Maternal Serum Antioxidants in Mid Pregnancy and Risk of Preterm Delivery and Small for Gestational Age Birth: Results from a Prospective Pregnancy Cohort.

Preterm delivery (PTD) and poor fetal growth are major contributors to neonatal mortality and morbidity that can extend from birth onward. Although overt maternal nutrient deficiencies are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such deficiencies are rare in developed countries. However, some evidence suggests that even within the normal range, higher levels of antioxidant nutrients are protective against adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Women with Preterm Birth Have Evidence of Subclinical Atherosclerosis a Decade After Delivery.

Women with preterm birth (PTB) have excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic dysregulation after delivery, but vascular mechanisms are poorly understood. We considered that women with PTB may have evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis after delivery, perhaps related to cardiometabolic risk factors. The Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health Moms (POUCHmoms) study followed women from pregnancy through 7 to 15 years after delivery ( = 678).

C-reactive protein and preterm delivery: clues from placental findings and maternal weight.

To study the association between maternal C-reactive protein (CRP) and preterm delivery (PTD) pathways, CRP was measured in maternal plasma collected at mid-pregnancy (n = 1310). PTD was subdivided into spontaneous (sPTD) or medically indicated (MI-PTD). Histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA) was determined by placental histopathology (n = 1076).

Discrimination and symptoms of depression in pregnancy among African American and White women.

Purpose: Depressive symptomatology during pregnancy has been associated with negative health outcomes for both the mother and child. This study examines the potential associations between depression and depressive symptoms in poor women and African-American women and their lifelong experiences of discrimination.

Methods: Data from 2,731 African-American and White participants in the Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health Study were analyzed.