Diet and exercise weight-loss trial in lactating overweight and obese women.

BACKGROUND: Current evidence suggests a combined treatment of postpartum weight loss of diet and exercise. However, to our knowledge, neither their separate and interactive effects nor long-term outcomes have been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether a 12-wk dietary behavior modification (D) treatment to decrease energy intake, physical exercise behavior modification (E) treatment to implement moderate aerobic exercise, or combined dietary and physical exercise behavior modification (DE) treatment compared with control (usual care) (C) reduces body weight in lactating women measured at the end of treatment and at a 1-y follow-up 9 mo after treatment termination. DESIGN: At 10-14 wk postpartum, 68 lactating Swedish women with a prepregnancy BMI (in kg/m²) of 25-35 were randomly assigned to D, E, DE, or C groups. Measurements were made at baseline, after the intervention, and again at a 1-y follow-up 9 mo later. A 2 × 2 factorial approach was used to analyze main and interaction effects of treatments. RESULTS: Weight changes after the intervention and 1-y follow-up were -8.3 ± 4.2 and -10.2 ± 5.7 kg, respectively, in the D group; -2.4 ± 3.2 and -2.7 ± 5.9 kg, respectively, in the E group; -6.9 ± 3.0 and -7.3 ± 6.3 kg, respectively, in the DE group; and -0.8 ± 3.0 and -0.9 ± 6.6 kg, respectively, in the C group. The main effects of D treatment, but not of E treatment, on weight were significant at both times (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary treatment provided clinically relevant weight loss in lactating postpartum women, which was sustained at 9 mo after treatment. The combined treatment did not yield significant weight or body-composition changes beyond those of dietary treatment alone.

Breastfeeding in women with type 1 diabetes: exploration of predictive factors.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictive factors for initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding with a focus on mothers with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a prospective observation survey, using a case-control design, comparing the outcomes of 108 mothers with type 1 diabetes with 104 mothers without diabetes that were matched for parity and gestational age. Mother and infant outcomes were collected from medical records and through telephone interviews 2 and 6 months after delivery. Predictive factors were calculated by logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Mothers with diabetes were less likely to partly or exclusively breastfeed their children at 2 months (OR 0.42 [95% CI 0.18-0.96], P = 0.041) and 6 months (0.50 [0.27-0.90], P = 0.022) than mothers without diabetes. On multivariable analysis, type 1 diabetes did not remain an independent predictive factor. Instead, higher education level and breastfeeding at discharge from hospital were predictive factors for breastfeeding at 2 months postpartum. These variables as well as delivery >37 weeks and early breastfeeding predicted breastfeeding 6 months postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Factors associated with maternal diabetes, such as problems with establishing breastfeeding in the early postpartum period, affects the likelihood of long-term breastfeeding.

One-year survival of extremely preterm infants after active perinatal care in Sweden.

CONTEXT: Up-to-date information on infant survival after extremely preterm birth is needed for assessing perinatal care services, clinical guidelines, and parental counseling. OBJECTIVE: To determine the 1-year survival in all infants born before 27 gestational weeks in Sweden during 2004-2007. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Population-based prospective observational study of extremely preterm infants (707 live-born and 304 stillbirths) born to 887 mothers in 904 deliveries (102 multiple births) in all obstetric and neonatal units in Sweden from April 1, 2004, to March 31, 2007. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Infant survival to 365 days and survival without major neonatal morbidity (intraventricular hemorrhage grade >2, retinopathy of prematurity stage >2, periventricular leukomalacia, necrotizing enterocolitis, severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia). Associations between perinatal interventions and survival. RESULTS: The incidence of extreme prematurity was 3.3 per 1000 infants. Overall perinatal mortality was 45% (from 93% at 22 weeks to 24% at 26 weeks), with 30% stillbirths, including 6.5% intrapartum deaths. Of live-born infants, 91% were admitted to neonatal intensive care and 70% survived to 1 year of age (95% confidence interval [CI], 67%-73%). The Kaplan-Meier survival estimates for 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 weeks were 9.8% (95% CI, 4%-23%), 53% (95% CI, 44%-63%), 67% (95% CI, 59%-75%), 82% (95% CI, 76%-87%), and 85% (95% CI, 81%-90%), respectively. Lower risk of infant death was associated with tocolytic treatment (adjusted for gestational age odds ratio [OR], 0.43; 95% CI, 0.36-0.52), antenatal corticosteroids (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.24-0.81), surfactant treatment within 2 hours after birth (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.32-0.71), and birth at a level III hospital (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.32-0.75). Among 1-year survivors, 45% had no major neonatal morbidity. CONCLUSION: During 2004 to 2007, 1-year survival of infants born alive at 22 to 26 weeks of gestation in Sweden was 70% and ranged from 9.8% at 22 weeks to 85% at 26 weeks.

Impact of pulse oximetry screening on the detection of duct dependent congenital heart disease: a Swedish prospective screening study in 39,821 newborns.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of pulse oximetry to screen for early detection of life threatening congenital heart disease. DESIGN: Prospective screening study with a new generation pulse oximeter before discharge from well baby nurseries in West Götaland. Cohort study comparing the detection rate of duct dependent circulation in West Götaland with that in other regions not using pulse oximetry screening. Deaths at home with undetected duct dependent circulation were included. SETTING: All 5 maternity units in West Götaland and the supraregional referral centre for neonatal cardiac surgery. PARTICIPANTS: 39,821 screened babies born between 1 July 2004 and 31 March 2007. Total duct dependent circulation cohorts: West Götaland n=60, other referring regions n=100. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and likelihood ratio for pulse oximetry screening and for neonatal physical examination alone. RESULTS: In West Götaland 29 babies in well baby nurseries had duct dependent circulation undetected before neonatal discharge examination. In 13 cases, pulse oximetry showed oxygen saturations

Maternal hormones linking maternal body mass index and dietary intake to birth weight.

BACKGROUND: Obese women often give birth to large-for-gestational age infants (typically defined as a birth weight greater than the 90th percentile), who are at risk of birth injuries and of developing metabolic syndrome later in life. The mechanisms underlying increased fetal growth remain to be established. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify maternal hormones that can explain the link between dietary intake, body mass index (BMI), and birth weight. DESIGN: Pregnant women with BMIs (in kg/m(2)) ranging from 17 to 44 (n = 49) were recruited in gestational weeks 8-12. Serum hormone concentrations were measured and dietary history interviews were performed in the first and third trimesters. Multiple regression models were produced to identify hormones that correlate with birth weight and are influenced by BMI or dietary factors. RESULTS: We found a strong positive correlation between BMI and first- and third-trimester insulin and leptin concentrations and a negative correlation between BMI and first-trimester adiponectin and first- and third-trimester insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1). Maternal total fat intake in the first trimester was positively correlated with maternal leptin and inversely correlated with adiponectin. In addition, third-trimester total fat intake was positively correlated with circulating resistin concentrations. First-trimester maternal serum resistin was positively correlated with birth weight, whereas third-trimester maternal IGFBP-1 was negatively correlated with birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: High first-trimester maternal serum resistin and low third-trimester IGFBP-1 were correlated with increased birth weight. We propose that low serum concentrations of IGFBP-1 represent a link between high BMI and increased fetal growth by increasing the bioavailability of insulin-like growth factor-I, which up-regulates placental nutrient transport.

Obstetric brachial plexus palsy: a prospective study on risk factors related to manual assistance during the second stage of labor.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the association between obstetric brachial plexus palsy and obstetrical maneuvers during the second stage of delivery. METHODS: Prospective population-based case control study. Cases of obstetric brachial plexus palsy were compared with a randomly selected control group with regard to obstetric management. RESULTS: Five or more obstetrical maneuvers were used to deliver the infants in 82% in the obstetric brachial plexus palsy group versus 1.8% in the controls. Risk factors independently associated with obstetric brachial plexus palsy were force applied when downward traction was imposed on the fetal head (odds ratio 15.2; 95% confidence interval 8.4-27.7). The incidence of obstetric brachial plexus palsy in the infants in the population was 3.3 per thousand. At 18 months of age 16.1% (incidence of 0.05%) of children had residual functional deficits and downward traction with substantial force was applied in all these cases. CONCLUSIONS: Forceful downward traction applied to the head after the fetal third rotation represents an important risk factor of obstetric brachial plexus palsy in vaginal deliveries in cephalic presentation.

Early random capillary glucose level screening and multidisciplinary antenatal teamwork to improve outcome in gestational diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: This study describes maternal and neonatal characteristics and delivery outcome in women with gestational diabetes mellitus [GDM], compared to a control group. METHODS: A retrospective observational study of 719 women with GDM was undertaken in a Swedish urban district. All other parturients at the same hospital served as the control group. GDM was diagnosed using random capillary glucose levels at fixed intervals, beginning early in pregnancy. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed at glucose levels>or=7.0 mmol/l (127.8 mg/dl). Data was analysed according to glucose levels at diagnosis, ie, mild or severe GDM. RESULTS: GDM was diagnosed in 2.28% of the women who were older and had higher Body Mass Index [BMI]. A high proportion was of non-Nordic origin (44.5%); they had severe GDM more often (49.1%) than the Nordic group (33.1%). The GDM-mild group had less complications and abnormalities, compared to the GDM-severe group, although both groups differed from the control group in this respect. Delivery was spontaneous in 70.2% of GDM-mild, 65.7% of GDM-severe and 81.0% of the control group. LGA (+2 SD) was found in 4.8, 10.5 and 3.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Early non-fasting random universal screening and multidisciplinary antenatal teamwork intervention seems to be favourable, with low rates of excessive fetal growth, instrumental vaginal delivery and caesarean section.

STAN in clinical practice--the outcome of 2 years of regular use in the city of Gothenburg.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to monitor the introduction of the STAN-methodology (Noventa Medical, Moelndal, Sweden). STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective observational study covering the total population of deliveries at term during 2 years. Four thousand eight hundred and thirty out of 14,687 term pregnancies were monitored using the STAN S 21 fetal heart monitor and the associated clinical guidelines. Cord artery metabolic acidosis, neonatal outcome, and rates of operative deliveries for fetal distress were assessed. RESULTS: The annual rate of STAN usage increased from 28.1% to 37.7% and was associated with a significant reduction in metabolic acidosis rate in the total population from 0.76% to 0.44% (P < .05). The compliance with the clinical guidelines increased in cases requiring intervention. The rates for moderate/severe hypoxic neonatal encephalopathy were consistently low, 0.55 and 0.68 per 1000 deliveries, respectively, and corresponding to previous findings. The rate of operative delivery did not change during the 2 years in the total population. CONCLUSION: Increasing STAN usage provided consistent improvements in fetal outcome equalling those noted in the Swedish randomized controlled trial (RCT) without increasing operative interventions for fetal distress.

Visual evoked potentials in disproportionately growth-retarded human neonates.

To study brain function in the neonatal period, disproportionately growth-retarded (n = 33) and appropriately grown (n = 21) infants were examined using Doppler flow velocities prenatally and visual evoked potentials postnatally. Visual evoked potentials recordings were made at gestation of 40 and 46 weeks. The group of growth-retarded infants had significantly prolonged latencies to both of the two major peaks (designated P and N), most pronounced for the P peak. This result was observed at both ages investigated and corresponds to a developmental delay of 3 weeks. For individuals, the increase in P latency correlated to prenatal flow indices and to neonatal anthropometric parameters indicative of growth retardation. We conclude that in utero growth retardation affects brain development as assessed by visual evoked potentials in the neonatal period. This developmental delay may be produced by intracerebral factors during the process of growth retardation, and these alterations may have a prognostic value.

[Pregnancy complications can impair placental transport systems. Aberrant fetal growth, for example in diabetes, is only now beginning to be understood]. / Graviditetskomplikationer kan sätta placentans transportsystem ur spel. Avvikande fostertillväxt vid t ex diabetes börjar nu få sin riktiga förklaring.

The reduced fetal growth in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) has been attributed to decreased placental blood flow whereas maternal hyperglycemia is believed to represent the primary cause of accelerated fetal growth in pregnancies complicated by diabetes. However, recent research has demonstrated specific changes in placental transport function in association to these pregnancy complications that are likely to contribute to the altered fetal growth patterns. For example, in IUGR the activity of certain key amino acid transporters is reduced in the placental barrier and accelerated fetal growth in diabetes is associated with an increased activity of placental glucose and amino acid transporters. Therefore, placental insufficiency in IUGR is not just a question of reduced placental blood flow and up-regulation of placental nutrient transporters in diabetes may explain the high incidence of accelerated fetal growth despite rigorous maternal glycemic control.

Alterations in the activity of placental amino acid transporters in pregnancies complicated by diabetes.

Alterations in placental transport may contribute to accelerated fetal growth in pregnancies complicated by diabetes. We studied the activity of the syncytiotrophoblast amino acid transporter system A and the transport of the essential amino acids leucine, lysine, and taurine. Syncytiotrophoblast microvillous plasma membranes (MVMs) and basal plasma membranes (BMs) were isolated from placentas obtained from normal pregnancies and pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and type 1 diabetes, with and without large-for-gestational-age (LGA) fetuses. Amino acid transport was assessed using radio-labeled substrates and rapid filtration techniques. System A activity in MVM was increased (65-80%, P < 0.05) in all groups with diabetes independent of fetal overgrowth. However, MVM system A activity was unaffected in placentas of normal pregnancies with LGA fetuses. MVM leucine transport was increased in the GDM/LGA group. In BMs, amino acid transport was unaffected by diabetes. In conclusion, diabetes in pregnancy is associated with an increased system A activity in MVM, and MVM leucine transport is increased in the GDM/LGA group. We suggest that these changes result in an increased uptake of neutral amino acids across MVM, which may be used in placental metabolism or be delivered to the fetus. The increased MVM leucine uptake in the GDM/LGA group may contribute to accelerated fetal growth in these patients.

Aberrations in placental cytokine mRNA related to intrauterine growth retardation.

During normal pregnancy, a predominance of Th2 type cytokines prevails and is considered to protect the fetus. Animal experiments suggest that an increase of Th1 type cytokines may instead have deleterious effects. We have studied with the reverse transcription PCR technique mRNA for IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, transforming growth factor-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma in placentas from full-term appropriately grown newborns, newborns with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and newborns who were only small for gestational age. The mRNA for IL-10 was significantly reduced in the IUGR placentas (p < 0.05), whereas the mRNA for IL-8 was significantly higher (p < 0.05) for the IUGR cases compared with the full-term neonates. It might be that reduced IL-10 in the placenta is involved in the pathogenesis of IUGR.