Maternal health, neonatology and perinatology最新文献

Background: Imperforate hymen is the most common congenital defect of the female urogenital tract. The spectrum of clinical manifestations is broad, ranging from mild cases undiagnosed until adolescence to severe cases of giant intraabdominal masses. The most common complication of hydrocolpos is bladder compression, resulting in obstructive uropathy and hydronephrosis.

Case presentation: We present here the case of a preterm neonate who was admitted to the surgical neonatal intensive care unit for bowel obstruction. The baby did not appear septic or unwell, a small amount of meconium passed frequently, and no bilious gastric residuals occurred. Based on these findings, acute abdominal obstruction was doubtful, and the surgeon chose a conservative (watch and wait) approach. Subsequently, we performed abdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging based on unclear information about a suspicious abdominal mass raised by the gynecologist shortly before the emergency C-section. The final diagnosis was congenital hydrocolpos due to imperforate hymen. The pediatric gynecologist indicated an incision of the imperforate hymen under general anesthesia. The incision resolved abdominal distention as well as the bowel obstruction.

Conclusion: The presentation of hydrocolpos was not typical (no bulging in the vaginal introitus) in our case, and clinical symptoms implied acute bowel obstruction shortly after birth. The surgeon chose a conservative (watch and wait) approach as the baby did not appear unwell on the second day of life. Fortunately, diagnostic laparotomy was not required as the next step in bowel obstruction management. All clinical symptoms resolved after a minor surgical procedure.

Background: Blood pressure is a vital hemodynamic marker during the neonatal period. However, normative values are often derived from small observational studies. Understanding the normative range would help to identify ideal thresholds for intervention to treat hypotension or hypertension. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess observed blood pressure values in neonates who have not received any blood-pressure modifying treatments from birth to three months postnatal age and whether these vary according to birth weight, gestational age and postnatal age.

Methods: This was a systematic review. A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL from 1946 to 2017 on blood pressure in neonates from birth to 3 months of age (PROSPERO ID CRD42018092886). Unpublished data were included where appropriate.

Results: Of 3,587 non-duplicate publications identified, 30 were included (one unpublished study). Twelve studies contained data grouped by birth weight, while 23 contained data grouped by gestational age. Study and clinical heterogeneity precluded meta-analyses thus results are presented by subgroup. A consistent blood pressure rise was associated with increasing birth weight, gestational age, and postnatal age. In addition, blood pressure seemed to rise more rapidly in the most preterm and low birth weight neonates.

Conclusion: Despite blood pressure increasing with birth weight, gestational age, and postnatal age, there was marked blood pressure variability observed throughout. To better define hypotension and hypertension, future studies should develop consistent approaches for factors related to blood pressure variability, including the method and timing of measurement as well as statistical control of relevant patient characteristics.

Background: Despite maternal flavivirus infections' linkage to severe maternal and fetal outcomes, surveillance during pregnancy remains limited globally. Further complicating maternal screening for these potentially teratogenic pathogens is the overwhelming subclinical nature of acute infection. This study aimed to understand perinatal and neonatal risk for poor health outcomes associated with flaviviral infection during pregnancy in El Salvador.

Methods: Banked serologic samples and clinical results obtained from women presenting for labor and delivery at a national referent hospital in western El Salvador March to September 2022 were used for this study. 198 samples were screened for dengue and Zika virus IgM, and statistical analyses analyzed demographic and clinical outcome associations with IgM positivity.

Results: This serosurvey revealed a high rate of maternal flavivirus infection-24.2% of women presenting for labor and delivery were dengue or Zika virus IgM positive, suggesting potential infection within pregnancy. Specifically, 20.2% were Zika virus IgM positive, 1.5% were dengue virus IgM positive, and 2.5% were both dengue and Zika virus IgM positive. Women whose home had received mosquito abatement assistance within the last year by the ministry of health were 70% less likely to test IgM positive (aOR = 0.30, 95%CI: 0.10, 0.83). Further, statistical geospatial clustering revealed transmission foci in six primary municipalities. Pregnancy complications and poor birth outcomes were noted among the dengue and/or Zika virus maternal infection group, although these outcomes were not statistically different than the seronegative group. None of the resulting neonates born during this study were diagnosed with congenital Zika syndrome.

Conclusions: The high rate of Zika virus detected among pregnant women and the lack of Zika-specific neonatal outcomes monitoring during a non-outbreak year highlights the need for continued surveillance in Central America and among immigrant mothers presenting for childbirth from these countries. As changing climatic conditions continue to expand the range of the disease vector, asymptomatic screening programs could be vital to early identification of outbreaks and clinical management of cases.

Background: Perinatal mental health, such as postpartum depression, is an important issue that can threaten the lives of women and children. It is essential to understand the risk factors in advance and intervene before they can lead to postnatal depression. The risk factors of postpartum depression are reported to vary considerably in Japan. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for women with high Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores and to find women who may need our intervention to prevent postpartum depression.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted at a single center. At the one-month check-up after birth, the EPDS test was performed in 1625 women who gave birth at our hospital from 2008 to 2016. We evaluated maternal, birth, neonatal and social factors and the breastfeeding status from medical records. Thereafter, we examined the factors that contributed to a high EPDS score.

Results: There were 284 women in the high-score group with an EPDS of ≥ 9, and 1341 women in the low-score group with an EPDS score ≤ of 8. Maternal mental disorders and neonatal transport were significantly associated with high EPDS scores. Conversely, exclusive breastfeeding was significantly associated with the low-score EPDS group.

Conclusions: The principal factor for high EPDS scores was a mental disease. Based on this result, we suggest that early intervention in women at high risk for postpartum depression could prevent serious consequences such as abuse and suicide.

Background: Platelets are pivotal players in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia, with observed lower counts in affected individuals compared to normotensive counterparts. Despite advancements, the elusive cause of pre-eclampsia persists, motivating intense global efforts to identify reliable predictors. The currently recommended predictors of pre-eclampsia are not readily available in many resource-limited regions like Nigeria. This cohort study explores the potential of mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) as predictive markers of early-onset pre-eclampsia. Both platelet indices are components of the full blood count, a widely available routine test in pregnancy.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 648 healthy pregnant women attending antenatal care at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and General Hospital Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, were recruited between 14-18weeks gestational age. Platelet count (PC), MPV and PDW were measured from their venous blood at recruitment. Participants were monitored until 34weeks of gestation, focusing on the occurrence of early-onset preeclampsia as the outcome of interest. Individuals with chronic medical conditions were excluded from the study. Data analysis involved t-test, Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney U tests, with statistical significance set at a confidence level of 95% and p < 0.05. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were determined using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves.

Results: The incidence of early-onset pre-eclampsia in the study was 5.9%. Women who later developed pre-eclampsia had higher median MPV and PDW at 14-18weeks (10.8 fl. and 24.8 fl.) compared to normotensive women (8.1 fl. and 13.3 fl.)(p < 0.001). The median PC was lower in pre-eclamptics (190 × 10³/µl) compared to normotensives(264 × 10³/µl)(p < 0.001). Using Youden's test, cut-off values identified: PC < 211.5 × 10³/µl, MPV > 9.4 fl., and PDW > 21.3 fl., predicted early-onset pre-eclampsia with 96.6% sensitivity and 65.6% specificity for PC; 79.3% sensitivity and 97.7% specificity for PDW; and 82.8% sensitivity and 96.1% specificity for MPV. Cut-offs of PC < 185 × 10³/µl, MPV > 10.7 fl., and PDW > 28.3 fl., predicted severe early-onset pre-eclampsia with 100.0% sensitivity and 90.9% specificity for PC, 100.0% sensitivity and 99.4% specificity for MPV, and 100.0% sensitivity and 99.8% specificity for PDW, with corresponding area under the ROC curves of 0.983, 0.996, and 0.998, respectively.

Conclusion: The evaluation of MPV and PDW between 14 and 18 weeks of gestation appears to be a reliable predictor of severe early-onset pre-eclampsia.

Background: First-time motherhood is characterized by high psychosocial distress, which untreated, has serious consequences. Informal social support provided by specially trained mentors may be protective against postpartum depressive symptoms but may vary by women's social relationship with the mentor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of types of mentors on women's depressive symptoms between late pregnancy to 6-months postpartum and the characteristics of women associated with mentor type.

Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of data from a community sample of 312 primiparous women from a single-group, longitudinal intervention study of Welcome to Parenthood. Welcome to Parenthood provided education and mentorship for women during the transition from pregnancy to postpartum. Women completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in late pregnancy, and 2- and 6-months postpartum.

Results: Women who recently relocated were less likely to be mentored by their mothers and more likely to be mentored by friends or volunteers. Women who were mentored by their mothers or sisters scored the lowest on the EPDS; those mentored by their mothers-in-law scored the highest. Women who were mentored by other family, friends, or volunteers scored between the two extremes. EPDS scores of women mentored by each type of mentor decreased from pregnancy to 6-months postpartum; only for mother-, sister-, and volunteer-mentored groups was this decrease significant.

Conclusions: During transition to parenthood, support provided by mothers or sisters is best for women's mental health but may not always be available to women who have recently relocated. In such situations, specially trained community volunteers may be the second-best option.

Background: Breastfeeding is important for the healthy growth and development of newborns, and the nutrient composition of human milk can be affected by maternal nutrition and supplementation. In Germany, iodine supplementation is recommended for all lactating mothers, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation is recommended for mothers with inadequate or no fish intake. Vitamin B12 supplementation is required for strict vegans during lactation, and other nutrient supplementation may be necessary depending on the individual's nutritional status. To address the lack of data on dietary supplements used by lactating mothers following a vegetarian or vegan diet, an online survey was conducted in Germany, with a focus on iodine, DHA, and vitamin B12.

Methods: Study participants were asked to report whether they followed specific dietary patterns (omnivorous [OM], vegetarian [VT], vegan [VN]) as well as their use of dietary supplements. Relationships between diets and supplement use were analyzed using chi-square tests.

Results: 2054 lactating women were included (1240 OM, 410 VT, and 404 VN) in this analysis. Within OM, VT and VN, at least one dietary supplement was taken by 67.3%, 84.9% and 98.0% respectively (p < 0.001). Overall, 53.2% OM, 66.8% VT, 88.4% VN reported taking at least one supplement containing iodine (p < 0.001). 54.6% OM, 61.7% VT and 58.2% VN reported supplements containing vitamin B12, while 34.1% OM, 40.2% VT and 38.6% VN mentioned supplements containing DHA (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: More than half of the participants reported the use of supplements during lactation with the highest proportion in vegans. However, over one third of the mothers did not report supplementing with iodine, regardless of their dietary pattern and most participants also did not report DHA supplements. It is worrisome that a high number of vegans did not report vitamin B12 supplementation, but this could be partly due to issues with reporting. It is crucial to provide further education to breastfeeding mothers about the importance of taking micronutrient supplements, especially for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet. This will help ensure that mothers and their breastfed infants receive optimal nutrition for a healthy development.

To address socioeconomic disparities in the health outcomes of preterm infants, we must move beyond describing these disparities and focus on the development and implementation of interventions that disrupt the factors contributing to them. Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs), which provide unrestricted payments to individuals or households, can help mitigate income disparities and improve health outcomes. While UCTs have been utilized for other vulnerable populations, their full potential has yet to be realized for low-income families with preterm infants, who face significant financial strain. In this perspective, we review evidence supporting UCTs as an intervention for children in the U.S. (including those born term and preterm), discuss the potential benefits of recurring UCTs to low-income families of preterm infants, and propose a conceptual model through which UCTs may improve outcomes for preterm infants. We conclude with potential policy levers for implementing UCTs and key unanswered questions for researchers.

Background: Infantile botulism (IB) is a devastating and potentially life-threatening neuromuscular disorder resulting from intestinal colonization by Clostridium botulinum and the resultant toxin production. It can present with constipation, descending paralysis, and, potentially, respiratory failure. Botulism is a diagnosis that is more commonly seen in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) or on the general pediatric wards and would not typically be managed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and therefore requires high clinical suspicion to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Case presentation: We discuss a case where an infant from central Pennsylvania presented to a Level IV NICU rather than to the PICU for an evaluation for sepsis and was uniquely diagnosed with IB. The infant presented with poor oral feeding and reduced oral intake, hypothermia, and lethargy. His symptoms progressed into hypoxia and acute respiratory failure. Interestingly, this infant had no known exposure to honey or any other identifiable sources of botulism contact. The infant's twin brother and the other infants who attended the mother's in-home daycare remained asymptomatic. This infant was initially evaluated and managed for a potential infectious etiology. However, a diagnosis of IB was suspected, and was later confirmed through the detection of botulinum toxin in the infant's stools. A high level of suspicion allowed for timely treatment with Botulism Immune Globulin neutralizing antibodies (BabyBIG), even prior to confirmatory testing. We describe the process of obtaining BabyBIG, as well as the natural course of illness after treatment in our patient who ultimately made a complete recovery.

Conclusions: This case highlights the importance of considering infantile botulism as a diagnostic possibility even in the absence of risk factors, and the need for vigilance in diagnosing and treating this rare but potentially life-threatening condition. With timely recognition, subsequent treatment with BabyBIG, and supportive care, infants with infantile botulism can be expected to recover completely. This information is particularly important for neonatologists providing care for infants outside the neonatal period, especially during times of high patient census and resulting overflow of pediatric admissions in the NICU.