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Objective: To report the incidence of neonatal brachial plexus palsy with and without ipsilateral clavicle fracture in a population of newborns and to compare the prognosis between these subgroups., Methods: This was a retrospective review of 3,739 clavicle fractures and 1,291 brachial plexus palsies in neonates over a 24-year period from a geographically defined health care system with reference to county-wide population data., Results: A referral clinic for children with brachial plexus palsies evaluated 1,383 neonates, of whom 320 also had ipsilateral clavicular fracture. As a result of referral patterns within the region, it is likely that this represents nearly all infants from the area with persistent brachial plexus injury after 2 months of age. Among the children evaluated without concomitant clavicular fracture, 72% resolved spontaneously (154/214); among those with concomitant clavicular fracture, 74% healed spontaneously (55/74). Limiting the analysis to neonates delivered at Parkland Memorial Hospital and assuming that those neonates with a discharge diagnosis of brachial plexus injury with or without clavicular fracture who did not present to the referral brachial plexus injury clinic had complete resolution, 94.4% without clavicular fracture resolved and 98.1% with clavicular fracture resolved (P=.005)., Conclusions: The risk of persistent neurologic deficit from a birth-related brachial plexus palsy is lower than what has been reported, and the presence of a clavicle fracture may improve the likelihood of recovery., Level of Evidence: III.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that antenatal dexamethasone treatment to promote fetal lung maturation results in decreased birth weight corrected for gestational age., Methods: The birth weights of all dexamethasone-treated, singleton, live-born infants delivered at our hospital were compared with our overall obstetric population; a group of untreated infants frequency matched approximately 3:1 according to maternal race, infant sex, and gestational age at delivery; and an historical cohort of infants with an indication for dexamethasone but delivered in the 12 months before the introduction of corticosteroid therapy at our hospital., Results: Dexamethasone-treated infants (n = 961), when compared with either the overall population (n = 122,629) or matched controls (n = 2808), had significantly lower birth weights after adjustment for week of gestation (P <.001). Compared with the historical cohort of infants, the average birth weight of dexamethasone-treated infants was smaller by 12 g at 24-26 weeks, 63 g at 27-29 weeks, 161 g at 30-32 weeks, and 80 g at 33-34 weeks' gestation., Conclusion: Antenatal dexamethasone administered to promote fetal maturation is associated with diminished birth weight.

Objective: To examine the effect of maternal age on incidence of nonchromosomal fetal malformations., Methods: Malformations detected at birth or in the newborn nursery were catalogued prospectively for 102,728 pregnancies, including abortions, stillbirths, and live births, from January 1, 1988 to December 31, 1994. Maternal age was divided into seven epochs. Relative risks (RRs) were used to compare demographic variables and specific malformations. The Mantel-Haenszel chi(2) statistic was used to compare age-specific anomalies. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for parity., Results: Abnormal karyotypes were significantly more frequent in older women. After excluding infants with chromosomal abnormalities, the incidence of structurally malformed infants also was increased significantly and progressively in women 25 years of age or older. The additional age-related risk of nonchromosomal malformations was approximately 1% in women 35 years of age or older. The odds ratio for cardiac defects was 3.95 in infants of women 40 years of age or older (95% CI 1.70, 9.17) compared with women aged 20-24 years. The risks of clubfoot and diaphragmatic hernia also increased as maternal age increased., Conclusion: Advanced maternal age beyond 25 years was associated with significantly increased risk of fetuses having congenital malformations not caused by aneuploidy.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of head circumference to abdomen circumference (HC/AC) asymmetry among small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses, and to determine the likelihood of adverse outcomes among asymmetric and symmetric SGA infants compared with their appropriate for gestational age (AGA) counterparts., Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, we analyzed consecutive live-born singletons of women who had antepartum sonography within 4 weeks of delivery and delivered between January 1, 1989 and September 30, 1996. A gestational age-specific HC/AC nomogram was derived from our sonographic database of 33,740 nonanomalous live-born singletons. Asymmetric HC/AC was defined as greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for gestational age., Results: Among 1364 SGA infants, 20% had asymmetric HC/AC and 80% were symmetric. Asymmetric SGA infants were more likely to have major anomalies than symmetric SGA infants or AGA infants (14% versus 4% versus 3%, respectively; P <.001). After exclusion of anomalous infants, pregnancy-induced hypertension at or before 32 weeks' gestation and cesarean delivery for nonreassuring fetal heart rate were more common in the asymmetric SGA than the AGA group (7% versus 1% and 15% versus 3%, respectively; both P <.001). A neonatal outcome composite, including one or more of respiratory distress, intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, or neonatal death, was more frequent among asymmetric SGA than AGA infants (14% versus 5%, P =.001). Symmetric SGA infants were not at increased risk of morbidity compared with AGA infants., Conclusion: The minority of SGA fetuses with HC/AC asymmetry are at increased risk for intrapartum and neonatal complications.

Objective: To assess pregnancy outcomes at 40, 41, and 42 weeks' gestation when labor induction is done routinely at 42 but not 41 weeks., Methods: We reviewed all singleton pregnancies delivered at 40 or more weeks' gestation between 1988 and 1998 at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas. We excluded women with hypertension, prior cesarean, diabetes, malformations, breech presentation, and placenta previa. Labor characteristics and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies at 41 and 42 weeks' gestation were compared with pregnancies that ended at 40 weeks. Women with certain dating criteria had induction of labor at 42 weeks. Gestational age was calculated from the last menstrual period (LMP), sonography when available, and clinical examination. If the fundal height between 18 and 30 weeks was within 2 cm of gestational age, the reported LMP was accepted as correct. Sonogram was used to calculate gestational age if a discrepancy was identified. Statistical analysis consisted of chi(2) and analysis of variance., Results: We studied 56,317 pregnancies: 29,136 at 40 weeks, 16,386 at 41 weeks, and 10,795 at 42 weeks. Labor complications increased from 40 to 42 weeks, including oxytocin induction (2% versus 35%, P <.001), length of labor (5.5 +/- 4.9 versus 8.8 +/- 6. 5 hours, P <.001), prolonged second stage of labor (2% versus 4%, P <.001), forceps use (6% versus 9%, P <.001), and cesarean delivery (7% versus 14%, P <.001). Neonatal outcomes were similar in the three groups, including 5-minute Apgar score less than 4, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), umbilical artery pH less than 7, seizures, and perinatal mortality. Sepsis was more frequent in the 42-week group than the other groups (0.1 versus 0.3%, P =. 001), as was admission to the NICU (0.4 versus 0.6%, P =.008)., Conclusion: Routine labor induction at 41 weeks likely increases labor complications and operative delivery without significantly improving neonatal outcomes.

Objective: To assess the clinical significance of twin intrapair birth weight differences., Methods: This was a retrospective study of twin pregnancy outcomes. Intrapair birth weight differences were stratified into the following six groups: 14% or less, 15-20%, 21-25%, 26-30%, 31-40%, and 41% or more using the larger infant as the growth standard. Statistical analysis was done using the Mantel-Haenzel chi2 test., Results: We studied 1370 consecutive women who delivered at Parkland Hospital, Dallas, Texas, between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 1996, and had twin gestations and live births or fetal deaths within 7 days of delivery. Greater birth weight discordance was significantly associated with preterm delivery due to intervention (P<.001). Noncephalic-cephalic presentations and cesarean delivery were also associated with greater discordance (P = .001 and .02, respectively). Neonatal morbidities, including low birth weight, intensive care admission, and respiratory distress, were all associated with higher birth weight discordance. Fetal abnormalities were more common with increased discordance (P<.001). Greater birth weight discordance was also associated with intrauterine fetal death. There were no differences in outcome for the smaller compared with the larger twin of the twin pair., Conclusion: Twin birth weight discordance is problematic because severe divergent fetal growth increases the risk of fetal death and leads to obstetric intervention and consequent neonatal morbidity due to prematurity.

Objective: To assess the effects of clinical chorioamnionitis and labor complications on short-term neonatal morbidity, including seizures., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of all live-born term infants who weighed more than 2500 g delivered between 1988 and 1997 at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas. Infant outcomes were compared between women with and without clinical diagnoses of chorioamnionitis. Chorioamnionitis was based on maternal fever of 38C or greater with supporting clinical evidence including fetal tachycardia, uterine tenderness, and malodorous infant., Results: A total of 101,170 term infants were analyzed, 5144 (5%) of whom were born to women with chorioamnionitis. Apgar scores of 3 or less at 5 minutes, umbilical artery pH of 7.0 or less, delivery-room intubation, sepsis, pneumonia, seizures in the first 24 hours, and meconium aspiration syndrome were all increased in infants exposed to chorioamnionitis. After adjustment for confounding factors, including route of delivery and length of labor, chorioamnionitis remained significantly associated with intubation in the delivery room (odds ratio [OR] 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5, 2.6), pneumonia (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.7, 2.8), and sepsis (OR 2.9; 95% CI 2.1, 4.1). Short-term neurologic morbidity, manifest as seizures, was not related to maternal infection during labor, but was significantly related to other labor complications., Conclusion: The main short-term neonatal consequence of chorioamnionitis is infection. Short-term neurologic morbidity in infants is related to labor complications and not chorioamnionitis per se.

Objective: To analyze labor outcomes in relation to masked fetal arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation values above or below 30%., Methods: Consenting gravidas with uncomplicated pregnancies at or beyond 36 weeks' gestation underwent continuous fetal pulse oximetry. Pregnancy outcomes were compared between two groups: women with fetuses with at least one epoch of arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation below 30% (10 seconds or longer) and women with fetuses without such an episode. We also attempted to ascertain whether duration of saturation below 30% correlated with fetal compromise., Results: We measured arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation in 129 fetuses, 69 (53%) of whom had at least one epoch of saturation below 30%. There were no statistically significant differences in labor and delivery outcomes between the high-saturation and low-saturation groups (eg, cesarean delivery: 13 versus 9%, P = .41; umbilical artery [UA] pH less than 7.20: 10 versus 9%, P > .999). However, as duration of fetal arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation below 30% increased from 10 seconds to longer than 9 consecutive minutes, the incidence of fetal compromise (considered present when at least one of the following criteria was met: cesarean delivery for nonreassuring fetal heart rate pattern, UA pH less than 7.20, admission to the special care nursery, or 5-minute Apgar score not more than 3) increased significantly (P = .002). The threshold duration of fetal arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation below 30% associated with increased fetal compromise was 2 minutes., Conclusion: Transient fetal arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation values below 30% are common during normal labor and did not predict fetal compromise. Fetal arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation values less than 30% for 2 minutes or longer might be associated with fetal compromise.

Objective: To compare the effects of labor induction with the effects of cesarean delivery without labor on neonatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by severe preeclampsia and delivery of very low birth weight infants., Methods: This was a retrospective study of 278 singleton, live-born infants who weighed 750-1500 g and were delivered because of severe preeclampsia between 1988 and 1997. Outcomes of infants delivered by cesarean without labor were compared with those of infants exposed to labor induction. Statistical analysis was performed using Student t test, Mann-Whitney U test, chi2 analysis, and Fisher exact test, where appropriate. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for outcomes of interest., Results: One hundred forty-five (52%) of the 278 women with severe preeclampsia who delivered infants weighing between 750 and 1500 g had labor induced and 133 (48%) delivered by cesarean without labor. Vaginal delivery was accomplished by 50 (34%) women in the induced group. Apgar scores of 3 or less at 5 minutes were more likely in the induced-labor group (6 versus 2%, P = .04), but other neonatal outcomes, including respiratory distress syndrome, grade 3 or 4 intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, seizures, and neonatal death, were similar in the two groups. Adjustment for birth weight and gestational age did not affect those results. Analysis of data from the induced-labor group did not reveal an effect by route of delivery on neonatal outcome., Conclusion: Induction of labor in cases of severe preeclampsia is not harmful to very low birth weight infants.

Objective: To describe the anatomic and technical difficulties encountered with transvaginal ultrasound imaging of the cervix in a consecutive series of women at risk for preterm delivery., Methods: Three groups of women had cervical ultrasound examinations: those with histories of preterm birth, those with incompetent cervices, and those admitted for preterm labor that did not progress. Standardized ultrasound examinations of the cervix involved measuring the length of the endocervical canal, funneling length, and internal os dilation with and without fundal pressure., Results: Sixty consecutive women had transvaginal ultrasound examinations for assessment of the cervix. Forty-six had histories of preterm birth, five had incompetent cervices, and nine had arrested preterm labor. Six types of problems arose, which can be divided into anatomic or technical considerations, with an overall frequency of 27% (95% confidence interval 16%, 40%). Anatomic pitfalls that hampered identification of the internal os included an undeveloped lower uterine segment (n = 5), a focal myometrial contraction (n = 1), rapid and spontaneous cervical change (n = 1), and an endocervical polyp (n = 1). Technical pitfalls included incorrect interpretation of internal os dilation because of vaginal probe orientation (n = 7) and artificial lengthening of the endocervical canal because of distortion of the cervix by the transducer (n = 1)., Conclusion: We caution those who perform cervical length examinations to be wary of falsely reassuring findings due to potential anatomic and technical pitfalls.

Objective: To assess whether epidural analgesia is associated with fever, independent of maternal infection, by evaluating the relationship between epidural analgesia and inflammation of the placenta., Methods: Placentas collected prospectively from women with singleton gestations, who delivered 6 hours or more after membrane rupture, were evaluated systematically for histologic inflammation by an investigator blinded to all clinical information. Maternal and neonatal markers of infection were assessed in the cohorts who did and did not receive epidural analgesia., Results: One hundred forty-nine consecutive placentas were analyzed, and 80 (54%) of these women received epidural analgesia. On univariate analysis, significant differences between epidural and no epidural groups were found with respect to maternal fever 38C or greater (46% versus 26%, P = .01), placenta inflammation (61% versus 36%, P = .002), and length of labor (11.8 hours versus 9.6 hours, P = .03). The combination of maternal fever plus placental inflammation was significantly more common in the epidural group (35% versus 17% P = .02). However, maternal fever in the absence of supporting evidence of infection, in the form of placental inflammation, was not increased after epidural analgesia (11% versus 9%, P = .61)., Conclusion: Epidural analgesia is associated with intrapartum fever, but only in the presence of placental inflammation. This suggests that the fever reported with epidural analgesia is due to infection rather than the analgesia itself.

Objective: To determine the effects of clinical chorioamnionitis on neonatal morbidity and mortality in very low birth weight infants., Methods: This was an observational cohort analysis of all singleton live-born infants weighing 500-1500 g at 24 weeks' or greater gestational age and born between 1988 and 1996 at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas. Chorioamnionitis was diagnosed on the basis of maternal fever of 38C with supporting clinical evidence, which included fetal tachycardia, uterine tenderness, and/or malodorous infant, and the absence of another source of infection. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for outcomes of interest., Results: Ninety-five of 1367 very low birth weight infants (7%) were exposed to chorioamnionitis. Neonatal sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, seizure in the first 24 hours of life, intraventricular hemorrhage (grade 3 or 4), and periventricular leukomalacia were all significantly increased with chorioamnionitis, after adjusting for preterm ruptured membranes, pregnancy-associated hypertension, cesarean birth, gestational age, and birth weight. The odds ratios for intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and seizures in the first 24 hours were 2.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6, 4.8), 3.4 (95% CI 1.6, 7.3), and 2.9 (95% CI 1.2, 6.8), respectively., Conclusion: Our results suggest a link between clinical chorioamnionitis and several indices of neonatal morbidity in the very low birth weight infant. Chorioamnionitis appears to make the very low birth weight infant particularly vulnerable to neurologic damage.

Objective: To compare the effects of epidural analgesia with intravenous (IV) analgesia on the outcome of labor., Methods: Thirteen hundred thirty women with uncomplicated term pregnancies and in spontaneous labor were randomized to be offered epidural bupivacaine-fentanyl or IV meperidine analgesia during labor., Results: Comparison of the allocation groups by intent to treat revealed a significant association between epidural allocation and operative delivery for dystocia. However, only 65% of each randomization group accepted the allocated treatment. Four hundred thirty-seven women accepted and received meperidine as allocated, and they were compared with 432 women accepting epidural allocation. Significant associations resulted between epidural administration and prolongation of labor, increased rate of oxytocin administration, chorioamnionitis, low forceps, and cesarean delivery. Because of the high rate of noncompliance with treatment allocation, a multifactorial regression analysis was performed on the entire cohort, and a twofold relative risk of cesarean delivery persisted in association with epidural treatment. The impact of epidural treatment on cesarean delivery was significant for both nulliparous and parous women (risk ratios 2.55 and 3.81, respectively). Epidural analgesia provided significantly better pain relief in labor than did parenteral meperidine., Conclusion: Although labor epidural analgesia is superior to meperidine for pain relief, labor is prolonged, uterine infection is increased, and the number of operative deliveries are increased. A two- to fourfold increased risk of cesarean delivery is associated with epidural treatment in both nulliparous and parous women.

Objective: To evaluate the maternal and fetal effects of three anesthetic methods used randomly in women with severe preeclampsia who required cesarean delivery., Methods: Eighty women with severe preeclampsia, who were to be delivered by cesarean, were randomized to general (26 women), epidural (27), or combined spinal-epidural (27) anesthesia. The mean preoperative blood pressure (BP) was approximately 170/110 mmHg, and all women had proteinuria. Anesthetic and obstetric management included antihypertensive drug therapy and limited intravenous (IV) fluid and drug therapy., Results: The mean gestational age at delivery was 34.8 weeks. All infants were born in good condition as assessed by Apgar scores and umbilical arterial blood gas determinations. Maternal hypotension resulting from regional anesthesia was managed without excessive IV fluid administration. Similarly, maternal BP was managed without severe hypertensive effects in women undergoing general anesthesia. There were no serious maternal or fetal complications attributable to any of the three anesthetic methods., Conclusion: General as well as regional anesthetic methods are equally acceptable for cesarean delivery in pregnancies complicated by severe preeclampsia if steps are taken to ensure a careful approach to either method.

Objective: To determine the effects at our hospital of adoption of the 1988 guidelines recommended by ACOG for management of genital herpes infections during pregnancy., Methods: Between 1984-1986, 96 pregnancies complicated by active genital herpes were delivered at Parkland Hospital. The outcome of these pregnancies were compared with 217 similar pregnancies managed after implementation of the 1988 ACOG herpes guidelines., Results: Adoption of the 1988 ACOG herpes guidelines resulted in a 37% decrease in the use of cesarean delivery for women with genital herpes infections at our hospital. Most of this decrease was because the new guidelines eliminated the need for a confirmatory negative herpes culture before permitting vaginal delivery. No neonatal herpes infections occurred as a result of implementing the ACOG recommendations., Conclusion: The rate of cesarean delivery for women with genital herpes infections during pregnancy declined significantly at our hospital as a result of the adoption of ACOG herpes guidelines, and there were no neonatal consequences, such as increased incidence of neonatal herpes simplex virus infection.

Objective: To determine the prevalence, magnitude, and type of fetal acidemia associated with contemporary obstetric anesthetic techniques., Methods: Umbilical artery blood gases were obtained in 1601 singleton pregnancies delivered by elective cesarean., Results: General anesthesia was used in 371 (23%) women, epidural in 286 (18%), combined spinal-epidural in 659 (41%), and spinal in 231 (14%). Approximately 18% of infants exposed to regional anesthetics had umbilical artery blood pH values 7.19 or less, 42 (3%) infants had pH values less than 7.10, and nine (1%) had values 6.99 or less. The incidence of fetal acidemia was greater in spinal and combined spinal-epidural procedures compared to epidural anesthetics. Fetal acidemia was predominantly respiratory in type because carbon dioxide pressure was abnormally increased when fetal acidemia was diagnosed., Conclusions: Regional anesthesia is associated with fetal acidemia, occasionally severe, and has features of an acute respiratory type of acidemia. Fetal acidemia is less frequent with epidural anesthesia compared to subarachnoid techniques.

To evaluate the economic effects of an increased oxytocin dosage for labor stimulation at a large urban hospital, a cost analysis of a before and after cohort, analytic clinical trial was performed. Delivery outcomes for two different oxytocin dosages were evaluated from the perspective of provider and consumer costs attributable to the oxytocin regimen. The high-dose oxytocin regimen resulted in an estimated provider and consumer cost savings of approximately $350,000 per year. We conclude that a small change in health care, such as an increased infusion rate of a single drug, can have economic advantages.

Objective: To compare the measured volume of amniotic fluid (AF) in term gestations to the volume predicted sonographically., Methods: One hour before elective cesarean delivery, 40 women had sonographic measurement of the AF index and largest vertical pocket diameter. At surgery, a suction catheter was placed into a 1-cm uterine incision and a second catheter was used to aspirate AF from the operative field. Hemoglobin concentration was measured in the collected AF to determine the extent of blood contamination., Results: The mean measured AF volume was 532 mL (range 40-1692). The correlation coefficient between AF index and AF volume was 0.744 (P < .001). A similar value (r = 0.755, P < .001) was observed for the largest vertical pocket measured with ultrasound., Conclusion: Sonographic measurements of the largest vertical pocket and the AF index have similar positive correlations with measured AF volumes at term. Current methods of estimating AF volume have low sensitivity for detecting oligohydramnios.

Objective: To quantify the current perinatal consequences associated with intrapartum detection of meconium in the amniotic fluid (AF)., Methods: We compared retrospectively the outcomes in 8136 term singleton cephalic pregnancies with meconium and 34,573 similar pregnancies with clear AF., Results: Virtually all measures of adverse fetal-neonatal outcomes were significantly increased with meconium. For example, perinatal mortality increased from 0.3 per 1000 births with clear AF to 1.5 deaths per 1000 with meconium (P < .001). Most of these deaths resulted from meconium aspiration. Other unwanted outcomes also increased; eg, severe fetal acidemia at birth (umbilical artery blood pH 7.00 or less) increased from three per 1000 to seven per 1000 when meconium was diagnosed (P < .001). Delivery by cesarean also increased with meconium, from 7 to 14% (P < .001)., Conclusion: Meconium in the AF is an obstetric hazard with small but significantly increased risks of adverse fetal-neonatal outcomes.

Objective: To determine whether an increase in the oxytocin dosing interval would decrease the incidence of uterine hyperstimulation., Methods: This study included 1801 consecutive pregnancies receiving high-dose oxytocin. Oxytocin was used for labor augmentation in 1167 and induction in 634 women. Twenty- and 40-minute dosage intervals were compared. The study period was based on an 80% likelihood of detecting 5 and 10% differences in the cesarean and hyperstimulation rates, respectively. Statistics were analyzed with chi 2, Fisher, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests where appropriate. Multivariate logistic regression and analysis of covariance were used to control for confounding demographic variables., Results: Comparison of the 20- and 40-minute regimens for labor induction yielded no differences in the rates of cesarean delivery for dystocia (16 versus 19%) or fetal distress (5 versus 6%). The 20-minute regimen for augmentation was associated with a significant reduction in cesarean for dystocia (8 versus 12%; P = .05). The incidence of uterine hyperstimulation was greater with the 20-minute than the 40-minute regimen for induction (40 versus 31%; P = .02), but not for augmentation (31 versus 28%). Neonatal outcomes were unaffected by the dosage interval for both augmentation and induction., Conclusion: A 40-minute dosing interval for high-dose oxytocin offers no clear advantage over a 20-minute interval. Both regimens were safe and efficient, with no differences in perinatal outcome. The 20-minute interval was associated with fewer cesareans for dystocia when used for labor augmentation, whereas the 40-minute interval resulted in less hyperstimulation when used for labor induction.

Objective: To determine whether the addition of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy to traditional expectant management improves pregnancy outcome in patients with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) remote from term., Methods: Patients with preterm PROM before 34 weeks' gestation who were not in labor and had no signs of infection or fetal distress were randomized to one of two study groups: 1) expectant management alone and 2) expectant management plus antimicrobial therapy. Women in the latter group received intravenous ampicillin, gentamicin, and clindamycin for 24 hours, followed by amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid orally for 7 days. Other than antibiotic use, management of the two groups was identical., Results: Significantly more women (P < .01) treated with antibiotics (20 of 48, 42%) remained undelivered 7 days after admission compared with those managed expectantly without antibiotics (seven of 46, 15%). In addition, more neonates in the group managed with antibiotics were admitted to the routine nursery (nine of 48 versus two of 45; P = .03). However, there was no difference between the groups in the frequency of serious maternal or neonatal morbidity., Conclusions: The addition of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy to traditional expectant management of pregnancy complicated by preterm PROM may increase the number of gestations undelivered 7 days after admission. It may also decrease the proportion of infants admitted to special care nurseries. Whether these effects result in significant short- or long-term maternal or neonatal benefit remains to be determined.

The number of cesarean births for dystocia has increased dramatically in the United States. Central to the management of dystocia is correction of ineffective labor by oxytocin administration, and contemporary obstetric practice is to stimulate labor with a low-dose oxytocin regimen. We prospectively compared a low-dose oxytocin regimen (1-mU/minute dosage increments) with a high-dose regimen (6-mU/minute dosage increments) in 2788 consecutive singleton cephalic pregnancies. The low-dose regimen was used first for 5 months in 1251 pregnancies, and the high-dose regimen in 1537 pregnancies during the subsequent 5 months. Indications for oxytocin stimulation were divided into augmentation (N = 1676) and induction (N = 1112). Labor stimulation was more than 3 hours shorter (P less than .0001) with the high-dose oxytocin regimen and associated with a reduction in neonatal sepsis (0.2 versus 1.3%; P less than .01). Uterine hyperstimulation was more common (55 versus 42%; P less than .0001) with the high-dose regimen, but no adverse fetal effects were observed. High-dose augmentation resulted in significantly fewer forceps deliveries (12 versus 16%; P = .03) and fewer cesareans for dystocia (9 versus 12%; P = .04). Similarly, failed induction was less frequent with high-dose compared with low-dose oxytocin (14 versus 19%; P = .05). Although the high-dose induction regimen was associated with a significantly increased cesarean incidence for fetal distress (6 versus 3%; P = .05), the incidence of umbilical artery cord blood acidemia was not increased in this subset. Induction of labor with high-dose oxytocin is problematic because of risk-benefit considerations. Although induction failed less frequently with the high-dose regimen, cesarean for fetal distress was performed more frequently. In contrast, high-dose oxytocin to augment ineffective spontaneous labor minimized the number of cesareans done for dystocia.

The impact of chorioamnionitis on the course of labor is controversial. Some clinicians believe the infection has stimulatory effects, whereas others suspect inhibitory influences. Two hundred sixty-six pregnancies with chorioamnionitis requiring labor stimulation with oxytocin were matched to uninfected women for maternal age, race, parity, gestational age, oxytocin dosage regimen, indication for labor stimulation, type of labor stimulation, cervical dilatation at initiation of oxytocin, and time for rupture of membranes to initiation of labor stimulation. Chorioamnionitis diagnosed before oxytocin infusion was associated with shorter oxytocin initiation-to-delivery intervals (4.3 versus 5.6 hours; P = .04) and had no significant impact on the cesarean rate compared with matched controls. In contrast, pregnancies complicated by chorioamnionitis detected late in labor were associated with markedly longer oxytocin initiation-to-delivery intervals (12.6 versus 7.9 hours; P less than .0001) and a fourfold increase in cesarean for dystocia compared with matched controls (40 versus 10%; P less than .0001). Thus, the impact of chorioamnionitis on the course of labor can be divided into two clinical presentations. That diagnosed before labor stimulation does not increase the use of cesarean, whereas that diagnosed after oxytocin stimulation may be a sign of abnormal labor, as it was associated with a marked increase in abdominal delivery for dystocia.

There is no clearly established umbilical artery pH cutoff to be used for defining pathologic fetal acidemia (ie, the threshold associated with major neonatal morbidity or mortality). Classically, a pH cutoff of less than 7.20 has been used. Our goal was to define this pH cutoff more precisely. There were 3506 term newborns (2500 g or greater) with an umbilical artery pH of less than 7.20; these newborns were divided into five pH groups. Eighty-seven (2.5%) had a pH of less than 7.00, 95 (2.7%) a pH of 7.00-7.04, 290 (8.3%) 7.05-7.09, 798 (22.8%) 7.10-7.14, and 2236 (63.8%) 7.15-7.19. Two-thirds (66.7%) of the newborns with an umbilical artery pH less than 7.00 had a metabolic component in their acidemia, compared with 13.7% or less in all other pH groups. Significantly more (P less than .05) newborns in the less-than-7.00 pH group had low (less than 3) 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores compared with the other four pH groups. In addition, neonatal death was significantly more common (P = .03) in newborns with a pH less than 7.00, and seven (50%) of the 14 deaths occurred in this group. The statistically significant pH cutoff for all seizures was less than 7.05 (P = .004), and for unexplained seizures was less than 7.00 (P = .01). Eight (67%) of the 12 unexplained seizures occurred in this latter pH group. Thus, a more realistic pH cutoff for defining pathologic fetal acidemia would appear to be less than 7.00.

We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a policy of early elective hospitalization on the outcomes of 522 consecutive twin gestations delivered at our institution between 1983-1987. During the first 2 years (1983-1985), 237 twin pregnancies were delivered with a policy of elective hospitalization when twin pregnancy was diagnosed between 24-32 weeks' gestation. When possible, elective hospitalization started at 24 weeks' gestation. Electively admitted women remained hospitalized until 34 weeks' gestation, at which time they were discharged unless complications developed requiring continued hospitalization. During 1985-1987, 285 women with twin gestations were intentionally managed as outpatients unless intercurrent complications required hospitalization. A total of 211 twin pregnancies was excluded from analysis because the women did not present for prenatal care (19%) or were undiagnosed until delivery (22%). Of the remaining 311 pregnancies available for study, 134 were managed when the elective admission policy prevailed and 177 when this policy was not in effect. Although the elective admission policy did result in a small reduction in the incidence of low birth weight among the 58 pregnancies hospitalized electively (mean [+/- SEM] gestational age at elective hospitalization 27.7 +/- 0.3 weeks) compared with outpatient management, this policy did not result in an improvement in prematurity (32 versus 36%; P greater than .05) or perinatal morbidity as reflected by requirement for neonatal intensive care (12 versus 11%; P greater than .05) and mechanical ventilation (8 versus 9%; P greater than .05). Moreover, perinatal mortality was actually higher in the electively hospitalized pregnancies (8 versus 2%; P = .01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intra-amniotic infection has been reported to be associated with intrapartum asphyxia; however, the criteria used to define asphyxia have been imprecise. In the present study of 123 women with intra-amniotic infection and 6769 women without infection, the mean umbilical artery pH was 7.28 in both groups. The frequency of acidemia (umbilical artery pH less than 7.20) was not significantly different between the infection group and controls (15 versus 10%; P = .12). Likewise, there was no significant difference between the groups when a lower umbilical artery pH value (less than 7.15) was used to define acidemia. None of the infants from infected mothers had metabolic acidemia with a pH of less than 7.15 and none had a pH of less than 7.00. Significantly more (P less than .05) infants in the infected group did have low 1-minute (20 versus 5%) and 5-minute (3 versus 1%) Apgar scores of 6 or less, criteria often used to define asphyxia. However, none of the newborns from the infected group had recently proposed criteria for the diagnosis of birth asphyxia (ie, leading to neurologic impairment) such as metabolic acidemia, seizures in the immediate newborn period, and low Apgar scores (3 or less). Birth asphyxia is rarely associated with intra-amniotic infection, and in the absence of other signs of fetal jeopardy such as an ominous fetal heart rate pattern, an immediate cesarean to prevent asphyxia does not appear justified once the diagnosis of chorioamnionitis is made.

Ritodrine hydrochloride is a beta 2-receptor agonist that relaxes uterine smooth muscle. It was developed specifically for treatment of preterm labor and was approved for this indication in 1980 by the Food and Drug Administration. Estimates of ritodrine usage in the United States were calculated based upon annual sales, and these were examined in relation to the incidence of births in 500-g weight categories less than 2500 g. We estimate that more than 100,000 women with preterm labor are treated with ritodrine annually, but this has had minimal if any impact on the incidence of low birth weight in this country.

We asked the question: What can be expected of expectant management in preterm ruptured membranes? Our findings showed that ruptured membranes during the first half of the third trimester occurred in only 1.7% (N = 298) of 17,877 pregnancies delivered at our institution, yet accounted for 20% of the total perinatal deaths during the study period. Expectant management was seldom successful; only 20 (7%) of pregnancies with preterm ruptured membranes did not begin labor within 48 hours. The condition of preterm ruptured membranes was also frequently associated with other obstetric complications such as twins, breech presentation, chorioamnionitis, and fetal heart rate decelerations in labor. We conclude that preterm ruptured membranes is an uncommon but complex obstetric problem that remains largely unsolved.

Prediction of twin birth weight discordancy was tested in 116 gestations using sonographic measurements of biparietal diameter (BPD) and abdominal perimeter. Abdominal perimeter measurement differences of 20 mm or greater were more sensitive and specific than BPD difference in detecting twins with dissimilar birth weights.

Cervical examination between 26 and 30 weeks' gestation is described as a method for identifying women at risk for delivery before 34 weeks. Blinded cervical examinations were performed in 185 consecutive women, and 15 (8%) were found to have cervixes dilated 2 or 3 cm. The incidence of delivery before 34 weeks' gestation was 27% in such women compared with 2% in those whose cervixes were undilated or 1 cm. Other factors linked to cervical dilatation included parity and prior preterm delivery. However, parous women with cervical dilatation remained at increased risk for delivery before 34 weeks' gestation. We conclude that early third-trimester cervical examination may be an important adjunct in identifying women at risk for preterm delivery.

Hypothyroidism rarely complicates pregnancy because most affected women are anovulatory. In this report, we describe 28 complicated pregnancies cared for over a ten-year period at Parkland Memorial Hospital. In the group of 16 pregnancies in 14 overtly hypothyroid women, maternal complications were common and included anemia (31%), preeclampsia (44%), placental abruption (19%), postpartum hemorrhage (19%), and cardiac dysfunction. Perinatal morbidity and mortality were also high mainly because of placental abruption, and reflected frequent low birth weight (31%) and fetal death (12%). In a group of 12 women with subclinical hypothyroidism, these complications were less impressive. We speculate that overt thyroid deficiency is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome related to preeclampsia and placental abruption. Thyroxine replacement probably improves these outcomes even if subclinical hypothyroidism persists.

In this study the authors assessed human and economic consequences of low birth weight linked to the lack of prenatal care for indigent women. Low birth weight infants were defined as those who weighed between 860 and 2220 g, corresponding to the 50th percentiles at 26 and 34 weeks' gestation. Women seeking prenatal care had a significantly decreased incidence of low birth weight infants compared with those without such care. Concomitantly, low birth weight infants born to women with prenatal care had significantly better perinatal survival as well as less frequent respiratory distress and intraventricular hemorrhage. Because of these factors, infants born to clinic mothers used fewer neonatal intensive care days and had shorter hospitalizations. Hospital costs were reviewed for 175 surviving infants and failure to obtain prenatal care was associated with a 50% increase in costs for each infant. The frequencies of the most common pregnancy complications in women with and without prenatal care, coupled with corresponding obstetric interventions, suggest that such care facilitates identification and management of women at risk for delivery of low birth weight infants. The authors conclude that there are important human and economic advantages of antenatal care for indigent women.

A previously unreported complication of acute pyelonephritis during pregnancy is described. Acute respiratory distress accompanied by varying manifestations of liver, kidney, hypothalamic, and hematopoietic dysfunction is chronicled in four women. Because these latter organ system effects are attributable to endotoxin, the authors postulate that endotoxin caused alveolar-capillary injury leading to respiratory failure in these pregnant women with acute renal infection.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that Apgar scores are generally lower in otherwise uncomplicated preterm newborns than in term newborns. However, there is little information regarding normal values for umbilical artery blood gas measurements in the preterm infant. The present study included 77 otherwise uncomplicated preterm infants and 1292 uncomplicated term infants. Although preterm infants did have significantly lower 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores, there was no significant difference in the frequency of acidemia (umbilical artery pH below 7.20). The mean pH was 7.29 in preterm infants and 7.28 in term infants. Mean values for pCO2, pO2, HCO3, and base deficit were similar in each group. There were no significant differences in umbilical artery blood gas values in the 77 preterm infants according to birth weight groups. Umbilical cord blood acid-base determination may prove a useful adjunct in assessing the condition of the newborn preterm infant.

Labor was induced by amniotomy at 34 weeks' gestation because of preeclampsia in a woman with a recent ruptured cerebral aneurysm prior to corrective neurosurgery. Neither labor nor vaginal delivery caused neurologic injury to the mother. Subsequent neurosurgery was successful and both mother and infant continued to do well several months later. These outcomes support management advised in the literature in circumstances not previously reported.

The perinatal outcome of 27 pregnancies in which antepartum fetal activity testing revealed fetal heart rate acceleration to be either absent or less than 10 beats per minute for 80 minutes is presented. At delivery, each pregnancy was found to have one or more features consistent with uteroplacental insufficiency. These included fetal growth retardation (74%), oligohydramnios (81%), fetal acidosis (41%), meconium (30%), and placental infarction (93%). There were four fetal and seven neonatal deaths, for a perinatal mortality of 41%. Despite delivery of all live-born infants by cesarean section without labor, the infants who died during the neonatal period appeared to be in such poor condition as to preclude survival. The authors conclude that the inability of the fetus to accelerate its heart rate, when not due to maternal medications, is an ominous signal. Throughout the literature on fetal activity testing there are indications that other investigators have had similar experiences. The purpose of the present report is to direct attention to an abnormal fetal activity test result of which the significance is not widely recognized.

To determine neonatal risk of exposure to intrapartum antimicrobials given to reduce maternal infection following cesarean delivery, 642 mother-infant pairs were evaluated. In 464, the mother was given an initial dose of antimicrobial(s) before cord clamping, whereas in the remaining 178 administration of these drugs was not begun until after delivery. Despite the facts that all infants were at equivalent risk for infection and that none were proved to have bacteremia, 28% of those exposed to intrapartum maternal antimicrobials were evaluated for sepsis whereas only 15% of those not exposed were evaluated (P less than .001). Excess hospital charges for infants in whom sepsis workup was initiated was $127 greater than that for infants not suspected of having sepsis (P less than .025). Of 305 women given three-dose perioperative antimicrobial therapy, 255 were given the initial dose before cord clamping and 24% experienced a subsequent uterine infection. This was not significant when compared with a uterine infection rate of 22% in 50 women in whom three-dose therapy was not initiated until after cord clamping. As maternal benefits that accrue from such intrapartum therapy are equivalent regardless of the timing of three-dose treatment, and as fetal exposure to these drugs has significant clinical and economic impacts, it is concluded that antimicrobials given to these women at high risk should be withheld until after cord clamping.

At Parkland Memorial Hospital a group of women at high risk for infection following cesarean delivery was identified. These included nulliparas who underwent cesarean section for cephalopelvic disproportion 6 or more hours following membrane rupture. During the puerperium, uterine infection developed in 85 to 95% of such women, and one third of this high-risk group had associated complications. The authors have previously reported the efficacy antimicrobial agents given to these women at the time of cesarean section and continued for 4 days. The present prospective study was designed to assess the efficacy of a shorter course of perioperative antimicrobial therapy for these high-risk women. Three doses of antimicrobial agents were given perioperatively to 305 women randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment regimens: 115 were given penicillin plus gentamicin, 82 received 2, 1, and 1 g of cefamandole, respectively, and the remaining 108 were given 2, 2, and 2 g of cefamandole, respectively. The incidence of uterine infection in these 305 women was 24% and associated complications were identified in 7% of all women. Based upon a comparison of results with the progenitor study, the authors conclude that 3-dose perioperative antimicrobial therapy is preferred to 4 days of treatment for women at high risk for infection following cesarean delivery.

Of 323 pregnancies with meconium-stained amniotic fluid at 36-42 weeks' gestation, 68 (21%) had a pH less than 7.20 in umbilical arterial blood, 21 (7%) had a pH less than 7.15, and only three newborns (0.9%) had true metabolic acidemia. At birth, of the 74 newborns with normal electronic fetal heart rate (FHR) tracings, eight (11%) had an umbilical arterial pH less than 7.20. There was a significantly higher frequency of acidemia (defined as pH less than 7.20) in newborns with both baseline and periodic FHR abnormalities. Although there was a significant difference (P less than .05) in the frequency of meconium found below the cords in these neonates with an umbilical artery pH less than 7.20 compared with those with values exceeding 7.20, there was no significant difference in the frequency of clinical meconium aspiration syndrome. We conclude that meconium-stained amniotic fluid correlates poorly with infant condition at birth as reflected by umbilical cord acid-base measurements.

Two pregnancies complicated by severe Rh-isoimmunization and the development of sinusoidal fetal heart rate patterns immediately after intrauterine transfusions are presented. An intermittent sinusoidal pattern resolved, in one fetus, with sonographic evidence of delayed but complete absorption of transfused red blood cells. In contrast, the second fetus exhibited a continuous sinusoidal pattern coincident with cardiac decompensation detected by echocardiography, severe anemia, and failure to absorb transfused red blood cells. Possible pathophysiologic mechanisms for the development of sinusoidal patterns after fetal transfusions are discussed. It is concluded that a sinusoidal fetal heart rate pattern may occur after fetal transfusion and that the subsequent course of this pattern provides meaningful information about fetal condition as well as the success of intrauterine transfusion.

As many investigators have shown that surfactant production in the developing human lung is subject to multihormonal regulation, the present authors determined the lecithin-sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio in amniotic fluid of pregnancies with an anencephalic fetus, in which there was known to be aberrant production of fetal pituitary, adrenal, and consequently, placental hormones. The L/S ratio in amniotic fluid from seven of eight pregnancies with an anencephalic fetus was substantially lower than that in amniotic fluids of pregnancies with a normal fetus at the same stage of gestation. The L/S ratio in amniotic fluid of an anencephalic fetus of a twin pregnancy (monochorionic diamniotic) at 34 weeks' gestation was low; the L/S ratio of the amniotic fluid of the normal fetus was high. These data are supportive of the view that fetal lung maturation is dependent, in part, upon normal function of the fetal pituitary and adrenal.

In the present review the world literature on pregnancy complicated by myocardial infarction is summarized, and two additional cases are presented. It is apparent that the majority of pregnant women who have died after myocardial infarction did so at the time of initial infarction, and maternal mortality was greatest if the infarction was late in pregnancy. Moreover, delivery within two weeks of infarction was associated with increased mortality as was reinfarction during labor. These results suggest that the increasing cardiovascular stresses of late pregnancy, especially when intensified by parturition, seriously compromise women with ischemic heart disease. Efforts should therefore be made to limit myocardial oxygen demand/consumption throughout pregnancy, and particularly during parturition. Although principles of management can be generalized, these high risk patients require individualization of care by a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, anesthesiologists, and obstetricians.