RESUMO
Intestinal atresia is the result of fetal bowel maldevelopment which leads to congenital bowel obstruction. It is a common cause of ileus of the newborn and can occur at any site of the gastrointestinal tract. Prenatal diagnosis relies on the demonstration of dilated loops of the fetal bowel and the presence of polyhydramnios at the end of the second or more frequently the third trimester of pregnancy. This condition requires surgical correction soon after birth, with timely diagnosis improving the prognosis. Here, we present the case of a fetus diagnosed with jejunal atresia at 33weeks of pregnancy.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the physiological role of calcium in the labor process. STUDY DESIGN: Eighty-eight term healthy pregnant women who gave birth to normal healthy neonates participated in our study. We compared calcium levels between pregnant women who had normal delivery and those who underwent scheduled cesarean section. The control group consisted of pregnant women with gestation > or =37 weeks without contractions. The groups were compared with respect to calcium levels: (a) in maternal blood serum; (b) in blood serum of the neonates and mothers; and (c) in blood serum between neonates. RESULTS: Significantly higher calcium levels were found in the group of pregnant women who delivered vaginally compared to those who delivered by scheduled cesarean section and those of the control group. CONCLUSION: We assume that the increased calcium levels during the first stage of labor are involved with a possible role of calcium in the mechanism of initiation of labor.
