Search

Purpose Preterm birth is increasing, and obstetric nurses should have the competency to provide timely care. Therefore, training is necessary in the maternal nursing practicum. This study aimed to investigate the effects of practice education using a preterm-labor assessment algorithm on preterm labor-related knowledge and clinical practice confidence in senior nursing students. Methods A pre-post quasi-experimental design with three groups was used for 61 students. The preterm-labor assessment algorithm was modified into three modules from the preterm-labor assessment algorithm by March of Dimes. We evaluated preterm labor-related knowledge, clinical practice confidence, and educational satisfaction. Data were analyzed with the paired t-test and repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results The practice education using a preterm-labor assessment algorithm significantly improved both preterm labor-related knowledge and clinical practice confidence (paired t=–7.17, p

Background Antibiotics for bacteriuria and urinary tract infection are commonly prescribed during pregnancy to avoid adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between significant bacteriuria in pregnancy and any of the four pregnancy outcomes: preterm delivery; low birth weight; small for gestational age; and preterm labour. Methods Systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane CENTRAL library, and Web of Science for observational studies published before 1 March 2022. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Study identification, data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment was performed by two independent authors. We combined the included studies in meta-analyses and expressed results as ORs with 95% CIs (Prospero CRD42016053485). Results We identified 58 studies involving 421 657 women. The quality of the studies was mainly poor or fair. The pooled, unadjusted OR for the association between any significant bacteriuria and: (i) preterm delivery was 1.62 (95% CI: 1.30–2.01; 27 studies; I2 = 61%); (ii) low birth weight was 1.50 (95% CI: 1.30–1.72; 47 studies; I2 = 74%); (iii) preterm labour was 2.29 (95% CI: 1.53–3.43; 3 studies; I2 = 0%); and (iv) small for gestational age was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.88–2.02; 7 studies; I2 = 54%). Four studies provided an adjusted OR, but were too diverse to combine in meta-analysis. Conclusions This systematic review identified an association between significant bacteriuria in pregnancy and the three complications: preterm delivery; low birth weight; and preterm labour. However, the quality of the available evidence is insufficient to conclude whether this association is merely due to confounding factors. There is a lack of high-quality evidence to support active identification and treatment of bacteriuria in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The newborn mortality rate is one of the most significant health indicators in a country. According to global data, preterm births account for 60 to 80% of all new-born fatalities caused by congenital abnormalities. Despite extensive study in developed countries, there is virtually little information on the reasons for preterm births in studies in Iran and other regions of the world. Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between some maternal factors and preterm birth. Material and methods. This case-control study was performed on 108 mothers who had preterm births (case group) and 108 mothers who had full term births (control group). A trained midwife, through interviews, collected maternal and neonatal data from the mother and their medical records. Results. A strong relationship was reported between preterm birth and history of abortion (8.54 times), history of curettage (6.2 times), gestational diabetes (6.44 times), gestational hypertension (4.92 times), multiple gestation (5.5 times) and unwanted pregnancy (4.41 times), and an inadequate amount of prenatal care (4.81 times) was reported only in the case group. Conclusions. Based on the results, it is important to identify risk factors for preterm delivery in mothers and educate pregnant women during pregnancy. Regular and timely prenatal care helps identify mothers in high-risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop a webtoon education program on preventive self-management related to premature labor (PSM-PL) for women of childbearing age, to evaluate its effects, and to assess the usability of webtoon education for women of childbearing age. Methods The study design was a stratified randomized trial with repeated measures. The participants were Korean women of childbearing age (between the ages of 19 and 49 years), with 49 participants each. The preventive health management self-efficacy related to premature labor (PHMSE-PL) scale, the preventive self-management knowledge related to premature labor (PSMK-PL) scale, and usability of webtoon education were assessed. The intervention group read six episodes of the PSM-PL webtoon within 2 days after clicking an online link. The control group did not receive anything but was given the webtoon after the last measurement. To test the effect of the repeatedly measured variables, a generalized estimating equation model was used. Results The experimental group had statistically significantly greater increases in PHMSE-PL and PSMK-PL scores from baseline to immediately after and 2 weeks later than the control group. The average score for usability of webtoon education was high (4.52; standard deviation, 0.62) on a scale of 1–5. Conclusion This webtoon education program on PSM-PL was a feasible and acceptable program that increased self-efficacy and knowledge of preventive health management of premature labor in women of childbearing age. Future studies that adopt a webtoon format can be beneficial for childbearing women with other risk factors.

Objective: The rate of multiple pregnancies increases the number of pregnancies conceived using assisted reproductive techniques. Although the studies indicate a positive effect of multi-fetal pregnancy reduction on pregnancy outcomes, procedure-associated miscarriages should be considered. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of pregnancies that have undergone multi-fetal reduction and compare the pregnancies' outcomes without any intervention. Material and Methods: Patients from the Perinatology Clinic of Şanlıurfa Training and Research Hospital were selected between July 2017 and May 2021. The patients in the study group were divided into two groups: those with or without multi-fetal reduction. Obstetric outcomes of pregnancies were compared between the groups. Results: During this period, 95 gestations with three or more fetuses were applied to our clinic. Eighteen multi-fetal reduction procedures were performed because of multiple pregnancies. Reductions were performed from five to twins in one case, triplets to twins in ten, and quadruplets to twins in seven cases. Patients preferred to continue pregnancies without intervention in 6 quadruplets, one sextile, and 66 triplet pregnancies. Mean gestational age at birth in the intervention group was 34.43±0.40 (32-38) weeks, while in the non-intervened group, that was 30.46±0.48 (24-37) gestational weeks. Gestational age at birth was significantly lower in the non-intervention group. (p: 0.000029). Conclusion: Multi-fetal reduction is beneficial in preventing preterm delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study aimed to summarize the current evidence on the effects of nonpharmacological interventions on psychological health outcomes for women with high-risk pregnancies due to conditions such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or preterm labor. Methods The following databases were searched from January 2000 to December 2020: PubMed, Ovid Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, DBpia, RISS, and KISS. Two investigators independently reviewed and selected articles according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria. RoB 2 and the ROBINS-I checklist were used to evaluate study quality. Results Twenty-nine studies with a combined total of 1,806 pregnant women were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological health improvements were found in women with preeclampsia (Hedges’ g=–0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], –0.91 to –0.44), gestational diabetes (Hedges’ g=–0.38; 95% CI, –0.54 to –0.12), and preterm labor (Hedges’ g=–0.73; 95% CI, –1.00 to –0.46). The funnel plot was slightly asymmetrical, but the fail-safe N value and the trim-and-fill method showed no publication bias. Conclusion Nonpharmacological interventions for women with high-risk pregnancies due to conditions such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm labor can improve psychological parameters such as anxiety, stress, and depression. Nurses can play a pivotal role in the nursing management of pregnant women with high-risk conditions and apply various types of nonpharmacological interventions to meet their needs in uncertain and anxious times during pregnancy.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe pregnant women’s lived experiences of hospitalization due to preterm labor in Korea. Methods This qualitative study adopted a phenomenological approach. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with nine participants, over the age of 20 years, who had been hospitalized for more than 1 week after being diagnosed with preterm labor. All interviews were audio-taped and verbatim transcripts were made for analysis. The data were analyzed following Colaizzi’s phenomenological method. Results The participants’ ages ranged from 26 to 36 years, and all were married women. They were hospitalized for 13.1 days on average. Five thematic clusters emerged from the analysis. ‘Withstanding hospitalization for the fetus’s well-being’ describes women’s feelings during preterm labor and their endurance during their prolonged hospitalization, rooted in their conviction that the fetus comes first. ‘Endless frustration in the hospital’ encompasses women’s emotions while lying in bed and quietly thinking to themselves. ‘Unmet physiological needs’ describes participants’ awareness of their inability to independently handle human physiological needs given the need for careful and limited movement. ‘Gratitude for the support around oneself’ reflects the support from family and medical staff. ‘Shifting perceptions and accepting one’s circumstances’ describes accepting hospitalization and making efforts to spend their remaining time in the hospital in a meaningful way. Conclusion The findings in this study provide a deeper understanding and insights into the experiences of Korean women with preterm labor during hospitalization, underscoring the need to develop interventions for these patients.

Purpose This study aimed to identify the components of preterm birth (PTB) through women’s personal narratives and to visualize clinical symptom expressions (CSEs). Methods The participants were 11 women who gave birth before 37 weeks of gestational age. Personal narratives were collected by interactive unstructured storytelling via individual interviews, from August 8 to December 4, 2019 after receiving approval of the Institutional Review Board. The textual data were converted to PDF and analyzed using the MAXQDA program (VERBI Software). Results The participants’ mean age was 34.6 (±2.98) years, and five participants had a spontaneous vaginal birth. The following nine components of PTB were identified: obstetric condition, emotional condition, physical condition, medical condition, hospital environment, life-related stress, pregnancy-related stress, spousal support, and informational support. The top three codes were preterm labor, personal characteristics, and premature rupture of membrane, and the codes found for more than half of the participants were short cervix, fear of PTB, concern about fetal well-being, sleep difficulty, insufficient spousal and informational support, and physical difficulties. The top six CSEs were stress, hydramnios, false labor, concern about fetal wellbeing, true labor pain, and uterine contraction. “Stress” was ranked first in terms of frequency and “uterine contraction” had individual attributes. Conclusion The text network analysis of narratives from women who gave birth preterm yielded nine PTB components and six CSEs. These nine components should be included for developing a reliable and valid scale for PTB risk and stress. The CSEs can be applied for assessing preterm labor, as well as considered as strategies for students in women's health nursing practicum.

Introduction: Uterine rupture is a serious complication, due to the risk of maternal and perinatal death. In developed countries, this obstetric complication affects 3.5/1,000 women with previous cesarean section and 6/10,000 pregnant women with no story of the operation, with the previous cesarean section being the main etiology. Case Report: Pregnant woman, 38 years old, G1P0A0, with a gestational age of 35 weeks and 5 days, was admitted to the maternity ward in premature labor. At the physical examination reinforced 3 metrosystoles in 10min/30” 30” 35”, soft and thin cervix, with 3cm dilation, specular examination with the presence of clear liquid with lumps, broken bag for 6 hours and minor bleeding for 20 minutes. Cesarean delivery is indicated due to a story of hip dislocation. The diagnosis of uterine rupture was performed during operative delivery, with visualization of fetal parts. The case had a benign evolution for the mother and the newborn, without the occurrence of complications or sequelae, both were discharged from hospital in perfect health conditions. Discussion: A complete spontaneous uterine rupture occurred in the third trimester of pregnancy, without any identifiable underlying risk factors, except for advanced maternal age (over 35 years). Conclusion: This report contributes to a limited number of previous events that involve spontaneous rupture of a uterus without previous scarring in a primigravid patient.

Objective: Recently, sildenafil as a drug effective in relaxing smooth muscles can be used as an adjunct to delay the onset of uterine contractions and therefore the occurrence of preterm labor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nifedipine combination with sildenafil on preterm delivery compared with nifedipine alone. Materials and methods: This randomized double-blinded clinical trial was performed on pregnant women with a gestational age of 26-34 weeks with singleton pregnancy and symptoms of preterm delivery. The mothers were randomly assigned into two groups receiving nifedipine plus sildenafil or those receiving nifedipine alone. The time of delivery, maternal and neonatal complications were compared between the two groups. Results: Mothers who received the combination therapy experienced significantly lower preterm delivery within 72 hours of intervention compared to nifedipine alone (4.5% versus 27.3%, p = 0.002). The rate of delivery during the first 7 days after discharge was 7.6% and 31.8% in nifedipine plus sildenafil and nifedipine alone, respectively (P = 0.001). The prevalence of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) as well as mean birth weight was higher in the nifedipine group alone. Treatment protocol with nifedipine and sildenafil compared with nifedipine alone was associated with a significant increase in preterm delivery delay (beta =-5.819, p = 0.001). Conclusion: The use of sildenafil in addition to nifedipine causes more delay in delivery in cases of preterm labor, followed by lower risk for RDS, reduces neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and preserves neonatal birth weight.

Objective: Recently, sildenafil as a drug effective in relaxing smooth muscles can be used as an adjunct to delay the onset of uterine contractions and therefore the occurrence of preterm labor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nifedipine combination with sildenafil on preterm delivery compared with nifedipine alone. Materials and methods: This randomized double-blinded clinical trial was performed on pregnant women with a gestational age of 26-34 weeks with singleton pregnancy and symptoms of preterm delivery. The mothers were randomly assigned into two groups receiving nifedipine plus sildenafil or those receiving nifedipine alone. The time of delivery, maternal and neonatal complications were compared between the two groups. Results: Mothers who received the combination therapy experienced significantly lower preterm delivery within 72 hours of intervention compared to nifedipine alone (4.5% versus 27.3%, p = 0.002). The rate of delivery during the first 7 days after discharge was 7.6% and 31.8% in nifedipine plus sildenafil and nifedipine alone, respectively (P = 0.001). The prevalence of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) as well as mean birth weight was higher in the nifedipine group alone. Treatment protocol with nifedipine and sildenafil compared with nifedipine alone was associated with a significant increase in preterm delivery delay (beta =-5.819, p = 0.001). Conclusion: The use of sildenafil in addition to nifedipine causes more delay in delivery in cases of preterm labor, followed by lower risk for RDS, reduces neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and preserves neonatal birth weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity are serious public health problems, so it is essential to work on the identification, recognition and situation analysis of patients treated at high-risk pregnancy centers. Objectives: To characterize the pregnant women treated at the Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana (HUS), Bogotá, Colombia, from a demographic, social and clinical point of view in order to identify common factors that may be intervened and, thus, avoid adverse outcomes. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study. 785 medical records of patients with a gestational age >24 weeks treated at the HUS in 2016 were analyzed. Sociodemographic data were collected, as well as data on the following variables: history of diseases, antenatal care, biopsychosocial risk, and obstetric outcomes. A univariate analysis was performed for each variable; measures of central tendency and dispersion and absolute and relative frequencies were calculated for quantitative and qualitative variables, respectively. Maternal health indicators were also calculated. Results: 47.51% of the pregnant women had a low educational level, 34.39% were single mothers, 32.10% had a previous comorbidity, and 5.85% had insufficient antenatal care. The proportion of preterm births was 23.6 (95%CI: 20.63%-26.69%), the severe maternal morbidity ratio was 157.96/1 000 live births, and the maternal mortality rate was 246/100 000 live births. Conclusions: Pregnant women treated at the HUS are mainly young women from areas where the health system is not easily accessible, and who have insufficient antenatal care and a low schooling level. This population has a high rate of severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality compared to the national reference value, so they would benefit from educational interventions or risk approaches that prioritize these factors in order to prevent adverse maternal outcomes.

Background : The most common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in pregnancy is preeclampsia. Serum cystatin C (CysC) is a potential biomarker of early kidney damage as its levels are not disturbed by volume status changes in pregnancy, and serum CysC levels could serve as a replacement for conventionally used creatinine. In this study, we investigated the serum levels of CysC in severe preeclampsia cases and the associations between CysC levels and poor obstetric outcomes. Methods : Our cohort included severe preeclampsia patients with a normal serum creatinine level. Creatinine was measured to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on the Cockcroft and Gault, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study (MDRD), and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations, while CysC was measured to calculated eGFR based on a CysC-based equation. We then evaluated the correlations between serum CysC level, eGFR, and obstetric outcomes. Results : Twenty-six patients were evaluated of which 38.5% delivered preterm and 30.8% had low-birth weight babies. Unlike creatinine-based eGFR and CysC-based eGFR, serum CysC demonstrate significant negative correlation with gestational age. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that serum CysC is a potential biomarker of preterm delivery with a cut-off serum level of 1.48 mg/L with 80% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Conclusion : GFR estimation using CysC is likely to be inaccurate in pregnancy. However, we found a significant correlation between preterm delivery and serum CysC level. Our results suggest that serum CysC level has the potential to predict preterm delivery in severe preeclampsia patients.

PURPOSE: To identify risk factors for premature birth among premature obstetric labor women. METHODS: Participants were 129 hospitalized women who were diagnosed with potential premature obstetric labor with 20 weeks to 37 weeks of gestation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ2 test, t-test, and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 129 women, 78(60.5%) gave premature birth and 51 (39.5%) gave full-term birth. Risk factors for premature birth were education level (≤bachelor's degree), abnormal bowel condition (constipation or diarrhea), time firstly diagnosed with a premature obstetric labor (below 28 weeks of pregnancy), and multiple pregnancy. There were also increased risks of premature birth for participants with high level of anxiety and high level of prenatal stress. In social support, there was an increased risk of premature birth for participants with low level of social support. CONCLUSION: Prenatal nursing programs should consider not only psychosocial factors such as anxiety, prenatal stress, and social support, but also some general and obstetric factors such as education level, abnormal bowel condition, time firstly diagnosed with a premature obstetric labor, and multiple pregnancy to increase maternal and child health.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the components of preterm birth (PTB) through women's personal narratives and to visualize clinical symptom expressions (CSEs). Methods: The participants were 11 women who gave birth before 37 weeks of gestational age. Personal narratives were collected by interactive unstructured storytelling via individual interviews, from August 8 to December 4, 2019 after receiving approval of the Institutional Review Board. The textual data were converted to PDF and analyzed using the MAXQDA program (VERBI Software). Results: The participants' mean age was 34.6 (±2.98) years, and five participants had a spontaneous vaginal birth. The following nine components of PTB were identified: obstetric condition, emotional condition, physical condition, medical condition, hospital environment, life-related stress, pregnancy- related stress, spousal support, and informational support. The top three codes were preterm labor, personal characteristics, and premature rupture of membrane, and the codes found for more than half of the participants were short cervix, fear of PTB, concern about fetal well-being, sleep difficulty, insufficient spousal and informational support, and physical difficulties. The top six CSEs were stress, hydramnios, false labor, concern about fetal wellbeing, true labor pain, and uterine contraction. "Stress" was ranked first in terms of frequency and "uterine contraction" had individual attributes. Conclusion: The text network analysis of narratives from women who gave birth preterm yielded nine PTB components and six CSEs. These nine components should be included for developing a reliable and valid scale for PTB risk and stress. The CSEs can be applied for assessing preterm labor, as well as considered as strategies for students in women's health nursing practicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Preterm delivery is a major global public health challenge. The objective of this study was to determine how preterm delivery rates differ in a country with a very high human development index and to explore rural vs urban environmental and socioeconomic factors that may be responsible for this variation.Material and Methods: A population-based study was performed using data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register from 1998 to 2013. Sweden was chosen as a model because of its validated, routinely collected data and availability of individual social data. The total population comprised 1 335 802 singleton births. A multiple linear regression was used to adjust gestational age for known risk factors (maternal smoking, ethnicity, maternal education, maternal age, height, fetal sex, maternal diabetes, maternal hypertension, and parity). A second and a third model were subsequently fitted allowing separate intercepts for each municipality (as fixed or random effects). Adjusted gestational ages were converted to preterm delivery rates and mapped onto maternal residential municipalities. Additionally, the effects of six rural vs urban environmental and socioeconomic factors on gestational age were tested using a simple weighted linear regression.Results: The study population preterm delivery rate was 4.12%. Marked differences from the overall preterm delivery rate were observed (rate estimates ranged from 1.73% to 6.31%). The statistical significance of this heterogeneity across municipalities was confirmed by a chi-squared test (P < 0.001). Around 20% of the gestational age variance explained by the full model (after adjustment for known variables described above) could be attributed to municipality-level effects. In addition, gestational age was found to be longer in areas with a higher fraction of built-upon land and other urban features.Conclusions: After adjusting for known risk factors, large geographical differences in rates of preterm delivery remain. Additional analyses to look at the effect of environmental and socioeconomic factors on gestational age found an increased gestational age in urban areas. Future research strategies could focus on investigating the urbanity effect to try to explain preterm delivery variation across countries with a very high human development index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The most common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in pregnancy is preeclampsia. Serum cystatin C (CysC) is a potential biomarker of early kidney damage as its levels are not disturbed by volume status changes in pregnancy, and serum CysC levels could serve as a replacement for conventionally used creatinine. In this study, we investigated the serum levels of CysC in severe preeclampsia cases and the associations between CysC levels and poor obstetric outcomes. Methods: Our cohort included severe preeclampsia patients with a normal serum creatinine level. Creatinine was measured to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on the Cockcroft and Gault, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study (MDRD), and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations, while CysC was measured to calculated eGFR based on a CysC-based equation. We then evaluated the correlations between serum CysC level, eGFR, and obstetric outcomes. Results: Twenty-six patients were evaluated of which 38.5% delivered preterm and 30.8% had low-birth weight babies. Unlike creatinine-based eGFR and CysC-based eGFR, serum CysC demonstrate significant negative correlation with gestational age. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that serum CysC is a potential biomarker of preterm delivery with a cut-off serum level of 1.48 mg/L with 80% sensitivity and 75% specificity. Conclusion: GFR estimation using CysC is likely to be inaccurate in pregnancy. However, we found a significant correlation between preterm delivery and serum CysC level. Our results suggest that serum CysC level has the potential to predict preterm delivery in severe preeclampsia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify risk factors for premature birth among premature obstetric labor women. Methods: Participants were 129 hospitalized women who were diagnosed with potential premature obstetric labor with 20 weeks to 37 weeks of gestation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ² test, t-test, and binary logistic regression. Results: Of 129 women, 78(60.5%) gave premature birth and 51 (39.5%) gave full-term birth. Risk factors for premature birth were education level (≤bachelor's degree), abnormal bowel condition (constipation or diarrhea), time firstly diagnosed with a premature obstetric labor (below 28 weeks of pregnancy), and multiple pregnancy. There were also increased risks of premature birth for participants with high level of anxiety and high level of prenatal stress. In social support, there was an increased risk of premature birth for participants with low level of social support. Conclusion: Prenatal nursing programs should consider not only psychosocial factors such as anxiety, prenatal stress, and social support, but also some general and obstetric factors such as education level, abnormal bowel condition, time firstly diagnosed with a premature obstetric labor, and multiple pregnancy to increase maternal and child health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: to be premature is the main cause of perinatal morbimortality, identifyingto the infections during the pregnancy as cause of preterm labor. It has been describedthat colonization of pregnant women by the bacteria Streptococcus agalactiae entailsunfavorable effects about the maternal and neonatal health.Objective: to determine the frequency of vaginal and rectal colonization by Streptococcusagalactiae and its susceptibility to antibiotics in pregnant women with preterm labor.Methods: with prior informed consent, vaginal and rectal specimens were taken to pregnantwomen with preterm labor who admitted to the Clínica Maternidad Rafael Calvo, Cartagena,Colombia, between August 1st, 2011 and January 31st, 2012. The isolations of S.agalactiae were gotten by means of culture in selective medium CHROMagar™ StrepB. Theconfirmation of the specie was carried out by means of CRP with specific primers. Proofsof antibiotic susceptibility were done with Kirby-Bauer methods. Additionally, a form wasapplied to register socio-demographic data and medical record. As an independent variablewas used the colonization, which was correlated with socio-demographic and obstetric dataand with prenatal results. Telephonic follow-up was done for one month.Results: 93 patients were included in the study. A prevalence of 37.6% for vaginal andrectal colonization by Streptococcus agalactiae was found. 15 (16.1%) newborns presentedneonatal sepsis. There were not found statistically significant differences in the perinatalresults between the colonized and not colonized groups. There were found statistically significantdifferences in the gestational age between early preterm and late preterm births.Conclusions: Although the occurrence of neonatal sepsis was associated with being earlypremature, there was not association with the colonization status by Streptococcus agalactiaein the mother. It is required the realization of studies that orientate to establishif antibiotic prophylaxis against this bacteria in the population of pregnant women withearly preterm labor contributes to reduce the rate of early-onset neonatal sepsis. Additionalstudies are needed which allow us to establish if the colonization by Streptococcusagalactiae is a risk factor for neonatal sepsis in late preterm birth. Rev.cienc.biomed.2013;4(1):20-30RESUMENIntroducción: la prematurez es causa principal de morbimortalidad perinatal, señalándosea las infecciones durante el embarazo como causa de parto pretérmino. Se ha descritoque la colonización de gestantes por la bacteria Streptococcus agalactiae conlleva efectosdesfavorables sobre la salud materno-neonatal.Objetivo: determinar la frecuencia de colonización a nivel vaginal y rectal por la especieStreptococcus agalactiae y su susceptibilidad a antibióticos, en gestantes con trabajo departo pretérmino.Metodología: previo consentimiento informado, se tomaron muestras vaginales y rectalesa gestantes con trabajo de parto pretérmino que ingresaron a la Clínica Maternidad RafaelCalvo, Cartagena, Colombia, entre 1 de agosto 2011 y 31 de enero de 2012. Los aislamientosde S. agalactiae se obtuvieron mediante cultivo en medio selectivo CHROMagar™Strep B. La confirmación de la especie se realizó mediante PCR con cebadores específicos.Se realizaron pruebas de susceptibilidad a antibióticos mediante el método Kirby-Bauer.Adicionalmente, se aplicó un formulario para registrar datos sociodemográficos e historialmédico. Se utilizó como variable independiente la colonización, la cual se correlacionó condatos sociodemográficos, obstétricos y resultados perinatales. Se hizo seguimiento telefónicopor un mes.Resultados: se incluyeron en el estudio 93 pacientes, determinándose una prevalenciade colonización vaginal y rectal por Streptococcus agalactiae del 37.6%. Entre los reciénnacidos, 15 (16.1%) presentaron sepsis neonatal. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamentesignificativas entre los grupos de colonizadas y no colonizadas en lo concerniente a los resultados perinatales. Al tomar en cuenta la edad gestacional se identificaron diferenciasestadísticamente significativas entre pretérminos tempranos y pretérminos tardíos.Conclusión: aunque la ocurrencia de sepsis neonatal estuvo asociada a prematuridadtemprana, no se encontró asociación con el estado de colonización por Streptococcus agalactiaeen la madre. Se requiere la realización de estudios dirigidos a establecer si la profilaxisantibiótica contra esta bacteria en la población de embarazadas con trabajo de partopretérmino temprano contribuye a reducir la tasa de sepsis neonatal temprana. Se necesitanestudios adicionales que permitan establecer si la colonización por S. agalactiae esun factor de riesgo para sepsis neonatal en pre-términos tardíos. Rev.cienc.biomed.2013;4(1):20-30

A gravidez na adolescência é um problema de saúde pública, podendo trazer consequências negativas para a adolescente, sua família e para o concepto/recém-nascido. Objetivos: Identificar diferenças entre as características sociodemográficas e reprodutivas das mães adolescentes com parto a termo e com parto pré-termo, no Espírito Santo em 2007. Metodologia: Estudo retrospectivo quantitativo. Os dados foram coletados no Sistema de Informação de Nascidos Vivos, sendo realizada análise descritiva de 9.841 Declarações de Nascidos Vivos. A relação entre a variável dependente (termo) e fatores foi testada pelo teste exato de Fisher, com á=0,05. Os resultados evidenciaram que as diferenças nas características das mães adolescentes com parto a termo e pré-termo ocorreram nas seguintes variáveis: idade entre 10 a 14 anos (p=0,016), estado civil casada (p=0,014), número de consultas pré-natais quando insuficientes (p=0,000) e gestação dupla (p=0,000). Houve maior incidência de partos prematuros no Sistema Único de Saúde (p=0,000).El embarazo en la adolescência es un problema de salud pública, que puede traer consecuencias negativas para la adolescente, su familia y para el concepto/recién-nacido. Objetivos: Identificar las diferencias entre las características sociodemográficas y reproductivas de las madres adolescentes con parto a término y con parto pre-término, en Espírito Santo en 2007. Metodología: Estudio retrospectivo cuantitativo. Los datos fueron recolectados en el Sistema de Información de Nascidos Vivos, siendo realizado un análisis descriptivo de 9.841 declaraciones de nacidos vivos. La relación entre la variable dependiente (término) y factores fue probada mediante la prueba de probabilidad exacta de Fisher, con á=0,05. Los resultados evidenciaron que las diferencias en las características de las madres adolescentes con parto a término y parto pre-término se dieron bajo las siguientes variables: edad entre 10 a 14 años (p=0,016), estado civil casada (p=0.014), número insuficiente de visitas prenatales (p = 0.000) y el embarazo doble (p=0.000). Con una mayor incidencia de partos prematuros en el Sistema Nacional de Salud (p=0.000).The pregnancy in the adolescence is a problem of public health, being able to bring negative consequences for the adolescent, her family and for concepto/newborn. Objectives: To identify differences between the sociodemographic and reproductive characteristics of the adolescent mothers with childbirth the term and childbirth preterm, in Espírito Santo on 2007. Methodology: Quantitative retrospective study. The data had been collected in the Information System of living births, being carried through descriptive analysis of 9.841 Declarations of living births. The relation between the dependent variable (term) and factors was tested by Fisher's exact test, with á=0,05. The results had evidenced that the differences in the characteristics of adolescent mothers with childbirth the term and preterm had occurred in the following variables: age between 10 to 14 years (p=0,016), married marital status (p=0,014), number of prenatal consultations when insufficient (p=0,000) and double gestation (p=0,000). There was a higher incidence of premature childbirths in the National System of Health (p=0,000).

Prematurity is a leading cause of neonatal mortality and a global health problem that affects high, middle and low-income countries. Several factors may increase the risk of preterm birth. In this article, we test the hypothesis that different risk factors determine preterm birth in different income groups by investigating whether risk factors for preterm deliveries in the 2004 Pelotas (Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil) birth cohort vary among those groups. A total of 4,142 women were included in the analysis. Preterm births were equally common among women who had spontaneous vaginal deliveries as for those with induced or operative births. In the multivariate analysis the factors that remained significantly associated with preterm birth were black skin color, low education, poverty, young maternal age, primiparity, previous preterm birth, inadequacy of prenatal care and reported hypertension. In the analyses repeated after stratification by family income terciles, there was no evidence of effect modification by income and no clear difference between the socioeconomic groups. No association between cesarean section and preterm delivery was found. Further studies are required to understand the causes of the epidemic of preterm births in Brazil.A prematuridade é uma grande causa de morte neonatal e um problema de saúde global, afetando países de alta, média e baixa renda. Vários fatores podem aumentar o risco de parto pré-termo. Neste artigo, testamos a hipótese de que diferentes fatores de risco determinem o parto pré-termo em diferentes grupos de renda, investigando como fatores de risco para prematuridade na coorte de nascimentos de 2004 de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, variam entre estes grupos. Foram incluídas na análise 4.142 mulheres. Os nascimentos pretermo foram igualmente comuns entre mulheres com partos vaginais e com partos induzidos ou cesáreas. Na análise multivariada, a cor negra, baixa educação, baixa renda, idade materna jovem, primiparidade, parto pré-termo anterior, cuidado pré-natal inadequado, e relato de hipertensão na gestação permaneceram significativamente associados com prematuridade. Nas análises estratificadas por tercis de renda familiar não houve evidência de modificação de efeito por renda, não sendo identificados diferentes padrões de risco entre os grupos sócio-econômicos. Não foi encontrada associação entre o parto cesáreo e prematuridade. Mais estudos são necessários para entender as causas da epidemia de partos pré-termo no Brazil.

OBJETIVO: A maior causa de mortalidade infantil no Brasil são condições perinatais, associadas em sua maioria à prematuridade. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a evolução das taxas de prematuridade no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Foi realizada revisão nas bases de dados Medline e Lilacs, incluindo estudos publicados em periódicos, teses e dissertações, desde 1950. Os critérios de exclusão foram: estudos que se referiam a temas clínicos, com complicações da prematuridade e gestação, bem como cuidados com prematuros. Os critérios de inclusão foram: estudos de base populacional sobre prevalência de prematuridade com dados do Brasil, com amostra representativa do local do estudo e com dados primários. De 71 estudos encontrados, a análise foi realizada com 12. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de prematuridade variou de 3,4% a 15,0% nas regiões Sul e Sudeste, entre 1978 e 2004, sugerindo tendência crescente a partir da década de 1990. Estudos na região Nordeste, entre 1984 e 1998, encontraram prevalências de prematuridade de 3,8% a 10,2%, também com tendência a aumentar. CONCLUSÕES: Dados do Sistema de Informações de Nascidos Vivos não corroboram este aumento, pois mostram diferenças entre as taxas de prematuridade informadas por esse Sistema e as taxas medidas nos estudos incluídos nesta revisão. Devido ao importante papel da prematuridade na mortalidade infantil no Brasil é importante identificar as causas deste aumento e planejar intervenções que diminuam sua ocorrência.OBJETIVO: La mayor causa de mortalidad infantil en Brasil son las condiciones perinatales, asociadas en su mayoría a la prematuridad. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la evolución de las tasas de prematuridad en Brasil. MÉTODOS: Se realizó una revisión en las bases de datos Medline y Lilacs, incluyendo estudios publicados en periódicos, tesis y disertaciones, desde 1950. Los criterios de exclusión fueron: los estudios que se referían a temas clínicos, con complicaciones de la prematuridad y gestación, así como cuidados con prematuros. Los criterios de inclusión fueron: estudios de base poblacional sobre prevalencia de prematuridad con datos de Brasil, con muestra representativa del lugar de estudio y con datos primarios. De 71 estudios encontrados, el análisis fue realizado con 12. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de prematuridad varió de 3,4% a 15,0% en las regiones Sur y Sureste, entre 1978 y 2004, sugiriendo tendencia creciente a partir de la década de 1990. Estudios en la región Noreste, entre 1984 y 1998, encontraron prevalencias de prematuridad de 3,8% a 10,2%, también con tendencia a aumentar. CONCLUSIONES: Los datos del Sistema de Informaciones de Nacidos Vivos no corroboran este aumento, ya que muestran diferencias entre las tasas de prematuridad informadas por ese Sistema y las tasas medidas en los estudios incluidos en esta revisión. Debido al importante papel de la prematuridad en la mortalidad infantil en Brasil es importante identificar las causas de este aumento y planificar intervenciones que disminuyan su ocurrencia.OBJECTIVE: The greatest cause of infant mortality in Brazil is perinatal conditions, mostly associated with preterm delivery. The objective of the study was to evaluate the evolution of preterm delivery rates in Brazil. METHODS: A review was conducted using the Medline and Lilacs databases, including published studies in periodicals, thesis and dissertations since 1950. Exclusion criteria were: studies related to clinical trials and those with complications at gestation and preterm delivery and care. Inclusion criteria were: population-based studies on prevalence of preterm delivery in Brazil, with representative sample of the studied population, and using primary data. Out of 71 studies found, analysis was carried out on 12. RESULTS: The prevalence of preterm delivery found ranged from 3.4% to 15.0% in the Southern and Southeastern regions between 1978 and 2004, with a rising trend from the 1990s onwards. Studies in the Northeastern region between 1984 and 1998 found prevalences of preterm delivery ranging from 3.8% to 10.2%, also with a rising trend. CONCLUSIONS: Data from the national live birth information system do not corroborate these trends. Rather, they show differences between the preterm rates given by this system and the rates measured in the studies included in this review. Because of the important role of preterm birth in relation to infant mortality in Brazil, it is important to identify the cause of these increases and to plan interventions that can diminish their occurrence.

Objective: To find out the association between maternal serum magnesium levels and preterm labor, neonatal weight, and the duration of labor. Methodology: This observational study was conducted at the Social Security Hospital in Hamadan City, the west of Iran, from October 2014 to January 2015. The case group included 32 preterm labour women (28 to <37 weeks pregnant women) and the control group included 32 term pregnant women. The maternal serum magnesium level, the duration of the first and second stage of labor were measured in both the groups. Results: The duration of gestational age was significantly lower in cases compared to controls (P<0.001). The average birth weight was significantly lower in the case group than in the control group (P<0.001). The mean (SD) level of maternal serum magnesium was 2.12 (0.27) and 1.95 (0.16) in the control and case groups, respectively (P=0.004). The duration of the first stage of labor was lower in the case group than in the control group (P=0.001). There was a positive correlation between maternal serum magnesium level and gestational age (0.3305) and neonatal weight (0.2975) and a negative correlation between maternal serum magnesium level and the duration of the first and second stage of labor (-0.0184 and -0.0445, respectively). Conclusion: Low level of maternal serum magnesium is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, including preterm labor and low birth weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivo: estudiar la prevalencia de bajo peso al nacer (BPN), parto pretérmino (PPT) y restricción de crecimiento intrauterino (RCIU), los factores maternos asociados y su fracción etiológica en la Unidad de Atención y Protección Materno Infantil de la Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana. Metodología: estudio transversal que analizó 2.672 pares madre - hijo registrados en el Sistema Informático Perinatal. La muestra representó 45% de los partos atendidos en la Unidad Materno Infantil de la Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana durante el 5 de mayo de 2003 y el 30 de marzo de 2006. Resultados: la prevalencia encontrada fue de 17% para BPN, 21% para PPT y 12% para RCIU. El control prenatal inadecuado, el hábito de fumar y la presencia de alguna patología materna durante la gestación presentaron asociación con BPN. Conclusión: La identificación de factores maternos asociados con el BPN servirá para implantar políticas de promoción y prevención específicas para la población en riesgo. Futuros estudios de base poblacional que permitan extrapolar estos resultados deben ser realizados en Colombia.Objective: studying the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), their associated maternal factors and this particular population's aetiology in the Bolivariana teaching hospital's Maternal and Infant Protection and Attention Unit in Medellín (Unidad de Protección y Atención Materno Infantil de la Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana). Methodology: a retrospective cross - sectional study analysing data regarding 2,672 mother - offspring pairs registered in the Perinatal Information System from May 5th 2003 to March 30th 2006. This sample represented 45% of the deliveries which occurred during this period. Results: LBW prevalence was 17%, preterm delivery 21% and IUGR 12%. Inadequate prenatal care, smoking during gestation and any type of maternal pathology present during pregnancy were associated with LBW. Conclusion: identifying maternal factors associated with the LBW of their offspring will help to implement public health interventions aimed at preventing unfavourable offspring outcomes in the population at risk. Subsequent studies should be made from a population - based perspective at national level to generalise the results.

Objective: To describe Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) physicians' practice patterns for 22-week delivery management.Mehods: Surveyed 750 randomly-sampled members of the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, querying MFMs' practices and policies guiding 22-week delivery management.Results: Three hundred and twenty-five (43%) MFMs responded. Nearly all (87%) would offer induction. Twenty-eight percent would order steroids, and 12% would perform cesarean for a patient desiring resuscitation. Offering induction differed significantly based on the provider's practice setting, region, religious service attendance and political affiliation. In multivariable analyses, political affiliation remained a significant predictor of offering induction (p = 0.03).Conclusions: Most MFMs offer induction for PPROM at 22 weeks. A noteworthy proportion is willing to order steroids and perform cesarean. Personal beliefs and practice characteristics may contribute to these decisions. While little is known about the efficacy of these interventions at 22 weeks, some MFMs will offer obstetrical intervention if resuscitation is intended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous preterm labor precedes approximately 50% of preterm births. One to 10% of pregnant women are hospitalized for preterm labor. This study examines the relationship of socioeconomic indicators, family income, education and type of insurance, with preterm contractions and subsequent preterm delivery. Data were from the pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system on 107,926 women who had singleton births during 2000-2002. Data on preterm contractions, family income, and type of insurance during pregnancy were from the maternal questionnaire. Maternal education and gestational age were derived from birth certificate data. Predicted marginal probabilities from logistic regression models were used to calculate the adjusted cumulative incidence and cumulative risk ratio of preterm contractions and preterm delivery. Median annual household income was approximately $30,000. More than one-fourth (28.1 95% CI: 27.7, 28.6) of women experienced preterm contractions, and these women were 3 times as likely (18 vs. 5%) to deliver preterm as women without preterm contractions. Only 58% of women who delivered preterm reported contractions. Lower income and Medicaid-paid care were independently associated with an increased risk of preterm contractions but not with preterm delivery. The association of lower income and Medicaid enrollment with preterm contractions but not preterm delivery suggests that SES is associated with the initiation of the pathway to spontaneous preterm delivery rather than access to or the success of interventions to prevent delivery following the onset of contractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pesquisa Brasileira em Odontopediatria e Clinica Integrada is the property of Pesquisa Brasileira em Odontopediatria e Clinica Integrada Journal (Brazil) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cadernos de Saude Publica is the property of Escola Nacional de Saude Publica Sergio Arouca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)