Color Doppler waveforms of maternal cervical internal carotid arteries in normotensive and preeclamptic gravidas.
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The objective of this study was to investigate and determine fitted percentiles of blood flow resistance of cervical internal carotid arteries in normal pregnancies from gestational weeks 20 to 42 and to compare the resistance indices and mean velocities of the these arteries in normotensive and preeclamptic gravidas. A duplex color apparatus with pulsed Doppler ultrasound scanner (7.5 MHz) was used to determine the resistance index and mean velocity values of maternal cervical internal carotid arteries in 310 healthy singleton gravidas (group 1) and 74 singleton preeclamptic gravidas (group 2). The resistance index and mean velocity values of the maternal cervical internal carotid arteries decrease as the gestational age increases in normal gravidas, whereas in preeclamptic pregnancies these values are no different from those in normal gravidas during the second half of the gestational period. (+info)
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcome.
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During pregnancy, essential long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) play important roles as precursors of prostaglandins and as structural elements of cell membranes. Throughout gestation, accretion of maternal, placental, and fetal tissue occurs and consequently the LCPUFA requirements of pregnant women and their developing fetuses are high. This is particularly true for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3). The ratio of DHA to its status marker, docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-6), in maternal plasma phospholipids decreases significantly during pregnancy. This suggests that pregnancy is associated with maternal difficulty in coping with the high demand for DHA. The DHA status of newborn multiplets is significantly lower than that of singletons; the same is true for infants of multigravidas as compared with those of primigravidas and for preterm compared with term neonates. Because the LCPUFA status at birth seems to have a long-term effect, the fetus should receive an adequate supply of LCPUFAs. Data from an international comparative study indicated that, especially for n-3 LCPUFAs, the fetus is dependent on maternal fatty acid intake; maternal supplementation with LCPUFAs, their precursors, or both increased LCPUFA concentrations in maternal and umbilical plasma phospholipids. However, significant competition between the 2 LCPUFA families was observed, which implies that effective supplementation requires a mixture of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. Further research is needed to determine whether higher LCPUFA concentrations in plasma phospholipid will have functional benefits for mothers and children. (+info)
Risk of spontaneous abortion in Italy, 1978-1995, and the effect of maternal age, gravidity, marital status, and education.
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This paper describes the trend in the risk of spontaneous abortion in Italy from 1974 to 1995. There was a dramatic decline in the risk after the law that legalized induced abortion was passed in 1978, which implies that probably many induced abortions performed before 1978 were registered as spontaneous abortions. Data for 1991 have been extracted from the Italian national registers of births and abortions and analyzed to investigate the effects of maternal age, gravidity, marital status, and education on the risk of spontaneous abortion. In comparison with women under age 20 years, the risk is found to be increased for women aged 35-39 (odds ratio = 1.45) and women over age 40 (odds ratio = 3.10). The odds ratio is almost 2 for women who have been pregnant two or more times previously. Unmarried women have an increased risk (odds ratio = 1.33), but no important effect of education was observed. There is an important interaction between maternal age and gravidity. The risk of spontaneous abortion is excessively high for young women with high gravidity. It is hypothesized that this could be due to the effect of short intervals between pregnancies. (+info)
Submicroscopic Plasmodium falciparum infections in pregnancy in Ghana.
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Malarial parasitaemia below the threshold of microscopy but detectable by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays is common in endemic regions. This study was conducted to examine prevalence, predictors, and effects of submicroscopic Plasmodium falciparum infections in pregnancy. In a cross-sectional study among 530 pregnant women in Ghana, plasmodial infections were assessed by microscopy and PCR assays. Concentrations of haemoglobin and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured and antimalarial drugs (chloroquine, pyrimethamine) in urine were demonstrated by ELISA dipsticks. By microscopy, 32% of the women were found to harbour malaria parasites. This rate increased to 63% adding the results of the parasite-specific PCR. P. falciparum was present in all but one infection. With increasing gravidity, infection rates and parasite densities decreased and the proportions of submicroscopic parasitaemia among infected women grew. Correspondingly, anaemia, fever and evidence of inflammation (CRP > 0.6 mg/dl) were more frequent in primigravidae than in multigravidae. Antimalarial drugs were detected in 65% of the women and were associated with a reduced prevalence of P. falciparum infections and a raised proportion of submicroscopic parasitaemia. Both gravidity and antimalarial drug use were independent predictors of submicroscopic P. falciparum infections. These infections caused a slight reduction of Hb levels and considerably increased serum concentrations of CRP. Conventional microscopy underestimates the actual extent of malarial infections in pregnancy in endemic regions. Submicroscopic P. falciparum infections are frequent and may contribute to mild anaemia and inflammation in seemingly aparasitaemic pregnant women. (+info)
Estrogens reduce and withdrawal of estrogens increase risk of microsatellite instability-positive colon cancer.
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There are sex differences in the occurrence of microsatellite instability (MSI) in colon tumors. Taken together with the epidemiological evidence that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and, less consistently, parity, are inversely associated with colon cancer, it has been hypothesized that estrogens are associated with MSI. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sex-specific differences in the prevalence of MSI in colon tumors and to determine whether reproductive history and hormonal exposures are associated with MSI. Using data from a population-based case-control study of 1836 cases with MSI data and 2410 population-based controls, we evaluated sex, reproductive factors, and hormone exposure in relation to the presence or absence of MSI in tumors. MSI was evaluated by a panel of 10 tetranucleotide repeats, the noncoding mononucleotide repeat BAT-26, and the coding mononucleotide repeat in transforming growth factor beta receptor type II (TGFbetaRII). Exposure data on reproduction, hormone use, obesity, and physical activity were obtained from an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Women were less likely then men to have MSI+ tumors at a young age and more likely to have unstable tumors at an older age; we observed a significant interaction (P < 0.01) between age, sex, and MSI. Evaluation of reproductive factors showed that women who had ever been pregnant had half the risk of MSI+ tumors compared with women who had never been pregnant. In complementary fashion, total ovulatory months were associated with an increased risk of MSI+ tumors [odds ratio (OR), 2.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-4.0 comparing MSI+ versus MSI- tumors]. Age at first and last pregnancy did not influence the association. The observed associations were strongest among women <60 years of age at the time of diagnosis. Having used oral contraceptives was associated with a lower risk of MSI+ tumors (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.4-1.2); recent users of HRT were at a reduced risk of MSI+ tumors (OR, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.5-1.4); and women who were former HRT users were at an increased risk of MSI+ tumors (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-3.0). Obesity and lack of physical activity were associated with an elevated risk of both MSI+ (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 0.7-3.3) and MSI- (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.7-3.) tumors in men, but only with MSI- (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-2.2) tumors in women. The excess of MSI+ tumors in women is explained by the excess of MSI+ tumors at older ages. Our data suggest that estrogen exposure in women protects against MSI, whereas the lack of estrogen in older women increases risk of instability. HRT in these older women may, again, reduce the risk of unstable tumors. A model for the way in which estrogens (endogenous, exogenous, and obesity-associated) modify the risk of MSI+ tumors is proposed. (+info)
Osteoporotic fractures of proximal femur: clinical and epidemiological features in a population of the city of Sao Paulo.
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CONTEXT: It is believed that about 25% of menopausal women in the USA will exhibit some kind of fracture as a consequence of osteoporosis. Fractures of the proximal femur are associated with a greater number of deaths and disabilities and higher medical expenses than all the other osteoporotic fractures together. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical and epidemiological features of patients with proximal femur fracture in hospitals in Sao Paulo. DESIGN: Transversal and retrospective study. LOCAL: Hospital Sao Paulo and Hospital Servidor Publico Estadual "Francisco Morato Oliveira". PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged sixty-five years or more hospitalized because of proximal femur fracture, from March to November 1996 (N = 73). This group was compared to patients of the same age without fracture of the proximal femur. INTERVENTION: Evaluation of weight, height, body mass index; lifestyle habits (physical activity at home, ingestion of dairy calcium, drinking of coffee, smoking habit), gynecological history (ages at menarche and menopause, number of pregnancies and lactations), previous morbidity, use of medications, history of previous fractures, family history of osteoporosis. MEASUREMENT: The comparison of the different data regarding lifestyle habits between the two groups was made using the chi-squared test. Other data were analyzed using the Mann--Whitney test. P pound 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: We noted a predominance of proximal femur fracture among females in relation to males (a female/male ratio of 3.3:1) with a progressive increase in the frequency of proximal femur fracture with age in both sexes. The group with proximal femur fracture, in comparison with the control group, showed a lower body mass index, less physical activity, and a greater number of pregnancies and lactations. Other data were not different. CONCLUSION: In accordance with the literature, we found a predomination of proximal femur fracture in women in relation to men, and a favorable effect of higher body mass index and physical activity for decreasing the frequency of proximal femur fracture. We also discuss the role of pregnancies and lactation on the frequency of proximal femur fracture. (+info)
Use of copper intrauterine devices and the risk of tubal infertility among nulligravid women.
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BACKGROUND: Previous studies of intrauterine devices (IUDs), many of which are no longer in use, suggested that they might cause tubal infertility. The concern that IUDs that contain copper--currently the most commonly used type--may increase the risk of infertility in nulligravid women has limited the use of this highly effective method of birth control. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of 1895 women recruited between 1997 and 1999. We enrolled 358 women with primary infertility who had tubal occlusion documented by hysterosalpingography, as well as 953 women with primary infertility who did not have tubal occlusion (infertile controls) and 584 primigravid women (pregnant controls). We collected information on the women's past use of contraceptives, including copper IUDs, previous sexual relationships, and history of genital tract infections. Each woman's blood was tested for antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis. We used stratified analyses and logistic regression to assess the association between the previous use of a copper IUD and tubal occlusion. RESULTS: In analyses involving the women with tubal occlusion and the infertile controls, the odds ratio for tubal occlusion associated with the previous use of a copper IUD was 1.0 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.6 to 1.7). When the primigravid women served as the controls, the corresponding odds ratio was 0.9 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.5 to 1.6). Tubal infertility was not associated with the duration of IUD use, the reason for the removal of the IUD, or the presence or absence of gynecologic problems related to its use. The presence of antibodies to chlamydia was associated with infertility. CONCLUSIONS: The previous use of a copper IUD is not associated with an increased risk of tubal occlusion among nulligravid women whereas infection with C. trachomatis is. (+info)
Validity of birth certificate data for the outcome of the previous pregnancy, Georgia, 1980-1995.
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The author evaluated the validity of four historically based variables collected on Georgia birth certificates: outcome of preceding pregnancy, history of delivery of a low- (<2,500 g) or high- (>4,000 g) birth-weight infant, and death of the baby resulting from the preceding pregnancy. Data were derived from birth and fetal death certificates that were linked for the first and second deliveries of 231,075 women in Georgia from 1980 through 1995. Deaths that occurred during the infant's first year of life were also linked to the birth certificate. For all but the survival variable, the outcome of the first birth as reported on the certificate for the second birth was compared with the outcome recorded on the certificate for the first birth, which was assumed to be correct. Except for ascertainment of death of the firstborn infant, sensitivities for the history of poor outcomes were low. Furthermore, sensitivities were higher when an extremely adverse outcome occurred in the first pregnancy or an adverse outcome recurred. The only high sensitivity was for past infant death (85.4%). These results suggest caution when using these variables to identify high-risk subsets for further research or control for confounding. (+info)