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Background: Although fetal size is associated with adverse perinatal outcome, the relationship between fetal growth velocity and adverse perinatal outcome is unclear. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between fetal growth velocity and signs of cerebral blood flow redistribution, and their association with birthweight and adverse perinatal outcome. Study Design: This study was a secondary analysis of the TRUFFLE-2 multicenter observational prospective feasibility study of fetuses at risk of fetal growth restriction between 32 +0 and 36 +6 weeks of gestation (n=856), evaluated by ultrasound biometry and umbilical and middle cerebral artery Doppler. Individual fetal growth velocity was calculated from the difference of birthweight and estimated fetal weight at 3, 2, and 1 week before delivery, and by linear regression of all available estimated fetal weight measurements. Fetal estimated weight and birthweight were expressed as absolute value and as multiple of the median for statistical calculation. The coefficients of the individual linear regression of estimated fetal weight measurements (growth velocity; g/wk) were plotted against the last umbilical-cerebral ratio with subclassification for perinatal outcome. The association of these measurements with adverse perinatal outcome was assessed. The adverse perinatal outcome was a composite of abnormal condition at birth or major neonatal morbidity. Results: Adverse perinatal outcome was more frequent among fetuses whose antenatal growth was

Purpose It has been suggested that paternal genes may contribute to the risk of maternal hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and that genes associated with cardiovascular disease could be involved in the etiology of maternal hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. If these genes are of fetal origin, one would expect that paternal cardiovascular risk factors are associated with the fathering of pregnancies in which the mothers experience hypertensive disorders. Thus, we have studied 14,130 offspring and parents in Norway (1967−1997) to assess whether the fathering of pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders in the mother is associated with paternal cardiovascular risk factors. Methods In a population-based study of 14,130 family units, data on parental cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, nonfasting serum lipids and glucose) collected in the Norwegian Hunt Study (1995−1997) were linked to pregnancy data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (1967−1997). Multiple linear regression methods were used, and all analyses were adjusted for lifestyle factors likely to be shared by the parents. Results There was no association between hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and paternal cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions We found no evidence that the fathering of pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders in the mother is associated with an unfavorable paternal cardiovascular risk profile.

Study Objective To study changes in genital anatomy and occurrence of human papillomavirus and Gardnerella vaginalis in girls resulting from growth and development. Design At age 11–12 years, an invitation was sent to 180 girls to attend a follow-up examination. All girls had previously participated in a study exploring anogenital anatomy and microbiology in children selected for non-abuse at age 5 and 6. The genital area was examined with a colposcope and microbiological samples for Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) were collected. GV was identified by conventional criteria and HPV by a PCR method. Results Thirty-one girls were examined twice, at mean age 5.7 and 12.0 years. At first examination all were pre-pubertal. At second examination 21 girls were B2/P2 or above. Significantly more girls had developed a structure called a fossa groove. A thick and redundant hymen with a tendency of folding outward was more common at the second examination. Two girls had GV and one girl had HPV-16 identified. Another girl was classified to have a deep notch and a probable transection in her hymen, and this girl reported a painful insertion of a tampon. All girls denied sexual activity. Conclusion The main genital finding in girls entering puberty is the hymen becoming thick and redundant with a tendency of folding out. In the study findings associated with sexual activity were discovered in two girls, and the possibility of alternative explanations is discussed.

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the association of maternal and paternal height with pregnancy length, and with the risk of pre- and post-term birth. In addition we aimed to study whether cardiovascular risk factors could explain possible associations. Methods: Parents who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 2; 1995–1997) were linked to offspring data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (1997–2005). The main analyses included 3497 women who had delivered 5010 children, and 2005 men who had fathered 2798 pregnancies. All births took place after parental participation in HUNT 2. Linear regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted differences in pregnancy length according to parental heights. Logistic regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted associations of parental heights with the risk of pre- and post-term births. Results: We found a gradual increase in pregnancy length by increasing maternal height, and the association was essentially unchanged after adjustment for maternal cardiovascular risk factors, parental age, offspring sex, parity, and socioeconomic measures. When estimated date of delivery was based on ultrasound, the difference between mothers in the lower height quintile (

Low birth weight is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes in later life. The fetal insulin hypothesis suggests that shared genetic factors partly explain this association. If fetal genes predispose to both low birth weight and cardiovascular disease in adulthood, fathers of offspring with low birth weight should display an unfavorable profile of cardiovascular risk factors. To study this, the authors linked data on more than 14,000 parents, collected from the second Health Study of Nord Trondelag County, Norway (HUNT 2, 1995– 1997), to offspring data from the Norwegian Medical Birth Registry (1967–2005). Linear regression was used to study associations of offspring birth weight for gestational age with the parents’ body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, glucose, and serum lipids. All analyses were adjusted for shared environment by means of the socioeconomic measures, lifestyle, and cardiovascular risk factors of the partner. The authors found that low offspring birth weight for gestational age was associated with increased paternal blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, and unfavorable levels of glucose and lipids. For mothers, associations similar to those for fathers were found for blood pressure, whereas associations in the opposite direction were found for glucose, lipids, and body mass index. The paternal findings strengthen the genetic hypothesis. cardiovascular risk factors; fetal insulin hypothesis; offspring birth weight; paternal genes

Objective To study the association of prepregnancy blood pressure, lipids, and glucose with length of pregnancy, and to assess whether the association between preterm delivery and later maternal cardiovascular disease may be due to common risk factors. Study Design Prospective study linking information of 3506 women in the HUNT Study with 4990 singleton births recorded in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Results Unfavorable prepregnancy levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and glucose were associated with increased risk of preterm birth and shorter gestational length. Triglycerides above 1.6 mmol/L were associated with 60% higher risk of preterm birth (odds ratio, 1.6, 95% confidence interval, 1.0–2.5), compared with triglycerides below 0.7 mmol/L. Blood pressure was positively associated with risk of preterm birth and shorter gestational length, but these associations were substantially attenuated after adjustment for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Conclusion Women with unfavorable cardiovascular risk factors before conception have excess risk of preterm birth.