Morbid obesity in pregnancy is a growing problem and is having an impact on morbidity, mortality as well as significantly increasing antenatal and intra-partum costs of pregnancy care. The incidence of morbid obesity in pregnancy in our unit was 7.5% during the study period and this was associated with statistically ...

OBJECTIVE: Animal studies have indicated that maternal androgen levels influence the intrauterine environment and development of the offspring. Human data are missing. We therefore investigated the possible association between maternal androgens and offspring size at birth in humans. DESIGN: A random sample of parous Caucasian women (n=147) was followed prospectively ...

OBJECTIVES: Adequate maternal nutrition is of paramount importance in pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester when fetal development is crucial. It has been reported that heavier women are most likely to fear weight gain associated with pregnancy. Few studies have, however, investigated associations between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and ...

Birth weight has been associated with a subsequent risk of breast cancer. The present study examined associations between birth weight and pregnancy estrogens and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). The concentrations of estradiol, estriol, and AFP were measured in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples from 194 women during pregnancy and at birth. ...

PURPOSE: Interpretation of physical activity as energy expenditure requires adjustment for body size. This is usually accomplished by means of the MET system, which assumes a basal metabolic rate (BMR) of 4.184 kJ.kg(-1).h(-1) and, when the standard calculation is used, that the energy costs of different activities are proportional to ...

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related disorder that causes maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Its exact inheritance pattern is still unknown, and genome searches for identifying susceptibility loci for preeclampsia have thus far produced inconclusive or inconsistent results. We performed a heterogeneity-based genome search meta-analysis (HEGESMA) that synthesized the available genome ...

Weight status is an important determinant of many health indices. Data from a clinical trial on measures to lower genital tract trauma in vaginal birth were used for a secondary analysis. The goal was to describe the relationship of body mass index and pregnancy weight gain to clinical intrapartum care, ...

OBJECTIVE: To identify all pregnancies complicated by maternal dextrocardia and report the obstetric performance in these patients. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of all deliveries between May 1984 and December 2004 at Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong. Maternal demographic data as well as information on the ...

BACKGROUND: Conflicting results have been documented regarding the statistical significance of variations in some haematological parameters at different trimesters of pregnancy. Environmental factors, ethnic and tribal peculiarities have variously been implicated. The values of eight important haematological parameters: Haematocrit (Hct), Haemoglobin concentration (Hbc), Red Blood Cell (RBC) count, White Blood ...

At present, more than 60% of American women of childbearing age are either overweight or obese. As the obesity epidemic in the United States and many other countries continues to grow unchecked, there is greater interest in the relationship between obesity and other major health issues. This paper reviews the ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of fetal weight estimations performed by parturients vs. clinical and sonographic estimates. graphic estimates. STUDY DESIGN: Term parous women were included in this prospective trial. Each woman estimated the weight of her fetus. Fetal weight was also estimated sonographically and clinically. The clinical evaluations were ...

The purpose of this study was to identify the association between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), weight gain in pregnancy, and newborn birth weight on route of delivery and induction of labor in patients receiving nurse-midwifery care. This retrospective cohort study examined the outcomes of 1500 consecutively delivered women who ...

BACKGROUND: In pregnant women, antiretroviral drugs improve maternal health and reduce vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus to the infant. However, few nonclinical studies have examined the potential for adverse drug interactions. METHODS: On gestational days (GD) 6-16, mice were dosed with vehicle, ddI (360, 1440, or 2,880 mg/kg/day, p.o.), ...

The incidence of hematological malignancies during pregnancy is low, and treatment in this setting is problematic. This study observed 21 pregnancies in 18 patients with hematological malignancies. Patients' ages were between 19 and 43 (median 25) years. Two pregnancies ended with spontaneous abortion, one pregnancy ended with in utero death, ...

The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of time needed for postpartum soldiers to return to prepregnancy fitness condition as evidenced by Army Physical Fitness Test scores (APFT). The findings from this study have implications for health care providers, patients, and the Army regarding the effects of ...

OBJECTIVE: To generate reliable new reference ranges for weight gain and increase in body mass index (BMI) during pregnancy from a large population. STUDY DESIGN: In a prospective cross-sectional study at the Obstetric outpatient clinic, Zurich University Hospital, weight gain and BMI, before gestation and at the booking visit, were ...

BACKGROUND: The impact of pre-pregnancy pulmonary and nutritional status in pregnancy outcomes of women with cystic fibrosis (CF) is not clearly defined. METHODS: A chart review of CF women who attended the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC), Seattle WA. from January 1989 until May 2004. RESULTS: There were 43 ...

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to examine the proportion of women meeting established weight gain recommendations during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort using chi2 and logistic regression analysis of 1,463,936 registered North Carolina births from 1988 to 2003. RESULTS: The percentage of pregnant women achieving recommended weight gain decreased significantly ...

Body weight, and its constituent components of fat mass and lean tissue, plays an important role modulating reproductive development and functioning. Body weight influences the timing of menarche and the capacity to achieve a pregnancy. The nature of this relationship appears to be some variant on a 'U' shape. Extremes ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which blood glucose, obesity, and maternal weight gain explains differences in birth weight using offspring sibling pairs in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of 90 women with at least 2 GDM pregnancies was conducted. ...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to estimate the effects of low and high gestational weight gain, in different maternal Body Mass Index (BMI) classes, on obstetric and neonatal outcomes. METHOD: A prospective population-based cohort study of 245,526 singleton term pregnancies. Women were grouped in five categories of BMI ...

OBJECTIVE: Biological evidence suggests that both mother and fetus are involved in triggering a normal delivery. A tendency of a child to have a gestational age at birth similar to the father's could represent the effect of genes passed from the father to the fetus. Similar tendencies between mother and ...

Close interactions between mother and offspring are said to result in a coevolution of parental and offspring genotypes such that offspring are adapted in their solicitation behaviour to obtain maternal provisioning that maximizes their fitness. Few empirical studies have been conducted in this field and it remains unclear whether maternal ...

Does gestational weight gain have an impact on the future weight pattern of adolescent mothers? Pregnant adolescents gain weight with childbearing, and weight retention following pregnancy potentially contributes to long-term overweight and obesity, but the literature to date has focused on the effect of gestational weight on the neonate and ...

Many Cree women in northern Quebec experience excessive weight gain during pregnancy and retain the weight between pregnancies. This contributes to poor maternal-fetal outcomes and increased rates of obesity-related health problems. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore (a) Cree women's perceptions of weight gain in pregnancy ...

PURPOSE: To explore the effect of Coptidis Rhizoma on foetal growth in pregnancy. METHODS: During 1985-1987, each pregnant woman with 26 or more weeks of gestation who came to the Taipei Municipal Maternal and Child Hospital for prenatal care was enrolled and interviewed by three trained interviewers using structured questionnaires ...

OBJECTIVES: In a previous study, we showed that maternal influenza in pregnancy gives rise to an increase in some congenital abnormality groups. The aim of this study was to ascertain the relationship between influenza during pregnancy and pregnancy complications, and in addition, delivery outcomes particularly preterm birth and low birth ...

OBJECTIVE: To identify adequate weight gain ranges during pregnancy in Japanese women. METHOD: Obstetric records from 2001 to 2002 for 46,659 term, singleton, vaginally delivered live births was used to estimate IUGR and macrosomia risk. Total maternal weight gain was grouped according to gestational age-specific percentile values of weight gain ...

AIMS: To determine the fermentation profiles by human gut bacteria of arabino-oligosaccharides of varying degree of polymerization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sugar beet arabinan was hydrolyzed with a commercial pectinase and eight fractions, of varying molecular weight, were isolated by gel-filtration chromatography. Hydrolysis fractions, arabinose, arabinan and fructo-oligosaccharides were fermented anaerobically ...

Many healthcare professionals and their patients are aware of the importance of proper nutrition during pregnancy, but may not be aware of specific nutritional recommendations on how to achieve a healthy pregnancy outcome. This review article aims to discuss the implications maternal nutritional status and weight gain have in both ...

Birth weight is positively associated with the risk of breast cancer in the offspring and the underlying process is likely to involve the pregnancy endocrine milieu. We have examined the association of diet and related factors during pregnancy with the levels (at the 16th and 27th gestational week) of maternal ...

OBJECTIVES: To quantify placental weight and its ratio to birth weight in normal pregnancy; and to determine whether abnormal placental weight and its ratio are associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional study. MATERIAL AND METHOD: From January 1st, 2004, to December 31st, 2004, placentae were obtained from 238 ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes among women with hyperemesis during pregnancy. METHODS: A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among women with singleton deliveries between 1988 and 2002. Hyperemetic pregnancies were defined as those requiring one or more antepartum admissions for hyperemesis before 24 weeks of gestation. Severity ...

The aim of the present study was to search for qualitative changes in the landfill leachate DOM along a groundwater gradient. The study was focused on DOM characteristics of importance for its interaction with pollutants, such as molecular weight distribution and aromaticity. It was concluded that the leachate DOM underwent ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the maternal sociodemographic, anthropometric, dietary and micronutrient status in apparently healthy pregnant women in order to determine their associations with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Bangalore City, India. SUBJECTS: A total of 478 women were recruited at 12.9+/-3.3 weeks of gestation and followed ...

CONTEXT: Human adipose tissue produces several adipokines, including the newly identified protein cathepsin S (CTSS), a cysteine protease involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Obesity is characterized by high levels of CTSS in the circulation and in sc white adipose tissue (scWAT). OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of surgery-induced weight ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess pregnancy outcomes in different BMI groups. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We analyzed 25,601 singleton pregnancies from January 1989 to December 2001. Overweight women (prepregnancy BMI = 26 to 29 kg/m2) represented 13.2% (3388) of the cases, and 7.3% (1880) were obese (BMI > or = 30 kg/m2). ...

BACKGROUND: To analyze the association of pregnancy complications with prepregnant body mass index and weight gain during pregnancy in Japanese women. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 21,718 Japanese women with a singleton pregnancy. Pregnant women were grouped by prepregnant body mass index and evaluated for association with ...

Carpal tunnel syndrome is common during pregnancy. The symptoms usually disappear after delivery, but how soon has not been established. Thirty pregnant women with the syndrome reported to us the degree of pain in their hands every week before, and daily after, delivery. Pain was graded on a scale from ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to analyze how the maternal intake of macronutrients before conception and in the 6th, 10th, 26th, and 38th weeks of pregnancy affects birth weight. METHODS: A longitudinal study of food consumption to assess the nutritional status of 77 healthy female volunteers (age range: ...

BACKGROUND: Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP; synonym: pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy) is the most common specific dermatosis of pregnancy. However, its clinical characterization is controversial and its pathogenesis uncertain. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate clinical characteristics of and potential trigger factors for PEP in a large mixed ethnic population. ...

BACKGROUND/AIM: Not only the process of childbirth itself, but also processes during pregnancy seem to be strongly associated with urinary incontinence (UI). According to some epidemiological studies, UI during pregnancy occurs in 23-70% of the pregnant women. These studies also documented some risk factors (e.g., race, age, or body mass ...

The term xenia was coined to describe the effect of foreign pollen on the development and characters of the seed. To study its importance and consequences for various seed traits in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), the effect of pollen genotype on seed and embryo weight was studied with seeds from ...

OBJECTIVES: To identify the biological, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics that are associated with inadequate and/or excessive weight gain in pregnancy. METHODS: Univariate, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted using data from Colorado's 2000-2002 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). Independent variables included biological risk factors (prepregnancy BMI, parity, ...

OBJECTIVE: To verify whether prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) and low-dose aspirin (LDA) could positively affect pregnancy outcome in women with a history of severe preeclampsia. METHODS: We compared 23 pregnancies treated with LDA alone to 31 pregnancies treated with LMWH plus LDA. RESULTS: Women treated with LMWH-LDA (n = ...

Traditional approaches to treating overweight and obese adults by focusing on individual weight loss have not been effective in stemming the tide of obesity in the population. Recent research has identified critical factors that, as they accumulate and interact over an individual's life span, may put a person at risk ...

BACKGROUND: Nutritional status of women has been considered an important prognostic indicator of pregnancy outcomes. Few studies have evaluated patterns of weight gain and pre-pregnancy body mass index in developing regions where malnutrition and poor weight gain as well as maternal obesity have significant influences on the pregnancy outcome. This ...

BACKGROUND: Preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy is potentially important in the prevention of overweight and obesity among women of childbearing age. However, few intervention studies aiming at weight management during pregnancy have been performed and most of these interventions were not as successful as expected. In this paper the ...

Diabetes has been found to be common in people, including the women of child bearing age, in urban Nepal. There is a custom of feeding the women with foods rich in calories and fats, as much as possible, after delivery. Weights of 200 women of urban Kathmandu before the first ...

OBJECTIVES: Measurement of the basal metabolic rate (BMR) can be used to estimate the calories required for weight gain during refeeding in anorexia nervosa (AN). The reference method for measuring the BMR is indirect calorimetry. MedGem has developed a new indirect calorimeter that calculates the metabolic rate much more quickly ...