Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “MATERNITY”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

The relationship between maternal and offspring birth weights after maternal prenatal famine exposure: the Dutch Famine Birth Cohort Study.

We examined the impact of famine-induced changes in maternal birth weight (MBW) on the association between MBW and offspring birth weight (OBW). Women born before, during, and after the Dutch Famine of 1944-1945 were interviewed at ages 41 to 46 years. Women (n = 582) and their children (n = 1,111) were included in the analysis if both mother and child were singleton and the child was not delivered preterm. Mean birth weight (BW) of women with first-trimester exposure (n = 110) was 154 g higher (p = 0.008), and mean BW of women with third-trimester exposure (n = 138) was 251 g lower (p < 0.001) than mean BW of unexposed women (n = 302). First-born offspring of women with first-trimester exposure were 72 g heavier (95% confidence interval [CI], -57 to 201; p = 0.27), and offspring of women with third-trimester exposure were 43 g lighter (95% CI, -170 to 79; p = 0.47) than offspring of unexposed women. Among unexposed women, each 100 g increase in MBW was associated with 25 g (95% CI, 12 to 37) increase in OBW (adjusted for maternal age, smoking, weight, and height and offspring sex). This association was attenuated in famine-exposed women (first-trimester change in OBW = 20 g per 100 g MBW; 95% CI, -1 to 41; third-trimester change in OBW = 14 g per 100 g MBW; 95% CI, -9 to 37). When MBW and trimester of maternal famine exposure were considered in a joint model, there was no independent effect of trimester of maternal famine exposure on OBW. Associations were less consistent for later-born offspring. We conclude that maternal prenatal famine exposure does not affect the association between maternal and offspring BW. Trimester of exposure was not a determinant of OBW, other than through its effect on MBW. Nevertheless, acute famine may impact on second-generation BW distributions indirectly, through its effect on the distribution of MBW.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2001

Maternal ratings of child behavior improve with treatment of maternal depression.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Maternal reports of child behavior are often the sole criterion by which childhood psychiatric disorders are diagnosed and treated, even though maternal distress or psychopathology may influence the accuracy of these reports. This study examines the effect of maternal depression and the impact of its treatment on reported behavior in the depressed women's children. METHODS: A total of 24 women with newly diagnosed major depressive disorder completed a self-rated Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and a Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) of child behavior prior to and after 1-2 months of antidepressant treatment. RESULTS: During antidepressant treatment, mean maternal BDI declined by 53%, while mean CPRS score decreased by 20%; these improvements were significantly correlated. Changes in the conduct, learning problem, and impulsive-hyperactive CPRS-subscale scores accounted for 89% of the rated behavioral change. CONCLUSIONS: Reported behavior problems in the children of depressed mothers improved with treatment of the maternal depression, and the degree of reported behavioral improvement was highly correlated with the degree of improvement in depressive symptoms. Maternal depression must therefore be considered in the differential diagnosis of any child being evaluated for behavior or emotional problems.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed2006

Ochratoxin a in maternal and foetal blood and in maternal milk.

Ochratoxin A (OA) levels were measured in blood serum of mothers foetuses and in mothers' milk. The mean concentration of OA in maternal serum was 1.14 ng/ml and in umbilical cord blood serum it was 1.96 ng/ml. The mean ratio of OA concentrations in maternal and foetal blood serum was 1.96. In maternal milk OA was found in 5 out of 13 studied samples. The mean intake of OA with mother's milk was not exceeding the tolerable daily intake for adults, nevertheless it was near 60% of TDI. The OA concentration ratio in maternal blood serum versus that in milk was 0.0058 on average. These results confirm the correlation between OA concentration maternal and foetal blood serum, and between OA concentration in maternal serum and milk.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A maternal serum screen for trisomy 18: an extension of maternal serum screening for Down syndrome.

The feasibility of extending second-trimester maternal blood screening for Down syndrome so as to include screening for trisomy 18 was examined using stored maternal serum samples collected for neural tube-defect screening. There were 12 samples from trisomy 18 pregnancies and 390 controls. The median maternal serum concentration of alpha-fetoprotein, free alpha-subunit human chorionic gonadotrophin, free beta-subunit human chorionic gonadotrophin, intact human chorionic gonadotrophin, total estriol, unconjugated estriol, estradiol, human placental lactogen, and progesterone were lowered in those pregnancies affected by trisomy 18 when compared with unaffected pregnancies matched for racial origin, maternal age, gestational age, and sample-storage duration. At an estimated odds risk of 1:400, 83.3% of affected pregnancies were detected using an algorithm which combines the maternal age-related risk with the maternal serum concentrations of unconjugated estriol, free alpha-subunit human chorionic gonadotrophin, free beta-subunit human chorionic gonadotrophin, estradiol, and human placental lactogen. The associated false-positive rate was 2.6%. At high risk odds of 1:10, the detection rate was 58.3%, with an associated false-positive rate of 0.3%. beta-Subunit human chorionic gonadotrophin and unconjugated estriol were the most powerful discriminators. It is possible to incorporate into existing Down syndrome screening programs an algorithm for detecting trisomy 18 with high sensitivity and specificity.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Localization of fetal major histocompatibility complex antigens and maternal leukocytes in murine placenta. Implications for maternal-fetal immunological relationship.

An immunohistochemical study of the days 14-19 murine placenta and uterus using a panel of antibodies specific for maternal and paternal class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens, specific leukocyte subsets, and other lineage-specific markers was performed to elucidate the nature of the maternal tolerance of the fetal implant in the uterus. Fetally derived trophoblast lining maternal blood spaces lacked MHC antigens, but other interstitial trophoblasts expressed fetally derived polymorphic class I MHC determinants. The latter class I MHC-bearing trophoblasts were most prominent in the maternal decidua basalis where they were mixed with maternal cells. Our results identify two factors that may be relevant for understanding why these alloantigen-bearing fetal cells are not rejected by the mother: a paucity of la-bearing antigen presenting cells, macrophages, and mature T and B lymphocytes and the presence of large numbers of Thy-1+ asialo-GM-1+ CD4- CD8- bone marrow-derived (CLA/Ly5+) cells of maternal origin in the decidua basalis. These latter cells correspond to previously described granulated metrial gland cells that may be involved in local immunoregulation.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1981

Effects of maternal exercise on fetal and maternal respiration and nutrient metabolism in the pregnant ewe.

Pregnant ewes (122-137 days gestation) were studied while standing at rest and while walking on a treadmill at 0.4 m.s-1 on a 10 degree slope for 60 min (mild exercise) or 0.7 m.s.-1 on a 10 degrees slope for 60 min (moderate exercise). Maternal and fetal blood gases, pH and packed-cell volume, and arterial concentrations of haemoglobin (Hba), glucose, lactate and acetate were measured. Net uterine uptake of oxygen, glucose, lactate and acetate was calculated from measurements of uterine blood flow and arteriovenous concentration differences. During mild exercise there were small increases in maternal arterial oxyhaemoglobin saturation (SaO2) and Hba, accompanied by mild hypocapnoea, and a 34% increase in fetal arterial glucose concentration. During moderate exercise there were significant increases in maternal SaO2. Hba and Pha, and a decrease in PaCO2; fetal pHa increased and PaCO2 decreased, although not to the same extent as in maternal blood, and there were 25% and 18% decreases in fetal PaO2 and SaO2, respectively. Both maternal and fetal arterial glucose and lactate concentrations increased substantially. Uterine blood flow decreased by 36% but there was a simultaneous increase in the net uterine extraction of oxygen and glucose from arterial blood, so that net uterine uptakes of oxygen and glucose were not significantly affected by moderate exercise. The results suggest that fetal oxygenation is compromised by the effects of reduced uterine blood flow and maternal alkalosis on placental oxygen transfer. Possible reasons for the exercise-induced fetal hyperglycaemia include increased umbilical glucose uptake, stimulation of glycogenolysis in fetal liver and reduced fetal glucose utilization, and latter two possibilities as consequences of fetal hypoxaemia.

Acetates↗
PubMed1996

Influence of maternal serum lipids and maternal diet during the third trimester of pregnancy on umbilical cord blood lipids in two populations of Spanish newborns.

An analysis was made of the influence of maternal diet and serum lipids during the third trimester of pregnancy upon cord blood lipids in two populations of Spanish newborns. A significant correlation was found to exist between maternal cholesterol concentrations and those of newborn infants (r = 0.3298). A correlation was also found between maternal cholesterol levels and infant HDL-cholesterol (r = 0.2575) and LDL-cholesterol (r = 0.3053) levels. Further, a positive correlation was seen between maternal LDL-cholesterol and infant cholesterol (r = 0.3204) and LDL-cholesterol (r = 0.3507). The relationship between maternal cholesterol and cord blood cholesterol was independent of participants' dietary, anthropometric and personal data. 3.1% of neonates showed total cord blood cholesterol concentrations of > 2.6 mmol/L. The mothers of these children showed the strongest concentrations of cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in the third trimester of pregnancy, the shortest pregnancies and the smallest newborns of all subjects. Negative correlations were found between birth weight and cord blood cholesterol levels (r = -0.1475) and LDL-cholesterol (r = -0.1686). It might be deduced from these results that a relationship exists between the maternal blood lipid parameters studied and those of the cord. Inverse relationships were also seen to exist between the lipid parameters of cord blood and weight at birth and length of pregnancy. These data have implications that deserve further study.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1988

The effect of maternal smoking on the relationship between maternal and fetal zinc status and infant birth weight.

We have previously reported a trapping of zinc in the placenta directly related to circulating cadmium that comes from cigarette smoke. The purpose of this study was to examine in detail the effect of smoking on (a) the relationship between maternal and fetal zinc status and (b) the relationship between zinc status and birth weight. One hundred and eighteen smokers and 172 nonsmokers without any medical complications during pregnancy were studied. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to assess zinc status in maternal and cord vein plasma and red blood cells. Plasma alkaline phosphatase was also determined as an index of zinc status. Thiocyanate was used as an index of smoking status. The data were analyzed using univariate correlations and repeated measures analysis of variance. Infants of smokers had a statistically significant decrease in plasma zinc (5%), alkaline phosphatase (13%), and in cord vein RBC zinc (12%). Furthermore, the results showed an altered relationship between maternal and fetal indices of zinc status and zinc status and birth weight due to maternal smoking. The infant of the nonsmoking mother appears to be able to maintain adequate zinc status due to depletion of maternal zinc. However, it appears that the infant of the smoking mother may be marginally zinc deficient. These findings support studies of zinc supplementation in the pregnancy complicated by smoking.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed2000

Maternal mortality surveillance and maternal death reviews in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

This paper presents the findings of a 1999 survey of 19 countries of the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Region on maternal mortality surveillance systems and death review activities in the Region. Data were collected by questionnaire completed by ministry of health personnel. The findings show that 13 countries require official reporting of deaths of women of reproductive age. Most of the countries conduct maternal death reviews although only 8 have surveillance systems. Other areas investigated were the sources of information on maternal deaths, types of data collected, how the data are analysed and how such data are used. There is a need to strengthen information systems on maternal mortality in the Region in order to guide decision-makers in the planning and evaluation of maternal health programmes.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1993

[Organochlorine compounds: correlation between maternal and infantile blood levels, maternal milk and maternal-infantile parameters. Study in the province of Huelva].

In our study of the levels of organochlorine compounds (OCC), several factors were taken into account. In the mother, age, diet, place of residency, profession, the number of previous breast-fed children and alcohol and tobacco intake. We then studied the effect of the OCC passed through the placenta. Here, we checked the length of gestation, the birth weight, the cephalic perimeter measurement, the possible neurological alterations such as hypotonie and hyporreflexie and the possible clinical repercussions of the OCC. The OCC studied were, DDT, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH) and isomers alpha, beta and gamma or lindane, dieldrin, heptachloro epoxide (HE) and polychlorobiphenyl compounds (PCB). The samples studies included, blood for the mother and umbilical cord during the delivery, blood from the babies at the ages of one and three months, and the mother's milk (n = 30) and formula milk (n = 20) one and three months after birth. The analytical study was made at the National Institute o Toxicology in Seville with the following methods, gas chromatography, electron capture detector and mass spectrometry. The statistical analysis was based on the Kruskal-Wallis, Shapiro Wilks, Levene, Pooled and Separate tests. We have found that older mothers and those who consumed more fatty meat and blue fish had statistically significant higher levels of OCC. There were also differences depending on the place of residency. The newborn babies with a greater birth-weight and cephalic perimeter measurements also had higher levels of OCC. In these babies, we also found clinical symptoms such as hypotonie and hyporreflexie.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

The relationship between maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein and maternal haemoglobin.

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that both second-trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) levels and Down syndrome-screening test are related to maternal haemoglobin concentration. METHODS: Three hundred and seventeen women in three groups according to their haemoglobin levels: normal haemoglobin concentration (between 10.5 and 13.2 g/dL) (n = 262; 82.6%), anaemia (less than 10.5 g/dL) (n = 11; 3.5%), or high haemoglobin levels (greater than 13.2 g/dL) (n = 44; 13.9%) were studied. MSAFP and Down syndrome risk (on the bases of maternal age, MSAFP and maternal serum beta-hCG concentrations) were recorded. RESULTS: MSAFP (MoM) was lower in women with high haemoglobin levels (0.79 MoM (0.66-1.14)) (p = 0.001) than in women with normal haemoglobin concentrations (1.00 MoM (0.81-1.26)). It was also decreased in women with anaemia (0.90 MoM (0.65-0.94)), even though the difference with women with normal haemoglobin levels was of borderline statistical significance (p = 0.06). The Down syndrome risk was higher in both anaemic women (1:850 (1:380-1:1400)) (p = 0.009) and women with high haemoglobin levels (1:1425 (1:460-1:3100)) (p = 0.036) than in women with normal haemoglobin concentration (1:1950 (1:800-1:5000)). A quadratic model was the best predictive model for both MSAFP (p = 0.02) and Down syndrome risk (p = 0.001) when considering maternal haemoglobin as the independent variable. CONCLUSIONS: MSAFP is decreased and Down syndrome risk is increased in both anaemic and pregnant women with high haemoglobin concentration. Further studies are needed to establish whether adjustments for maternal haemoglobin are needed when giving Down syndrome risks based on biochemical markers.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Mouse placenta: hemodynamics in the main maternal vessel and histopathologic changes induced by 2-methoxyethanol and 2-methoxyacetic acid following maternal dosing.

The two main maternal vessels that are a major, if not the entire, source of maternal blood for the mouse placenta are unique in possessing intraluminal valvular projections. The morphologic configuration of these projections suggests their potential to converge, diverge, and rotate blood currents flowing under systolic pressure. The intravascular occurrence of circular fibrin bodies composed of concentric fibrin strands coagulated from the plasma and almost no blood cellular elements in these strands lends credence to this concept. Histopathologic changes in the extraembryonic and embryonic tissues induced by an intraperitoneal injection of 250 or 500 mg/kg of 2-methoxyethanol, or its metabolite, 2-methoxyacetic acid, via oral gavage were determined 48 hr after dosing CD-1 mice on day 11 of pregnancy. Both compounds caused 1) marked congestion and dilatation, associated with or without fibrinous occlusions, of the main maternal vessel of the placenta, 2) serosanguinous exudation and maternal hemorrhages from the placental periphery, 3) necrosis and desquamation involving the mesometrial surface or peripheral edge of the placenta, 4) translabyrinthine embryonic hemorrhage into the maternal circulation, and 5) embryonic hemorrhages into the exocoelomic, amniotic, and pericardial cavities. These lesions signify a disordered maternal circulation in the placenta suggestive of potentially serious pathologic effects. These lesions may play a role in the resorption, reduction in fetal body weight, and syndactyly or oligodactyly attributed to 2-methoxyethanol and 2-methoxyacetic acid.

Acetates↗
PubMed2006

The impact of two-dimensional versus three-dimensional ultrasound exposure on maternal-fetal attachment and maternal health behavior in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of timing and type of ultrasound, particularly three-dimensional (3D), exposure on maternal-fetal attachment and maternal health behavior during pregnancy. METHODS: Subjects were 68 women aged 18 years or older expecting their first child who presented for a routine ultrasound scan at around either 12 or 18 weeks' gestation in Nepean Hospital, Western Sydney. Women completed questionnaires assessing maternal-fetal attachment and health behavior, and were then allocated arbitrarily to either two-dimensional (2D) or 3D ultrasound examination. Repeat questionnaires were completed 1 week later. RESULTS: Maternal-fetal attachment increased after both 2D and 3D ultrasound exposure, and the effect was moderated by the timing of exposure, with women receiving their first ultrasound examination at around 12 weeks showing the greatest change. Alcohol consumption was the only behavior to show significant change following ultrasound exposure, with a reduction in the reported average number of drinks per week. There was no significant difference in the pattern of change for 2D compared with 3D ultrasound exposure, and no effect of ultrasound exposure on maternal perception of the fetus. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound has a positive impact on maternal-fetal attachment, particularly in the first trimester. 3D ultrasound did not offer enhanced benefits. Associations between ultrasound exposure and alcohol consumption warrant further investigation. Larger samples are needed to clarify the moderating effects of gestational age and type of ultrasound exposure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Multistep microsatellite mutation in the maternally transmitted locus D13S317: a case of maternal allele mismatch in the child.

Examination of a case of a paternity dispute with 17 autosomal short tandem repeats (STR) loci revealed a mismatch of the maternally transmitted allele at the locus D13S317 in the questioned child. The composition of the alleles of this locus in the mother, questioned child and suspected father was 8/8, 11/11 and 8/11, respectively. The sequence analysis of the regions flanking the locus D13S317 and peak height measurements of the paternal, maternal and child alleles at this locus excluded the possibility of null allele as a cause of the allelic mismatch inherited by the child. The results suggested expansion of the microsatellite repeat motif, TATC by three repeat units as a probable cause for the allelic mismatch in the child. This is a rare case of maternally transmitted multistep microsatellite mutation reported for the first time for this locus in the forensic DNA analysis. The mutation rate at D13S317 locus in maternal and paternal meiosis was 0.04 and 0.14%, respectively, and overall mutation rate was 0.15%. The probability of maternity and paternity were 0.999999 and 0.999999, respectively, for all the 17 autosomal STR loci analyzed. Furthermore, the sequence of two hypervariable regions of mitochondrial DNA, HV1 and HV2 and the maternal alleles of six X chromosome STR loci in the questioned child matched completely with the mother. These results conclusively proved that the mother and suspected father are the biological parents of the questioned child.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1985

Maternal and cord blood glycated albumin and total serum proteins: correlation with maternal glycemic control and birth weight.

Maternal and cord blood glycated albumin and total protein levels were measured in three groups: normal women (nondiabetic women who gave birth to infants that were normal for gestational age), test women (women who had no evidence of glucose intolerance with screening procedures and who gave birth to large for gestational age infants), and women with gestational diabetes. In all cases the cord glycated albumin and total protein levels were 20% to 30% less than the corresponding maternal levels, and no correlation could be detected between cord and maternal blood concentrations. There was no significant difference in cord and maternal glycated albumin and total protein levels among the three groups, although there was a slight upward trend detected in the test and diabetic groups. There was no significant correlation between birth weight ratio and either cord or maternal values for any of the groups except the diabetic cord samples, where a significant negative correlation between glycated albumin and total protein and birth weight ratios was found. The implications of these findings are discussed in respect to the usefulness of cord and maternal glycated albumin and total protein in retrospective screening for gestational diabetes.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

In utero exposure to maternal low protein diets induces hypertension in weanling rats, independently of maternal blood pressure changes.

The association between maternal nutrition, fetal growth and the later development of hypertension was investigated in the rat. Animals were habituated to diets containing 18% (control) or 9% (low) protein by weight. The rats were mated and maintained on the diets until the end of pregnancy. Lactating dams were transferred onto standard chow diet. Systolic blood pressure was determined in male and female weanling offspring, using an indirect tail-cuff method. To assess the direct effects of low protein diets upon blood pressure of adult animals, a group of male and female rats were fed 18% or 9% protein for 14 days. Blood pressure was determined at the beginning and end of the feeding period. Blood pressure was additionally assessed over 14 days in pregnant rats fed control or low protein diets. Low protein diets did not alter systolic blood pressure in adult male or female rats. The blood pressures of pregnant females fed 18% or 9% protein diets did not significantly differ at any stage of pregnancy. Rats fed 9% protein diets gave birth to significantly smaller pups. Litter sizes were unaltered, and no differences in perinatal mortality were observed. Pups exposed to maternal low protein in utero had higher systolic blood pressure at the age of 4 weeks, when compared to control pups. The phenomenon was observed in both male and female offspring. Blood pressures at 4 weeks of age were strongly associated with maternal protein intake (r = -0.55). Associations were also noted between blood pressure and maternal weight at mating (r = 0.48), and weight gain in pregnancy (r = -0.30). Fetal exposure to maternal low protein diets induces hypertension in rats. The phenomenon is observed early in life and is independent of sex and the influence of maternal blood pressure. The low protein diet itself did not produce an increase in the blood pressure of adult rats.

Journal Article↗