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Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine prospectively whether unplanned pregnancies are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes among users of natural family planning. Methods. Women who became pregnant while using natural family planning were identified in five centers worldwide: there were 373 unplanned and 367 planned pregnancies in this cohort. The subjects were followed up at 16 and 32 weeks' gestation and after delivery. The risks of spontaneous abortion, low birthweight, and preterm birth were estimated after adjustment by logistic regression. Results. The women with unplanned pregnancies were more likely to be at the extremes of age, to report more medical problems before and during the index pregnancy, and to seek antenatal care later in gestation than the women with planned pregnancies. However, women with planned pregnancies reported a higher rate of spontaneous abortion in previous pregnancies (28.8%) than did women with unplanned pregnancies (12.9%). There were no significant differences in the rates of spontaneous abortion, low birthweight, or preterm birth between the two groups. Conclusions. No increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes was observed among women who experienced an unplanned pregnancy while using natural family planning. (Am J Public Health. 1997;87:338-343)

Breast-feeding is today the major form of infant nutrition in the immediate postpartum period. Despite this, recent trends in modern life-styles have raised obstacles to successful lactation. These include infant illness and maternal responsibilities outside the home, both requiring separation from the mother. While the hormonal dynamics of infant suckling are understood, little is known about the effects of artificial methods of milk expression. A variety of breast pumps exist in the current US market which vary considerably in price and effectiveness. To understand better the ability of these pumps to assist women in the maintenance of lactation, the current study was undertaken to evaluate their effects on milk yield and prolactin and oxytocin release when compared to natural infant suckling. Twenty-three women who were exclusively breast-feeding their infants were randomly assigned to serially use several pumping methods, as well as infant suckling, with blood being taken at 10-minute intervals to determine the hormonal responses. The results reveal variability in the proclatin responses to the artificial pumping methods, with the greatest responses found with an electric pulsatile pump; these responses compare favorably with those of natural infant suckling. Other methods were less successful in causing prolactin elevations. No differences were seen among the methods in the oxytocin response. The results of this study demonstrate striking differences in the ability of breast-pumping methods to produce an acute and sustained prolactin rise in breast-feeding mothers. The large discrepancies found suggest the need for further studies to enable women and health care providers to choose the most appropriate method for milk expression. Pediatrics 1992; 89:437-440; breast-feeding, nutrition, milk expression, lactation.

ABBREVIATIONS ACOG American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists RhIG Rh immune globulin In 2015, the AABB and the College of American Pathologists sponsored an Interorganizational Work Group on I RHD i Genotyping,[1] inviting the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American Red Cross, America's Blood Centers, and Armed Services Blood Program to recommend organizational representatives. As cost-effective and quicker methods for managing serologic weak D phenotypes become available, the focus should turn to developing protocols for managing patients with I RHD i alleles, who do not have a serologic weak D phenotype, but who are at risk for developing anti-D, such as I RHD*DIIIa i and I RHD*DIVa i . Serological weak D phenotypes: a review and guidance for interpreting the RhD blood type using the RHD genotype. [Extracted from the article]