworetzky, Wayne

    2015-01-01

    Objective To evaluate temporal trends in prenatal diagnosis of transposition of the great arteries with intact ventricular septum (TGA/IVS) and its impact on neonatal morbidity and mortality. Methods Newborns with TGA/IVS referred for surgical management to our center over a 20-year period (1992 – 2011) were included. The study time was divided into 5 four-year periods, and the primary outcome was rate of prenatal diagnosis. Secondary outcomes included neonatal pre-operative status and perioperative survival. Results Of the 340 patients, 81 (24%) had a prenatal diagnosis. Prenatal diagnosis increased over the study period from 6% to 41% (p<0.001). Prenatally diagnosed patients underwent a balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) earlier than postnatally diagnosed patients (0 vs. 1 day, p<0.001) and fewer required mechanical ventilation (56% vs. 69%, p=0.03). There were no statistically significant differences in pre-operative acidosis (16% vs. 26%, p=0.1) and need for preoperative ECMO (2% vs. 3%, p=1.0). There was also no significant mortality difference (1 pre-operative and no post-operative deaths among prenatally diagnosed patients, as compared to 4 pre-operative and 6 post-operative deaths among postnatally diagnosed patients). Conclusion The prenatal detection rate of TGA/IVS has improved but still remains below 50%, suggesting the need for strategies to increase detection rates. The mortality rate was not statistically different between pre- and postnatally diagnosed patients; however, there were significant pre-operative differences with regard to earlier BAS and less mechanical ventilation. Ongoing study is required to elucidate whether prenatal diagnosis confers long-term benefit. PMID:25484180

  7. Diagnóstico Prenatal

    OpenAIRE

    López, Jaime Octavio; Saldarriaga, Wilmar; Fundación Valle de Lili

    2010-01-01

    Diagnóstico Prenatal/ propósitos del diagnóstico prenatal/ Tamizaje a partir del Control Prenatal/ Pacientes de bajo riesgo/ Tamizaje bioquímico/ Pacientes de alto riesgo/ Pruebas invasivas y no invasivas

  8. Informed Decision-Making in the Context of Prenatal Chromosomal Microarray.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Jessica; Shuman, Cheryl; Chitayat, David; Wasim, Syed; Okun, Nan; Keunen, Johannes; Hofstedter, Renee; Silver, Rachel

    2018-03-07

    The introduction of chromosomal microarray (CMA) into the prenatal setting has involved considerable deliberation due to the wide range of possible outcomes (e.g., copy number variants of uncertain clinical significance). Such issues are typically discussed in pre-test counseling for pregnant women to support informed decision-making regarding prenatal testing options. This research study aimed to assess the level of informed decision-making with respect to prenatal CMA and the factor(s) influencing decision-making to accept CMA for the selected prenatal testing procedure (i.e., chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis). We employed a questionnaire that was adapted from a three-dimensional measure previously used to assess informed decision-making with respect to prenatal screening for Down syndrome and neural tube defects. This measure classifies an informed decision as one that is knowledgeable, value-consistent, and deliberated. Our questionnaire also included an optional open-ended question, soliciting factors that may have influenced the participants' decision to accept prenatal CMA; these responses were analyzed qualitatively. Data analysis on 106 participants indicated that 49% made an informed decision (i.e., meeting all three criteria of knowledgeable, deliberated, and value-consistent). Analysis of 59 responses to the open-ended question showed that "the more information the better" emerged as the dominant factor influencing both informed and uninformed participants' decisions to accept prenatal CMA. Despite learning about the key issues in pre-test genetic counseling, our study classified a significant portion of women as making uninformed decisions due to insufficient knowledge, lack of deliberation, value-inconsistency, or a combination of these three measures. Future efforts should focus on developing educational approaches and counseling strategies to effectively increase the rate of informed decision-making among women offered prenatal CMA.

  9. Impact of prenatal screening on the prevalence of Down syndrome in Slovenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudolf, Gorazd; Tul, Nataša; Verdenik, Ivan; Volk, Marija; Brezigar, Anamarija; Kokalj Vokač, Nadja; Jeršin, Nataša; Prosenc, Bernarda; Premru Sršen, Tanja; Peterlin, Borut

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the impact of prenatal screening and genetic testing for trisomy 21 (T21) on the prevalence of T21 in Slovenia. Data about all prenatally and postnatally confirmed cases of T21 in Slovenia between 1981 and 2012 were collected retrospectively from all genetic laboratories in Slovenia. The expected number of babies with T21 according to maternal age was calculated. The primary outcomes measures were number of fetuses and newborn infants with T21 diagnosed prenatally and postnatally and the impact of advances in screening and genetic diagnostics on the prevalence of newborns with T21 in Slovenia. Despite a significantly increased mean maternal age from 25.4 years in year 1981 to 30.3 years in year 2012 the prevalence of newborn infants with T21 was 0.51 per 1000 births compared to 0.55 per 1000 births, respectively. The prevalence of prenatally diagnosed cases increased from 0.03 per 1000 births to 2.06 per 1000. The detection rate of T21 in year 2012 was 78,9%. The total number of prenatal invasive procedures (chorionic villous sampling and amniocenteses) carried out during that period was rising until 2002, since when it is stable at around 7%. The advancement and implementation of screening tests and prenatal diagnostic procedures in Slovenia caused an important improvement in the efficiency of the prenatal detection of T21.

  10. Association between prenatal care utilization and risk of preterm birth among Chinese women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bin; Yang, Rong; Liang, Sheng-Wen; Wang, Jing; Chang, Jen Jen; Hu, Ke; Dong, Guang-Hui; Hu, Rong-Hua; Flick, Louise H; Zhang, Yi-Ming; Zhang, Dan; Li, Qing-Jie; Zheng, Tong-Zhang; Xu, Shun-Qing; Yang, Shao-Ping; Qian, Zheng-Min

    2017-08-01

    It is recognized that prenatal care plays an important role in reducing adverse birth. Chinese pregnant women with medical condition were required to seek additional health care based on the recommended at least 5 times health care visits. This study was to estimate the association between prenatal care utilization (PCU) and preterm birth (PTB), and to investigate if medical conditions during pregnancy modified the association. This population-based case control study sampled women with PTB as cases; one control for each case was randomly selected from women with term births. The Electronic Perinatal Health Care Information System (EPHCIS) and a questionnaire were used for data collection. The PCU was measured by a renewed Prenatal Care Utilization (APNCU) index. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Totally, 2393 women with PTBs and 4263 women with term births were collected. In this study, 695 (10.5%) women experienced inadequate prenatal care, and 5131 (77.1%) received adequate plus prenatal care. Inadequate PCU was associated with PTB (adjusted OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.32-1.84); the similar positive association was found between adequate plus PCU and PTB. Among women with medical conditions, these associations still existed; but among women without medical conditions, the association between inadequate PCU and PTB disappeared. Our data suggests that women receiving inappropriate PCU are at an increased risk of having PTB, but it does depend on whether the woman has a medical condition during pregnancy.

  11. Maternal Prenatal Positive Affect, Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms and Birth Outcomes: The PREDO Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anu-Katriina Pesonen

    Full Text Available We investigated whether maternal prenatal emotions are associated with gestational length and birth weight in the large PREDO Study with multiple measurement points of emotions during gestation.Altogether 3376 pregnant women self-assessed their positive affect (PA, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and depressive (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, CES-D and anxiety (Spielberger State Anxiety Scale, STAI symptoms up to 14 times during gestation. Birth characteristics were derived from the National Birth Register and from medical records.One standard deviation (SD unit higher PA during the third pregnancy trimester was associated with a 0.05 SD unit longer gestational length, whereas one SD unit higher CES-D and STAI scores during the third trimester were associated with 0.04-0.05 SD unit shorter gestational lengths (P-values ≤ 0.02, corresponding to only 0.1-0.2% of the variation in gestational length. Higher PA during the third trimester was associated with a significantly decreased risk for preterm (< 37 weeks delivery (for each SD unit higher positive affect, odds ratio was 0.8-fold (P = 0.02. Mothers with preterm delivery showed a decline in PA and an increase in CES-D and STAI during eight weeks prior to delivery. Post-term birth (≥ 42 weeks, birth weight and fetal growth were not associated with maternal prenatal emotions.This study with 14 measurements of maternal emotions during pregnancy show modest effects of prenatal emotions during the third pregnancy trimester, particularly in the weeks close to delivery, on gestational length. From the clinical perspective, the effects were negligible. No associations were detected between prenatal emotions and birth weight.

  12. A nationwide study on the risk of autism after prenatal stress exposure to maternal bereavement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Jiong; Vestergaard, Mogens; Obel, Carsten

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Prenatal stress has been linked to several adverse neurobehavioral outcomes, which may share a common pathophysiology with autism. We aimed to examine whether prenatal stress exposure after maternal bereavement is associated with an increased risk of autism later in life. METHODS: We...... compared with those in the unexposed group. RESULTS: Maternal bereavement during the prenatal period was not associated with an increased risk of autism in the offspring. The hazard ratios did not differ by the nature of the exposure (maternal relationship to the deceased or cause of death). The hazard...... ratios were comparable between the 5 prenatal exposure periods under study (7-12 months before pregnancy, 0-6 months before pregnancy, first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first population-based cohort study to examine the effect of prenatal stress on autism...

  13. Progression of care among women who use a midwife for prenatal care: Who remains in midwife care?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weisband, Yiska Loewenberg; Gallo, Maria F; Klebanoff, Mark A; Shoben, Abigail B; Norris, Alison H

    2018-03-01

    Prenatal care provided by midwives provides a safe and cost-effective alternative to care provided by physicians. However, no studies have evaluated the frequency of women who leave midwifery care, in a hospital setting. Our study objectives were to measure the frequency of transfers of care to physicians, to describe the sociodemographic and pregnancy-related characteristics of women who transferred to the care of a physician during prenatal care and at delivery, and to assess correlates of these transfers. We used electronic medical records to perform a retrospective cohort study of women who delivered at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC) and had at least one prenatal care visit within OSUWMC's network. We report descriptive findings, using proportions and means with standard deviations. We used logistic regression, with Firth's bias correction as necessary, to assess correlates of transferring to a physician during prenatal care and at delivery. Most women who initiated prenatal care with a midwife remained in midwifery care throughout delivery, with 4.7% transferring to a physician during prenatal care, and an additional 21.4% transferring to a physician during delivery. After adjusting for pregnancy-related factors, the black race was statistically significantly associated with leaving midwifery care during prenatal care (adjusted odds ratio AOR 3.0 [95% CI 1.4-6.6]) and delivery (AOR 2.5 [95% CI 1.5-4.3]). Findings indicate that most women remain in midwifery care throughout pregnancy, but raise important questions with respect to the possible role that race has in pregnancy care. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Prenatal diagnosis and epidemiology of multicystic kidney dysplasia in Europe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winding, Louise; Loane, Maria; Wellesley, Diana

    2014-01-01

    ). For the cases with isolated renal anomalies, 51/386 (11%) and 7/386 (2%) choose to terminate the pregnancy or resulted in an intrauterine fetal death, respectively. The prenatal detection rate was 88% in both unilateral and bilateral cases. Birth outcome differed with 92% of unilateral MCKD cases being liveborn...... MCKD are often associated with nonrenal major congenital anomalies or part of a syndrome, and only one third of bilateral MCKD cases in this study were liveborn. Prenatal detection rate of MCKD was high for both unilateral and bilateral cases. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd....

  15. Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a measure for prenatal psychological distress - A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustonen, Paula; Karlsson, Linnea; Scheinin, Noora M; Kortesluoma, Susanna; Coimbra, Bárbara; Rodrigues, Ana João; Karlsson, Hasse

    2018-06-01

    Prenatal environment reportedly affects the programming of developmental trajectories in offspring and the modification of risks for later morbidity. Among the increasingly studied prenatal exposures are maternal psychological distress (PD) and altered maternal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning. Both prenatal PD and maternal short-term cortisol concentrations as markers for HPA axis activity have been linked to adverse child outcomes and it has been assumed that maternal PD affects the offspring partially via altered cortisol secretion patterns. Yet, the existing literature on the interrelations between these two measures is conflicting. The assessment of cortisol levels by using hair cortisol concentration (HCC) has gained interest, as it offers a way to assess long-term cortisol levels with a single non-invasive sampling. According to our review, 6 studies assessing the associations between maternal HCC during pregnancy and various types of maternal PD have been published so far. Measures of prenatal PD range from maternal symptoms of depression or anxiety to stress related to person's life situation or pregnancy. The aim of this systematic review is to critically evaluate the potential of HCC as a biomarker for maternal PD during pregnancy. We conclude that HCC appears to be inconsistently associated with self-reported symptoms of prenatal PD, especially in the range of mild to moderate symptom levels. Self-reports on PD usually cover short time periods and they seem to depict partly different phenomena than HCC. Thus, methodological aspects are in a key role in future studies evaluating the interconnections across different types of prenatal PD and maternal HPA axis functioning. Further, studies including repetitive measurements of both HCC and PD during the prenatal period are needed, as timing of the assessments is one important source of variation among current studies. The significance of prenatal HCC in the context of offspring outcomes

  16. Prenatal diagnosis as a tool and support for eugenics: myth or reality in contemporary French society?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaille, Marie; Viot, Géraldine

    2013-02-01

    Today, French public debate and bioethics research reflect an ongoing controversy about eugenics. The field of reproductive medicine is often targeted as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), prenatal diagnosis, and prenatal detection are accused of drifting towards eugenics or being driven by eugenics considerations. This article aims at understanding why the charge against eugenics came at the forefront of the ethical debate. Above all, it aims at showing that the charge against prenatal diagnosis is groundless. The point of view presented in this article has been elaborated jointly by a geneticist and a philosopher. Besides a survey of the medical, bioethical, philosophical and social sciences literature on the topic, the methodology is founded on a joint analysis of geneticist's various consults. Evidence from office visits demonstrated that prenatal diagnosis leads to case-by-case decisions. As we have suggested, this conclusion does not mean that prenatal diagnosis is devoid of ethical issues, and we have identified at least two. The first is related to the evaluation of a decision to abort. The second line of ethical questions arises from the fact that the claim for "normality" hardly hides normative and ambiguous views about disability. As a conclusion, ethical dilemmas keep being noticeable in the field of reproductive medicine and genetic counselling, but an enquiry about eugenic tendencies probably does not allow us to understand them in the proper way.

  17. Prenatal and postnatal depression among low income Brazilian women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.A. Da-Silva

    1998-06-01

    Full Text Available Postnatal depression is a significant problem affecting 10-15% of mothers in many countries and has been the subject of an increasing number of publications. Prenatal depression has been studied less. The aims of the present investigation were: 1 to obtain information on the prevalence of prenatal and postnatal depression in low income Brazilian women by using an instrument already employed in several countries, i.e., the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; 2 to evaluate the risk factors involved in prenatal and postnatal depression in Brazil. The study groups included 33 pregnant women interviewed at home during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and once a month during the first six months after delivery. Questions on life events and the mother's relationship with the baby were posed during each visit. Depressed pregnant women received less support from their partners than non-depressed pregnant women (36.4 vs 72.2%, P<0.05; Fisher exact test. Black women predominated among pre- and postnatally depressed subjects. Postnatal depression was associated with lower parity (0.4 ± 0.5 vs 1.1 ± 1.0, P<0.05; Student t-test. Thus, the period of pregnancy may be susceptible to socio-environmental factors that induce depression, such as the lack of affective support from the partner. The prevalence rate of 12% observed for depression in the third month postpartum is comparable to that of studies from other countries.

  18. The intersection of everyday life and group prenatal care for women in two urban clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novick, Gina; Sadler, Lois S; Knafl, Kathleen A; Groce, Nora Ellen; Kennedy, Holly Powell

    2012-05-01

    Women from vulnerable populations encounter challenging circumstances that generate stress and may adversely affect their health. Group prenatal care (GPNC) incorporates features that address social stressors, and has been demonstrated to improve pregnancy outcomes and prenatal care experiences. In this qualitative study, we describe the complex circumstances in the lives of women receiving care in two urban clinics and how GPNC attenuated them. Stressors included problems with transportation and child care, demanding jobs, poverty, homelessness, difficult relationships with partners, limited family support, and frustrating health care experiences. Receiving prenatal care in groups allowed women to strengthen relationships with significant others, gain social support, and develop meaningful relationships with group leaders. By eliminating waits and providing the opportunity to participate in care, GPNC also offered sanctuary from frustrations encountered in receiving individual care. Reducing such stressors may help improve pregnancy outcomes; however, more evidence is needed on mechanisms underlying these effects.

  19. Characterization of the cognitive impairments induced by prenatal exposure to stress in the rat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie A. Markham

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available We have previously shown that male rats exposed to gestational stress exhibit phenotypes resembling what is observed in schizophrenia, including hypersensitivity to amphetamine, blunted sensory gating, disrupted social behavior, impaired stress axis regulation, and aberrant prefrontal expression of genes involved in synaptic plasticity. Maternal psychological stress during pregnancy has been associated with adverse cognitive outcomes among children, as well as an increased risk for developing schizophrenia, which is characterized by significant cognitive deficits. We sought to characterize the long-term cognitive outcome of prenatal stress using a preclinical paradigm, which is readily amenable to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Rats exposed to repeated variable prenatal stress during the third week of gestation were evaluated using a battery of cognitive tests, including the novel object recognition task, cued and contextual fear conditioning, the Morris water maze, and iterative versions of a paradigm in which working and reference memory for both objects and spatial locations can be assessed (the ‘Can Test’. Prenatally stressed males were impaired relative to controls on each of these tasks, confirming the face validity of this preclinical paradigm and extending the cognitive implications of prenatal stress exposure beyond the hippocampus. Interestingly, in experiments where both sexes were included, the performance of females was found to be less affected by prenatal stress compared to that of males. This could be related to the finding that women are less vulnerable than men to schizophrenia, and merits further investigation.

  20. Impact of prenatal screening on the prevalence of Down syndrome in Slovenia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gorazd Rudolf

    Full Text Available To evaluate the impact of prenatal screening and genetic testing for trisomy 21 (T21 on the prevalence of T21 in Slovenia.Data about all prenatally and postnatally confirmed cases of T21 in Slovenia between 1981 and 2012 were collected retrospectively from all genetic laboratories in Slovenia. The expected number of babies with T21 according to maternal age was calculated.The primary outcomes measures were number of fetuses and newborn infants with T21 diagnosed prenatally and postnatally and the impact of advances in screening and genetic diagnostics on the prevalence of newborns with T21 in Slovenia.Despite a significantly increased mean maternal age from 25.4 years in year 1981 to 30.3 years in year 2012 the prevalence of newborn infants with T21 was 0.51 per 1000 births compared to 0.55 per 1000 births, respectively. The prevalence of prenatally diagnosed cases increased from 0.03 per 1000 births to 2.06 per 1000. The detection rate of T21 in year 2012 was 78,9%. The total number of prenatal invasive procedures (chorionic villous sampling and amniocenteses carried out during that period was rising until 2002, since when it is stable at around 7%.The advancement and implementation of screening tests and prenatal diagnostic procedures in Slovenia caused an important improvement in the efficiency of the prenatal detection of T21.

  1. Barriers, motivators and facilitators related to prenatal care utilization among inner-city women in Winnipeg, Canada: a case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heaman, Maureen I; Moffatt, Michael; Elliott, Lawrence; Sword, Wendy; Helewa, Michael E; Morris, Heather; Gregory, Patricia; Tjaden, Lynda; Cook, Catherine

    2014-07-15

    help with transportation and child care would have facilitated women's attendance at prenatal care visits. Several psychosocial, attitudinal, economic and structural barriers increased the likelihood of inadequate prenatal care for women living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Removing barriers to prenatal care and capitalizing on factors that motivate and facilitate women to seek prenatal care despite the challenges of their personal circumstances may help improve use of prenatal care by inner-city women.

  2. Developmental toxicity of prenatal exposure to toluene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowen, Scott E; Hannigan, John H

    2006-01-01

    Organic solvents have become ubiquitous in our environment and are essential for industry. Many women of reproductive age are increasingly exposed to solvents such as toluene in occupational settings (ie, long-term, low-concentration exposures) or through inhalant abuse (eg, episodic, binge exposures to high concentrations). The risk for teratogenic outcome is much less with low to moderate occupational solvent exposure compared with the greater potential for adverse pregnancy outcomes, developmental delays, and neurobehavioral problems in children born to women exposed to high concentrations of abused organic solvents such as toluene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, xylenes, and nitrous oxide. Yet the teratogenic effects of abuse patterns of exposure to toluene and other inhalants remain understudied. We briefly review how animal models can aid substantially in clarifying the developmental risk of exposure to solvents for adverse biobehavioral outcomes following abuse patterns of use and in the absence of associated health problems and co-drug abuse (eg, alcohol). Our studies also begin to establish the importance of dose (concentration) and critical perinatal periods of exposure to specific outcomes. The present results with our clinically relevant animal model of repeated, brief, high-concentration binge prenatal toluene exposure demonstrate the dose-dependent effect of toluene on prenatal development, early postnatal maturation, spontaneous exploration, and amphetamine-induced locomotor activity. The results imply that abuse patterns of toluene exposure may be more deleterious than typical occupational exposure on fetal development and suggest that animal models are effective in studying the mechanisms and risk factors of organic solvent teratogenicity.

  3. Prenatal investments, breastfeeding, and birth order.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckles, Kasey; Kolka, Shawna

    2014-10-01

    Mothers have many opportunities to invest in their own or their child's health and well-being during pregnancy and immediately after birth. These investments include seeking prenatal care, taking prenatal vitamins, and breastfeeding. In this paper, we investigate a potential determinant of mothers' investments that has been largely overlooked by previous research-birth order. Data are from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) Child and Young Adult Survey, which provides detailed information on pre- and post-natal behaviors of women from the NLSY79. These women were between the ages of 14 and 22 in 1979, and form a nationally representative sample of youth in the United States. Our sample includes births to these women between 1973 and 2010 (10,328 births to 3755 mothers). We use fixed effects regression models to estimate within-mother differences in pre- and post-natal behaviors across births. We find that mothers are 6.6 percent less likely to take prenatal vitamins in a fourth or higher-order birth than in a first and are 10.6 percent less likely to receive early prenatal care. Remarkably, mothers are 15.4 percent less likely to breastfeed a second-born child than a first, and are 20.9 percent less likely to breastfeed a fourth or higher-order child. These results are not explained by changing attitudes toward investments over time. These findings suggest that providers may want to increase efforts to encourage these behaviors at women with higher parity. The results also identify a potential mechanism for the emergence of differences in health and other outcomes across birth orders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. [Prenatal care and hospital maternal mortality in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzaga-Soriano, María Rode; Zonana-Nacach, Abraham; Anzaldo-Campos, María Cecilia; Olazarán-Gutiérrez, Asbeidi

    2014-01-01

    To describe the prenatal care (PC) received in women with maternal hospital deaths from 2005 to 2011 in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Were reviewed the medical chars and registrations of the maternal deaths by the local Committees of Maternal Mortality. There were 44 maternal hospital deaths. Thirty (68%) women assisted to PC appointments during pregnancy, the average number of PC visits was 3.8 and 18 (41%) had an adequate PC (≥ 5 visits). Six (14%) women didn't know they were pregnant; 19 (43%), 21 (48%) y 4 (9%) maternal deaths were due to direct, indirect obstetric cause or non-obstetric causes. Eighteen (18%), 2 (4 %) and 34 (77%) of the maternal deaths occurred during pregnancy, delivery or puerperium. It is necessary pregnancy women have an early, periodic and systematic PC to identify opportunely risk factors associated with pregnancy complications.

  5. Offspring psychopathology following preconception, prenatal, and postnatal maternal bereavement stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Class, Quetzal A.; Abel, Kathryn M.; Khashan, Ali S.; Rickert, Martin E.; Dalman, Christina; Larsson, Henrik; Hultman, Christina M.; Långström, Niklas; Lichtenstein, Paul; D’Onofrio, Brian M.

    2013-01-01

    Background Preconception, prenatal, and postnatal maternal stress are associated with increased offspring psychopathology, but findings are inconsistent and need replication. We estimated associations between maternal bereavement stress and offspring autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, suicide attempt, and completed suicide. Methods Using Swedish registers, we conducted the largest population-based study to date examining associations between stress exposure in 738,144 offspring born 1992–2000 for childhood outcomes and 2,155,221 offspring born 1973–1997 for adult outcomes with follow-up through 2009. Maternal stress was defined as death of a first degree relative during 6 months before conception, across pregnancy, or the first two postnatal years. Cox proportional survival analyses were used to obtain hazard ratios (HR) in unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Results Marginal increased risk of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia following preconception bereavement stress was not significant. Third trimester prenatal stress increased risk of ASD (adjusted HR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.15–2.17) and ADHD (adjusted HR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.04–1.66). First postnatal year stress increased risk for offspring suicide attempt (adjusted HR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.02–1.25) and completed suicide (adjusted HR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.08–2.11). Bereavement stress during the second postnatal year increased risk of ASD (adjusted HR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.09–1.55). Conclusions Further research is needed on associations between preconception stress and psychopathological outcomes. Prenatal bereavement stress increases risk of offspring ASD and ADHD. Postnatal bereavement stress moderately increases risk of offspring suicide attempt, completed suicide, and ASD. Smaller previous studies may have overestimated associations between early stress and psychopathological outcomes. PMID:23591021

  6. Prenatal diagnosis of sirenomelia with anencephaly and craniorachischisis totalis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theofanakis, Charalampos; Theodora, Marianna; Sindos, Michail; Daskalakis, George

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Rationale: Sirenomelia and anencephaly are well-defined congenital malformations that usually occur independently. Patient concerns: We report a case of combined sirenomelia, anencephaly and complete rachischisis, diagnosed in the 16th week of gestation. Diagnoses: To our knowledge, this is the 7th case in the literature and the first that is diagnosed so early in pregnancy. Interventions: The final diagnosis is confirmed with radiological examination after the termination of pregnancy. Outcomes: Prenatal diagnosis of sirenomelia is difficult due to the presence of kidney agenesis and severe oligohydramnios. Lessons: The combination of sirenomelia and craniorachischisis totalis is extremely rare and prenatal ultrasound scan are a challenge, even for experts in the field. PMID:29390297

  7. PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO MATERNAL AND PATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND BRAIN MORPHOLOGY: A POPULATION-BASED PROSPECTIVE NEUROIMAGING STUDY IN YOUNG CHILDREN

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marroun, H. El; Tiemeier, H.; Muetzel, R.L.; Thijssen, S.; Knaap, N.J. van der; Jaddoe, V.W.; Fernandez, G.S.E.; Verhulst, F.C.; White, T.J.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Prenatal depressive symptoms have been associated with multiple adverse outcomes. Previously, we demonstrated that prenatal depressive symptoms were associated with impaired growth of the fetus and increased behavioral problems in children aged between 1.5 and 6 years. In this

  8. The Prenatal Care at School Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griswold, Carol H.; Nasso, Jacqueline T.; Swider, Susan; Ellison, Brenda R.; Griswold, Daniel L.; Brooks, Marilyn

    2013-01-01

    School absenteeism and poor compliance with prenatal appointments are concerns for pregnant teens. The Prenatal Care at School (PAS) program is a new model of prenatal care involving local health care providers and school personnel to reduce the need for students to leave school for prenatal care. The program combines prenatal care and education…

  9. Infant outcomes among women with Zika virus infection during pregnancy: results of a large prenatal Zika screening program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adhikari, Emily H; Nelson, David B; Johnson, Kathryn A; Jacobs, Sara; Rogers, Vanessa L; Roberts, Scott W; Sexton, Taylor; McIntire, Donald D; Casey, Brian M

    2017-03-01

    Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a known cause of congenital microcephaly and other neurologic morbidities. We present the results of a large-scale prenatal screening program in place at a single-center health care system since March 14, 2016. Our aims were to report the baseline prevalence of travel-associated Zika infection in our pregnant population, determine travel characteristics of women with evidence of Zika infection, and evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes compared to women without evidence of Zika infection. This is a prospective, observational study of prenatal Zika virus screening in our health care system. We screened all pregnant women for recent travel to a Zika-affected area, and the serum was tested for those considered at risk for infection. We compared maternal demographic and travel characteristics and perinatal outcomes among women with positive and negative Zika virus tests during pregnancy. Comprehensive neurologic evaluation was performed on all infants delivered of women with evidence of possible Zika virus infection during pregnancy. Head circumference percentiles by gestational age were compared for infants delivered of women with positive and negative Zika virus test results. From March 14 through Oct. 1, 2016, a total of 14,161 pregnant women were screened for travel to a Zika-affected country. A total of 610 (4.3%) women reported travel, and test results were available in 547. Of these, evidence of possible Zika virus infection was found in 29 (5.3%). In our population, the prevalence of asymptomatic or symptomatic Zika virus infection among pregnant women was 2/1000. Women with evidence of Zika virus infection were more likely to have traveled from Central or South America (97% vs 12%, P Zika virus infection. Additionally, there was no difference in mean head circumference of infants born to women with positive vs negative Zika virus testing. No microcephalic infants born to women with Zika infection were identified

  10. Prenatal Care Checkup

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Careers Archives Health Topics Pregnancy Before or between pregnancies Nutrition, weight & fitness Prenatal care Is it safe? Labor & ... Report Cards Careers Archives Pregnancy Before or between pregnancies Nutrition, weight & fitness Prenatal care Is it safe? Labor & ...

  11. Variations in management of mild prenatal hydronephrosis among maternal-fetal medicine obstetricians, and pediatric urologists and radiologists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanetta, Vitor C; Rosman, Brian M; Bromley, Bryan; Shipp, Thomas D; Chow, Jeanne S; Campbell, Jeffrey B; Herndon, C D Anthony; Passerotti, Carlo C; Cendron, Marc; Retik, Alan B; Nguyen, Hiep T

    2012-11-01

    There are no current guidelines for diagnosing and managing mild prenatal hydronephrosis. Variations in physician approach make it difficult to analyze outcomes and establish optimal management. We determined the variability of diagnostic approach and management regarding prenatal hydronephrosis among maternal-fetal medicine obstetricians, pediatric urologists and pediatric radiologists. Online surveys were sent to mailing lists for national societies for each specialty. Participants were surveyed regarding criteria for diagnosing mild prenatal hydronephrosis and recommendations for postnatal management, including use of antibiotic prophylaxis, followup scheduling and type of followup imaging. A total of 308 maternal-fetal medicine obstetricians, 126 pediatric urologists and 112 pediatric radiologists responded. Pediatric urologists and radiologists were divided between Society for Fetal Urology criteria and use of anteroposterior pelvic diameter for diagnosis, while maternal-fetal medicine obstetricians preferred using the latter. For postnatal evaluation radiologists preferred using personal criteria, while urologists preferred using anteroposterior pelvic diameter or Society for Fetal Urology grading system. There was wide variation in the use of antibiotic prophylaxis among pediatric urologists. Regarding the use of voiding cystourethrography/radionuclide cystography in patients with prenatal hydronephrosis, neither urologists nor radiologists were consistent in their recommendations. Finally, there was no agreement on length of followup for mild prenatal hydronephrosis. We observed a lack of uniformity regarding grading criteria in diagnosing hydronephrosis prenatally and postnatally among maternal-fetal medicine obstetricians, pediatric urologists and pediatric radiologists. There was also a lack of agreement on the management of mild intermittent prenatal hydronephrosis, resulting in these cases being managed inconsistently. A unified set of guidelines for

  12. The effect of prenatal counselling on postpartum family planning use ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of prenatal contraceptive counselling on postpartum contraceptive use and pregnancy outcomes after one year. Methods: Sixteen health centres were equally and randomly allocated to control and intervention arms. Mothers were consecutively recruited during their first ...

  13. Influence of prenatal cocaine exposure on full-term infant neurobehavioral functioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrow, C E; Bandstra, E S; Anthony, J C; Ofir, A Y; Xue, L; Reyes, M L

    2001-01-01

    This study investigated infant neurobehavioral functioning during the newborn period in 334 full-term, African American neonates (187 cocaine exposed, 147 non-cocaine exposed) enrolled prospectively at birth, with documentation of drug exposure status through maternal interview and urine and meconium toxicology assays. Infants were assessed using the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (BNBAS) during the newborn period (0-6 postnatal days). Findings from multivariate profile analyses support a consistent, modest effect of prenatal cocaine exposure on neurobehavioral functioning in full-term neonates. All of the BNBAS cluster scores, with the exception of abnormal reflexes, were similarly affected, sharing a common slope (D=-0.14; 95% CI=-0.27, -0.003; P=.046) representing a -0.14 point difference between cocaine-exposed and non-cocaine-exposed infants after controlling for prenatal exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana (ATM); maternal age, education, employment, primigravida status, and prenatal care visits; and infant sex and postnatal age in days. Fetal growth was also related to neurobehavioral functioning and, in part, mediated the relationship between cocaine exposure and the BNBAS cluster scores. Cocaine exposure during each trimester similarly influenced infant neurobehavioral profiles, with cocaine-associated deficits most pronounced in infants with exposure in all three trimesters. Results from qualitative and quantitative urine and meconium bioassay indicators further substantiated these results. Findings, while significant, represent modest effect sizes in full-term infants.

  14. Prenatal control of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis: a two-year experience at a mainland Chinese hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Can; Pan, Min; Han, Jin; Yang, Xin; Zhen, Li; Li, Jian; Li, Ru; Li, Dong-Zhi

    2015-03-01

    α-Thalassemia is a common inherited disease in southern China. The severest form is Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis, in which the affected fetuses almost always die in utero or shortly after birth, and the mothers are at high risk for severe morbidity. Therefore, this condition should be controlled, especially prenatally. In this study, we reported on a two-year experience in prenatal control of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis at a mainland Chinese hospital. Totally, 573 pregnancies at risk for Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis were referred and different prenatal procedures were offered depending on the gestational age at presentation. One hundred fifty-two affected fetuses were diagnosed prenatally; among these, only half presented in early gestation, and were terminated in time. Although our prenatal program has successfully prevented the birth of children with severe thalassemia, it does not show a satisfactory outcome, considering the gestational age when an affected pregnancy is terminated.

  15. Preconception Care and Prenatal Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Twitter Pinterest Email Print About Preconception Care and Prenatal Care What is preconception care? Preconception care is the ... improve the health of your child. What is prenatal care? Prenatal care is the health care a woman ...

  16. Right aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery—prenatal diagnosis and evaluation of postnatal outcomes: Report of three cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuei-Cheng Hsu

    2011-09-01

    Conclusion: The 3VT view in routine prenatal ultrasound examination is important and essential for the prenatal diagnosis of an RAA with an aberrant LSCA. Moreover, 3D-PDU is able to provide a more clear-cut cardiovascular structure, which helps with the diagnosis.

  17. Barriers, motivators and facilitators related to prenatal care utilization among inner-city women in Winnipeg, Canada: a case–control study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    s health. Receiving incentives and getting help with transportation and child care would have facilitated women’s attendance at prenatal care visits. Conclusions Several psychosocial, attitudinal, economic and structural barriers increased the likelihood of inadequate prenatal care for women living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Removing barriers to prenatal care and capitalizing on factors that motivate and facilitate women to seek prenatal care despite the challenges of their personal circumstances may help improve use of prenatal care by inner-city women. PMID:25023478

  18. Explanatory factors for first and second-generation non-western women's inadequate prenatal care utilisation: a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boerleider, Agatha W; Manniën, Judith; van Stenus, Cherelle M V; Wiegers, Therese A; Feijen-de Jong, Esther I; Spelten, Evelien R; Devillé, Walter L J M

    2015-04-21

    Little research into non-western women's prenatal care utilisation in industrialised western countries has taken generational differences into account. In this study we examined non-western women's prenatal care utilisation and its explanatory factors according to generational status. Data from 3300 women participating in a prospective cohort of primary midwifery care clients (i.e. women with no complications or no increased risk for complications during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium who receive maternity care by autonomous midwives) in the Netherlands (the DELIVER study) was used. Gestational age at entry and the total number of prenatal visits were aggregated into an index. The extent to which potential factors explained non-western women's prenatal care utilisation was assessed by means of blockwise logistic regression analyses and percentage changes in odds ratios. The unadjusted odds of first and second-generation non-western women making inadequate use of prenatal care were 3.26 and 1.96 times greater than for native Dutch women. For the first generation, sociocultural factors explained 43% of inadequate prenatal care utilisation, socioeconomic factors explained 33% and demographic and pregnancy factors explained 29%. For the second generation, sociocultural factors explained 66% of inadequate prenatal care utilisation. Irrespective of generation, strategies to improve utilisation should focus on those with the following sociocultural characteristics (not speaking Dutch at home, no partner or a first-generation non-Dutch partner). For the first generation, strategies should also focus on those with the following demographic, pregnancy and socioeconomic characteristics (aged ≤ 19 or ≥ 36, unplanned pregnancies, poor obstetric histories (extra-uterine pregnancy, molar pregnancy or abortion), a low educational level, below average net household income and no supplementary insurance.

  19. Prenatal Diagnosis of Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava and its Clinical Significance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aytül Çorbacıoğlu Esmer

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC is a variant of systemic venous return which is observed in 0.3% of autopsies in the general population and in 4-8% of patients with congenital heart disease. Aims: To evaluate associated cardiac, extracardiac and chromosomal anomalies in prenatally diagnosed cases of PLSVC and to review their outcome. Study Design: Retrospective comparative study. Methods: The data of patients with a prenatal diagnosis of PLSVC between May 2008 and January 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. Results: Data of 31 cases were reviewed. Fifteen (48.4% cases were associated with cardiac defects and 17 (54.8% cases had associated extracardiac sonographic or postpartum findings. Two fetuses had karyotype anomalies. Outcome was significantly more favorable in cases not associated with cardiac defects in comparison to those associated with cardiac anomalies (84.6% vs. 33.3%, p=0.009. All cases with isolated PLSVC survived, while among the cases associated with extracardiac anomalies, with cardiac anomalies and with both extracardiac and cardiac anomalies, the survival rate was 75%, 50% and 22.2%, respectively. The most frequent group of cardiac anomalies associated with PLSVC was septal defects and VSD was the most common heart defect individually, being observed in nine fetuses. Conclusion: Prenatally diagnosed PLSVC is associated with cardiac and extracardiac anomalies in the majority of cases. Outcome is significantly worse if PLSVC is associated with a cardiac defect, and the prognosis is excellent in isolated cases.

  20. Pre-pregnancy high-risk factors at first antenatal visit: how predictive are these of pregnancy outcomes?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tandu-Umba B

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Barthélémy Tandu-Umba, Muela Andy Mbangama, Kitenge Marc Brunel Kamongola , Tchawou Armel Georges Kamgang, Mawamfumu Perthus Kivuidi, Munene Sam Kasonga, Meke Irène Kambashi, Kabasele Oscar Kapuku, Bituemi Jackson Kondoli, Kibundila Rolly Kikuni, Kuzungu Simon KasikilaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Clinics of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Objective: To determine relationships between pre-pregnancy risk factors at first antenatal visit booking and pregnancy outcomes.Study design: This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study involving women admitted for singleton delivery from July 1 until October 31 (3 months, 2013, at nine major maternity clinics in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. All women were checked for hereditary, community, and personal medical/surgical risk situations and mother/infant problems in previous pregnancies. Maternal and perinatal complications related to current/just-terminated pregnancy were analyzed according to pre-pregnancy risk factors in order to establish their prediction concerning maternal and perinatal complications related to current/just-terminated pregnancy (odds ratios. Results are given with 95% confidence intervals, and P<0.05 was considered significant.Results: The study sample comprised 2,086 women. Primiparity (36.5%, single relationship status (26.4%, and maternal age ≥35 years (18.3% were the most important non-pathologic risk factors, while arterial hypertension in family (34.3%, previous miscarriage (33.2%, overweight/obesity (21.9%, diabetes in family (21.1%, previous cesarean section (15.7%, previous postpartum hemorrhage (13.1%, low birth weight (10%, previous macrosomia (10%, and previous premature rupture of membranes (6.2% predominated among pathologic risk factors. Major adverse outcomes recurred in some women, with recurrence rates of 21/37 (57%, 111/208 (53%, 74/208 (36%, 191/598 (32%, 132/466 (28%, 24/130 (18%, and 4/65 (6% for prematurity

  1. Prenatal care utilization in Zimbabwe: Examining the role of community-level factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makate, Marshall; Makate, Clifton

    2017-12-01

    This paper assesses the importance of community-level factors on prenatal care utilization in Zimbabwe. The analysis is performed using data from the two most recent rounds of the nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey for Zimbabwe conducted in 2005/06 and 2010/11 linked with other community-level data. We use logistic, generalized linear regressions as well as multilevel mixed models to examine the factors associated with the frequency, timing and quality of prenatal care. Our results suggest that contraceptive prevalence, religious composition, density of nurses, health expenditures per capita and availability of government hospitals in communities are important predictors of prenatal care use in Zimbabwe. These findings have important implications for public health policy in Zimbabwe - a country with unfavorable maternal and child health outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Psychological Effect of Prenatal Diagnosis of Cleft Lip and Palate: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sreejith, V P; Arun, V; Devarajan, Anooj P; Gopinath, Arjun; Sunil, Madhuri

    2018-01-01

    Cleft lip and/or palate is the most common congenital craniofacial anomaly. Prenatal diagnosis of the craniofacial anomalies is possible with the advent of newer imaging modalities. The identification of the defect at an early stage in the pregnancy helps the parents to be well informed and counseled regarding the treatment possibilities and outcomes of cleft lip and palate (CLP) treatment. To analyze the psychological effects of prenatal diagnosis of CLP on the parents. PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar searches were made with search strings "prenatal diagnosis cleft lip palate," "antenatal diagnosis," "anomaly scan," "psychological effect cleft lip palate," and "prenatal counseling cleft lip palate." Of the results obtained, studies which evaluated the psychological aspects of parents of cleft children were further included in the study. Electronic search yielded 500 articles after duplication removal. Forty studies concentrated on the results of the scan and their implications predominantly in the diagnosis and management of cleft and other related abnormalities. Eight studies discussed the effects of prenatal diagnosis and counseling on the parents. Prenatal diagnosis enables appropriate and timely counseling of the parents by the cleft team and helps instill a sense of preparedness for the family which highly improves the quality of treatment received by the child enabling a near-to-normal quality and standard of life.

  3. Timing of prenatal maternal exposure to severe life events and adverse pregnancy outcomes: A population study of 2.6 million pregnancies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Class, Quetzal A.; Lichtenstein, Paul; Långström, Niklas; D'Onofrio, Brian M.

    2011-01-01

    Objective To identify the impact of timing of prenatal stress exposure on offspring risk for shortened gestational age (GA), preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW), and small for gestational age (SGA) using a population-based sample. Methods Swedish longitudinal population registries were linked to study all individuals born in Sweden 1973–2004. Prenatal maternal stress exposure was defined as death of the father of the child or first degree relative of the mother. Using linear and logistic regression, timing of stress exposure was examined across pregnancy, by month, and by novel periods created based on month of stress exposure findings. Results A total of 2,618,777 live-born, singleton infants without congenital anomalies were included; 32,286 exposed to prenatal maternal stress. Examining associations between stress exposure and outcome by the month revealed that risk increases mid-gestation, particularly following months 5 and 6. Combining months 1–4, 5 and 6, and 7–9 as potential periods of differing vulnerability, it was found that stress during period 2 (months 5 and 6) was associated with the greatest risk for shortened GA (−0.52 days, SE=0.15, p=0.0006), PTB (OR=1.24, 99% CI=1.08–1.42), LBW (OR=1.38, 99% CI=1.19–1.61), and SGA (OR=1.25, 99% CI=1.05–1.49). Conclusions Risk for shortened GA, PTB, LBW, and SGA are greater following stress exposure during the 5th and/or 6th month of pregnancy. It may be beneficial to refine future analyses to these months. Possible mechanisms include alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associated stress-responsive molecular regulators. PMID:21321257

  4. Prenatal Exposure to DDE and PCB 153 and Respiratory Health in Early Childhood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gascon, Mireia; Sunyer, Jordi; Casas, Maribel

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Persistent organic pollutants may affect the immune and respiratory systems, but available evidence is based on small study populations. We studied the association between prenatal exposure to dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (PCB 153) and children......'s respiratory health in European birth cohorts. METHODS: We included 4608 mothers and children enrolled in 10 birth cohort studies from 7 European countries. Outcomes were parent-reported bronchitis and wheeze in the first 4 years of life. For each cohort, we performed Poisson regression analyses, modeling...... 153 tertiles of exposure, whereas DDE associations were more robust. CONCLUSION: This large meta-analysis suggests that prenatal DDE exposure may be associated with respiratory health symptoms in young children (below 18 months), whereas prenatal PCB 153 levels were not associated with such symptoms....

  5. Thinking Across Generations: Unique Contributions of Maternal Early Life and Prenatal Stress to Infant Physiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Sarah A O; Jones, Christopher W; Theall, Katherine P; Glackin, Erin; Drury, Stacy S

    2017-11-01

    Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a parasympathetic-mediated biomarker of self-regulation linked to lifespan mental and physical health outcomes. Intergenerational impacts of mothers' exposure to prenatal stress have been demonstrated, but evidence for biological embedding of maternal preconception stress, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), on infant RSA is lacking. We examine the independent effects of maternal ACEs and prenatal stress on infant RSA, seeking to broaden the understanding of the earliest origins of mental and physical health risk. Mothers reported on ACEs and prenatal stress. RSA was recorded in a sample of 167 4-month-old infants (49% female and 51% male) during a dyadic stressor, the Still Face Paradigm. Independent contributions of maternal ACEs and prenatal stress to infant RSA were observed. High maternal ACEs were associated with lower RSA, whereas prenatal stress was associated with failure to recover following the stressor. Sex but not race differences were observed. Prenatal stress was associated with higher RSA among boys but lower RSA among girls. Infants' RSA is affected by mothers' life course experiences of stress, with ACEs predicting a lower set point and prenatal stress dampening recovery from stress. For prenatal stress but not ACEs, patterns vary across sex. Findings underscore that stress-reducing interventions for pregnant women or those considering pregnancy may lead to decreased physical and mental health risk across generations. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Does offering prenatal screening influence pregnant women's attitudes regarding prenatal testing?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kleinveld, J.H.; van den Berg, M.; van Eijk, J.T.; van Vugt, J.M.G.; van der Wal, G.; Timmermans, D.R.M.

    2008-01-01

    Objectives: This study aims to find out whether offering prenatal screening for Down syndrome and neural tube defects influences pregnant women's attitudes toward having a screening test. Methods: Women were randomised into a group that was offered prenatal screening and a group that was not offered

  7. Prenatal exposure to antipsychotic medication and use of primary health care system in childhood: a population-based cohort study in Denmark

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Würtz AM

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Anne Mette Lund Würtz,1,2 Claus Høstrup Vestergaard,1 Dorte Rytter,2 Merete Juul Sørensen,3 Jakob Christensen,4 Mogens Vestergaard,1,5 Bodil Hammer Bech1,2 1Research Unit for General Practice, 2Section for Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, 3Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 4Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 5Section for General Practice, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Background: Antipsychotic (AP medication is increasingly used for many health conditions. Prenatal exposure to AP medication has been associated with several adverse outcomes, but the findings remain inconsistent.Purpose: We aimed to investigate prenatal exposure to AP medication and the use of primary health care system in childhood.Subjects and methods: All live-born singletons in Denmark during 1997–2012 were identified in the nationwide Danish National Patient Register and followed until December 31, 2013 (n = 963,010. Information on prenatal exposure to AP medication was obtained from the Danish Register of Medicinal Product Statistics. Contacts to the general practitioner (GP were used as a proxy for the overall health of the children. Negative binomial regression was used to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs for the association between prenatal exposure to AP medication and number and type of GP contacts, excluding routine well-child visits and vaccinations. The models were adjusted for sex and birth date of the child, maternal age, parity, cohabitation status, income, education, smoking status, diagnosis of substance abuse, severe psychiatric disorder, depression and epilepsy as well as the use of antiepileptic drugs, antidepressants, benzodiazepines and insulin.Results: The prenatally AP-exposed children had 7% more GP contacts than unexposed children, IRR: 1.07 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.11. The association was slightly stronger among

  8. A Qualitative Study of Factors Influencing Decision-Making after Prenatal Diagnosis of down Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, Amy R; Berrier, Kathryn L

    2017-08-01

    Previous research has identified twenty-six factors that may affect pregnancy management decisions following prenatal diagnosis of DS; however, there is no consensus about the relative importance or effects of these factors. In order to better understand patient decision-making, we conducted expansive cognitive interviews with nine former patients who received a prenatal diagnosis of DS. Our results suggest that patients attached unique meanings to factors influencing decision-making regardless of the pregnancy outcome. Nineteen of the twenty-six factors previously studied and four novel factors (rationale for testing, information quality, pregnancy experience, and perception of parenting abilities and goals) were found to be important to decision-making. We argue that qualitative studies can help characterize the complexity of decision-making following prenatal diagnosis of DS.

  9. Structural and Socio-cultural Barriers to Prenatal Care in a US Marshallese Community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayers, Britni L; Purvis, Rachel S; Bing, Williamina Ioanna; Rubon-Chutaro, Jellesen; Hawley, Nicola L; Delafield, Rebecca; Adams, Ingrid K; McElfish, Pearl Anna

    2018-02-22

    Objectives Pacific Islanders are disproportionately burdened by poorer perinatal health outcomes with higher rates of pre-term births, low birth weight babies, infant mortality, and inadequate or no prenatal care. The aim of this study is to examine Marshallese mothers' beliefs, perceptions, and experiences of prenatal care and to identify potential barriers. Methods Three focus groups were conducted with Marshallese mothers, who were 18 years or older, and living in Arkansas. Focus groups focused on mothers' beliefs, perceptions, and experiences of prenatal care. A thematic qualitative analysis was conducted to identify salient themes within the data. Results The results demonstrated that negotiating health insurance, transportation, and language barriers were all major structural barriers that constrain prenatal care. The social-cultural barriers that emerged included a lack of understanding of the importance of seeking early and consistent prenatal care, as well as how to navigate the healthcare process. The more complicated challenges that emerged were the feelings of shame and embarrassment due to the perception of their age or being unmarried during pregnancy not being acceptable in American culture. Furthermore, the participants described perceived discrimination from prenatal care providers. Lastly, the participants described fear as a barrier to seeking out prenatal care. Conclusions for Practice This study identified both structural and socio-cultural barriers that can be incorporated into suggestions for policy makers to aid in alleviating maternal health disparities among Pacific Islander women. Further research is needed to address the Marshallese mothers' perceived discrimination from maternal health care providers.

  10. Prenatal congenital vertical talus (rocker bottom foot). A marker for multisystem anomalies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubio, Eva I.; Blask, Anna R.; Bulas, Dorothy I.; Mehta, Nimisha

    2017-01-01

    Congenital vertical talus is a rare foot anomaly characterized by a prominent calcaneus and rigid forefoot dorsiflexion. While congenital vertical talus has been associated with anomalies such as trisomy 18, myelomeningocele and arthrogryposis, postnatal series have reported cases of isolated congenital vertical talus. The purpose of our study was to determine the incidence of isolated congenital vertical talus prenatally and identify the most common anomalies associated with this finding. A retrospective review was performed of congenital vertical talus cases identified in our fetal center from 2006 to 2015. The prenatal US and MR imaging appearance of congenital vertical talus was evaluated and differentiation from congenital talipes equinovarus was assessed. Studies were evaluated for additional abnormalities affecting the central nervous system, face, limbs, viscera, growth and amniotic fluid. Imaging findings were recorded and correlated with outcomes when available. Twenty-four cases of congenital vertical talus were identified prenatally (gestational age: 19-36 weeks). All 24 had prenatal US and 21 also underwent fetal MRI on the same day. There were no isolated cases of congenital vertical talus in this series; all 24 had additional anomalies identified prenatally. Sixteen cases had bilateral congenital vertical talus (67%). Additional anomalies were identified in the brain (15), spine (11), face (6), abdominal wall (3), heart (8) and other limbs (12). Chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 6 of 20 patients who underwent genetic testing. Overall, US held some advantage in detecting the abnormality: in 10 cases, US depicted congenital vertical talus more clearly than MRI; in 8 cases, US and MRI were equal in detection and in 3 cases, MRI was superior. In 9/15 cases with intracranial abnormalities, MRI was superior to US in demonstrating structural anomalies. Outcomes included termination (11), intrauterine fetal demise (1), stillbirth or immediate

  11. Prenatal congenital vertical talus (rocker bottom foot). A marker for multisystem anomalies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rubio, Eva I.; Blask, Anna R.; Bulas, Dorothy I. [Children' s National Health System, Division of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, Washington, DC (United States); Mehta, Nimisha [George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC (United States)

    2017-12-15

    Congenital vertical talus is a rare foot anomaly characterized by a prominent calcaneus and rigid forefoot dorsiflexion. While congenital vertical talus has been associated with anomalies such as trisomy 18, myelomeningocele and arthrogryposis, postnatal series have reported cases of isolated congenital vertical talus. The purpose of our study was to determine the incidence of isolated congenital vertical talus prenatally and identify the most common anomalies associated with this finding. A retrospective review was performed of congenital vertical talus cases identified in our fetal center from 2006 to 2015. The prenatal US and MR imaging appearance of congenital vertical talus was evaluated and differentiation from congenital talipes equinovarus was assessed. Studies were evaluated for additional abnormalities affecting the central nervous system, face, limbs, viscera, growth and amniotic fluid. Imaging findings were recorded and correlated with outcomes when available. Twenty-four cases of congenital vertical talus were identified prenatally (gestational age: 19-36 weeks). All 24 had prenatal US and 21 also underwent fetal MRI on the same day. There were no isolated cases of congenital vertical talus in this series; all 24 had additional anomalies identified prenatally. Sixteen cases had bilateral congenital vertical talus (67%). Additional anomalies were identified in the brain (15), spine (11), face (6), abdominal wall (3), heart (8) and other limbs (12). Chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 6 of 20 patients who underwent genetic testing. Overall, US held some advantage in detecting the abnormality: in 10 cases, US depicted congenital vertical talus more clearly than MRI; in 8 cases, US and MRI were equal in detection and in 3 cases, MRI was superior. In 9/15 cases with intracranial abnormalities, MRI was superior to US in demonstrating structural anomalies. Outcomes included termination (11), intrauterine fetal demise (1), stillbirth or immediate

  12. Occupational predictors of pregnancy outcomes in Irish working women in the Lifeways cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niedhammer, I; O'Mahony, D; Daly, S; Morrison, J J; Kelleher, C C

    2009-06-01

    The objective of this study was to explore the association between occupational factors and pregnancy outcomes in a prospective cohort of Irish pregnant women. This study has a prospective design. The Lifeways cohort included 1124 pregnant women, 676 of whom delivered a single baby and were working at their first prenatal care visit when they filled in a self-administered questionnaire. Occupational factors were measured using this questionnaire and included eight factors describing job and working conditions. Data including pregnancy outcomes were also obtained from clinical hospital records. Logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for well-known risk factors. Birthweight (work demands and low birthweight (working with between a temporary contract and preterm delivery. Trends were also observed between working 40 hours or more a week and shift work, and birthweight of 3000 g or less. The study of a cumulative index showed that being exposed to at least two of these occupational factors significantly predicted birthweight of working conditions. As they may be modifiable, occupational factors deserve more attention in relation to birth outcomes.

  13. Prenatal screening and genetics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alderson, P; Aro, A R; Dragonas, T

    2001-01-01

    Although the term 'genetic screening' has been used for decades, this paper discusses how, in its most precise meaning, genetic screening has not yet been widely introduced. 'Prenatal screening' is often confused with 'genetic screening'. As we show, these terms have different meanings, and we...... examine definitions of the relevant concepts in order to illustrate this point. The concepts are i) prenatal, ii) genetic screening, iii) screening, scanning and testing, iv) maternal and foetal tests, v) test techniques and vi) genetic conditions. So far, prenatal screening has little connection...... with precisely defined genetics. There are benefits but also disadvantages in overstating current links between them in the term genetic screening. Policy making and professional and public understandings about screening could be clarified if the distinct meanings of prenatal screening and genetic screening were...

  14. Prenatal vitamin d supplementation and child respiratory health: a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldring, Stephen T; Griffiths, Chris J; Martineau, Adrian R; Robinson, Stephen; Yu, Christina; Poulton, Sheree; Kirkby, Jane C; Stocks, Janet; Hooper, Richard; Shaheen, Seif O; Warner, John O; Boyle, Robert J

    2013-01-01

    Observational studies suggest high prenatal vitamin D intake may be associated with reduced childhood wheezing. We examined the effect of prenatal vitamin D on childhood wheezing in an interventional study. We randomised 180 pregnant women at 27 weeks gestation to either no vitamin D, 800 IU ergocalciferol daily until delivery or single oral bolus of 200,000 IU cholecalciferol, in an ethnically stratified, randomised controlled trial. Supplementation improved but did not optimise vitamin D status. Researchers blind to allocation assessed offspring at 3 years. Primary outcome was any history of wheeze assessed by validated questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included atopy, respiratory infection, impulse oscillometry and exhaled nitric oxide. Primary analyses used logistic and linear regression. We evaluated 158 of 180 (88%) offspring at age 3 years for the primary outcome. Atopy was assessed by skin test for 95 children (53%), serum IgE for 86 (48%), exhaled nitric oxide for 62 (34%) and impulse oscillometry of acceptable quality for 51 (28%). We found no difference between supplemented and control groups in risk of wheeze [no vitamin D: 14/50 (28%); any vitamin D: 26/108 (24%) (risk ratio 0.86; 95% confidence interval 0.49, 1.50; P = 0.69)]. There was no significant difference in atopy, eczema risk, lung function or exhaled nitric oxide between supplemented groups and controls. Prenatal vitamin D supplementation in late pregnancy that had a modest effect on cord blood vitamin D level, was not associated with decreased wheezing in offspring at age three years. Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN68645785.

  15. Prenatal exposure to dental amalgam in the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study: associations with neurodevelopmental outcomes at 9 and 30 months.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Gene E; Evans, Katie; Thurston, Sally W; van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Wallace, Julie M W; McSorley, Emeir M; Bonham, Maxine P; Mulhern, Maria S; McAfee, Alison J; Davidson, Philip W; Shamlaye, Conrad F; Strain, J J; Love, Tanzy; Zareba, Grazyna; Myers, Gary J

    2012-12-01

    Dental amalgam is approximately 50% metallic mercury and releases mercury vapor into the oral cavity, where it is inhaled and absorbed. Maternal amalgams expose the developing fetus to mercury vapor. Mercury vapor can be toxic, but uncertainty remains whether prenatal amalgam exposure is associated with neurodevelopmental consequences in offspring. To determine if prenatal mercury vapor exposure from maternal dental amalgam is associated with adverse effects to cognition and development in children. We prospectively determined dental amalgam status in a cohort of 300 pregnant women recruited in 2001 in the Republic of Seychelles to study the risks and benefits of fish consumption. The primary exposure measure was maternal amalgam surfaces present during gestation. Maternal occlusal points were a secondary measure. Outcomes were the child's mental (MDI) and psychomotor (PDI) developmental indices of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (BSID-II) administered at 9 and 30 months. Complete exposure, outcome, and covariate data were available on a subset of 242 mother-child pairs. The number of amalgam surfaces was not significantly (p>0.05) associated with either PDI or MDI scores. Similarly, secondary analysis with occlusal points showed no effect on the PDI or MDI scores for boys and girls combined. However, secondary analysis of the 9-month MDI was suggestive of an adverse association present only in girls. We found no evidence of an association between our primary exposure metric, amalgam surfaces, and neurodevelopmental endpoints. Secondary analyses using occlusal points supported these findings, but suggested the possibility of an adverse association with the MDI for girls at 9 months. Given the continued widespread use of dental amalgam, we believe additional prospective studies to clarify this issue are a priority. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Prenatal family support, postnatal family support and postpartum depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Ri-Hua; Yang, Jianzhou; Liao, Shunping; Xie, Haiyan; Walker, Mark; Wen, Shi Wu

    2010-08-01

    Inadequate social support is an important determinant of postpartum depression (PPD). Social support for pregnant women consists of supports from various sources and can be measured at different gestation periods. Differentiating the effects of social support from different sources and measured at different gestation periods may have important implications in the prevention of PPD. In the family centred Chinese culture, family support is likely to be one of the most important components in social support. The aim of this study was to assess the association of prenatal family support and postnatal family support with PPD. A prospective cohort study was conducted between February and September 2007 in Hunan, China. Family support was measured with social support rating scale at 30-32 weeks of gestation (prenatal support) and again at 2 weeks of postpartum visit (postnatal support). PPD was defined as Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score > or =13. A total of 534 pregnant women were included, and among them, 103 (19.3%) scored 13 or more on the EPDS. PPD was 19.4% in the lowest tertile versus 18.4% in the highest quartile (adjusted odds ratio: 1.04, 95% confidence interval 0.60, 1.80) for prenatal support from all family members, and PPD was 39.8% in the lowest tertile versus 9.6% in the highest tertile (adjusted odds ratio: 4.4, 95% confidence interval 2.3, 8.4) for postnatal support from all family members. Among family members, support from husband had the largest impact on the risk of developing PPD. Lack of postnatal family support, especially the support from husband, is an important risk factor of PPD.

  17. The couple context of pregnancy and its effects on prenatal care and birth outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hohmann-Marriott, Bryndl

    2009-11-01

    The couple context of pregnancy and newborn health is gaining importance with the increase in births to unmarried couples, a disproportionate number of which were not intended. This study investigates the association of early prenatal care, preterm birth, and low birth weight with the couple relationship context, including partners' joint intentions for the pregnancy, their marital status at conception, and the presence of relationship problems during pregnancy. Data are drawn from the first wave of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Birth Cohort, a representative study of births in 2001. The sample is composed of parents residing together with their biological child at the time the child is 9 months old, where both the mother and father completed the self-report interview (N = 5,788). Couple-level multivariate logistic regression models, weighted to account for the complex sampling design, were used in the analysis. Risk of inadequate prenatal care and preterm birth was increased when partners did not share intentions or when neither partner intended the pregnancy. Couples were at additional risk of inadequate prenatal care when the pregnancy was conceived nonmaritally and when the mother did not tell the father about the pregnancy, particularly when neither partner intended the pregnancy. The risk of premature birth was particularly high when the partners were unmarried and either or both did not intend the pregnancy. The couple context of pregnancy is important for a healthy pregnancy and birth. When the partner is present, practitioners and programs should maintain a focus on the couple, and researchers should make every effort to include the father's own perspective.

  18. Yebaoh .pub

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    User

    Keywords: teenage pregnancy, social support, pre-natal clinic visits, pregnancy outcomes. INTRODUCTION .... In this sense, social support has meliorating influence on the ..... graphic Change, Mexico, 25-28 October,. 1994. Oppong, C.

  19. Sick-visit immunizations and delayed well-baby visits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robison, Steve G

    2013-07-01

    Giving recommended immunizations during sick visits for minor and acute illness such as acute otitis media has long been an American Academy of Pediatrics/Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice recommendation. An addition to the American Academy of Pediatrics policy in 2010 advised considering whether giving immunizations at the sick visit would discourage making up missed well-baby visits. This study quantifies the potential tradeoff between sick-visit immunizations and well-baby visits. This study was a retrospective cohort analysis with a case-control component of sick visits for acute otitis media that supplanted normal well-baby visits at age 2, 4, or 6 months. Infants were stratified for sick-visit immunization, no sick-visit immunization but quick makeup well-baby visits, or no sick-visit immunizations or quick makeup visits. Immunization rates and well-baby visit rates were assessed through 24 months of age. For 1060 study cases, no significant difference was detected in immunization rates or well-baby visits through 24 months of age between those with or without sick-visit immunizations. Thirty-nine percent of infants without a sick-visit shot failed to return for a quick makeup well-baby visit; this delayed group was significantly less likely to be up-to-date for immunizations (relative risk: 0.66) and had fewer well-baby visits (mean: 3.8) from 2 through 24 months of age compared with those with sick-visit shots (mean: 4.7). The substantial risk that infants will not return for a timely makeup well-baby visit after a sick visit should be included in any consideration of whether to delay immunizations.

  20. Completeness and utility of interview data from proxy respondents in prenatal care research in rural China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nwaru, Bright I; Klemetti, Reija; Yuan, Shen; Kun, Huang; Wang, Yang; Hemminki, Elina

    2012-05-01

    In household surveys, the use of data provided by relatives can increase response rates and generalisability of research findings. This study assessed the quality of data from relatives and the impact of the data source on the association between the use of prenatal care and pregnancy outcomes. Data for 3,673 new mothers and 293 proxy respondents were available from a house-hold survey in 2008-2009 in rural China. Analyses were performed using chi-square test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, and logistic regression models. Differences in the studied variables were small, but proxy respondents were slightly more likely to have missing data than the new mothers. Differences and missing data were more common for the use of prenatal care and outcome variables (mode of delivery, place of delivery, birth weight, use of postnatal care, and gestational age at birth) than for the background characteristics of the participants. Husbands' reports were closer to the index reports than that of the other proxies. The associations between the exposures and outcomes were mostly similar between the proxy and index respondents. Relatives can be interviewed instead of women to study prenatal care without a substantial negative impact on study results. Studies using proxy respondents should stratify the analysis by type of respondents.

  1. Prenatal stress may increase vulnerability to life events comparison with the effects of prenatal dexamethasone

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hougaard, Karin; Andersen, Maibritt B; Kjaer, Sanna L

    2005-01-01

    naïve at the time of ASR testing, whereas the other had been through blood sampling for assessment of the hormonal stress response to restraint, 3 months previously. Both prenatal CMS and dexamethasone increased ASR in the offspring compared to controls, but only in prenatally stressed offspring......Prenatal stress has been associated with a variety of alterations in the offspring. The presented observations suggest that rather than causing changes in the offspring per se, prenatal stress may increase the organism's vulnerability to aversive life events. Offspring of rat dams stressed...... of the acoustic startle response. Further, a single aversive life event showed capable of changing the reactivity of prenatally stressed offspring, whereas offspring of dams going through a less stressful gestation was largely unaffected by this event. This suggests that circumstances dating back to the very...

  2. Congenital toxoplasma infection: monthly prenatal screening decreases transmission rate and improves clinical outcome at age 3 years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallon, M; Peyron, F; Cornu, C; Vinault, S; Abrahamowicz, M; Kopp, C Bonithon; Binquet, C

    2013-05-01

    Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy exposes the fetus to risks of congenital infection and sequelae that depend heavily on gestational age (GA) at time of infection. Accurate risk estimates by GA are necessary to counsel parents and improve clinical decisions. We analyzed data from pregnant women diagnosed with acute Toxoplasma infection in Lyon (France) from 1987 to 2008 and assessed how the risks of congenital toxoplasmosis and of clinical signs at age 3 years vary depending on GA at the time of maternal infection. Among 2048 mother-infant pairs, 93.2% of mothers received prenatal treatment and 513 (24.7%) fetuses were infected. Because of a significant reduction in risk since 1992 when monthly screening was introduced (59.4% vs 46.6% at 26 GA weeks; P = .038), probabilities of infection were estimated on the basis of maternal infections diagnosed after mid-1992 (n = 1624). Probabilities of congenital infection were <10% for maternal infections before 12 weeks of gestation, rose to 20.0% at 19 weeks, and then continued increasing to 52.3% and almost 70% at 28 and 39 GA weeks, respectively. Because of a significant reduction in risk of clinical signs of congenital toxoplasmosis in infected children born from mothers diagnosed after 1995 when polymerase chain reaction testing on amniotic fluid was initiated (87/794 vs 46/1150; P = .012), probabilities of clinical signs at 3 years were estimated based on 1015 maternal infections diagnosed after 1995 including 207 infected children, with symptoms in 46 (22.2%). These analyses demonstrated that introduction of monthly prenatal screening and improvement in antenatal diagnosis were associated with a significant reduction in the rate of congenital infection and a better outcome at 3 years of age in infected children. Our updated estimates will improve individual management and counseling in areas where genotype II Toxoplasma is predominant.

  3. Home visit program improves technique survival in peritoneal dialysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martino, Francesca; Adıbelli, Z; Mason, G; Nayak, A; Ariyanon, W; Rettore, E; Crepaldi, Carlo; Rodighiero, Mariapia; Ronco, Claudio

    2014-01-01

    Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a home therapy, and technique survival is related to the adherence to PD prescription at home. The presence of a home visit program could improve PD outcomes. We evaluated its effects on clinical outcome during 1 year of follow-up. This was a case-control study. The case group included all 96 patients who performed PD in our center on January 1, 2013, and who attended a home visit program; the control group included all 92 patients who performed PD on January 1, 2008. The home visit program consisted of several additional visits to reinforce patients' confidence in PD management in their own environment. Outcomes were defined as technique failure, peritonitis episode, and hospitalization. Clinical and dialysis features were evaluated for each patient. The case group was significantly older (p = 0.048), with a lower grade of autonomy (p = 0.033), but a better hemoglobin level (p = 0.02) than the control group. During the observational period, we had 11 episodes of technique failure. We found a significant reduction in the rate of technique failure in the case group (p = 0.004). Furthermore, survival analysis showed a significant extension of PD treatment in the patients supported by the home visit program (52 vs. 48.8 weeks, p = 0.018). We did not find any difference between the two groups in terms of peritonitis and hospitalization rate; however, trends toward a reduction of Gram-positive peritonitis rates as well as prevalence and duration of hospitalization related to PD problems were identified in the case group. The retrospective nature of the analysis was a limitation of this study. The home visit program improves the survival of PD patients and could reduce the rate of Gram-positive peritonitis and hospitalization. Video Journal Club "Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco" at http://www.karger.com/?doi=365168.

  4. To evaluate if increased supervision and support of South African Government health workers' home visits improves maternal and child outcomes: study protocol for a randomized control trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rotheram-Borus, Mary Jane; Le Roux, Karl; Le Roux, Ingrid M; Christodoulou, Joan; Laurenzi, Christina; Mbewu, Nokwanele; Tomlinson, Mark

    2017-08-07

    Concurrent epidemics of HIV, depression, alcohol abuse, and partner violence threaten maternal and child health (MCH) in South Africa. Although home visiting has been repeatedly demonstrated efficacious in research evaluations, efficacy disappears when programs are scaled broadly. In this cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT), we examine whether the benefits of ongoing accountability and supervision within an existing government funded and implemented community health workers (CHW) home visiting program ensure the effectiveness of home visiting. In the deeply rural, Eastern Cape of South Africa, CHW will be hired by the government and will be initially trained by the Philani Programme to conduct home visits with all pregnant mothers and their children until the children are 2 years old. Eight clinics will be randomized to receive either (1) the Accountable Care Condition in which additional monitoring and accountability systems that Philani routinely uses are implemented (4 clinics, 16 CHW, 450 households); or (2) a Standard Care Condition of initial Philani training, but with supervision and monitoring being delivered by local government structures and systems (4 clinics, 21 CHW, 450 households). In the Accountable Care Condition areas, the CHW's mobile phone reports, which are time-location stamped, will be monitored and data-informed supervision will be provided, as well as monitoring growth, medical adherence, mental health, and alcohol use outcomes. Interviewers will independently assess outcomes at pregnancy at 3, 6, 15, and 24 months post-birth. The primary outcome will be a composite score of documenting maternal HIV/TB testing, linkage to care, treatment adherence and retention, as well as child physical growth, cognitive functioning, and child behavior and developmental milestones. The proposed cluster RCT will evaluate whether routinely implementing supervision and accountability procedures and monitoring CHWs' over time will improve MCH outcomes

  5. Trends in Early Prenatal Care Among Women with Pre-Existing Diabetes: Have Income Disparities Changed?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breathett, Khadijah; Filley, Jessica; Pandey, Madhaba; Rai, Nayanjot; Peterson, Pamela N

    2018-01-01

    Women with pre-existing diabetes are at high maternal risk for comorbidities and death, particularly when early prenatal care is not received. Low income is a known barrier to early prenatal care. It is unknown whether recent policies to expand access to prenatal care have reduced income disparities. We hypothesized that income disparities would be minimized and that the odds of receipt of first trimester prenatal care among women with pre-existing diabetes would become similar across income strata over time. Using the Colorado birth certificate registry from 2007 to 2014, receipt of prenatal care was assessed retrospectively in 2,497 women with pre-existing diabetes. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between high (>$50,000), medium ($25,000-50,000), and low (prenatal care by birth year, adjusted for demographics. High, medium, and low income represented 29.5%, 19.0%, and 51.5% of the cohort, respectively. Women with high income were more likely to receive first trimester care than women with low income from 2007 [adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 2.16 (1.18, 3.96)] through 2013 [1.66 (1.01, 2.73)], but significant differences were no longer observed in 2014 [1.59 (0.89, 2.84)]. The likelihood of receiving first trimester prenatal care was not significantly different between medium- and low-income strata from 2007 [1.07 (0.66, 1.74)] through 2014 [0.77 (0.48, 1.23)]. From 2007 to 2013, women in Colorado with diabetes were more likely to receive early prenatal care if they were in the highest income stratum than in the lowest stratum. In 2014, receipt of first trimester care became equitable across all income strata. Future work should examine national patterns of income with receipt of prenatal care and outcomes among women with pre-existing diabetes.

  6. Impact of ITP on physician visits and workplace productivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarantino, Michael D; Mathias, Susan D; Snyder, Claire F; Isitt, John J; Gernsheimer, Terry; Young, Joan

    2010-02-01

    To assess the impact of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) on primary care and specialist visits and workplace productivity. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study comparing ITP patients to age- and gender-matched controls. Subjects completed a one-time web-based survey, which included questions on work loss, work productivity, and physician visits. ITP patients and controls were compared on these outcomes. For ITP patients, the relationship between work-related issues and physician visits with clinical characteristics (time since diagnosis, platelet count, number of treatments received, and an ITP-specific health-related quality of life measure, the ITP-PAQ) was explored. A total of 1002 ITP patients and 1031 controls completed the survey. On average, ITP patients were 46 years old, diagnosed 9 years ago, and had platelet counts of 148 x 10(9)/L; 37% had undergone splenectomy. More ITP patients had primary care (20% vs. 11%) and specialist (28% vs. 11%) visits in the past month versus controls (p issues of a cross-sectional study design and recall bias in questionnaire responses. ITP was consistently associated with more physician visits and worse work and productivity outcomes. Future research should build on these findings by calculating a comprehensive cost-of-illness of ITP including both direct and indirect costs.

  7. Support from a prenatal instructor during childbirth is associated with reduced rates of caesarean section in a Mexican study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campero, Lourdes; Hernández, Bernardo; Osborne, Jomo; Morales, Sara; Ludlow, Teresa; Muñoz, Christian

    2004-12-01

    to assess the association between non-clinical factors and the incidence of caesarean section (CS); to estimate the effect of a prenatal instructor's presence during childbirth on birth outcome (vaginal or CS). cross-sectional study from a register of women who attended prenatal classes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to measure the effects of each variable on whether the birth was vaginal or CS. Mexico City, Mexico. 992 births to 847 women from the register of the Birth Education Centre (CEPAPAR) between 1987 and 2000. the incidence of CS was 33%. The most commonly reported (by the women) reason for performing a CS was dystocia (53%). Most women were middle or upper-middle class professionals, and 85% of the women gave birth in private institutions. Odds of having a CS were higher among women who gave birth in a large hospital, women who were over 25 years of age, primigravidae, and women who were not supported by a prenatal instructor during childbirth. non-clinical factors considerably affect the type of birth outcome (vaginal vs. CS). A system in which a prenatal instructor provided support to the woman during childbirth could contribute significantly to reducing initial and repeat CS.

  8. Prenatal anxiety effects: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Field, Tiffany

    2017-11-01

    This review is based on literature on prenatal anxiety effects that was found on Pubmed and PsycINFO for the years 2010-2016. Prenatal anxiety is thought to have distinct features, although it has been measured both by specific prenatal anxiety symptoms as well as by standardized anxiety scales. Its prevalence has ranged from 21 to 25% and it has been predicted by a number of pregnancy - related variables such as unintended pregnancy, demographic variables such as low acculturation and income and psychosocial factors including pessimism and partner tension. Prenatal anxiety effects on pregnancy include increased cortisol levels, pro-inflammatory cytokines, obstetric problems and cesarean section. Effects on the neonate include lower gestational age, prematurity, less insulin-like growth factor in cord blood, less exclusive breast-feeding and less self-regulation during the heelstick procedure. Prenatal anxiety effects continue into infancy and childhood both on physiological development and emotional/mental development. Among the physiological effects are lower vagal activity across the first two years, and lower immunity, more illnesses and reduced gray matter in childhood. Prenatal anxiety effects on emotional/mental development include greater negative emotionality and in infants, lower mental development scores and internalizing problems. Anxiety disorders occur during childhood and elevated cortisol and internalizing behaviors occur during adolescence. Interventions for prenatal anxiety are virtually nonexistent, although stroking (massaging) the infant has moderated the pregnancy - specific anxiety effects on internalizing behaviors in the offspring. The limitations of this literature include the homogeneity of samples, the frequent use of anxiety measures that are not specific to pregnancy, and the reliance on self-report. Nonetheless, the literature highlights the negative, long-term effects of prenatal anxiety and the need for screening and early

  9. Single-visit or multiple-visit root canal treatment: systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwendicke, Falk; Göstemeyer, Gerd

    2017-02-01

    Single-visit root canal treatment has some advantages over conventional multivisit treatment, but might increase the risk of complications. We systematically evaluated the risk of complications after single-visit or multiple-visit root canal treatment using meta-analysis and trial-sequential analysis. Controlled trials comparing single-visit versus multiple-visit root canal treatment of permanent teeth were included. Trials needed to assess the risk of long-term complications (pain, infection, new/persisting/increasing periapical lesions ≥1 year after treatment), short-term pain or flare-up (acute exacerbation of initiation or continuation of root canal treatment). Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central) were screened, random-effects meta-analyses performed and trial-sequential analysis used to control for risk of random errors. Evidence was graded according to GRADE. 29 trials (4341 patients) were included, all but 6 showing high risk of bias. Based on 10 trials (1257 teeth), risk of complications was not significantly different in single-visit versus multiple-visit treatment (risk ratio (RR) 1.00 (95% CI 0.75 to 1.35); weak evidence). Based on 20 studies (3008 teeth), risk of pain did not significantly differ between treatments (RR 0.99 (95% CI 0.76 to 1.30); moderate evidence). Risk of flare-up was recorded by 8 studies (1110 teeth) and was significantly higher after single-visit versus multiple-visit treatment (RR 2.13 (95% CI 1.16 to 3.89); very weak evidence). Trial-sequential analysis revealed that firm evidence for benefit, harm or futility was not reached for any of the outcomes. There is insufficient evidence to rule out whether important differences between both strategies exist. Dentists can provide root canal treatment in 1 or multiple visits. Given the possibly increased risk of flare-ups, multiple-visit treatment might be preferred for certain teeth (eg, those with periapical lesions). Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited

  10. Frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis in Ureaplasma-positive healthy women attending their first prenatal visit in a community hospital in Sapporo, Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamazaki, Tomohiro; Matsumoto, Megumi; Matsuo, Junji; Abe, Kiyotaka; Minami, Kunihiro; Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki

    2012-04-02

    Although Chlamydia trachomatis is the most commonly reported pathogen that causes urogenital infection such as urethritis or cervicitis, Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum, which are commensals in the genital tract, have also now been recognized as contributors to urogenital infection. However, whether the presence of either U. parvum or U. urealyticum is related to that of C. trachomatis in the urogenital tract remains unknown. We therefore attempted to estimate by PCR the prevalence of C. trachomatis, U. parvum and U. urealyticum in endocervical samples obtained from healthy women attending their first prenatal visit in Sapporo, Japan. The samples were taken from 303 apparently healthy women, and the extracted DNAs (n = 280) were used for PCR detection targeting C. trachomatis, U. parvum and U. urealyticum. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by Fisher's exact test. PCR detection revealed that the prevalence of C. trachomatis, U. parvum and U. urealyticum was 14.3% (40/280), 41.7% (117/280) and 8.9% (25/280), respectively. C. trachomatis ompA genotype D was most frequently identified. Surprisingly, either C. trachomatis or Ureaplasma spp. was detected in almost half of the healthy women. Mixed infection of C. trachomatis with either U. parvum or U. urealyticum was also observed in 9.2% (26/280) of the women. There was a significant association between C. trachomatis and either U. parvum (p = 0.023) or Ureaplasma total (p = 0.013), but not U. urealyticum (p = 0.275). This study demonstrated that the presence of Ureaplasma had a significant effect on the presence of C. trachomatis in the genital tract of healthy women, suggesting that mixed infection is an important factor in bacterial pathogenesis in the genital tract.

  11. Prenatal paracetamol exposure and child neurodevelopment: a sibling-controlled cohort study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandlistuen, Ragnhild Eek; Ystrom, Eivind; Nulman, Irena; Koren, Gideon; Nordeng, Hedvig

    2013-01-01

    Background Paracetamol is used extensively during pregnancy, but studies regarding the potential neurodevelopmental sequelae of foetal paracetamol exposure are lacking. Method Between 1999 and 2008 all pregnant Norwegian women were eligible for recruitment into the prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. The mothers were asked to report on their use of paracetamol at gestational weeks 17 and 30 and at 6 months postpartum. We used data on 48 631 children whose mothers returned the 3-year follow-up questionnaire by May 2011. Within this sample were 2919 same-sex sibling pairs who were used to adjust for familial and genetic factors. We modelled psychomotor development (communication, fine and gross motor development), externalizing and internalizing behaviour problems, and temperament (emotionality, activity, sociability and shyness) based on prenatal paracetamol exposure using generalized linear regression, adjusting for a number of factors, including febrile illness, infections and co-medication use during pregnancy. Results The sibling-control analysis revealed that children exposed to prenatal paracetamol for more than 28 days had poorer gross motor development [β 0.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12–0.51], communication (β 0.20, 95% CI 0.01–0.39), externalizing behaviour (β 0.28, 95% CI 0.15–0.42), internalizing behaviour (β 0.14, 95% CI 0.01–0.28), and higher activity levels (β 0.24, 95% CI 0.11–0.38). Children exposed prenatally to short-term use of paracetamol (1–27 days) also had poorer gross motor outcomes (β 0.10, 95% CI 0.02–0.19), but the effects were smaller than with long-term use. Ibuprofen exposure was not associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes. Conclusion Children exposed to long-term use of paracetamol during pregnancy had substantially adverse developmental outcomes at 3 years of age. PMID:24163279

  12. Maternal Active Mastication during Prenatal Stress Ameliorates Prenatal Stress-Induced Lower Bone Mass in Adult Mouse Offspring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azuma, Kagaku; Ogura, Minori; Kondo, Hiroko; Suzuki, Ayumi; Hayashi, Sakurako; Iinuma, Mitsuo; Onozuka, Minoru; Kubo, Kin-Ya

    2017-01-01

    Chronic psychological stress is a risk factor for osteoporosis. Maternal active mastication during prenatal stress attenuates stress response. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that maternal active mastication influences the effect of prenatal stress on bone mass and bone microstructure in adult offspring. Pregnant ddY mice were randomly divided into control, stress, and stress/chewing groups. Mice in the stress and stress/chewing groups were placed in a ventilated restraint tube for 45 minutes, 3 times a day, and was initiated on day 12 of gestation and continued until delivery. Mice in the stress/chewing group were allowed to chew a wooden stick during the restraint stress period. The bone response of 5-month-old male offspring was evaluated using quantitative micro-CT, bone histomorphometry, and biochemical markers. Prenatal stress resulted in significant decrease of trabecular bone mass in both vertebra and distal femur of the offspring. Maternal active mastication during prenatal stress attenuated the reduced bone formation and increased bone resorption, improved the lower trabecular bone volume and bone microstructural deterioration induced by prenatal stress in the offspring. These findings indicate that maternal active mastication during prenatal stress can ameliorate prenatal stress-induced lower bone mass of the vertebra and femur in adult offspring. Active mastication during prenatal stress in dams could be an effective coping strategy to prevent lower bone mass in their offspring.

  13. Piloting a Statewide Home Visiting Quality Improvement Learning Collaborative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goyal, Neera K; Rome, Martha G; Massie, Julie A; Mangeot, Colleen; Ammerman, Robert T; Breckenridge, Jye; Lannon, Carole M

    2017-02-01

    Objective To pilot test a statewide quality improvement (QI) collaborative learning network of home visiting agencies. Methods Project timeline was June 2014-May 2015. Overall objectives of this 8-month initiative were to assess the use of collaborative QI to engage local home visiting agencies and to test the use of statewide home visiting data for QI. Outcome measures were mean time from referral to first home visit, percentage of families with at least three home visits per month, mean duration of participation, and exit rate among infants learning. A statewide data system was used to generate monthly run charts. Results Mean time from referral to first home visit was 16.7 days, and 9.4% of families received ≥3 visits per month. Mean participation was 11.7 months, and the exit rate among infants learning network, agencies tested and measured changes using statewide and internal data. Potential next steps are to develop and test new metrics with current pilot sites and a larger collaborative.

  14. Gastrosquise: Diagnóstico Pré-natal x Prognóstico Neonatal Gastroschisis: Prenatal Diagnosis x Neonatal Outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melania Maria Ramos de Amorim

    2000-05-01

    Full Text Available Objetivos: determinar a freqüência de diagnóstico pré-natal em recém-nascidos (RN com gastrosquise operados no Instituto Materno-Infantil de Pernambuco (IMIP e analisar suas repercussões sobre o prognóstico neonatal. Métodos: realizou-se um corte transversal retrospectivo incluindo 31 casos de gastrosquise submetidos a correção cirúrgica em nosso serviço entre 1995-1999. Calculou-se o risco de prevalência (RP de morte neonatal e seu intervalo de confiança a 95% para a presença de diagnóstico pré-natal e outras variáveis cirúrgicas e perinatais, realizando-se análise de regressão logística múltipla para determinação do risco ajustado de morte neonatal. Resultados: apenas 10 (32,3% dos 31 casos de gastrosquise tinham diagnóstico pré-natal e nasceram no IMIP. Nenhum RN com diagnóstico pré-natal foi prematuro, em contraste com 43% daqueles sem diagnóstico pré-natal (p 4 horas, cirurgia em estágios, necessidade de ventilação mecânica e infecção. Conclusões: o diagnóstico pré-natal foi infreqüente entre RN com gastrosquise e a morte neonatal foi extremamente alta em sua ausência. É necessário aumentar a freqüência de diagnóstico pré-natal e melhorar os cuidados perinatais para reduzir esta elevada mortalidade.Purpose: to determine the frequency of prenatal diagnosis in newborns with gastroschisis operated at the Instituto Materno-Infantil de Pernambuco (IMIP and to analyze its repercussions on neonatal prognosis. Patients and Methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out, including 31 cases of gastroschisis submitted to surgical correction in our service from 1995 to 1999. Prevalence risk (PR of neonatal death and its 95% confidence interval were calculated for the presence of prenatal diagnosis and other perinatal and surgical variables. Multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the adjusted risk of neonatal death. Results: only 10 of 31 cases of gastroschisis (32.3% had

  15. Prenatal diagnostic procedures used in pregnancies with congenital malformations in 14 regions of Europe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Garne, E; Loane, M; de Vigan, C; Scarano, G; de Walle, H; Gillerot, Y; Stoll, C; Addor, MC; Stone, D; Gener, B; Feijoo, M; Mosquera-Tenreiro, C; Gatt, M; Queisser-Luft, A; Baena, N; Dolk, H

    2004-01-01

    Objective To investigate outcomes of ultrasound investigations (US) and invasive diagnostic procedures in cases of congenital malformations (CM), and to compare the use of invasive prenatal test techniques (amniocentesis (AC) versus chorionic villus sampling (CVS)) among European populations. Design

  16. Effect of prenatal exposure to maternal cortisol and psychological distress on infant development in Bengaluru, southern India: a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nath, Anita; Murthy, Gudlavalleti Venkata Satyanarayana; Babu, Giridhara R; Di Renzo, Gian Carlo

    2017-07-17

    The mental health status of a pregnant woman and its consequent impact on foetal well being is not given much importance compared to the risk imposed by obstetric complications and medical conditions. Maternal psychological distress is a major public health problem and needs timely detection and intervention to prevent any adverse pregnancy outcome. There is ample evidence from literature that justifies the association of prenatal maternal mental stress and elevated cortisol with delayed infant motor and cognitive development; evidence from India being rather limited. The study aim is to prospectively assess the association of maternal psychological distress and cortisol level with motor and cognitive development of the infant. A sample of 2612 eligible pregnant women who have been registered for antenatal care at selected public sector hospitals in Bengaluru will be recruited after obtaining written informed consent. They will be assessed for the presence of maternal psychological distress in the form of depression and anxiety using appropriate scales and saliva samples will be collected for cortisol estimation during early, mid and late pregnancy. Follow up visits after delivery will be done on day 10, 3 months, 8 months and 12 months. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development [BSID] (Third edition) will be used to measure both motor and mental milestones in terms of Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) and Mental Development Index (MDI). Logistic regression model will be used to determine the association between the exposure variables and outcomes which will be reported as Odd's Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Our study findings could add to the growing evidence that maternal psychological distress during pregnancy adversely influences growth and development in the offspring and subsequent development of the child. While maternal anxiety and depression can be measured by using self reporting instruments, estimation of maternal

  17. Monitoring Quality Across Home Visiting Models: A Field Test of Michigan's Home Visiting Quality Assurance System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heany, Julia; Torres, Jennifer; Zagar, Cynthia; Kostelec, Tiffany

    2018-06-05

    Introduction In order to achieve the positive outcomes with parents and children demonstrated by many home visiting models, home visiting services must be well implemented. The Michigan Home Visiting Initiative developed a tool and procedure for monitoring implementation quality across models referred to as Michigan's Home Visiting Quality Assurance System (MHVQAS). This study field tested the MHVQAS. This article focuses on one of the study's evaluation questions: Can the MHVQAS be applied across models? Methods Eight local implementing agencies (LIAs) from four home visiting models (Healthy Families America, Early Head Start-Home Based, Parents as Teachers, Maternal Infant Health Program) and five reviewers participated in the study by completing site visits, tracking their time and costs, and completing surveys about the process. LIAs also submitted their most recent review by their model developer. The researchers conducted participant observation of the review process. Results Ratings on the MHVQAS were not significantly different between models. There were some differences in interrater reliability and perceived reliability between models. There were no significant differences between models in perceived validity, satisfaction with the review process, or cost to participate. Observational data suggested that cross-model applicability could be improved by assisting sites in relating the requirements of the tool to the specifics of their model. Discussion The MHVQAS shows promise as a tool and process to monitor implementation quality of home visiting services across models. The results of the study will be used to make improvements before the MHVQAS is used in practice.

  18. Genes Underlying Positive Influence Of Prenatal Environmental ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Genes Underlying Positive Influence Of Prenatal Environmental Enrichment And ... Prenatal environmental enrichment (EE) has been proven to positively affect but ... Conclusion: The negative-positive prenatal effect could contribute to altered ...

  19. Prenatal exposure to dental amalgam: evidence from the Seychelles Child Development Study main cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Gene E; Lynch, Miranda; Myers, Gary J; Shamlaye, Conrad F; Thurston, Sally W; Zareba, Grazyna; Clarkson, Thomas W; Davidson, Philip W

    2011-11-01

    Dental amalgams contain approximately 50 percent metallic mercury and emit mercury vapor during the life of the restoration. Controversy surrounds whether fetal exposure to mercury vapor resulting from maternal dental amalgam restorations has neurodevelopmental consequences. The authors determined maternal amalgam restoration status during gestation (prenatal exposure to mercury vapor [Hg(0)]) retrospectively in 587 mother-child pairs enrolled in the Seychelles Child Development Study, a prospective longitudinal cohort study of the effects of prenatal and recent postnatal methylmercury (MeHg) exposure on neurodevelopment. They examined covariate-adjusted associations between prenatal maternal amalgam restoration status and the results of six age-appropriate neurodevelopmental tests administered at age 66 months. The authors fit the models without and with adjustment for prenatal and recent postnatal MeHg exposure metrics. The mean number of maternal amalgam restorations present during gestation was 5.1 surfaces (range, 1-22) in the 42.4 percent of mothers who had amalgam restorations. The authors found no significant adverse associations between the number of amalgam surfaces present during gestation and any of the six outcomes, with or without adjustment for prenatal and postnatal MeHg exposure. Results of analyses with the secondary metric, prenatal amalgam occlusal point scores, showed an adverse association in boys only on a letter- and word-identification subtest of a frequently used test of scholastic achievement, whereas girls scored better on several other tests with increasing exposure. This study's results provide no support for the hypothesis that prenatal Hg(0) exposure arising from maternal dental amalgam restorations results in neurobehavioral consequences in the child. These findings require confirmation from a prospective study of coexposure to MeHg and Hg(0).

  20. Congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor: prenatal imaging clues to differentiate from other fetal chest lesions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calvo-Garcia, Maria A.; Bitters, Constance; Kline-Fath, Beth M. [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology, MLC 5031, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Lim, Foong-Yen [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatric Surgery and Fetal Care Center of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH (United States); Stanek, Jerzy [Cincinnati Children' s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Cincinnati, OH (United States)

    2014-04-15

    We present a prenatal case of congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor referred as a congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) with hydrops and polyhydramnios at 30 weeks' gestational age. US and fetal MRI findings did not fit with the referral diagnosis, raising the possibility of intrinsic lung tumor. Fetal hydrops worsened and the baby was successfully delivered by ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) to resection at 31 weeks' gestational age. To the best of our knowledge, this is a unique case of congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor that underwent comprehensive prenatal evaluation and EXIT procedure with good outcome. (orig.)

  1. Congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor: prenatal imaging clues to differentiate from other fetal chest lesions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calvo-Garcia, Maria A.; Bitters, Constance; Kline-Fath, Beth M.; Lim, Foong-Yen; Stanek, Jerzy

    2014-01-01

    We present a prenatal case of congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor referred as a congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) with hydrops and polyhydramnios at 30 weeks' gestational age. US and fetal MRI findings did not fit with the referral diagnosis, raising the possibility of intrinsic lung tumor. Fetal hydrops worsened and the baby was successfully delivered by ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) to resection at 31 weeks' gestational age. To the best of our knowledge, this is a unique case of congenital peribronchial myofibroblastic tumor that underwent comprehensive prenatal evaluation and EXIT procedure with good outcome. (orig.)

  2. Impact of prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure on behavior, cortical gene expression and DNA methylation of the Bdnf gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Rachel L; Yan, Zhonghai; Maher, Christina; Zhang, Hanjie; Gudsnuk, Kathryn; McDonald, Jacob; Champagne, Frances A

    2016-03-01

    Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) has been associated with sustained effects on the brain and behavior in offspring. However, the mechanisms have yet to be determined. We hypothesized that prenatal exposure to ambient PAH in mice would be associated with impaired neurocognition, increased anxiety, altered cortical expression of Bdnf and Grin2b , and greater DNA methylation of Bdnf . Our results indicated that during open-field testing, prenatal PAH exposed offspring spent more time immobile and less time exploring. Females produced more fecal boli. Offspring prenatally exposed to PAH displayed modest reductions in overall exploration of objects. Further, prenatal PAH exposure was associated with lower cortical expression of Grin2b and Bdnf in males, and greater Bdnf IV promoter methylation. Epigenetic differences within the Bdnf IV promoter correlated with Bdnf gene expression, but not with the observed behavioral outcomes, suggesting that additional targets may account for these PAH-associated effects.

  3. Impact of prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure on behavior, cortical gene expression, and DNA methylation of the Bdnf gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel L. Miller

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH has been associated with sustained effects on the brain and behavior in offspring. However, the mechanisms have yet to be determined. We hypothesized that prenatal exposure to ambient PAH in mice would be associated with impaired neurocognition, increased anxiety, altered cortical expression of Bdnf and Grin2b, and greater DNA methylation of Bdnf. Our results indicated that during open-field testing, prenatal PAH–exposed offspring spent more time immobile and less time exploring. Females produced more fecal boli. Offspring prenatally exposed to PAH displayed modest reductions in overall exploration of objects. Further, prenatal PAH exposure was associated with lower cortical expression of Grin2b and Bdnf in males and greater Bdnf IV promoter methylation. Epigenetic differences within the Bdnf IV promoter correlated with Bdnf gene expression but not with the observed behavioral outcomes, suggesting that additional targets may account for these PAH-associated effects.

  4. PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO MATERNAL AND PATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND BRAIN MORPHOLOGY: A POPULATION-BASED PROSPECTIVE NEUROIMAGING STUDY IN YOUNG CHILDREN.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Marroun, Hanan; Tiemeier, Henning; Muetzel, Ryan L; Thijssen, Sandra; van der Knaap, Noortje J F; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Fernández, Guillén; Verhulst, Frank C; White, Tonya J H

    2016-07-01

    Prenatal depressive symptoms have been associated with multiple adverse outcomes. Previously, we demonstrated that prenatal depressive symptoms were associated with impaired growth of the fetus and increased behavioral problems in children aged between 1.5 and 6 years. In this prospective study, we aimed to assess whether prenatal maternal depressive symptoms at 3 years have long-term consequences on brain development in a cohort of children aged 6-10 years. As a contrast, the association of paternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and brain morphology was assessed to serve as a marker of background confounding due to shared genetic and environmental family factors. We assessed parental depressive symptoms during pregnancy with the Brief Symptom Inventory. At approximately 8 years of age, we collected structural neuroimaging data, using cortical thickness, surface area, and gyrification as outcomes (n = 654). We found that exposure to prenatal maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy was associated with a thinner superior frontal cortex in the left hemisphere. Additionally, prenatal maternal depressive symptoms were related to larger caudal middle frontal area in the left hemisphere. Maternal depressive symptoms at 3 years were not associated with cortical thickness, surface area, or gyrification in the left and right hemispheres. No effects of paternal depressive symptoms on brain morphology were observed. Prenatal maternal depressive symptoms were associated with differences in brain morphology in children. It is important to prevent, identify, and treat depressive symptoms during pregnancy as it may have long-term consequences on child brain development. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Long-term outcome of prenatal dexamethasone treatment of 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lajic, Svetlana; Nordenström, Anna; Hirvikoski, Tatja

    2011-01-01

    Prenatal treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) with dexamethasone (DEX) has been in use since the mid- 1980s. Its effectiveness for reducing virilization of external genitalia is well established. DEX treatment has to be started in the 6th-7th postmenstrual week and continued until the results of the prenatal diagnosis are available. Hence, the dilemma is that 7 out of 8 fetuses (boys and unaffected girls) are treated unnecessarily. Girls with CAH are treated until term. Accumulating evidence from animal studies and follow-up data has raised concerns regarding the long-term consequences of this controversial treatment. We have previously reported that direct neuropsychological assessment of children exposed to DEX and controls show normal full-scale IQ, learning and longterm memory. However, the children exposed to DEX during the first trimester had an impaired verbal working memory which was significantly associated with low self-perceived scholastic competence. In addition, the children showed increased self-rated social anxiety. The same cohort of children answered questions concerning friends, activities and gender-related behaviors. The results indicate less masculine and more neutral behavior in short-term DEX-exposed boys. These findings indicate that long-term follow-ups of this group of patients are of extreme importance and that future DEX treatment of CAH may be questioned. We therefore encourage additional studies on larger cohorts in order to draw more decisive conclusions about the safety of the treatment. Until then, it is important that the parents are thoroughly informed about the potential risks and uncertainties, as well as the benefits, of this treatment. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Two cases of pontocerebellar hypoplasia: ethical and prenatal diagnostic dilemma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ajibola, Ayodeji J; Netzloff, Michael; Samaraweera, Ranji; Omar, Said A

    2010-02-01

    We report the clinical characteristics and the outcome of two cases of pontocerebellar hypoplasia (PCH) in one family. The objective of this report is to describe the mode of presentation, discuss the clinical course, and address the dilemma of prenatal diagnosis and the prospects for genetic diagnosis for PCH. The first case is a 4-year-old boy in whom the diagnosis was made in the neonatal period. Despite extensive prenatal follow-up during the mother's subsequent pregnancy, prenatal diagnosis could not be made and a second affected child was born. Both siblings have severe developmental delay. The cases raise an important ethical dilemma about the most appropriate intervention if the mother of a child affected with PCH becomes pregnant. PCH is considered to have an autosomal-recessive mode of inheritance and a recurrence risk of 25% in each pregnancy. Until recently when genetic mutations in PCH types 2, 4, and 6 began to be identified, the lack of well-recognized genetic testing precluded experts from making clear recommendations. The best advice to these parents was difficult or elusive. With two children currently affected, should the parents terminate or continue with the latest pregnancy? Extensive monitoring with serial prenatal ultrasound failed in the previous pregnancy and resulted in the birth of the second affected child. It is evident that serial ultrasound scan may not be helpful in making the diagnosis prenatally. Therefore, other diagnostic modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging may be necessary and should be considered. With the identification of genetic basis or mutations in PCH types 2, 4, and 6 and possible development of commercial genetic testing for these types of PCH, reproductive decision or genetic testing during pregnancy should be recommended to affected families to enable informed choices. Thieme Medical Publishers.

  7. Sex differences in prenatal epigenetic programming of stress pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bale, Tracy L

    2011-07-01

    Maternal stress experience is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia and autism. Recent studies have examined mechanisms by which changes in the maternal milieu may be transmitted to the developing embryo and potentially translated into programming of the epigenome. Animal models of prenatal stress have identified important sex- and temporal-specific effects on offspring stress responsivity. As dysregulation of stress pathways is a common feature in most neuropsychiatric diseases, molecular and epigenetic analyses at the maternal-embryo interface, especially in the placenta, may provide unique insight into identifying much-needed predictive biomarkers. In addition, as most neurodevelopmental disorders present with a sex bias, examination of sex differences in the inheritance of phenotypic outcomes may pinpoint gene targets and specific windows of vulnerability in neurodevelopment, which have been disrupted. This review discusses the association and possible contributing mechanisms of prenatal stress in programming offspring stress pathway dysregulation and the importance of sex.

  8. Prenatal and early postnatal stress and later life inflammation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Jolene Masters; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Christensen, Dinne Skjærlund

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that maternal psychological and social stress during the prenatal period and in childhood represent an important condition that may adversely impact the anatomy and physiology of the developing child with implications for a number of health-related conditions...... and postnatal stressor data was collected at year one follow-up. A series of ordinary least square regression models were performed with the stress measures as the exposures and C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), and Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) separately as the outcomes...... in the first year of life, was associated with higher levels of CRP and IL-6. The accumulation of social stressors in the early postnatal period was associated with higher levels of CRP and IL-6 but not IL-10 and TNF-α. The accumulation of stressors in the prenatal and postnatal periods combined was associated...

  9. Barriers to adequate prenatal care utilization in American Samoa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawley, Nicola L; Brown, Carolyn; Nu’usolia, Ofeira; Ah-Ching, John; Muasau-Howard, Bethel; McGarvey, Stephen T

    2013-01-01

    Objective To describe the utilization of prenatal care in American Samoan women and to identify socio-demographic predictors of inadequate prenatal care utilization. Methods Using data from prenatal clinic records, women (n=692) were categorized according to the Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index as having received adequate plus, adequate, intermediate or inadequate prenatal care during their pregnancy. Categorical socio-demographic predictors of the timing of initiation of prenatal care (week of gestation) and the adequacy of received services were identified using one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and independent samples t-tests. Results Between 2001 and 2008 85.4% of women received inadequate prenatal care. Parity (P=0.02), maternal unemployment (P=0.03), and both parents being unemployed (P=0.03) were negatively associated with the timing of prenatal care initation. Giving birth in 2007–2008, after a prenatal care incentive scheme had been introduced in the major hospital, was associated with earlier initiation of prenatal care (20.75 versus 25.12 weeks; Pprenatal care utilization in American Samoa is a major concern. Improving healthcare accessibility will be key in encouraging women to attend prenatal care. The significant improvements in the adequacy of prenatal care seen in 2007–2008 suggest that the prenatal care incentive program implemented in 2006 may be a very positive step toward addressing issues of prenatal care utilization in this population. PMID:24045912

  10. One-visit endodontics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashkenaz, P J

    1984-10-01

    I would like to conclude with some personal observations and comments on the use of single-visit endodontics in private practice based on my 12 years of experience utilizing this procedure. I cannot stress in strong enough terms that one-visit endodontics should not be undertaken by the novice. As an evolutionary philosophy of treatment, its use grows out of a full understanding of fundamental endodontic principles by the experienced practitioner. It is only after considering all of the indications and contraindications in each case on an individual basis, that a decision should be made as to whether or not it can be completed in a single visit. However, it is also important for the practitioner to have a clinical sense of what can be accomplished once the rubber dam has been placed and work commenced on the tooth. I submit to you that this very important clinical sense can be gained only after many years of clinical experience. Therefore, the endodontic competence of the practicing dentist becomes the overriding factor in determining the outcome of any one particular case. This is not to say that only a specialized few can and should perform this procedure. However, it does mean that a high degree of clinical skill is necessary to perform it in a successful manner. The performance of better endodontics in multiple visits will ensure success in single visits. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the individual practitioner to objectively evaluate his or her endodontic skills. The clinician should critically evaluate every aspect of his or her endodontic practice by determining the incidences of biomechanical errors such as ledging, perforations, overinstrumentation, broken instruments, interappointment flare-ups, and failures. For only after evaluating these areas will the clinician have an indication as to his or her level of endodontic skill and whether or not future study and practice need be done in one or more specific aspects of endodontic practice. Once a high

  11. Association of Group Prenatal Care in US Family Medicine Residencies With Maternity Care Practice: A CERA Secondary Data Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, Wendy B; Tong, Sebastian T; LeFevre, Nicholas M

    2017-03-01

    Group prenatal care has been shown to improve both maternal and neonatal outcomes. With increasing adaption of group prenatal care by family medicine residencies, this model may serve as a potential method to increase exposure to and interest in maternity care among trainees. This study aims to describe the penetration, regional and program variations, and potential impacts on future maternity care practice of group prenatal care in US family medicine residencies. The CAFM Educational Research Alliance (CERA) conducted a survey of all US family medicine residency program directors in 2013 containing questions about maternity care training. A secondary data analysis was completed to examine relevant data on group prenatal care in US family medicine residencies and maternity care practice patterns. 23.1% of family medicine residency programs report provision of group prenatal care. Programs with group prenatal care reported increased number of vaginal deliveries per resident. Controlling for average number of vaginal deliveries per resident, programs with group prenatal care had a 2.35 higher odds of having more than 10% of graduates practice obstetrics and a 2.93 higher odds of having at least one graduate in the past 5 years enter an obstetrics fellowship. Residency programs with group prenatal care models report more graduates entering OB fellowships and practicing maternity care. Implementing group prenatal care in residency training can be one method in a multifaceted approach to increasing maternity care practice among US family physicians.

  12. Prenatal Maternal Substance Use and Offspring Outcomes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Huizink, A.C.

    2015-01-01

    Evidence from both human and preclinical studies seems to indicate that maternal smoking, alcohol drinking, or other drug use during pregnancy can affect offspring outcomes. It also suggests that maternal substance use during pregnancy is a major preventable cause of adverse infant outcomes.

  13. Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Intermittent Hypoxemia in Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elie G. Abu Jawdeh

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available IntroductionIntermittent hypoxemia (IH is defined as episodic drops in oxygen saturation (SpO2. Preterm infants are at increased risk for IH due to their immature respiratory control/apnea of prematurity. The clinical relevance of IH is a relatively new observation with rising evidence linking IH to neonatal morbidities and long-term impairment. Hence, assessing factors that influence IH in preterm infants is imperative. Given the epidemic of opioid misuse in the USA, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of prenatal opioid exposure on neonatal outcomes. Hence, we wanted to assess the relationship between isolated prenatal opioid exposure and IH in preterm infants.MethodsIn order to accurately calculate IH, SpO2 data were prospectively collected using high-resolution pulse oximeters during the first 8 weeks of life in preterm infants less than 30 weeks gestational age. Data related to prenatal opioid misuse were retrospectively collected from medical charts. Infants with tobacco or poly-drug exposure were excluded. The primary outcome measure is percent time spent with SpO2 below 80% (%time-SpO2 < 80. The secondary outcome measure is the number of severe IH events/week with SpO2 less than 80% (IH-SpO2 < 80.ResultsA total of 82 infants with isolated opioid exposure (n = 14 or who were unexposed (n = 68 were included. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between opioid exposed and unexposed groups. There was a statistically significant increase of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.43, p = 0.03 in mean of the square root of %time-SpO2 < 80. The number of IH-SpO2 < 80 events was higher in the opioid exposed group (mean difference = 2.95, 95% CI: −0.35, 6.25, p-value = 0.08, although statistical significance was not quite attained.ConclusionThis study shows that preterm infants prenatally exposed to opioids have increased IH measures compared to unexposed infants. Interestingly

  14. Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Intermittent Hypoxemia in Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu Jawdeh, Elie G; Westgate, Philip M; Pant, Amrita; Stacy, Audra L; Mamilla, Divya; Gabrani, Aayush; Patwardhan, Abhijit; Bada, Henrietta S; Giannone, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Intermittent hypoxemia (IH) is defined as episodic drops in oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ). Preterm infants are at increased risk for IH due to their immature respiratory control/apnea of prematurity. The clinical relevance of IH is a relatively new observation with rising evidence linking IH to neonatal morbidities and long-term impairment. Hence, assessing factors that influence IH in preterm infants is imperative. Given the epidemic of opioid misuse in the USA, there is an urgent need to understand the impact of prenatal opioid exposure on neonatal outcomes. Hence, we wanted to assess the relationship between isolated prenatal opioid exposure and IH in preterm infants. In order to accurately calculate IH, SpO 2 data were prospectively collected using high-resolution pulse oximeters during the first 8 weeks of life in preterm infants less than 30 weeks gestational age. Data related to prenatal opioid misuse were retrospectively collected from medical charts. Infants with tobacco or poly-drug exposure were excluded. The primary outcome measure is percent time spent with SpO 2 below 80% (%time-SpO 2  < 80). The secondary outcome measure is the number of severe IH events/week with SpO 2 less than 80% (IH-SpO 2  < 80). A total of 82 infants with isolated opioid exposure ( n  = 14) or who were unexposed ( n  = 68) were included. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between opioid exposed and unexposed groups. There was a statistically significant increase of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.43, p  = 0.03) in mean of the square root of %time-SpO 2  < 80. The number of IH-SpO 2  < 80 events was higher in the opioid exposed group (mean difference = 2.95, 95% CI: -0.35, 6.25, p -value = 0.08), although statistical significance was not quite attained. This study shows that preterm infants prenatally exposed to opioids have increased IH measures compared to unexposed infants. Interestingly, the increased IH in the opioid

  15. Role of caregiver-reported outcomes in identification of children with prenatal alcohol exposure during the first year of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakhireva, Ludmila N; Lowe, Jean; Garrison, Laura M; Cano, Sandra; Leyva, Yuridia; Qeadan, Fares; Stephen, Julia M

    2018-05-16

    BackgroundEarlier identification of children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) remains a challenge. The objective of this study was to identify neurobehavioral (NB) outcomes associated with PAE in infants.MethodsThis manuscript evaluates NB outcomes at 6.33±1.12 months of age in 93 infants (39 PAE and 54 No-PAE) recruited prospectively into the ENRICH cohort. PAE was assessed by prospective repeated TLFB interviews and a panel of ethanol biomarkers. NB outcomes were evaluated by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-III), Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ-R), and Infant Sensory Profile (ISP).ResultsMean maternal age at enrollment was 28.18±5.75, and 64.52% were Hispanic/Latina. Across three TLFB calendars, absolute alcohol per day in the PAE group was 0.44±0.72, corresponding to low-moderate alcohol consumption. While no association was observed between PAE and BSID-III (P's>0.05), PAE was associated with higher scores on the PSI difficult child scale (=13.9; P=0.015), total stress (=13.9; P=0.010), and IBQ negative affect (=8.60; P=0.008) measures after adjustment for covariates.ConclusionsCaregiver-reported assessments may provide a currently unrecognized opportunity to identify behavioral deficits, point to early interventions, and should be included in clinical assessments of infants at-risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.Pediatric Research advance online publication, 16 May 2018; doi:10.1038/pr.2018.26.

  16. Improved Birth Weight for Black Infants: Outcomes of a Healthy Start Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zielinski, Ruth; James, Arthur; Charoth, Remitha M.; del Carmen Sweezy, Luz

    2014-01-01

    Objectives. We determined whether participation in Healthy Babies Healthy Start (HBHS), a maternal health program emphasizing racial equity and delivering services through case management home visitation, was associated with improved birth outcomes for Black women relative to White women. Methods. We used a matched-comparison posttest-only design in which we selected the comparison group using propensity score matching. Study data were generated through secondary analysis of Michigan state- and Kalamazoo County–level birth certificate records for 2008 to 2010. We completed statistical analyses, stratified by race, using a repeated-measures generalized linear model. Results. Despite their smoking rate being double that of their matched counterparts, Black HBHS participants delivered higher birth-weight infants than did Black nonparticipants (P = .05). White HBHS participants had significantly more prenatal care than did White nonparticipants, but they had similar birth outcomes (P = .7 for birth weight; P = .55 for gestation). Conclusions. HBHS participation is associated with increased birth weights among Black women but not among White women, suggesting differential program gains for Black women. PMID:24354844

  17. Prenatal methadone exposure is associated with altered neonatal brain development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria J. Monnelly

    Full Text Available Methadone is used for medication-assisted treatment of heroin addiction during pregnancy. The neurodevelopmental outcome of children with prenatal methadone exposure can be sub-optimal. We tested the hypothesis that brain development is altered among newborn infants whose mothers were prescribed methadone.20 methadone-exposed neonates born after 37weeks' postmenstrual age (PMA and 20 non-exposed controls underwent diffusion MRI at mean PMA of 39+2 and 41+1weeks, respectively. An age-optimized Tract-based Spatial Statistics (TBSS pipeline was used to perform voxel-wise statistical comparison of fractional anisotropy (FA data between exposed and non-exposed neonates.Methadone-exposed neonates had decreased FA within the centrum semiovale, inferior longitudinal fasciculi (ILF and the internal and external capsules after adjustment for GA at MRI (p<0.05, TFCE corrected. Median FA across the white matter skeleton was 12% lower among methadone-exposed infants. Mean head circumference (HC z-scores were lower in the methadone-exposed group (−0.52 (0.99 vs 1.15 (0.84, p<0.001; after adjustment for HC z-scores, differences in FA remained in the anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule and the ILF. Polydrug use among cases was common.Prenatal methadone exposure is associated with microstructural alteration in major white matter tracts, which is present at birth and is independent of head growth. Although the findings cannot be attributed to methadone per se, the data indicate that further research to determine optimal management of opioid use disorder during pregnancy is required. Future studies should evaluate childhood outcomes including infant brain development and long-term neurocognitive function. Keywords: Prenatal, Methadone, Brain, Neonate, MRI, Opioid

  18. Model-based analysis of costs and outcomes of non-invasive prenatal testing for Down's syndrome using cell free fetal DNA in the UK National Health Service.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen Morris

    Full Text Available Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT for Down's syndrome (DS using cell free fetal DNA in maternal blood has the potential to dramatically alter the way prenatal screening and diagnosis is delivered. Before NIPT can be implemented into routine practice, information is required on its costs and benefits. We investigated the costs and outcomes of NIPT for DS as contingent testing and as first-line testing compared with the current DS screening programme in the UK National Health Service.We used a pre-existing model to evaluate the costs and outcomes associated with NIPT compared with the current DS screening programme. The analysis was based on a hypothetical screening population of 10,000 pregnant women. Model inputs were taken from published sources. The main outcome measures were number of DS cases detected, number of procedure-related miscarriages and total cost.At a screening risk cut-off of 1∶150 NIPT as contingent testing detects slightly fewer DS cases, has fewer procedure-related miscarriages, and costs the same as current DS screening (around UK£280,000 at a cost of £500 per NIPT. As first-line testing NIPT detects more DS cases, has fewer procedure-related miscarriages, and is more expensive than current screening at a cost of £50 per NIPT. When NIPT uptake increases, NIPT detects more DS cases with a small increase in procedure-related miscarriages and costs.NIPT is currently available in the private sector in the UK at a price of £400-£900. If the NHS cost was at the lower end of this range then at a screening risk cut-off of 1∶150 NIPT as contingent testing would be cost neutral or cost saving compared with current DS screening. As first-line testing NIPT is likely to produce more favourable outcomes but at greater cost. Further research is needed to evaluate NIPT under real world conditions.

  19. Developmental programming: interaction between prenatal BPA exposure and postnatal adiposity on metabolic variables in female sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veiga-Lopez, Almudena; Moeller, Jacob; Sreedharan, Rohit; Singer, Kanakadurga; Lumeng, Carey; Ye, Wen; Pease, Anthony; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

    2016-02-01

    Among potential contributors for the increased incidence of metabolic diseases is the developmental exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is an estrogenic chemical used in a variety of consumer products. Evidence points to interactions of BPA with the prevailing environment. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of prenatal exposure to BPA on postnatal metabolic outcomes, including insulin resistance, adipose tissue distribution, adipocyte morphometry, and expression of inflammatory markers in adipose tissue as well as to assess whether postnatal overfeeding would exacerbate these effects. Findings indicate that prenatal BPA exposure leads to insulin resistance in adulthood in the first breeder cohort (study 1), but not in the second cohort (study 2), which is suggestive of potential differences in genetic susceptibility. BPA exposure induced adipocyte hypertrophy in the visceral fat depot without an accompanying increase in visceral fat mass or increased CD68, a marker of macrophage infiltration, in the subcutaneous fat depot. Cohens effect size analysis found the ratio of visceral to subcutaneous fat depot in the prenatal BPA-treated overfed group to be higher compared with the control-overfed group. Altogether, these results suggest that exposure to BPA during fetal life at levels found in humans can program metabolic outcomes that lead to insulin resistance, a forerunner of type 2 diabetes, with postnatal obesity failing to manifest any interaction with prenatal BPA relative to insulin resistance and adipocyte hypertrophy. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  20. NAITRE study on the impact of conditional cash transfer on poor pregnancy outcomes in underprivileged women: protocol for a nationwide pragmatic cluster-randomised superiority clinical trial in France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bardou, Marc; Crépon, Bruno; Bertaux, Anne-Claire; Godard-Marceaux, Aurélie; Eckman-Lacroix, Astrid; Thellier, Elise; Falchier, Frédérique; Deruelle, Philippe; Doret, Muriel; Carcopino-Tusoli, Xavier; Schmitz, Thomas; Barjat, Thiphaine; Morin, Mathieu; Perrotin, Franck; Hatem, Ghada; Deneux-Tharaux, Catherine; Fournel, Isabelle; Laforet, Laurent; Meunier-Beillard, Nicolas; Duflo, Esther; Le Ray, Isabelle

    2017-10-30

    Prenatal care is recommended during pregnancy to improve neonatal and maternal outcomes. Women of lower socioeconomic status (SES) are less compliant to recommended prenatal care and suffer a higher risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. Several attempts to encourage optimal pregnancy follow-up have shown controversial results, particularly in high-income countries. Few studies have assessed financial incentives to encourage prenatal care, and none reported materno-fetal events as the primary outcome. Our study aims to determine whether financial incentives could improve pregnancy outcomes in women with low SES in a high-income country. This pragmatic cluster-randomised clinical trial includes pregnant women with the following criteria: (1) age above 18 years, (2) first pregnancy visit before 26 weeks of gestation and (3) belonging to a socioeconomically disadvantaged group. The intervention consists in offering financial incentives conditional on attending scheduled pregnancy follow-up consultations. Clusters are 2-month periods with random turnover across centres. A composite outcome of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality is the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints include maternal or neonatal outcomes assessed separately, qualitative assessment of the perception of the intervention and cost-effectiveness analysis for which children will be followed to the end of their first year through the French health insurance database. The study started in June 2016, and based on an expected decrease in the primary endpoint from 18% to 14% in the intervention group, we plan to include 2000 women in each group. Ethics approval was first gained on 28 September 2014. An independent data security and monitoring committee has been established. Results of the main trial and each of the secondary analyses will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. NCT02402855; pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of

  1. Integrating a Nurse-Midwife-Led Oral Health Intervention Into CenteringPregnancy Prenatal Care: Results of a Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Sally H; Gregorich, Steven E; Rising, Sharon S; Hutchison, Margaret; Chung, Lisa H

    2017-07-01

    National and professional organizations recommend oral health promotion in prenatal care to improve women's oral health. However, few prenatal programs include education about oral health promotion. The objective of this study was to determine if women receiving a brief, low-cost, and sustainable educational intervention entitled CenteringPregnancy Oral Health Promotion had clinically improved oral health compared to women receiving standard CenteringPregnancy care. Women attending CenteringPregnancy, a group prenatal care model, at 4 health centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, participated in this nonrandomized controlled pilot study in 2010 to 2011. The intervention arm received the CenteringPregnancy Oral Health Promotion intervention consisting of two 15-minute skills-based educational modules addressing maternal and infant oral health, each module presented in a separate CenteringPregnancy prenatal care session. The present analysis focused on the maternal module that included facilitated discussions and skills-building activities including proper tooth brushing. The control arm received standard CenteringPregnancy prenatal care. Dental examinations and questionnaires were administered prior to and approximately 9 weeks postintervention. Primary outcomes included the Plaque Index, percent bleeding on probing, and percent of gingival pocket depths 4 mm or greater. Secondary outcomes were self-reported oral health knowledge, attitudes (importance and self-efficacy), and behaviors (tooth brushing and flossing). Regression models tested whether pre to post changes in outcomes differed between the intervention versus the control arms. One hundred and one women participated in the study; 49 were in the intervention arm, and 52 were in the control arm. The control and intervention arms did not vary significantly at baseline. Significant pre to post differences were noted between the arms with significant improvements in the intervention arm for the Plaque Index

  2. Association between Prenatal and Postnatal Psychological Distress and Toddler Cognitive Development: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kingston, Dawn; McDonald, Sheila; Austin, Marie-Paule; Tough, Suzanne

    2015-01-01

    Maternal psychological distress is one of the most common perinatal complications, affecting up to 25% of pregnant and postpartum women. Research exploring the association between prenatal and postnatal distress and toddler cognitive development has not been systematically compiled. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the association between prenatal and postnatal psychological distress and toddler cognitive development. Articles were included if: a) they were observational studies published in English; b) the exposure was prenatal or postnatal psychological distress; c) cognitive development was assessed from 13 to 36 months; d) the sample was recruited in developed countries; and e) exposed and unexposed women were included. A university-based librarian conducted a search of electronic databases (Embase, CINAHL, Eric, PsycInfo, Medline) (January, 1990-March, 2014). We searched gray literature, reference lists, and relevant journals. Two reviewers independently evaluated titles/abstracts for inclusion, and quality using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network appraisal tool for observational studies. One reviewer extracted data using a standardized form. Thirteen of 2448 studies were included. There is evidence of an association between prenatal and postnatal distress and cognitive development. While variable effect sizes were reported for postnatal associations, most studies reported medium effect sizes for the association between prenatal psychological distress and cognitive development. Too few studies were available to determine the influence of the timing of prenatal exposure on cognitive outcomes. Findings support the need for early identification and treatment of perinatal mental health problems as a potential strategy for optimizing toddler cognitive development.

  3. Association between Prenatal and Postnatal Psychological Distress and Toddler Cognitive Development: A Systematic Review.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dawn Kingston

    Full Text Available Maternal psychological distress is one of the most common perinatal complications, affecting up to 25% of pregnant and postpartum women. Research exploring the association between prenatal and postnatal distress and toddler cognitive development has not been systematically compiled. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the association between prenatal and postnatal psychological distress and toddler cognitive development.Articles were included if: a they were observational studies published in English; b the exposure was prenatal or postnatal psychological distress; c cognitive development was assessed from 13 to 36 months; d the sample was recruited in developed countries; and e exposed and unexposed women were included. A university-based librarian conducted a search of electronic databases (Embase, CINAHL, Eric, PsycInfo, Medline (January, 1990-March, 2014. We searched gray literature, reference lists, and relevant journals. Two reviewers independently evaluated titles/abstracts for inclusion, and quality using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network appraisal tool for observational studies. One reviewer extracted data using a standardized form.Thirteen of 2448 studies were included. There is evidence of an association between prenatal and postnatal distress and cognitive development. While variable effect sizes were reported for postnatal associations, most studies reported medium effect sizes for the association between prenatal psychological distress and cognitive development. Too few studies were available to determine the influence of the timing of prenatal exposure on cognitive outcomes.Findings support the need for early identification and treatment of perinatal mental health problems as a potential strategy for optimizing toddler cognitive development.

  4. Prenatal Genetic Counseling (For Parents)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Videos for Educators Search English Español Prenatal Genetic Counseling KidsHealth / For Parents / Prenatal Genetic Counseling What's in ... can they help your family? What Is Genetic Counseling? Genetic counseling is the process of: evaluating family ...

  5. Preventing Urinary Incontinence With Supervised Prenatal Pelvic Floor Exercises: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fritel, Xavier; de Tayrac, Renaud; Bader, Georges; Savary, Denis; Gueye, Ameth; Deffieux, Xavier; Fernandez, Hervé; Richet, Claude; Guilhot, Joëlle; Fauconnier, Arnaud

    2015-08-01

    To compare, in an unselected population of nulliparous pregnant women, the postnatal effect of prenatal supervised pelvic floor muscle training with written instructions on postpartum urinary incontinence (UI). In a randomized controlled trial in two parallel groups, 282 women were recruited from five university teaching hospitals in France and randomized during the second trimester of pregnancy. The physiotherapy group received prenatal individually supervised exercises. Both groups received written instructions about how to perform exercises at home. Women were blindly assessed at baseline, end of pregnancy, and 2 and 12 months postpartum. The primary outcome measured was UI severity, assessed with an International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form score (range 0-21; 1-5 is slight UI) at 12 months postpartum; other outcomes were UI prevalence and pelvic floor troubles assessed using self-administered questionnaires. To give a 1-point difference in UI severity score, we needed 91 women in each group (standard deviation 2.4, α=0.05, β=0.20, and bilateral analysis). Between February 2008 and June 2010, 140 women were randomized in the physiotherapy group and 142 in the control group. No difference was observed between the two groups in UI severity, prevalence, or pelvic floor troubles at baseline, end of pregnancy, and at 2 and 12 months postpartum. At 12 months postpartum, the primary outcome was available for 190 women (67.4%); mean UI severity was 1.9 in the physiotherapy group compared with 2.1 in the control group (P=.38). Prenatal supervised pelvic floor training was not superior to written instructions in reducing postnatal UI. ClinicalTrials.gov; www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00551551. I.

  6. Prenatal and Postnatal Survival of Fetal Tetralogy of Fallot: A Meta-analysis of Perinatal Outcomes and Associated Genetic Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yili; Abuhamad, Alfred; Fleenor, Jonathan; Guo, Yajun; Zhang, Wangshu; Cao, Danming; Zeng, Shi; Sinkovskaya, Elena; Zhou, Qichang

    2016-05-01

    The aim of this systematic review was to compare the postnatal outcomes, genetic testing results, and sonographic findings in 3 subtypes of tetralogy of Fallot. Thirty-six articles from the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were selected for this review. The postnatal outcomes, karyotyping results, and sonographic findings of fetal tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary stenosis, tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia, and tetralogy of Fallot with an absent pulmonary valve were collected and compared. The survival rates (termination of pregnancy was considered fetal death) for prenatally diagnosed tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and tetralogy of Fallot with an absent pulmonary valve at the end of neonatal period were significantly lower than the rate for tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary stenosis (P tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia was also lower at birth (P tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary stenosis (Ptetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and tetralogy of Fallot with an absent pulmonary valve (P tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary stenosis, a right aortic arch was more associated with tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia (32.6%; P tetralogy of Fallot with an absent pulmonary valve (87.5%; P tetralogy of Fallot. Documenting those details at diagnosis can help specialists better counsel their patients. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

  7. Research and Practice Communications Between Oral Health Providers and Prenatal Health Providers: A Bibliometric Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skvoretz, John; Dyer, Karen; Daley, Ellen; Debate, Rita; Vamos, Cheryl; Kline, Nolan; Thompson, Erika

    2016-08-01

    Objectives We aimed to examine scholarly collaboration between oral health and prenatal providers. Oral disease is a silent epidemic with significant public health implications for pregnant women. Evidence linking poor oral health during pregnancy to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes requires oral health and prenatal providers to communicate on the prevention, treatment and co-management matters pertaining to oral health issues among their pregnant patients. The need for inter-professional collaboration is highlighted by guidelines co-endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association, stressing the importance of oral health care during pregnancy. Methods To assess if interdisciplinary communication occurs between oral health and prenatal disciplines, we conducted a network analysis of research on pregnancy-related periodontal disease. Results Social Network analysis allowed us to identify communication patterns between communities of oral health and prenatal professionals via scientific journals. Analysis of networks of citations linking journals in different fields reveals a core-periphery pattern dominated by oral health journals with some participation from medicine journals. However, an analysis of dyadic ties of citation reveals statistically significant "inbreeding" tendencies in the citation patterns: both medical and oral health journals tend to cite their own kind at greater-than-chance levels. Conclusions Despite evidence suggesting that professional collaboration benefits patients' overall health, findings from this research imply that little collaboration occurs between these two professional groups. More collaboration may be useful in addressing women's oral-systemic health concerns that result in adverse pregnancy outcomes.

  8. Maternal health and pregnancy outcomes among women of refugee background from Asian countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson-Helm, Melanie; Boyle, Jacqueline; Cheng, I-Hao; East, Christine; Knight, Michelle; Teede, Helena

    2015-05-01

    To compare maternal health, prenatal care, and pregnancy outcomes among women of refugee background (born in Asian humanitarian source countries [HSCs]) and non-refugee background (born in Asian non-HSCs) at Monash Health (Melbourne, VIC, Australia). In a retrospective study, data were obtained for women born in HSCs and non-HSCs from the same region who received government-funded health care for singleton pregnancies between 2002 and 2011. Multivariable regression analyses assessed associations between maternal HSC origin and pregnancy outcomes. Data were included for 1930 women from South Asian HSCs and 7412 from non-HSCs, 107 from Southeast Asian HSCs and 5574 from non-HSCs, 287 from West Asian HSCs and 990 from non-HSCs. Overweight, anemia, and teenage pregnancy were generally more common in the HSC groups. Birth in an HSC was independently associated with poor/no pregnancy care attendance (OR 4.2; 95% CI 2.5-7.3), late booking visit (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.5), and post-term birth (OR 3.0; 95% CI 2.0-4.5) among women from South Asia. For Southeast Asia, HSC birth was independently associated with labor induction (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.5). No independent associations were recorded for West Asia. Women born in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iraq, and Myanmar had poorer general maternal health. Those from South Asian HSCs had increased risks of lower engagement in prenatal care, and post-term birth. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Eugenesia y diagnóstico prenatal

    OpenAIRE

    González Salvat, Rosa María; González Labrador, Ignacio

    2002-01-01

    El uso del diagnóstico prenatal en la práctica de la genética médica ha hecho que se recuerden teorías eugenésicas. Se realizó una revisión histórica de este término y se relacionó con el uso del diagnóstico prenatal (DPN) y el aborto selectivo a la luz de los conocimientos bioéticos actuales. The use of the prenatal diagnosis in the practice of medical genetics has led us to remember eugenic theories. A historical review of this term was made and it was connected with the use of prenatal ...

  10. Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yau, Mabel; Khattab, Ahmed; New, Maria I

    2016-06-01

    Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) owing to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is a monogenic disorder of adrenal steroidogenesis. To prevent genital ambiguity, in girls, prenatal dexamethasone treatment is administered early in the first trimester. Prenatal genetic diagnosis of CAH and fetal sex determination identify affected female fetuses at risk for genital virilization. Advancements in prenatal diagnosis are owing to improved understanding of the genetic basis of CAH and improved technology. Cloning of the CYP21A2 gene ushered in molecular genetic analysis as the current standard of care. Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis allows for targeted treatment and avoids unnecessary treatment of males and unaffected females. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Birth preparedness and complication readiness among prenatal attendees in a teaching hospital in South West Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aduloju, Olusola P; Akintayo, Akinyemi A; Aduloju, Tolulope; Akin-Akintayo, Oladunni O

    2017-11-01

    To assess birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) as well as knowledge of danger signs during pregnancy, labor/delivery, and the postpartum period. A cross-sectional study was undertaken of pregnant women attending the prenatal clinic at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria between October and December 2016. A pretested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data on BPCR, and logistic regression was performed to determine factors affecting BPCR. Of 325 participants, 274 (84.3%) had knowledge of BPCR components, and 265 (81.5%) were well prepared for birth and its complications. However, only 89 (27.4%) knew key danger signs during labor/delivery and 81 (24.9%) knew those in the first 2 days after delivery. Older age, higher parity, tertiary education of women, paid employment of women and their spouses, higher social class, frequent prenatal visits, and knowledge of danger signs were significantly associated with BPCR (Pteaching pregnant women to recognize key danger signs. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

  12. Congenital lung malformations: correlation between prenatal and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Aim: Congenital lung malformations are a common finding during prenatal ultrasonography (US). Investigations were completed by means of prenatal MRI and postnatal computed tomographic (CT) scan. The purpose of this study was to compare these prenatal findings with postnatal findings and pathological findings after ...

  13. Kidney anomalies diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound screening and associated non-urinary malformations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Maria; Olsen, Morten Smærup; Sunde, Lone

    2016-01-01

    ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of kidney anomalies at second trimester ultrasound screening, and furthermore, to investigate pregnancy outcomes and the pattern of additional malformations. MethodsWe previously identified all women attending second-trimester ultrasound scans in Denmark between...... of non-urinary malformations, comparing the prevalences in infants with and without prenatally diagnosed kidney anomalies. ResultsThe prevalence of fetuses with kidney anomalies at second trimester scans was 11.4 per 10000 fetuses. Among the 412 fetuses identified, 127 pregnancies were terminated....... For live born children the prevalence of additional non-urinary malformations was four times higher (95% CI: 3-5) compared with the prevalence among children without prenatal kidney anomalies. Digestive system anomalies were particularly prevalent. ConclusionThese population-based data provide additional...

  14. Barriers and facilitators for men to attend prenatal care and obtain HIV voluntary counseling and testing in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeganeh, Nava; Simon, Mariana; Mindry, Deborah; Nielsen-Saines, Karin; Chaves, Maria Cristina; Santos, Breno; Melo, Marineide; Mendoza, Brenna; Gorbach, Pamina

    2017-01-01

    Providing HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) to men who attend their partner's prenatal care is an intervention with potential to reduce HIV transmission to women and infants during the vulnerable period of pregnancy. Little is known about the acceptability of this intervention in global settings outside of Africa. We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews to evaluate potential barriers and facilitators to prenatal care attendance for HIV VCT with 20 men who did and 15 men who did not attend prenatal care with their partners at Hospital Conceiçao in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Men were recruited at the labor and delivery unit at Hospital Conceiçao via a scripted invitation while visiting their newborn infant. Interviews lasted from 35-55 minutes and were conducted in Portuguese by a local resident trained extensively in qualitative methods. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, translated, and then analyzed using Atlast.ti software. An analysis of themes was then conducted using direct quotes and statements. We applied and adapted the AIDS Risk Reduction Theoretical Model and HIV Testing Decisions Model to the qualitative data to identify themes in the 35 interviews. If offered HIV testing during prenatal care, all men in both groups stated they would accept this intervention. Yet, individual, relationship and systemic factors were identified that affect these Brazilian men's decision to attend prenatal care, informing our final conceptual model. The men interviewed had a general understanding of the value of HIV prevention of mother to child transmission. They also described open and communicative relationships with their significant others and displayed a high level of enthusiasm towards optimizing the health of their expanding family. The major barriers to attending prenatal care included perceived stigma against HIV infected individuals, men's lack of involvement in planning of the pregnancy as well as inconvenient scheduling of prenatal care, due to

  15. Barriers and facilitators for men to attend prenatal care and obtain HIV voluntary counseling and testing in Brazil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nava Yeganeh

    Full Text Available Providing HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT to men who attend their partner's prenatal care is an intervention with potential to reduce HIV transmission to women and infants during the vulnerable period of pregnancy. Little is known about the acceptability of this intervention in global settings outside of Africa.We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews to evaluate potential barriers and facilitators to prenatal care attendance for HIV VCT with 20 men who did and 15 men who did not attend prenatal care with their partners at Hospital Conceiçao in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Men were recruited at the labor and delivery unit at Hospital Conceiçao via a scripted invitation while visiting their newborn infant. Interviews lasted from 35-55 minutes and were conducted in Portuguese by a local resident trained extensively in qualitative methods. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, translated, and then analyzed using Atlast.ti software. An analysis of themes was then conducted using direct quotes and statements. We applied and adapted the AIDS Risk Reduction Theoretical Model and HIV Testing Decisions Model to the qualitative data to identify themes in the 35 interviews.If offered HIV testing during prenatal care, all men in both groups stated they would accept this intervention. Yet, individual, relationship and systemic factors were identified that affect these Brazilian men's decision to attend prenatal care, informing our final conceptual model. The men interviewed had a general understanding of the value of HIV prevention of mother to child transmission. They also described open and communicative relationships with their significant others and displayed a high level of enthusiasm towards optimizing the health of their expanding family. The major barriers to attending prenatal care included perceived stigma against HIV infected individuals, men's lack of involvement in planning of the pregnancy as well as inconvenient scheduling of

  16. Evolving health information technology and the timely availability of visit diagnoses from ambulatory visits: a natural experiment in an integrated delivery system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bardach, Naomi S; Huang, Jie; Brand, Richard; Hsu, John

    2009-07-17

    Health information technology (HIT) may improve health care quality and outcomes, in part by making information available in a timelier manner. However, there are few studies documenting the changes in timely availability of data with the use of a sophisticated electronic medical record (EMR), nor a description of how the timely availability of data might differ with different types of EMRs. We hypothesized that timely availability of data would improve with use of increasingly sophisticated forms of HIT. We used an historical observation design (2004-2006) using electronic data from office visits in an integrated delivery system with three types of HIT: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. We calculated the monthly percentage of visits using the various types of HIT for entry of visit diagnoses into the delivery system's electronic database, and the time between the visit and the availability of the visit diagnoses in the database. In January 2004, when only Basic HIT was available, 10% of office visits had diagnoses entered on the same day as the visit and 90% within a week; 85% of office visits used paper forms for recording visit diagnoses, 16% used Basic at that time. By December 2006, 95% of all office visits had diagnoses available on the same day as the visit, when 98% of office visits used some form of HIT for entry of visit diagnoses (Advanced HIT for 67% of visits). Use of HIT systems is associated with dramatic increases in the timely availability of diagnostic information, though the effects may vary by sophistication of HIT system. Timely clinical data are critical for real-time population surveillance, and valuable for routine clinical care.

  17. Prenatal MRI in correlation with ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balev, B.; Baleva, D.; Ivanova, D.; Popova, R.

    2012-01-01

    Full text: Fetal MRI is an already established method in prenatal imaging, with complementary to US role. Most common considerations for fetal MRI are CNS anomalies and urogenital anomalies. Practically, the most frequent indication is ultrasonographically established ventriculomegaly. We introduce our experience in fetal MRI, presenting the distribution of pathological findings and our protocols. We have examined 33 fetuses for a 3-year period. Among these 13 cases were affected by CNS anomalies (neural tube defects, Dandy-Walker, cerebellar hypoplasia, agenesis of corpus callosum, aqueductal atresia, etc.), 11 fetuses are affected by urogenital anomalies (pieloureteral stenosis, VUR, renal agenesis, etc.), 5 with other pathology (congenital tumor, ovarian cysts, etc.) and 4 are normal fetuses. The findings in most interesting cases are reviewed; in some of them we present imaging-pathological correlation and/or follow up imaging. Main advantages of fetal MRI over US consist of acquiring objective and reproducible images, giving the opportunity of multiple expert-leveled reviews; exceptionally high detail concerning CNS-anatomy; additional confidence in excluding presence of concomitant anomalies; independence from calavarial ossification and maternal obesity. Ultrasound remains the main tool for prenatal imaging. MRI has similar sensitivity and higher specificity, thus serving as an arbitrage method and improving accuracy about outcome prognosis

  18. Prenatal diagnostic decision-making in adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plaga, Stacey L; Demarco, Kristin; Shulman, Lee P

    2005-04-01

    We sought to evaluate the prenatal decision-making of pregnant adolescents identified at increased risk for identifiable fetal genetic abnormalities. A retrospective review of records of gravid women 19 years old or younger undergoing genetic counseling from 2001-2003 (inclusive) was undertaken. Hospital-based academic center. Thirty-seven women were identified; four cases did not meet inclusion criteria. None. Decision to undergo or forgo invasive prenatal testing. Of the 33 women included in this study, the average age was 17.6 years (range: 15-19). Eighteen were Latinas, eight were African-Americans, and seven were Caucasians. Sixteen women had positive maternal serum screening outcomes; nine women sought counseling because of personal/family histories of genetic abnormalities, seven sought counseling after fetal structural anomalies were detected by ultrasound, and one woman sought counseling because she and her partner were positive for Mendelian disorder screening (sickle cell disease). Sixteen of the women (48.5%) chose to undergo invasive testing (15 amniocenteses, one chorionic villus sampling) whereas 17 (51.5%) chose to forgo invasive testing. Adolescents offered invasive prenatal diagnosis will chose to undergo or forgo such testing based on diagnostic and personal criteria as do adult women. Nonetheless, unique adolescent issues may make the process by which information is obtained and communicated during counseling to be different from counseling provided to adults. The development of new genetic screening and diagnostic protocols has and will increase the number of pregnant adolescent women who will be offered genetic counseling during their pregnancies. Such an increase in numbers will place considerably more pressure on an already taxed genetic counseling system; accordingly, new counseling paradigms will need to be developed to provide service to an expanded patient population seeking information for an increasing number of genetic issues.

  19. Impact of Combined Prenatal Ethanol and Prenatal Stress Exposures on Markers of Activity-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity in Rat Dentate Gyrus

    OpenAIRE

    Staples, Miranda C.; Porch, Morgan W.; Savage, Daniel D.

    2014-01-01

    Prenatal ethanol exposure and prenatal stress can each cause long-lasting deficits in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and disrupt learning and memory processes. However, the mechanisms underlying these perturbations following a learning event are still poorly understood. We examined the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure and prenatal stress exposure, either alone or in combination, on the cytosolic expression of activity-regulated cytoskeletal (ARC) protein and the synaptosomal expression o...

  20. Problem in twin pregnancy: Findings of prenatal sonography and autopsy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Jeong Ah; Cho, Jeong Yeon; Song, Mi Jin; Min, Jee Yeon; Lee, Young Ho; Lee, Hak Jong; Chun, Yi Kyeong; Kim, Yee Jeong; Hong, Sung Ran

    2001-01-01

    Multifetal gestations are high risk pregnancies with higher perinatal morbidity and mortality. Multifetal gestations are subject to unique complications including conjoined twins, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), acardiac twins, twin embization of co-twin demise and heterotopic pregnancies. Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of types and complications of multifetal gestations is important for antenatal care and prediction of fetal outcome. This study was performed to present the prenatal ultrasonographic findings and pathologic findings of the unique complications of twin pregnancy. Acardia is a lethal anomaly occurring in 1% of monozygotic twin. The acardiac twin has a parasitic existence and depends on the donor (pump) twin for its blood supply via placental anastomoses and retrograde perfusion of umbilical cord. This twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence is a most extreme manifestation on the TTTS. Doppler verification reversed flow in umbilical cord of the acardiac twin confirms the diagnosis.

  1. Attitudes of pregnant women and male partners towards non-invasive prenatal testing and widening the scope of prenatal screening

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Schendel, Rachèl V.; Kleinveld, Johanna H.; Dondorp, Wybo J.; Pajkrt, Eva; Timmermans, Danielle R. M.; Holtkamp, Kim C. A.; Karsten, Margreet; Vlietstra, Anne L.; Lachmeijer, Augusta M. A.; Henneman, Lidewij

    2014-01-01

    Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and its potential to test for multiple disorders has received much attention. This study explores attitudes of women and men towards NIPT, and their views on widening the scope of prenatal testing in a country with a low uptake of prenatal screening (The

  2. Monitoramento do processo de assistência pré-natal entre as usuárias do Sistema Único de Saúde em município do Sudeste brasileiro Monitoring the prenatal care process among users of the Unified Health Care System in a city of the Brazilian Southeast

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tadeu Coutinho

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: avaliar a evolução da adequação do processo de atendimento às gestantes usuárias do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS e consolidar metodologia para monitoramento da assistência pré-natal. MÉTODOS: estudo de séries temporais múltiplas, com auditoria em cartões de gestantes que realizaram pré-natal em município do Sudeste brasileiro (Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais nos semestres iniciais de 2002 e 2004 (370 e 1.200 cartões, respectivamente e utilizaram o SUS no atendimento ao parto a termo (p PURPOSE: to evaluate the evolution of adequacy of the care process among pregnant users of the Brazilian Single Health System (SUS, acronym in Portuguese and to consolidate a methodology for monitoring the prenatal care. METHODS: this is a multiple time series study with auditing of prenatal cards of pregnant women who were attended for prenatal care in a city of the Brazilian Southeast (Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais in the initial semesters of 2002 and 2004 (370 and 1,200 cards, respectively and gave birth using SUS services in term pregnancies (p < 0.05. A three complementary level sequence was respected: utilization of prenatal care (beginning and number of visits at level 1; utilization of prenatal care and obligatory clinical-obstetric procedures during prenatal visits (assessment of blood pressure (BP, weight, uterine fundal height (FH, gestational age (GA, fetal heart rate (FHR and fetal presentation at level 2; and utilization of prenatal care, obligatory clinical-obstetric procedures and basic laboratory tests, according to the Humanization Program of Prenatal Care and Birth (PHPN, acronym in Portuguese (ABO/Rh, hemoglobin/hematocrit (Hb/Htc, VDRL, glycemia and urinalisys at level 3. RESULTS: it was confirmed the high prenatal care coverage (99%, the increased mean number of visits per pregnant woman (6.4 versus 7.2% and the decreased gestational age at the time of the first visit (17.4 versus 15.7 weeks. The proper registration of

  3. Prenatal Testing: MedlinePlus Health Topic

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health Start Here Prenatal Tests (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish Prenatal Tests (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) Also in Spanish ...

  4. Prenatal choline supplementation mitigates behavioral alterations associated with prenatal alcohol exposure in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Jennifer D; Idrus, Nirelia M; Monk, Bradley R; Dominguez, Hector D

    2010-10-01

    Prenatal alcohol exposure can alter physical and behavioral development, leading to a range of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Despite warning labels, pregnant women continue to drink alcohol, creating a need to identify effective interventions to reduce the severity of alcohol's teratogenic effects. Choline is an essential nutrient that influences brain and behavioral development. Recent studies indicate that choline supplementation can reduce the teratogenic effects of developmental alcohol exposure. The present study examined whether choline supplementation during prenatal ethanol treatment could mitigate the adverse effects of ethanol on behavioral development. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were intubated with 6 g/kg/day ethanol in a binge-like manner from gestational days 5-20; pair-fed and ad libitum chow controls were included. During treatment, subjects from each group were intubated with either 250 mg/kg/day choline chloride or vehicle. Spontaneous alternation, parallel bar motor coordination, Morris water maze, and spatial working memory were assessed in male and female offspring. Subjects prenatally exposed to alcohol exhibited delayed development of spontaneous alternation behavior and deficits on the working memory version of the Morris water maze during adulthood, effects that were mitigated with prenatal choline supplementation. Neither alcohol nor choline influenced performance on the motor coordination task. These data indicate that choline supplementation during prenatal alcohol exposure may reduce the severity of fetal alcohol effects, particularly on alterations in tasks that require behavioral flexibility. These findings have important implications for children of women who drink alcohol during pregnancy. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  5. Evolving health information technology and the timely availability of visit diagnoses from ambulatory visits: A natural experiment in an integrated delivery system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brand Richard

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Health information technology (HIT may improve health care quality and outcomes, in part by making information available in a timelier manner. However, there are few studies documenting the changes in timely availability of data with the use of a sophisticated electronic medical record (EMR, nor a description of how the timely availability of data might differ with different types of EMRs. We hypothesized that timely availability of data would improve with use of increasingly sophisticated forms of HIT. Methods We used an historical observation design (2004–2006 using electronic data from office visits in an integrated delivery system with three types of HIT: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. We calculated the monthly percentage of visits using the various types of HIT for entry of visit diagnoses into the delivery system's electronic database, and the time between the visit and the availability of the visit diagnoses in the database. Results In January 2004, when only Basic HIT was available, 10% of office visits had diagnoses entered on the same day as the visit and 90% within a week; 85% of office visits used paper forms for recording visit diagnoses, 16% used Basic at that time. By December 2006, 95% of all office visits had diagnoses available on the same day as the visit, when 98% of office visits used some form of HIT for entry of visit diagnoses (Advanced HIT for 67% of visits. Conclusion Use of HIT systems is associated with dramatic increases in the timely availability of diagnostic information, though the effects may vary by sophistication of HIT system. Timely clinical data are critical for real-time population surveillance, and valuable for routine clinical care.

  6. Prenatal and Postnatal Management of Hydronephrosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Pravin K.; Palmer, Jeffrey S.

    2009-01-01

    The majority of pregnant women in the U.S. undergo prenatal ultrasonography and approximately 0.5% of these examinations will detect fetal malformations. Up to one-half of these abnormalities include the genitourinary system and the most common urological finding is hydronephrosis. Some conditions associated with prenatal hydronephrosis portend a poor prognosis, while others can follow a fairly benign course. This review focuses on the definition and prenatal assessment of hydronephrosis, fetal intervention, and postnatal management. PMID:19618087

  7. Prenatal diagnosis of horseshoe lung and esophageal atresia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldberg, Shlomit; Ringertz, Hans; Barth, Richard A.

    2006-01-01

    We present a case of horseshoe lung (HL) and esophageal atresia suspected prenatally on US imaging and confirmed with fetal MRI. Prenatal diagnosis of HL and esophageal atresia allowed for prenatal counseling and informed parental decisions. (orig.)

  8. Prenatal diagnosis of horseshoe lung and esophageal atresia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goldberg, Shlomit; Ringertz, Hans [Stanford University School of Medicine, Radiology Department, Stanford, CA (United States); Barth, Richard A. [Stanford University School of Medicine, Radiology Department, Stanford, CA (United States); Lucile Packard Children' s Hospital, Radiology, Palo Alto, CA (United States)

    2006-09-15

    We present a case of horseshoe lung (HL) and esophageal atresia suspected prenatally on US imaging and confirmed with fetal MRI. Prenatal diagnosis of HL and esophageal atresia allowed for prenatal counseling and informed parental decisions. (orig.)

  9. Prenatal ultrasonographic findings of cloacal anomaly

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Mi Jin [Samsung Cheil Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2002-09-15

    To evaluate the ultrasonographic characteristic of a rare malformation comples, Cloacal anomaly on prenatal ultrasonography. From March 1991 to July 2001, eight cases with the persistent cloaca (4 cases in female and 1 case in male) and cloacal exstrophy (3 cases) diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound examination were included, and all of them were pathologically confirmed by autopsy. One radiologist retrospectively analyzed the prenatal sonographic images, including the urinary bladder, kidney, pelvic cyst, abdominal wall defect and amount of amniotic fluid. The ultrasonographic diagnosis was established at 21.8 {+-} 7.8 weeks of gestation. The prenatal ultrasonographic findings of the persistent cloaca were absent bladder (n=2), distended bladder (n=2) and small thick bladder (n=1). Sonography of the kidney showed normal (n=2), hydronephrosis (n=1), dysplasia (n=1) and unilateral hydronephrosis with absent contralateral kidney (n=1). Four fetuses showed septated pelvic cyst; three fetuses, oligohydramnios. The prenatal ultrasonographic findings of cloacal exstrophy included absent bladder (n=3), normal kidney (n=1), hydronephrosis (n=1) and absent kidney (n=1). All fetuses with cloacal exstrophy had abdominal wall defect while two of them had oligohydramnios. A prenatal diagnosis of persistent cloaca can be confidently made when there is septated pelvic cyst combined oligohydramnios, sediments within the cyst and intraluminal calcifications. Cloacal exstrophy should be included in diagnosis if there is a low abdominal wall defect with absent urinary bladder.

  10. CONGENITAL MALFORMATIONS: PRENATAL DIAGNOSTICS AND NOVEL CONCEPTION OF MEDICAL HELP TO NEWBORNS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu.F. Isakov

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Current views on basic prenatal diagnostics techniques, as ultrasound, maternal serum biochemical markers (alpha fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and unconjugated estriol, and fetal biologic material (chorionic villus sampling, placenta, amniotic liquid, fetal blood, obtained with invasive techniques (chorion biopsy, amniocentesis, cordocentesis, its' efficacy and possible practical application are given in the article. These new conception announce to consolidate three branches providing maternal and children — welfare should consolidate maternal welfare outpatient clinics, maternal hospital and newborn surgery hospital — into one institute, thus allowing to success work of all stages, to avoid transportation and late surgical treatment, to reduce lethal outcomes following surgical treatment of congenital malformations. Primary results of implementation of this conception are presented in the article.Key words: prenatal diagnostics, newborns, congenital mal formations, prevention and prophylactics, diagnostics.

  11. Pilot Evaluation of a Home Visit Parent Training Program in Disadvantaged Families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, Cynthia; Tsang, Sandra; Heung, Kitty

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: The study reported the pilot evaluation of the Healthy Start Home Visit Program for disadvantaged Chinese parents with preschool children, delivered by trained parent assistants. Home visiting was used to make services more accessible to disadvantaged families. Method: The participants included 21 parent-child dyads. Outcome measures…

  12. Developmental Programming: Prenatal and Postnatal Androgen Antagonist and Insulin Sensitizer Interventions Prevent Advancement of Puberty and Improve LH Surge Dynamics in Prenatal Testosterone-Treated Sheep

    OpenAIRE

    Padmanabhan, Vasantha; Veiga-Lopez, Almudena; Herkimer, Carol; Abi Salloum, Bachir; Moeller, Jacob; Beckett, Evan; Sreedharan, Rohit

    2015-01-01

    Prenatal T excess induces maternal hyperinsulinemia, early puberty, and reproductive/metabolic defects in the female similar to those seen in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. This study addressed the organizational/activational role of androgens and insulin in programming pubertal advancement and periovulatory LH surge defects. Treatment groups included the following: 1) control; 2) prenatal T; 3) prenatal T plus prenatal androgen antagonist, flutamide; 4) prenatal T plus prenatal insuli...

  13. Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Adiposity in Early and Mid-Childhood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mora, Ana María; Oken, Emily; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L.; Webster, Thomas F.; Gillman, Matthew W.; Calafat, Antonia M.; Ye, Xiaoyun; Sagiv, Sharon K.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Few studies have examined whether prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is associated with childhood adiposity. Objective: We examined associations of prenatal exposure to PFASs with adiposity in early and mid-childhood. Methods: We measured plasma PFAS concentrations in 1,645 pregnant women (median, 9.6 weeks gestation) enrolled in Project Viva, a prospective pre-birth cohort study in Massachusetts (USA), between 1999 and 2002. We assessed overall and central adiposity in 1,006 children in early childhood (median, 3.2 years) and 876 in mid-childhood (median, 7.7 years) using anthropometric and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements. We fitted multivariable linear regression models to estimate exposure-outcome associations and evaluated effect modification by child sex. Results: Median (25–75th percentiles) prenatal plasma perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) concentrations in children assessed in early childhood were 5.6 (4.1–7.7), 24.8 (18.4–33.9), 2.4 (1.6–3.8), and 0.6 (0.5–0.9) ng/mL, respectively. Among girls, each interquartile range increment of prenatal PFOA concentrations was associated with 0.21 kg/m2 (95% CI: –0.05, 0.48) higher body mass index, 0.76 mm (95% CI: –0.17, 1.70) higher sum of subscapular and triceps skinfold thickness, and 0.17 kg/m2 (95% CI: –0.02, 0.36) higher DXA total fat mass index in mid-childhood. Similar associations were observed for PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA. We observed null associations for boys and early-childhood adiposity measures. Conclusions: In this cohort, prenatal exposure to PFASs was associated with small increases in adiposity measurements in mid-childhood, but only among girls. Citation: Mora AM, Oken E, Rifas-Shiman SL, Webster TF, Gillman MW, Calafat AM, Ye X, Sagiv SK. 2017. Prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances and adiposity in early and mid-childhood. Environ Health

  14. Prenatal zinc prevents communication impairments and BDNF disturbance in a rat model of autism induced by prenatal lipopolysaccharide exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirsten, Thiago B; Queiroz-Hazarbassanov, Nicolle; Bernardi, Maria M; Felicio, Luciano F

    2015-06-01

    Aims: Previous investigations by our group have shown that prenatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS),which mimics infections by Gram-negative bacteria, induced autistic-like behavior. No effective treatment yet exists for autism. Therefore, we used our rat model to test a possible treatment for autism.We selected zinc as the prenatal treatment to prevent or ease the impairments induced by LPS because LPS induces hypozincaemia.Materials and methods:We evaluated the effects of LPS and zinc on female reproductive performance. Communication,which is impaired in autism,was tested in pups by ultrasonic vocalizations. Plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were determined because it has been considered an autism important biomarker.Key findings: Prenatal LPS exposure reduced offspring number and treatment with zinc prevented this reduction.Moreover, pups that were prenatally exposed to LPS spent longer periods without calling their mothers, and posttreatment with zinc prevented this impairment induced by LPS to the same levels as controls. Prenatal LPS also increased BDNF levels in adult offspring, and posttreatment with zinc reduced the elevation of BDNF to the same levels as controls.Significance: BDNF hyperactivity was also found in several studies of autistic patients. Together with our previous studies, our model of prenatal LPS induced autistic-like behavioral, brain, and immune disturbances. This suggests that it is a valid rat model of autism. Prenatal zinc prevented reproductive, communication, and BDNF impairments.The present study revealed a potential beneficial effect of prenatal zinc administration for the prevention of autism with regard to the BDNF pathway.

  15. Outcome of chromosomally abnormal pregnancies in Lebanon: obstetricians' roles during and after prenatal diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eldahdah, Lama T; Ormond, Kelly E; Nassar, Anwar H; Khalil, Tayma; Zahed, Laila F

    2007-06-01

    To better understand obstetrician experiences in Lebanon when disclosing abnormal amniocentesis results. Structured interviews with 38 obstetricians identified as caregivers from the American University of Beirut Medical Center Cytogenetics Laboratory database of patients with abnormal amniocentesis results between 1999 and 2005. Obstetricians were primarily male, Christian, and with an average of 14 years of experience. They reported doing most pre-amniocentesis counseling, including discussion of risk for common autosomal aneuplodies (95%), and procedure-related risk (95%). Obstetricians reported that 80% of patients at risk for aneuploidy underwent amniocentesis. The study population reported on 143 abnormal test results (124 autosomal abnormalities). When disclosing results, obstetricians reportedly discussed primarily physical and cognitive features of the diagnosis. They varied in levels of directiveness and comfort in providing information. Our records showed that 59% of pregnancies with sex chromosome abnormalities were terminated compared to 90% of those with autosomal aneuploidies; various reasons were proposed by obstetricians. This study is among the few to assess prenatal diagnosis practices in the Middle East, with a focus on the role of the obstetrician. Given the influence of culture and social norms on prenatal decision-making, it remains important to understand the various impacts on clinical practice in many nations. (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Should prenatal hydronephrosis that resolves before birth be followed postnatally? Analysis and comparison to persistent prenatal hydronephrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scarborough, Patrick L; Ferrara, Elizabeth; Storm, Douglas W

    2015-09-01

    Prenatal ultrasonography has greatly enhanced detection of congenital genitourinary abnormalities. However, although persistent prenatal hydronephrosis (PPH) is typically imaged and followed postnatally, it remains unclear if prenatal hydronephrosis that resolves in utero (RPH) should be similarly managed. We determined postnatal abnormalities associated with RPH and compared these to those associated with PPH. We performed a retrospective review of all consecutive patients evaluated for prenatal hydronephrosis over 24 months. Patients were followed prenatally with serial ultrasounds and postnatally with ultrasonography and a voiding cystourethrogram. Of the consecutive 165 patients enrolled in the study, 72 had RPH. The average prenatal anterior-posterior renal pelvis length was significantly longer in patients with PPH (5.5 mm) than in those with RPH (4.9 mm) (p = 0.01). Recurrent postnatal hydronephrosis occurred in 44% of patients with RPH, with eventual resolution in 34% of those affected. In comparison, 29% of PPH cases resolved postnatally. Mean time to resolution was statistically shorter for PPH (116 days) than for RPH (175 days) (p = 0.01). Seven PPH patients required surgery, while no RPH patients needed intervention (difference was statistically significant). A significant number of RPH children had postnatal hydronephrosis. Despite a slower resolution time, no children with RPH required intervention. Although RPH may recur postnatally, the significantly lower chance of intervention being required suggests that these children may not require postnatal imaging.

  17. Visit-to-visit blood pressure variation is associated with outcomes in a U-shaped fashion in patients with myocardial infarction complicated with systolic dysfunction and/or heart failure: findings from the EPHESUS and OPTIMAAL trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, João Pedro; Duarte, Kévin; Pitt, Bertram; Dickstein, Kenneth; McMurray, John J V; Zannad, Faiez; Rossignol, Patrick

    2018-04-21

    Visit-to-visit office blood pressure variation (BPV) has prognostic implications independent from mean BP across several populations in the cardiovascular field. The association of BPV with outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) with systolic dysfunction and/or heart failure is yet to be determined. Two independent cohorts were assessed: the EPHESUS and the OPTIMAAL trials with a total of more than 12 000 patients. The primary outcome was all-cause death. BPV was calculated as a coefficient of variation, that is, the ratio of the SD to the mean BP along the postbaseline follow-up. Cox regression models were used to determine the associations between BPV and events. Compared with the middle and lower BPV tertiles, patients in the upper BPV tertile were older, more often women, hypertensive, diabetic, with peripheral artery disease, and had more frequent use of loop diuretics and ACEi/ARBs. They also had lower LVEF, hemoglobin, and eGFR (all P < 0.001). BPV was independently associated with worse prognosis in a U-shaped manner. In the EPHESUS trial, both low and high BPV were associated with higher rates of death (and also cardiovascular death and the composite of cardiovascular death/ cardiovascular hospitalization): adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI) for the outcome of death is 1.99 (1.68-2.36) for high BPV and is 1.60 (1.35-1.90) for low BPV. Similar results were observed in the OPTIMAAL trial population. In two independent cohorts of MI patients with systolic dysfunction and/or heart failure, BPV was associated with worse prognosis in a U-shaped manner independently of the mean BP.

  18. Developmental Programming: Prenatal and Postnatal Androgen Antagonist and Insulin Sensitizer Interventions Prevent Advancement of Puberty and Improve LH Surge Dynamics in Prenatal Testosterone-Treated Sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padmanabhan, Vasantha; Veiga-Lopez, Almudena; Herkimer, Carol; Abi Salloum, Bachir; Moeller, Jacob; Beckett, Evan; Sreedharan, Rohit

    2015-07-01

    Prenatal T excess induces maternal hyperinsulinemia, early puberty, and reproductive/metabolic defects in the female similar to those seen in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. This study addressed the organizational/activational role of androgens and insulin in programming pubertal advancement and periovulatory LH surge defects. Treatment groups included the following: 1) control; 2) prenatal T; 3) prenatal T plus prenatal androgen antagonist, flutamide; 4) prenatal T plus prenatal insulin sensitizer, rosiglitazone; 5) prenatal T and postnatal flutamide; 6) prenatal T and postnatal rosiglitazone; and 7) prenatal T and postnatal metformin. Prenatal treatments spanned 30-90 days of gestation and postnatal treatments began at approximately 8 weeks of age and continued throughout. Blood samples were taken twice weekly, beginning at approximately 12 weeks of age to time puberty. Two-hour samples after the synchronization with prostaglandin F2α were taken for 120 hours to characterize LH surge dynamics at 7 and 19 months of age. Prenatal T females entered puberty earlier than controls, and all interventions prevented this advancement. Prenatal T reduced the percentage of animals having LH surge, and females that presented LH surge exhibited delayed timing and dampened amplitude of the LH surge. Prenatal androgen antagonist, but not other interventions, restored LH surges without normalizing the timing of the surge. Normalization of pubertal timing with prenatal/postnatal androgen antagonist and insulin sensitizer interventions suggests that pubertal advancement is programmed by androgenic actions of T involving insulin as a mediary. Restoration of LH surges by cotreatment with androgen antagonist supports androgenic programming at the organizational level.

  19. The CERN Visits Service proposes: Lab Visits for CERN People

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    The CMS assembly hall at point 5 - one of the new Visits Service itineraries. Discover the new visits itineraries of your laboratory with the Visits Service! The recently completed visitors platform in the CMS detector assembly hall at point 5, first of a series of new visit tours, will be the destination for special summer visits organised by the Visits Service for CERN people. Each week the Visits Service will reserve a slot to take CERN people to visit the CMS assembly hall and get first hand experience of the magnitude of the LHC endeavour. Tours will be shorter than the public visit programme, and will include a short introduction in the bus along with a guided tour of the CMS visitor platform. Visits will start at 3.30 pm from the visits meeting point in the reception of building 33, and the bus will be back at reception at 5 pm. Up to 24 people can take part in each visit. The calendar for the coming weeks is: Friday 27 July in French Thursday 2 August in English Wednesday 8 August in French Booking...

  20. Prenatal care in your second trimester

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000557.htm Prenatal care in your second trimester To use the sharing ... Gregory KD, Ramos DE, Jauniaux ERM. Preconception and prenatal care. In: Gabbe SG, Niebyl JR, Simpson JL, et ...

  1. Prenatal care in your third trimester

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000558.htm Prenatal care in your third trimester To use the sharing ... Gregory KD, Ramos DE, Jauniaux ERM. Preconception and prenatal care. In: Gabbe SG, Niebyl JR, Simpson JL, et ...

  2. The CERN Visits Service proposes: Lab Visits for CERN People

    CERN Document Server

    2001-01-01

    The CMS assembly hall at point 5 - one of the new Visits Service itineraries. Discover the new visits itineraries of your laboratory with the Visits Service! The recently completed visitors platform in the CMS detector assembly hall at point 5, first of a series of new visit itineraries, will be the destination for special summer visits organised by the Visits Service for CERN people. Each week the Visits Service will reserve a slot to take CERN people to visit the CMS assembly hall and get first hand experience of the magnitude of the LHC endeavour. Tours will be shorter than the public visit programme, and will include a short introduction in the bus along with a guided tour of the CMS visitor platform. Visits will start at 3.30 pm from the reception of building 33, and the bus will be back at reception at 5 pm. Up to 22 people can take part in each visit. The calendar for the coming weeks is: Wednesday 15 August in English Wednesday 22 August in French Wednesday 29 August in English Bookings should be m...

  3. The CERN Visits Service proposes: Lab Visits for CERN People

    CERN Document Server

    2001-01-01

    The CMS assembly hall at point 5 - one of the new Visits Service itineraries. Discover the new visits itineraries of your laboratory with the Visits Service! The recently completed visitors platform in the CMS detector assembly hall at point 5, first of a series of new visit itineraries, will be the destination for special summer visits organised by the Visits Service for CERN people. Each week the Visits Service will reserve a slot to take CERN people to visit the CMS assembly hall and get first hand experience of the magnitude of the LHC endeavour. Tours will be shorter than the public visit programme, and will include a short introduction in the bus along with a guided tour of the CMS visitor platform. Visits will start at 3.30 pm from the reception of building 33, and the bus will be back at reception at 5 pm. Up to 22 people can take part in each visit. The calendar for the coming weeks is: Wednesday 8 August in French Wednesday 15 August in English Wednesday 22 August in French Bookings should be mad...

  4. The CERN Visits Service proposes: Lab Visits for CERN People

    CERN Document Server

    2001-01-01

    The CMS assembly hall at point 5 - one of the new Visits Service itineraries. Discover the new visits itineraries of your laboratory with the Visits Service! The recently completed visitors platform in the CMS detector assembly hall at point 5, first of a series of new visit itineraries, will be the destination for special summer visits organised by the Visits Service for CERN people. Each week the Visits Service will reserve a slot to take CERN people to visit the CMS assembly hall and get first hand experience of the magnitude of the LHC endeavour. Tours will be shorter than the public visit programme, and will include a short introduction in the bus along with a guided tour of the CMS visitor platform. Visits will start at 3.30 pm from the reception of building 33, and the bus will be back at reception at 5 pm. Up to 22 people can take part in each visit. The calendar for the coming weeks is: Thursday 2 August in English Wednesday 8 August in French Wednesday 15 August in English Bookings should be made...

  5. Current approaches on non-invasive prenatal diagnosis: Prenatal genomics, transcriptomics, personalized fetal diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tuba Günel

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Recent developments in molecular genetics improved our knowledge on fetal genome and physiology. Novel scientific innovations in prenatal diagnosis have accelerated in the last decade changing our vision immensely. Data obtained from fetal genomic studies brought new insights to fetal medicine and by the advances in fetal DNA and RNA sequencing technology novel treatment strategies has evolved. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis found ground in genetics and the results are widely studied in scientific arena. When Lo and colleges proved fetal genetic material can be extracted from maternal plasma and fetal DNA can be isolated from maternal serum, the gate to many exciting discoveries was open. Microarray technology and advances in sequencing helped fetal diagnosis as well as other areas of medicine. Today it is a very crucial prerequisite for physicians practicing prenatal diagnosis to have a profound knowledge in genetics. Prevailing practical use and application of fetal genomic tests in maternal and fetal medicine mandates obstetricians to update their knowledge in genetics. The purpose of this review is to assist physicians to understand and update their knowledge in fetal genetic testing from maternal blood, individualized prenatal counseling and advancements on the subject by sharing our experiences as İstanbul University Fetal Nucleic Acid Research Group.

  6. Family structure and use of prenatal care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabete Alves

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This cross-sectional study intended to assess the use of prenatal care according to the family structure in a population with free universal access to prenatal care. In 2005-2006, the Portuguese birth cohort was assembled by the recruitment of puerperae at public maternity wards in Porto, Portugal. In the current analysis, 7,211 were included. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, and prenatal care were self-reported. Single mothers were considered as those whose household composition did not include a partner at delivery. Approximately 6% of the puerperae were single mothers. These women were more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy (OR = 6.30; 95%CI: 4.94-8.04, an inadequate prenatal care (OR = 2.30; 95%CI: 1.32-4.02, and to miss the ultrasound and the intake of folic acid supplements during the first trimester of pregnancy (OR = 1.71; 95%CI: 1.30-2.27; and OR = 1.67; 95%CI: 1.32-2.13, respectively. The adequacy and use of prenatal care was less frequent in single mothers. Educational interventions should reinforce the use and early initiation of prenatal care.

  7. Schedules for home visits in the early postpartum period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yonemoto, Naohiro; Dowswell, Therese; Nagai, Shuko; Mori, Rintaro

    2017-08-02

    Maternal complications including psychological and mental health problems and neonatal morbidity have been commonly observed in the postpartum period. Home visits by health professionals or lay supporters in the weeks following the birth may prevent health problems from becoming chronic with long-term effects on women, their babies, and their families. To assess outcomes for women and babies of different home-visiting schedules during the early postpartum period. The review focuses on the frequency of home visits, the duration (when visits ended) and intensity, and on different types of home-visiting interventions. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (28 January 2013) and reference lists of retrieved articles. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (including cluster-RCTs) comparing different types of home-visiting interventions enrolling participants in the early postpartum period (up to 42 days after birth). We excluded studies in which women were enrolled and received an intervention during the antenatal period (even if the intervention continued into the postnatal period) and studies recruiting only women from specific high-risk groups. (e.g. women with alcohol or drug problems). Study eligibility was assessed by at least two review authors. Data extraction and assessment of risk of bias were carried out independently by at least two review authors. Data were entered into Review Manager software. We included data from 12 randomised trials with data for more than 11,000 women. The trials were carried out in countries across the world, and in both high- and low-resource settings. In low-resource settings women receiving usual care may have received no additional postnatal care after early hospital discharge.The interventions and control conditions varied considerably across studies with trials focusing on three broad types of comparisons: schedules involving more versus fewer postnatal home visits (five studies), schedules

  8. Prenatal Stress as a Risk-and an Opportunity-Factor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartman, Sarah; Freeman, Sara M; Bales, Karen L; Belsky, Jay

    2018-04-01

    Two separate lines of research indicate (a) that prenatal stress is associated with heightened behavioral and physiological reactivity and (b) that these postnatal phenotypes are associated with increased susceptibility to both positive and negative developmental experiences. Therefore, prenatal stress may increase sensitivity to the rearing environment. We tested this hypothesis by manipulating prenatal stress and rearing-environment quality, using a cross-fostering paradigm, in prairie voles. Results showed that prenatally stressed voles, as adults, displayed the highest behavioral and physiological reactivity when cross-fostered to low-contact (i.e., low-quality) rearing but the lowest behavioral and physiological reactivity when cross-fostered to high-contact (i.e., high-quality) rearing; non-prenatally stressed voles showed no effect of rearing condition. Additionally, while neither prenatal stress nor rearing condition affected oxytocin receptor binding, prenatally stressed voles cross-fostered to high-contact rearing showed the highest vasopressin-1a receptor binding in the amygdala. Results indicate that prenatal stress induces greater environmental sensitivity, making it both a risk and an opportunity factor.

  9. Access Barriers to Prenatal Care in Emerging Adult Latinas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, Rosamar

    2016-03-01

    Despite efforts to improve access to prenatal care, emerging adult Latinas in the United States continue to enter care late in their pregnancies and/or underutilize these services. Since little is known about emerging adult Latinas and their prenatal care experiences, the purpose of this study was to identify actual and perceived prenatal care barriers in a sample of 54 emerging adult Latinas between 18 and 21 years of age. More than 95% of the sample experienced personal and institutional barriers when attempting to access prenatal care. Results from this study lend support for policy changes for time away from school or work to attend prenatal care and for group prenatal care. © 2016. All rights reserved.

  10. Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A and phthalates and childhood respiratory tract infections and allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gascon, Mireia; Casas, Maribel; Morales, Eva; Valvi, Damaskini; Ballesteros-Gómez, Ana; Luque, Noelia; Rubio, Soledad; Monfort, Núria; Ventura, Rosa; Martínez, David; Sunyer, Jordi; Vrijheid, Martine

    2015-02-01

    There is growing concern that prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which are widely used in consumer products, might affect susceptibility to infections and the development of allergy and asthma in children, but there are currently very few prospective studies. We sought to evaluate whether prenatal exposure to BPA and phthalates increases the risk of respiratory and allergic outcomes in children at various ages from birth to 7 years. We measured BPA and metabolites of high-molecular-weight phthalates, 4 di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites (Σ4DEHP) and mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), and 3 low-molecular-weight phthalate (LMWP) metabolites (Σ3LMWP) in urine samples collected during the first and third trimesters in pregnant women participating in the Infancia y Medio Ambiente-Sabadell birth cohort study. The occurrence of chest infections, bronchitis, wheeze, and eczema in children was assessed at ages 6 and 14 months and 4 and 7 years through questionnaires given to the mothers. Atopy (specific IgE measurement) and asthma (questionnaire) were assessed at ages 4 and 7 years, respectively. The relative risks (RRs) of wheeze (RR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.03-1.40; P = .02), chest infections (RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.00-1.32; P = .05), and bronchitis (RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.37; P = .04) at any age increased for each doubling in concentration of maternal urinary BPA. Σ4DEHP metabolites were associated with the same outcomes (wheeze: RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04-1.50, P = .02; chest infections: RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.97-1.35; P = .11; bronchitis: RR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.01-1.43; P = .04). MBzP was associated with higher risk of wheeze (RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.00-1.33; P = .05). The risk of asthma at age 7 years was also increased with increasing prenatal BPA, Σ4DEHP, and MBzP exposure. There were no other exposure-outcome associations. Prenatal exposure to BPA and high-molecular-weight phthalates might increase the risk of asthma symptoms and respiratory tract

  11. Prenatal ultrasonographic findings of cloacal anomaly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Mi Jin

    2002-01-01

    To evaluate the ultrasonographic characteristic of a rare malformation comples, Cloacal anomaly on prenatal ultrasonography. From March 1991 to July 2001, eight cases with the persistent cloaca (4 cases in female and 1 case in male) and cloacal exstrophy (3 cases) diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound examination were included, and all of them were pathologically confirmed by autopsy. One radiologist retrospectively analyzed the prenatal sonographic images, including the urinary bladder, kidney, pelvic cyst, abdominal wall defect and amount of amniotic fluid. The ultrasonographic diagnosis was established at 21.8 ± 7.8 weeks of gestation. The prenatal ultrasonographic findings of the persistent cloaca were absent bladder (n=2), distended bladder (n=2) and small thick bladder (n=1). Sonography of the kidney showed normal (n=2), hydronephrosis (n=1), dysplasia (n=1) and unilateral hydronephrosis with absent contralateral kidney (n=1). Four fetuses showed septated pelvic cyst; three fetuses, oligohydramnios. The prenatal ultrasonographic findings of cloacal exstrophy included absent bladder (n=3), normal kidney (n=1), hydronephrosis (n=1) and absent kidney (n=1). All fetuses with cloacal exstrophy had abdominal wall defect while two of them had oligohydramnios. A prenatal diagnosis of persistent cloaca can be confidently made when there is septated pelvic cyst combined oligohydramnios, sediments within the cyst and intraluminal calcifications. Cloacal exstrophy should be included in diagnosis if there is a low abdominal wall defect with absent urinary bladder.

  12. Effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on childhood academic outcomes: contrasting maternal and paternal associations in the ALSPAC study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosa Alati

    Full Text Available The impact of low-to-moderate levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy on child cognitive outcomes has been of recent concern. This study has tested the hypothesis that low-to-moderate maternal alcohol use in pregnancy is associated with lower school test scores at age 11 in the offspring via intrauterine mechanisms.We used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, a birth cohort study based in the South West of England. Analyses were conducted on 7062 participants who had complete data on: maternal and paternal patterns of alcohol use in the first trimester and at 18 weeks' gestation, child's academic outcomes measured at age 11, gender, maternal age, parity, marital status, ethnicity, household crowding, home ownership status and parental education. We contrasted the association of mother's alcohol consumption during pregnancy with child's National Curriculum Key Stage 2 (KS2 test scores with the association for father's alcohol consumption (during the time the mother was pregnant with child's National Curriculum Key Stage 2 (KS2 test scores. We used multivariate linear regression to estimate mean differences and 95% confidence intervals [CI] in KS2 scores across the exposure categories and computed f statistics to compare maternal and paternal associations.Drinking up to 1 unit of alcohol a day during pregnancy was not associated with lower test scores. However, frequent prenatal consumption of 4 units (equivalent to 32 grams of alcohol on each single drinking occasion was associated with reduced educational attainment [Mean change in offspring KS2 score was -0.68 (-1.03, -0.33 for maternal alcohol categories compared to 0.27 (0.07, 0.46 for paternal alcohol categories]. Frequent consumption of 4 units of alcohol during pregnancy may adversely affect childhood academic outcomes via intrauterine mechanisms.

  13. Prenatal Tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... tests are considered routine — that is, almost all pregnant women receiving prenatal care get them. They include things like checking urine (pee) levels for protein, sugar, or signs of infection. Other non-routine ...

  14. Prenatal Diagnosis Of Tay-Sachs Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Özgür Özyüncü

    2010-04-01

    CONCLUSION: Tay-Sachs disease can be diagnosed prenatally by measuring hexosaminidase enzyme activity in fetal tissue samples with an acceptable complication rate. Prenatal diagnosis should be offered to families who have affected siblings with Tay-Sachs disease.

  15. Prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome: Ultrasonography and molecular karyotyping results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhen, Li; Fan, Shu-Shu; Huang, Lv-Yin; Pan, Min; Han, Jin; Yang, Xin; Li, Dong-Zhi

    2018-03-31

    To present the experience on prenatal diagnosis of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) to further delineate the fetal presentation of this syndrome. This was a retrospective analysis of ten pregnancies with fetal WHS identified by chromosomal microarray (CMA). Clinical data were reviewed for these cases, including maternal demographics, indications for invasive testing, sonographic findings, CMA results and pregnancy outcomes. Three cases were diagnosed at the first trimester because of an increased NT or cystic hygroma. The remaining seven cases were identified at late gestation for abnormal ultrasound findings. CMA revealed 4p deletions to be terminal in all of the ten cases. Deletion sizes ranged from 2.05 to 19.02 Mb. Prenatal findings such as increased NT, severe and early onset intrauterine growth retardation, and renal dysplasia or oligohydramnios should warrant the diagnosis of WHS and invasive testing using CMA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Development Enamel Defects in Children Prenatally Exposed to Anti-Epileptic Drugs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Pernille Endrup; Henriksen, Tine Brink; Haubek, Dorte

    2013-01-01

    Objective Some anti-epileptic drugs (AED) have well-known teratogenic effects. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the effect of prenatal exposure to AED and the risk of enamel defects in the primary and permanent dentition. Methods A total of 38 exposed and 129 non-exposed children, 6......–10 years of age, were recruited from the Aarhus Birth Cohort and the Department of Neurology, Viborg Regional Hospital, Denmark. Medication during pregnancy was confirmed by the Danish Prescription Database. All children had their teeth examined and outcomes in terms of enamel opacities and enamel...... hypoplasia were recorded. Results Children prenatally exposed to AED have an increased prevalence of enamel hypoplasia (11% vs. 4%, odds ratio (OR) = 3.6 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9 to 15.4]), diffuse opacities (18% vs. 7%, OR = 3.0; [95% CI: 1.0 to 8.7, p3) white opacities (18...

  17. Prenatal Exposure to Organohalogens, Including Brominated Flame Retardants, Influences Motor, Cognitive, and Behavioral Performance at School Age

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Roze, Elise; Meijer, Lisethe; Bakker, Attie; Van Braeckel, Koenraad N. J. A.; Sauer, Pieter J. J.; Bos, Arend F.

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Organohalogen compounds (OHCs) are known to have neurotoxic effects on the developing brain. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the influence of prenatal exposure to OHCs, including brominated flame retardants, on motor, cognitive, and behavioral outcome in healthy children of school age.

  18. The impact of prenatal care quality on neonatal, infant and child mortality in Zimbabwe: evidence from the demographic and health surveys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makate, Marshall; Makate, Clifton

    2017-04-01

    The impact of the quality of prenatal care on child mortality outcomes has received less attention in sub-Saharan Africa. This study endeavoured to explore the effect of the quality of prenatal care and its individual components on neonatal, infant and under-five mortality. The empirical analysis uses data from the three most recent waves of the nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey for Zimbabwe conducted in 1999, 2005/06 and 2010/11. The results indicate that a one-unit increase in the quality of prenatal care lowers the prospect of neonatal, infant and under-five mortality by approximately 42.33, 30.86 and 28.65%, respectively. These findings remained roughly the same even after adjusting for potential mediating factors. Examining the effect of individual prenatal care components on child mortality revealed that women who receive information on possible complications arising during pregnancy are less liable to experience a neonatal death. Similarly, women who had blood pressure checks and tetanus immunizations were less likely to experience an infant or under-five death. We did not find any statistically meaningful impact on child mortality outcomes of blood and urine sample checks, iron tablet consumption, and the receipt of malarial tablets. Overall, our results suggest the need for public health policymakers to focus on ensuring high-quality prenatal care to enhance the survival prospects of Zimbabwe's infants. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Neurodevelopment of children prenatally exposed to selective reuptake inhibitor antidepressants: Toronto sibling study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nulman, Irena; Koren, Gideon; Rovet, Joanne; Barrera, Maru; Streiner, David L; Feldman, Brian M

    2015-07-01

    The reproductive safety of selective reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants needs to be established to provide optimal control of maternal depression while protecting the fetus. To define a child's neurodevelopment following prenatal exposure to SRIs and to account for genetic and environmental confounders in a sibling design using the Toronto Motherisk prospective database. Intelligence and behavior of siblings prenatally exposed and unexposed to SRIs were assessed by using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Third Edition, Child Behavior Checklist, and Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised and subsequently compared. Mothers, diagnosed with depression using DSM-IV, were assessed for intelligence quotient (IQ) and for severity of depressive symptoms with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Prenatal drug doses and durations of exposure, child's age, child's sex, birth order, severity of maternal depression symptoms, and Full Scale IQ, the primary outcome measure, of both the mother and the child were considered in the analyses. Forty-five sibling pairs (ages 3 years to 6 years 11 months, prenatally exposed and unexposed to SRIs) did not differ in their mean ± SD Full Scale IQs (103 ± 13 vs 106 ± 12; P = .30; 95% CI, -7.06 to 2.21) or rates of problematic behaviors. Significant predictor of children's intelligence was maternal IQ (P = .043, β = 0.306). Severity of maternal depression was a significant predictor of Child Behavior Checklist Internalizing (P = .019, β = 0.366), Externalizing (P = .003, β = 0.457), and Total scores (P = .001, β = 0.494). Drug doses and durations of exposure during pregnancy did not predict any outcomes of interest in the exposed siblings. SRI antidepressants were not found to be neurotoxic. Maternal depression may risk the child's future psychopathology. The sibling design in behavioral teratology aids in separating the effects of maternal depression from those of SRIs, providing stronger

  20. Visit safety

    CERN Document Server

    2012-01-01

    Experiment areas, offices, workshops: it is possible to have co-workers or friends visit these places.     You already know about the official visits service, the VIP office, and professional visits. But do you know about the safety instruction GSI-OHS1, “Visits on the CERN site”? This is a mandatory General Safety Instruction that was created to assist you in ensuring safety for all your visits, whatever their nature—especially those that are non-official. Questions? The HSE Unit will be happy to answer them. Write to safety-general@cern.ch.   The HSE Unit

  1. The Paradigm of Unity in Prenatal Education and Pedagogy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kornas-Biela Dorota

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The traditional approach to the relation between parents and their prenatal child presents the child as a fetus, a mainly passive recipient of the mother’s vital biological resources. Contemporary prenatal psychology and pedagogy recognizes this relationship in a quite different perspective: the prenatal child is a member of the family and may be seen as an active member of the wider family as a community, extended to grandparents and other relatives. Between parents and their child in the womb exists a reciprocal relationship at a physiological (hormonal, psychological and spiritual level. The prenatal child communicates with the parents in different ways and reacts to their stimulation (acoustic, tactile, loco-motoric, chemo-receptive, thermo-receptive, and emotional. This dialogue of the parents and their prenatal child enriches each member of the family community. In this sense, the prenatal child is a gift and a challenge for the parents to develop their personality, social competences and spiritual life. The reflections presented in this paper fit the conception of the paradigm of unity applied into the area of prenatal education and prenatal pedagogy as a new pedagogical subdisciline.

  2. Association of Group Prenatal Care With Gestational Weight Gain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kominiarek, Michelle A; Crockett, Amy; Covington-Kolb, Sarah; Simon, Melissa; Grobman, William A

    2017-04-01

    To compare gestational weight gain among women in group prenatal care with that of women in individual prenatal care. In this retrospective cohort study, women who participated in group prenatal care from 2009 to 2015 and whose body mass indexes (BMIs) and gestational weight gain were recorded were matched with the next two women who had the same payer type, were within 2-kg/m prepregnancy BMI and 2-week gestational age at delivery, and had received individual prenatal care. Bivariate comparisons of demographics and antenatal complications were performed for women in group and individual prenatal care, and weight gain was categorized as "below," "met," or "exceeded" goals according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines. Logistic regression analysis estimated the association between excessive weight gain and model of care, with adjustment for confounders, stratified by BMI. Women in group prenatal care (n=2,117) were younger and more commonly non-Hispanic black, nulliparous, and without gestational diabetes (P≤.005 for all). Women in group prenatal care more commonly exceeded the weight gain goals (55% compared with 48%, Pprenatal care, compared with individual prenatal care, is associated with excessive gestational weight gain.

  3. Opportunities and challenges in prenatal diagnosis : towards personalized fetal genetics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lichtenbelt, K.D.

    2013-01-01

    In this thesis we studied the efficacy and utilization of prenatal screening and prenatal diagnosis in the Netherlands and the increasing options for prenatal genetic diagnosis in general. In chapter 1 background information on prenatal screening and diagnosis in pregnancies conceived through

  4. Prenatal diagnosis of meconium ileus and meconium peritonitis: Indications for cystic fibrosis testing

    OpenAIRE

    Egić Amira; Miković Željko; Mandić Vesna; Karadžov Nataša

    2011-01-01

    Introduction. More recently, the regions of increased abdominal echogenicity such as echogenic bowel, meconium ileus and meconium peritonitis have been associated with an increased prevalence of a variety of unfavourable outcomes including chromosomal abnormalities, cytomegalovirus infection, intestinal obstruction, anorectal malformations and cystic fibrosis. Earlier prenatal examinations of these severe autosomal recessive diseases had been suggested only to families with history of c...

  5. Effects of Unpredictable Variable Prenatal Stress (UVPS) on Bdnf DNA Methylation and Telomere Length in the Adult Rat Brain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaze, Jennifer; Asok, A.; Moyer, E. L.; Roth, T. L.; Ronca, A. E.

    2015-01-01

    In utero exposure to stress can shape neurobiological and behavioral outcomes in offspring, producing vulnerability to psychopathology later in life. Animal models of prenatal stress likewise have demonstrated long-­-term alterations in brain function and behavioral deficits in offspring. For example, using a rodent model of unpredictable variable prenatal stress (UVPS), in which dams are exposed to unpredictable, variable stress across pregnancy, we have found increased body weight and anxiety-­-like behavior in adult male, but not female, offspring. DNA methylation (addition of methyl groups to cytosines which normally represses gene transcription) and changes in telomere length (TTAGGG repeats on the ends of chromosomes) are two molecular modifications that result from stress and could be responsible for the long-­-term effects of UVPS. Here, we measured methylation of brain-­-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf), a gene important in development and plasticity, and telomere length in the brains of adult offspring from the UVPS model. Results indicate that prenatally stressed adult males have greater methylation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) compared to non-­-stressed controls, while females have greater methylation in the ventral hippocampus compared to controls. Further, prenatally stressed males had shorter telomeres than controls in the mPFC. These findings demonstrate the ability of UVPS to produce epigenetic alterations and changes in telomere length across behaviorally-­-relevant brain regions, which may have linkages to the phenotypic outcomes.

  6. Unwarranted claims of drug efficacy in pharmaceutical sales visits: are drugs approved on the basis of surrogate outcomes promoted appropriately?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habibi, Roojin; Lexchin, Joel; Mintzes, Barbara; Holbrook, Anne

    2017-11-01

    This study compares physicians' recall of the claims of benefits on cardiovascular disease and diabetes made by pharmaceutical sales representatives for drugs approved on the basis of a surrogate outcome, i.e., an off-label claim, compared with those approved on the basis of a serious morbidity or mortality (clinical) outcome. Physicians in primary care practices in Montreal, Vancouver, Sacramento and Toulouse, who saw sales representatives as part of their usual practice and served a non-referral population, were contacted in blocks of 25 from a randomized list of all physicians practising in the relevant metropolitan area. We compared how frequently physicians reported that sales reps made claims of serious morbidity or mortality (clinically meaningful) benefits for drugs approved on the basis of surrogate outcomes vs. drugs approved on the basis of clinical outcomes. There were 448 promotions for 58 unique brand name cardiovascular and diabetes drugs. Claims of clinically meaningful benefit were reported in 156 (45%) of the 347 promotions for surrogate outcome drugs, constituting unwarranted efficacy claims, i.e., off-label promotion. Claims of clinical benefit were reported in 72 of the 101 promotions (71%) for drugs approved on the basis of clinical outcomes, adjusted OR = 0.3 (95% CI 0.2, 0.6), P sales visit promotions for drugs approved only on the basis of surrogate outcomes extended beyond the regulator-approved efficacy information for the product in almost half of promotions. Unapproved claims of drug efficacy constitute a form of off-label promotion and merit greater attention from regulators. © 2017 The British Pharmacological Society.

  7. Rare chromosome abnormalities, prevalence and prenatal diagnosis rates from population-based congenital anomaly registers in Europe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wellesley, Diana; Dolk, Helen; Boyd, Patricia A.; Greenlees, Ruth; Haeusler, Martin; Nelen, Vera; Garne, Ester; Khoshnood, Babak; Doray, Berenice; Rissmann, Anke; Mullaney, Carmel; Calzolari, Elisa; Bakker, Marian; Salvador, Joaquin; Addor, Marie-Claude; Draper, Elizabeth; Rankin, Judith; Tucker, David

    The aim of this study is to quantify the prevalence and types of rare chromosome abnormalities (RCAs) in Europe for 2000-2006 inclusive, and to describe prenatal diagnosis rates and pregnancy outcome. Data held by the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies database were analysed on all the

  8. Effects of Group Prenatal Care on Food Insecurity during Late Pregnancy and Early Postpartum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heberlein, Emily C; Frongillo, Edward A; Picklesimer, Amy H; Covington-Kolb, Sarah

    2016-05-01

    This study compared the effects of group to individual prenatal care in late pregnancy and early postpartum on (1) women's food security and (2) psychosocial outcomes among food-insecure women. We recruited 248 racially diverse, low-income, pregnant women receiving CenteringPregnancy™ group prenatal care (N = 124) or individual prenatal care (N = 124) to complete surveys in early pregnancy, late pregnancy, and early postpartum, with 84 % completing three surveys. Twenty-six percent of group and 31 % of individual care participants reported food insecurity in early pregnancy (p = 0.493). In multiple logistic regression models, women choosing group versus individual care were more likely to report food security in late pregnancy (0.85 vs. 0.66 average predicted probability, p care average predicted probability, p care average predicted probability, p = 0.052) in intention-to-treat models. Group participants were more likely to change perceptions on affording healthy foods and stretching food resources. Group compared to individual care participants with early pregnancy food insecurity demonstrated higher maternal-infant attachment scale scores (89.8 vs. 86.2 points for individual care, p = 0.032). Group prenatal care provides health education and the opportunity for women to share experiences and knowledge, which may improve food security through increasing confidence and skills in managing household food resources. Health sector interventions can complement food assistance programs in addressing food insecurity during pregnancy.

  9. Providing prenatal care to pregnant women with overweight or obesity: Differences in provider communication and ratings of the patient-provider relationship by patient body weight.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Washington Cole, Katie O; Gudzune, Kimberly A; Bleich, Sara N; Cheskin, Lawrence J; Bennett, Wendy L; Cooper, Lisa A; Roter, Debra L

    2017-06-01

    To examine the association of women's body weight with provider communication during prenatal care. We coded audio recordings of prenatal visits between 22 providers and 117 of their patients using the Roter Interaction Analysis System. Multivariate, multilevel Poisson models were used to examine the relationship between patient pre-pregnancy body mass index and provider communication. Compared to women with normal weight, providers asked fewer lifestyle questions (IRR 0.66, 95% CI 0.44-0.99, p=0.04) and gave less lifestyle information (IRR 0.51, 95% CI 0.32-0.82, p=0.01) to women with overweight and obesity, respectively. Providers used fewer approval (IRR 0.68, 95% CI 0.51-0.91, p=0.01) and concern statements (IRR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53-0.86, p=0.002) when caring for women with overweight and fewer self-disclosure statements caring for women with obesity (IRR 0.40, 95% CI 0.19-0.84 p=0.02). Less lifestyle and rapport building communication for women with obesity may weaken patient-provider relationship during routine prenatal care. Interventions to increase use of patient-centered communication - especially for women with overweight and obesity - may improve prenatal care quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Prenatal Maternal Serum Concentrations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Association with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyall, Kristen; Yau, Vincent M; Hansen, Robin; Kharrazi, Martin; Yoshida, Cathleen K; Calafat, Antonia M; Windham, Gayle; Croen, Lisa A

    2018-01-02

    Emerging work has examined neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), but few studies have assessed associations with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our objective was to estimate associations of maternal prenatal PFAS concentrations with ASD and intellectual disability (ID) in children. Participants were from a population-based nested case-control study of children born from 2000 to 2003 in southern California, including children diagnosed with ASD ( n =553), ID without autism ( n =189), and general population (GP) controls ( n =433). Concentrations of eight PFAS from stored maternal sera collected at 15-19 wk gestational age were quantified and compared among study groups. We used logistic regression to obtain adjusted odds ratios for the association between prenatal PFAS concentrations (parameterized continuously and as quartiles) and ASD versus GP controls, and separately for ID versus GP controls. Geometric mean concentrations of most PFAS were lower in ASD and ID groups relative to GP controls. ASD was not significantly associated with prenatal concentrations of most PFAS, though significant inverse associations were found for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) [adjusted ORs for the highest vs. lowest quartiles 0.62 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.93) and 0.64 (95% CI: 0.43, 0.97), respectively]. Results for ID were similar. Results from this large case-control study with prospectively collected prenatal measurements do not support the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to PFAS is positively associated with ASD or ID. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1830.

  11. Prevalence and risk of Down syndrome in monozygotic and dizygotic multiple pregnancies in Europe: implications for prenatal screening

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boyle, B; Morris, J K; McConkey, R

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To determine risk of Down syndrome (DS) in multiple relative to singleton pregnancies, and compare prenatal diagnosis rates and pregnancy outcome. DESIGN: Population-based prevalence study based on EUROCAT congenital anomaly registries. SETTING: Eight European countries. POPULATION: 14...

  12. Prenatal Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Cardiometabolic Risk in Children from the Spanish INMA Birth Cohort Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casas, Maribel; Lopez-Espinosa, Maria-Jose; Ballester, Ferran; Iñiguez, Carmen; Martinez, David; Romaguera, Dora; Fernández-Barrés, Silvia; Santa-Marina, Loreto; Basterretxea, Mikel; Schettgen, Thomas; Valvi, Damaskini; Vioque, Jesus; Sunyer, Jordi; Vrijheid, Martine

    2017-01-01

    Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may affect body mass index (BMI) and other components of cardiometabolic (CM) risk during childhood, but evidence is scarce and inconsistent. Objectives: We estimated associations between prenatal PFAS exposures and outcomes relevant to cardiometabolic risk, including a composite CM-risk score. Methods: We measured perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in maternal plasma (first trimester). We assessed weight gain from birth until 6 mo. At 4 and 7 y, we calculated the age- and sex-specific z-scores for BMI, waist circumference (WC), and blood pressure (BP) (n≈1,000). At age 4, we calculated the age-, sex-, and region-specific z-scores for cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), high-density (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (n=627). At age 4, we calculated a CM-risk score (n=386) as the sum of the individual age-, sex-, and region-specific z-scores for WC, BP, HDL-C, and TGs. We used the average between the negative of HDL-C z-score and TGs z-score to give similar weight to lipids and the other components in the score. A higher score indicates a higher cardiometabolic risk at age 4. Results: PFOS and PFOA were the most abundant PFAS (geometric mean: 5.80 and 2.32 ng/mL, respectively). In general, prenatal PFAS concentrations were not associated with individual outcomes or the combined CM-risk score. Exceptions were positive associations between prenatal PFHxS and TGs z-score [for a doubling of exposure, β=0.11; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01, 0.21], and between PFNA and the CM-risk score (β=0.60; 95% CI: 0.04, 1.16). There was not clear or consistent evidence of modification by sex. Conclusions: We observed little or no evidence of associations between low prenatal PFAS exposures and outcomes related to cardiometabolic risk in a cohort of Spanish children followed from birth until 7 y. https

  13. Consumerism in prenatal diagnosis: a challenge for ethical guidelines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henn, W.

    2000-01-01

    The ethical guidelines for prenatal diagnosis proposed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as by national regulations, only refer to paternity and gender of the fetus as unacceptable, disease-unrelated criteria for prenatal selection, as no other such parameters are at hand so far. This perspective is too narrow because research on complex genetic systems such as cognition and ageing is about to provide clinically applicable tests for genetic constituents of potentially desirable properties such as intelligence or longevity which could be misused as parameters for prenatal diagnosis. Moreover, there is an increasing number of prenatally testable genetic traits, such as heritable deafness, which are generally regarded as pathological but desired by some prospective parents and taken into account as parameters for pro-disability selection. To protect prenatal diagnosis from ethically unacceptable genetic consumerism, guidelines must be clarified as soon as possible and updated towards a worldwide restriction of prenatal genetic testing to immediately disease-determining traits. Key Words: Genetics • prenatal diagnosis • ethics • consumerism PMID:11129845

  14. Maternal PUFA status but not prenatal methylmercury exposure is associated with children's language functions at age five years in the Seychelles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strain, J J; Davidson, Philip W; Thurston, Sally W; Harrington, Donald; Mulhern, Maria S; McAfee, Alison J; van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Shamlaye, Conrad F; Henderson, Juliette; Watson, Gene E; Zareba, Grazyna; Cory-Slechta, Deborah A; Lynch, Miranda; Wallace, Julie M W; McSorley, Emeir M; Bonham, Maxine P; Stokes-Riner, Abbie; Sloane-Reeves, Jean; Janciuras, Joanne; Wong, Rosa; Clarkson, Thomas W; Myers, Gary J

    2012-11-01

    Evidence from the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study suggests that maternal nutritional status can modulate the relationship between prenatal methylmercury (MeHg) exposure and developmental outcomes in children. The aim of this study was to investigate whether maternal PUFA status was a confounding factor in any possible associations between prenatal MeHg exposure and developmental outcomes at 5 y of age in the Republic of Seychelles. Maternal status of (n-3) and (n-6) PUFA were measured in serum collected at 28 wk gestation and delivery. Prenatal MeHg exposure was determined in maternal hair collected at delivery. At 5 y of age, the children completed a comprehensive range of sensitive developmental assessments. Complete data from 225 mothers and their children were available for analysis. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed Preschool Language Scale scores of the children improved with increasing maternal serum DHA [22:6(n-3)] concentrations and decreased with increasing arachidonic acid [20:4(n-6)] concentrations, albeit verbal intelligence improved with increasing (n-6) PUFA concentrations in maternal serum. There were no adverse associations between MeHg exposure and developmental outcomes. These findings suggest that higher fish consumption, resulting in higher maternal (n-3) PUFA status, during pregnancy is associated with beneficial developmental effects rather than detrimental effects resulting from the higher concomitant exposures of the fetus to MeHg. The association of maternal (n-3) PUFA status with improved child language development may partially explain the authors' previous finding of improving language scores, as prenatal MeHg exposure increased in an earlier mother-child cohort in the Seychelles where maternal PUFA status was not measured.

  15. Prevalence and outcome of injury in patients visiting the emergency Department of Yirgalem General Hospital, Southern Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Negussie, Abel; Getie, Andarge; Manaye, Elias; Tekle, Tamrat

    2018-05-22

    Traumatic injuries continue to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Despite the high burden of injury in Ethiopia, the occurrence and health impact have not received due attention. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and outcome of injury among patients visiting the Emergency Department (ED) of Yirgalem General Hospital, southern Ethiopia. A facility-based prospective cross sectional study was conducted from March, 27 - April, 30/2017. The final calculated sample size was 353 and all eligible trauma patients who visited the ED of Yirgalem General Hospital during the study period were included in the study. Data was collected using a checklist which was adapted from the WHO injury surveillance guideline. The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 19. A total of 346 patients, who visited the ED during the study period, participated in the study and of them, 171 (49.4%) were injury cases. Unintentional injuries accounted 123 (71.9%) of the total injuries and the age group ≤24 years (48.2%) was the most commonly affected age group. More than half (51.4%) of unintentional injury cases were due to Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) and 48 (28%) of the cases were attributed to interpersonal violence (assault). The majority of patients, 97 (56.7%), had a minor or superficial injury (like bruises and minor cuts), 44 (25.7%) had a moderate injury and 16 (9.3%) had severe type of injury requiring intensive medical/surgical management; and RTIs accounted for 11 (68%) of all severe injuries. The prevalence of injury was considerably high in Yirgalem General Hospital. Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) accounted for the majority of severe injury cases; therefore, appropriate prevention strategies should be strengthened and implemented against RTIs. We also suggest that children and young adults should be educated in schools and work environments to prevent injuries/accidents.

  16. Effect of Village Health Team Home Visits and Mobile Phone Consultations on Maternal and Newborn Care Practices in Masindi and Kiryandongo, Uganda: A Community-Intervention Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mangwi Ayiasi, Richard; Kolsteren, Patrick; Batwala, Vincent; Criel, Bart; Orach, Christopher Garimoi

    2016-01-01

    Introduction The World Health Organisation recommends home visits conducted by Community Health Workers (in Uganda known as Village Health Teams—VHTs) in order to improve maternal and newborn health. This study measured the effect of home visits combined with mobile phone consultations on maternal and newborn care practices. Method In a community intervention trial design 16 health centres in Masindi and Kiryandongo districts, Uganda were randomly and equally allocated to one of two arms: control and intervention arms. Eight control health centres received the usual maternal and newborn educational messages offered by professional health workers and eight intervention health centres that received an intervention package for maternal care and essential newborn care practices. In the intervention arm VHTs made two prenatal and one postnatal home visit to households. VHTs were provided with mobile phones to enable them make regular telephone consultations with health workers at the health centre serving the catchment area. The primary outcome was health facility delivery. Other outcomes included antenatal attendances, birth preparedness, cord and thermal care and breastfeeding practices. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. Results A total of 1385 pregnant women were analysed: 758 and 627 in the control and intervention arms respectively. Significant post-intervention differences were: delivery place [adjusted Odds Ratio aOR: 17.94(95%CI: 6.26–51.37); pcare [aOR: 3.05(95%CI: 1.81–5.12); pcare [aOR: 7.58(95%CI: 2.52–22.82); pcare-seeking for newborn illness [aOR: 4.93(95%CI: 1.59–15.31); p = 0.006]. Conclusion VHTs can have an effect in promoting proper cord and thermal care for the newborn and improve timely care-seeking for health facility delivery and newborn illness, because they could answer questions and refer patients correctly. However, VHTs should be supported by professional health workers through the use of mobile phones. Trial Registration Clinical

  17. Effect of Village Health Team Home Visits and Mobile Phone Consultations on Maternal and Newborn Care Practices in Masindi and Kiryandongo, Uganda: A Community-Intervention Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard Mangwi Ayiasi

    Full Text Available The World Health Organisation recommends home visits conducted by Community Health Workers (in Uganda known as Village Health Teams--VHTs in order to improve maternal and newborn health. This study measured the effect of home visits combined with mobile phone consultations on maternal and newborn care practices.In a community intervention trial design 16 health centres in Masindi and Kiryandongo districts, Uganda were randomly and equally allocated to one of two arms: control and intervention arms. Eight control health centres received the usual maternal and newborn educational messages offered by professional health workers and eight intervention health centres that received an intervention package for maternal care and essential newborn care practices. In the intervention arm VHTs made two prenatal and one postnatal home visit to households. VHTs were provided with mobile phones to enable them make regular telephone consultations with health workers at the health centre serving the catchment area. The primary outcome was health facility delivery. Other outcomes included antenatal attendances, birth preparedness, cord and thermal care and breastfeeding practices. Analysis was by intention-to-treat.A total of 1385 pregnant women were analysed: 758 and 627 in the control and intervention arms respectively. Significant post-intervention differences were: delivery place [adjusted Odds Ratio aOR: 17.94(95%CI: 6.26-51.37; p<0.001], cord care [aOR: 3.05(95%CI: 1.81-5.12; p<0.001] thermal care [aOR: 7.58(95%CI: 2.52-22.82; p<0.001], and timely care-seeking for newborn illness [aOR: 4.93(95%CI: 1.59-15.31; p = 0.006].VHTs can have an effect in promoting proper cord and thermal care for the newborn and improve timely care-seeking for health facility delivery and newborn illness, because they could answer questions and refer patients correctly. However, VHTs should be supported by professional health workers through the use of mobile phones

  18. Prenatal treatment prevents learning deficit in Down syndrome model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Incerti, Maddalena; Horowitz, Kari; Roberson, Robin; Abebe, Daniel; Toso, Laura; Caballero, Madeline; Spong, Catherine Y

    2012-01-01

    Down syndrome is the most common genetic cause of mental retardation. Active fragments of neurotrophic factors release by astrocyte under the stimulation of vasoactive intestinal peptide, NAPVSIPQ (NAP) and SALLRSIPA (SAL) respectively, have shown therapeutic potential for developmental delay and learning deficits. Previous work demonstrated that NAP+SAL prevent developmental delay and glial deficit in Ts65Dn that is a well-characterized mouse model for Down syndrome. The objective of this study is to evaluate if prenatal treatment with these peptides prevents the learning deficit in the Ts65Dn mice. Pregnant Ts65Dn female and control pregnant females were randomly treated (intraperitoneal injection) on pregnancy days 8 through 12 with saline (placebo) or peptides (NAP 20 µg +SAL 20 µg) daily. Learning was assessed in the offspring (8-10 months) using the Morris Watermaze, which measures the latency to find the hidden platform (decrease in latency denotes learning). The investigators were blinded to the prenatal treatment and genotype. Pups were genotyped as trisomic (Down syndrome) or euploid (control) after completion of all tests. two-way ANOVA followed by Neuman-Keuls test for multiple comparisons, PDown syndrome-placebo; n = 11) did not demonstrate learning over the five day period. DS mice that were prenatally exposed to peptides (Down syndrome-peptides; n = 10) learned significantly better than Down syndrome-placebo (ptreatment with the neuroprotective peptides (NAP+SAL) prevented learning deficits in a Down syndrome model. These findings highlight a possibility for the prevention of sequelae in Down syndrome and suggest a potential pregnancy intervention that may improve outcome.

  19. Improved prenatal detection of chromosomal anomalies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frøslev-Friis, Christina; Hjort-Pedersen, Karina; Henriques, Carsten U

    2011-01-01

    Prenatal screening for karyotype anomalies takes place in most European countries. In Denmark, the screening method was changed in 2005. The aim of this study was to study the trends in prevalence and prenatal detection rates of chromosome anomalies and Down syndrome (DS) over a 22-year period....

  20. Long term neurocognitive impact of low dose prenatal methylmercury exposure in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Hugh Simon; Kwok, Ka Ming; Chan, Peggy Hiu Ying; So, Hung Kwan; Li, Albert Martin; Ng, Pak Cheung; Fok, Tai Fai

    2013-04-01

    International studies suggest that low dose prenatal methylmercury exposure (>29 nmol/L) has long-term adverse neurocognitive effects. There is evidence that the majority of children in Hong Kong exceed this level as a result of high fish consumption of mothers during pregnancy. To study whether there are any associations between low-dose prenatal methylmercury exposure and neurocognitive outcomes in Hong Kong children. All 1057 children from the original birth cohort were eligible for entry into the study, except children with conditions that would affect neurocognitive development, but were unrelated to methylmercury exposure. Subjects were assessed by a wide panel of tests covering a broad range of neurocognitive functions: Hong Kong Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (HK-WISC), Hong Kong List Learning Test (HKLLT), Tests of Everyday Attention for Children (TEACH), Boston Naming Test, and Grooved Pegboard Test. 608 subjects were recruited (median age 8.2 years, IQR 7.3, 8.8; 53.9% boys). After correction by confounders including child age and sex, multivariate analysis showed that cord blood mercury concentration was significantly associated with three subtests: Picture Arrangement of HK-WISC (coefficient -0.944, P=0.049) and Short and Long Delay Recall Difference of the HKLLT (coefficient -1.087, P=0.007 and coefficient -1.161, P=0.005, respectively), i.e., performance worsened with increasing prenatal methylmercury exposure in these subtests. Small, but statistically significant adverse associations between prenatal methylmercury exposure and long-term neurocognitive effects (a visual sequencing task and retention ability of verbal memory) were found in our study. These effects are compatible with findings of studies with higher prenatal methylmercury exposure levels and suggest that safe strategies to further reduce exposure levels in Hong Kong are desirable. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Should we offer prenatal testing for 17q12 microdeletion syndrome to all cases with prenatally diagnosed echogenic kidneys? Prenatal findings in two families with 17q12 microdeletion syndrome and review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Gabriela E; Mousa, Hatem A; Rowley, Helen; Houtman, Peter; Vasudevan, Pradeep C

    2015-12-01

    The objective of this study is to report the prenatal ultrasound scan findings in four fetuses from two families postnatally diagnosed with 17q12 microdeletion syndrome on microarray CGH and review the literature. We report two families presenting with prenatally detected hyperechogenic kidneys. In family 1, the mother had three pregnancies complicated by anhydramnios with bilateral hyperechogenic kidneys, hyperechogenic enlarged cystic kidneys, and bilateral hyperechogenic kidneys with polyhydramnios respectively. In family 2, prenatal ultrasound scans detected hyperechogenic kidneys. A pubmed search for all reported cases of 17q12 deletion between 2005 and 2015 was performed. All publications were reviewed, and findings summarised. Fourteen publications were deemed suitable for literature review; there was a diagnosis of 17q12 deletion with documented prenatal findings in 25 cases. Prenatal renal anomalies were reported in 88% of these cases. Anomalies were documented from 15 weeks, and most common presentation was hyperechogenic, muticystic, or enlarged kidneys. Both oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios were seen. Postnatal renal ultrasound scan findings were of muticystic or multicystic dysplastic kidney. There did not appear to be correlation of prenatal presentation and severity of renal disease. Prenatal testing should be offered to all cases of hyperechogenic kidneys, with unknown cause. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Moving beyond Depression: A Collaborative Approach to Treating Depressed Mothers in Home Visiting Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ammerman, Robert T.; Putnam, Frank W.; Teeters, Angelique R.; Van Ginkel, Judith B.

    2014-01-01

    Research indicates that up to half of mothers in home visiting experience clinically significant levels of depression during their participation in services. Depression alters maternal life course, negatively impacts child development, and contributes to poorer home visiting outcomes. This article describes the Moving Beyond Depression (MBD)…

  3. Playfulness and prenatal alcohol exposure: a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearton, Jordan Louise; Ramugondo, Elelwani; Cloete, Lizahn; Cordier, Reinie

    2014-08-01

    South Africa carries a high burden of alcohol abuse. The effects of maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy are most pronounced in poor, rural communities. Earlier research suggests that children with prenatal alcohol exposure have poor social behaviour; however, to date, no research has investigated their playfulness. This study investigated the differences in playfulness of children with and without prenatal alcohol exposure. Grade one learners with a positive history of prenatal alcohol exposure (n = 15) and a reference group without a positive history of prenatal alcohol exposure (n = 15) were filmed engaging in free play at their schools. The Test of Playfulness was used to measure playfulness from recordings. Data were subjected to Rasch analysis to calculate interval level measure scores for each participant. The overall measure scores and individual Test of Playfulness social items were subjected to paired samples t-tests to calculate if significant differences existed between the groups. Children with prenatal alcohol exposure had a significantly lower mean overall playfulness score than the reference group (t = -2.51; d.f. = 28; P = 0.02). Children with prenatal alcohol exposure also scored significantly lower than the reference group on 5 of the 12 Test of Playfulness items related to social play. This research suggests that children with prenatal alcohol exposure are more likely to experience poorer overall quality of play, with particular deficits in social play. Considering play is a child's primary occupation, this finding becomes pertinent for occupational therapy practice, particularly in post-apartheid South Africa, where high prenatal alcohol exposure prevalence rates are couched within persistent socio-economic inequalities. © 2014 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  4. β-Thalassemia mutations in Western India: outcome of prenatal diagnosis in a hemoglobinopathies project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Ashwin P; Patel, Rupesh B; Patel, Saumyaa A; Vaniawala, Salil N; Patel, Dipika S; Shrivastava, Naina S; Sharma, Narmadeshwar P; Zala, Jayendrasinh V; Parmar, Prakash H; Naik, Madhuben R

    2014-01-01

    Prenatal diagnosis (PND) is one of the most cost effective preventive methods, but it is available only in the large cities of India. Therefore, we initiated a program that offers PND and allows us to determine the prevalence of various mutations. Pregnant females (n = 111,426) were screened for hemoglobinopathies using complete blood count (CBC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). If the female had a hemoglobinopathy, her husband was then tested. If hemoglobinopathies were seen in both partners, a genetic mutation study was performed on the couple. Fetal samples were obtained by either chorionic villus sampling (CVS) in 70.6% or amniocentesis in 29.4%. The study included 282 couples. IVS-I-5 (G > C) was the most common mutation in all castes except in the Sindhis and Lohanas, where the 619 bp deletion was the most common. Prenatal testing was informative in 97.9% of the couples. A significant number of couples (41.0%) underwent PND during their first pregnancy. Seven patients with β-thalassemia (β-thal) trait had normal Hb A2 levels. The Hb A2 and Hb F values varied significantly (p  T or G > A), were present in 81.0% of the couples tested. β-Thalassemia mutation frequency varied among the different castes, underlining the need for evolving a testing strategy that considers the caste system. Targeting antenatal clinics could also prove to be a most cost effective way of preventing hemoglobinopathies.

  5. Karyotyping or rapid aneuploidy detection in prenatal diagnosis? The different views of users and providers of prenatal care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boormans, E. M. A.; Birnie, E.; Bilardo, C. M.; Oepkes, D.; Bonsel, G. J.; van Lith, J. M. M.

    2009-01-01

    Developments in prenatal diagnosis raise the question which test strategy should be implemented. However, preferences of women and caregivers are underexposed. This study investigates what kind of prenatal test pregnant women and caregivers prefer and if differences between the groups exist, using

  6. The accuracy of 2D ultrasound prenatal sex determination ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Most of the women were happy even when the sex differed from that which they desired. Conclusion: Prenatal sonographic sex determination has a high sensitivity index. Consequently we advocate its use prior to more invasive sex tests. Keywords: Accuracy, gender determination, prenatal gender, prenatal sex, sex ...

  7. A systematic review of nonsurgical single-visit versus multiple-visit endodontic treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wong AWY

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Amy WY Wong, Chengfei Zhang, Chun-hung Chu Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China Abstract: Conventional endodontic treatment used to require multiple visits, but some clinicians have suggested that single-visit treatment is superior. Single-visit endodontic treatment and multiple-visit endodontic treatment both have their advantages and disadvantages. This paper is a literature review of the research on nonsurgical single-visit versus multiple-visit endodontic treatment. The PubMed database was searched using the keywords (endodontic treatment OR endodontic therapy OR root canal treatment OR root canal therapy AND (single-visit OR one-visit OR 1-visit. Review papers, case reports, data studies, and irrelevant reports were excluded, and 47 papers on clinical trials were reviewed. The studies generally had small sample sizes, and the endodontic procedures varied among the studies. Meta-analysis on the selected studies was performed, and the results showed that the postoperative complications of the single-visit and multiple-visit endodontic treatment were similar. Furthermore, neither single-visit endodontic treatment nor multiple-visit treatment had superior results over the other in terms of healing or success rate. Results of limited studies on disinfection of the root canals using low-energy laser photodynamic therapy is inconclusive, and further studies are necessary to show whether laser should be used in endodontic treatment. This review also found that that neither single-visit endodontic treatment nor multiple-visit treatment could guarantee the absence of postoperative pain. Since the study design of many studies displayed significant limitation and the materials and equipment used in endodontic treatment have dramatically changed in recent years, prospective randomized clinical trials are needed to further verify the postoperative pain and success rates of

  8. Maternity leave duration and adverse pregnancy outcomes: An international country-level comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwegyir-Afful, Emma; Adu, George; Spelten, Evelien R; Räsänen, Kimmo; Verbeek, Jos

    2017-12-01

    Preterm birth and low birthweight (LBW) lead to infant morbidity and mortality. The causes are unknown. This study evaluates the association between duration of maternity leave and birth outcomes at country level. We compiled data on duration of maternity leave for 180 countries of which 36 specified prenatal leave, 190 specified income, 183 specified preterm birth rates and 185 specified the LBW rate. Multivariate and seemingly unrelated regression analyses were done in STATA. Mean maternity leave duration was 15.4 weeks ( SD=7.7; range 4-52 weeks). One additional week of maternity leave was associated with a 0.09% lower preterm rate (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.15 to -0.04) adjusting for income and being an African country. An additional week of maternity leave was associated with a 0.14% lower rate of LBW (95% CI -0.24 to -0.05). Mean prenatal maternity leave across 36 countries was six weeks ( SD=2.7; range 2-14 weeks). One week of prenatal maternity leave was associated with a 0.07% lower preterm rate (95% CI -0.10 to 0.24) and a 0.06% lower rate of LBW (95% CI -0.14 to 0.27), but these results were not statistically significant. By adjusting for income status categories, the preterm birth rate was 1.53% higher and the LBW rate was 2.17% higher in Africa compared to the rest of the world. Maternity leave duration is significantly associated with birth outcomes. However, the association was not significant among 36 countries that specified prenatal maternity leave. Studies are needed to evaluate the correlation between prenatal leave and birth outcomes.

  9. Parental Language and Return Visits to the Emergency Department After Discharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuels-Kalow, Margaret E; Stack, Anne M; Amico, Kendra; Porter, Stephen C

    2017-06-01

    Return visits to the emergency department (ED) are used as a marker of quality of care. Limited English proficiency, along with other demographic and disease-specific factors, has been associated with increased risk of return visit, but the relationship between language, short-term return visits, and overall ED use has not been well characterized. This is a planned secondary analysis of a prospective cohort examining the ED discharge process for English- or Spanish-speaking parents of children aged 2 months to 2 years with fever and/or respiratory illness. At 1 year after the index visit, a standardized chart review was performed. The primary outcome was the number of ED visits within 72 hours of the index visit. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relative importance of predictor variables and adjust for confounders. There were 202 parents eligible for inclusion, of whom 23% were Spanish speaking. In addition, 6.9% of the sample had a return visit within 72 hours. After adjustment for confounders, Spanish language was associated with return visit within 72 hours (odds ratio, 3.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-11.90) but decreased risk of a second visit within the year (odds ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.66). Spanish-speaking parents are at an increased risk of 72-hour return ED visit but do not seem to be at increased risk of ED use during the year after their ED visit.

  10. Training Family Medicine Residents to Perform Home Visits: A CERA Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sairenji, Tomoko; Wilson, Stephen A; D'Amico, Frank; Peterson, Lars E

    2017-02-01

    Home visits have been shown to improve quality of care, save money, and improve outcomes. Primary care physicians are in an ideal position to provide these visits; of note, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education no longer requires home visits as a component of family medicine residency training. To investigate changes in home visit numbers and expectations, attitudes, and approaches to training among family medicine residency program directors. This research used the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) national survey of family medicine program directors in 2015. Questions addressed home visit practices, teaching and evaluation methods, common types of patient and visit categories, and barriers. There were 252 responses from 455 possible respondents, representing a response rate of 55%. At most programs, residents performed 2 to 5 home visits by graduation in both 2014 (69% of programs, 174 of 252) and 2015 (68%, 172 of 252). The vast majority (68%, 172 of 252) of program directors expect less than one-third of their graduates to provide home visits after graduation. Scheduling difficulties, lack of faculty time, and lack of resident time were the top 3 barriers to residents performing home visits. There appeared to be no decline in resident-performed home visits in family medicine residencies 1 year after they were no longer required. Family medicine program directors may recognize the value of home visits despite a lack of few formal curricula.

  11. Prenatal exposure to bereavement and type-2 diabetes: a Danish longitudinal population based study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jasveer Virk

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The etiology of type-2 diabetes is only partly known, and a possible role of prenatal stress in programming offspring for insulin resistance has been suggested by animal models. Previously, we found an association between prenatal stress and type-1 diabetes. Here we examine the association between prenatal exposure to maternal bereavement during preconception and pregnancy and development of type-2 diabetes in the off-spring. METHODS: We utilized data from the Danish Civil Registration System to identify singleton births in Denmark born January 1(st 1979 through December 31(st 2008 (N = 1,878,246, and linked them to their parents, grandparents, and siblings. We categorized children as exposed to bereavement during prenatal life if their mothers lost an elder child, husband or parent during the period from one year before conception to the child's birth. We identified 45,302 children exposed to maternal bereavement; the remaining children were included in the unexposed cohort. The outcome of interest was diagnosis of type-2 diabetes. We estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs from birth using log-linear poisson regression models and used person-years as the offset variable. All models were adjusted for maternal residence, income, education, marital status, sibling order, calendar year, sex, and parents' history of diabetes at the time of pregnancy. RESULTS: We found children exposed to bereavement during their prenatal life were more likely to have a type-2 diabetes diagnosis later in life (aIRR: 1.31, 1.01-1.69. These findings were most pronounced when bereavement was caused by death of an elder child (aIRR: 1.51, 0.94-2.44. Results also indicated the second trimester of pregnancy to be the most sensitive period of bereavement exposure (aIRR:2.08, 1.15-3.76. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests that fetal exposure to maternal bereavement during preconception and the prenatal period may increase the risk for developing type-2 diabetes in

  12. Effects of home visits by paraprofessionals and by nurses: age 4 follow-up results of a randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olds, David L; Robinson, JoAnn; Pettitt, Lisa; Luckey, Dennis W; Holmberg, John; Ng, Rosanna K; Isacks, Kathy; Sheff, Karen; Henderson, Charles R

    2004-12-01

    To examine the effects of prenatal and infancy home visiting by paraprofessionals and by nurses from child age 2 through age 4 years. We conducted, in public and private care settings in Denver, Colorado, a randomized, controlled trial with 3 arms, ie, control, paraprofessional visits, and nurse visits. Home visits were provided from pregnancy through child age 2 years. We invited 1178 consecutive, low-income, pregnant women with no previous live births to participate, and we randomized 735; 85% were unmarried, 47% Mexican American, 35% white non-Mexican American, 15% black, and 3% American Indian/Asian. Outcomes consisted of maternal reports of subsequent pregnancies, participation in education and work, use of welfare, marriage, cohabitation, experience of domestic violence, mental health, substance use, and sense of mastery; observations of mother-child interaction and the home environment; tests of children's language and executive functioning; and mothers' reports of children's externalizing behavior problems. Two years after the program ended, women who were visited by paraprofessionals, compared with control subjects, were less likely to be married (32.2% vs 44.0%) and to live with the biological father of the child (32.7% vs 43.1%) but worked more (15.13 months vs 13.38 months) and reported a greater sense of mastery and better mental health (standardized scores [mean = 100, SD = 10] of 101.25 vs 99.31 and 101.21 vs 99.16, respectively). Paraprofessional-visited women had fewer subsequent miscarriages (6.6% vs 12.3%) and low birth weight newborns (2.8% vs 7.7%). Mothers and children who were visited by paraprofessionals, compared with control subjects, displayed greater sensitivity and responsiveness toward one another (standardized score [mean = 100, SD = 10] of 100.92 vs 98.66) and, in cases in which the mothers had low levels of psychologic resources at registration, had home environments that were more supportive of children's early learning (score of

  13. Prenatal Maternal Serum Concentrations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Association with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yau, Vincent M.; Hansen, Robin; Kharrazi, Martin; Yoshida, Cathleen K.; Calafat, Antonia M.; Windham, Gayle; Croen, Lisa A.

    2018-01-01

    Background: Emerging work has examined neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), but few studies have assessed associations with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Objectives: Our objective was to estimate associations of maternal prenatal PFAS concentrations with ASD and intellectual disability (ID) in children. Methods: Participants were from a population-based nested case–control study of children born from 2000 to 2003 in southern California, including children diagnosed with ASD (n=553), ID without autism (n=189), and general population (GP) controls (n=433). Concentrations of eight PFAS from stored maternal sera collected at 15–19 wk gestational age were quantified and compared among study groups. We used logistic regression to obtain adjusted odds ratios for the association between prenatal PFAS concentrations (parameterized continuously and as quartiles) and ASD versus GP controls, and separately for ID versus GP controls. Results: Geometric mean concentrations of most PFAS were lower in ASD and ID groups relative to GP controls. ASD was not significantly associated with prenatal concentrations of most PFAS, though significant inverse associations were found for perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) [adjusted ORs for the highest vs. lowest quartiles 0.62 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.93) and 0.64 (95% CI: 0.43, 0.97), respectively]. Results for ID were similar. Conclusions: Results from this large case–control study with prospectively collected prenatal measurements do not support the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to PFAS is positively associated with ASD or ID. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1830 PMID:29298162

  14. Exploring the associations between intimate partner violence victimization during pregnancy and delayed entry into prenatal care: Evidence from a population-based study in Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Md Jahirul; Broidy, Lisa; Baird, Kathleen; Mazerolle, Paul

    2017-04-01

    Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy can have serious health consequences for mothers and newborns. The aim of the study is to explore: 1) the influence of experiencing IPV during pregnancy on delayed entry into prenatal care; and 2) whether women's decision-making autonomy and the support for traditional gender roles act to mediate or moderate the relationship between IPV and delayed entry into prenatal care. cross-sectional survey. Multivariate logistic regression models were estimated that control for various socio-demographic and pregnancy related factors to assess whether women who experienced IPV during pregnancy were more likely to delay entry into prenatal care compared with women who had not experienced IPV. The influence of traditional gender roles acceptance and decision-making autonomy were examined both as independent variables and in interaction with IPV, to assess their role as potential mediators or moderators. Chandpur district, Bangladesh. the sample comprised of 426 Bangladeshi women, aged 15-49 years. Postpartum mothers who visited vaccinations centres to receive their children's vaccinations constitute the sampling frame. almost 70% of the women surveyed reported patterns consistent with delayed entry into prenatal care. Accounting for the influence of other covariates, women who experienced physical IPV during pregnancy were 2.61 times more likely (95% CI [1.33, 5.09]) to have delayed entry into prenatal care than their counterparts who did not report physical IPV. Neither sexual nor psychological IPV victimization during pregnancy was linked with late entry into prenatal care. Both gender role attitudes and levels of autonomy mediate the effect of IPV on prenatal care. the results suggest that the high rates of IPV in Bangladesh have effects that can compromise women's health seeking behaviour during pregnancy, putting them and their developing fetus at risk. Specifically, Bangladeshi women who experience physical IPV during

  15. CULTURAL ADAPTATIONS OF EVIDENCE-BASED HOME-VISITATION MODELS IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiratsuka, Vanessa Y; Parker, Myra E; Sanchez, Jenae; Riley, Rebecca; Heath, Debra; Chomo, Julianna C; Beltangady, Moushumi; Sarche, Michelle

    2018-05-01

    The Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (Tribal MIECHV) Program provides federal grants to tribes, tribal consortia, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations to implement evidence-based home-visiting services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) families. To date, only one evidence-based home-visiting program has been developed for use in AI/AN communities. The purpose of this article is to describe the steps that four Tribal MIECHV Programs took to assess community needs, select a home-visiting model, and culturally adapt the model for use in AI/AN communities. In these four unique Tribal MIECHV Program settings, each program employed a rigorous needs-assessment process and developed cultural modifications in accordance with community strengths and needs. Adaptations occurred in consultation with model developers, with consideration of the conceptual rationale for the program, while grounding new content in indigenous cultures. Research is needed to improve measurement of home-visiting outcomes in tribal and urban AI/AN settings, develop culturally grounded home-visiting interventions, and assess the effectiveness of home visiting in AI/AN communities. © 2018 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  16. Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Obesity Alters Anxiety and Stress Coping Behaviors in Aged Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balsevich, Georgia; Baumann, Valentin; Uribe, Andres; Chen, Alon; Schmidt, Mathias V

    2016-01-01

    There is growing evidence that maternal obesity and prenatal exposure to a high-fat diet program fetal development to regulate the physiology and behavior of the offspring in adulthood. Yet the extent to which the maternal dietary environment contributes to adult disease vulnerability remains unclear. In the current study we tested whether prenatal exposure to maternal obesity increases the offspring's vulnerability to stress-related psychiatric disorders. We used a mouse model of maternal diet-induced obesity to investigate whether maternal obesity affects the response to adult chronic stress exposure in young adult (3-month-old) and aged adult (12-month-old) offspring. Long-lasting, delayed impairments to anxiety-like behaviors and stress coping strategies resulted on account of prenatal exposure to maternal obesity. Although maternal obesity did not change the offspring's behavioral response to chronic stress per se, we demonstrate that the behavioral outcomes induced by prenatal exposure to maternal obesity parallel the deleterious effects of adult chronic stress exposure in aged male mice. We found that the glucocorticoid receptor (GR, Nr3c1) is upregulated in various hypothalamic nuclei on account of maternal obesity. In addition, gene expression of a known regulator of the GR, FKBP51, is increased specifically within the paraventricular nucleus. These findings indicate that maternal obesity parallels the deleterious effects of adult chronic stress exposure, and furthermore identifies GR/FKBP51 signaling as a novel candidate pathway regulated by maternal obesity. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  17. A systematic review of maternal confidence for physiologic birth: characteristics of prenatal care and confidence measurement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avery, Melissa D; Saftner, Melissa A; Larson, Bridget; Weinfurter, Elizabeth V

    2014-01-01

    Because a focus on physiologic labor and birth has reemerged in recent years, care providers have the opportunity in the prenatal period to help women increase confidence in their ability to give birth without unnecessary interventions. However, most research has only examined support for women during labor. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the research literature for information about prenatal care approaches that increase women's confidence for physiologic labor and birth and tools to measure that confidence. Studies were reviewed that explored any element of a pregnant woman's interaction with her prenatal care provider that helped build confidence in her ability to labor and give birth. Timing of interaction with pregnant women included during pregnancy, labor and birth, and the postpartum period. In addition, we looked for studies that developed a measure of women's confidence related to labor and birth. Outcome measures included confidence or similar concepts, descriptions of components of prenatal care contributing to maternal confidence for birth, and reliability and validity of tools measuring confidence. The search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases provided a total of 893 citations. After removing duplicates and articles that did not meet inclusion criteria, 6 articles were included in the review. Three relate to women's confidence for labor during the prenatal period, and 3 describe tools to measure women's confidence for birth. Research about enhancing women's confidence for labor and birth was limited to qualitative studies. Results suggest that women desire information during pregnancy and want to use that information to participate in care decisions in a relationship with a trusted provider. Further research is needed to develop interventions to help midwives and physicians enhance women's confidence in their ability to give birth and to develop a tool to measure confidence for use during prenatal care. © 2014 by

  18. Maternity Care Update: Prenatal Care and Specific Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Andrew; Barr, Wendy B; Bassett-Novoa, Erin; LeFevre, Nicholas

    2018-04-01

    Early initiation of prenatal care is associated with improved health outcomes for women and newborns. An essential element of prenatal care is determining the estimated due date, ideally using a first-trimester ultrasound. Laboratory tests should be obtained to screen for conditions that can affect pregnancy. Routine immunizations for all pregnant women include influenza vaccine; tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine. All women should be screened for gestational diabetes mellitus in midpregnancy. Women with risk factors also should be screened in the first trimester. Aspirin (ie, 60 to 150 mg/day) starting at 12 to 16 weeks reduces the risk of preeclampsia for women at high risk. Chronic medical conditions should be managed according to guidelines to promote optimal control. Women with such conditions may require testing in the late third trimester. Induction of labor may be offered to these women before 41 weeks, based on the condition and relative risks and benefits of continued pregnancy. Women without maternal or fetal indications should not be offered elective delivery before 39 weeks, but should be offered induction at 41 weeks with a recommendation for delivery before 42 weeks. Written permission from the American Academy of Family Physicians is required for reproduction of this material in whole or in part in any form or medium.

  19. Prenatal stress alters amygdala functional connectivity in preterm neonates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheinost, Dustin; Kwon, Soo Hyun; Lacadie, Cheryl; Sze, Gordon; Sinha, Rajita; Constable, R Todd; Ment, Laura R

    2016-01-01

    Exposure to prenatal and early-life stress results in alterations in neural connectivity and an increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. In particular, alterations in amygdala connectivity have emerged as a common effect across several recent studies. However, the impact of prenatal stress exposure on the functional organization of the amygdala has yet to be explored in the prematurely-born, a population at high risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. We test the hypothesis that preterm birth and prenatal exposure to maternal stress alter functional connectivity of the amygdala using two independent cohorts. The first cohort is used to establish the effects of preterm birth and consists of 12 very preterm neonates and 25 term controls, all without prenatal stress exposure. The second is analyzed to establish the effects of prenatal stress exposure and consists of 16 extremely preterm neonates with prenatal stress exposure and 10 extremely preterm neonates with no known prenatal stress exposure. Standard resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and seed connectivity methods are used. When compared to term controls, very preterm neonates show significantly reduced connectivity between the amygdala and the thalamus, the hypothalamus, the brainstem, and the insula (p amygdala and the thalamus, the hypothalamus, and the peristriate cortex (p amygdala connectivity associated with preterm birth. Functional connectivity from the amygdala to other subcortical regions is decreased in preterm neonates compared to term controls. In addition, these data, for the first time, suggest that prenatal stress exposure amplifies these decreases.

  20. Prenatal exposure to anticonvulsants and psychosexual development

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dessens, A. B.; Cohen-Kettenis, P. T.; Mellenbergh, G. J.; vd Poll, N.; Koppe, J. G.; Boer, K.

    1999-01-01

    Animal studies have shown that prenatal exposure to the anticonvulsant drugs phenobarbital and phenytoin alters steroid hormone levels which consequently leads to disturbed sexual differentiation. In this study, possible sequelae of prenatal exposure to these anticonvulsants on gender development in

  1. Informed Consent - Attitudes, knowledge and information concerning prenatal examination

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl, Katja; Kesmodel, Ulrik; Hvidman, Lone

    estimates is low and possible consequences if the test reveals a problem is seldom considered beforehand. A woman's attitude to prenatal examinations is found decisive for up-take of prenatal tests, with no association between a woman's attitude towards prenatal examinations and her knowledge of those tests....... Most women consider their doctor an important source of information, and state that information has influenced their decision.      Conclusions: Pregnant women favor prenatal examinations, but participation does not seem to be based on an informed consent....

  2. Preventing child maltreatment: Examination of an established statewide home-visiting program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaiyachati, Barbara H; Gaither, Julie R; Hughes, Marcia; Foley-Schain, Karen; Leventhal, John M

    2018-05-01

    Although home visiting has been used in many populations in prevention efforts, the impact of scaled-up home-visiting programs on abuse and neglect remains unclear. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of voluntary participation in an established statewide home-visiting program for socially high-risk families on child maltreatment as identified by Child Protective Services (CPS). Propensity score matching was used to compare socially high-risk families with a child born between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011 who participated in Connecticut's home-visiting program for first-time mothers and a comparison cohort of families who were eligible for the home-visiting program but did not participate. The main outcomes were child maltreatment investigations, substantiations, and out-of-home placements by CPS between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2013. In the unmatched sample, families who participated in home-visiting had significantly higher median risk scores (P home visiting. First substantiations also occurred later in the child's life among home-visited families. There was a trend toward decreased out-of-home placement (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.53-1.02, P = .06). These results from a scaled-up statewide program highlight the potential of home visiting as an important approach to preventing child abuse and neglect. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Preterm Delivery, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

    OpenAIRE

    Bailey, Beth A.; Sokol, Robert J.

    2011-01-01

    In addition to fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with many other adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Research suggests that alcohol use during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm delivery, and sudden infant death syndrome. This research has some inherent difficulties, such as the collection of accurate information about alcohol consumption during pregnancy and controlling for comorbid exposure...

  4. Prenatal and postnatal cocaine exposure predict teen cocaine use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delaney-Black, Virginia; Chiodo, Lisa M.; Hannigan, John H.; Greenwald, Mark K.; Janisse, James; Patterson, Grace; Huestis, Marilyn A.; Partridge, Robert T.; Ager, Joel; Sokol, Robert J.

    2015-01-01

    Preclinical studies have identified alterations in cocaine and alcohol self-administration and behavioral responses to pharmacological challenges in adolescent offspring following prenatal exposure. To date, no published human studies have evaluated the relation between prenatal cocaine exposure and postnatal adolescent cocaine use. Human studies of prenatal cocaine-exposed children have also noted an increase in behaviors previously associated with substance use/abuse in teens and young adults, specifically childhood and teen externalizing behaviors, impulsivity, and attention problems. Despite these findings, human research has not addressed prior prenatal exposure as a potential predictor of teen drug use behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relations between prenatal cocaine exposure and teen cocaine use in a prospective longitudinal cohort (n = 316) that permitted extensive control for child, parent and community risk factors. Logistic regression analyses and Structural Equation Modeling revealed that both prenatal exposure and postnatal parent/caregiver cocaine use were uniquely related to teen use of cocaine at age 14 years. Teen cocaine use was also directly predicted by teen community violence exposure and caregiver negativity, and was indirectly related to teen community drug exposure. These data provide further evidence of the importance of prenatal exposure, family and community factors in the intergenerational transmission of teen/young adult substance abuse/use. PMID:20609384

  5. Association Between Apple Consumption and Physician Visits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Matthew A.; Bynum, Julie P.W.; Sirovich, Brenda E.

    2015-01-01

    IMPORTANCE Fruit consumption is believed to have beneficial health effects, and some claim, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between eating an apple a day and keeping the doctor away. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized US adult population. A total of 8728 adults 18 years and older from the 2007–2008 and 2009–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey completed a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire and reported that the quantity of food they ate was reflective of their usual daily diet. EXPOSURES Daily apple eaters (consuming the equivalent of at least 1 small apple daily, or 149 g of raw apple) vs non–apple eaters, based on the reported quantity of whole apple consumed during the 24-hour dietary recall period. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome measure was success at “keeping the doctor away,” measured as no more than 1 visit (self-reported) to a physician during the past year; secondary outcomes included successful avoidance of other health care services (ie, no overnight hospital stays, visits to a mental health professional, or prescription medications). RESULTS Of 8399 eligible study participants who completed the dietary recall questionnaire, we identified 753 adult apple eaters (9.0%)—those who typically consume at least 1 small apple per day. Compared with the 7646 non–apple eaters (91.0%), apple eaters had higher educational attainment, were more likely to be from a racial or ethnic minority, and were less likely to smoke (P Apple eaters were more likely, in the crude analysis, to keep the doctor (and prescription medications) away: 39.0% of apple eaters avoided physician visits vs 33.9%of non–apple eaters (P = .03). After adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, however, the association was no longer statistically significant (OR, 1.19; 95%CI, 0.93–1

  6. Prenatal maternal stress in relation to the effects of prenatal lead exposure on toddler cognitive development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Leilei; Xu, Jian; Zhang, Jinsong; Yan, Chonghuai; Lin, Yanfen; Jia, Yinan; Hu, Wenjing

    2017-03-01

    To evaluate the effects of maternal lead exposure during pregnancy on toddler cognitive development and the potential effect modification by maternal stress. We conducted a prospective birth-cohort study in Shanghai from 2010 to 2012 and investigated 225 mother-infant pairs. The mothers were recruited in mid-to-late pregnancy and children were followed up until 24-36 months old. A self-administered Symptom Checklist-90-Revised Scale (SCL-90-R) was used to assess maternal emotional stress during pregnancy. Maternal whole blood lead levels were measured during gestational weeks 28-36. The toddlers' cognitive levels were assessed using the Gesell Development Scale. Multiple linear regression models were established to explore the main effects of prenatal lead exposure on toddlers' cognitive abilities and the modifying effects of maternal stress. Covariate information was collected through interviews, questionnaires and medical records. The mean maternal blood lead concentration was 3.30 (95%CI: 3.05, 3.57) μg/dL. After adjusting for relevant confounders, no significant associations of maternal blood lead concentrations with toddlers' cognitive levels were observed in all five domains of the Gesell scale (P>0.05). However, the interaction between prenatal maternal blood lead and stress was significant in the domains of adaptive behavior, language and social behavior. When stratified by maternal stress levels, compared with non-significant associations (P>0.05) among low (P1-P75) prenatal stress group, adverse associations between maternal blood lead concentrations (log10-transformed) and toddlers' cognitive levels were observed among high (P75-P100) prenatal stress group in the domains of language (β=-33.82, 95%CI: -60.04, -7.59), social behavior (β=-41.00, 95%CI: -63.11, -18.89) and adaptive behavior (β=-17.93, 95%CI: -35.83, -0.03). Prenatal maternal stress may exacerbate the deleterious effects of prenatal exposure to lead on toddler cognitive development

  7. Systematic review and meta-analysis of persistent left superior vena cava on prenatal ultrasound: associated anomalies, diagnostic accuracy and postnatal outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustapane, S; Leombroni, M; Khalil, A; Giacci, F; Marrone, L; Bascietto, F; Rizzo, G; Acharya, G; Liberati, M; D'Antonio, F

    2016-12-01

    To quantify the prevalence of chromosomal anomalies in fetuses with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC), assess the strength of the association between PLSVC and coarctation of the aorta and ascertain the diagnostic accuracy of antenatal ultrasound in correctly identifying isolated cases of PLSVC. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAL and the Cochrane databases were searched from the year 2000 onwards using combinations of keywords 'left superior vena cava' and 'outcome'. Two authors reviewed all abstracts independently. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. The rates of the following outcomes were analyzed: chromosomal abnormalities; associated intracardiac anomalies (ICAs) and extracardiac anomalies (ECAs) diagnosed prenatally; additional ICAs and ECAs detected only at postnatal imaging or clinical evaluation but missed at prenatal imaging; and association of PLSVC and coarctation of the aorta. Meta-analyses of proportions were used to combine data. In total, 2708 articles were identified and 13 (n = 501) were included in the systematic review. Associated ICAs and ECAs were detected at the prenatal ultrasound examination or at a follow-up assessment in 60.7% (95% CI, 44.2-75.9%) and 37.8% (95% CI, 31.0-44.8%) of cases, respectively. Chromosomal anomalies occurred in 12.5% (95% CI, 9.0-16.4%) of cases in the overall population of fetuses with PLSVC and in 7.0% (95% CI, 2.7-13.0%) of isolated cases. Additional ICAs and ECAs were detected only after birth and missed at ultrasound in 2.4% (95% CI, 0.5-5.8%) and 6.7% (95% CI, 2.2-13.2%) of cases, respectively. Coarctation of the aorta was associated with isolated PLSVC in 21.3% (95% CI, 13.6-30.3%) of cases. PLSVC is commonly associated with ICAs, ECAs and chromosomal anomalies. Fetuses with isolated PLSVC should be followed up throughout pregnancy in order to rule out coarctation of the aorta. As most of the data in this review were derived from

  8. Visit ISOLDE!

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Bulletin

    2013-01-01

    CERN Internal Communication is organising a visit to ISOLDE – an opportunity for you to see the CERN set-up that can produce over 1000 different isotopes!   If you wish to participate, you can sign up for a visit by sending us an e-mail. Note that the visits will take place between 18 and 22 February, and will be open only to CERN access-card holders.   The visit will include an introduction by experts and a tour of the ISOLDE set-up. NB: For security reason, pregnant women and kids under the age of 16 can not take the tour.  

  9. [Birth weight distribution among premature infants and related social factors].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Li-jun; Ye, Rong-wei; Wang, Gui-xia; Wang, Juan; Li, Zhi-wen; Ren, Ai-guo

    2009-12-01

    To understand the distribution of birth weight among premature infants and the associated social factors. The study population consisted of 97 537 women who delivered singleton live birth of 20 to 41 gestational weeks in 4 counties/cities, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, China from 1995 to 2000. Chi-square test was employed to test the difference of proportions between respective groups. One- way ANOVA was used to test the differences regarding the mean of gestational weeks at the first prenatal visit and the mean of prenatal visits between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to examine the factors associated with premature birth. Women aged 35 years had higher (8.8%) premature incidence than those aged less than 24 years (5.6%), 25 - 29 years (4.6%), or 30 - 34 years (4.5%, P premature incidence than those with height taller than 150 cm (5.0%). Women whose BMI were at least 28 and 24 - 28 had higher (5.5%, 5.5%) premature incidences than those whose BMI were 18.5 - 24.0 (5.0%), premature birth was 6.0% among women without previous pregnancy, higher than that among those women with 4 times of pregnancies (5.7%), 2 times of pregnancies (4.3%), and 3 times of pregnancies (4.0%). Parous women with at least two deliveries had higher (9.3%) premature incidence than the primiparous women (5.2%) and whose women with only one delivery (4.5%, P premature incidence than those who did not receive the service (6.1%). The mean times of prenatal visits among women with premature births was 8.53, less than that of those with full term delivery (10.97). Women with less than four times of prenatal visit had higher (18.9%) premature incidence than those with at least five prenatal visits (4.9%). Multivariate logistic regression showed that premature delivery risk was associated with age, height, BMI, gravidity, parity, early prenatal care, the mean of gestational weeks at first prenatal visit and the mean number of prenatal visits etc. Premature delivery

  10. Prenatal and adult androgen activities in alcohol dependence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenz, B; Mühle, C; Braun, B; Weinland, C; Bouna-Pyrrou, P; Behrens, J; Kubis, S; Mikolaiczik, K; Muschler, M-R; Saigali, S; Sibach, M; Tanovska, P; Huber, S E; Hoppe, U; Eichler, A; Heinrich, H; Moll, G H; Engel, A; Goecke, T W; Beckmann, M W; Fasching, P A; Müller, C P; Kornhuber, J

    2017-07-01

    Alcohol dependence is more prevalent in men than in women. The evidence for how prenatal and adult androgens influence alcohol dependence is limited. We investigated the effects of prenatal and adult androgen activity on alcohol dependence. Moreover, we studied how the behaviours of pregnant women affect their children's prenatal androgen load. We quantified prenatal androgen markers (e.g., second-to-fourth finger length ratio [2D : 4D]) and blood androgens in 200 early-abstinent alcohol-dependent in-patients and 240 controls (2013-2015, including a 12-month follow-up). We also surveyed 134 women during pregnancy (2005-2007) and measured the 2D : 4D of their children (2013-2016). The prenatal androgen loads were higher in the male alcohol-dependent patients compared to the controls (lower 2D : 4D, P = 0.004) and correlated positively with the patients' liver transaminase activities (P alcohol withdrawal severity (P = 0.019). Higher prenatal androgen loads and increasing androgen levels during withdrawal predicted earlier and more frequent 12-month hospital readmission in alcohol-dependent patients (P alcohol (P = 0.010) and tobacco consumption (P = 0.017), and lifetime stressors (P = 0.019) of women during pregnancy related positively to their children's prenatal androgen loads (lower 2D : 4D). Androgen activities in alcohol-dependent patients and behaviours of pregnant women represent novel preventive and therapeutic targets of alcohol dependence. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Prenatal Influences on Human Sexual Orientation: Expectations versus Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breedlove, S Marc

    2017-08-01

    In non-human vertebrate species, sexual differentiation of the brain is primarily driven by androgens such as testosterone organizing the brains of males in a masculine fashion early in life, while the lower levels of androgen in developing females organize their brains in a feminine fashion. These principles may be relevant to the development of sexual orientation in humans, because retrospective markers of prenatal androgen exposure, namely digit ratios and otoacoustic emissions, indicate that lesbians, on average, were exposed to greater prenatal androgen than were straight women. Thus, the even greater levels of prenatal androgen exposure experienced by fetal males may explain why the vast majority of them grow up to be attracted to women. However, the same markers indicate no significant differences between gay and straight men in terms of average prenatal androgen exposure, so the variance in orientation in men cannot be accounted for by variance in prenatal androgen exposure, but may be due to variance in response to prenatal androgens. These data contradict several popular notions about human sexual orientation. Sexual orientation in women is said to be fluid, sometimes implying that only social influences in adulthood are at work, yet the data indicate prenatal influences matter as well. Gay men are widely perceived as under-masculinized, yet the data indicate they are exposed to as much prenatal androgen as straight men. There is growing sentiment to reject "binary" conceptions of human sexual orientations, to emphasize instead a spectrum of orientations. Yet the data indicate that human sexual orientation is sufficiently polarized that groups of lesbians, on average, show evidence of greater prenatal androgen exposure than groups of straight women, while groups of gay men have, on average, a greater proportion of brothers among their older siblings than do straight men.

  12. Visitation in the intensive care unit: impact on infection prevention and control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Sheila; Herrera, Amando; Miller, Laura; Soto, Rhonda

    2011-01-01

    Evidence-based practice has shown that open visitation in the intensive care setting positively impacts patient outcomes. However, many intensive care units continue to strictly limit visitation hours. One concern for nurses is that open visitation will expose their vulnerable patients to an increased risk of infection. This fear is unfounded in professional literature as well as in the experience of a busy intensive care unit in San Antonio, Texas. Keeping our patients safe from hospital-acquired infections requires vigilant attention to infection prevention procedures. Meanwhile, what may actually be bugging our patients is a health care culture that is based on tradition and is blind to the many benefits provided by a more liberal visitation policy rooted in patient-centered care.

  13. Who is most affected by prenatal alcohol exposure: Boys or girls?

    Science.gov (United States)

    May, Philip A; Tabachnick, Barbara; Hasken, Julie M; Marais, Anna-Susan; de Vries, Marlene M; Barnard, Ronel; Joubert, Belinda; Cloete, Marise; Botha, Isobel; Kalberg, Wendy O; Buckley, David; Burroughs, Zachary R; Bezuidenhout, Heidre; Robinson, Luther K; Manning, Melanie A; Adnams, Colleen M; Seedat, Soraya; Parry, Charles D H; Hoyme, H Eugene

    2017-08-01

    To examine outcomes among boys and girls that are associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Boys and girls with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and randomly-selected controls were compared on a variety of physical and neurobehavioral traits. Sex ratios indicated that heavy maternal binge drinking may have significantly diminished viability to birth and survival of boys postpartum more than girls by age seven. Case control comparisons of a variety of physical and neurobehavioral traits at age seven indicate that both sexes were affected similarly for a majority of variables. However, alcohol-exposed girls had significantly more dysmorphology overall than boys and performed significantly worse on non-verbal IQ tests than males. A three-step sequential regression analysis, controlling for multiple covariates, further indicated that dysmorphology among girls was significantly more associated with five maternal drinking variables and three distal maternal risk factors. However, the overall model, which included five associated neurobehavioral measures at step three, was not significant (p=0.09, two-tailed test). A separate sequential logistic regression analysis of predictors of a FASD diagnosis, however, indicated significantly more negative outcomes overall for girls than boys (Nagelkerke R 2 =0.42 for boys and 0.54 for girls, z=-2.9, p=0.004). Boys and girls had mostly similar outcomes when prenatal alcohol exposure was linked to poor physical and neurocognitive development. Nevertheless, sex ratios implicate lower viability and survival of males by first grade, and girls have more dysmorphology and neurocognitive impairment than boys resulting in a higher probability of a FASD diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Some behavioral aspects of adult rats irradiated prenatally

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vekovishcheva, O.Yu.; Blagova, O.E.; Borovitskaya, A.E.; Evtushenko, V.I.; Khanson, K.P.

    1992-01-01

    This is a study of the effects of prenatal irradiation on the behavior of rats. The experiments were performed on 42 eighteen month old rats of both sexes. Eight of the males and thirteen females had been irradiated prenatally. The results of this experiment indicated that in general, the activation of behavior, the appearance of aggression and the increase in chaos along with the presence of behavior poses were typical of the suppressed condition of the prenatal irradiated animal. Also, among prenatally irradiated animals, there was a greater degree of anxiety, a slow rate of adjustment to unfamiliar situations and unfriendly relationships between animals of the same sex. These results were compared with the results of behavioral experiments on irradiated adult rats

  15. Prenatal Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Health Resources and Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Office for Maternal and Child Health Services.

    This booklet is the first in a series of publications designed to provide parents with useful information about childrearing. Contents are organized into three parts. Part I focuses on the pregnancy, prenatal care, development of the baby, pregnant lifestyles, nutrition, common discomforts, and problems of pregnancy. Part II provides information…

  16. Diferenciais socioeconômicos na realização de exame de urina no pré-natal Socioeconomic differentials in performing urinalysis during prenatal care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariângela F Silveira

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: A importância do exame de urina na rotina do pré-natal deve-se à infecção do trato urinário na gestante, uma importante causa de parto prematuro e morbidade neonatal. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar fatores associados à solicitação de exames de urina durante a gestação. MÉTODOS: Durante o ano de 2004, 4.163 mulheres residentes na zona urbana de Pelotas (RS e que haviam realizado pré-natal foram entrevistadas ao darem à luz nos hospitais da cidade. A prevalência da não realização do exame de urina na gestação foi analisada segundo variáveis socioeconômicas, demográficas e de atenção pré-natal. Após análise bivariada, foi realizada regressão logística para identificar fatores associados com o desfecho, controlando para possíveis fatores de confusão, ao nível de significância de pOBJECTIVE: Urinalysis is an essential component of the prenatal routine, as urinary tract infections during pregnancy may lead to preterm delivery and neonatal morbidity. The objective of the study was to analyze factors associated to the solicitation of urinalysis during pregnancy. METHODS: During 2004, 4,163 women living in the urban area of Pelotas (Southern Brazil and who had received prenatal care were interviewed after delivery in the maternity hospitals of the city. Prevalence of the non-performance of urinalysis was analyzed in relation to socioeconomic and demographic variables, as well as to characteristics of prenatal care. After a bivariate analysis, logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with the outcome, controlling for possible confusion factors at a 5% level of significance. RESULTS: The prevalence of not having had the test was 3%. The multivariate analysis showed that black skin color, poverty, low schooling, being unmarried and having fewer than six prenatal visits were associated with a higher probability of not carrying out the test. Women who were black, poor and with low

  17. Prenatal testosterone and stuttering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montag, Christian; Bleek, Benjamin; Breuer, Svenja; Prüss, Holger; Richardt, Kirsten; Cook, Susanne; Yaruss, J Scott; Reuter, Martin

    2015-01-01

    The prevalence of stuttering is much higher in males compared to females. The biological underpinnings of this skewed sex-ratio is poorly understood, but it has often been speculated that sex hormones could play an important role. The present study investigated a potential link between prenatal testosterone and stuttering. Here, an indirect indicator of prenatal testosterone levels, the Digit Ratio (2D:4D) of the hand, was used. As numerous studies have shown, hands with more "male" characteristics (putatively representing greater prenatal testosterone levels) are characterized by a longer ring finger compared to the index finger (represented as a lower 2D:4D ratio) in the general population. We searched for differences in the 2D:4D ratios between 38 persons who stutter and 36 persons who do not stutter. In a second step, we investigated potential links between the 2D:4D ratio and the multifaceted symptomatology of stuttering, as measured by the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES), in a larger sample of 44 adults who stutter. In the first step, no significant differences in the 2D:4D were observed between individuals who stutter and individuals who do not stutter. In the second step, 2D:4D correlated negatively with higher scores of the OASES (representing higher negative experiences due to stuttering), and this effect was more pronounced for female persons who stutter. The findings indicate for the first time that prenatal testosterone may influence individual differences in psychosocial impact of this speech disorder. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Exploring Group Composition among Young, Urban Women of Color in Prenatal Care: Implications for Satisfaction, Engagement, and Group Attendance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Earnshaw, Valerie A; Rosenthal, Lisa; Cunningham, Shayna D; Kershaw, Trace; Lewis, Jessica; Rising, Sharon Schindler; Stasko, Emily; Tobin, Jonathan; Ickovics, Jeannette R

    2016-01-01

    Group models of prenatal care continue to grow in popularity. However, little is known about how group composition (similarity or diversity between members of groups) relates to care-related outcomes. The current investigation aimed to explore associations between prenatal care group composition with patient satisfaction, engagement, and group attendance among young, urban women of color. Data were drawn from two studies conducted in New Haven and Atlanta (2001-2004; n = 557) and New York City (2008-2011; n = 375) designed to evaluate group prenatal care among young, urban women of color. Women aged 14 to 25 were assigned to group prenatal care and completed surveys during their second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Group attendance was recorded. Data were merged and analyzed guided by the Group Actor-Partner Interdependence Model using multilevel regression. Analyses explored composition in terms of age, race, ethnicity, and language. Women in groups with others more diverse in age reported greater patient engagement and, in turn, attended more group sessions, b(se) = -0.01(0.01); p = .04. The composition of prenatal care groups seems to be associated with young women's engagement in care, ultimately relating to the number of group prenatal care sessions they attend. Creating groups diverse in age may be particularly beneficial for young, urban women of color, who have unique pregnancy needs and experiences. Future research is needed to test the generalizability of these exploratory findings. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Ethnicity and prenatal depression: women's experiences and perspectives on communicating about their emotions and feelings during pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sleath, Betsy; West, Suzanne; Tudor, Gail; Perreira, Krista; King, Valerie; Morrissey, Joseph

    2005-07-01

    The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between ethnicity, the presence of moderate to severe symptoms of depression, and communication about emotions and feelings during prenatal visits. The purpose was also to describe women's perceptions of the barriers to communicating with providers, family, and friends about their emotions or feelings and how to overcome these barriers. Seventy-three women were recruited and interviewed by a bilingual research assistant between June and September 2002 after a prenatal visit occurring between 12- and 32-week gestation. Nineteen percent of women screened as having moderate to severe symptoms of depression. Quality of social relationships had a significant negative relationship with whether women had moderate to severe symptoms of depression. Almost 29% of women reported discussing their emotions or feelings with their providers and this did not differ significantly by ethnicity. Women who discussed their emotions or feelings with their providers did have significantly higher scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) than those who did not. Thirty-four percent of women stated that there were barriers to expectant or new mothers communicating with their providers. Women who felt that there were barriers to expectant or new mothers discussing their emotions with their providers did have significantly higher BDI-II scores than those women who did not. Thirty-seven percent of women believed that there were barriers to expectant or new mothers communicating with their family about their emotions. Women felt that providers and families could try to develop trust with them and try to make them feel more comfortable discussing their feelings.

  20. Promises, pitfalls and practicalities of prenatal whole exome sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Best, Sunayna; Wou, Karen; Vora, Neeta; Van der Veyver, Ignatia B; Wapner, Ronald; Chitty, Lyn S

    2018-01-01

    Prenatal genetic diagnosis provides information for pregnancy and perinatal decision-making and management. In several small series, prenatal whole exome sequencing (WES) approaches have identified genetic diagnoses when conventional tests (karyotype and microarray) were not diagnostic. Here, we review published prenatal WES studies and recent conference abstracts. Thirty-one studies were identified, with diagnostic rates in series of five or more fetuses varying between 6.2% and 80%. Differences in inclusion criteria and trio versus singleton approaches to sequencing largely account for the wide range of diagnostic rates. The data suggest that diagnostic yields will be greater in fetuses with multiple anomalies or in cases preselected following genetic review. Beyond its ability to improve diagnostic rates, we explore the potential of WES to improve understanding of prenatal presentations of genetic disorders and lethal fetal syndromes. We discuss prenatal phenotyping limitations, counselling challenges regarding variants of uncertain significance, incidental and secondary findings, and technical problems in WES. We review the practical, ethical, social and economic issues that must be considered before prenatal WES could become part of routine testing. Finally, we reflect upon the potential future of prenatal genetic diagnosis, including a move towards whole genome sequencing and non-invasive whole exome and whole genome testing. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Prenatal and postnatal cocaine exposure predict teen cocaine use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delaney-Black, Virginia; Chiodo, Lisa M; Hannigan, John H; Greenwald, Mark K; Janisse, James; Patterson, Grace; Huestis, Marilyn A; Partridge, Robert T; Ager, Joel; Sokol, Robert J

    2011-01-01

    Preclinical studies have identified alterations in cocaine and alcohol self-administration and behavioral responses to pharmacological challenges in adolescent offspring following prenatal exposure. To date, no published human studies have evaluated the relation between prenatal cocaine exposure and postnatal adolescent cocaine use. Human studies of prenatal cocaine-exposed children have also noted an increase in behaviors previously associated with substance use/abuse in teens and young adults, specifically childhood and teen externalizing behaviors, impulsivity, and attention problems. Despite these findings, human research has not addressed prior prenatal exposure as a potential predictor of teen drug use behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relations between prenatal cocaine exposure and teen cocaine use in a prospective longitudinal cohort (n=316) that permitted extensive control for child, parent and community risk factors. Logistic regression analyses and Structural Equation Modeling revealed that both prenatal exposure and postnatal parent/caregiver cocaine use were uniquely related to teen use of cocaine at age 14 years. Teen cocaine use was also directly predicted by teen community violence exposure and caregiver negativity, and was indirectly related to teen community drug exposure. These data provide further evidence of the importance of prenatal exposure, family and community factors in the intergenerational transmission of teen/young adult substance abuse/use. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Comorbidity and health care visit burden in working-age commercially insured patients with diabetic macular edema

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kiss S

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Szilárd Kiss,1 Hitesh S Chandwani,2 Ashley L Cole,2 Vaishali D Patel,2 Orsolya E Lunacsek,3 Pravin U Dugel4 1Department of Ophthalmology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, 2Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA, 3Global Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Xcenda, LLC, Palm Harbor, FL, 4Retinal Consultants of Arizona and USC Eye Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA Purpose: To examine the comorbidity profile and update estimates of health care resource utilization for commercially insured, working-age adults with diabetic macular edema (DME relative to a matched comparison group of diabetic adults without DME. Additional comparisons were made in the subgroup of pseudophakic patients. Patients and methods: A retrospective matched-cohort study of commercially insured diabetic adults aged 18–63 years was conducted using medical and outpatient pharmacy claims (July 1, 2008–June 30, 2013. Outcomes included diabetes-related and ocular comorbidities and health care resource utilization (any health care visit days, outpatient visit days, inpatient visit days, emergency room visits, eye care-related visit days, unique medications in the 12-month post-index period. Results: All diabetes-related and ocular comorbidities were significantly more prevalent in DME cases versus non-DME controls (P<0.05. A significantly greater proportion of DME cases utilized eye care-related visits compared with non-DME controls (P<0.001. DME cases had almost twice the mean number of total health care visit days compared to non-DME controls (28.6 vs 16.9 days, P<0.001, with a minority of visit days being eye care-related (mean 5.1 vs 1.5 days, P<0.001. Similar trends were observed in pseudophakic cohorts. Conclusion: This working-age DME population experienced a mean of 29 health care visit days per year. Eye care-related visit days were a minority of the overall visit burden (mean 5 days emphasizing the trade-offs DME patients

  3. Prenatal lead, cadmium and mercury exposure and associations with motor skills at age 7 years in a UK observational birth cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Caroline M; Emond, Alan M; Lingam, Raghu; Golding, Jean

    2018-08-01

    Lead and mercury are freely transferred across the placenta, while cadmium tends to accumulate in the placenta. Each contributes to adverse neurological outcomes for the child. Although prenatal heavy metal exposure has been linked with an array of neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood, its association with the development of motor skills in children has not been robustly studied. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between prenatal exposure to lead, cadmium and mercury, measured as maternal blood concentrations during pregnancy, and motor skills, measured as subtests of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Movement ABC) at age 7 years in a large sample of mother-child pairs enrolled in a UK observational birth cohort study (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, ALSPAC). Whole blood samples from pregnant women enrolled in ALSPAC were analysed for lead, cadmium and mercury. In a complete case analysis (n = 1558), associations between prenatal blood concentrations and child motor skills assessed by Movement ABC subtests of manual dexterity, ball skills and balance at 7 years were examined in adjusted regression models. Associations with probable developmental coordination disorder (DCD) were also investigated. The mean prenatal blood levels were: lead 3.66 ± 1.55 μg/dl; cadmium 0.45 ± 0.54 μg/l; mercury 2.23 ± 1.14 μg/l. There was no evidence for any adverse associations of prenatal lead, cadmium or mercury exposure with motor skills measured at age 7 years with Movement ABC subtests in adjusted regression models. Further, there were no associations with probable DCD. There was no evidence to support a role of prenatal exposure to heavy metals at these levels on motor skills in the child at age 7 years measured using the Movement ABC. Early identification of symptoms of motor skills impairment is important, however, to enable investigation, assessment and treatment. Copyright

  4. A cluster randomised controlled effectiveness trial evaluating perinatal home visiting among South African mothers/infants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus

    Full Text Available Interventions are needed to reduce poor perinatal health. We trained community health workers (CHWs as home visitors to address maternal/infant risks.In a cluster randomised controlled trial in Cape Town townships, neighbourhoods were randomised within matched pairs to 1 the control, healthcare at clinics (n = 12 neighbourhoods; n = 594 women, or 2 a home visiting intervention by CBW trained in cognitive-behavioural strategies to address health risks (by the Philani Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Programme, in addition to clinic care (n = 12 neighbourhoods; n = 644 women. Participants were assessed during pregnancy (2% refusal and 92% were reassessed at two weeks post-birth, 88% at six months and 84% at 18 months later. We analysed 32 measures of maternal/infant well-being over the 18 month follow-up period using longitudinal random effects regressions. A binomial test for correlated outcomes evaluated overall effectiveness over time. The 18 month post-birth assessment outcomes also were examined alone and as a function of the number of home visits received.Benefits were found on 7 of 32 measures of outcomes, resulting in significant overall benefits for the intervention compared to the control when using the binomial test (p = 0.008; nevertheless, no effects were observed when only the 18 month outcomes were analyzed. Benefits on individual outcomes were related to the number of home visits received. Among women living with HIV, intervention mothers were more likely to implement the PMTCT regimens, use condoms during all sexual episodes (OR = 1.25; p = 0.014, have infants with healthy weight-for-age measurements (OR = 1.42; p = 0.045, height-for-age measurements (OR = 1.13, p<0.001, breastfeed exclusively for six months (OR = 3.59; p<0.001, and breastfeed longer (OR = 3.08; p<0.001. Number of visits was positively associated with infant birth weight ≥2500 grams (OR = 1.07; p = 0

  5. The effect of prenatal maternal cigarette smoking on children's BMI z-score with SGA as a mediator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salahuddin, Meliha; Pérez, Adriana; Ranjit, Nalini; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Kelder, Steven H

    2018-02-21

    The goal of this study was to assess the effect of prenatal maternal cigarette smoking on children's BMI z-score trajectories, and to evaluate whether small-for-gestational-age (SGA) acts as a potential mediator between prenatal maternal cigarette smoking and child's BMI z-score at 4 years of age. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) methods were employed to describe and classify developmental BMI z-score trajectories (the outcome of interest) in children from 9 months to 4 years of age (n = 5221) in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) study (2001-2005). Further analysis examined whether the identified BMI z-score trajectories varied with the exposure, prenatal maternal cigarette smoking. Mediation analyses were utilized to examine whether being SGA (binary measure) acted as a potential mediator in the relationship between prenatal maternal cigarette smoking and BMI z-score among 4-year-old children. Using GBTM, two BMI z-score trajectory groups were identified: normal BMI z-score (57.8%); and high BMI z-score (42.2%). Children of mothers who smoked cigarettes during pregnancy were 2.1 times (RR 95% CI: 1.1-4.0, P value = 0.023) more at risk of being in the high BMI z-score trajectory group. Prenatal cigarette smoking was positively related to SGA at birth, but SGA was inversely related to BMI z-score at 4 years. The direct effect (0.19, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.19; P value BMI z-score among 4-year-old children was stronger and in the opposite direction of the indirect effect (-0.04, 95% CI: -0.04, -0.04; P value BMI z-score group, as well with SGA. The effects of prenatal smoking on BMI z-score at 4 years appears to act through pathways other than SGA.

  6. Best practices for online Canadian prenatal health promotion: A public health approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chedid, Rebecca A; Terrell, Rowan M; Phillips, Karen P

    2017-11-04

    Prenatal health promotion provides information regarding pregnancy risks, protective behaviours and clinical and community resources. Typically, women obtain prenatal health information from health care providers, prenatal classes, peers/family, media and increasingly, Internet sites and mobile apps. Barriers to prenatal health promotion and related services include language, rural/remote location, citizenship and disability. Online public health platforms represent the capacity to reach underserved women and can be customised to address the needs of a heterogeneous population of pregnant women. Canadian government-hosted websites and online prenatal e-classes were evaluated to determine if accessible, inclusive, comprehensive and evidence-based prenatal health promotion was provided. Using a multijurisdictional approach, federal, provincial/territorial, municipal and public health region-hosted websites, along with affiliated prenatal e-classes, were evaluated based on four criteria: comprehensiveness, evidence-based information, accessibility and inclusivity. Online prenatal e-classes, federal, provincial/territorial and public health-hosted websites generally provided comprehensive and evidence-based promotion of essential prenatal topics, in contrast to municipal-hosted websites which provided very limited prenatal health information. Gaps in online prenatal health promotion were identified as lack of French and multilingual content, targeted information and representations of Indigenous peoples, immigrants and women with disabilities. Canadian online prenatal health promotion is broadly comprehensive and evidence-based, but fails to address the needs of non-Anglophones and represent the diverse population of Canadian pregnant women. It is recommended that agencies enhance the organisation of website pregnancy portals/pages and collaborate with other jurisdictions and community groups to ensure linguistically accessible, culturally-competent and inclusive

  7. Associations of Prenatal Growth with Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, and Nutritional Status in Chilean Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Mardones

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. The association of prenatal growth with nutritional status, metabolic syndrome (MS, and insulin resistance (IR was studied in school-age children. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was designed linking present data of children with perinatal records. 3325 subjects were enrolled. Anthropometry, blood pressure (BP, and pubertal status were assessed. Blood lipids, glucose, and insulin were measured. Linear associations were assessed using the Cochran-Armitage test. Odds ratios and nonlinear associations were computed. Results. 3290 children (52% females, mean age of 11.4 ± 1 years were analyzed. Prevalence of obesity, stunting, MS, and IR was 16.0%, 3.6%, 7.3%, and 25.5%, respectively. The strongest positive association was between birth weight (BW and obesity (OR 2.97 (95% CI 2.01–4.40 at BW ≥ 4,000 g compared to BW 2,500–2,999. The strongest inverse association was between birth length (BL and stunting (OR 8.70 (95% CI 3.66–20.67 at BL < 48 cm compared to BL 52-53 cm. A U-shaped association between BL and BP ≥ 90th percentile was observed. Significant ORs were also found for MS and IR. Adjustments for present fat mass increased or maintained the most prenatal growth influences. Conclusions. Prenatal growth influences MS, IR, and nutritional status. Prenatal growth was more important than present body composition in determining these outcomes.

  8. Prenatal sonographic findings of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome: A case report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoon, Won Sang; Lee, Jee Young; Lee, Yeon Hee [Dankook University Hospital, Chonan (Korea, Republic of)

    2000-03-15

    The Backwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is and unusual complex with variable clinical features. Major findings included defects in the abdominal wall, macroglossia and macrosomia. These features should be amenable to prenatal ultrasound detection. Serious complications are possible in the neonatal period, which may result from the hypoglycemia or the airway obstruction due to macroglossia. Accurate prenatal diagnosis allows optimum prenatal care and prevention of serious complications. We report a case of prenatally diagnosed BWS with omphalocele, macroglossia, nephromegaly and hepatic cyst.

  9. Prenatal sonographic findings of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome: A case report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Won Sang; Lee, Jee Young; Lee, Yeon Hee

    2000-01-01

    The Backwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is and unusual complex with variable clinical features. Major findings included defects in the abdominal wall, macroglossia and macrosomia. These features should be amenable to prenatal ultrasound detection. Serious complications are possible in the neonatal period, which may result from the hypoglycemia or the airway obstruction due to macroglossia. Accurate prenatal diagnosis allows optimum prenatal care and prevention of serious complications. We report a case of prenatally diagnosed BWS with omphalocele, macroglossia, nephromegaly and hepatic cyst.

  10. A comparative analysis of early child health and development services and outcomes in countries with different redistributive policies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Heuvel, Meta; Hopkins, Jessica; Biscaro, Anne; Srikanthan, Cinntha; Feller, Andrea; Bremberg, Sven; Verkuijl, Nienke; Flapper, Boudien; Ford-Jones, Elizabeth Lee; Williams, Robin

    2013-11-06

    The social environment is a fundamental determinant of early child development and, in turn, early child development is a determinant of health, well-being, and learning skills across the life course. Redistributive policies aimed at reducing social inequalities, such as a welfare state and labour market policies, have shown a positive association with selected health indicators. In this study, we investigated the influence of redistributive policies specifically on the social environment of early child development in five countries with different political traditions. The objective of this analysis was to highlight similarities and differences in social and health services between the countries and their associations with other health outcomes that can inform better global early child development policies and improve early child health and development. Four social determinants of early child development were selected to provide a cross-section of key time periods in a child's life from prenatal to kindergarten. They included: 1) prenatal care, 2) maternal leave, 3) child health care, and 4) child care and early childhood education. We searched international databases and reports (e.g. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, World Bank, and UNICEF) to obtain information about early child development policies, services and outcomes. Although a comparative analysis cannot claim causation, our analysis suggests that redistributive policies aimed at reducing social inequalities are associated with a positive influence on the social determinants of early child development. Generous redistributive policies are associated with a higher maternal leave allowance and pay and more preventive child healthcare visits. A decreasing trend in infant mortality, low birth weight rate, and under five mortality rate were observed with an increase in redistributive policies. No clear influence of redistributive policies was observed on breastfeeding and immunization

  11. Disorganized Cortical Patches Suggest Prenatal Origin of Autism

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... 2014 Disorganized cortical patches suggest prenatal origin of autism NIH-funded study shows disrupted cell layering process ... study suggests that brain irregularities in children with autism can be traced back to prenatal development. “While ...

  12. Menarche, menopause, years of menstruation, and the incidence of osteoporosis: the influence of prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Samantha E; Troisi, Rebecca; Wise, Lauren A; Palmer, Julie R; Titus-Ernstoff, Linda; Strohsnitter, William C; Hatch, Elizabeth E

    2014-02-01

    Estrogen is critical for bone formation and growth in women. Estrogen exposures occur throughout life, including prenatally, and change with reproductive events, such as menarche and menopause. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between age at menarche, age at menopause, and years of menstruation with incidence of osteoporosis and assess the impact of prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen, on such associations. Participants were 5573 women in the National Cancer Institute Combined Cohort Study of DES (1994-2006). Data on reproductive history and medical conditions were collected through questionnaires at baseline in 1994 and subsequently in 1997, 2001, and 2006. Age-stratified Cox regression models were used to calculate multivariable incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Effect measure modification by prenatal DES exposure was assessed using cubic restricted spline regression models. Osteoporosis was the main outcome measure. The IRRs for osteoporosis incidence with age at menarche less than 11 years and age at menopause of 50 years or younger were 0.82 (CI 0.59, 1.14) and 0.61 (CI 0.40, 0.92), respectively. Fewer than 25 years of menstruation was associated with an increased incidence of osteoporosis (IRR 1.80; CI 1.14, 2.86) compared with 35 years or more of menstruation. Associations were stronger among women who had not been prenatally exposed to DES. Our data support the hypothesis that lifetime cumulative exposure to estrogens is protective against osteoporosis. Furthermore, prenatal exposure to estrogen appears to modify these associations, although the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown.

  13. Office-Based Tools and Primary Care Visit Communication, Length, and Preventive Service Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lafata, Jennifer Elston; Shay, L Aubree; Brown, Richard; Street, Richard L

    2016-04-01

    The use of physician office-based tools such as electronic health records (EHRs), health risk appraisal (HRA) instruments, and written patient reminder lists is encouraged to support efficient, high-quality, patient-centered care. We evaluate the association of exam room use of EHRs, HRA instruments, and self-generated written patient reminder lists with patient-physician communication behaviors, recommended preventive health service delivery, and visit length. Observational study of 485 office visits with 64 primary care physicians practicing in a health system serving the Detroit metropolitan area. Study data were obtained from patient surveys, direct observation, office visit audio-recordings, and automated health system records. Outcome measures included visit length in minutes, patient use of active communication behaviors, physician use of supportive talk and partnership-building communication behaviors, and percentage of delivered guideline-recommended preventive health services for which patients are eligible and due. Simultaneous linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between tool use and outcomes. Adjusted models controlled for patient characteristics, physician characteristics, characteristics of the relationship between the patient and physician, and characteristics of the environment in which the visit took place. Prior to adjusting for other factors, visits in which the EHR was used on average were significantly (p communication behaviors facilitating patient involvement (2.1 vs. 2.6 occurrences), but more use of active patient communication behaviors (4.4 vs. 2.6). Likewise, HRA use was significantly associated with increased preventive services delivery (62.1 percent vs. 57.0 percent). All relationships remained significant (p > .05) in adjusted models with the exception of that between HRA use and preventive service delivery. Office-based tools intended to facilitate the implementation of desired primary care practice

  14. Human prenatal diagnosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Filkins, K.; Russo, R.J.

    1985-01-01

    The multiauthor text is written as a ''guide to rationalize and clarify certain aspects of diagnosis, general counseling and intervention'' for ''health professionals who provide care to pregnant women.'' The text is not aimed at the ultrasonographer but rather at the physicians who are clinically responsible for patient management. Chapters of relevance to radiologists include an overview of prenatal screening and counseling, diagnosis of neural tube defects, ultrasonographic (US) scanning of fetal disorders in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, US scanning in the third trimester, multiple gestation and selective termination, fetal echo and Doppler studies, and fetal therapy. Also included are overviews of virtually all currently utilized prenatal diagnostic techniques including amniocentesis, fetal blood sampling, fetoscopy, recombinant DNA detection of hemoglobinopathies, chorionic villus sampling, embryoscopy, legal issues, and diagnosis of Mendelian disorders by DNA analysis

  15. Single versus multiple visits for endodontic treatment of permanent teeth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manfredi, Maddalena; Figini, Lara; Gagliani, Massimo; Lodi, Giovanni

    2016-12-01

    Root canal treatment (RoCT), or endodontic treatment, is a common procedure in dentistry. The main indications for RoCT are irreversible pulpitis and necrosis of the dental pulp caused by carious processes, tooth cracks or chips, or dental trauma. Successful RoCT is characterised by an absence of symptoms (i.e. pain) and clinical signs (i.e. swelling and sinus tract) in teeth without radiographic evidence of periodontal involvement (i.e. normal periodontal ligament). The success of RoCT depends on a number of variables related to the preoperative condition of the tooth, as well as the endodontic procedures. This review updates the previous version published in 2007. To determine whether completion of root canal treatment (RoCT) in a single visit or over two or more visits, with or without medication, makes any difference in term of effectiveness or complications. We searched the following electronic databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 14 June 2016), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the Cochrane Library, 2016, Issue 5), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 14 June 2016), and Embase Ovid (1980 to 14 June 2016). We searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for ongoing trials to 14 June 2016. We did not place any restrictions on the language or date of publication when searching the electronic databases. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs of people needing RoCT. We excluded surgical endodontic treatment. The outcomes of interest were tooth extraction for endodontic problems; radiological failure after at least one year, i.e. periapical radiolucency; postoperative pain; swelling or flare-up; painkiller use; sinus track or fistula formation; and complications (composite outcome including any adverse event). We collected data using a specially designed extraction form. We contacted trial authors for further details where these were unclear. We

  16. Study protocol to assess the effectiveness and safety of a flexible family visitation model for delirium prevention in adult intensive care units: a cluster-randomised, crossover trial (The ICU Visits Study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosa, Regis Goulart; Falavigna, Maicon; Robinson, Caroline Cabral; da Silva, Daiana Barbosa; Kochhann, Renata; de Moura, Rafaela Moraes; Santos, Mariana Martins Siqueira; Sganzerla, Daniel; Giordani, Natalia Elis; Eugênio, Cláudia; Ribeiro, Tarissa; Cavalcanti, Alexandre Biasi; Bozza, Fernando; Azevedo, Luciano Cesar Pontes; Machado, Flávia Ribeiro; Salluh, Jorge Ibrain Figueira; Pellegrini, José Augusto Santos; Moraes, Rafael Barberena; Hochegger, Taís; Amaral, Alexandre; Teles, José Mario Meira; da Luz, Lucas Gobetti; Barbosa, Mirceli Goulart; Birriel, Daniella Cunha; Ferraz, Iris de Lima; Nobre, Vandack; Valentim, Helen Martins; Corrêa E Castro, Livia; Duarte, Péricles Almeida Delfino; Tregnago, Rogério; Barilli, Sofia Louise Santin; Brandão, Nilton; Giannini, Alberto; Teixeira, Cassiano

    2018-04-13

    Flexible intensive care unit (ICU) visiting hours have been proposed as a means to improve patient-centred and family-centred care. However, randomised trials evaluating the effects of flexible family visitation models (FFVMs) are scarce. This study aims to compare the effectiveness and safety of an FFVM versus a restrictive family visitation model (RFVM) on delirium prevention among ICU patients, as well as to analyse its potential effects on family members and ICU professionals. A cluster-randomised crossover trial involving adult ICU patients, family members and ICU professionals will be conducted. Forty medical-surgical Brazilian ICUs with RFVMs (<4.5 hours/day) will be randomly assigned to either an RFVM (visits according to local policies) or an FFVM (visitation during 12 consecutive hours per day) group at a 1:1 ratio. After enrolment and follow-up of 25 patients, each ICU will be switched over to the other visitation model, until 25 more patients per site are enrolled and followed. The primary outcome will be the cumulative incidence of delirium among ICU patients, measured twice a day using the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU. Secondary outcome measures will include daily hazard of delirium, ventilator-free days, any ICU-acquired infections, ICU length of stay and hospital mortality among the patients; symptoms of anxiety and depression and satisfaction among the family members; and prevalence of burnout symptoms among the ICU professionals. Tertiary outcomes will include need for antipsychotic agents and/or mechanical restraints, coma-free days, unplanned loss of invasive devices and ICU-acquired pneumonia, urinary tract infection or bloodstream infection among the patients; self-perception of involvement in patient care among the family members; and satisfaction among the ICU professionals. The study protocol has been approved by the research ethics committee of all participant institutions. We aim to disseminate the findings through

  17. Oregon's Coordinated Care Organizations Increased Timely Prenatal Care Initiation And Decreased Disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muoto, Ifeoma; Luck, Jeff; Yoon, Jangho; Bernell, Stephanie; Snowden, Jonathan M

    2016-09-01

    Policies at the state and federal levels affect access to health services, including prenatal care. In 2012 the State of Oregon implemented a major reform of its Medicaid program. The new model, called a coordinated care organization (CCO), is designed to improve the coordination of care for Medicaid beneficiaries. This reform effort provides an ideal opportunity to evaluate the impact of broad financing and delivery reforms on prenatal care use. Using birth certificate data from Oregon and Washington State, we evaluated the effect of CCO implementation on the probability of early prenatal care initiation, prenatal care adequacy, and disparities in prenatal care use by type of insurance. Following CCO implementation, we found significant increases in early prenatal care initiation and a reduction in disparities across insurance types but no difference in overall prenatal care adequacy. Oregon's reforms could serve as a model for other Medicaid and commercial health plans seeking to improve prenatal care quality and reduce disparities. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

  18. Prenatal x-ray and childhood cancer in twins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harvey, E.B.

    1983-01-01

    In order to evaluate the causal nature of the relationship between prenatal x-ray exposure and childhood cancer, a case control study was conducted in a population of over 32,000 twins born in the state of Connecticut from 1930-1969 and followed to age 15. Thirty-two incident cancer cases were identified by linking the Connecticut Twin and Tumor registries. Each case was matched with four controls on year of birth, sex, race, and survival. Prenatal x-ray information as well as reproductive, delivery and birth data were obtained from the hospital of birth, the physician providing prenatal care, private radiology groups and interviews with hospital staff. The case control study which obtained exposure information on selected subjects found an increased risk of childhood cancer from prenatal x-ray exposure. The risk associated with radiation exposure was elevated in the following subcategories: mother with history of pregnancy loss, a gravity greater than 1, under 30 years of age, and twins weighing five pounds or more at birth. The results, though based on small numbers, strengthen the association between prenatal x-ray exposure and childhood cancer

  19. Prenatal Sonographic Findings of Polysplenic Syndrome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, Jeong Hyun; Suh, Jeong Soo; Lee, Young Ho

    2004-01-01

    We report 6 cases of polysplenic syndrome diagnosed on prenatal sonography. The mean menstrual age at the time of presentation was 275 weeks (range 184 to 38 weeks). All cases were examined using level-II prenatal sonography. The sonographic findings of polysplenic syndrome were retrograde analyzed and compared to the autopsy or postnatal findings. Polysplenia was detected in 5 cases on the prenatal sonography. Associated cardiovascular anomalies were detected in all 6 cases, all of which had more than one anomaly, namely complete atrioventricular septal defect in two cases, double outlet right ventricle combined with rudimentary LV or mitral atresia in two cases and VSD and ASD in one case each. There were three cases of interrupted IVC with azygous continuation of the posterior thorax. Bradycardia was observed in 2 cases, one of which showed AV dissociation of rhythm. Visceral abnormalities were present in all cases and there were combined anomalies such as echogenic bowel, pelviectasia, horseshoe kidney, and posterior neck cystic hygroma and fetal hydrops. Four cases terminated pregnancy. The autopsy results of 2 cases were comparable to those of the prenatal sonography, however autopsies were not performed in 2 cases. One fetus near term was delivered and the baby subsequently underwent heart surgery and was still alive at the last follow-up. The remaining one case was lost to follow-up. If multiple fetal anomalies, including complex heart disease and polysplenia, are detected in the prenatal sonography, a diagnosis of polysplenic syndrome can be made. IVC interruption with azygous continuation can also be helpful in the diagnosis of polysplenic syndrome, and this can be observed by detecting the double vessel of the posterior thorax

  20. Ultrasonographic features of prenatal testicular torsion: Case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elif Ağaçayak

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Although prenatal testicular torsion (PNTT is rarely observed,it is an important condition that can cause bilateralvanishing testis. Generally, PNTT cases observed asextravaginal torsion and treatment is emergency surgicalop-eration. In this article, 39 week presented a case diagnosedin the prenatal testicular torsion. PNTT diagnosiswas confirmed by Doppler ultrasonography and emergencysurgery was performed. Extravaginal left testiculartorsion gangrene and necrosis of the testis was observedin the operation. Left orchiectomy was performed andintrauter-ine ultrasonographic diagnosis was found to becorrect.Key words: Testicular torsion, prenatal diagnosis, features,ultrasonography

  1. Short Bi-Iliac Distance in Prenatal Ullrich-Turner Syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hartling, Ulla B.; Hansen, Birgit Fischer; Keeling, Jean W.

    2002-01-01

    prenatal; Ullrich-Turner syndrome; pelvis; iliac bone; vertebral column; X chromosome; anthropometry; radiography......prenatal; Ullrich-Turner syndrome; pelvis; iliac bone; vertebral column; X chromosome; anthropometry; radiography...

  2. Prenatal Care: A Content-Based ESL Curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassel, Elissa Anne

    A content-based curriculum in English as a Second Language (ESL) focusing on prenatal self-care is presented. The course was designed as a solution to the problem of inadequate prenatal care for limited-English-proficient Mexican immigrant women. The first three sections offer background information on and discussion of (1) content-based ESL…

  3. Pai syndrome: challenging prenatal diagnosis and management

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blouet, Marie [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Caen, Department of Radiology, Caen (France); University of Lower Normandie, Caen (France); Belloy, Frederique [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Caen, Department of Radiology, Caen (France); Jeanne-Pasquier, Corinne [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Caen, Department of Pathology, Caen (France); Leporrier, Nathalie [University of Lower Normandie, Caen (France); Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Caen, Department of Genetics, Caen (France); Benoist, Guillaume [University of Lower Normandie, Caen (France); Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Pole Femmes-Enfants, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Caen (France)

    2014-09-15

    Pai syndrome is a rare disorder that includes midline cleft lip, pericallosal lipoma and cutaneous polyp of the face. We report a case of prenatal diagnosis using sonography and MRI. We emphasize the importance of facial examination with prenatal association of midline cleft lip and pericallosal lipoma in making the diagnosis of Pai syndrome. (orig.)

  4. Visit-to-visit blood pressure variability as a prognostic marker in patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases--relationships and comparisons with vascular markers of atherosclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Kui Kai; Wong, Yuen Kwun; Chan, Yap Hang; Teo, Kay Cheong; Chan, Koon Ho; Wai Li, Leonard Sheung; Cheung, Raymond Tak Fai; Siu, Chung Wah; Ho, Shu Leong; Tse, Hung Fat

    2014-07-01

    Visit-to-visit blood pressure variability (BPV) is a simple surrogate marker for the development of atherosclerotic diseases, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Nevertheless, the relative prognostic value of BPV in comparison with other established vascular assessments remain uncertain. We prospectively followed-up 656 high-risk patients with diabetes or established cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases for the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Baseline brachial endothelial function, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque burden, ankle-brachial index and arterial stiffness were determined. Visit-to-visit BPV were recorded during a mean 18 ± 9 outpatient clinic visits. After a mean 81 ± 12 month's follow-up, 123 patients (19%) developed MACEs. Patients who developed a MACE had significantly higher systolic BPV, more severe endothelial function, arterial stiffness and systemic atherosclerotic burden compared to patients who did not develop a MACE (all Parea under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.69 ± 0.03, PAUC 0.65 ± 0.03, P<0.01). After adjustment of confounding factors, a high BPV remained a significant independent predictor of MACE (hazards ratio 1.67, 95% confidence interval 1.14-2.43, P<0.01). Compared with established surrogate markers of atherosclerosis, visit-to-visit BPV provides similar prognostic information and may represent a new and simple marker for adverse outcomes in patients with vascular diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Association Between Home Visit Programs and Emergency Preparedness Among Elderly Vulnerable People in New South Wales, Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. Kathy Tannous PhD

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the association between home visit programs and emergency preparedness among elderly vulnerable people in New South Wales, Australia. Method: The study used data acquired from an intervention program run by emergency agencies and consisted of 370 older people. Seven emergency outcome measures were examined by adjusting for key demographic factors, using a generalized estimating equation model, to examine the association between home visit programs and emergency preparedness. Results: The study revealed that knowledge demonstrated by participants during visits and post home visits showed significant improvements in the seven emergency outcome measures. The odds of finding out what emergencies might affect one’s area were significantly lower among older participants who were born outside Australia and those who were women. Discussion: The findings suggest that the intervention via home visits and periodic reminders post these visits may be a useful intervention in improving emergency preparedness among older people, especially among men and those who were born outside of Australia. In addition, other reminders such as safety messaging via mobile or landline telephone calls may also be a supplementary and useful intervention to improve emergency preparedness among older people.

  6. Increased reproductive success of women after prenatal undernutrition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Painter, Rebecca C.; Westendorp, Rudi G. J.; de Rooij, Susanne R.; Osmond, Clive; Barker, David J. P.; Roseboom, Tessa J.

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine is associated with an increased risk of chronic degenerative disease. We now investigate whether prenatal famine exposure affected reproductive success. METHODS: We assessed reproductive success (number of children, number of twins, age at delivery,

  7. Presenting the Prenatal Caregiving Experiences Questionnaire

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Røhder, Katrine; Trier, Christopher Høier; Brennan, Jessica

    to the child´s attachment system. The Prenatal Caregiving Experiences Questionnaire (PCEQ) (Brennan, George, & Solomon, 2013) is the first questionnaire that directly assesses prenatal caregiving representation. This poster presentation brings together different researchers who use the instrument in ongoing...... longitudinal research projects. The poster includes a description of the development of the PCEQ questionnaire, the theoretical background, as well as preliminary data on future mothers and fathers from the WARM study....

  8. Prenatal diagnosis and perinatal management of congenital hydrocephalus using MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamada, Hiromi; Koresawa, Mitsuhiko; Kubo, Takeshi

    1990-01-01

    We studied congenital hydrocephalus in 14 patients who were diagnosed prenatally. As a result, we obtained the following insights concerning the prenatal diagnosis by MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and perinatal management of congenital hydrocephalus. Accurate diagnosis of congenital hydrocephalus was impossible prenatally by two-dimensional ultrasonography or computed tomography alone in some patients. MRI was useful for accurate prenatal diagnosis. Problem of MRI in prenatal diagnosis included deterioration of the image by fetal movements and safety concern over the fetus. The cause of hydrocephalus, complicated anomaly, cerebral cortical thickness, and gestational age must be considered in the perinatal management of congenital hydrocephalus. There appeared to be a chance of recovery to a certain extent from thinning of cerebral cortex by decompression in a patient in whom dilation of cerebral ventricles progressed rapidly. (author)

  9. [Recent advances in prenatal diagnostics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lapaire, O; Holzgreve, W; Miny, P; Hösli, I; Hahn, S; Tercanli, S

    2006-11-01

    During the last years, technical improvements have increased the possibilities in prenatal ultrasound. During the eighties and nineties, fetal malformations were increasingly detected and specified. Since a few years, the measurement of the fetal nuchal translucency between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation has been implemented to calculate the individual risk, in combination with most recent biochemical markers. Today, the sonographic measurement of the nuchal translucency is regarded as a valuable screening tool for chromosomal anomalies in prenatal medicine. Beside standardized examinations, a profound information and counseling of the pregnant women should be emphasized. With the improvement of the specific maternal risk calculation, using the sonographic measurement of the nuchal translucency, the biochemical markers and the maternal age, unnecessary invasive examinations may be prevented and their overall number can significantly be reduced. The same trend is seen in the whole field of prenatal medicine, illustrated by the detection of the fetal rhesus D status from the maternal blood and the use of Doppler ultrasound in the management of fetal anemia.

  10. Prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid status : the importance of a balanced intake of docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hadders-Algra, Mijna

    2008-01-01

    This review addresses the effect of prenatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) status on neuro-developmental outcome. It focuses on the major LPCUFA doxosahexaenoic acid (DNA; 22:6 omega 3) and arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4 omega 6). Due to enzymatic competition high DHA intake results in

  11. Beyond informed choice: Prenatal risk assessment, decision-making and trust

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nete Schwennesen

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available In 2004 prenatal risk assessment (PRA was implemented as a routine offer to all pregnant women in Denmark. It was argued that primarily the new programme would give all pregnant women an informed choice about whether to undergo prenatal testing. On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork in an ultrasound clinic in Denmark and interviews with pregnant women and their partners, we call into question the assumption underlying the new guidelines that more choice and more objective information is a source of empowerment and control. We focus on one couple's experience of PRA. This case makes it evident how supposed choices in the context of PRA may not be experienced as such. Rather, they are experienced as complicated processes of meaning-making in the relational space between the clinical setting, professional authority and the social life of the couples. PRA users are reluctant to make choices and abandon health professionals as authoritative experts in the face of complex risk knowledge. When assumptions about autonomy and self-determination are inscribed into the social practice of PRA, authority is transferred to the couple undergoing PRA and a new configuration of responsibility evolves between the couple and their relationship to the foetus. It is argued that al-though the new programme of prenatal testing in Denmark presents itself in opposition to quasi-eugenic and paternalistic forms of governing couples' decisions it represents another form of government that works through the notion of choice. An ethics of a shared responsibility of PRA and its outcome would be more in agreement with how decisions are actually made.http://dx.doi.org/10.5324/eip.v2i1.1687

  12. Visiting the Site of Death: Experiences of the Bereaved after the 2004 Southeast Asian Tsunami

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kristensen, Pal; Tonnessen, Arnfinn; Weisaeth, Lars; Heir, Trond

    2012-01-01

    The authors examined how many bereaved relatives of Norwegian tourists who perished in the 2004 Southeast Asian Tsunami had visited the site of death and the most important outcome from the visit. We conducted in-depth interviews (n = 110) and used self-report questionnaires (Impact of Event Scale--Revised, Inventory of Complicated Grief, and…

  13. Centering Pregnancy and Traditional Prenatal Care: A Comparison of Health Practices

    OpenAIRE

    Shakespear, Kaylynn

    2008-01-01

    Centering Pregnancy is an alternative method of providing prenatal care with increased education and social support with health assessment in a group setting. This study, a cross-sectional, correlational, convenience-sample design, sought to determine the difference between women who receive prenatal care in Centering Pregnancy prenatal care and those in traditional prenatal care in regards to health behaviors. Adult pregnant women (n = 125) were surveyed from at least 28 weeks gestation. The...

  14. Prenatal Fluoride Exposure and Cognitive Outcomes in Children at 4 and 6-12 Years of Age in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bashash, Morteza; Thomas, Deena; Hu, Howard; Martinez-Mier, E Angeles; Sanchez, Brisa N; Basu, Niladri; Peterson, Karen E; Ettinger, Adrienne S; Wright, Robert; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Liu, Yun; Schnaas, Lourdes; Mercado-García, Adriana; Téllez-Rojo, Martha María; Hernández-Avila, Mauricio

    2017-09-19

    Some evidence suggests that fluoride may be neurotoxic to children. Few of the epidemiologic studies have been longitudinal, had individual measures of fluoride exposure, addressed the impact of prenatal exposures or involved more than 100 participants. Our aim was to estimate the association of prenatal exposure to fluoride with offspring neurocognitive development. We studied participants from the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) project. An ion-selective electrode technique was used to measure fluoride in archived urine samples taken from mothers during pregnancy and from their children when 6-12 y old, adjusted for urinary creatinine and specific gravity, respectively. Child intelligence was measured by the General Cognitive Index (GCI) of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities at age 4 and full scale intelligence quotient (IQ) from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) at age 6-12. We had complete data on 299 mother-child pairs, of whom 287 and 211 had data for the GCI and IQ analyses, respectively. Mean (SD) values for urinary fluoride in all of the mothers (n=299) and children with available urine samples (n=211) were 0.90 (0.35) mg/L and 0.82 (0.38) mg/L, respectively. In multivariate models we found that an increase in maternal urine fluoride of 0.5mg/L (approximately the IQR) predicted 3.15 (95% CI: -5.42, -0.87) and 2.50 (95% CI -4.12, -0.59) lower offspring GCI and IQ scores, respectively. In this study, higher prenatal fluoride exposure, in the general range of exposures reported for other general population samples of pregnant women and nonpregnant adults, was associated with lower scores on tests of cognitive function in the offspring at age 4 and 6-12 y. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP655.

  15. Perceptions about prenatal care: views of urban vulnerable groups

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hatcher Barbara

    2002-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the United States, infant mortality rates remain more than twice as high for African Americans as compared to other racial groups. Lack of adherence to prenatal care schedules in vulnerable, hard to reach, urban, poor women is associated with high infant mortality, particularly for women who abuse substances, are homeless, or live in communities having high poverty and high infant mortality. This issue is of concern to the women, their partners, and members of their communities. Because they are not part of the system, these womens' views are often not included in other studies. Methods This qualitative study used focus groups with four distinct categories of people, to collect observations about prenatal care from various perspectives. The 169 subjects included homeless women; women with current or history of substance abuse; significant others of homeless women; and residents of a community with high infant mortality and poverty indices, and low incidence of adequate prenatal care. A process of coding and recoding using Ethnograph and counting ensured reliability and validity of the process of theme identification. Results Barriers and motivators to prenatal care were identified in focus groups. Pervasive issues identified were drug lifestyle, negative attitudes of health care providers and staff, and non-inclusion of male partners in the prenatal experience. Conclusions Designing prenatal care relevant to vulnerable women in urban communities takes creativity, thoughtfulness, and sensitivity. System changes recommended include increased attention to substance abuse treatment/prenatal care interaction, focus on provider/staff attitudes, and commitment to inclusion of male partners.

  16. Terminating pregnancy after prenatal diagnosis--with a little help of professional ethics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitz, Dagmar

    2012-07-01

    Termination of pregnancy after a certain gestational age and following prenatal diagnosis, in many nations seem to be granted with a special status to the extent that they by law have to be discussed within a predominantly medical context and have physicians as third parties involved in the decision-making process ('indication-based' approach). The existing legal frameworks for indication-based approaches, however, do frequently fail to provide clear guidance for the involved physicians. Critics, therefore, asked for professional ethics and professional institutions in order to provide normative guidance for the physicians in termination of pregnancy on medical grounds. After outlining the clinical pathway in an indication-based approach and the involved types of (clinical) judgements, this paper draws upon different understandings of professional ethics in order to explore their potential to provide normative guidance in termination of pregnancy on medical grounds. The analysis reveals that professional ethics will not suffice-neither as a set of established norms nor as internal morality-in order to determine the normative framework of indication-based approaches on termination of pregnancy. In addition, there seem to be considerable inconsistencies regarding the target and outcome between prenatal testing on the one hand and following termination of pregnancy on the other hand. A source of morality external to medicine has to be the basis of evaluation if a consistent and workable normative framework for termination of pregnancy and prenatal testing should be established.

  17. Prenatal stress may increase vulnerability to life events

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hougaard, Karin S; Andersen, Maibritt B; Kjaer, Sanna L

    2005-01-01

    Prenatal stress has been associated with a variety of alterations in the offspring. The presented observations suggest that rather than causing changes in the offspring per se, prenatal stress may increase the organism's vulnerability to aversive life events. Offspring of rat dams stressed...

  18. Ovarian cysts on prenatal MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nemec, Ursula; Nemec, Stefan F.; Bettelheim, Dieter; Brugger, Peter C.; Horcher, Ernst; Schöpf, Veronika; Graham, John M.; Rimoin, David L.; Weber, Michael; Prayer, Daniela

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Ovarian cysts are the most frequently encountered intra-abdominal masses in females in utero. They may, at times, require perinatal intervention. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an adjunct to ultrasonography (US) in prenatal diagnosis, we sought to demonstrate the ability to visualize ovarian cysts on prenatal MRI. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 17 fetal MRI scans from 16 female fetuses (23–37 gestational weeks) with an MRI diagnosis of ovarian cysts after suspicious US findings. A multiplanar MRI protocol was applied to image and to characterize the cysts. The US and MRI findings were compared, and the prenatal findings were compared with postnatal imaging findings or histopathology. Results: Simple ovarian cysts were found in 10/16 cases and complex cysts in 7/16 cases, including one case with both. In 11/16 (69%) cases, US and MRI diagnoses were in agreement, and, in 5/16 (31%) cases, MRI specified or expanded the US diagnosis. In 6/16 cases, postnatal US showed that the cysts spontaneously resolved or decreased in size, and in 1/16 cases, postnatal imaging confirmed a hemorrhagic cyst. In 4/16 cases, the prenatal diagnoses were confirmed by surgery/histopathology, and for the rest, postnatal correlation was not available. Conclusion: Our results illustrate the MRI visualization of ovarian cysts in utero. In most cases, MRI will confirm the US diagnosis. In certain cases, MRI may provide further diagnostic information, additional to US, which is the standard technique for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment planning.

  19. Ovarian cysts on prenatal MRI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nemec, Ursula [Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Nemec, Stefan F., E-mail: stefan.nemec@meduniwien.ac.at [Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Medical Genetics Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, PACT Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); Bettelheim, Dieter [Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Brugger, Peter C. [Center of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Integrative Morphology Group, Medical University Vienna, Waehringerstrasse 13, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Horcher, Ernst [Department of Pediatric Surgery, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Schoepf, Veronika [Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Graham, John M.; Rimoin, David L. [Medical Genetics Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, PACT Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (United States); Weber, Michael; Prayer, Daniela [Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria)

    2012-08-15

    Objective: Ovarian cysts are the most frequently encountered intra-abdominal masses in females in utero. They may, at times, require perinatal intervention. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as an adjunct to ultrasonography (US) in prenatal diagnosis, we sought to demonstrate the ability to visualize ovarian cysts on prenatal MRI. Materials and methods: This retrospective study included 17 fetal MRI scans from 16 female fetuses (23-37 gestational weeks) with an MRI diagnosis of ovarian cysts after suspicious US findings. A multiplanar MRI protocol was applied to image and to characterize the cysts. The US and MRI findings were compared, and the prenatal findings were compared with postnatal imaging findings or histopathology. Results: Simple ovarian cysts were found in 10/16 cases and complex cysts in 7/16 cases, including one case with both. In 11/16 (69%) cases, US and MRI diagnoses were in agreement, and, in 5/16 (31%) cases, MRI specified or expanded the US diagnosis. In 6/16 cases, postnatal US showed that the cysts spontaneously resolved or decreased in size, and in 1/16 cases, postnatal imaging confirmed a hemorrhagic cyst. In 4/16 cases, the prenatal diagnoses were confirmed by surgery/histopathology, and for the rest, postnatal correlation was not available. Conclusion: Our results illustrate the MRI visualization of ovarian cysts in utero. In most cases, MRI will confirm the US diagnosis. In certain cases, MRI may provide further diagnostic information, additional to US, which is the standard technique for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment planning.

  20. Expectations and satisfaction of pregnant women: unveiling prenatal care in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aparecida Maciel Cardelli, Alexandrina; Li Marrero, Tai; Aparecida Pimenta Ferrari, Rosângela; Trevisan Martins, Júlia; Serafim, Deise

    2016-06-01

    To analyze the perception of primiparous women about prenatal care in Basic Health Units in a municipality in southern Brazil. This is a qualitative research from the perspective of Social Representation Theory, from the following question: How has been the pre-natal care for you? Eighteen pregnant women were interviewed. The analysis resulted in three categories: Expectation representation about prenatal care; Rescuing the care offered in prenatal consultation; Unveiling the (dis) satisfaction with prenatal consultation. The prenatal care was apprehended as an essential moment for safe pregnancy, although centered on the doctor's figure and guarantee access to early laboratory and imaging tests. On the other hand, dissatisfaction was revealed from the reception at the entrance to the health unit to the consultations access, although some statements suggest timely satisfaction. Prenatal care did not meet the specific expectations of the study group and unveiled that the nurse did not supply it, as a member of the multidisciplinary team. The organization of the nursing work process in primary care, related to prenatal care, needs to be revisited to promote the effectiveness of its actions.