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Cell-free fetal DNA (cfDNA) analyzes maternal and fetoplacental DNA, generating highly personal genetic information for both mother and fetus. This study aimed to determine how laboratories retain, use, and share genetic information from cfDNA. Other outcomes included laboratories’ adherence to American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) privacy principles, and the readability of privacy policies. Laboratories offering cfDNA aneuploidy screening were identified from online searches, curated databases, and a genomics news website. Of 124 laboratories identified, 13 were commercial laboratories offering cfDNA aneuploidy screening in the United States, and were included. Genetic privacy policies from eligible laboratories were identified by reviewing requisition and consent forms, which were obtained online or by direct contact. Most laboratories use prenatal genetic information for research (n = 10, 77%), and more than half (n = 7, 54%) shared genetic information with others. Overall, laboratories inadequately disclosed privacy risks. In a readability analysis, 9 of 11 (82%) laboratories’ genetic privacy policies were written at or above a 12th grade reading level. Most laboratories allowed for prolonged use and sharing of cfDNA data, demonstrated incomplete adherence to ASHG privacy recommendations, and provided consents written in college-level language. Laboratories should revise their consent forms, and providers should help patients understand these forms.

To determine the relationship between maternal age and labor induction duration among nulliparous women.This retrospective cohort study included nulliparous women with non-anomalous, term, singleton pregnancies undergoing labor induction with intact membranes at a tertiary-care academic hospital from January 2015 to April 2017. Maternal age was stratified as follows:25 years, 25-29 years, 30-34 years, 35-39 years, and ≥ 40 years. The primary outcome was induction duration, defined as the time the first induction agent was administered to time of birth. Secondary outcomes were cesarean delivery, cesarean indication, hemorrhage, blood transfusion, peripartum infection, composite neonatal morbidity, and induction duration among the subset of women who ultimately underwent cesarean. The data were analyzed using chi-squared and Fisher exact tests. Multivariable regression was used to adjust for maternal race/ethnicity, maternal body mass index, gestational age at start of induction, and induction indication. Hazard ratios were used to calculate induction duration among women who underwent cesarean delivery, stratified by age and adjusted by the same variables.Among the 955 patients included, the median induction duration was 32.3 h (interquartile range (IQR) 20.4-41.0 h). Women 40 years and older had a slight increase in induction duration (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.05) and a seven-fold increased risk of induction lasting 60 h or longer (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 7.3, CI 1.8-29.9) when compared to those under 25 years of age; otherwise, there was no association between maternal age and labor induction duration. There was no association between age and cesarean delivery, cesarean indication, hemorrhage, transfusion, peripartum infection, or adverse neonatal outcomes. Furthermore, there was no association between maternal age and induction duration even among women who ultimately underwent cesarean.We found no association between maternal age and induction duration for women under 40 years of age. For women 40 years of age and older, these was an increased risk of labor induction lasting 60 h or longer. Despite this, we found no association between maternal age and cesarean delivery or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes.

Modern prenatal genetic screening techniques such as cell-free fetal DNA and expanded carrier screening genotype substantial amounts of maternal and fetoplacental DNA. Although DNA can be deidentified by stripping protected health information from genetic data, anonymized DNA can be reidentified using genetic databases, raising long-term genetic privacy concerns for both mother and fetus. In this commentary, we explore the evolution of prenatal genetic screening and how modern screening techniques may pose unanticipated privacy risks. We highlight knowledge gaps and outline steps to improve patient awareness of and control over their genetic privacy, including specific recommendations for laboratories and prenatal care practitioners who offer screening. We also encourage our colleagues who provide prenatal care to be well informed about the privacy implications of the genetic tests we order and to be vocal advocates for our patients' genetic privacy, both with the laboratories that perform these tests and in the public sphere.

It has long been observed that neonates born between 39 and 40 gestational weeks have the best perinatal outcomes. What has not been known, until recently, is whether these ideal perinatal outcomes would be achieved in neonates whose delivery was brought on intentionally in this window by labor induction. Recent randomized trials and large observational cohorts have answered this question: labor induction, as compared with expectant management, lowers the rate of cesarean delivery (without increasing other adverse maternal outcomes) and improves perinatal outcomes. For those women still pregnant, delivery at 39 weeks of gestation would simultaneously lower the number of cesarean deliveries and reduce the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths in the United States.

Objective This study aimed to quantify the relative maternal and fetal risks and benefits of continuing labor induction. Study Design This retrospective cohort study included nulliparous women with nonanomalous, singleton, vertex, term pregnancies undergoing labor induction with intact membranes at a tertiary-care academic hospital from January 2015 to April 2017. The primary outcome was mode of delivery. Secondary outcomes included hemorrhage, transfusion, infection, and composite neonatal morbidity. The data were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. Multivariable regression was used to control for potential confounders. Results A total of 955 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median induction duration was 32.3 hours (interquartile range: 20.4–41 hours) and the vaginal delivery rate was 70.5% (n = 673). The chance of vaginal delivery at 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, and ≥60 hours was 76, 83, 77, 74, 72, and 48%, respectively. After controlling for confounders, there was a 20% decrease in chance of vaginal delivery with induction ≥ 24 hours compared with induction Conclusion In this cohort, the chance of vaginal delivery remained nearly 50% even when induction extended beyond 60 hours. Risks of hemorrhage and maternal infection rose modestly over time, but primarily in patients who underwent cesarean delivery. There was no difference in the risk of transfusion beyond 24 hours and no association between induction duration and neonatal morbidity. These findings may be useful when engaging patients in shared decision-making during labor induction.

OBJECTIVE Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) can have serious consequences for mothers and babies. Iron supplementation is recommended, but the administration route is controversial. We sought to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the effectiveness and safety of intravenous (IV) iron compared with oral iron on perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with IDA. STUDY DESIGN This open-label RCT randomized patients with IDA (hemoglobin [hgb]

INTRODUCTION: Prescription opioids are frequently used for pain management in pregnancy. Studies examining perinatal complications in mothers who received prescription opioids during pregnancy are still limited. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the association of prescription opioid use and maternal pregnancy and obstetric complications. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study with the Rhode Island (RI) Medicaid claims data linked to vital statistics throughout 2008–2015 included pregnant women aged 12–55 years with one or multiple live births. Women were excluded if they had cancer, opioid use disorder, or opioid dispensing prior to but not during pregnancy. Main outcomes included adverse pregnancy and obstetric complications. Marginal Structural Cox Models with time-varying exposure and covariates were applied to control for baseline and time-varying covariates. Analyses were conducted for outcomes that occurred 1 week after opioid exposure (primary) or within the same week as exposure (secondary). Sensitivity studies were conducted to assess the effects of different doses and individual opioids. RESULTS: Of 9823 eligible mothers, 545 (5.5%) filled one or more prescription opioid during pregnancy. Compared with those unexposed, no significant risk was observed in primary analyses, while in secondary analyses opioid-exposed mothers were associated with an increased risk of cesarean antepartum depression (HR 3.19; 95% CI 1.22–8.33), and cardiac events (HR 9.44; 95% CI 1.19–74.83). In sensitivity analyses, results are more prominent in high dose exposure and are consistent for individual opioids. CONCLUSIONS: Prescription opioid use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of maternal complications.

OBJECTIVE:To test the hypothesis that a longer length of time between diagnosis of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and delivery is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity in the years after delivery.METHODS:This is a retrospective cohort study based in the New York State Inpat

Objective To estimate whether severe maternal morbidity is associated with increased risk of psychiatric illness in the year after delivery hospital discharge. Methods This retrospective cohort study used International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes within Florida's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's databases. The first liveborn singleton delivery from 2005 to 2015 was included; women with ICD-9-CM codes for psychiatric illness or substance use disorder during pregnancy were excluded. The exposure was ICD-9-CM codes during delivery hospitalization of severe maternal morbidity, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The primary outcome was ICD-9-CM codes in emergency department encounter or inpatient admission within 1 year of hospital discharge of composite psychiatric morbidity (suicide attempt, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, psychosis, acute stress reaction, or adjustment disorder). The secondary outcome was a composite of ICD-9-CM codes for substance use disorder. We compared women with severe maternal morbidity with those without severe maternal morbidity using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for sociodemographic factors and medical comorbidities. Cox proportional hazard models identified the highest risk period after hospital discharge for the primary outcome. Results A total of 15,510 women with severe maternal morbidity and 1,178,458 without severe maternal morbidity were included. Within 1 year of hospital discharge, 2.9% (n=452) of women with severe maternal morbidity had the primary outcome compared with 1.6% (n=19,279) of women without severe maternal morbidity, resulting in an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.74 (95% CI 1.58-1.91). The highest risk interval was within 4 months of discharge (adjusted hazard ratio [adjusted HR] 2.53 [95% CI 2.05-3.12]). Most severe maternal morbidity conditions were associated with higher risk of postpartum psychiatric illness. Women with severe maternal morbidity had nearly twofold higher risk of postpartum substance use disorder (170 [1.1%] vs 6,861 [0.6%]; aOR 1.91 [95% CI 1.64-2.23]). Conclusion Though absolute numbers were modest, severe maternal morbidity was associated with increased risk of severe postpartum psychiatric morbidity and substance use disorder. The highest period of risk extended to 4 months after hospital discharge.

Objective: To analyze perinatal morbidity and stillbirth after intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) with an umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index (UA PI) less than the fifth centile.Study de...

Background To identify the association between inpatient postpartum opioid consumption, race, and amount of opioids prescribed at discharge after vaginal or cesarean delivery. Methods A total of 416 women who were prescribed an oral opioid following vaginal or cesarean delivery at a single tertiary academic institution between July 2018 and October 2018 were identified. Women with postoperative wound complications, third and fourth degree lacerations, cesarean hysterectomy, or a history of opioid abuse were excluded. The primary outcome was the number of oxycodone 5 mg tablets prescribed at discharge, stratified by race and mode of delivery. Only “Black” and “White” women were included in analyses due to low absolute numbers of other identities. Black women were compared to white women using multivariable logistic regression. Multiple sensitivity analyses were performed. Results The median number of oxycodone tablets consumed during hospitalization following cesarean delivery was seven (IQR: 2.5–12 tablets) and following vaginal delivery was one (IQR: 0–3). White women were more likely to be older at delivery regardless of route (median 32 vs. 30 years for cesarean delivery, and 29 vs. 27 years for vaginal delivery; p p = 0.02). White women were also significantly more likely to have private insurance and to experience perineal lacerations following vaginal delivery. The number of inpatient opioid tablets consumed, as well as the number prescribed at discharge, were not statistically different between Black and White women, regardless of mode of delivery. These findings persisted in sensitivity analyses. Conclusion At our large, academic hospital the number of tablets prescribed at discharge had no association with patient race or inpatient usage regardless of mode of delivery.

Background: Low-income women are less likely to breastfeed than high-income women. Technology-based interventions demonstrate promise in decreasing health disparities. We assessed whether increased use of breastfeeding smartphone applications (apps) impacts breastfeeding rates for low-income women. Materials and Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a randomized control trial (RCT), including nulliparous, low-income women. Women were randomized to one of two novel apps: control app containing digital breastfeeding handouts and BreastFeeding Friend (BFF), an interactive app containing on-demand breastfeeding educational and video content. App usage was securely tracked. The highest quartile of BFF and control app users were combined and compared to the lowest quartile of app users. The primary outcome was breastfeeding initiation. Secondary outcomes included breastfeeding outcomes and resource preferences through 6 months. Results: In the RCT, BFF and control app median uses were 15 (interquartile range [IQR] 4–24) and 9 (IQR 5–19) (p = 0.1), respectively. Breastfeeding initiation did not differ with app usage (84.1% in highest quartile versus 78.2% for lowest quartile; p = 0.5). Rates of sustained and exclusive breastfeeding through 6 months were similar between groups. Among both groups, smartphone apps were the most preferred breastfeeding resource at 6 weeks. Low quartile users also preferred alternative online breastfeeding resources: >50% of all users preferred technology-based breastfeeding resources. Conclusions: Increased usage of breastfeeding apps did not improve breastfeeding rates among low-income women. However, technology-based resources were the most preferred breastfeeding resource after hospital discharge, indicating ongoing development of technology-based interventions has potential to increase breastfeeding in this high-needs population. clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03167073).

Breastfeeding is available to nearly all women and has well-established short-term and long-term health benefits for mothers and infants. However, rates of breastfeeding initiation and continuation vary significantly according to sociodemographic factors, particularly in the United States. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions such as web-based/online education or smartphone applications have showed promise in increasing breastfeeding initiation and supporting breastfeeding continuation, and the importance of such mHealth-based breastfeeding support has increased significantly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This expert commentary reviews prior studies on mHealth in breastfeeding and highlights areas for future research on this topic.

Key Points Question Is there an association between prenatal prescription opioid exposure and the risk of major and minor congenital malformations? Findings In this cohort study of 12 424 pregnancies, 891 women were dispensed prescription opioids during pregnancy. Opioid exposure in trimester 1 was not associated with major birth defects, but women dispensed opioids in trimester 3 had higher risks of offspring with minor birth defects in the musculoskeletal system. Meaning The study findings suggest a higher risk of minor congenital malformations in the musculoskeletal system that is associated with prenatal prescription opioid exposure in the third trimester; this risk appears to be dose-dependent., Importance The rapid increase of opioid-related overdoses and deaths has become a public health concern in the US. Use of prescription opioids in pregnant women has increased; results from teratogenicity studies remain controversial. Objective To evaluate the association between maternal prescription opioid use (excluding opioid use disorders) during pregnancy and the incidence of congenital malformations. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective population-based cohort study evaluated linked Rhode Island Medicaid claims and vital statistics data of live births from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2016. Data analysis was conducted from May 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020. Women who had a live birth during the study period, but no cancer or opioid use disorder, were followed up from 3 months before pregnancy to the end of pregnancy. Exposures Data on the mother’s prescription opioid exposure were obtained through pharmacy claims and exposure was defined as dispensing of at least 1 prescription opioid during the first, second, or third trimester. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was overall major or minor congenital malformations, defined as 1 or more major or minor congenital malformation. Secondary outcomes were defined as 10 specific categories of congenital malformations classified by organ systems using International Classification of Diseases diagnosis codes. Results Of 12 424 included pregnancies, 891 mothers (7.2%) received prescription opioids during pregnancy and 3153 infants (25.4%) were diagnosed with major or minor congenital malformations. Comparing prescription opioid exposure vs nonexposure, no excess risk was observed for major birth defects in infants with opioid exposure in trimester 1 (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.40; 95% CI, 0.84-2.34), and higher risks were found for overall minor birth defects in trimester 3 (aRR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.04-1.53) and minor birth defects in the musculoskeletal system in trimester 2 (aRR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.10-2.03) and trimester 3 (aRR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.23-2.22). Significant dose responses in selected minor malformations and effects of specific opioids were also identified. Hydrocodone in trimester 2 (aRR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.80-5.03) and oxycodone in trimester 3 (aRR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.37-4.02) were associated with plagiocephaly, polydactyly, and other specified congenital deformities of the hip. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest a higher risk of minor congenital malformations associated with use of prenatal prescription opioids in trimester 3, which seems to be dose-dependent. Further investigation is needed to establish causality and explore the physiologic plausibility of the association., This cohort study examines the incidence of major and minor congenital malformations in infants born to women who receive opioids for medical indications during pregnancy.

Objective: To examine the effect of a novel smartphone application (app)—BreastFeeding Friend (BFF)—on breastfeeding rates among low-income first-time mothers planning exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) randomized low-income first-time mothers to BFF or control app. BFF contained breastfeeding education and videos. The control app contained digital breastfeeding handouts. Outcomes included breastfeeding rates until 6 months postpartum and patient-reported best breastfeeding resource. After enrollment, nearly half the participants reported planning formula feeding after breastfeeding initiation, potentially confounding the RCT results. In this secondary analysis, women planning formula feeding were excluded. Outcomes between study groups were compared by intent-to-treat. Results: Of the original 170 participants, 41 in BFF and 46 in control group planned exclusively breastfeeding and were included. Exclusive breastfeeding rates were similar from 2 days postpartum (BFF: n = 19 [48.7%] versus control app: n = 21 [46.7%]; relative risk [RR] = 1.04, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.67–1.63]) until 6 months postpartum. At 6 weeks postpartum, the majority of BFF users (n = 23 [62.2%]) believed an app provided the best breastfeeding support compared with 39% of control app users (n = 16; RR = 1.59 [95% CI = 1.01–2.52]). BFF users were 2.5 times more likely to deny having breastfeeding challenges compared with control app users (n = 12 [42.9%] versus n = 6 [16.7%]; RR = 2.57 [95% CI = 1.10–6.00]). Conclusion: BFF reduced self-reported breastfeeding challenges and was perceived as the best breastfeeding resource at home but did not increase breastfeeding rates among low-income first-time mothers desiring to exclusively breastfeed. BFF shows promise but must be further optimized to ultimately impact breastfeeding rates. Trial Identification Number: NCT03167073.

Background Having twins is associated with more depressive symptoms than having singletons. However, the association between having twins and psychiatric morbidity requiring emergency department visit or inpatient hospitalization is less well known. Objective This study aimed to determine whether women have higher risk of having a psychiatric diagnosis at an emergency department visit or inpatient admission in the year after having twins vs singletons. Study Design This retrospective cohort study used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis and procedure codes within the Florida State Inpatient Database and State Emergency Department Database, which have an encrypted identifier allowing nearly all inpatient and emergency department encounters statewide to be linked to the medical record. The first delivery of Florida residents at the age of 13 to 55 years from 2005 to 2014 was included, regardless of parity; women with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification coding for psychiatric illness or substance misuse during pregnancy or for stillbirth or higher-order gestations were excluded. The exposure was an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code during delivery hospitalization of live-born twins. The primary outcome was an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code during an emergency department encounter or inpatient admission within 1 year of delivery for a psychiatric morbidity composite (suicide attempt, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, psychosis, acute stress reaction, or adjustment disorder). The secondary outcome was drug or alcohol use or dependence within 1 year of delivery. We compared outcomes after delivery of live-born twins with singletons using multivariable logistic regression adjusting for sociodemographic and medical factors. We tested for interactions between independent variables in the primary model and conducted sensitivity analyses stratifying women by insurance type and presence of severe intrapartum morbidity or medical comorbidities. Results A total of 17,365 women who had live-born twins and 1,058,880 who had singletons were included. Within 1 year of birth, 1.6% of women delivering twins (n=270) and 1.6% of women delivering singletons (n=17,236) had an emergency department encounter or inpatient admission coded for psychiatric morbidity (adjusted odds ratio, 1.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.88–1.14). Coding for drug or alcohol use or dependence in an emergency department encounter or inpatient admission in the year after twin vs singleton delivery was also similar (n=96 [0.6%] vs n=6222 [0.6%]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.91–1.36). However, women with public health insurance were more likely to be coded for drug or alcohol use or dependence after twin than singleton delivery (n=75 [1.2%] vs n=4858 [1.0%]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.60). Women with ≥1 medical comorbidity, severe maternal morbidity, or low income also had an increased risk of psychiatric morbidity after twin delivery (comorbidities, n=7438 [42.8%]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.25–1.34; severe maternal morbidity, n=940 [5.4%]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.49–1.81; lowest income quartile, n=4409 [26.8%]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.23–1.40; second-lowest income quartile, n=4770 [29.0%]; adjusted odds ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.26–1.43). Conclusion Overall, diagnostic codes for psychiatric illness or substance misuse in emergency department visits or hospital admissions in the year after twin vs singleton delivery are similar. However, women with who are low income or have public health insurance, comorbidities, or severe maternal morbidity are at an increased risk of postpartum psychiatric morbidity after twin vs singleton delivery.

Objective The aim of the study is to identify an association between inpatient opioid consumption and prescription at discharge after vaginal delivery (VD) and cesarean delivery (CD). Methods This retrospective cohort study included women with an active inpatient opioid order after VD or CD between July and October of 2018 at a single academic tertiary hospital. Women with opioid use disorder, 3rd or 4th degree lacerations, wound complications, and peripartum hysterectomy were excluded. Oxycodone 5-mg (mg) tablets consumed postpartum and prescribed at discharge and sociodemographics were recorded. Primary outcome was the number of oxycodone 5-mg tablets prescribed at discharge. Outcomes were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression between quartiles of inpatient opioid consumption. Results A total of 437 patients were included: 169 patients underwent VD, and 268 underwent CD. For VD and CD, women in the highest quartile of inpatient opioid consumption were more likely Black compared with the lowest quartile (p = 0.006 and p = 0.004, respectively). No association existed between inpatient opioid use and number of tablets prescribed at discharge for VD or CD (odds ratio [OR] 0.22 [95% confidence interval or CI 0.02–2.17] and OR 1.04 [95% CI 0.85–1.32], respectively). Conclusion The number of opioid tablets prescribed at discharge had no association with inpatient postpartum consumption after VD or CD.

To assess the effect of intravenous versus oral iron on hematologic indices and clinical outcomes for iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in pregnancy. Searches in Ovid Medline, Embase, SCOPUS, Cochrane Database, and ClinicalTrials.gov identified randomized-controlled trials comparing intravenous to oral iron for treating IDA in pregnancy. Primary outcomes were maternal hematologic indices at delivery. Secondary outcomes were blood transfusion, cesarean delivery, neonatal outcomes, and medication reactions. Of 15,637 studies, 20 randomized trials met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Mean hemoglobin at delivery (9 studies: WMD 0.66 g/dL (95% confidence Interval 0.31 –1.02 g/dL)) was significantly higher after intravenous iron therapy. Intravenous iron was associated with higher birthweight (8 studies: WMD 58.25 g (95% CI: 5.57–110.94 g)) but no significant differences in blood transfusion, cesarean delivery, or neonatal hemoglobin. There were fewer medication reactions with intravenous iron (21 studies: RR 0.34% (95% CI: 0.20–0.57)). Intravenous iron therapy is associated with higher maternal hemoglobin at delivery with no difference in blood transfusion and fewer mild medication reactions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether administration of antenatal late-preterm betamethasone is cost-effective in the immediate neonatal period. STUDY DESIGN: Cost-effectiveness analysis of late-preterm betamethasone administration with a time horizon of 7.5 days was conducted using a health-system perspective. Data for neonatal outcomes, including respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), and hypoglycemia, were from the Antenatal Betamethasone for Women at Risk for Late Preterm Delivery trial. Cost data were derived from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and utilities of neonatal outcomes were from the literature. Outcomes were total costs in 2017 United States dollars and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for each individual infant as well as for a theoretical cohort of the 270,000 late-preterm infants born in 2015 in the United States. RESULTS: For an individual patient, compared to withholding betamethasone, administering betamethasone incurred a higher total cost ($6,592 versus $6,265) and marginally lower QALYs (0.02002 QALYS versus 0.02006 QALYs) within the studied time horizon. For the theoretical cohort of 270,000 patients, administration of betamethasone was $88 million more expensive ($1,780 million versus $1,692 million) with lower QALYs (5,402 QALYs versus 5,416 QALYs), compared to withholding betamethasone. For administration of betamethasone to be cost-effective, the rate of hypoglycemia, RDS, or TTN among late-preterm infants receiving betamethasone would need to be less than 20.0%, 4.5%, and 2.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Administration of betamethasone in the late-preterm period is likely not cost-effective in the short-term.

Objective Placental insufficiency is associated with neonatal neurologic morbidity and late-term gestations (410/7–416/7 weeks). Whether late-term infants are at increased risk of neurologic morbidity compared with term infants (390/7–406/7 weeks) remains unclear. We aim to compare risk of neurologic morbidity among late-term and term infants. Study Design This secondary analysis of a single-institution prospective cohort study included all liveborn, nonanomalous singleton term and late-term infants, with data on adverse neonatal outcomes up until 28 days of life. The primary outcome was a neonatal neurologic morbidity composite, defined by having one of these conditions: neonatal seizures, intraventricular hemorrhage, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and neonatal hypothermic therapy. Secondary outcomes were the composite's individual components and nonneurologic neonatal morbidity. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for delivery mode, nulliparity, and labor type. Results Of 5,529 infants included, 747 were late term and 4,782 were term. The risk of composite neurologic morbidity was not significantly different among late-term or term infants (0.5 vs. 0.6%; adjusted odds ratio: 0.59, 95% confidence interval: 0.21–1.71). Overall neonatal morbidity was not significantly different in the two groups, though late-term infants had a nonsignificantly higher prevalence of respiratory distress syndrome (5.5 vs. 3.3%) and meconium aspiration syndrome (0.7 vs. 0.2%). Conclusion Neonatal neurologic morbidity is uncommon after 39 weeks. Risk does not increase after 41 weeks.

Objective To estimate whether stillbirth at 23 weeks of gestation or more is associated with increased risk of severe maternal morbidity compared with live birth, when stratified by maternal comorbidities. Methods This retrospective cohort study used International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis and procedure codes within the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Florida State Inpatient Database. The first delivery of female Florida residents aged 13-54 years old from 2005 to 2014 was included. The exposure was an ICD-9-CM code of stillbirth at 23 weeks of gestation or more; the control was an ICD-9-CM code of singleton live birth. Deliveries were stratified by the presence of 1 or more conditions within a well-validated maternal morbidity composite using ICD-9-CM codes during delivery hospitalization. The primary outcome was an ICD-9-CM diagnosis or procedure code during delivery hospitalization of any indices within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's severe maternal morbidity composite. Multivariable analyses adjusted for maternal sociodemographic factors and delivery mode to compare outcomes after stillbirth with live-birth delivery. Results Nine thousand five hundred twenty-three women who delivered stillborn fetuses and 1,353,044 with liveborn neonates were included. Among 6,590 stillbirths and 935,913 live births without maternal comorbidities, severe maternal morbidity was significantly more common during stillbirth delivery (n=345 [5.2%]), corresponding to a seven-fold increased risk compared with live birth (n=8,318 [0.9]; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 7.05 [95% CI 6.27-7.93]). Among 2,933 stillbirths and 417,131 live births with maternal comorbidities, severe maternal morbidity was significantly more common during stillbirth delivery (n=390 [13.3%]): the risk was more than six-fold higher comparatively (n=11,122 [2.7%]; aOR 6.21 [95% CI 5.54-6.96]). Most maternal comorbidities were individually associated with higher risk of severe maternal morbidity during stillbirth compared with live-birth delivery. Conclusion Though severe maternal morbidity is overall uncommon, delivering a stillborn fetus 23 weeks of gestation or greater is associated with increased likelihood of severe maternal morbidity, particularly among women with comorbidities, suggesting health care providers must be vigilant about severe maternal morbidity during stillbirth delivery.

Summary Background WHO recommends daily iron supplementation for pregnant women, but adherence is poor because of side-effects, effectiveness is low, and there are concerns about possible harm. The iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin can signal when an individual is ready-and-safe to receive iron. We tested whether a hepcidin-guided screen-and-treat approach to combat iron-deficiency anaemia could achieve equivalent efficacy to universal administration, but with lower exposure to iron. Methods We did a three-arm, randomised, double-blind, non-inferiority trial in 19 rural communities in the Jarra West and Kiang East districts of The Gambia. Eligible participants were pregnant women aged 18–45 years at between 14 weeks and 22 weeks of gestation. We randomly allocated women to either WHO's recommended regimen (ie, a daily UN University, UNICEF, and WHO international multiple-micronutrient preparation [UNIMMAP] containing 60 mg iron), a 60 mg screen-and-treat approach (ie, daily UNIMMAP containing 60 mg iron for 7 days if weekly hepcidin was

The objective of this study is to evaluate the informative content of two free, pregnancy-specific smartphone applications and their accuracy and adherence to prenatal care guidelines. This is a qualitative analysis of the information delivered through two free, pregnancy-specific smartphone applications (apps): Text4Baby (T4B) and Baby Center’s ‘My Pregnancy Today’ (BC). All information from conception through 2 weeks postpartum were transcribed and coded independently by two physician researchers. Content was analyzed and assigned thematic codes. The proportion of content each app delivered per theme was then calculated and the χ2-test was used to compare thematic frequency between apps. A total of 609 pieces of daily content were transcribed; 698 message themes were coded and analyzed. Most information delivered by T4B was about fetal development (23.8%) or prenatal care (16.6%); most content from BC was about normal pregnancy symptoms (20.1%) or maternal well-being (21.1%); the differences between apps for each of these themes were statistically significant (P

Background Low-income women are less likely to exclusively breastfeed at postpartum day 2 compared with high-income women, but focus groups of low-income women have suggested that on-demand videos on breastfeeding and infant behavior would support exclusive breastfeeding beyond postpartum day 2. Smartphone applications provide on-demand video. Objective This study aimed to determine whether a novel smartphone application—Breastfeeding Friend—increases breastfeeding rates for low-income, first-time mothers. Study Design This double-blinded randomized trial recruited low-income, first-time mothers at 36 weeks’ gestation. Consenting women received a complimentary Android smartphone and internet service before 1:1 randomization to Breastfeeding Friend or a control smartphone application. Breastfeeding Friend was created by a multidisciplinary team of perinatologists, neonatologists, lactation consultants, and a middle school teacher and was refined by end-user focus groups. Breastfeeding Friend contained on-demand education and videos on breastfeeding and newborn behavior, tailored to a fifth-grade reading level. The control smartphone application contained digital breastfeeding handouts. The primary outcome was exclusive breastfeeding at postpartum day 2; secondary outcomes were breastfeeding rates until 6 months postpartum and patient-reported best breastfeeding resource. Primary statistical analyses compared outcomes between study groups through intention-to-treat analysis; prespecified secondary analyses did so per protocol. A total of 170 women (85 per arm) were needed to determine whether Breastfeeding Friend increased exclusive breastfeeding at postpartum day 2 from 34% (known baseline) to 56%. Results A total of 253 women were approached; 170 women enrolled. Most participants were black, with more than half reporting annual household incomes of less than $25,000. Exclusive breastfeeding rates at postpartum day 2 were low and similar among Breastfeeding Friend and control smartphone application users (n=30 [36.6%] vs n=30 [35.7%]; relative risk, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.068–1.53). Breastfeeding rates until 6 months postpartum were also similar between study groups: the rate of exclusive breastfeeding was 8.3% (n=5) and 10.4% (n=7) in the Breastfeeding Friend and control smartphone application groups, respectively (relative risk, 0.8; 95% confidence interval, 0.27–2.38). At 6 weeks postpartum, most Breastfeeding Friend smartphone application users (n=34 [52.3%]) rated their smartphone application as providing the best breastfeeding support. Excluding women who did not use their study smartphone application (Breastfeeding Friend, n=18 [21.4%]; control smartphone application, n=9 [10.6%]) did not affect outcomes. Conclusion Neither of the smartphone applications improved breastfeeding rates among low-income, first-time mothers above the known baseline rates, despite user perception that Breastfeeding Friend was the best breastfeeding resource at 6 weeks postpartum. By demonstrating the feasibility of smartphone application–based interventions within a particularly high-needs population, our research supports efforts in obstetrics to examine whether mobile health improves peripartum health outcomes.

Importance Prolonged opioid use after surgery may be associated with opioid dependency and increased health care use. However, published studies have reported varying estimates of the magnitude of prolonged opioid use and risk factors associated with the transition of patients to long-term opioid use. Objectives To evaluate the rate and characteristics of patient-level risk factors associated with increased risk of prolonged use of opioids after surgery. Data Sources For this systematic review and meta-analysis, a search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar from inception to August 30, 2017, was performed, with an updated search performed on June 30, 2019. Key words may includeopioid analgesics, general surgery, surgical procedures, persistent opioid use,andpostoperative pain. Study Selection Of 7534 articles reviewed, 33 studies were included. Studies were included if they involved participants 18 years or older, evaluated opioid use 3 or more months after surgery, and reported the rate and adjusted risk factors associated with prolonged opioid use after surgery. Data Extraction and Synthesis The Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines were followed. Two reviewers independently assessed and extracted the relevant data. Main Outcomes and Measures The weighted pooled rate and odds ratios (ORs) of risk factors were calculated using the random-effects model. Results The 33 studies included 1 922 743 individuals, with 1 854 006 (96.4%) from the US. In studies with available sex and age information, participants were mostly female (1 031 399; 82.7%) and had a mean (SD) age of 59.3 (12.8) years. The pooled rate of prolonged opioid use after surgery was 6.7% (95% CI, 4.5%-9.8%) but decreased to 1.2% (95% CI, 0.4%-3.9%) in restricted analyses involving only opioid-naive participants at baseline. The risk factors with the strongest associations with prolonged opioid use included preoperative use of opioids (OR, 5.32; 95% CI, 2.94-9.64) or illicit cocaine (OR, 4.34; 95% CI, 1.50-12.58) and a preoperative diagnosis of back pain (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.63-2.58). No significant differences were observed with various study-level factors, including a comparison of major vs minor surgical procedures (pooled rate: 7.0%; 95% CI, 4.9%-9.9% vs 11.1%; 95% CI, 6.0%-19.4%;P = .20). Across all of our analyses, there was substantial variability because of heterogeneity instead of sampling error. Conclusions and Relevance The findings suggest that prolonged opioid use after surgery may be a substantial burden to public health. It appears that strategies, such as proactively screening for at-risk individuals, should be prioritized.

Background Group visits for chronic medical conditions in non-pregnant populations have demonstrated successful outcomes including greater weight loss compared to individual visits for weight management. It is plausible that group prenatal care can similarly assist women in meeting gestational weight gain goals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of group vs. traditional prenatal care on gestational weight gain. Methods A keyword search of Medline, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar was performed up to April 2017. Studies were included if they compared gestational weight gain in a group prenatal care setting to traditional prenatal care in either randomized controlled trials, cohort, or case-control studies. The primary and secondary outcomes were excessive and adequate gestational weight gain according to the Institute of Medicine guidelines. Heterogeneity was assessed with the Q test and I2 statistic. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and confidence intervals (CI) were reported with random-effects models from the randomized controlled trials (RCT) and cohort studies. Results One RCT, one secondary analysis of an RCT, one study with “random assignment”, and twelve cohort studies met the inclusion criteria for a total of 13,779 subjects. Thirteen studies used the CenteringPregnancy model, defined by 10 sessions that emphasize goal setting and self-monitoring. Studies targeted specific populations such as adolescents, African-Americans, Hispanics, active-duty military or their spouses, and women with obesity or gestational diabetes. There were no significant differences in excessive [7 studies: pooled rates 47% (1806/3582) vs. 43% (3839/8521), RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.97–1.23] or adequate gestational weight gain [6 studies: pooled rates 31% (798/2875) vs. 30% (1410/5187), RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.79–1.08] in group and traditional prenatal care among the nine studies that reported categorical gestational weight gain outcomes in the meta-analysis. Conclusions Group prenatal care was not associated with excessive or adequate gestational weight gain in the meta-analysis. Since outcomes were overall inconsistent, we propose that prenatal care models (e.g., group vs. traditional) should be evaluated in a more rigorous fashion with respect to gestational weight gain. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-018-2148-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective To determine infant feeding practices of low-income women at a Baby-Friendly Hospital and to ascertain breastfeeding interventions they believe would increase exclusive breastfeeding. Study Design This cross-sectional study occurred at a tertiary care Baby-Friendly Hospital. Low-income women without breastfeeding contraindications were recruited at scheduled obstetrician/gynecologist appointments within 6 to 9 months of delivering a term, nonanomalous infant. Participants completed a survey. Outcomes included infant feeding patterns and perceived usefulness of proposed breastfeeding interventions. Results Of 149 participants, 129 (86.6%) initiated breastfeeding; by postpartum day 2 (PPD2), 47 (31.5%) exclusively breastfed, 51 (34.2%) breastfed with formula, and 51 (34.2%) exclusively formula fed. On a scale of 1 (“strongly agree”) to 5 (“strongly disagree”), women who supplemented with formula on PPD2 were significantly more likely than those who exclusively formula fed to agree education on neonatal behavior, 1 (interquartile range [IQR] 1, 2) versus 2 (IQR 1, 3); p = 0.026 and on-demand access to breastfeeding videos on latch or positioning, 1 (IQR 1, 2) versus 2 (IQR 1, 3), p = 0.043; 1 (IQR 1, 2) versus 2 (IQR 1, 3), p = 0.021, respectively, would have helped them exclusively breastfeed. Conclusion Though low-income women at a Baby-Friendly Hospital had high breastfeeding initiation rates, the majority used formula by PPD2. To increase breastfeeding rates among low-income women, future interventions should provide appropriate and effective breastfeeding interventions.

Background Intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index has been identified among pregnancies with intrauterine growth restriction but has unclear clinical significance. Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze perinatal morbidity and stillbirth after intrauterine growth restriction with an intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index. Study Design This retrospective cohort study included nonanomalous singleton, intrauterine growth–restricted pregnancies that received umbilical artery pulsatility index testing at a tertiary-care prenatal diagnostic center from 2010–2016. Women with persistently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index, absent or reversed end-diastolic blood flow on umbilical artery pulsatility index, or only 1 umbilical artery pulsatility index result were excluded. Intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index was defined as ≥1 elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index (>95%) and ≥1 normal umbilical artery pulsatility index (≤95%). Women with an intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index were matched 1:3 by gestational age at intrauterine growth restriction diagnosis to those with a normal umbilical artery pulsatility index. The primary outcome was composite neonatal morbidity and deaths (stillbirth, mechanical ventilation, sepsis, intraventricular hemorrhage, and necrotizing enterocolitis). Secondary outcomes included 5-minute Apgar score, umbilical artery pH, delivery type, and interval from intrauterine growth restriction diagnosis to delivery. We compared outcomes after intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index with those after normal umbilical artery pulsatility index with multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for gestational age at delivery, betamethasone use, and maternal factors. Results Of 1893 women, 143 (7.6%) had an intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index and were matched to 429 control subjects. Among the 143 women with an intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index, 78 (54.5%), 52 (36.4%), and 13 (0.9%) women had elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index for 1–24%, 25–49%, and 50–74% of recorded Doppler measurements, respectively. None of the women had an elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index for 75–99% of recorded umbilical artery pulsatility index measurements. The last recorded umbilical artery pulsatility index was elevated for 37 women with an intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index (25.9%). Overall, the odds of composite neonatal morbidity was similar among intrauterine growth–restricted pregnancies with an intermittently elevated vs a normal umbilical artery pulsatility index (adjusted odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.59–1.87); there were no stillbirths. There was no difference in 5-minute Apgar scores, umbilical artery pH, rate of cesarean delivery for fetal distress, or interval from intrauterine growth restriction diagnosis to delivery between the 2 groups. Similarly, sensitivity analyses that stratified the population of intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index by the proportion of elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index to overall umbilical artery pulsatility index measurements and by whether the last umbilical artery pulsatility index recorded was normal or elevated showed no difference in neonatal morbidity or obstetric outcomes between the comparator groups. Conclusion Among intrauterine growth–restricted pregnancies, an intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index is neither uncommon nor associated with an increased risk of neonatal morbidity, stillbirth, or cesarean delivery. These findings suggest intrauterine growth–restricted pregnancies with intermittently elevated umbilical artery pulsatility index could be managed clinically as are those with normal umbilical artery pulsatility index.

Background: Socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) African American women with overweight or obesity are less likely to breastfeed. Objective: To test whether a home-based lifestyle intervention impacts breastfeeding initiation rates in SED African American women with overweight or obesity. Study Design: This was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial from October 2012 to March 2016 at a university-based hospital within the LIFE-Moms consortium. SED African American women with overweight or obesity and singleton gestations were randomized by 16 weeks to Parents as Teachers (PAT)—a home-based parenting support and child development educational intervention—or PAT+, PAT with additional content on breastfeeding. Participants completed a breastfeeding survey. Outcomes included breastfeeding initiation and reasons for not initiating or not continuing breastfeeding. Results: One hundred eighteen women were included: 59 in PAT+; 59 in PAT. Breastfeeding initiation rates were similar in each group (78.00% in PAT+; 74.58% in PAT). On a one to four scale, with four denoting “very important,” women in PAT+ and PAT were equally likely to rate their beliefs that formula was better than breast milk or breastfeeding would be too inconvenient as the most important reasons to not initiate breastfeeding. On the same scale, women similarly rated their difficulty latching or concern for low milk supply as the most important reasons for breastfeeding cessation. Conclusion: SED African American women with overweight or obesity who received a home-based educational intervention had higher breastfeeding rates than is reported nationally for black women (59%). However, the intervention with more breastfeeding content did not further increase breastfeeding rates or impact reasons for breastfeeding cessation. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01768793.

Text4baby is the only free text-message program for pregnancy available. Our objective was to determine whether content differed between Text4baby and popular pregnancy smart phone applications (apps).Researchers enrolled in Text4baby in 2012 and downloaded the four most-popular free pregnancy smart phone apps in July 2013; content was re-extracted in February 2014. Messages were assigned thematic codes. Two researchers coded messages independently before reviewing all the codes jointly to ensure consistency. Logistic regression modeling determined statistical differences between Text4baby and smart phone apps.About 1399 messages were delivered. Of these, 333 messages had content related to more than one theme and were coded as such, resulting in 1820 codes analyzed. Compared to smart phone apps, Text4baby was significantly more likely to have content regarding Postpartum Planning, Seeking Care, Recruitment and Prevention and significantly less likely to mention Normal Pregnancy Symptoms. No messaging program included content regarding postpartum contraception.To improve content without increasing text message number, Text4baby could replace messages on recruitment with messages regarding normal pregnancy symptoms, fetal development and postpartum contraception.

Objective The objective of this study was to estimate epidural timing's impact on fetal station during active labor. Study Design This secondary analysis of a single-institution prospective cohort study included all term singleton pregnancies, stratified by parity. Those with early epidurals (placed at 95%). Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for labor type. Results Among 7,647 women, 3,434 were nulliparous (2,983 with early epidurals and 451 with late epidurals) and 4,213 multiparous (3,141 with early epidurals and 1,072 with late epidurals). Interquartile ranges (IQRs) suggested fetal station at 6 cm was likely lower among those with early epidurals (nulliparous: median head station −1 [IQR: −1 to 0] for early epidural vs. −1 [IQR: −2 to 0] for late epidural, p Conclusion Early epidurals were associated with lower fetal station in active labor but not prolonged first stage.