scholarly journals Predictors of Birthweight in Healthy Women Attending A Rural Antenatal Clinic

Author(s):  
Mathule MSL ◽  
Kennedy T ◽  
Gates G ◽  
Maria T Spicer

Birthweight is important to infant survival and the later health of a child. To promote optimum birthweight, in an environment that is vulnerable to seasonal food shortages, it is important to understand the relationship between birthweight and exposure to the hungry season. The objective of this study was to determine seasonal effects on birthweight and examined the ability of maternal and seasonal variables to predict birthweight in this cohort. The study was conducted at Scott Hospital-Morija which services rural communities in Lesotho. Women with normal healthy pregnancies without complications, with a clinic attendance of five or more times, who had full term singleton infants were included. Information including infant’s date of birth, infant’s birthweight and length, monthly maternal weights, and date of first and last antenatal visit were systematically and retrospectively extracted from 477 Antenatal Clinic (ANC) records covering a period of three years from May 1998 to April 2001. There were 252 male infants with mean birthweight of 3169g ± 420 and 225 female infants with mean birthweight of 3297g ± 436. A seasonal pattern was observed with a significant difference (p<0.05) between the mean birthweights in the December and January hungry season (3100g ± 70) and the mean birthweights in March, April, August and September (3310g ± 70). First trimester exposure to the hungry season had a tendency to correlate with birthweight (p<0.10). Third trimester exposure to the hungry season had a significant negative (r = - 0.106, p<0.05) relationship with birthweight. The best predictors of birthweight were maternal parity (p=0.0001), last pregnancy weight (p=0.0001) and exposure to the hungry season in the third trimester (p=0.022) with the first trimester (p=0.056) of pregnancy approaching significance. Thus, length of exposure to the hungry season is important in determining pregnancy outcomes. The regression model including last pregnancy weight, maternal parity and exposure to the hungry season in the third trimester explained 12.2% of the variance in birth weight (p=0.017). Increased surveillance of primigravid women, promoting pregnancy weight gain for optimal infant weight at term and supplementation during the hungry season are recommended.

Author(s):  
Masoomeh Shirzaiy ◽  
Zohreh Dalirsani

Abstract Objectives During pregnancy, systemic physiological alterations lead to some changes in the oral cavity, which could prepare the mouth environment for oral and dental problems. This study was aimed to investigate salivary α-amylase, sialic acid levels, and pH levels in pregnant and nonpregnant females. Materials and Methods In this analytical, case–control study, unstimulated saliva samples were collected with spiting method from 35 pregnant women (case group) and 35 nonpregnant women (control group) and transferred to the laboratory to assess salivary α-amylase, sialic acid, and pH levels. Data were analyzed by SPSS (version: 19) software through statistical methods of independent t-test and analysis of variance. Results The mean sialic acid levels were 2.285 ± 1.230 mg/dL in pregnant and 2.744 ± 1.326 in nonpregnant women without any significant difference (p = 0.138). The mean salivary α-amylase concentrations were 2.461 ± 1.869 U/L and 2.439 ± 2.058 U/L, respectively, in pregnant and nonpregnant women, with no significant difference (p = 0.963).The mean salivary pH in nonpregnant women was significantly more than that in pregnant women (7.845 ± 0.430 and 6.868 ± 0.413, respectively) (p < 0.001). Also, the mean salivary pH levels in pregnant women were 7.474 ± 0.420 in the first trimester, 6.868 ± 0.413 in the second trimester, and 6.568 ± 0.387 in the third trimester, which were significantly different (p < 0.001). Conclusion Salivary sialic acid and α-amylase levels among pregnant women were no different from those of other subjects. During pregnancy, the salivary pH significantly reduced, and the mean salivary pH during pregnancy had a decreasing trend from the first trimester to the third trimester.


2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-265
Author(s):  
Monica Vereş ◽  
Aurel Babeş ◽  
Szidonia Lacziko

Abstract Background and aims: Gestational diabetes represents a form of diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy that is not clearly overt diabetes. In the last trimester of gestation the growth of fetoplacental unit takes place, thus maternal hyperglycemia will determine an increased transplacental passage, hyperinsulinemia and fetal macrosomia. The aim of our study was that o analyzing the effect of maternal glycemia from the last trimester of pregnancy over fetal weight. Material and method: We run an observational study on a group of 46 pregnant women taken into evidence from the first trimester of pregnancy, separated in two groups according to blood glucose determined in the third trimester (before birth): group I normoglycemic and group II with hyperglycemia (>92mg/dl). Results: The mean value of third trimester glycemia for the entire group was of 87.13±22.03. The mean value of the glycemia determined in the third trimester of pregnancy was higher in the second group (109.17 mg/dl) in comparison to the first group (74.,21 mg/dl). The ROC curve for third trimester glycemia as fetal macrosomia appreciation test has an AUC of 0.517. Conclusions: Glycemia determined in the last trimester of pregnancy cannot be used alone as the predictive factor for fetal macrosomia.


Author(s):  
Maryam Hasani ◽  
Afsaneh Keramat ◽  
Raziyeh Maasoumi ◽  
Maryam Farjamfar ◽  
Masud Yunesian ◽  
...  

Objectives: Sexual life may change during pregnancy. Due to negative attitudes toward having sex, unpleasant feeling, and fear of several issues, women might avoid vaginal intercourse during pregnancy. Therefore, the present systematic review aimed to investigate the frequency of vaginal intercourse in pregnancy. Materials and Methods: Comprehensive literature review was conducted to find the relevant articles published (from December 1990 to April 2018) on the issue including observational studies (e.g., cross-sectional and cohort studies) that certainly determined the mean frequency of vaginal sex throughout pregnancy. In this regard, online international databases such as ISI, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Google Scholar were independently explored and checked by two authors. Duplicate articles were removed by the EndNote X7 Reference Manager. The results were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software. The P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Totally, after excluding the duplicate and irrelevant articles based on having the mean frequency of vaginal intercourse during pregnancy, 13 articles were obtained. The range of vaginal intercourse frequency varied from 6.01 to 21 times every month pre-pregnancy, 3.67-9.87 times monthly in the first trimester, 2.78-7.21 times monthly in the second trimester, and 1.35-5.9 times monthly in the third trimester. Five out of the 13 selected articles reporting the mean and standard deviation were entered the current meta-analysis. The frequency of vaginal intercourse was obtained 7.75 (7.13-8.38) times monthly prior to pregnancy, 4.16 (3.86-4.46) times in the first trimester, 6.37 (5.60-7.14) times monthly in the second trimester, and 1.81 (1.49-2.13) times monthly in the third trimester. Conclusions: Generally, the frequency of vaginal intercourse decreased in the first trimester while increasing in the second trimester. However, a sharp decline was observed between the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.


2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 810-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Popovic ◽  
Franca Rusconi ◽  
Daniela Zugna ◽  
Claudia Galassi ◽  
Franco Merletti ◽  
...  

The role of prenatal antibiotic exposure in the development of childhood wheezing is debated. We evaluated whether this association could potentially be explained by confounding factors.Antibiotic use in the first and third trimester of pregnancy, wheezing in children aged ≤18 months and confounding factors were assessed in singletons participating in the NINFEA (Nascita e Infanzia: gli Effetti dell'Ambiente) birth cohort (n=3530 for first-trimester exposure and n=3985 for third-trimester exposure).There was no evidence of an association between antibiotic exposure in the first trimester of pregnancy and ever-wheezing (adjusted risk ratio (RR) 1.02, 95% CI 0.80–1.30) or recurrent wheezing (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.54–1.82). For the third-trimester exposure, the crude RRs (95% CI) of ever-wheezing and recurrent wheezing were 1.34 (1.10–1.64) and 2.72 (1.80–4.11), respectively, which decreased to 1.12 (0.90–1.39) and 2.09 (1.32–3.29) after adjustment. The RRs of wheezing after genitourinary infections during pregnancy were increased independently of antibiotic treatment.In conclusion, the association between prenatal antibiotic exposure and infant wheezing could be largely explained by confounding factors, in particular respiratory infections during pregnancy. An excess risk of wheezing after antibiotic exposure during the third trimester of pregnancy remains after adjustment.


2020 ◽  
pp. 60-68
Author(s):  
E. O. Bamisaye ◽  
M. A. Okungbowa ◽  
D. T. Alade ◽  
O. Brown- West ◽  
G. T. Oluwasuji

Aim: This study evaluated D-dimer level in pregnant and non-pregnant women in Southwestern Nigeria in order to provide more information on the concentration and liable risks in this region. Study Design: This is a cross sectional study where convenience sampling method was applied in sample collection. Place and Duration of Study: Blood samples were collected from pregnant women             attending the antenatal clinics of Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-Ekiti (FETHI), Ekiti; Federal                Medical Centre (FMC), Owo; and LAUTECH Teaching Hospital (LTH), Osogbo in Southwestern Nigeria. Methodology: Exactly three hundred pregnant (300) and one hundred and fifty (150) apparently healthy non pregnant women were recruited for this study. The blood samples were analysed for haematocrit (HCT) and platelet count using Sysmex KX-2IN (Japan); prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) by Diagen reagents (Diagnostic Ltd., UK); the international normalized ratio (INR) was calculated from the PT results; and D-dimer quantitative assay using Tina Quant Gen 2 on Cobas C111 (Roche). Data analysis was performed using IBM-SPSS version 25.0; mean and standard deviation was used to summarize continuous variables and descriptive and Inferential statistical tests were employed with level of statistical significance was determined at p<0.05. Results: The mean D-dimer levels were significantly higher in the pregnant women (0.87 ± 1.00 ugFEU/ml) than in controls (0.31 ± 0.22 ugFEU/ml) with 42% of the pregnant population having elevated concentration while the mean PT, INR and HCT were significantly higher in controls than the subjects (p<0.05).Furthermore, the HCT, platelet, PT and INR were observed to be highest at first trimester; 36.04±5.09 (L/L), 182.72±35.11 (x109/L), 11.80±1.86 (seconds) and 0.35±0.15 respectively, decreasing across the second and the third trimester. On the other hand, the D-dimer and APTT increased exponentially from the first trimester; 0.42±0.18 (ugFEU/ml) and 30.80±3.30 (seconds), through the second and third trimesters respectively (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study shows a significant increase in D-dimer in the pregnant subjects when compared with the control and an exponential increase in the third trimester, also a significant reduction in some other baseline coagulation profile hence depicting D-dimer as a notable significant marker of coagulation and fibrinolysis. This therefore emphasizes the hypercoagulable state of pregnancy and a need for adequate monitoring.


Author(s):  
Wendy Chinwe Oliobi ◽  
Johnbosco Ifunanya Nwafor ◽  
Arinze Chidiebere Ikeotuonye ◽  
Nnenna Assumpta Nweke ◽  
Bridget Nkiruka Uche Nwidagu ◽  
...  

Background: Antenatal care is a core component of safe motherhood initiative and it helps indirectly in reducing maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Despite the obvious benefits of antenatal care, utilization of this service is very poor in our environment. Therefore, this study sought to assess the gestational age at booking, the reason for booking and determine the factors responsible for late booking among antenatal attendees at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted 5th May 2016 and 10th June 2016 among 258 consecutive pregnant women who presented for booking at the antenatal clinic of the hospital, using self-administered, pre-tested questionnaires. Statistical analysis was done using Epi Info 7.2.1.Results: The mean gestational age at booking was 21.5±4.8 weeks. The mean age of the respondents was 28.2±3.8 years while the mean parity was 1.5±1.6 years. Most of the women booked after the first trimester of pregnancy, only 61(24.8%) of the respondents booked in the first trimester of pregnancy. Majority of the women had no problem at booking 36.7%. Women aged 20-34 years booked late compared to women aged less than 20 years and those above 34 years and the difference was statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference in maternal parity, education, marital status and religion with regards timing of booking. However, women who were sick during the first trimester were more likely to book early as well as women who booked early in their previous pregnancy.Conclusions: Late booking was common in our environment. There is an urgent need for increase awareness of the benefits of early booking to pregnancy outcome.


Author(s):  
Abdelgadir Ali Elmugadam ◽  
Marwan Ismail ◽  
Abdelgadir Eltom

Background: Pregnancy is a major endocrine event in the female lifespan, involving wide-ranged and often dramatic changes in the metabolism of various hormones. Cross sectional, case control, analytical quantitative study was conducted in Sudan, Khartoum state in Yastabsheron obstetric hospital during the period from March to August 2011. Analytical and statistical methods were applied to measure the concentration of A1c% in healthy pregnant women as well as in healthy non-pregnant women to assess the difference in the results.Methods: Blood samples were taken from a total of 90 healthy pregnant women (case group) and 30 healthy non-pregnant women (control group), then samples were analyzed for A1c% by using affinity chromatography technique, and results were recorded in addition to their age, body mass index and the number of pregnancies.Results: showed that, the mean concentration of the A1c% in cases group was (4.407±1.054%) in first trimester, (4.797±0.631) % in second trimester and (4.833±0.626) % in third trimester, and (5.670±0.471%) in control group with a P value of 0.00, indicating the highly significant difference between the two groups. Others finding showed that the mean concentration of A1c% of the first trimester is lower than that of the second and third trimesters, also there was no significant difference between the mean concentration of the second and third trimester. A significant weak positive correlation between A1c% concentration with body mass index and the age of pregnant women.Conclusions: Healthy normal pregnant women have lower A1c% concentrations than non-pregnant women which can be impute to the reduce in plasma glucose values and to the shortened erythrocyte life span that can occur during pregnancy. The body mass index and age affect the concentration of A1c% c, but it is not affected by gravida.


2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-45
Author(s):  
Gülşen Doğan Durdağ ◽  
Şafak Yılmaz Baran ◽  
Songül Alemdaroğlu ◽  
Hakan Kalaycı ◽  
Seda Yüksel Şimşek ◽  
...  

Objective Progesterone, which is necessary for maintenance of pregnancy, is secreted by corpus luteum until 10 weeks of gestation, and is produced from the placenta afterwards. Aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of serum progesterone concentrations measured in 6–8 weeks and 12 weeks of gestation with the parameters that may demonstrate placental dysfunction in the third trimester. Methods Relationship of the progesterone values measured at 6–8 weeks and 12 weeks of gestation with indicators of placental dysfunction, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm delivery and low birth weight, were evaluated. Furthermore, based on a previous study, two groups with progesterone levels below and above 11 ng/mL in early pregnancy were formed, and the difference between these groups regarding gestational outcomes were investigated. Results Progesterone concentrations at 6–8 and 12 weeks of gestation were not significantly different between the subgroups with and without gestational complications indicating placental dysfunction (p>0.05 for all parameters). As for the two groups, significant difference was not found in terms of third trimester complications due to progesterone cut-off of 11 ng/mL at 6-8 weeks of gestation. Conclusion In this study, we did not find progesterone values measured at early and late first trimester periods to be associated with placental dysfunction in the third trimester. Also, we did not validate a previously suggested threshold value to predict gestational outcome. Therefore, routine first trimester progesterone screening in guiding pregnancy follow-up may not be appropriate.


Author(s):  
Eva C. Böckmann ◽  
E. S. Debus ◽  
R. T. Grundmann

Abstract Purpose The publication activity of 38 German general/visceral surgery university departments, documented by first or last authorship from staff surgeons (chief and consultants), was evaluated. Methods The observation period extended from 2007 to 2017 and all PubMed-listed publications were considered. Impact factor (IF) was evaluated through the publishing journal’s 5-year IF in 2016, as was the IF for each individual publication. Ranking was expressed in quartiles. Results The staff surgeons of the 38 departments comprised 442 surgeons, of which only 351 (79.4%) were active as first or last authors. Four thousand six hundred and ninety-nine publications published in 702 journals were recorded. The four leading departments in publication number published as much as the last 20 departments (1330 vs. 1336 publications, respectively). The mean of the first (most active) department quartile was 19.6 publications, the second 15.4, the third 11.0, and the last quartile 7.6 per publishing surgeon. The total cumulative impact factor was 14,130. When examining the mean number of publications per publishing surgeons per the 10 year period, the mean of the first quartile was 57.9 cumulative IF, the second 45.0, the third 29.5, and the fourth quartile 17.1. With 352 (7.5%) publications, the most frequently used journal was Chirurg, followed by Langenbeck’s Archives of Surgery with 274 (5.8%) publications. Pancreas-related topics led in terms of publication number and IF generated per individual publication. Conclusion A significant difference in publication performance of individual departments was apparent that cannot be explained by staff number. This indicates that there are as yet unknown factors responsible for minor publication activity in many university departments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Xia Zhang ◽  
Ning Dong ◽  
Rui-Xia Yang ◽  
Ang Li ◽  
Xuan-Mei Luo ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesGestational thrombocytopenia (GT) is the most common cause of thrombocytopenia during pregnancy. However, the occurrence and severity of thrombocytopenia throughout pregnancy in Chinese women are not fully defined.MethodsWe analyzed platelet counts in Chinese women who received prenatal care and/or delivered at the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University between January 2, 2018 and July 19, 2018 in China. These platelet counts were compared with those of nonpregnant women in the same study period.ResultsThe platelet counts of all women continued to decrease significantly each trimester (p < 0.0001). The mean platelet counts of the 818 women who had pregnancy-related complications were lower than those of the 796 women who had uncomplicated pregnancies during the third trimester (p = 0.047). At the time of delivery, platelet counts less than 150 × 109/L were more common in women with pregnancy-related complications than in women with uncomplicated pregnancy (26.7% vs. 19.7%, p = 0.03).ConclusionsPlatelet counts decrease throughout pregnancy in Chinese women and platelet counts less than 150 × 109/L were more common in women with pregnancy-related complications than in women with uncomplicated pregnancy. The pregnant women should be paid more attention for thrombocytopenia to avoid the occurrence of bleeding events.


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