Antenatal

IMPORTANCE: The Antenatal Late Preterm Steroids (ALPS) trial changed clinical practice in the United States by finding that antenatal betamethasone at 34 to 36 weeks decreased short-term neonatal respiratory morbidity. However, the trial also found increased risk of neonatal hypoglycemia after betamethasone. This follow-up study focused on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes after late preterm steroids. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether administration of late preterm (34-36 completed weeks) corticosteroids affected childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes...

The objective was to understand experiences of double motherhood during antenatal, childbirth and postpartum healthcare, using a qualitative method involving individual online interviews and asynchronous, online focus groups of cisgender women, mostly in same-sex relationships. The results revealed how these women's experiences of parenting were marginalised, highlighting institutional violence in Brazilian healthcare services, which are presented here in two thematic dimensions: 1) Cisheteronormativity and its impact on experiences of double motherhood; and 2) Institutional violence in healthcare services: from curiosity to LGBTQIA+phobia...

Promoting sexual and reproductive health in the context of transmasculinity constitutes a new issue for health service organisation. This integrative review sought to understand the current evidence on pregnancy in transsexual men in the context of sexual and reproductive health care. From a search of the BVS, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Capes, SciELO and PEPSIC databases, from 2010 to 2020, a sample of 11 articles was selected, treated by content analysis and grouped into four analytical categories: health services - positive experiences; cis heteronormative health services; implications of pregnancy for transsexual bodies; and repercussions of gender-affirming therapy and pregnancy...

BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia is the second most common hematological disorder in pregnancy after anemia worldwide and affects 7-8% of all pregnancies. Pregnant women with thrombocytopenia have complications of excessive bleeding during or after childbirth, exudation at the cesarean section, and neonatal thrombocytopenia. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of thrombocytopenia and its associated factors among pregnant women attending the Antenatal Care Service Unit of Wachemo University Nigist Ellen Mohammed Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Hosanna, Southern Ethiopia...

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a multifaceted impact on maternal and child services and adversely influenced pregnancy outcomes. This systematic review aims to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to and delivery of maternal and child healthcare services in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: The review was reported following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A primary search of electronic databases was performed using a combination of search terms related to the following areas of interest: "impact' AND 'COVID-19' AND 'maternal and child health services' AND 'low- and middle-income countries...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a globally recognized public health concern, yet research focusing on women in urban areas of Bangladesh remains unexplored. This study aimed to address this research gap by investigating the prevalence and associated factors of PPD within the first 2 years after childbirth. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 259 women (26.66 ± 4.57 years) residing in urban areas who were attending healthcare delivery centers...

Despite the global improvements in neonatal outcomes, mortality and morbidity rates among preterm infants are still unacceptably high. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly analyze the factors that affect these outcomes, including sex, race, and social determinants of health. By comprehending the influence of these factors, we can work towards reducing their impact and enhancing the quality of neonatal care. This review will summarize the available evidence on sex differences, racial differences, and social determinants of health related to neonates...

Invasive prenatal testing, amniocentesis, and chorionic villus sampling offer insights into fetal genetic integrity and health, but carry inevitable minor risks of miscarriage and infection, thus complicating the decision-making process for parents. Previous research has revealed several factors that influence the decision to undergo invasive prenatal testing, including demographic, clinical, and psychological aspects, and attitudes towards testing. Informed choice, involving understanding options and aligning them with personal values, is crucial, with healthcare providers playing a key role in offering unbiased information...

Frontoethmoidal encephalocele represents protrusion of meninges and brain in a sac through a defect in the anterior skull base, mostly as swelling over the nose. Rarely it is associated with facial dysmorphism and palatal cleft. There are various perioperative concerns like airway difficulties, leaking from the swelling causing fluid and electrolyte disturbances, risk of infection, compression of the swelling causing a rise in intracranial pressure, bleeding, hypothermia, etc., In neonates, these challenges rise exponentially because of the inherent difficulties in dealing with this group of patients...

INTRODUCTION: Pregnant women with abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) require proper evaluation and timely management to reduce maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: The present study was done with the objective of determining feto-maternal outcomes in antenatal women with abnormal LFTs and comparing them with antenatal women having normal liver function. The prevalence and possible causes of derangements in LFT were also identified. METHOD: Pregnant women referred to an antenatal clinic for several reasons pertaining to abnormal liver functions, and those admitted to the labor room for delivery with abnormal LFTs were included in the study...

OBJECTIVE: We report the prevalence, characteristics and clinical outcomes of women with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in pregnancy in the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) serving a large culturally and socio-economically diverse community in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, over the last 10 years. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of all pregnant women booked for antenatal care at three hospitals in WSLHD between September 2012 and August 2022 inclusive...

BACKGROUND: Puerperal sepsis, is a significant factor in maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in regions with lower income levels where maternal mortality rates are highest. However, it can be largely avoided if detected in time. Recognizing and dealing with the root causes early is essential in addressing this problem. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the determinants of puerperal sepsis among postpartum women at a tertiary care hospital in Ethiopia. METHODS: An institutional-based unmatched case-control study was conducted among 266 postpartum women (88 cases and 178 controls) from October 1, 2023 to November 30, 2023...

BACKGROUND: During the last two decades, Caesarean section rates (C-sections), overweight and obesity rates increased in rural Peru. We examined the association between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and C-section in the province of San Marcos, Northern Andes-Peru. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study. Participants were women receiving antenatal care in public health establishments from February 2020 to January 2022, who were recruited and interviewed during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth...

BACKGROUND: Maternal and neonatal mortality remains high in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with women having 1 in 36 lifetime risk. The WHO launched the new comprehensive recommendations/guidelines on antenatal care (ANC) in 2016, which stresses the essence of quality antenatal care. Consequently, the objective of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the quality of ANC in 13 SSA countries. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that is premised on pre-existing secondary data, spanning 2015 to 2021...

We report a case of a 31-year-old gravida 2 para 1 female presenting to the optician with a two-week history of blurred vision and persistent headaches at 29 weeks gestation. Visual acuity on presentation was 6/100 in the right eye and 6/24 in the left eye. Fundoscopy of both eyes revealed serous retinal detachment in the absence of background retinal changes. On urgent admission to the maternity assessment unit, blood pressure was 189/126 mmHg and urine dipstick revealed 4+ proteinuria. Due to recurrent poor foetal heart rate variability on cardiotocography monitoring, an emergency caesarean was conducted...

INTRODUCTION: In the current times, fetal growth monitoring has become readily available with the help of Doppler ultrasound. Identification of pregnancies that are at risk for perinatal morbidity and mortality has been a primary goal of obstetric care. Doppler study is a fast, non-invasive test that provides significant information about the hemodynamic status of the fetus. It is an efficient diagnostic modality to assess fetal compromise, which helps in timely intervention in high-risk pregnancies for better perinatal outcomes...

BACKGROUND: Undernutrition refers to an overall deficiency of nutrients due to an inadequate intake of a well-balanced diet. Undernourishment during pregnancy is an important contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. It remains a persistent problem in developing countries, where women usually fall behind men in having access to food, health care, and education. Despite the high prevalence of maternal undernourishment, its direct impact on obstetric outcomes has not been studied in developing countries, including Ethiopia...

BACKGROUND: Utilization of maternal healthcare services has a direct bearing on maternal mortality but is contingent on a wide range of socioeconomic factors, including the sex of the household head. This paper studies the role of the sex of the household head in the utilization of maternal healthcare services in India using data from the National Family Health Survey-V (2019-2021). METHODS: The outcome variable of this study is maternal healthcare service utilization...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women across their entire pregnancy and the factors affecting it in the monitoring areas. METHODS: A total of 108,351 pregnant women who received antenatal health care and delivered from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020 in 15 monitoring counties of 8 provinces in the Maternal and Newborn Health Monitoring Program (MNHMP) of National Center for Women and Children's Health (NCWCH) were selected as the study subjects...

PURPOSE: To develop prediction models for severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) based on risk factors in preterm Thai infants to reduce unnecessary eye examinations in low-risk infants. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included preterm infants screened for ROP in a tertiary hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, between September 2009 and December 2020. A predictive score model and a risk factor-based algorithm were developed based on the risk factors identified by a multivariate logistic regression analysis...