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Background: Maternal exogenous docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) intake during the pregnancy, especially DHA, has inconsistent effects on reducing the fat storage of the infants in different clinical studies. Objectives: We sought to determine the effects of maternal exogenous DHA-rich n-3 PUFAs capsule intake from the different pregnancy periods on the weight gain of their infants through modifying the DNA methylation status of obesity-associated genes in the umbilical cord blood. Design: A prospective 3-year follow-up study after the pregnancy was enrolled in this cohort from May to October 2016. They were divided into different groups according to the initial time of exogenous DHA capsule intake through the questionnaires (S1 – early trimester, S2 – mid-trimester, S3 – late trimester, and control – without). The concentrations and compositions of DHA were determined by gas chromatography. We applied quantitative DNA methylation states of the obesity-associated genes in the umbilical cord blood. The growth outcomes and relevant Z-scores were recorded at birth and 1 and 2 years. The correlations between DNA methylation status of the obesity-associated genes with the consents of DNA and body mass index (BMI) values were investigated as the measures. Results: In total, 205 pregnant women and their infants were eligible for this follow-up study. The concentrations and compositions of DHA in the colostrum and umbilical cord blood were higher in the S1 and S2 groups than those in the control and S3 groups as well as the decreased weight, BMI, weight for age Z-score (WAZ) and BMI for age Z-score (BMI Z) at birth and 1 and/or 2 years, and higher levels of global DNA methylation and many CpG sites in the obesity-associated genes, such as CpG2, CpG9, CpG11, and CpG16 of PPAR-γ; CpG2,3, CpG4-6, CpG8, CpG9,10, CpG11, CpG15,16, and average of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBP-α); CpG1 and average of adiponectin; CpG1, CpG2, CpG3, CpG5, CpG6, CpG7, and average of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2); CpG6, CpG7, CpG9, CpG16, CpG23, and CpG24 of leptin, which were more obvious in the S1 group when compared with those in the S2 group. These above hypermethylation levels of CpG sites were negatively correlated with the BMI and positively related with the changes of DHA in the colostrum and umbilical cord blood. Conclusions: Maternal exogenous DHA-rich n-3 PUFAs intake from early- and mid- trimesters of the pregnancy may avoid the development of obesity among Chinese Han infants until 2 years by modulating DNA methylation states of obesity-associated genes, which could provide attractive targets for prenatal prevention of the metabolic disorders.

Dermatopontin (DPT) is a small protein molecule thought to have a role in the formation of the extracellular architecture and adhesion. The aim of the study was to confirm the presence of DPT and to examine its role in placental cell adhesion during pregnancy, at parturition and postpartum in cows. Placental tissue samples were obtained at abattoir from healthy pregnant cows (n = 6) while parturient samples were collected during caesarian section and retrospectively divided into released up to 6 h (R; n = 5) and not released up to 6 h (NR; n = 4) foetal membranes. Maternal epithelial cells were isolated from pregnant samples and were used for the examination of the influence of DPT (5, 50 and 100 ng/mL) on cell adhesion. Parturient samples were manually divided into maternal and foetal part and individually homogenized for Western blotting and ELISA analysis. Western blotting confirmed the presence of DPT in examined tissues. ELISA test showed significant (p 0.05) decrease in DPT concentration within examined pregnancy period with higher concentrations in maternal part (p 0.05). Moreover, at parturition DPT concentration further decreased in maternal (p 0.05) but increased (p 0.05) in fetal part. The examination of not released samples showed opposite relationship in comparison to parturient samples - the increase in maternal (p 0.05) and the decrease in fetal (p 0.05) part of placenta. DPT facilitated the adhesion of epithelial cells in examined periods of pregnancy in increasing manner with pregnancy course. The presence of DPT in bovine placenta during pregnancy and parturition was confirmed. This protein may influence cell adhesion during attachment and detachment of placenta. Further studies on mechanisms of action of DPT in bovine placenta are necessary.

Background: Preterm delivery (PTD) and poor fetal growth are major contributors to neonatal mortality and morbidity that can extend from birth onward. Although overt maternal nutrient deficiencies ...

Background: Proteinuria has classically been an important finding in the diagnosis of preeclampsia and eclampsia, so in our study we use measearing microalbuminuria as a predictor of preeclampsia. Objective: To evaluate microalbuminuria at mid pregnancy, as a predictor of preeclampsia. Patients and Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out on 200 normotensive women, aged 18-35years, and live singleton pregnancy between 24-28 weeks at Embaba General Hospital during the period between April 2019 and February 2020. Microalbuminuria was measured in urine samples of the first micturition of the day. All were followed till delivery. Results: Negative microalbuminuria was present in 154 patients, 6 (3.89%) developed preeclampsia. Forty six women had positive microalbuminuria and 12 (26%) of them developed preeclampsia. The sensitivity was 66.7%, specificity 81.3%, the positive predictive value was 26.1%, and the negative predictive value was 96.1%. Conclusion: Microalbuminuria at mid pregnancy could be a significant predictor of preeclampsia.

Objective: To test the value of mid-pregnancy maternal body mass index (BMI) and weight gain in the second half of pregnancy in predicting pregnancy outcomes among Middle Eastern population where pre-gravid BMI was not available. Methods: Retrospective analysis of the obstetric outcomes of 290 women with singleton pregnancies who were categorized into underweight (UW), normal weight (NW), overweight (OW) and obese (OB) according to the BMI at 24-28 weeks of gestation and compared with recommended pre-gravid values by Institute of Medicine (2009). Results: The results showed that the gestational diabetes rate was significantly lower among the UW (2.4%) compared with the NW (8.8%, p

The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic values of red blood cell distribution width-coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) and red blood cell distribution width-standard deviation (RDW-SD) in mid-pregnancy women with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). To obtain the results, 115 mid-pregnancy women with IDA, defined as the IDA group, and 142 healthy mid-pregnancy women, selected as the control group, were enrolled in this study. Hematological parameters and ferritin concentrations in the serum were analyzed. The efficiency of RDW-CV and RDW-SD to distinguish IDA from mid-pregnancy women was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The RDW-SD value in the IDA group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05), while the RDW-CV value did not differ between them (p = 0.84). Significantly negative correlations were found between RDW-CV (r = −0.297, p = 0.001), RDW-SD (r = −0.404, p = 0.000), and serum ferritin in the IDA group but not in the control group. For the diagnosis of IDA, RDW-CV and RDW-SD produced areas under the ROC curves of 0.58 and 0.84. To conclude, our results suggest that RDW-SD, but not RDW-CV, can be used as a diagnostic index of IDA for mid-pregnancy women.

Folate status for women during early pregnancy has been investigated, but data for women during mid-pregnancy, late pregnancy or lactation are sparse or lacking. Between May and July 2014, we conducted a cross-sectional study in 1211 pregnant and lactating women from three representative regions in China. Approximately 135 women were enrolled in each stratum by physiological periods (mid-pregnancy, late pregnancy or lactation) and regions (south, central or north). Plasma folate concentrations were measured by microbiological assay. The adjusted medians of folate concentration decreased from 28·8 (interquartile range (IQR) 19·9, 38·2) nmol/l in mid-pregnancy to 18·6 (IQR 13·2, 26·4) nmol/l in late pregnancy, and to 17·0 (IQR 12·3, 22·5) nmol/l in lactation (Pfor trend < 0·001). Overall, lower folate concentrations were more likely to be observed in women residing in the northern region, with younger age, higher pre-pregnancy BMI, lower education or multiparity, and in lactating women who had undergone a Caesarean delivery or who were breastfeeding exclusively. In total, 380 (31·4 %) women had a suboptimal folate status (folate concentration

Discovering pathophysiologic networks in a blood-based approach may help to generate valuable tools for early treatment or preventive measures in autism. To date targeted or untargeted metabolomics approaches to identify metabolic features and pathways affecting fetal neurodevelopment have rarely been applied to pregnancy samples, that is, an early period potentially relevant for the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We conducted a population-based study relying on autism diagnoses retrieved from California Department of Developmental Services record. After linking cases to and sampling controls from birth certificates, we retrieved stored maternal mid-pregnancy serum samples collected as part of the California Prenatal Screening Program from the California Biobank for children born 2004 to 2010 in the central valley of California. We retrieved serum for 52 mothers whose children developed autism and 62 population controls originally selected from all eligible children matched by birth year and child's sex. Also, we required that these mothers were relatively low or unexposed to air pollution and select pesticides during early pregnancy. We identified differences in metabolite levels in several metabolic pathways, including glycosphingolipid biosynthesis and metabolism, N-glycan and pyrimidine metabolism, bile acid pathways and, importantly, C21-steroid hormone biosynthesis and metabolism. Disturbances in these pathways have been shown to be relevant for neurodevelopment in rare genetic syndromes or implicated in previous studies of autism. This study provides new insight into maternal mid-pregnancy metabolic features possibly related to the development of autism and an incentive to explore whether these pathways and metabolites are useful for early diagnosis, treatment, or prevention. LAY SUMMARY: This study found that in mid-pregnancy the blood of mothers who give birth to a child that develops autism has some characteristic features that are different from those of blood samples taken from control mothers. These features are related to biologic mechanisms that can affect fetal brain development. In the future, these insights may help identify biomarkers for early autism diagnosis and treatment or preventive measures. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1258-1269. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Objective/Background: Insomnia and depression are disorders that affect many perinatal women and that often are interrelated. The present study aimed to examine concurrent and prospective associations between mid-pregnancy insomnia and depression during mid-pregnancy and 8 weeks postpartum. Furthermore, differences in depression and in the sleep-related characteristics insomnia, chronotype, and sleep efficiency were explored between the two time points (mid-pregnancy versus 8 weeks postpartum), and between primiparous and multiparous participants. Participants/Methods: The study was part of the Norwegian population-based Depression and Anxiety in the Perinatal Period (DAPP) prospective cohort study. Among 539 women that were recruited for participation when receiving a routine ultrasound examination, we analyzed data from hospital birth records and questionnaire responses from pregnancy week 17 and postpartum week 8. We used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale to measure depression. The Bergen Insomnia Scale, the reduced Horne-Östberg Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, and three questions from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used to measure the sleep-related characteristics. Results: Mid-pregnancy insomnia was significantly associated with concurrent depression (p < .001), but not with postpartum depression (p = .288), in a linear mixed model with adjustment for several reproductive and psychosocial variables. Sleep efficiency was reduced from mid-pregnancy to postpartum (from 88% to 77%), and primiparous women reported less efficient sleep than multiparous women after childbirth. Conclusions: The results indicate that mid-pregnancy insomnia may be a marker for concurrent depression but not a predictor of postpartum depression. Future research should examine the extent to which treatment of insomnia from mid-pregnancy on reduces both perinatal insomnia and depression.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) at mid-pregnancy and postpartum glucose intolerance in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS We enrolled 348 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM from August 2012 to October 2016. We measured serum 25(OH)D levels at mid-pregnancy and carried out a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 6 to 12 weeks after delivery. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as serum 25(OH)D

Changes to the maternal inflammatory milieu may be a mechanism through which maternal psychosocial stress is transmitted to the fetus. Research investigating a limited number of immune markers may miss important signals. We take a proteomics approach to investigate maternal lifetime stress and 92 biomarkers of immune system status. Participants were enrolled in an urban, dual-site (Boston, n = 301 and New York City, n = 110) pregnancy cohort. We measured maternal lifetime history of stress and trauma using the validated Life Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSC-R). We measured a panel of 92 immune-related proteins in mid-pregnancy serum using proximity extension assay technology. We leveraged the dual-site study design to perform variable selection and inference within the cohort. First, we used LASSO to select immune markers related to maternal stress among Boston mothers. Then, we performed OLS regression to examine associations between maternal stress and LASSO-selected proteins among New York City mothers. LASSO regression selected 19 immune proteins with non-null coefficients (CCL11, CCL23, CD244, CST5, CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL10, CX3CL1, FGF-23, IL-5, IL-7, IL-10, IL-17C, MCP-2, MMP-1, SLAMF1, ST1A1, TNF-β, and TWEAK). Of these, only the chemotactic cytokine CX3CL1 (i.e. fractalkine) was significantly associated with maternal stress among the validation sample (percent change in LSC-R score per 1% increase in relative fractalkine expression: 0.74, 95% confidence interval: 0.19, 1.28). Expanding research suggests fractalkine plays an important role in many aspects of pregnancy and fetal development and is stress-sensitive. We found that maternal lifetime history of stress and trauma was significantly associated with elevated serum fractalkine levels during pregnancy.

The aim of the study was to evaluate maternal energy restriction in ewes from day 48 to 106 of gestation on pre- and post-weaning lambs`’ performance, carcass and meat quality when their dams were fed ad libitum after the restriction period. Ewes bearing single or twin lambs were assigned to two dietary treatments from day 48 to day 106 of gestation: restricted (R; n = 60) at 60% of their metabolizable energy (ME) requirements, or non-restricted (NR; n = 54) at 100% of their ME requirements. After the restriction period ewes grazed all together ad libitum until weaning. Subsequently, male lambs were placed in a feedlot until slaughter. Ewes body weight was recorded during nutritional treatment application and at weaning. Litter size and lamb sex were recorded, and feed intake and body weight were measured from birth until slaughter. After slaughter, carcass weight and yield, subcutaneous tissue depth (GR site), carcass (CL) and leg length (LL), frenched rack (FR) and leg weights were determined. After 5 days of meat aging, color parameters and Warner-Bratzler shear force were determined on longissimus lumborum muscle. Non-restricted ewes weighed 7.5 kg more than R ewes (P 0.05) by dams’ treatment although male and single lambs had a greater (P 0.05) were detected on the weaning weight between ewes’ feeding treatments or lamb sex. Estimated average milk intake by lambs was not affected (P > 0.05) by dams’ treatments and litter size. Lambs born to R or NR ewes did not differ (P > 0.05) in feed conversion ratio (FCR) of milk, while twins were more efficient (P 0.05) in weaning and final weight, feed intake and FCR during the fattening phase. Slaughter and hot carcass weight, carcass yield (CYd), GR, CL and LL were not affected (P > 0.05) by treatment and litter size. Brightness of meat (L* value) was greater (P

Gestational diabetes (GDM) predisposes 7-10% of pregnant women in the U.S. to a myriad of adverse health sequelae. Early prediction is critical. By leveraging metabolomics and clinical data, we aimed to develop and validate predictive metabolic signatures in early to mid-pregnancy for GDM. In a nested matched case-controls study of 91 women with GDM and 180 non-GDM controls in the Pregnancy Environment and Lifestyle Study (PETALS) cohort (discovery set), 157 annotated primary metabolites were measured by gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry using fasting serum at gestational weeks (GW) 10-13 and 16-19. Machine learning algorithm using 10-fold cross validated Lasso regression identified predictive metabolomics signatures for GDM risk in the discovery set. We validated the signature at GW 10-13 in a random PETALS subsample (42 GDM, 372 non-GDM; validation set 1) and a matched case-control study within the GLOW trial of overweight/obese women (35 GDM, 70 non-GDM; validation set 2) and the signature at GW 16-19 in validation set 1. Upregulated aromatic and acidic amino acids and purinones at both GW 10-13 and 16-19 and additionally hexoses at GW 16-19 were significantly associated with GDM risk (FDR-adjusted P Disclosure Y. Zhu: None. A. Ngo: None. S. Fan: None. D. Barupal: None. C. Quesenberry: None. O. Fiehn: None. A. Ferrara: None. Funding National Institutes of Health (K12HD052163); National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K01DK120807)

RATIONALE Placenta is a crucial tissue for an appropriate development of the fetus and the course of pregnancy. Its composition and structure change dynamically along pregnancy but the full pattern of these changes is not fully described in cows yet. The aim of the present study was to detect qualitative and quantitative protein profiles of bovine placenta during early-mid pregnancy at the time of placental formation. METHODS Placental tissues from healthy cows (n = 3) in early pregnancy (3-5 months) were collected at the slaughterhouse. Maternal and fetal parts were manually divided prior to homogenization. Further analysis was done in triplicates on the maternal and fetal parts separately and subjected to one-dimensional (1D) electrophoretic separation, followed by identification of peptide maps by nanospray liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC/MS/MS). Proteins were identified by use of the MASCOT software with the SwissProt database. RESULTS Proteomic analysis showed more than 4000 differentially expressed proteins in maternal and fetal parts of placenta. Each part expressed around 900 proteins, of which ca. 90 were common. The identified proteins were analyzed in accordance to molecular function and their participation in biological processes. CONCLUSIONS The obtained results provide new insight into the knowledge about biochemical characteristics of placenta (new proteins) and serve for further studies on the possible markers of physiological/pathological pregnancy or function of placenta. Moreover, our data can be a good starting point for further studies on the processes underlying the attachment of placenta.

A continuous oxygen supply is vital for fueling fetal growth, yet we know surprisingly little as to the precise mechanisms by which hypoxia reduces fetal growth. Animal models, while important, are limited by the enormous variability in mammalian physiologic responses to pregnancy. One of the earliest models for understanding hypoxia-induced reductions in fetal growth came from studies at high altitude that showed high altitude to have one of the strongest depressant effects on fetal growth. But all populations are not equally affected. Dolma et al. have added valuable information now showing that that Ladakhis, like Tibetans and Andeans, have a lower-than-expected frequency of small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants. Consistent with previous reports, these authors also found that uterine artery diameters at mid pregnancy (weeks 26–28) were larger in women giving birth to appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) than SGA infants at high but, interestingly, not at low altitude. Much remains to be learned about the physiologic pathways by which hypoxia impairs fetal growth. The variability among high-altitude populations and increasing sophistication of tools for investigating causal mechanisms have the potential to expand our presently limited means for identifying new treatments for hypoxia-related complications of pregnancy and fetal life.

This study investigated whether maternal central adiposity and body mass index (BMI) were associated with neonatal hypoglycemia and adverse neonatal outcomes. A cohort study was performed at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden, between 2015 and 2018. Visceral and subcutaneous fat depths were measured by ultrasound at the early second-trimester anomaly scan in 2771 women giving birth to singleton infants. Body mass index was assessed in early pregnancy. Logistic regression models were performed. Adjustments were made for age, BMI (not in model with BMI as exposure), smoking, maternal country of birth, and parity. Outcomes were neonatal hypoglycemia (blood glucose concentration

Background Worries are common during pregnancy, but there is sparse knowledge of worries when the distance to hospital is long. Aim To assess the extent and content of worries during pregnancy. Another aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Cambridge Worry Scale. Method Cross-sectional study of 280 women recruited to a continuity project and completed a questionnaire in mid pregnancy. Result Women were most worried about something being wrong with the baby, giving birth and the risk of miscarriage. Women also reported worries about giving birth on the road or in the car. Two domains of the Cambridge Worry scale were identified; Socio-medical and health aspects and Socio-economic and relationship aspects. Women with high fear and depressive symptoms were most at risk for major worries. Conclusion Worries during pregnancy were mainly related to issues about pregnancy and birth, and specifically, to long distance to the labour ward. Women with depressive symptoms and fear of birth showed the highest levels of worries. When a woman expresses worries in connection to labour and birth, caregivers must be sensitive to the presence of underling fears or depressive symptoms and act to refer women to treatment or support.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: Behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to mixtures of essential and toxic metals are incompletely understood. Methods: We investigated neurodevelopmental effects of prenatal metal exposures in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study, a prospective birth cohort. We measured metals (As, Cu, Mn, Pb, Se, Zn) in maternal prenatal and postnatal toenails and infant toenails, reflecting exposures during periconception and early pregnancy, mid pregnancy, and late pregnancy and early neonatal life, respectively. Mothers completed the Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd ed. (SRS-2) and the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd ed. (BASC-2) to assess their child’s neurobehavior at 3 years. We used mean field variational Bayes for lagged kernel machine regression to investigate associations of toenail metal concentrations with SRS-2 Total Scores and BASC-2 composite scores (SRS-2: n = 371; BASC-2: n = 318). Results: Infant toenail Mn was associated with poorer performance on multiple BASC-2 composite scores. Maternal postnatal toenail As was associated with worse scores on the BASC-2 Internalizing Problems and Behavioral Symptoms Index. Associations with Mn were generally stronger in males, and associations with As were generally stronger in females. Other metals, including Pb, were weakly or inconsistently associated with BASC-2 outcomes, and there were no strong associations of individual metals and SRS-2 Total Scores. We observed suggestive evidence of interaction between As and Se for SRS-2 Total Scores and BASC-2 Adaptive Skills, though overall evidence of interactions between metals was weak. Conclusion: Our results support the hypothesis that exposure to Mn and As in mid to late pregnancy may be neurodevelopmentally harmful.

We sought to investigate whether early mid pregnancy visceral and subcutaneous fat depths measured by ultrasound were associated with infant birth size, independent of early pregnancy BMI. A cohort study was performed at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden, between 2015–2018. Visceral and subcutaneous fat depths were measured at the early second-trimester anomaly scan in 2498 women, giving birth to singleton, term infants. Primary outcomes were birthweight and LGA (birthweight standard deviation score > 90th percentile in the cohort). Linear and logistic regression models were used, adjusted for BMI, age, smoking, parity, maternal country of birth, gestational age and infant sex. A 5-mm increase in visceral fat depth was associated with an increase in birthweight of 8.3 g [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.5 − 14.1 g], after adjustments, and a 6% increase in the adjusted odds of having an infant born LGA (OR 1.06, CI 1.02–1.11). There was no association between subcutaneous fat depth and birthweight or LGA after covariate adjustments. Hence, visceral fat depth measured by ultrasound in early mid pregnancy was associated with excessive fetal growth, independent of early pregnancy BMI, and may be useful in models for predicting LGA infants.

Background In many countries, various continuity models of midwifery care arrangements have been developed to benefit women and babies. In Sweden, such models are rare. Aim To evaluate two on-call schedules for enabling continuity of midwifery care during labour and birth, in a rural area of Sweden. Method A participatory action research project where the project was discussed, planned and implemented in collaboration between researchers, midwives and the project leader, and refined during the project period. Questionnaires were collected from participating women, in mid pregnancy and two months after birth. Result One of the models resulted in a higher degree of continuity, especially for women with fear of birth. Having a known midwife was associated with higher satisfaction in the medical (aOR 2.02 (95% CI 1.14–4.22) and the emotional (aOR 2.05; 1.09–3.86) aspects of intrapartum care, regardless of the model. Conclusion This study presented and evaluated two models of continuity with different on-call schedules and different possibilities for women to have access to a known midwife during labour and birth. Women were satisfied with the intrapartum care, and those who had had a known midwife were the most satisfied. Introducing a new model of care in a rural area where the labour ward recently closed challenged both the midwives’ working conditions and women’s access to evidence-based care.

Fish oil supplementation has been shown to delay spontaneous delivery, but the levels and clinical significance remain uncertain. We examined the association between plasma fatty acids quantified in pregnancy and subsequent risk of early preterm birth.In a case-control design nested in the Danish National Birth Cohort, we identified 376 early preterm cases (34 gestational weeks, excluding preeclampsia cases) and 348 random controls. Plasma eicosapentaenoic acid plus docosahexaenoic acid (EPA+DHA% of total fatty acids), were measured twice in pregnancy, at gestation weeks 9 and 25 (medians). Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI's) for associations between EPA+DHA and early preterm risk were estimated by logistic regression, adjusted for the woman's age, height, pre-pregnancy BMI, parity, smoking, and socioeconomic factors. Hypotheses and analytical plan were defined and archived a priori.Analysis using restricted cubic splines of the mean of 1st and 2nd sample measurements showed a strong and significant non-linear association (p 0.0001) in which the risk of early preterm birth steeply increased when EPA+DHA concentrations were lower than 2% and flattened out at higher levels. Women in the lowest quintile (EPA+DHA 1.6%) had 10.27 times (95% confidence interval 6.80-15.79, p 0.0001) increased risk, and women in the second lowest quintile had 2.86 (95% CI 1.79-4.59, p 0.0001) times increased risk, when compared to women in the three aggregated highest quintiles (EPA+DHA ≥ 1.8%).Low plasma concentration of EPA and DHA during pregnancy is a strong risk factor for subsequent early preterm birth in Danish women.

During a four-year period, mature ewes were either shorn in mid-pregnancy or post-partum to study impacts on lamb live weight and survival. Furthermore, placental measurements were collected post-partum from a subset of single-bearing ewes and yearly fleece weights and wool samples were collected from a subset of single- and twin-bearing ewes. Lambs born to ewes shorn in mid-pregnancy were heavier (p .05) on the weight of the placenta, and diameter or the weight of the cotyledons. However, the number of cotyledons was greater (p

The study determined the fecal progesterone and estradiol profiles in different reproductive stages of captive collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) females from eastern Mexico. Fifteen adult females were included. At the start of the study the females were either pregnant (early, mid, or late pregnancy), lactating, or non-lactating of unknown pregnancy status. Feces from each female were collected once a week during nine consecutive months to determine concentrations of fecal progesterone and estradiol metabolites using ELISA. Progesterone was similar in early (2048±285ng/g), mid (2254±274ng/g), and late pregnancy (2491±374ng/g), and in early-pregnant and non-lactating females (1154±274ng/g). Progesterone in lactating females (442±255ng/g) was lower than in females at any stage of pregnancy, but was similar to non-lactating females. Overall progesterone in pregnant females (2229±173ng/g) was higher than in lactating and non-lactating females together (772±189ng/g). Estradiol was similar in early (66±8ng/g), mid (83±9ng/g), late pregnant (109±15ng/g), and non-lactating females (64±9ng/g). Estradiol in lactating females (34±8ng/g) was similar to estradiol in early-pregnant and non-lactating females, but was lower than in females in late and mid pregnancy. Overall estradiol in pregnant females (79±6ng/g) was similar to non-lactating females, but higher than in lactating females. The progesterone and estradiol profiles of captive collared peccary females at different reproductive stages were determined by assessing concentrations of fecal hormone metabolites.

More than 10% of babies are born too early resulting in over 15 million preterm births and more than one million new-born deaths globally. Although women with a previous spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) are considered at high risk for recurrence, the majority occur in women without prior history. Prediction of SPTB risk allows for improved care and potential for targeting novel and existing therapeutics to prevent SPTB, which may result in improved outcomes for infant and mother. In this pilot study, a miRNA array was used to analyse plasma from healthy women in their first pregnancy at 20 weeks of gestation who then went on to deliver either at term or experience SPTB at 28–32 weeks. We identified specific miRNA expression profiles that differentiated between those mothers who delivered at term or delivered following SPTB. miR302b, miR1253 and a clustering of miR548 miRNAs were underexpressed in SPTB cases compared to term controls. Conversely, miR223 was elevated in mothers that later experienced a SPTB. The circulating miRNAs identified in the present study may therefore be attractive candidates as non-invasive biomarkers for the early prediction of SPTB. Further larger studies are now warranted to investigate the potential clinical utility of these markers.

Introduction Heavy episodic (“binge”) drinking among women in Scotland is commonplace; prepregnancy drinking is associated with continued antenatal drinking. Evidence for effectiveness of standardized antenatal alcohol assessment is lacking. Alcohol-exposed pregnancies may be missed. We assessed peri-conceptual and mid-pregnancy consumption using a week-long retrospective diary and standard alcohol questionnaires, and evaluated the agreement between these instruments. Material and methods Cross-sectional study in two Scottish health board areas involving 510 women attending mid-pregnancy ultrasound scan clinics. Face-to-face administration of alcohol retrospective diary and AUDIT or AUDIT-C assessed weekly and daily alcohol consumption levels and patterns. Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21) assessed maternal wellbeing. A sub-sample (n = 30) provided hair for alcohol metabolite analysis. Pearson's correlation coefficient investigated associations between questionnaires and alcohol metabolite data. Results The response rate was 73.8%. The retrospective diary correlated moderately with AUDIT-C and AUDIT but elicited reports of significantly higher peri-conceptual consumption, (median unit consumption on “drinking days” 6.8; range 0.4–63.8). Additional “special occasions” consumption ranged from 1 to 125 units per week. Correlations between DASS-21 and retrospective diary were weak. Biomarker analysis identified three instances of hazardous peri-conceptual drinking. Conclusions Women reported higher consumption levels when completing the retrospective diary, especially regarding peri-conceptual “binge” drinking. Routine clinical practice methods may not capture potentially harmful or irregular drinking patterns. Given the association between prepregnancy and antenatal drinking, and alcohol's known teratogenic effects, particularly in the first trimester, the retrospective diary may be a useful low-tech tool to gather information on alcohol intake patterns and levels.

This study describes the effect of maternal nutrition and body condition score (BCS) during pregnancy on the behaviour of twin-bearing ewes and their lambs as assessed 3 h to 18 h after birth. Ewes (n = 274) of BCS 2.0, 2.5 or 3.0 were offered either pregnancy maintenance requirements (fed to allow for foetal but not maternal weight gain; ‘medium’) or ad libitum feeding from day 112 until day 136 of pregnancy for experiment 1 and from day 128 until day 141 of pregnancy for experiment 2. Lamb vigour behaviours (time to stand, suck, make contact with and follow their dam) and bleating behaviour of ewes and lambs were recorded for 5 min, following handling at 3–18 h. A subgroup of lambs in experiment 1 was tested in a maternal-recognition test. A lesser percentage of ewes in the ad libitum treatment than in the medium treatment high-pitched bleated (86.9% [95% CI 77.4–92.8%] versus 80.0% [69.2–87.7%], and 95.4% [86.5–98.5%] versus 86.9% [70.0–90.5%], in experiments 1 and 2 respectively, P 0.05) in the 5-min observation period immediately following handling at 3–18 h after birth. Behaviour of twin-bearing ewes of BCS2-3 in mid pregnancy, and their twin-born lambs, showed very few changes 3–18 h after birth in response to ad libitum versus pregnancy-maintenance feeding during mid to late pregnancy.

This study was designed to investigate plasma profile of pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG), progesterone (P4) and estrone sulfate (E1S) during early- and mid-pregnancy. The goal was to explore the relationships with values for reproductive variables, to detect the most reliable predictor variable, and to identify the most desirable time point for blood collection for determining fetal number in goats. After ultrasonographic examination at d35–40 post-mating, blood sampling of 15 pregnant goats (total 18) was continued until d114. The PAG profile was characterized by gradual increase during early pregnancy from d26 to d51 and thereafter concentrations were relatively constant until d114 of gestation. The effect of fetal number on plasma PAG, P4 and E1S was first evident on d28, d51 and d26, respectively. During mid-pregnancy, does with twins had a greater (P

Background Maternal vitamin B12 (B-12) adequacy is important for maternal health and optimal fetal growth. However, pregnancy-specific cut-offs for B-12 biomarkers are lacking. Methods Reference intervals for serum total B-12, holotranscobalamin (holoTC) and methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations were calculated following CLSI EP28-A3c guidelines in 723 pregnant women of European (50%) and South Asian (50%) ethnicity, residing in British Columbia, Canada, at median (range) 11.4 (8.3–13.9) and 16.1 (14.9–20.9) weeks of gestation. Change point analyses described relationships between log serum MMA concentration with serum total B-12 and holoTC concentrations, assuming linear-linear relationships. Results The central 95% reference interval limits indicated that serum total B-12 371 and >374 nmol/L, in the first and second trimesters, respectively, may indicate B-12 deficiency in pregnant women. The lower limits of total B-12 and holoTC and the upper limits of MMA significantly differed by ethnicity in both trimesters. According to the change point analysis, total B-12 Conclusions We present novel reference limits and change points for B-12 biomarkers, which may be employed to identify possible B-12 deficiency in women during early and mid-pregnancy. Future research is needed to validate these cut-offs and determine the predictors and functional outcomes associated with impaired B-12 status in ethnically diverse populations.

Maternal status of essential and toxic elements affects the health of the mother, developing fetus, or breastfeeding infant. However, few studies have examined the patterns of these elements and their determinants in pregnant or lactating women. Plasma samples of 1211 healthy mid-pregnant, late pregnant, and lactating women enrolled in coastland, lakeland, and inland areas of China from May–July 2014, were analyzed for concentrations of 15 elements, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The adjusted median concentrations of elements varied by physiologic stage and region. Lactating versus pregnant women showed higher concentrations of Zn, Cr, Mo, Ni, Sb, Cd and Pb, but lower concentrations of Cu, I, Al and Hg. In pregnant women, the concentrations of Fe, Zn, I, Mo, Ni, Al, Hg and Cd were higher in mid- versus late-pregnancy. Overall, the highest concentrations were observed in Zn, I, Mn, Al, and Pb in coastland, in Hg in lakeland, and in Fe in inland area. Element concentrations varied by maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, education, parity, delivery mode, feeding practice, and intakes of aquatic products and mutton. In conclusion, essential and toxic elements coexisted in pregnant and lactating women, and their concentrations varied by physiologic stages, regions, maternal socio-demographic characteristics and dietary factors.

Background: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are neurodevelopmental toxicants, but few studies have examined associations with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Objectives: We aimed to determine whether prenatal exposure to PCBs and OCPs influences offspring risk of ASD and intellectual disability without autism (ID). Methods: We conducted a population-based case–control study among Southern California births, including children with ASD (n = 545) meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV-TR) criteria and ID (n = 181), as well as general population (GP) controls (n = 418). Concentrations of 11 PCB congeners and 2 OCPs measured in banked second-trimester serum samples were compared between the diagnostic groups. Logistic regression was used to calculate crude and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for associations with ASD, and separately for ID, compared with GP controls, by quartiles of analyte concentrations in primary analyses. Results: Geometric mean levels of several PCB congeners were higher in the ASD group than in the ID and GP groups. ASD risk was elevated for a number of PCB congeners, particularly for the highest vs. lowest quartile of PCB138/158 (AOR = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.10, 2.71) and PCB153 (AOR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.10, 3.02), and for highest deciles of other congeners in secondary analyses. PCB138/158 was also associated with increased ID (AOR = 2.41; 95% CI: 1.18, 4.91), though no trend was suggested. OCPs were not associated with increased risk of ASD in primary analyses, whereas nonmonotonic increases in risk of ID were found with p,p´-DDE. Conclusions: Our results suggest higher levels of some organochlorine compounds during pregnancy are associated with ASD and ID. Citation: Lyall K, Croen LA, Sjödin A, Yoshida CK, Zerbo O, Kharrazi M, Windham GC. 2017. Polychlorinated biphenyl and organochlorine pesticide concentrations in maternal mid-pregnancy serum samples: association with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. Environ Health Perspect 125:474–480; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP277

Introduction Physical activity (PA) is recommended as part of therapy for patients with impaired glucose tolerance. Whether such recommendations are also justified for pregnant women is less well established. We investigated the association between PA and glucose tolerance in pregnancy. Material and methods A non-selective sample of 217 pregnant women was recruited at a routine 20 week ultrasound examination. Participants answered the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) about frequency, intensity and duration of daily physical activity in the past 7 days and underwent oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) between 24 and 28 weeks. A subset of 72 overweight/obese pregnant women wore a pedometer for 1 week with assessment of IPAQ score and pedometric correlations to this. Results Of the sample, 177 attended for OGTT; 51% were overweight or obese. The mean (SD) fasting glucose was 4.5 (0.4) mmol/L, and 12% had gestational diabetes mellitus. Only one-third engaged in vigorous PA. After adjustment for pre-pregnancy BMI, age and parity, those engaging in vigorous PA had significantly lower fasting glucose levels (by 0.15 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.03-0.27) compared with those not vigorously active. This decrease was similar in both normal and overweight/obese women. There were fewer cases of gestational diabetes (p = 0.03) among the vigorously active women (3/56; 5%) than among those who were not active (19/121; 16%). No association with glucose tolerance was observed for physical activity of moderate intensity. Conclusions Only vigorous physical activity appears beneficial with respect to maternal glucose tolerance, both among normal, overweight and obese women.

The study was designed to determine the effect of Trypanosoma evansi infection on some pregnancy biomarkers of Yankasa ewes (YE). Twenty pregnant YE were assigned into 3 groups (A, B and C) comprising 7 ewes each in groups A and B, while group C comprise 6 YE. Groups A and B were each inoculated with blood containing approximately 1.0 × 10(6) of T. evansi through the jugular vein on days 59 and 110 of pregnancy, representing second and third trimesters, respectively, while group C served as the uninfected control. Progesterone (P4) and pregnancy specific protein-B (PSPB) of YE in group A were significantly (p0.05) high at weeks 4 and 12 post infection (pi) respectively, while there was no significant (p0.05) difference in P4 and PSPB of YE in groups B. Estrone sulfate (E1S) significantly (p0.05) decrease for YE in group A at weeks 2 and 11 pi. However, it was not significantly (p0.05) different in group B. Cortisol concentration of YE in group A was significantly (p0.05) decreased at week 12 pi. Conversely, the cortisol concentration of YE in group B significantly (p0.05) increased at week 3 pi. There was no significant (p0.05) association among the pregnancy biomarkers of YE in groups A and B throughout the study, except between progesterone and cortisol in group B, which were significantly associated (r = 0.77, p0.05). It was therefore concluded that T. evansi infection affects pregnancy biomarkers more at mid pregnancy than at late pregnancy.

Knowledge of associations between skin follicle development in Angora goats and development of mohair fleeces is limited. These associations were investigated using data from a controlled nutrition experiment which had 3 levels of mid pregnancy nutrition (MPN) × 2 levels of postnatal nutrition during lactation (PNN), with single and twin litters. Skin biopsies were taken (birth, 114, 180, 420 days of age). Mid-side fibre growth and physical properties were determined 6 times between birth and 180 days of age. Birth coats were visually scored (1, straight; 5 curly). Fibre diameter distribution histograms were analysed at these ages. Skin area was measured. Total number of follicles and fibre growth per day determined. Fleeces were harvested at 7, 13 and 19 months of age and tested. Average fleece-free live weight (AvFFLwt) during fleece growing periods was determined. Data were analysed for treatment effects, correlations between attributes and multiple linear regression analysis performed to determine relationships between mean fibre diameter (MFD) at different ages with variables. AvFFLwt over the study within shearing intervals ranged from 5.8 to 37.6 kg. Density of secondary follicles (Ds) at 180 days of ranged from 10.8 to 34.0 mm−2, ratio of secondary to primary skin follicles (S/P) at 420 ranged from 4.8 to 14.1. Total fibre growth/day was related to the surface area (size) of kids, as surface area increased proportionally with live weight0.73. Smaller kids (female, twin reared) grew respectively 15–23% less fibre than larger male and 13–16% less than single reared goats. MFD was 27.8 μm at birth, then declined before increasing after 2 months of age. PNN had small effects on fibre diameter CV which was high at birth before declining rapidly during the first three months of life. There were negative correlations between both Ds and S/P ratio with: MFD; and the incidence of medullated fibres (patch fibre growth and fleeces at 13 and 19 months). The magnitude of these correlations increased with age. Birth coat score was negatively associated with fleece value. Predictions of MFD at shearing were related to log10AvFFLwt during the growth period, either Ds or S/P ratio, sex of kid, and a covariate term for the dam MFD. Greater Ds and S/P ratios greater than 9 were associated with finer mohair and more valuable fleeces.

OBJECTIVES: The association between plasma irisin and glucose levels in general population was controversial and few researches longitudinally explored this correlation. We aimed to examine whether mid-pregnancy irisin was associated with postpartum glucose among Chinese women and explore the potential modifiable factors. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study in Guangzhou, China during 2017–2018 and 453 pregnant women (20–28 weeks) were enrolled. At 6–8 weeks after birth, 94 women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) underwent a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test, and the other 359 women had a fasting blood glucose (FBG) test. Multivariable linear regression, quantile regression, and logistic regression analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Mean baseline plasma irisin was 13.73 ng/ml. The prevalence of postpartum impaired fasting glucose (IFG) was 14.35% in all participants. Among women with previous GDM, 23 (24.47%) had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). We found a significantly negative association between mid-pregnancy irisin and postpartum FBG (β: −0.056 ± 0.024). While quantile regression showed the associations were only significant in high percentiles of FBG (P50 to P95), and the magnitude displayed an increasing trend. In addition, higher baseline irisin was associated with lower risk of postpartum IFG (RR, 0.563; CI, 0.384–0.825). Furthermore, we detected significant interactions between irisin and breastfeeding on FBG and IFG (both Pinteraction