This research examines whether maternal optimism/pessimism is associated with unplanned Cesarean section deliveries in China. If so, does the association remain after controlling for clinical factors associated with C-sections? A sample of 227 mostly primiparous women in the third trimester of pregnancy was surveyed in a large tertiary care hospital in Beijing, China. Post-delivery data were collected from medical records. In bivariate analysis, both optimism and pessimism were related to unplanned c-section. However, when optimism and pessimism were entered into a regression model together, optimism was no longer statistically significant.  Pessimism remained significant, even when adjusting for clinical factors such as previous abortion, previous miscarriage, pregnancy complications, infant gestational age, infant birthweight, labor duration, birth complications, and self-rated difficulty of the pregnancy. This research suggests that maternal mindset during pregnancy has a role in mode of delivery. However, more research is needed to elucidate potential causal pathways and test potential interventions.

Cheryl A. Moyer

Yasmin Elsayed

YuChun Zhu

Yumei Wei

Cyril M. Engmann

Huixia Yang

Is Generalized Maternal Optimism or Pessimism During Pregnancy Associated with Unplanned Cesarean Section Deliveries in China?

Placenta accreta refers to any abnormally invasive placental implantation.  Diagnosis is suspected postpartum with failed delivery of a retained placenta. Massive obstetrical hemorrhage is a known complication, often requiring peripartum hysterectomy. We report a case of presumed placenta accreta in a patient following failed manual removal of a retained placenta. We describe an attempt at conservative management with methotrexate in a stable patient desiring future fertility.  Treatment was unsuccessful and led to the development of a disseminated intrauterine infection complicated by a bowel obstruction, requiring both a hysterectomy and small bowel resection.  In hemodynamically stable patients, conservative management of placenta accreta may involve leaving placental tissue <i>in situ</i> with subsequent administration of methotrexate.  However, ongoing close observation is required to identify complications.

Jennifer C. Hunt

Conservative Management of Placenta Accreta in a Multiparous Woman

An increasing number of studies are confirming an association between periodontal disease (PD) and adverse outcomes in pregnancy. PD places pregnant women at greater risk for preterm birth than alcohol consumption or smoking. This underscores the importance of offering dental screening to women who are pregnant or contemplating pregnancy and the need for physicians who provide obstetric care to be aware of the possible connection between poor dental health and poor pregnancy outcomes.

Dolapo A. Babalola

Folashade Omole

Periodontal Disease and Pregnancy Outcomes

We compared vaginal proinflammatory cytokine and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) concentrations among pregnant and nonpregnant women according to bacterial vaginosis (BV) status. One-hundred and twenty-two women at 12&#x2013;20 weeks' gestation and 133 nonpregnant controls had vaginal concentrations of interleukin (IL)-<svg     style="vertical-align:-3.56265pt;width:18.1625px;" id="M1" height="16.6625" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 18.1625 16.6625" width="18.1625"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
			<g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,12.162)"><path id="x31" d="M384 0h-275v27q67 5 81.5 18.5t14.5 68.5v385q0 38 -7.5 47.5t-40.5 10.5l-48 2v24q85 15 178 52v-521q0 -55 14.5 -68.5t82.5 -18.5v-27z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,8.222,12.162)"><path id="x1D6FD" d="M558 587q0 -32 -14 -61t-40 -53.5t-48.5 -41t-54.5 -36.5q144 -51 144 -174q0 -55 -43.5 -108t-104.5 -87q-77 -42 -131 -42q-31 0 -54 20t-31 47l11 18q48 -29 108 -29q79 0 119.5 43t40.5 109t-44.5 107.5t-119.5 50.5l22 47q34 1 65 21q96 61 96 157q0 42 -24 67.5&#xA;t-62 25.5q-24 0 -43.5 -9t-35 -29.5t-27 -44t-22.5 -63t-19.5 -75.5t-18.5 -91q-57 -294 -68 -380q-26 -190 -35 -200q-26 -31 -97 -37l-4 26q19 9 48 170l77 413q23 121 52.5 187.5t83.5 114.5q70 62 148 62q51 0 88.5 -34t37.5 -91z" /></g>

		
	
</svg>, IL-6, IL-8, and SLPI measured by enzyme immunoassay. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate factors independently associated with vaginal cytokine and SLPI response. Pregnancy and BV were both independently associated with increased vaginal concentrations of IL-<svg     style="vertical-align:-3.56265pt;width:18.1625px;" id="M2" height="16.6625" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 18.1625 16.6625" width="18.1625"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg> and IL-8; pregnant women had increased concentrations of SLPI, while women with BV had decreased SLPI concentrations.

Jennifer Balkus

Kathy Agnew

Richard Lawler

Caroline Mitchell

Jane Hitti

Effects of Pregnancy and Bacterial Vaginosis on Proinflammatory Cytokine and Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor Concentrations in Vaginal Secretions

The primary aim of this study was to compare the experience of an early abortion (1st trimester) to a late abortion (2nd and 3rd trimester) relative to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms after controlling for socio-demographic and personal history variables. Online surveys were completed by 374 women who experienced either a 1st trimester abortion (up to 12 weeks gestation) or a 2nd or 3rd trimester abortion (13 weeks gestation or beyond). Most respondents (81%) were U.S. citizens. Later abortions were associated with higher Intrusion subscale scores and with a greater likelihood of reporting disturbing dreams, reliving of the abortion, and trouble falling asleep. Reporting the pregnancy was desired by one's partner, experiencing pressure to abort, having left the partner prior to the abortion, not disclosing the abortion to the partner, and physical health concerns were more common among women who received later abortions. Social reasons for the abortion were linked with significantly higher PTSD total and subscale scores for the full sample. Women who postpone their abortions may need more active professional intervention before securing an abortion based on the increased risks identified herein. More research with diverse samples employing additional measures of mental illness is needed.

Priscilla K. Coleman

Catherine T. Coyle

Vincent M. Rue

Late-Term Elective Abortion and Susceptibility to Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

<i>Background</i>. The Active Management of Risk in Pregnancy at Term (AMOR-IPAT) protocol has been associated in several studies with significant reductions of group cesarean delivery rate. Present within each of these studies were nulliparous women with risk factors for cephalopelvic disproportion. Risk factors for cephalopelvic disproportion in nulliparous women are especially important because they represent the precursors for the most common indication for primary cesarean delivery. <i>Cases</i>. Three examples of exposure of urban nulliparous women to the AMOR-IPAT protocol are presented. Each woman&#39;s risk factor profile for Cephalopelvic Disproportion (CPD) was used to estimate her Upper Limit of Optimal Time of Vaginal Delivery for CPD (UL-OTDcpd). Labor management and clinical outcomes for each case are presented. A simple table summarizing induction rates and birth outcome rates of exposed versus nonexposed nulliparous women is also presented. <i>Conclusion</i>. Because the mode of delivery of the first birth substantially impacts birth options in later pregnancies, the impact of AMOR-IPAT on nulliparous patients is particularly important. Determining the UL-OTDcpd in nulliparous patients, and carefully inducing each patient who has not entered labor by her UL-OTDcpd, may be an effective way of lowering rates of cesarean delivery in nulliparous women.

James M. Nicholson

Lisa C. Kellar

The Active Management of Impending Cephalopelvic Disproportion in Nulliparous Women at Term: A Case Series

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare but potentially lethal complication of pregnancy occurring in approximately 1&#x2009;:&#x2009;3,000 live births in the United States although some series report a much higher incidence. African-American women are particularly at risk. Diagnosis requires symptoms of heart failure in the last month of pregnancy or within five months of delivery in the absence of recognized cardiac disease prior to pregnancy as well as objective evidence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction. This paper provides an updated, comprehensive review of PPCM, including emerging insights into the etiology of this disorder as well as current treatment options.

Katie M. Twomley

Gretchen L. Wells

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: A Current Review

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that fetal exposure to corticosteroids in the antenatal period is an independent risk factor for the development of asthma in early childhood with little or no effect in later childhood. A population-based cohort study of all pregnant women who resided in Nova Scotia, Canada, and gave birth to a singleton fetus between 1989 and 1998
was undertaken. After a priori specified exclusions, 80,448 infants were available for analysis.
Using linked health care utilization records, incident asthma cases developed after 36 months of
age were identified. Extended Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard
ratios while controlling for confounders. Exposure to corticosteroids during pregnancy was
associated with a risk of asthma in childhood between 3–5 years of age: adjusted hazard ratio of
1.19 (95% confidence interval: 1.03, 1.39), with no association noted after 5 years of age:
adjusted hazard ratio for 5–7 years was 1.06 (95% confidence interval: 0.86, 1.30) 
and for 8 or greater years was 0.74 (95% confidence interval: 0.54, 1.03). Antenatal steroid therapy appears to be an independent risk factor for the development of asthma between 3 and 5 years of age.

Jason D. Pole

Cameron A. Mustard

Teresa To

Joseph Beyene

Alexander C. Allen

Antenatal Steroid Therapy for Fetal Lung Maturation and the Subsequent Risk of Childhood Asthma: A Longitudinal Analysis

About this journal

<p><em>Journal of Pregnancy</em> publishes original research articles, review articles, and clinical studies related to all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. Topics include biomedical aspects of pregnancy labour, maternal health and breastfeeding.</p>


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<p><em>Journal of Pregnancy&nbsp;</em>maintains an Editorial Board of practicing researchers from around the world, to ensure manuscripts are handled by editors who are experts in the field of study.</p>


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Journal of Pregnancy - Table of contents 2010

title

Journal of Pregnancy publishes original research articles, review articles, and clinical studies related to all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. Topics include biomedical aspects of pregnancy labour, maternal health and breastfeeding.

Journal of Pregnancy