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Biomedical subjects

R J Seddon

Publications and source records attributed to R J Seddon.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

A clinical trial of a slow-release formulation of acetylsalicylic acid in patients at risk for preeclampsia.

The formation of thromboxane A2 (TXA2) in maternal and foetal cord serum was measured at birth in eight control patients and in 13 patients taking 100 mg of a slow-release formulation of acetylsalicylic acid. The serum concentrations of TXB2 (a stable end product of TXA2 hydrolysis) in both maternal and cord serum from patients who ingested the acetylsalicylic acid formulation were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than those in control subjects. Acetylsalicylic acid was not detected (< 30 ng ml-1) in maternal plasma from six mothers and in cord plasma from seven foetuses in the acetylsalicylic acid-treated group. The mean cord to maternal plasma concentration ratios for detectable acetylsalicylic acid and salicylate were 0.62 +/- 0.19 (s.d.) (n = 6) and 0.84 +/- 0.16 (n = 13), respectively. We conclude that low doses of acetylsalicylic acid given in a slow-release form to mothers during pregnancy cause depression of TXA2 formation in the foetal blood.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Lifestyle behaviours during pregnancy.

Lifestyle behaviours of 183 women before and during pregnancy were investigated by retrospective questionnaire in the first few days postpartum. The threshold of cigarette smoking for a reduction in birth weight was exceeded at full term by 17% of the women, but only 1% exceeded a similar threshold for alcohol consumption. Consumption below the recommended minimum level for one or more major food groups was reported by 35% of the women during pregnancy. Only 36% of the women were vigorously active before pregnancy, and only 13% remained so throughout pregnancy. Level of education was a significant predictor of healthy lifestyle behaviours. Concern for their baby's and their own health were the main reasons given for change in behaviour during pregnancy, while doctor's advice and antenatal classes were cited infrequently. A new approach to lifestyle enhancement by health professionals might promote desirable changes in relation to smoking and possibly also food consumption and physical activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Is outcome for low risk obstetric patients influenced by parity and intervention?

Maternal and perinatal morbidity were examined to assess the influence of parity and intervention procedures among 1032 women considered low risk at commencement of labour. A diagnosis of fetal distress, failure to progress during labour, maternal problems after delivery and consultation with or transfer of the neonate to a paediatrician occurred more frequently amongst nulliparous women (p less than 0.001). Failure to progress in labour was found to be influenced by parity (primigravida), maternal age (less than 20 years) and also by the use of epidural anaesthetic for pain relief (p less than 0.001). Prevalence of abnormal delivery was found to be influenced by parity (primigravida), failure to progress in labour and diagnosis of fetal distress. The use of epidural anaesthesia for pain relief was also found to increase the rate of abnormal delivery (p less than 0.001). Statistically significant differences occurred between the groups of patients, with patients of private specialists having the highest rates for induction (34%), use of epidural for pain relief (40%) and abnormal delivery (46%).

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Is outcome for general practitioner obstetricians influenced by workload and locality?

Maternal and perinatal morbidity and transfer patterns were examined to assess the influence of the number of deliveries performed by each general practitioner obstetrician and the distance from specialist care. There were statistically significant differences in transfer patterns between urban and rural practitioners and between those practitioners delivering fewer than twenty per year and those delivering twenty or more per year. Antenatally, rural practitioners transferred more of their patients to the base hospital and those practitioners delivering fewer than twenty per year had higher transfer rates than those delivering twenty or more per year. During labour the transfer rate was lowest for rural practitioners delivering more than 20 babies per year. Urban practitioners in comparison to rural practitioners delivered a significantly greater proportion of women who were considered to have a moderate or high obstetric risk. No association was found between the number of deliveries undertaken by general practitioners both urban and rural and maternal and neonatal morbidity. The proportion of women and neonates who had a score which indicated a less favourable outcome for maternal and neonatal morbidity, was higher for urban practitioners than for rural practitioners.

Delivery, Obstetric↗
PubMed1986

Pregnancy rates with artificial insemination by donor: the influence of the cryopreservation method and coexistent infertility factors.

Women entering the AID programme in Dunedin since 1983 were studied to assess the clinical performance of cryopreservation modifications as well as the early assessment of coexistent infertility factors. The cumulative pregnancy rate for normal pregnancies was 45.5% and 64.7% for three months and six months respectively. The conception rate per cycle was 17.9%. These compare favourably with the use of fresh semen in other reports. Except for endometriosis and possibly tubal polyps, treatment of coexistent infertility factors retained this conception rate. With refinements in techniques it is possible that conception rates with AID could approach those of normal fertility.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Recommendations for routine cervical screening.

Because of concern about the rising incidence of cervical cancer in young women, the Department of Health and the Cancer Society invited a working group to make recommendations on cervical screening. There is now compelling evidence that cytological screening is an effective preventive measure. All women who have had sexual intercourse should be offered screening. They should be screened as soon as possible after commencing sexual activity, or when first receiving contraceptive advice, antenatal care, or treatment of a sexually transmitted disease. If the first smear is negative, it should thereafter be repeated at least every three years. A special effort must be made to reach women who have never been screened, including those who are middle-aged, or elderly. The cervical smear test should be part of the assessment of women with gynaecological symptoms regardless of whether there has been a negative smear within the previous three years. The three-yearly schedule also does not apply to women who have had an abnormal smear.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Fetal hypothyroidism complicating medical treatment of thyrotoxicosis in pregnancy.

Two women with thyrotoxicosis were treated with antithyroid drugs during pregnancy. One women had inadvertently received a therapeutic dose of radioiodine at 21 weeks gestation and the other suffered from severe thyrotoxicosis with a serum LATS level of 1850%. In both patients, the serum triiodothyronine was maintained above 500 ng/dl by the concurrent oral administration of this hormone. Despite this precaution, cord serum thyrotrophin levels were markedly elevated and both infants showed clinical signs of hypothyroidism at birth. This experience indicates that triiodothyronine does not prevent fetal hypothyroidism when given to the mother in pharmacological amounts.

Adult↗
PubMed1971

Epidemic listeriosis in the newborn.

Within a three-month period 13 cases of listeriosis in the newborn were seen at the National Women's Hospital, Auckland. Eleven presented in the first 24 hours of life, the most common feature being respiratory difficulty in low birth weight infants. Meconium-stained liquor was noted in nine cases. The constant finding in all cases was an aspiration pneumonia which appeared to be of intrauterine origin from an infected amniotic cavity. There was also evidence of septicaemia in nine cases, and two infants survived meningitis which developed at 1 week. Maternal symptoms were mild and variable, and in only one case were they proved to be due to listerial infection. The mothers came from different suburbs of Auckland and no common source of infection was found.

Apnea↗