[Influence of premature rupture of fetal membranes on kynurenic acid concentration in umbilical cord blood]. / Ocena wplywu przedwczesnego odplywania plynu owodniowego na stezenia kwasu kynureninowego we krwi pepowinowej.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of premature rupture of fetal membranes on kynurenic acid (KYNA) levels in venous and arterial umbilical cord blood of neonates. Statistically significant higher concentration of KYNA in umbilical arterial and venous blood in neonates of mothers with PROM lasting longer than 11 hours was observed. Increase of KYNA concentration in blood of such babies may be one of markers of developing infection.

[Nocturnal fall of blood pressure in the first half of pregnancy]. / Nocne obnizenie cisnienia tetniczego w pierwszej polowie ciazy.

OBJECTIVES: Arterial blood pressure (BP) shows circadian variation. The most important feature of the circadian variation of BP is it fall during sleep. Nocturnal fall of BP achieves at least 10% ("dip"). Very scanty literature is available on the diurnal BP pattern in healthy gravidae with uncomplicated pregnancy. DESIGN: The aim of the study was to evaluate of the day-time/night-time mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) fall in pregnant woman in the first half of pregnancy in comparison with healthy non-pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty seven healthy woman were included into the study, and divided into two groups: 23 pregnant woman in 7-20 weeks of first gestation and 34 non-pregnant woman. All the subjects were included into the 24-hours non-invasive automated blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Nocturnal fall of BP appeared to be the most pronounced element of the circadian BP pattern in the studied women. Women in the first half of pregnancy exhibit reduction of BP in the night-time similar to that observed in the non-pregnant subjects. In average, 2/3 of pregnant women below 20 weeks of gestation belong to "dippers" in the MAP range. Women with higher mean diurnal BP value have less pronounced nocturnal BP "dip".

[Resumption of menstruation during lactation after delivery]. / Powrót cykli miesiaczkowych po porodzie u kobiet karmiacych piersia.

Twenty-three women in the menstruation resumption during lactation were evaluated. Average period of lactational amenorrhoea was 7 months after delivery. Ovulation before the first menstruation has occurred in 7 breastfeeding women (39%), but only in one case it took place earlier than 6 months after labour. The correlation was established between the resumption of menstruation and entirely period of breastfeeding per day. The Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM) as the family planning procedure was discussed.

[Vulvar edema in pregnancy]. / Obrzek sromu w ciazy.

Reported is a case of massive vulvar edema complicating pregnancy probably as a result of mycotic vulvovaginitis or chemical vulvitis associated with drugs being used in the medication. Medical therapy failed to relieve the edema while the mechanical drainage showed to be an effective method of treatment.

[The burden of blood pressure in the first half of pregnancy]. / Ladunek cisnienia tetniczego u kobiet w pierwszej polowie ciazy.

In the study, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was estimated in 23 pregnant women in the first half of normal pregnancy and in 34 nonpregnant women. On the basis of ABPM, blood pressure load (BPL) were evaluated, as the exponent of blood pressure variability. In pregnant women BPL were lower in diastolic blood pressure component than those in nonpregnant women. It may testify stable character of diastolic blood pressure in healthy pregnant women. In the present decade the increasing importance of blood pressure variability is observed, because of its correlation with organ damage in hypertension. Authors emphasised the BPL examination necessity in healthy pregnant women and in pregnancy complicated by pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH).

[Circadian rhythm of arterial blood pressure in women with threatened miscarriage]. / Dobowy rytm cisnienia tetniczego u kobiet z poronieniem zagrazajacym.

In the study circadian arterial blood pressure were estimated in 21 women hospitalised due to threaten abortion. The average values of systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure did not differ between the groups of women with threaten abortion and women with normal course of pregnancy.

[Microbiological evaluation of the effectiveness of gynalgin in the treatment of vaginitis]. / Ocena mikrobiologiczna skutecznosci Gynalginu w zapaleniach pochwy u kobiet.

The microbiological effectiveness of the preparation Gynalgin produced by POLFA Pharmaceutical Works in Rzeszów was assessed in cases of vulvovaginitis in 55 patients with clinically diagnosed inflammatory conditions of the lower genital tract, who were given Gynalgin tablets in 10-day courses. Vaginal smears were examined three times for the presence of bacteria, fungi and trichomonas vaginalis (before and immediately after the treatment, and two weeks later). In the initial examination in five vaginal smears mixed bacterial flora was found, in 6 smears trichomonas was present, in 4--bacteria and fungi, and in one--trichomonas and fungi. After the treatment in control examinations I and II the number of the isolated bacterial strains was lower, trichomonas was no longer present, and the number of fungi was reduced evidently. In the light of these microbiological examinations Gynalgin was found to exert a strong fungicidal, bactericidal and antitrichomonal activity, and the results of laboratory investigations agreed with those of clinical trials of Gynalgin effectiveness.

Human colostrum as a source of organohalogen xenobiotics for a breast-fed neonate.

The concentrations of p,p'-isomers of DDT, DDE, and DDD, and alpha, beta, and gamma isomers of hexachlorohexane (HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined by means of gas-liquid chromatography in 3/4 postpartum day colostrum of 54 normal women. The milk levels of t-DDT, t-HCH, HCB, and PCBs correlated significantly with one another. The contents in milk of all the studied organohalides significantly increased with maternal age. The average daily intakes of t-DDT and PCBs were estimated for the studied neonates. Values exceeding the Acceptable Daily Intake values (ADIs) recommended by the WHO for t-DDT and PCBs were found for 70.4% and 24.1% of subjects, respectively. The present study confirms the trends in organohalogen residues of human milk observed by us in the studied region's inhabitants during the 17 years of monitoring (1970-1987), i.e., a consistent decline in t-DDT levels and an increase in PCB content in the present decade as compared to the 1970s. In conclusion, despite legal restrictions in their usage, the contamination with organohalides persist in human milk at a level that may result in neonatal alimentary exposure exceeding the recommended daily intakes.

Cadmium contamination of early human milk.

The concentration of cadmium was measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry in colostrum samples obtained from 110 women on the 4th postpartum day. Detectable amounts of cadmium were found in 95% of the examined samples and the geometric mean of the determined values was 0.002 mg/kg. In 3 cases (2.7%, the examined neonates received via mother's milk an amount of cadmium exceeding the maximum daily intake level for this metal. Maternal age, parity and place of residence did not affect the determined cadmium levels of milk. Cadmium content in the early human milk of current smokers did not differ significantly from that of nonsmoking mothers.

Intrapartum levels of trace metals in maternal blood in relation to umbilical cord blood values: lead, iron, copper, zinc.

The study was designed to measure the gradients of lead, iron, copper and zinc from maternal blood to cord blood in pregnant urban and rural women. The concentrations of iron, copper, zinc and lead were measured by means of atomic absorption spectometry (AAS) in whole blood of 100 normal parturients and 92 of their neonates. Levels of lead in cord blood were not significantly different from those in maternal blood. This ratio was associated with similar iron and zinc ratios. Neonatal birth weight was negatively correlated with maternal copper levels, whereas cord blood zinc values positively correlated with placental weight. Rural women showed higher maternal to cord blood lead ratios than urban women. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Smoking during pregnancy and the perinatal cadmium burden.

The association between maternal smoking and both morphometric birth parameters and the perinatal cadmium burden were studied. The cadmium concentrations were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry in 100 samples of maternal whole blood (MB) and in 93 samples of umbilical cord blood (CB). In the group of nonsmokers, significantly higher birth weight and decreased relative placental weight were noted as compared to the group of smokers who smoked more than 6 cigarettes a day (p less than 0.05). In both maternal and cord blood samples, the measured Cd levels were found to be significantly higher in smokers than in the nonsmoking subjects (for MB and CB p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.01 respectively). The average number of cigarettes smoked daily by the women had little effect on the levels of the metal. The Cd-MB strongly correlated with the Cd-CB (p less than 0.001). The cadmium values determined in MB and CB did not significantly affect any of the studied fetoplacental parameters. The reported findings give support for placental permeability to cadmium in humans and confirm that smoking during pregnancy leads to elevated Cd concentrations in both the mother and the fetus.

PIP: 100 healthy parturients and 100 neonates born to them between 37-42 weeks of pregnancy in the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Lublin, Poland, participated in an investigation designed to demonstrate whether smoking during pregnancy alters the perinatal cadmium burden and, if so, what influence this may have on morphometric fetoplacental parameters. 37 women did not smoke during pregnancy; the remaining 63 were current smokers. The median value of the number of cigarettes smoked daily was 6. The smoking group was divided into 2 subgroups: smokers who smoked 6 or less cigarettes per day and those who smoked more than 6 cigarettes per day. None of the differences calculated for mean age, parity, and the duration of pregnancy between the subgroups of women studied was statistically significant. The mean birth weight of the neonates born to nonsmoking mothers was significantly higher than that of the group smoking less than 6 cigarettes per day. The mean placental weight in the nonsmokers was higher than in both subgroups of smokers, but these differences were insignificant. When relative placental weight was evaluated, the difference between the group smoking more than 6 cigarettes per day and the nonsmokers appeared to be statistically significant. A slight insignificant decrease in Roher's ponderal index was observed in the newborns of smoking mothers as compared to the infants of nonsmokers. Detectable cord (Cd) concentrations were found in 27.0% of the blood samples obtained from nonsmoking mothers and in 32.4% of umbilical cord blood (CB) samples obtained from their neonates while in the smoking group detectable maternal blood (MB) and CB cadmium levels were measured in 61.9% and 57.1% of samples respectively. These differences were statistically significant. The average number of cigarettes smoked per day by the women had little effect on the measured metal levels. There was a markedly significant correlation between MB and CB cadmium levels. In 19.4% of cases, Cd-CB exceeded the corresponding MB value. The direction of the transplacental gradient for cadmium as estimated by the sign test was statistically insignificant. None of the fetoplacental parameters studied was significant associated with cadmium levels in MB and CB. The study results confirm that the physical development of newborns with fetal tobacco syndrome is retarded in comparison to the neonates of nonsmoking mothers.

Hair trace metal concentration of pregnant women at term in comparison with blood and milk levels.

The concentrations of Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb were determined by means of AAS in the scalp hair (SH) and pubic hair (PH) as well as in maternal blood (MB), breast milk (BM) and cord blood (CB) taken from 104 pregnant women and their neonates. SH values of all studied metals correlated with strong statistical significance with their PH levels. Significant correlations were found between maternal Fe-PH and neonatal body length (r = 0.271) as well as between Fe-SH and placental weight (r = 0.168). The age of examined women was found to correlate negatively with Cu-SH values as well as with Zn-SH (P less than 0.05). The inverse relationship between Zn-PH and the parity of examined women was established to be statistically significant (P less than 0.001). The usefulness of hair analyses in assessing trace metal status of a pregnant woman is discussed.