Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Walpole

Publications and source records attributed to I Walpole.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Low to moderate maternal alcohol use before and during pregnancy, and neurobehavioural outcome in the newborn infant.

Of 2002 randomly selected pregnant women recruited prospectively over a three-year period for an extensive questionnaire survey, a stratified subsample of 665 mothers was selected for mother-infant follow-up on the basis of pre-pregnancy alcohol intake. Infant outcome was assessed by detailed clinical examination and application of a modified Einstein Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Schedule (ENBAS) performed at 24 to 72 hours of age. Of the infant responses to 25 ENBAS items, only tonus showed a small but significant relationship to pre-pregnancy maternal alcohol intake. The authors conclude that low to moderate maternal alcohol intake has no significant effect on newborn neurological status.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1990

Is there a fetal effect with low to moderate alcohol use before or during pregnancy?

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the effect of low or moderate alcohol consumption upon fetal outcome. DESIGN: This was a prospective randomised cohort study with mother and infant follow-up sample stratified on level of maternal alcohol intake. SETTING: A large maternity hospital in Western Australia. PARTICIPANTS: 2002 randomly selected pregnant women were recruited over a 3 year period for questionnaire survey (19 mothers refused participation). From 665 women in a stratified subsample selected on the basis of prepregnancy alcohol consumption, 605 newborns were available for study. INVESTIGATION AND MAIN RESULTS: All 2002 women completed a comprehensive questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle (including diet), health, and obstetric factors. Of the 665 mothers who were followed through pregnancy, 605 liveborns were available at birth for measurement and detailed clinical evaluation. Low to moderate prepregnancy maternal alcohol intake was not associated with any untoward effect upon weight, length, head circumference at birth, or clinical well-being as indicated by Apgar score, respiratory distress syndrome, and overall clinical state. Other factors, particularly nicotine, were of much greater importance. CONCLUSIONS: This study fails to show any significant relationship between low to moderate prepregnancy maternal alcohol intake and newborn clinical status. The outcome suggests that cautionary advice to pregnant women warning that any alcohol taken during pregnancy is potentially harmful to the fetus is inaccurate and therefore probably counterproductive.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Confounding variables in studying the effects of maternal alcohol consumption before and during pregnancy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and pregnancy outcome. DESIGN: prospective randomised cohort survey with follow up sample stratified on level of alcohol intake. SETTING: antenatal clinic of large maternity hospital in Western Australia. PARTICIPANTS: 2002 randomly selected pregnant women recruited over 3 year period for questionnaire survey (58% in 1st trimester, 33% in 2nd trimester, 8% in third trimester at recruitment). Only 19 refused participation. Stratified subsample of 665 women followed up, of whom 60 had miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death. Subsample was selected on basis of prepregnancy alcohol consumption. INVESTIGATIONS AND MAIN RESULTS: All 2002 women completed a comprehensive questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, health (including diet) and obstetric factors. The stratified subsample was followed through pregnancy and data were collected on obstetric course and infant outcome. Results showed that beer, wine and spirits drinkers differed significantly in maternal characteristics, nutrition and other important variables such as smoking. Women with stillbirths or miscarriages drank more beer than those with live births, though total levels of alcohol intake did not differ. Beer drinkers were less likely to reduce their consumption in pregnancy than other drinkers if they also smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of effects of maternal drinking must include extensive information on the variables examined in this study or conclusions relating to maternal drinking in pregnancy are likely to be invalid.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1982

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in Western Australia.

This paper describes the findings in three fatal cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Two children developed the infection in January, 1980, in widely separated wheat-belt towns. The third child's infection, diagnosed by retrospective examination of necropsy material, developed in February, 1963, in the town where the second child lived. Infection with Naegleria fowleri was demonstrated by histological examination supplemented by specific immunofluorescence in all three cases, and by culture in the second case. For early diagnosis it is important to search for amoebae both on wet preparations and on stained films of cerebrospinal fluid when primary amoebic meningoencephalitis is suspected on epidemiological grounds of from cerebrospinal fluid findings.

Amebiasis↗