Publications by authors named "Martijn A Oudijk"

Background: Previous spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a strong risk indicator for recurrent preterm birth (PTB). Cervical cerclage is an accepted intervention to prevent recurrent PTB in high risk patients. Cervical pessary might be a less invasive alternative.

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Objective: To assess the risk of recurrent preterm birth following spontaneous extreme preterm birth between 16 - 27 weeks.

Methods: A nationwide retrospective cohort study was conducted with data from the Perinatal Registry of the Netherlands. We included nulliparous women with a singleton pregnancy that ended in spontaneous preterm birth between 16 and 27 weeks of gestation without congenital anomalies or antenatal death between 2010-2014 and had a subsequent pregnancy in the 5 years following (2010-2019).

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To assess the cost-effectiveness of low-dose aspirin compared to placebo for the prevention of recurrent preterm birth from a healthcare perspective. This was a cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. We included women with a singleton pregnancy and a previous spontaneous preterm birth <37 weeks of gestation of a singleton.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to create prediction models for maternal and neonatal morbidity related to vaginal birth after a previous caesarean section or elective repeat caesarean in Dutch women, highlighting the need for better counseling based on individual risks.
  • - Researchers analyzed data from 2,592 women with prior caesarean sections and found a 12.7% rate of maternal or fetal complications, with higher overall morbidity in those opting for trial of labor (TOL) compared to elective repeat caesarean (ERCS).
  • - The prediction models developed showed poor performance, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve below 0.6, preventing accurate validation of the models prior to addressing overfitting issues.
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Introduction: Currently, the majority of women worldwide with threatened preterm birth are treated with tocolytics. Although tocolytics can effectively delay birth for 48 hours, no tocolytic drug has convincingly been shown to improve neonatal outcomes and effects on long-term child development are unknown. The aim of this follow-up study of a placebo controlled randomised trial is to investigate the long-term effects of atosiban administration in case of threatened preterm birth on child's neurodevelopment and behaviour development, overall health and mortality.

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Aim: This qualitative focus group study aims to asses cerclage-related symptoms, the impact of a cerclage on daily functioning and patient perspectives of their healthcare experience. This study extends beyond the current focus on surgical and obstetric outcomes of a cerclage, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by individuals in the context of extreme preterm birth and fetal loss and the impact of a cerclage on multiple facets in life.

Methods: Participants were recruited from the Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands or via the website of a Dutch patient organization for (extreme) preterm birth.

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We describe vaginal microbiota, including species and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), during pregnancy and their associations with recurrent spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). We performed a prospective cohort study in a tertiary referral centre in the Netherlands, among pregnant women with previous sPTB <34 weeks' gestation. Participants collected three vaginal swabs in the first and second trimester.

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Preterm birth presents a significant challenge in clinical obstetrics, requiring effective strategies to reduce associated mortality and morbidity risks. Tocolytic drugs, aimed at inhibiting uterine contractions, are a key aspect of addressing this challenge. Despite extensive research over many years, determining the most effective tocolytic agents remains a complex task, prompting better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of spontaneous preterm birth and recording meaningful outcome measures.

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Article Synopsis
  • Twin pregnancies face a high risk of extreme preterm birth (PTB) under 28 weeks, linked to serious health issues for newborns, and current treatments are limited.
  • A potential solution is the placement of a vaginal cerclage for women with a short cervix or cervical dilatation, aiming to reduce the chances of extreme PTB.
  • Two multicenter trials are planned in the Netherlands to evaluate the effectiveness of vaginal cerclage compared to standard care in these women, with specific recruitment goals and an analysis of costs and outcomes.
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Objective: To compare the effectiveness of cervical pessary and vaginal progesterone in the prevention of adverse perinatal outcomes and preterm birth in pregnant women of singletons with no prior spontaneous preterm birth at less than 34 weeks' gestation and who have a short cervix of 35 mm or less.

Design: Open label, multicentre, randomised, controlled trial.

Setting: 20 hospitals and five obstetric ultrasound practices in the Netherlands.

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Objective: Data and guidelines are lacking, so implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are often deactivated during labour to prevent inappropriate shocks. This study aimed to ascertain the safety of an activated ICD during labour.

Design: An observational study was performed.

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Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Maternal stress during pregnancy is an established risk factor for PTB. We aimed to review the effects of stress-reducing interventions during pregnancy on PTB.

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Introduction: Preterm birth (PTB) is among the leading causes of perinatal and childhood morbidity and mortality. Therefore, accurate identification of pregnant women at high risk of PTB is key to enable obstetric healthcare professionals to apply interventions that improve perinatal and childhood outcomes. Serial transvaginal cervical length measurement is used to screen asymptomatic pregnant women with a history of PTB and identify those at high risk for a recurrent PTB.

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Article Synopsis
  • Preterm birth (PTB) rates in the Netherlands are declining, primarily due to preventive strategies, yet certain groups still see rising rates of PTB, indicating the need for targeted scrutiny.
  • A study analyzed data from over 1.4 million singleton pregnancies and found a significant decrease in PTB rates, particularly in iatrogenic cases and among certain demographic groups like older mothers and those with higher socioeconomic status.
  • However, there was an alarming increase in spontaneous extreme and very PTB cases, suggesting that while progress has been made, challenges remain, especially for vulnerable populations and multiple pregnancies.
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Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate whether a history of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) is associated with maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms, or psychosocial distress in the fifth decade of life.

Study Design: This is a secondary analysis of the PreCaris-study, a prospective observational study in which we included 350 women with a history of SPTB between 22 and 36 weeks of gestation and compared them to 115 women who had a term birth. Primary outcomes were the Depression and Anxiety scores measured using the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and Psychosocial distress assessed with the Distress Thermometer for Parents.

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Objectives: We operationalized a research usefulness tool identified through literature searches and consensus and examined if randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing preterm birth prevention met predefined criteria for usefulness.

Study Design And Setting: The usefulness tool included eight criteria combining 13 items. RCTs were evaluated for compliance with each item by multiple assessors (reviewer agreement 95-98%).

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Women with a history of spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) have a mildly elevated cardiovascular risk (CVR) later in life and women with a history of preeclampsia have a highly elevated CVR. In placentas of women with preeclampsia pathological signs of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) are often seen. These signs of MVM are also seen in a substantial part of the placentas of women with SPTB.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women, and understanding its risk factors, including the connection between preeclampsia and spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB), is crucial for prevention.
  • The study assessed women with a history of SPTB against controls with term births, finding that while LV diastolic function parameters were generally similar, those with SPTB and hypertension exhibited notable changes.
  • The results suggest that hypertension after SPTB may exacerbate alterations in heart function, highlighting the need for monitoring women's cardiovascular health post-pregnancy.
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This study investigated whether sexual intercourse during pregnancy is associated with spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB). We included 77 women with SPTB and 145 women with a term birth. A total of 195 (87.

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Background: Evidence for progestogen maintenance therapy after an episode of preterm labour (PTL) is contradictory.

Objectives: To assess effectiveness of progestogen maintenance therapy after an episode of PTL.

Search Strategy: An electronic search in Central Cochrane, Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline and clinical trial databases was performed.

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Objective: Women of Black and other non-Western ethnicity and women who live in deprived neighborhoods are at increased risk for preterm birth (PTB). These women may live clustered in certain urban areas. If ethnicity reflects a biological rather than a socioeconomic risk factor, women should have a PTB risk independent of the urban area where they live.

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