New reference curves for head circumference at birth, by gestational age.

BACKGROUND: The measurement of head circumference (HC) at birth reflects intrauterine brain development. HC charts currently used in Canada are either dated, mixed-gender, nonrepresentative of lower gestational ages (GAs), or reflective of other populations. METHODS: To create both birth weight and HC curves, we combined weight and HC data from the Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN) database (admissions in NICUs across Canada) with McGill's Obstetrical Neonatal Database (MOND; all births at a tertiary hospital in Montreal, Canada). We included CNN data for GAs of 23 to 34 weeks (2003-2007) and MOND data for GAs of 35 to 41 weeks (1995-2006). Nonsingletons, congenital anomalies, and measurements greater than ±4 SD from the mean were excluded. Distributions of birth weight and HC at each GA were statistically (penalized spline regression) smoothed. Birth weight curves were compared with recent Canadian reference curves and HC curves with historical and/or frequently used curves. RESULTS: We included 39,896 births (3121 births at <30 weeks' GA) to generate the curves. Current weight curves were similar to Canadian reference charts for both genders. Weight and HC measurements in boys were higher than in girls. When classified according to recent international references, the proportion of CNN-MOND infants at ≥32 weeks' GA with HCs <10th percentile was significantly underestimated. When classified according to historical reference curves, a significant number of CNN-MOND infants of all GAs with HCs <10th and >90th percentiles were misclassified. CONCLUSIONS: We developed recent gender-specific reference curves for HC at birth for singletons at 23 to 41 completed weeks' GA, which included a large number of very premature infants, reflecting the current geotemporal Canadian population.

Risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage: can we explain the recent temporal increase?

OBJECTIVE: To assess risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and the extent to which changes in those risk factors may explain the rising incidence of PPH recently reported from industrialized countries. METHODS: We carried out a hospital-based cohort study of 103 726 consecutive deliveries from January 1, 1978, to January 31, 2007, from the computerized medical records of a tertiary-care university maternity hospital in Montreal. We examined adjusted odds ratios for any PPH (estimated blood loss > 500 mL for vaginal deliveries, > 1000 mL for Caesarean sections), severe PPH (estimated blood loss ≥ 1500 mL), and PPH accompanied by blood transfusion and/or hysterectomy. RESULTS: Major independent risk factors for PPH included primiparity, prior Caesarean section, placenta previa or low-lying placenta, marginal umbilical cord insertion in the placenta, transverse lie, labour induction and augmentation, uterine or cervical trauma at delivery, gestational age < 32 weeks, and birth weight ≥ 4500 g. An overall increase in rate of PPH over the study period (OR 1.029; 95% CI 1.024 to 1.034 per year) disappeared (OR 0.995; 95% CI 0.988 to 1.001 per year) after inclusion of maternal age, parity, prior Caesarean section, labour induction and augmentation, placenta previa or low-lying placenta, and abnormal placenta, with most of the reduction attributable to rises in previous Caesarean section and labour augmentation. CONCLUSION: Labour induction, augmentation of labour, and prior Caesarean section are significantly associated with the risk of PPH, and their increase over the study period largely explains the observed rise in PPH.

Obstetrical factors related to nuchal cord.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the intrapartum factors related to umbilical cord nuchal loops (nuchal cord) with particular reference to shoulder dystocia. METHODS: We studied all singleton pregnancies with a vertex presentation and a birth weight of at least 2500 g from 1 January 1978 to 31 March 1997 and the 13,717 pregnancies with nuchal cord were compared to the 44,136 without nuchal cord. RESULTS: When compared to pregnant women without nuchal cord, a greater proportion of pregnant women with nuchal cord underwent induction of labor (adjusted OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04-1.15) and augmentation with oxytocin (adjusted OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.11). They had a longer second stage of labor (p=0.0013) and a greater proportion of primiparous women with tight nuchal cord had second stage of labor that lasted longer than two hours (adjusted OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.03-1.41). The proportion of abnormal fetal heart rate patterns was higher in the presence of nuchal cord (adjusted OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.55-1.68). Shoulder dystocia occurred more commonly in association with nuchal cord, especially when the nuchal cord was tight (adjusted OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.30-1.72 for all nuchal cord; adjusted OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.42-2.34 for tight nuchal cord). CONCLUSIONS: Umbilical cord nuchal loops are associated with induction of labor, slow progress of labor, and shoulder dystocia.