Background: Epidemiological research of events related to labor and delivery frequently uses maternal interview or birth certificates as a primary method of data collection; however, the validity of these data are rarely confirmed. This study aimed to examine the validity of birth certificate data and maternal interview of maternal demographics and events related to labor and delivery with data abstracted from medical records in a US setting.
Methods: Birth certificate and maternal recall data from the Iowa Health in Pregnancy Study (IHIPS), a population-based case-control study of risk factors for preterm and small-for-gestational age births, were linked to medical record data to assess the validity of events that occurred during labor and delivery along with reported maternal demographics.
Background: Approximately 10% of teens report experiencing sexual dating violence (SDV) or physical dating violence (PDV), collectively represented as teen dating violence (TDV). This study examines the association between laws incorporating TDV education in schools on TDV prevalence.
Methods: TDV prevalence was estimated using data contributed by 36 states that participated in the 2015 Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey (YRBS).
Aims: To evaluate the clinical utility of first and second trimester prenatal screening biomarkers for early pregnancy prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk in nulliparous women.
Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study of nulliparous women participating in the California Prenatal Screening Program from 2009 to 2011 (n = 105,379). GDM was ascertained from hospital discharge records or birth certificates.
Implementation of dietary and lifestyle interventions prior to and early in pregnancy in high risk women has been shown to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) development later in pregnancy. Although numerous risk factors for GDM have been identified, the ability to accurately identify women before or early in pregnancy who could benefit most from these interventions remains limited. As nulliparous women are an under-screened population with risk profiles that differ from their multiparous counterparts, development of a prediction model tailored to nulliparous women may facilitate timely preventive intervention and improve maternal and infant outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in an emergency department (ED) by sexual orientation and gender identification. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adult patients ( = 1,136) presenting to a Level I Trauma Center ED from November 2015 to November 2016. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of reporting any IPV or IPV subtypes (physical or sexual IPV or battering) by sexual orientation and gender identification, controlling for confounders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomarkers commonly assessed in prenatal screening have been associated with a number of adverse perinatal and birth outcomes. However, it is not clear whether first trimester measurements of prenatal screening biomarkers are associated with subsequent risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We aimed to systematically review and statistically summarize studies assessing the relationship between first trimester prenatal screening biomarker levels and GDM development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe genetic susceptibility to preeclampsia, a pregnancy-specific complication with significant maternal and fetal morbidity, has been poorly characterized. To identify maternal genes associated with preeclampsia risk, we assembled 498 cases and 1864 controls of European ancestry from preeclampsia case-control collections in 5 different US sites (with additional matched population controls), genotyped samples on a cardiovascular gene-centric array composed of variants from ≈2000 genes selected based on prior genetic studies of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and performed case-control genetic association analysis on 27 429 variants passing quality control. In silico replication testing of 9 lead signals with <10 was performed in independent European samples from the SOPHIA (Study of Pregnancy Hypertension in Iowa) and Inova cohorts (212 cases, 456 controls).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Growing evidence identifies adverse health effects for children who witness intimate partner violence at home. Research has also identified that women seeking elective pregnancy termination are at high risk for partner violence. However, little is known about the risk for violence exposure among the children of women seeking elective pregnancy termination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is well-established literature indicating change in partner as a risk for preeclampsia, yet the research on the risk of preterm birth after a change in partners has been sparse and inconsistent. Using a population of California live born singletons, we aimed to determine the risk of preterm birth after a change in partner between the first and second pregnancies. The risk of preterm and early term delivery in the second pregnancy was calculated for mothers who did or did not change partners between births with the referent group as women who delivered both pregnancies at term and did not change partners.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine the association between genetic predisposition to elevated C-reactive protein (CRP)and risk for preeclampsia using validated genetic loci for C-reactive protein.
Methods: Preeclampsia cases (n = 177) and normotensive controls (n = 116) were selected from live birth certificates to nulliparous Iowa women during the period August 2002-May 2005. Disease status was verified by the medical chart review.
Objective: Physical activity (PA) is hypothesized to reduce the risk of preeclampsia, but few epidemiologic studies have simultaneously evaluated leisure time PA (LTPA), sedentary activity, occupational activity, and non-occupational, non-leisure time PA. Thus, we assessed the independent and combined effects of these different types of PA during pregnancy on preeclampsia and gestational hypertension risk.
Methods: Preeclamptic (n = 258), gestational hypertensive (n = 233), and normotensive (n = 182) women identified from Iowa live birth records (2002-2005) were participants in Study of Pregnancy Hypertension in Iowa.
Women who seek induced abortion procedures experience high rates of intimate partner violence, yet little is known about their help-seeking behaviors. Using data collected from patients attending a large Midwestern clinic who screened positive for intimate partner violence, we analyzed how help-seeking women differed from women not seeking help and those not disclosing their help-seeking behavior. We measured current and planned resource use and evaluated self-perceived helpfulness of resources.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Preeclampsia is a hypertensive complication of pregnancy characterized by novel onset of hypertension after 20 weeks gestation, accompanied by proteinuria. Epidemiological evidence suggests that genetic susceptibility exists for preeclampsia; however, whether preeclampsia is the result of underlying genetic risk for essential hypertension has yet to be investigated. Based on the hypertensive state that is characteristic of preeclampsia, we aimed to determine if established genetic risk scores (GRSs) for hypertension and blood pressure are associated with preeclampsia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOver the past decade, there has been heightened interest in determining if there is an increased risk of adverse reproductive outcomes among women who had a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to remove cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The objective of this exploratory study was to determine if the treatment of CIN with a LEEP is associated with changes in cervical soluble immune markers. Cervical cytokine concentrations were measured in women treated with LEEP and a control group of women who had colposcopy only and did not undergo LEEP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Large epidemiologic studies support the role of dyslipidemia in preeclampsia; however, the etiology of preeclampsia or whether dyslipidemia plays a causal role remains unclear. We examined the association between the genetic predisposition to dyslipidemia and risk of preeclampsia using validated genetic markers of dyslipidemia.
Methods: Preeclampsia cases (n = 164) and normotensive controls (n = 110) were selected from live birth certificates to nulliparous Iowa women during the period August 2002 to May 2005.
J Womens Health (Larchmt)
December 2014
Background: The prevalence of injuries during pregnancy is largely underestimated, as previous research has focused on more severe injuries resulting in emergency department visits and hospitalizations. The objective of our study was to estimate the frequency, risk factors, and causes of injuries in a population-based sample of pregnant women.
Methods: This article is an analysis of postpartum interviews among the control series from a case-control study (n=1,488).
Background: We aimed to determine the association between self-reported birth weight and incident cancer in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study cohort, a large multiethnic cohort of postmenopausal women.
Methods: 65,850 women reported their birth weight by category (<6 lbs, 6-7 lbs 15 oz, 8-9 lbs 15 oz, and ≥10 lbs). All self-reported, incident cancers were adjudicated by study staff.
Published reports examining lipid levels during pregnancy and preeclampsia have been inconsistent. The objective of this meta-analysis was to test the association between preeclampsia and maternal total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-HDL-C, and triglyceride levels measured during pregnancy. We conducted a systematic search for studies published between the index date until July 2013 reporting maternal lipid levels in women with preeclampsia and normotensive pregnant women.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Matern Fetal Neonatal Med
April 2015
Objective: A counterintuitive interaction between smoking during pregnancy and preeclampsia on birth weight for gestational age (BWGA) outcomes was recently reported. In this report, we examine the relationship between these factors in a well-documented study population with exposure data on trimester of maternal smoking.
Methods: Preeclamptic (n = 238), gestational hypertensive (n = 219), and normotensive women (n = 342) were selected from live-births to nulliparous Iowa women.
Background: A delayed time to pregnancy was recently reported for women who had a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) to remove cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 2 or 3. The objective of the current study was to determine if treatment of CIN with LEEP is associated with decreased levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a marker of ovarian reserve.
Methods: AMH levels were measured in 18 women treated with LEEP and 18 age-matched controls, who had colposcopy only and did not require LEEP.
Purpose: To determine if motivational interviewing (MI) improves self-efficacy (primary outcome), depressive symptoms (secondary outcome), and stage-of-readiness-to-change (secondary outcome) among women in abusive relationships.
Methods: Randomized controlled trial among women who experienced intimate partner violence in a current relationship over the past 12 months. Subjects were recruited from two family planning clinics (December 2007 to May 2010).
A growing body of literature suggests that prior and prolonged exposure to paternal antigens in seminal fluid induces maternal tolerance to the allogeneic fetus, protecting it from rejection and facilitating successful implantation and placentation. In this case-control study of nulliparous women, we test the hypothesis that increased exposure to paternal seminal fluid via the vaginal or oral route will confer a reduced risk of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia cases (n=258) and normotensive controls (n=182) were selected from live births to Iowa women over the period August 2002 to April 2005.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhereas histocompatibility is critical for transplantation, HLA histoincompatibility is associated with successful pregnancy. Literature on HLA sharing and preeclampsia has been inconsistent; most studies focused on maternal-paternal rather than maternal-fetal sharing. This study examines whether maternal-fetal histocompatibility is associated with preeclampsia, and whether effects vary by semen exposure history.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Cardiovasc Risk Rep
June 2013
Metabolic syndrome is a growing problem globally, and is a contributor to non-communicable diseases such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The risk of developing specific components of the metabolic syndrome such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and elevated fasting blood sugar has been largely attributed to environmental stressors including poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and smoking. However, large epidemiologic cohorts and experimental animal models support the "developmental origins of adult disease" hypothesis, which posits that a significant portion of the risk for adult metabolic conditions is determined by exposures occurring in the perinatal period.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrent prenatal care (PNC) practice guidelines provide little information on educating patients about preeclampsia. Our survey of 754 women who visited the Preeclampsia Foundation website found that most received PNC and regular screenings, but only 42% "definitely" recalled specific education about preeclampsia; furthermore, only half "fully understood" the explanation. However, 27 of the 169 women (75.
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