Objectives:The objectives were to evaluate the relation between fetal anthropometric parameters and cord blood concentration of adiponectin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Subjects and methods: A total of 104 pregnant women (52 with gestational diabetes mellitus [GDM], 52 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) participated. Venous cord blood samples were obtained at delivery, centrifuged and the plasma was stored at -20°C. The samples were assessed for adiponectin and hs-CRP using the ELISA method. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. Results: The adiponectin concentration was higher in the GDM group than in the NGT group (11.05 ± 4
Background COVID-19 has had a catastrophic effect on the healthcare system. Healthcare quality assessment measures the difference between expected and actual performances to identify gaps in the healthcare system. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of perinatal care for women with high-risk pregnancies (HPR) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled 450 women with HPR from health centers in Ahvaz, Iran, from December 2020 to May 2021, using a multi-stage sampling method. Quality of care was assessed using an observational checklist adapted from Ministry of Health guidelines. Data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical methods. Results The quality of the assessed aspect in comprehensive health centers and in peripartum, perinatal, and postpartum wards was moderate. The overall score for peripartum care was significantly positively correlated with the length of the retraining period, and the quality of perinatal care was significantly related to the proportion of elective cesarean sections and preterm delivery. Conclusion The development of care practices in health centers in Iran should focus on education and counseling. Practices in peripartum wards should emphasize the use of partographs, physical/mental support, and privacy for mothers, while perinatal wards should focus on timely counseling.
Evaluation of the effects of betamethasone on patients with intrauterine growth restriction in couple with preeclampsia is not well studied. This study was designed to assess and compare the changes of Doppler flow in maternal, fetal and placental arteries in singleton pregnancies complicated by IUGR and preeclampsia which are at 24-34 weeks of gestation after betamethasone therapy. This prospective, longitudinal and multicenter study was conducted in 2013 on the 40 singleton pregnant women with IUGR fetuses and concerned over maternal or fetal well-being. Three Doppler measurements including absolutely before betamethasone, one day after betamethasone and 5 days after betamethasone administration were performed. Flow velocity waveforms were obtained from uterine arteries (UA), Umbilical (UM), and middle cerebral artery (MCA). The Systolic/Diastolic ratio (S/D), Resistance Index (RI), and Pulsatility Index (PI) were determined for waveforms. Comparison of baseline mean scores between IUGR with and without preeclampsia showed no statistically significant differences. The mean scores of UA, MCA-UM-RI, UM-S/D, UM-PI, and UM-RI did not differ statistically significant between three time points when compared trend between negative and positive preeclampsia subjects. However, UM-RI had close P value to the margin of statistical significance (P value = 0.055). In other words, in our study, UM-RI had a clear tendency to be significance. We can conclude that preeclampsia alone could not be major prognostic factor in pregnancies with IUGR. While, other prognostic factors such as gestational age, fetal weight, and fetal vascular Doppler flow may are more important for decision making about termination of preeclampsia.
Background: Cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) is an important indicator for predicting adverse outcomes during pregnancy. It is derived from the division of the PI Doppler index from the middle cerebral artery (MCA) into the umbilical cord vessels. Objectives: To characterize the relationship between CPR and some factors such as diabetes, gestational hypertension, body mass index (BMI), PAPP-A, and drug use. Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was conducted in Ahvaz in 2016. In this study, the CPR was evaluated in 230 pregnant women who were at 28-38 weeks of gestational age, except for pregnant women with severe Small for gestational age (SGA) and multiple pregnancies. In this study, a number of factors such as diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, BMI, PAPP-A, and drug use were investigated. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 19. Results: In this study, there is a relationship between CPR and diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, and maternal drug use. There is not a relationship between CPR and BMI and PAPP-A. Conclusions: Diabetes and gestational hypertension are two factors that influence the cerebroplacental ratio.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.