The purposes of this study were to determine the intervals when placental corticotrophic-releasing hormone (CRH) was most responsive to maternal cortisol. A sample of 203 women each were evaluated at 15, 19, 25 and 31 weeks gestation and followed to term. Placental CRH and maternal adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), B-endorphin and ...

This study compared concentrations of total protein, lysozyme, and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM) in samples of colostrum (n=101) obtained from mothers of infants<32 weeks, 32 to 36(6) 7 weeks, and >or=37 weeks gestational age, both before and after pasteurization. Total protein was measured by refraction index, lysozyme by the lysoplate ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine if fetal fibronectin can be used in a clinical setting to predict preterm birth and guide clinical management. STUDY DESIGN: We implemented a clinical protocol using the rapid fetal fibronectin test for patients presenting with symptoms of preterm labor. Adherence to the clinical pathway was at the ...

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy is infrequent in women with end-stage renal disease. The frequency of conception in dialysis patients has been reported as 0.3% to 1.4% in different studies from different countries. In the present study the frequency and outcome of pregnancies from a referral center in Saudi Arabia from January 1992 ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the obstetric maternal and neonatal outcome of pregnancy in women with Marfan syndrome. METHODS: Retrospective observational multi-center study based on congenital heart disease registry. RESULTS: Sixty-three of the 122 enrolled women with Marfan syndrome had been pregnant 142 times (including 111 pregnancies>20 weeks, 28 (20%) miscarriages and ...

Systemic maternal infections have been associated with preterm delivery. The authors examined the association of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, with preterm delivery. This nested case-control study was conducted within Project Viva in Massachusetts between 1999 and 2002. Subjects were 117 women who delivered preterm (< 37 weeks' ...

OBJECTIVE: To document the prognosis after conservative management of patients with membrane rupture at gestations less than 28 weeks. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study of 78 women with confirmed membrane rupture at less than 28 weeks gestation, managed conservatively. Antibiotics were given from the time of membrane rupture till delivery. ...

The objective of the study was to check the effect of the combination of metronidazole and miconazole (M+M) for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections/disorders related preterm delivery/birth. Antiprotozoal vaginal metronidazole was not able to prevent preterm birth, while the antifungal topical miconazole use showed some reduction in preterm birth ...

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine whether slow fetal growth rates and twin growth patterns from 20 weeks' gestation to delivery are associated with very preterm delivery. STUDY DESIGN: Available charts were reviewed for twin pregnancies, delivered between 1979 and 2002, at 4 U.S. medical centers. The sample of 1612 ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the outcome of a pregnancy is related to the time required to achieve that pregnancy (TTP). DESIGN: The distribution of the TTP for pregnancies ending in multiple birth, early (before week 12) and late (weeks 12-28) miscarriage, stillbirth, and extrauterine pregnancy was compared to that of ...

Infertility treatments have produced an increase in multiple gestations with twins accounting for 3.3% of births in the United States in 2002. Over that same time period, premature deliveries increased from 10.7% in 1992 to 12.1% in 2002. High-order multiple gestations have also increased, and virtually all of those deliver ...

Approximately 1% to 3% of all pregnancies in the United States are multiple gestations. The vast majority (97-98%) are twin pregnancies. Multiple pregnancies constitute significant risk to both mother and fetuses. Antepartum complications-including preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of the membranes, intrauterine growth restriction, intrauterine fetal demise, gestational diabetes, and ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk factors affecting pregnancy, perinatal outcomes, and short-term graft condition in women who underwent renal transplantation. METHOD: Between May 1998 and January 2005, the histories of 20 pregnancies in 17 renal transplant recipients were reviewed retrospectively at the Ministry of Health Aegean Obstetrics and Gynecology Teaching ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the importance of glycemic regulation on the risk of preterm delivery in women with normoalbuminuria and no preeclampsia later in pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A prospective study of 71 women with type 1 diabetes mellitus where complete data were collected ...

Bacterial vaginosis is the most common lower genital tract infection among women of reproductive age. It has been associated with a number of significant obstetric and gynecologic complications, such as preterm labor and delivery, preterm premature rupture of membranes, spontaneous abortion, chorioamnionitis, postpartum endometritis, postcesarean delivery wound infections, postsurgical infections, ...

OBJECTIVE: Early preterm birth at 20 to 26 weeks of gestation (periviable birth) carries extreme risks of infant death and morbidities. Prevention of periviable birth could improve infant outcomes significantly. We sought to characterize the causes of periviable birth and to determine whether periviable birth can be predicted by previous ...

OBJECTIVE: Preterm birth occurs in 1 of 8 pregnancies and may result in significant morbidity and mortality. 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHP caproate) has been found to be efficacious in reducing the risk of subsequent preterm delivery in women who have had a previous spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). This analysis was ...

With the advent of preterm birth prevention programs, increasing numbers of patients are now considered candidates for tocolytic management. Tocolysis' chief benefit is significantly prolonging pregnancy in the hope of avoiding or ameliorating the sequelae of preterm delivery. Three principal indications dominate the use of tocolysis in the treatment of ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe obstetric outcomes after surgical abortion at > or = 20 weeks, and to identify risk factors for subsequent spontaneous preterm birth. STUDY DESIGN: Patients who had surgical abortion at > or = 20 weeks' gestation from 1996 to 2003 and received ...

We extended our previous analyses of term low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth to 1994-2000, a period of declining air pollution levels in the South Coast Air Basin. We speculated that the effects we observed previously for carbon monoxide, particulate matter < 10 microm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), and ...

OBJECTIVE: Fetal inflammatory response has been previously shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of preterm premature rupture of membranes. We investigated the association between polymorphisms at position -670 in the Fas gene and position -124 in the Fas ligand gene demonstrated in neonatal oral mucosa cells and preterm premature ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare tolerability and tocolytic outcome between i.v. infused plant extract, Bryophyllum pinnatum, and beta-agonists. STUDY DESIGN: In a retrospective study, 67 pairs of pregnant women in preterm labor treated with intravenous B. pinnatum or beta-agonists were closely matched for maternal age, gestational age at tocolysis, CTG recorded contractions, ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the apoptotic index using three different apoptotic markers: terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL); M30 cytoDEATH antibody and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FTIC)-labeled annexin-V in the placenta and membranes from normal pregnancy and pregnancy complicated by premature rupture of membranes ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and clinical significance of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) in patients with vaginal bleeding in the absence of placenta previa, preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes (PROM). STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included patients who presented with vaginal bleeding between ...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fetal/neonatal outcome and to determine the important factors in that outcome, including the use of ultrasonography and fetal heart rate monitoring, in abruptio placentae during preterm gestation. A case-control study was performed using a logistic regression model. Adverse outcome was defined ...

BACKGROUND: Vascular dysfunction has been hypothesized as a causal pathway for preeclampsia, impaired fetal growth, and early parturition. The relationship between increased urine albumin excretion (albuminuria), a marker of endothelial dysfunction, and preterm birth has not been fully evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study of 404 pregnancies from ...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether particular placental histopathology lesions are associated with recurrent preterm birth. METHODS: We analyzed a database of 413 consecutive singleton pregnancies delivered at <32 weeks with past reproductive history available. After the exclusion of nulliparous women, the pregnancies were divided according ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of transabdominal amnioinfusion in improving the perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM). DESIGN: A randomised controlled trial. SETTING: A teaching hospital in Italy, obstetric unit. Population Women with singleton pregnancies complicated by pPROM, between 24 + 0 and 32 ...

OBJECTIVE: Pro-inflammatory chemokines have been associated with preterm parturition. Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is a chemokine capable of recruiting monocytes/macrophages into sites of inflammation, as well as stimulating the respiratory burst required for macrophage activation. MCP-1 transcripts and immuno-reactivity are expressed by uterine tissues (i.e., decidual cells and myometrium) and, ...

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown conflicting results on the outcome of pregnancy following loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether LEEP affects the outcome of pregnancy after 20 weeks' gestation. METHODS: This is a matched cohort study of all women who had a ...

The recent publication of 2 large randomized trials of 17 alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) and progesterone suppositories, respectively, for the prevention of premature labor have renewed interest in the use of progesterone to prevent preterm birth. The results of these trials have reinforced the positive results of earlier smaller trials ...

Mate, a hot infusion of Ilex paraguayensis, is a beverage largely consumed in Southeast Latin America, including during pregnancy. To assess the effect of mate drinking during pregnancy on preterm and small for gestational age (SGA) birth, a cross-sectional study was done. From January 1st to December 31st, 1993, in ...

Relaxin in human pregnancy is both a systemic hormone from the corpus luteum and an autocrine/paracrine hormone at the maternal-fetal interface formed by the decidua/placenta and fetal membranes. We have focused our studies on the autocrine/paracrine roles of relaxin, especially in the preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes, which ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare morbidities of neonates born to women who developed chorioamnionitis after premature preterm rupture of membranes versus those who did not. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed outcomes in singleton pregnancies with confirmed premature preterm rupture of membranes at 24 weeks or beyond that resulted in delivery less than 37 ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the occurrence, timing, and outcomes of hospital-based diagnoses of preterm labor. STUDY DESIGN: Administrative records identified hospital admissions for preterm labor among 2534 women in an ongoing cohort study. Factors that were considered risks for prematurity were examined by logistic regression ...

OBJECTIVES: To predict when delivery will occur, within 48 h and 7 days of presentation and before 35 weeks' gestation in women presenting with threatened preterm labor. METHODS: Sonographic measurement of cervical length was carried out in 510 women with singleton pregnancies presenting with threatened preterm labor and intact membranes ...

OBJECTIVE: Although preterm delivery occurs in only 10% of all births, these infants are at high risk for cerebral white matter injury and constitute a third of all cerebral palsy cases. Our objective was to estimate if electronic monitoring can identify preterm fetuses diagnosed with brain injury during the neonatal ...

OBJECTIVE: Inhibiting preterm labour at extremely early gestations. DESIGN: Observational study. Case reports. SETTING: Perinatal Centre Lund University Hospital, South Sweden. POPULATION: Twenty-five women (13 cases with intact membranes and 12 cases with ruptured) with threatened preterm labour and advanced cervical status before 26 completed weeks of gestation. METHODS: A ...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcome of pregnancies after uterine artery embolisation for uterine fibroids. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of pregnancy subsequent to uterine artery embolisation by one interventional radiologist. SETTING: A UK District General Hospital. POPULATION: Twenty-nine pregnancies in 671 women who had undergone uterine artery embolisation. METHODS: Cases were identified ...

A parturient suffering from preterm premature rupture of membranes at 29-weeks of gestation was hospitalized and staphylococcus was detected in her amniotic fluid. After treatment with antibiotics she delivered a healthy neonate three weeks later. ICAM-1 levels decreased by 20 fold correlating with elimination of the bacteria and prolongation of ...

AIM: According to statistics, women constitute one-third of all liver recipients and approximately 75% of female recipients are of reproductive age. Successful liver transplantation in these patients results in the restoration of menstrual function and fertility. The aim of this study was to assess the course of pregnancy and delivery ...

OBJECTIVE: This cohort study investigated potential clinical and biochemical predictors of subsequent preterm birth in women presenting with threatened preterm labor. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Subjects were 218 pregnant women admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of threatened preterm labor at 22-36 weeks gestation. Exclusion criteria were multiple pregnancy, fetal ...

Preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) is responsible for one-third of all preterm births and affects 120,000 pregnancies in the United States each year. Effective treatment relies on accurate diagnosis and is gestational age dependent. The diagnosis of PPROM is made by a combination of clinical suspicion, patient history ...

Studies using different diagnostic methods and outcome parameters have used different antibiotics and dose/administration regimes to women of differing risk of preterm birth with, not surprisingly, different results. Studies which have shown benefit have been criticised for having either poor methodology, low sample size or having only showed benefit after ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of fetal lung length estimation by ultrasound in the prediction of adverse neonatal respiratory outcome after prolonged preterm rupture of the membranes. METHODS: From the hospital database of all cases of spontaneous membrane rupture </=28 weeks' gestation, normal singleton ...

A human fetus is most susceptible to teratogenic agents during the first trimester of pregnancy. Cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin are pregnancy category D agents; however, potential benefits may warrant treatment with these agents during pregnancy under special circumstances. During her first trimester of pregnancy, a 37-year-old Caucasian woman was diagnosed with ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of vaginal fetal fibronectin sampling without use of a sterile speculum examination as a screening test for predicting spontaneous preterm birth. METHODS: A historical cohort of patients who were followed up with serial fetal fibronectin testing between 1998 and 2001 was identified. All patients were ...

BACKGROUND: The delayed onset of intestinal function in children with gastroschisis may be because of the injurious effects of amniotic fluid on the exposed bowel. This has led to consideration of early delivery to minimize intestinal damage and improve outcome, although this has not been carefully evaluated. The authors hypothesized ...

OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the effect of maternal sociodemographic, obstetric and lifestyle factors on the risk of spontaneous preterm birth in a Russian town. METHODS: All women with singleton pregnancies registered at prenatal care centres in Severodvinsk in 1999 comprised the cohort for this study (n=1559). Analysis was based on ...

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of active intervention with antenatal maternal corticosteroid and antibiotics therapy in infants delivered between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation after premature rupture of membrane. This retrospective study included pregnant women complicated by preterm delivery at the Dong-A University Hospital ...