Coagulation and Fibrinolytic System Protein Profiles in Women with Normal Pregnancies and Pregnancies Complicated by Hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: The current study longitudinally evaluated concentrations of fibrinogen (Fib), D-Dimer, plasminogen activator type-1 (PAI-1) and tissue type plasminogen activator (T-Pa) before pregnancy and in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy with a focus on the pregnancy transition. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty healthy, nonsmoking, nulliparous women, aged 29.8 ± 3.0 years, BMI 23.3 ± 3.2 kg/m(2) were studied during menstrual cycle day 8 ± 4 and again in early (11 - 15 wks) and late (31 - 34 wks) pregnancy. Seventeen women had singleton conceptions and delivered at term with uncomplicated pregnancies (CTL) and three women developed complicated hypertension (CH) during pregnancy after the third trimester (late pregnancy) evaluation. Data are means ± SEM, Significance was based on p < 0.05. RESULTS: Fib was the only protein evaluated that increased in early pregnancy relative to the prepregnancy assessment. D-dimer, PAI-1 and T-Pa increased in the third trimester compared with prepregnant and early pregnant values (p < .001). T-PA was significantly higher during late pregnancy in CH subjects compared with CTL (8.1 ± 0.7 ng/ml vs. 5.0 ± 0.2 ng/ml, p = .02). There were no other differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in fibrinogen are evident in early pregnancy whereas fibrinolysis, perhaps in response to the procoagulant environment of pregnancy, is increased during late pregnancy. Before development of clinically overt hypertension, T-Pa is increased without concomitant changes in other proteins assessed. This is consistent with altered endothelial function with preeclampsia that may contribute to, or reflect, the vasculopathy accompanying this disorder.

Development of a substance abuse program for opioid-dependent nonurban pregnant women improves outcome.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to determine whether improved access to medication assisted therapy in the general population, with improved coordination of ancillary services for pregnant women, improved perinatal outcomes in a nonurban area. METHODS: The cohort of women treated for opioid dependence during pregnancy with medication-assisted therapy and delivered at a single institution between 2000 and 2006 were retrospectively identified (n = 149 women; n = 151 neonates). Access to opioid agonist therapy for the general population was determined as the combined number of available treatment positions for medication-assisted therapy. Treatment during pregnancy (interim substitution therapy vs opioid treatment program) and pregnancy outcomes were noted from chart review. The primary outcome of trend of prenatal care indices and newborn birth weight over time was determined by Kendall's tau. RESULTS: As access to treatment in the general population expanded from 2000 to 2006, the number of women receiving treatment increased, the proportion of women receiving interim substitution therapy decreased (P < 0.001), gestational age at the initiation of treatment decreased (P < 0.001), and the proportion of women receiving treatment before pregnancy increased (P < 0.001). Infants delivered to mothers in a treatment program had improved birth weight z score compared with those receiving interim substitution therapy (P = 0.007). The proportion of infants discharged to the care of the mother and remaining in maternal care at 1 year improved both over time (P = 0.03; P = 0.004) and with treatment within a treatment program (P < 0.001; P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Improved access to opioid agonist treatment programs for the general population in nonurban areas improves perinatal outcome and retention of maternal guardianship.

Intrapartum and postpartum analgesia for women maintained on methadone during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether methadone maintenance alters intrapartum or postpartum pain or medication requirements. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients treated with methadone for opiate dependence during pregnancy (vaginal n=35; cesarean n=33) were matched retrospectively to control women. Analgesic medication and pain scores (0-10) were extracted from the medical record. The primary endpoint was opiate use postpartum (oxycodone equivalents). The secondary endpoints were pain scores and intrapartum analgesia. RESULTS: There were no differences in intrapartum pain or analgesia. After vaginal birth, methadone-maintained women experienced increased pain (methadone, 2.7 [1.9-5.0]; control, 1.4 [0.5-3.0], P=.001) but no increase in opiate use ([mean+/-standard deviation] methadone 12.7+/-32.1; control 6.8+/-12.7 mg/24 h, P=.33); after cesarean delivery both pain (methadone, 5.3 [4.1-6.0]; control, 3.0 [2.2-3.9], P=.001) and opiate use (methadone, 91.6+/-51.8; control, 54.0+/-18.6 mg/24 h, P=.001) increased. CONCLUSION: Methadone-maintained women have similar analgesic needs and response during labor, but require 70% more opiate analgesic after cesarean delivery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.