The impact of maternal age on the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on attention.

Background: Prenatal exposure to alcohol has a variety of morphologic and neurobehavioral consequences, yet more than 10% of women continue to drink during pregnancy, placing their offspring at risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Identification of at-risk pregnancies has been difficult, in part, because the presence and severity of FASD are influenced by factors beyond the pattern of alcohol consumption. Establishing maternal characteristics, such as maternal age, that increase the risk of FASD is critical for targeted pregnancy intervention.

Indomethacin prophylaxis for intraventricular hemorrhage in very low birth weight babies.

Objective: To study the efficacy and complications of low dose indomethacin in the reduction of major intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in very low birth weight (VLBW) babies.

Design: prospective randomized controlled trial (interim analysis)

Setting: Level III neonatal intensive care unit of a perinatal tertiary care center.

Patients: Newborn babies with birth weights between 750-1250 g were randomized into indomethacin or control groups.