How to Improve Adolescent Mothers' Satisfaction with Childbirth?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze factors related to adolescent mothers' satisfaction with childbirth. DESIGN: Prospective and cross-sectional study PARTICIPANTS: Fifty adolescent mothers with maternal age from 14 to 19 years and delivery of a single and live newborn at term SETTING: Low-risk maternity hospital INTERVENTION: The participants were invited to answer a questionnaire (North Bristol modified version of the Mackey Childbirth Satisfaction Rating Scale [mMCSRS]) with 18 items measuring childbirth satisfaction. Each item was to be rated on a 5-point Likert scale (very dissatisfied to very satisfied). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The main outcome measure was the total score on the questionnaire. RESULTS: The median maternal age was 18 years (95% CI, 11-25), and the median maternal satisfaction score of adolescent mothers was 88 (95% CI, 83-90). There was a significant difference in the total scores on the mMCSRS regarding the following factors: "oral fluid and food intake during labor" (yes = 84.0 vs no = 78.0, P = 0.044); "professional who attended the birth" (physician = 78.0 vs midwife = 86.0, P = 0.022); "skin-to-skin contact" (yes = 83.0 vs no = 71.0, P = 0.004); and "breastfeeding at the first hour" (yes = 84.5 vs no = 75.5, P = 0.008). Multiple regression with a stepwise procedure identified the following independent factors: "gestational age" (coefficient = 2.14, P = 0.03), "oral fluid and food intake during labor" (coefficient = 5.30, P = 0.013), and "skin-to-skin contact" (coefficient = 11.2, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Satisfaction with childbirth in adolescent mothers is associated with measures that can be easily implemented in the health care system. They are chiefly the provision of oral fluid and food during labor and skin-to-skin contact. Specific strategies are thus needed to increase adolescents' satisfaction with childbirth.

Fetal venous circulation in monochorionic twin pregnancies with placental insufficiency: prediction of acidemia at birth or intrauterine fetal death.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate fetal venous Doppler measurements in monochorionic twin pregnancies complicated by placental insufficiency and the relationship between fetal venous flow and acidemia at birth or intrauterine fetal death. METHODS: This was a prospective study of 18 monochorionic twin pregnancies with placental insufficiency. Inclusion criteria were monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancy, abnormal umbilical artery (UA) Doppler indices, intact membranes and absence of fetal congenital abnormalities. Cases of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome were excluded. The following Doppler measurements were studied: UA pulsatility index (PI), ductus venosus PI, middle cerebral artery PI and peak systolic velocity, intra-abdominal umbilical vein (UV) time-averaged maximum velocity (TAMXV) and left portal vein (LPV) TAMXV. Doppler parameters were transformed into Z-scores (SD values from the mean) or multiples of the median according to normative references. RESULTS: UA pH < 7.20 occurred in nine (25.0%) neonates, pH < 7.15 in four (11.1%) and intrauterine death in four (11.1%) fetuses. The UV-TAMXV and LPV-TAMXV Z-scores were significantly lower in the group with pH < 7.20 or intrauterine fetal death (-1.79 vs -1.22, P = 0.006 and -2.26 vs -1.13, P = 0.04, respectively). In cases with pH < 7.15 or intrauterine fetal death, UV pulsations were more frequent (50.0% vs 10.7%, P = 0.03) and UV-TAMXV Z-score was significantly lower (-1.89 vs -1.26, P = 0.003). Mixed effects logistic regression analysis, accounting for the paired nature of the outcomes for the two twins in each pregnancy, demonstrated that the UV-TAMXV Z-score significantly predicted UA pH at birth < 7.20 or intrauterine fetal death. The Doppler parameter that independently predicted pH < 7.15 or intrauterine fetal death was presence of pulsation in the UV. CONCLUSION: UV Doppler parameters may predict acidemia at birth or intrauterine fetal death in monochorionic twins complicated by placental insufficiency.

Ductus venosus blood flow assessment at 11 to 14 weeks of gestation and fetal outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between abnormal ductus venosus (DV) at 11-14 weeks' gestation and chromosomal abnormalities, structural defects and fetal outcome. METHODS: DV flow-velocity waveform (DV-FVW) and nuchal translucency thickness (NT) were prospectively evaluated in 1217 singleton pregnancies. RESULTS: The DV-FVW was abnormal in 84 fetuses, NT was above the 95th centile in 160 fetuses and both markers were observed in 41 fetuses. Chromosomal defects were diagnosed in 22 fetuses. The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values for an abnormal karyotype were 86.4%, 86.9%, 11.9% and 99.7%, respectively, for an increased NT. These values were 68.2%, 96.9%, 31.3% and 99.3%, respectively, for DV-FVW abnormalities and 68.2%, 97.6%, 36.6% and 99.3%, respectively, when both markers were found simultaneously. Regarding structural defects, these values were 43.8%, 92.9%, 8.3% and 99.1% for an abnormal NT, 25.0%, 92.6%, 4.8% and 98.8% for DV-FVW abnormalities and 25.0%, 97.9%, 15.4% and 98.9% for both together. Considering those cases of unexplained fetal demise, the values were 44.4%, 85.9%, 5.0% and 98.9% for NT abnormalities, 22.2%, 92.6%, 4.8% and 98.6% for an abnormal DV-FVW and 22.2%, 98%, 15.4% and 98.7% for both. In cases with increased NT, the percentage of live births with normal karyotype and no major fetal structural defects decreased from 93.8% in normal DV-FVW fetuses to 77.3% in abnormal ones. CONCLUSION: DV assessment at 11-14 weeks' gestation is useful in screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities and may help to reduce the false-positive rate when combined with NT measurement. Abnormal DV-FVW is also associated with an increase in adverse perinatal outcome in fetuses with enlarged NT. However, the value of DV-FVW assessment in cases with normal NT is unclear.

Avaliaçäo da maturidade fetal em gestaçöes de alto risco: análise dos resultados de acordo com a idade gestacional / Assessment of fetal maturity in high risk pregnancies: analysis according to gestational age

OBJETIVO: Estudar a avaliaçäo da maturidade fetal em gestaçöes de alto risco e analisar os resultados neonatais. MÉTODOS: Entre julho de 1998 e agosto de 1999 foram realizadas, no Setor de Vitalidade Fetal da Clínica Obstétrica do HC-FMUSP, 180 amniocenteses para avaliaçäo da maturidade fetal, sendo realizados os testes de Clements em três tubos e a contagem de células orangiófilas coradas com Azul de Nilo a 0,1 por cento. Os resultados perinatais foram correlacionados com a maturidade fetal em 75 casos cujo parto ocorreu até sete dias após a punçäo. RESULTADOS: Na macroscopia, 91 por cento das amostras apresentavam líquido amniótico claro, 3,3 por cento meconial e 5,6 por cento hemorrágico. A maturidade foi observada em 28 por cento dos exames realizados. Na avaliaçäo dos resultados perinatais, quando a maturidade estava ausente, a necessidade de intubaçäo do recém-nascido ocorreu em três casos (13 por cento) e nos fetos maduros isto ocorreu em um caso (2,5 por cento) (p<0,05). A necessidade de internaçäo em UTI neonatal ocorreu em 65 por cento dos recém-nascidos que apresentavam líquido imaturo e em apenas 10 por cento dos maduros (p<0,0001). CONCLUSÖES: Os recém-nascidos das gestantes com maturidade fetal presente apresentaram com menor freqüência necessidade de intubaçäo na sala de parto e de internaçäo em UTI neonatal, demonstrando menor morbidade perinatal. Entre a 29ª e a 32ª semana de gestaçäo, foram observados cerca de 10 por cento de fetos maduros, demonstrando que, quando necessário, a avaliaçäo da maturidade pode ser realizada neste período da gravidez. Näo observamos casos com maturidade fetal abaixo de 29 semanas, limitando a realizaçäo deste exame neste período