Helvetica paediatrica acta. Supplementum最新文献

Circulating immune complexes were measured using the Clq-binding test in 185 African mothers and their newborns at delivery. Results were compared to non-pregnant African women, healthy European blood donors and to a group of European mothers and their newborns. Clq-binding activity was increased in African mothers and in non-pregnant African women. Circulating immune complexes rarely occurred in cord blood even when mothers showed a high Clq-binding activity. The levels of immune complexes were unrelated to malaria. Complement components Clq and C3 were lower in the newborns than in the mothers.

Anthropometric measurements of newborns, mothers and placentas were taken in 204 consecutive deliveries at Adjamé Maternity Hospital in Abidjan. Aclinical assessment of gestational age was made. Low mean birthweight can be attributed to a higher incidence of pre-term newborns in the present sample. Incidence of small for gestational age and large for gestational age babies is similar to that found in developed countries. Detailed analysis of correlations between maternal, placental and neonatal variables show that birthweight is dependent on nutritional status of the mothers and on size of the placenta. Young primiparae are shown to become pregnant before reaching full growth. Their weight and weight for height are significantly lower than for multiparae. The main group at risk for impaired foetal growth, prematurity and low birthweight are the children born to primiparous mothers.

In 198 consecutive deliveries in a region holoendemic for malaria, 39.4% of the mothers had malarial parasitaemia. Cord blood parasitaemia was found in 43 cases (55% of infected mothers). The incidence of malaria decreased with increasing parity possibly related to age. Malaria is partly responsible of the low birthweights and of the genesis of pre-term and small for date babies. A correlation between nutritional status and malarial infection was shown. According to IgM concentrations in cord blood, 2.5% of newborns had an intrauterine infection of unknown origin.

In a random population of 198 pregnant women, detailed haematological determinations were performed at delivery. The prevalence of anaemia (haemoglobin less than 10 g/100 ml) is 20%. Iron deficiency is even more frequent. Malaria is shown to play an important role. Maternal anaemia is also correlated with nutritional status. Primiparae are shown to be at higher risk of anaemia. The effect of maternal anaemia on anthropometric and haematological variables of the newborn are discussed. Mothers with sickle-cell or HbC trait are not at special risk of anaemia.

The analysis of cord blood samples of 198 African newborns and their mothers confirmed the high prevalence of iron deficiency. A hypochromia and microcytosis of red cells was found in 40% of the pregnant women at term. In the majority of newborns the haemoglobin concentration was below 16 g/100 ml. Hb S was found in 11%, Hb C in 9% and alpha-thalassaemia in 2% of the population examined. Haemoglobin, packed cell volume and mean cell volume of erythrocytes were lower than results of newborns from developed countries. Foetal sex had no influence on haematological variables.

This study based on hospital records is an analysis of 7433 deliveries in Adjamé Maternity Hospital, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The incidence of low birthweight babies is 14.1%. Mean birthweight and height were shown to increase significantly from parity 1 to 9. Lowest mean birthweight and highest incidence of low birthweight babies were observed in primiparae. Incidence of stillbirths and abortions according to parity are described and an estimate of infant mortality rate has been attempted.