Childbearing, child-rearing, cardiovascular risk factors, and progression of carotid intima-media thickness: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study.

Background And Purpose: Parity is associated with the risk of clinical cardiovascular events and the severity of preclinical atherosclerosis in older subjects. We sought to determine whether childbearing is associated with concurrent changes in cardiovascular risk factors and the progression of carotid intima-media thickness.

Methods: We examined the association between the number of children born during a 6-year period and concurrent changes in cardiovascular risk factors and progression of carotid intima-media thickness in men and women of reproductive age from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study.

Parity and carotid atherosclerosis in men and women: insights into the roles of childbearing and child-rearing.

Background And Purpose: Parity appears to be associated with carotid atherosclerosis in women aged 45 years and older. Studying this association among younger women and men may provide insight into whether this association relates predominantly to childbearing or child-rearing.

Methods: The association between parity and carotid atherosclerosis (intima-media thickness and presence of plaques) was assessed in a cohort consisting of 750 women and 1164 men, all with at least one traditional cardiovascular risk factor, aged 18 to 80 years of age.

Update on intrapartum fetal pulse oximetry.

This article examines the current status of fetal pulse oximetry (FPO) as a means of intrapartum assessment of fetal wellbeing. FPO has been developed to a stage where it is a safe and accurate indicator of intrapartum fetal oxygenation. In general, sliding the FPO sensor along the examiner's fingers and through the cervix, to lie alongside the fetal cheek or temple is easy The recent publication of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of FPO versus conventional intrapartum monitoring has validated its use to reduce caesarean section rates for nonreassuring fetal status.

Audit of maternal and fetal outcomes in women treated for glucose intolerance during pregnancy.

Objective: To determine whether one should aim for glycaemia that is statistically 'normal' or for levels of glycaemia low enough to prevent macrosomia (if such a threshold exists) when glucose intolerance is detected during pregnancy.

Design: An audit of pregnancy outcomes in women with impaired glucose tolerance in pregnancy as compared to a local age-matched reference group with normal glucose tolerance.

Results: Our study suggests that for most patients, more intensive therapy would not have been justified.