Publications by authors named "Einarsdottir K"

Article Synopsis
  • - This study aimed to find the best time for labor induction in normotensive singleton pregnancies to reduce risks like stillbirth, analyzing 70,293 births in Iceland from 1997 to 2018 while excluding high-risk cases.
  • - Results showed that inducing labor at or after 40 weeks decreased cesarean rates without increasing adverse outcomes, while earlier inductions did not show significant benefits.
  • - The conclusion emphasized that inducing labor post-40 weeks is safer for women without heightening risks for mothers or babies, and earlier induction in low-risk pregnancies isn’t beneficial.
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Background: Given its complexity, childbirth can elicit both positive and negative psychological reactions and, in some cases, women may experience symptoms of childbirth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD). Several risk factors for CB-PTSD have been identified previously, including history of mental health issues and childbirth related complications. The aim of our study was to explore the role of satisfaction with care in CB-PTSD symptoms.

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Purpose: To investigate the association of potential risk factors for urinary tract infections (UTI) caused by E. coli producing ESBL vs. not producing ESBL in Iceland.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Between 1997-2000, GDM prevalence was 0.6%, which skyrocketed to 16.2% by 2017-2020, demonstrating a 380% increase after 2012, particularly among women under 25 years (473% increase).
  • * The risk of GDM was highest in women over 34 years (with a prevalence ratio of 19.46 in 2017-2020) and consistently increased across all age groups,
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Background: Previous epidemiological studies examining the prospective association between maternal prenatal tobacco smoking and offspring academic achievement have reported conflicting results. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the magnitude and consistency of association reported by those studies.

Methods: This systematic review and meta-analysis was guided by the PRISMA protocol.

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Introduction: Many countries have reported an increased incidence proportion of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). The proportion might also have increased at the National University Hospital of Iceland, based on the registration of the ICD-10 code O72. This study aimed to assess the incidence proportion and risk factors for ≥1000 ml PPH in singleton births in Iceland 2013-2018.

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Objective: Twin pregnancies are associated with increased antepartum and intrapartum risks. Limited multiple embryo transfers are associated with decreased twin birth rates. We aimed to study the effect of 2009 Icelandic regulations on twin birth rates and examine obstetric intervention rates for twin births during the study period.

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Article Synopsis
  • Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) are commonly used to improve outcomes for preterm births, but there are significant gaps in knowledge regarding their safety, long-term effects, and appropriate timing and dosage.
  • The Consortium for the Study of Pregnancy Treatments (Co-OPT) was established to investigate the safety of medications during pregnancy, creating an extensive international birth cohort to analyze ACS exposure and its effects on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.
  • The Co-OPT ACS cohort includes data on 2.28 million pregnancies from multiple countries, providing valuable information on ACS exposure rates and a follow-up for various health outcomes in children, aiming to address concerns about overtreatment and the efficacy of ACS usage.
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  • Preterm birth (PTB) is a major cause of infant mortality globally, and studies show mixed results regarding its rates during COVID-19 lockdowns, with changes ranging from -90% to +30%.
  • Analysis of data from 52 million births in 26 countries indicates modest reductions in PTB rates during the first three months of lockdown, but no significant changes in the fourth month.
  • High-income countries showed an increase in stillbirth risk during the first month of lockdown, with Brazil experiencing increased stillbirth rates throughout the entire lockdown period, highlighting the need for further investigation into these trends.
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Most research on safety of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications during pregnancy concerns central nervous system stimulants, while little is known about the safety of atomoxetine, a primary treatment alternative. We assessed the prevalence of major congenital malformations overall, and cardiac malformations and limb malformations specifically, after first-trimester exposure. In this cohort study, we included all approximately 2.

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Women who are obese before pregnancy have a higher risk of caesarean section than normal weight women. We investigated the combined effect of pre-pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain on pre-labour and intrapartum caesarean section risk. We collected data on 22,763 singleton, term, live deliveries in 2003-2014 from the Icelandic Maternal and Child Health Study (ICE-MCH), based on Icelandic registries.

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Objective: This study was undertaken to examine the comparative safety of antiseizure medication (ASM) monotherapy in pregnancy with respect to risk of major congenital malformations (MCMs), overall and by MCM subtype.

Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using national health register data from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden (1996-2020). We compared pregnancies with first trimester exposure to lamotrigine monotherapy to ASM-unexposed, carbamazepine, valproate, oxcarbazepine, levetiracetam, and topiramate to lamotrigine monotherapy, and stratified monotherapy groups by dose.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the rising rates of labor induction in Iceland from 1997 to 2018, aiming to understand the factors behind this increase.
  • Data from the Icelandic Medical Birth Register showed a significant rise in labor induction rates from 12.5% to 23.9% over two decades, with certain health conditions like gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders increasingly indicated for induction.
  • Despite accounting for known maternal factors and indications, 9.2% of inductions lacked a clear explanation, suggesting the need for further research to uncover reasons behind these unexplained cases.
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Aim: Diabetes and prolonged pregnancy are risk factors of macrosomia. The aim was to explore the relationship between the increased rate of labor induction and macrosomia in Iceland. Changes in the incidence proportion of macrosomia was estimated by gestational age.

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Fluorescence is an easily available analytical technique used to assess the optical characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Despite widespread use, there has been some confusion about how robust fluorescence spectroscopy is to differences in solution pH. Here we assess fluorescence characteristics of three natural water samples and one commercially available standard (Nordic Reservoir) by modifying the pH across a range from 3.

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Background: Immigration is rapidly increasing in Iceland with 13.6% of the population holding foreign citizenship in 2020. Earlier findings identified inequities in childbirth care for some women in Iceland.

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Background: More research is needed on the relative contributions of different indications for cesarean birth and how they vary with maternal age and across time. We aimed to assess how the relative contribution of various indications varied with age and by time period in a study of intrapartum and prelabor singleton, term cesarean births (CB) in Iceland.

Methods: The study was restricted to all singleton, term cesarean births in Iceland between 1997 and 2015 identified from the Icelandic Medical Birth Registry (n = 10 856).

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Background: Antipsychotics are increasingly used among women of childbearing age and during pregnancy.

Objective: To determine whether children exposed to antipsychotics are at increased risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), accounting for maternal diagnoses of bipolar, psychotic and other psychiatric disorders. Population-based cohort study, including a sibling analysis.

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Purpose: To study whether dietary patterns in adolescence are associated with risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Food frequency data were obtained from the AGES-Reykjavik study, conducted between 2002 and 2006, which included 5,078 (58% women) participants with mean age of 77 (± 5.8) years.

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Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant death worldwide, but the causes of preterm birth are largely unknown. During the early COVID-19 lockdowns, dramatic reductions in preterm birth were reported; however, these trends may be offset by increases in stillbirth rates. It is important to study these trends globally as the pandemic continues, and to understand the underlying cause(s).

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Climate change-driven permafrost thaw has a strong influence on pan-Arctic regions, via, for example, the formation of thermokarst ponds. These ponds are hotspots of microbial carbon cycling and greenhouse gas production, and efforts have been put on disentangling the role of bacteria and archaea in recycling the increasing amounts of carbon arriving to the ponds from degrading watersheds. However, despite the well-established role of fungi in carbon cycling in the terrestrial environments, the interactions between permafrost thaw and fungal communities in Arctic freshwaters have remained unknown.

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Thermokarst activity at permafrost sites releases considerable amounts of ancient carbon to the atmosphere. A large part of this carbon is released via thermokarst ponds, and fungi could be an important organismal group enabling its recycling. However, our knowledge about aquatic fungi in thermokarstic systems is extremely limited.

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Introduction: In the general population, varenicline is consistently shown to be more efficacious for smoking cessation than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Current clinical guidelines for the management of smoking during pregnancy recommend against the use of varenicline, whilst supporting the use of NRT. However, little is known about the comparative effectiveness of these smoking cessation therapies among pregnant women.

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Introduction: Previous evidence has been conflicting regarding the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdowns on obstetric intervention and preterm birth rates. The literature to date suggests potentially differential underlying mechanisms based on country economic setting. We aimed to study these outcomes in an Icelandic population where uniform lockdown measures were implemented across the country.

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Background: Following the 2008 financial crisis, the Icelandic Government reduced the maximum parental payment until 2016, when it was increased again. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the changes in the maximum parental leave payment in Iceland during 2009 and 2016 on total fertility rates and birth rates during 2002-2019.

Methods: Publicly available aggregated data on yearly total fertility rates, birth rates, unemployment rates, gross domestic product (GDP) and maximum parental leave payments were obtained for 2002-2019.

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