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Background: The aims of this study were to assess women's knowledge and experiences of dental health in pregnancy and to examine the self-care practices of pregnant women in relation to their oral health.Methods: Women in the postnatal ward at the Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, completed a questionnaire to assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices to periodontal health. Pregnancy outcomes were collected from their medical records. Results were analysed by chi-square tests, using SAS.Results: Of the 445 women enrolled in the survey, 388 (87 per cent) completed the questionnaire. Most women demonstrated reasonable knowledge about dental health. There was a significant association between dental knowledge and practices with both education and socio-economic status. Women with less education and lower socio-economic status were more likely to be at higher risk of poor periodontal health compared with women with greater levels of education and higher socioeconomic status.Conclusion: Most women were knowledgeable about oral and dental health. Lack of knowledge about oral and dental health was strongly linked to women with lower education achievements and lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Whether more intensive dental health education in pregnancy can lead to improved oral health and ultimately improved pregnancy outcomes requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recruitment of eligible participants remains one of the biggest challenges to successful completion of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Only one third of trials recruit on time, often requiring a lengthy extension to the recruitment period. We identified factors influencing recruitment success and potentially effective recruitment strategies.Methods: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE from 1966 to December Week 2, 2006, the Cochrane Library Methodology Register in December 2006, and hand searched reference lists for studies of any design which focused on recruitment to maternal/perinatal trials, or if no studies of maternal or perinatal research could be identified, other areas of healthcare. Studies of nurses' and midwives' attitudes to research were included as none specifically about trials were located. We synthesised the data narratively, using a basic thematic analysis, with themes derived from the literature and after discussion between the authors.Results: Around half of the included papers (29/53) were specific to maternal and perinatal healthcare. Only one study was identified which focused on factors for maternal and perinatal clinicians and only seven studies considered recruitment strategies specific to perinatal research. Themes included: participant assessment of risk; recruitment process; participant understanding of research; patient characteristics; clinician attitudes to research and trials; protocol issues; and institutional or organisational issues. While no reliable evidence base for strategies to enhance recruitment was identified in any of the review studies, four maternal/perinatal primary studies suggest that specialised recruitment staff, mass mailings, physician referrals and strategies targeting minority women may increase recruitment. However these findings may only be applicable to the particular trials and settings studied.Conclusion: Although factors reported by both participants and clinicians which influence recruitment were quite consistent across the included studies, studies comparing different recruitment strategies were largely missing. Trials of different recruitment strategies could be embedded in large multicentre RCTs, with strategies tailored to the factors specific to the trial and institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: I am a Chief Investigator on the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence, and I report several stillbirth-related grants and funding from the Australian Department of Health and Aging.

Importance: Intravenous magnesium sulfate administered to pregnant individuals before birth at less than 30 weeks' gestation reduces the risk of death and cerebral palsy in their children. The effects at later gestational ages are unclear., Objective: To determine whether administration of magnesium sulfate at 30 to 34 weeks' gestation reduces death or cerebral palsy at 2 years., Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial enrolled pregnant individuals expected to deliver at 30 to 34 weeks' gestation and was conducted at 24 Australian and New Zealand hospitals between January 2012 and April 2018., Intervention: Intravenous magnesium sulfate (4 g) was compared with placebo., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was death (stillbirth, death of a live-born infant before hospital discharge, or death after hospital discharge before 2 years' corrected age) or cerebral palsy (loss of motor function and abnormalities of muscle tone and power assessed by a pediatrician) at 2 years' corrected age. There were 36 secondary outcomes that assessed the health of the pregnant individual, infant, and child., Results: Of the 1433 pregnant individuals enrolled (mean age, 30.6 [SD, 6.6] years; 46 [3.2%] self-identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, 237 [16.5%] as Asian, 82 [5.7%] as Māori, 61 [4.3%] as Pacific, and 966 [67.4%] as White) and their 1679 infants, 1365 (81%) offspring (691 in the magnesium group and 674 in the placebo group) were included in the primary outcome analysis. Death or cerebral palsy at 2 years' corrected age was not significantly different between the magnesium and placebo groups (3.3% [23 of 691 children] vs 2.7% [18 of 674 children], respectively; risk difference, 0.61% [95% CI, -1.27% to 2.50%]; adjusted relative risk [RR], 1.19 [95% CI, 0.65 to 2.18]). Components of the primary outcome did not differ between groups. Neonates in the magnesium group were less likely to have respiratory distress syndrome vs the placebo group (34% [294 of 858] vs 41% [334 of 821], respectively; adjusted RR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.76 to 0.95]) and chronic lung disease (5.6% [48 of 858] vs 8.2% [67 of 821]; adjusted RR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.48 to 0.99]) during the birth hospitalization. No serious adverse events occurred; however, adverse events were more likely in pregnant individuals who received magnesium vs placebo (77% [531 of 690] vs 20% [136 of 667], respectively; adjusted RR, 3.76 [95% CI, 3.22 to 4.39]). Fewer pregnant individuals in the magnesium group had a cesarean delivery vs the placebo group (56% [406 of 729] vs 61% [427 of 704], respectively; adjusted RR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.84 to 0.99]), although more in the magnesium group had a major postpartum hemorrhage (3.4% [25 of 729] vs 1.7% [12 of 704] in the placebo group; adjusted RR, 1.98 [95% CI, 1.01 to 3.91])., Conclusions and Relevance: Administration of intravenous magnesium sulfate prior to preterm birth at 30 to 34 weeks' gestation did not improve child survival free of cerebral palsy at 2 years, although the study had limited power to detect small between-group differences., Trial Registration: anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12611000491965.

Background: Going-to-sleep in the supine position in later pregnancy (≥28 weeks) has been identified as a risk factor for stillbirth. Internationally, public awareness campaigns have been undertaken encouraging women to sleep on their side during late pregnancy., Aim: This study aimed to identify sleep practices, attitudes and knowledge in pregnant women, to inform an Australian safe sleeping campaign., Methods: A web-based survey of pregnant women ≥28 weeks' gestation conducted from November 2017 to January 2018. The survey was adapted from international sleep surveys and disseminated via pregnancy websites and social media platforms., Findings: Three hundred and fifty-two women participated. Five (1.6%) reported going to sleep in the supine position. Most (87.8%) had received information on the importance of side-sleeping in pregnancy. Information was received from a variety of sources including maternity care providers (186; 66.2%) and the internet (177; 63.0%). Women were more likely to report going to sleep on their side if they had received advice to do so (OR 2.3; 95% CI 1.0-5.1). Thirteen (10.8%) reported receiving unsafe advice, including changing their going-to-sleep position to the supine position., Discussion: This indicates high level awareness and practice of safe late-pregnancy going-to-sleep position in participants. Opportunities remain for improvement in the information provided, and understanding needs of specific groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women., Conclusion: Findings suggest Australian women understand the importance of sleeping position in late pregnancy. Inconsistencies in information provided remain and may be addressed through public awareness campaigns targeting women and their care providers., (Copyright © 2021 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: This is a review of the most up-to-date research on the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids for reducing the risk of prematurity in well nourished women with access to high-quality obstetric care. It will provide an overview of the translation of the evidence on omega-3 screening into policy, and the latest research on how to implement the policy into practice., Recent Findings: Findings of the included clinical studies support that omega-3 supplementation for women with a singleton pregnancy who have a low omega-3 status reduces the risk of early preterm birth., Summary: There is evidence that screening and providing appropriate advice to women with a singleton pregnancy who have a low omega-3 status can reduce their risk of early preterm birth, and avoiding supplementation for women who are replete will avoid unnecessary supplementation and potential harm., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The My Baby's Movements (MBM) trial aimed to evaluate the impact on stillbirth rates of a multifaceted awareness package (the MBM intervention)., Design: Stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial., Setting: Twenty-seven maternity hospitals in Australia and New Zealand., Population: Women with a singleton pregnancy without major fetal anomaly at ≥28 weeks of gestation from August 2016 to May 2019., Methods: The MBM intervention was implemented at randomly assigned time points, with the sequential introduction of eight groups of between three and five hospitals at 4-monthly intervals. Using generalised linear mixed models, the stillbirth rate was compared in the control and the intervention periods, adjusting for calendar time, study population characteristics and hospital effects., Main Outcome Measures: Stillbirth at ≥28 weeks of gestation., Results: There were 304 850 births with 290 105 births meeting the inclusion criteria: 150 053 in the control and 140 052 in the intervention periods. The stillbirth rate was lower (although not statistically significantly so) during the intervention compared with the control period (2.2/1000 versus 2.4/1000 births; aOR 1.18, 95% CI 0.93-1.50; P = 0.18). The decrease in stillbirth rate was greater across calendar time: 2.7/1000 in the first versus 2.0/1000 in the last 18 months. No increase in secondary outcomes, including obstetric intervention or adverse neonatal outcome, was evident., Conclusions: The MBM intervention did not reduce stillbirths beyond the downward trend over time. As a result of low uptake, the role of the intervention remains unclear, although the downward trend across time suggests some benefit in lowering the stillbirth rate. In this study setting, an awareness of the importance of fetal movements may have reached pregnant women and clinicians prior to the implementation of the intervention., Tweetable Abstract: The My Baby's Movements intervention to raise awareness of decreased fetal movement did not significantly reduce stillbirth rates., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: In 2015, the stillbirth rate after 28 weeks (late gestation) in Australia was 35% higher than countries with the lowest rates globally. Reductions in late gestation stillbirth rates have steadily improved in Australia. However, to amplify and sustain reductions, more needs to be done to reduce practice variation and address sub-optimal care. Implementing bundles for maternity care improvement in the UK have been associated with a 20% reduction in stillbirth rates. A similar approach is underway in Australia; the Safer Baby Bundle (SBB) with five elements: 1) supporting women to stop smoking in pregnancy, 2) improving detection and management of fetal growth restriction, 3) raising awareness and improving care for women with decreased fetal movements, 4) improving awareness of maternal safe going-to-sleep position in late pregnancy, 5) improving decision making about the timing of birth for women with risk factors for stillbirth., Methods: This is a mixed-methods study of maternity services across three Australian states; Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. The study includes evaluation of 'targeted' implementer sites (combined total approximately 113,000 births annually, 50% of births in these states) and monitoring of key outcomes state-wide across all maternity services. Progressive implementation over 2.5 years, managed by state Departments of Health, commenced from mid-2019. This study will determine the impact of implementing the SBB on maternity services and perinatal outcomes, specifically for reducing late gestation stillbirth. Comprehensive process, impact, and outcome evaluations will be conducted using routinely collected perinatal data, pre- and post- implementation surveys, clinical audits, focus group discussions and interviews. Evaluations explore the views and experiences of clinicians embedding the SBB into routine practice as well as women's experience with care and the acceptability of the initiative., Discussion: This protocol describes the evaluation of the SBB initiative and will provide evidence for the value of a systematic, but pragmatic, approach to strategies to reduce the evidence-practice gaps across maternity services. We hypothesise successful implementation and uptake across three Australian states (amplified nationally) will be effective in reducing late gestation stillbirths to that of the best performing countries globally, equating to at least 150 lives saved annually., Trial Registration: The Safer Baby Bundle Study was retrospectively registered on the ACTRN12619001777189 database, date assigned 16/12/2019.

Objective: To identify a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) biomarker able to detect which women with singleton pregnancies are most likely to benefit from omega-3 supplementation to reduce their risk of early preterm birth., Design: Exploratory analysis of a randomised controlled trial., Setting: Six Australian hospitals., Population: Women with a singleton pregnancy enrolled in the ORIP trial., Methods: Using maternal capillary whole blood collected ~14 weeks' gestation, the fatty acids in total blood lipids were quantified using gas chromatography. Interaction tests examined whether baseline PUFA status modified the effect of omega-3 supplementation on birth outcomes., Main Outcome Measure: Early preterm birth (<34 weeks' gestation)., Results: A low total omega-3 PUFA status in early pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of early preterm birth. Among women with a total omega-3 status ≤4.1% of total fatty acids, omega-3 supplementation substantially reduced the risk of early preterm birth compared with control (0.73 versus 3.16%; relative risk = 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07-0.79). Conversely, women with higher total omega-3 status in early pregnancy were at lower risk of early preterm birth. Supplementing women with a baseline status above 4.9% increased early preterm birth (2.20 versus 0.97%; relative risk = 2.27, 95% CI 1.13-4.58)., Conclusions: Women with singleton pregnancies and low total omega-3 PUFA status early in pregnancy have an increased risk of early preterm birth and are most likely to benefit from omega-3 supplementation to reduce this risk. Women with higher total omega-3 status are at lower risk and additional omega-3 supplementation may increase their risk., Tweetable Abstract: Low total omega-3 fat status helps identify which women benefit from extra omega-3 to reduce early prematurity., (© 2020 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.)

Background: As human milk (HM) composition varies by time and across even a single feed, methods of sample collection can significantly affect the results of compositional analyses and complicate comparisons between studies., Objective: The aim was to compare the results obtained for HM macronutrient composition between studies utilizing different sampling methodologies. The results will be used as a basis to identify the most reliable HM sampling approach., Methods: EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases were searched for relevant articles. Observational and interventional studies were included, and at least 2 authors screened studies and undertook data extraction. Quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and previously published pragmatic score., Results: A total of 5301 publications were identified from our search, of which 101 studies were included (n = 5049 breastfeeding women). Methods used for HM collection were divided into 3 categories: collection of milk from all feeds over 24 h (32 studies, n = 1309 participants), collection at one time point (62 studies, n = 3432 participants), and "other methods" (7 studies, n = 308 participants). Fat and protein concentrations varied between collection methods within lactation stage, but there were no obvious differences in lactose concentrations. There was substantial variability between studies in other factors potentially impacting HM composition, including stage of lactation, gestational age, and analytical method, which complicated direct comparison of methods., Conclusions: This review describes the first systematic evaluation of sampling methodologies used in studies reporting HM composition and highlights the wide range of collection methods applied in the field. This information provides an important basis for developing recommendations for best practices for HM collection for compositional analysis, which will ultimately allow combination of information from different studies and thus strengthen the body of evidence relating to contemporary HM composition. This trial was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42017072563, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display&#95;record.php?ID=CRD42017072563., (Copyright © The Author(s) 2020.)

Background: 'Bundles of care' are being implemented to improve key practice gaps in perinatal care. As part of our development of a stillbirth prevention bundle, we consulted with Australian maternity care providers., Objective: To gain the insights of Australian maternity care providers to inform the development and implementation of a bundle of care for stillbirth prevention., Methods: A 2018 on-line survey of hospitals providing maternity services included 55 questions incorporating multiple choice, Likert items and open text. A senior clinician at each site completed the survey. The survey asked questions about practices related to fetal growth restriction, decreased fetal movements, smoking cessation, intrapartum fetal monitoring, maternal sleep position and perinatal mortality audit. The objectives were to assess which elements of care were most valued; best practice frequency; and, barriers and enablers to implementation., Results: 227 hospitals were invited with 83 (37%) responding. All proposed elements were perceived as important. Hospitals were least likely to follow best practice recommendations "all the time" for smoking cessation support (<50%), risk assessment for fetal growth restriction (<40%) and advice on sleep position (<20%). Time constraints, absence of clear guidelines and lack of continuity of carer were recognised as barriers to implementation across care practices., Conclusions: Areas for practice improvement were evident. All elements of care were valued, with increasing awareness of safe sleeping position perceived as less important. There is strong support from maternity care providers across Australia for a bundle of care to reduce stillbirth., (Copyright © 2019 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Maternal obesity has been associated with changes in the macronutrient concentration of human milk (HM), which have the potential to promote weight gain and increase the long-term risk of obesity in the infant. This article aimed to provide a synthesis of studies evaluating the effects of maternal overweight and obesity on the concentrations of macronutrients in HM. EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases were searched for relevant articles. Two authors conducted screening, data extraction, and quality assessment independently. A total of 31 studies (5078 lactating women) were included in the qualitative synthesis and nine studies (872 lactating women) in the quantitative synthesis. Overall, maternal body mass index (BMI) and adiposity measurements were associated with higher HM fat and lactose concentrations at different stages of lactation, whereas protein concentration in HM did not appear to differ between overweight and/or obese and normal weight women. However, given the considerable variability in the results between studies and low quality of many of the included studies, further research is needed to establish the impact of maternal overweight and obesity on HM composition. This is particularly relevant considering potential implications of higher HM fat concentration on both growth and fat deposition during the first few months of infancy and long-term risk of obesity., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: High quality perinatal bereavement care is critical for women and families following stillbirth or newborn death. It is a challenging area of practice and a difficult area for guideline development due to a sparse and disparate evidence base., Aim: We present an overview of the newly updated Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand/Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence guideline for perinatal bereavement care. The guideline aims to provide clear guidance for maternity health care providers and their services to support the provision of care that meets the needs of bereaved parents., Discussion: The Guideline for Respectful and Supportive Perinatal Bereavement Care is underpinned by a review of current research combined with extensive stakeholder consultation that included parents and their organisations and clinicians from a variety of disciplines. The Guideline contains 49 recommendations that reflect five fundamental goals of care: good communication; shared decision-making; recognition of parenthood; effective support; and organisational response., Conclusion: Best available research, parents' lived experiences and maternity care providers' insights have contributed to a set of implementable recommendations that address the needs of bereaved parents., (Copyright © 2019 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Omega-3 DHA is important for the prevention of preterm birth, however there is limited knowledge of the determinants of omega-3 status during pregnancy. The primary objective of this systematic review was to synthesise data from existing studies assessing relationships between clinical factors and maternal DHA status., Materials and Methods: The Medline, Embase, Amed, and CINAHL databases were searched for studies reporting measures of maternal omega-3 status and one or more clinical characteristics., Results: Eighteen studies were included in the final analyses. Factors associated with a higher BMI (overweight, higher gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes), or lower parity were each associated with higher omega-3 status in the majority of studies, with mixed findings for other comparisons., Discussion: Inconsistent findings between studies make it difficult to draw clear conclusions about the relationship between clinical factors and maternal omega-3 DHA status. However, maternal overweight and associated metabolic conditions may increase lipid metabolism., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest B.S.M. serves on the advisory board for the Nestle Nutrition Institute. All associated honoraria are paid directly to her institution to support travel and professional development activities for students and early career researchers., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Omega-3 DHA is important for the prevention of preterm birth, however there is limited knowledge of the determinants of omega-3 status during pregnancy. The primary objective of this systematic review was to synthesise data from existing studies assessing relationships between sociodemographic, diet, lifestyle and genetic factors and maternal DHA status., Materials and Methods: The Medline, Embase, Amed, and CINAHL databases were searched for studies reporting measures of maternal omega-3 status and a sociodemographic/lifestyle/genetic characteristic., Results: Twenty-two studies were included in the final analyses. Higher dietary fish consumption/PUFA intake, higher education level and an older maternal age were associated with higher maternal omega-3 status. Higher alcohol intake, smoking and FADS genotype were each associated with lower maternal omega-3 status., Discussion: Differences in findings between studies make it difficult to draw clear conclusions about the relationship between these factors and maternal omega-3 DHA status, although socioeconomic status may play a role., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Stillbirth is a devastating pregnancy outcome that has a profound and lasting impact on women and families. Globally, there are over 2.6 million stillbirths annually and progress in reducing these deaths has been slow. Maternal perception of decreased fetal movements (DFM) is strongly associated with stillbirth. However, maternal awareness of DFM and clinical management of women reporting DFM is often suboptimal. The My Baby's Movements trial aims to evaluate an intervention package for maternity services including a mobile phone application for women and clinician education (MBM intervention) in reducing late gestation stillbirth rates., Methods/design: This is a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial with sequential introduction of the MBM intervention to 8 groups of 3-5 hospitals at four-monthly intervals over 3 years. The target population is women with a singleton pregnancy, without lethal fetal abnormality, attending for antenatal care and clinicians providing maternity care at 26 maternity services in Australia and New Zealand. The primary outcome is stillbirth from 28 weeks' gestation. Secondary outcomes address: a) neonatal morbidity and mortality; b) maternal psychosocial outcomes and health-seeking behaviour; c) health services utilisation; d) women's and clinicians' knowledge of fetal movements; and e) cost. 256,700 births (average of 3170 per hospital) will detect a 30% reduction in stillbirth rates from 3/1000 births to 2/1000 births, assuming a significance level of 5%. Analysis will utilise generalised linear mixed models., Discussion: Maternal perception of DFM is a marker of an at-risk pregnancy and commonly precedes a stillbirth. MBM offers a simple, inexpensive resource to reduce the number of stillborn babies, and families suffering the distressing consequences of such a loss. This large pragmatic trial will provide evidence on benefits and potential harms of raising awareness of DFM using a mobile phone app., Trial Registration: ACTRN12614000291684. Registered 19 March 2014., Version: Protocol Version 6.1, February 2018.

Background: Antenatal corticosteroids given to women before preterm birth improve infant survival and health. However, whether dexamethasone or betamethasone have better maternal, neonatal, and childhood health outcomes remains unclear. We therefore aimed to assess whether administration of antenatal dexamethasone to women at risk of preterm birth reduced the risk of death or neurosensory disability in their children at age 2 years compared with betamethasone. We also aimed to assess whether dexamethasone reduced neonatal morbidity, had benefits for the mother, or affected childhood body size, blood pressure, behaviour, or general health compared with betamethasone., Methods: In this multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial, we recruited pregnant women from 14 maternity hospitals in Australia and New Zealand that could provide care to preterm babies. Women were eligible for study inclusion if they were at risk of preterm birth before 34 weeks of gestation, had a singleton or twin pregnancy, and had no contraindications to antenatal corticosteroids. We randomly assigned women (1:1) to receive two intramuscular injections of either 12 mg dexamethasone (dexamethasone sodium phosphate) or 11·4 mg betamethasone (Celestone Chronodose), 24 h apart. The randomisation schedule used balanced, variable blocks that were stratified by hospital, gestational age, and number of fetuses (singleton or twins). We masked all participants, staff, and assessors to treatment groups. Analyses were by intention to treat. The primary outcome was death or neurosensory disability at age 2 years (corrected for prematurity). This study is registered with ANZCTR, ACTRN12608000631303., Findings: Between Jan 28, 2009, and Feb 1, 2013, we randomly assigned 1346 (78%) women who were pregnant with 1509 fetuses to groups: 679 (50%) women were assigned to receive dexamethasone and 667 (50%) women were assigned to receive betamethasone. 27 (4%) fetuses, infants, or children in the dexamethasone group and 28 (4%) fetuses, infants, or children in the betamethasone group died before age 2 years. The primary outcome of death or neurosensory disability at age 2 years was determined for 603 (79%) of 763 fetuses whose mothers received dexamethasone and 591 (79%) of 746 fetuses whose mothers received betamethasone. We found a similar incidence of death or neurosensory disability in the dexamethasone (198 [33%] of 603 infants) and betamethasone groups (192 [32%] of 591 infants; adjusted relative risk [adjRR] 0·97, 95% CI 0·83 to 1·13; p=0·66). 18 (3%) of 679 women in the dexamethasone group and 28 of 667 (4%) women in the betamethasone group reported side-effects. Discomfort at the injection site, the most frequent side-effect, was less likely in the dexamethasone group than in the betamethasone group (six [1%] women vs 17 [3%] women; p=0·02)., Interpretation: The incidence of survival without neurosensory disability at age 2 years did not differ between dexamethasone and betamethasone treatment. Our findings indicate that either antenatal corticosteroid can be given to women before preterm birth to improve infant and child health., Funding: National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia)., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This review evaluated the effect of various storage and handling conditions on the fat composition of expressed breast milk (EBM). Three databases PubMed, Embase and Scopus were searched in April 2019 with words from the three key components: human milk, handling process (i.e. storage and/or pasteurization), and fatty acid composition. The comparisons were EBM subjected to handling processes versus fresh EBM or versus EBM subjected to another handling processes. Both intervention and observational studies were included, and the outcomes measured included total fat and lipid classes of the EBM. We included 42 studies (43 reports), 41 of which were assessed to be of good quality. Relative changes to the fat composition of EBM subjected to handling processes were calculated based on the data provided in the included studies, and the results were synthesized narratively. The total fat content and total fatty acid composition of EBM was not generally influenced by storage and handling process, with most changes less than 10%, which is likely a result of methodological variation. A reduction in EBM triglyceride concentration and concomitant increase in free fatty acid concentration were seen after exposing to various conditions, probably due to endogenous lipase., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Infants born preterm compared with infants born at term are at an increased risk of dying and of serious morbidities in early life, and those who survive have higher rates of neurological impairments. It remains unclear whether exposure to repeat courses of prenatal corticosteroids can reduce these risks. This individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis (MA) assessed whether repeat prenatal corticosteroid treatment given to women at ongoing risk of preterm birth in order to benefit their infants is modified by participant or treatment factors., Methods and Findings: Trials were eligible for inclusion if they randomised women considered at risk of preterm birth who had already received an initial, single course of prenatal corticosteroid seven or more days previously and in which corticosteroids were compared with either placebo or no placebo. The primary outcomes for the infants were serious outcome, use of respiratory support, and birth weight z-scores; for the children, they were death or any neurosensory disability; and for the women, maternal sepsis. Studies were identified using the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth search strategy. Date of last search was 20 January 2015. IPD were sought from investigators with eligible trials. Risk of bias was assessed using criteria from the Cochrane Collaboration. IPD were analysed using a one-stage approach. Eleven trials, conducted between 2002 and 2010, were identified as eligible, with five trials being from the United States, two from Canada, and one each from Australia and New Zealand, Finland, India, and the United Kingdom. All 11 trials were included, with 4,857 women and 5,915 infants contributing data. The mean gestational age at trial entry for the trials was between 27.4 weeks and 30.2 weeks. There was no significant difference in the proportion of infants with a serious outcome (relative risk [RR] 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82 to 1.04, 5,893 infants, 11 trials, p = 0.33 for heterogeneity). There was a reduction in the use of respiratory support in infants exposed to repeat prenatal corticosteroids compared with infants not exposed (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.97, 5,791 infants, 10 trials, p = 0.64 for heterogeneity). The number needed to treat (NNT) to benefit was 21 (95% CI 14 to 41) women/fetus to prevent one infant from needing respiratory support. Birth weight z-scores were lower in the repeat corticosteroid group (mean difference -0.12, 95%CI -0.18 to -0.06, 5,902 infants, 11 trials, p = 0.80 for heterogeneity). No statistically significant differences were seen for any of the primary outcomes for the child (death or any neurosensory disability) or for the woman (maternal sepsis). The treatment effect varied little by reason the woman was considered to be at risk of preterm birth, the number of fetuses in utero, the gestational age when first trial treatment course was given, or the time prior to birth that the last dose was given. Infants exposed to between 2-5 courses of repeat corticosteroids showed a reduction in both serious outcome and the use of respiratory support compared with infants exposed to only a single repeat course. However, increasing numbers of repeat courses of corticosteroids were associated with larger reductions in birth z-scores for weight, length, and head circumference. Not all trials could provide data for all of the prespecified subgroups, so this limited the power to detect differences because event rates are low for some important maternal, infant, and childhood outcomes., Conclusions: In this study, we found that repeat prenatal corticosteroids given to women at ongoing risk of preterm birth after an initial course reduced the likelihood of their infant needing respiratory support after birth and led to neonatal benefits. Body size measures at birth were lower in infants exposed to repeat prenatal corticosteroids. Our findings suggest that to provide clinical benefit with the least effect on growth, the number of repeat treatment courses should be limited to a maximum of three and the total dose to between 24 mg and 48 mg., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: RJW provided expertise on a legal case for LabCorp for which he received compensation. The case was not related to the topic being presented. He is PI for several studies that CUMC receives grants for including support from commercial entities Natera, Inc.; Sequenom; Illumina, Inc. He does not receive compensation from any of these grants.

Objective: To estimate the magnitude of the correlation between neonatal outcomes of twins and demonstrate how this information can be used in the design of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in women with twin pregnancies., Design: Secondary analysis of data from 12 RCTs., Setting: Obstetric care in multiple countries, 2004-2012., Population or Sample: 4504 twin pairs born to women who participated in RCTs to assess treatments given during pregnancy., Methods: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were estimated using log-binomial and linear models., Main Outcome Measures: Perinatal death, respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, intraventricular haemorrhage, necrotising enterocolitis, sepsis, neonatal intensive care unit admission, birthweight, low birthweight and two composite measures of adverse neonatal outcome., Results: ICCs for the composite measures of adverse neonatal outcome were all above 0.5, indicating moderate to strong correlation between adverse outcomes of twins. For individual neonatal outcomes, median ICCs across trials ranged from 0.13 to 0.79 depending on the outcome. An example illustrates how ICCs can be used in sample size calculations for RCTs in women with twin pregnancies., Conclusions: The correlation between neonatal outcomes of twins varies considerably between outcomes and may be lower than expected. Our ICC estimates can be used for designing and analysing RCTs that recruit women with twin pregnancies and for performing meta-analyses that include such RCTs. Researchers are encouraged to report ICCs for neonatal outcomes in twins in their own RCTs., Tweetable Abstract: Correlation between neonatal outcomes of twins depends on the outcome and may be lower than expected., (© 2018 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.)

Background: Breast milk composition has been reported to vary significantly between individual women and between different populations. However, the composition is also known to vary within the same woman between different days, within the same day, and even across the same feed. Therefore, it is unclear to what extent variations in composition are due to variations in sampling methodology between studies. The purpose of this systematic review is to compare the results obtained for breast milk macronutrient composition between studies utilizing different sampling methodologies and to use this as a basis to determine the most robust and consistent sampling approach as an alternative to full expression (gold standard)., Methods: The EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global databases will be searched for relevant articles. Observational studies, including cross-sectional, comparative cohort, and longitudinal cohort studies which involve lactating women who are breastfeeding (exclusively or not) or expressing (manually or using a breast pump) at any lactation stage will be included. This review will compare different methods of breast milk collection used in research studies which report macronutrient levels (protein, fat, lactose). Two review authors will independently screen titles and abstracts of studies identified by the literature search to determine articles for the full text screening. Quality assessment of included articles will be conducted independently by two review authors using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale., Discussion: It is important to identify the most reliable and practical method of human milk collection which best represents the average composition of the milk that is being consumed by the infant. This systematic review will be critical for ensuring that we determine a robust and consistent sampling approach to use in future studies of evaluating breast milk composition in a larger population. Identifying a recommended standard collection protocol will also provide more opportunities for sharing and combining data from different research groups, thus enhancing replicability and knowledge in the field., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42017072563.

Background: Perinatal morbidity and mortality are significant public health issues with an enduring impact on the health and well-being of women and their families. Millions of pregnant women now download and use mobile applications to access, store, and share health information. However, little is known about the consequences. An investigation of their impact on perinatal health outcomes is particularly topical., Objective: To determine the effects of mobile app interventions during pregnancy on influencing healthy maternal behavior and improving perinatal health outcomes., Methods: Searches of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, WHO Global Health Library, POPLINE, and CABI Global Health were conducted with no date or language restrictions. Randomized and non-randomized studies were included if they reported perinatal health outcomes of interventions targeting pregnant women, using mobile apps compared with other communication modalities or with standard care. The primary outcome measure was the change in maternal behaviors (as defined by trial authors), by intervention goals. Two reviewers independently extracted data using standardized forms., Results: Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 456 participants were included. All studies targeted participants in early pregnancy; however, wide variation was evident in participant characteristics, intervention, and study outcomes measures. Three trials were based in hospital settings, comparing women using mobile apps with routine antenatal care. One community-based trial gave all participants a device to promote physical activity; the intervention arm was also given a mobile app. All studies reported data for the primary outcome measure, describing some benefit from the intervention compared with controls. However, few statistically significant primary or secondary outcomes were reported. Due to insufficient data, the planned meta-analysis and subgroup analyses were not performed., Conclusions: Due to limited numbers, heterogeneity of interventions, comparators, and outcome measures, no firm conclusions can be drawn on the effects of mobile application interventions during pregnancy on maternal knowledge, behavior change, and perinatal health outcomes. As millions of women utilize mobile apps during pregnancy, rigorous studies are essential for health care and maternity care providers to optimally design, implement, and evaluate interventions., (©Lisa M Daly, Dell Horey, Philippa F Middleton, Frances M Boyle, Vicki Flenady. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 09.08.2018.)