The use of bubble charts in analyzing second stage cesarean delivery rates.

Background: The incidence of second stage cesarean delivery has been rising globally because of the failure or the anticipated difficulty of performing instrumental delivery. Yet, the best way to interpret the figure and its optimal rate remain to be determined. This is because it is strongly influenced by the practice of other 2 modes of birth, namely cesarean delivery performed before reaching the second stage and assisted vaginal birth during the second stage.

The use of bubble charts in analyzing the global second-stage cesarean delivery rates: a systematic review.

Objective: This study aimed to systematically review the worldwide second-stage cesarean delivery rate concerning pre-second-stage cesarean delivery and assisted vaginal birth rates.

Data Sources: PubMed, Medline Ovid, EBSCOhost, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar were queried from inception to February 2023, with the following terms: "full dilatation," "second stage," and "cesarean," with their word variations. Furthermore, an additional cohort of 353,434 cases from our recently published study was included.

Monochorionic twins with selective fetal growth restriction: insight from placental whole-transcriptome analysis.

Background: The underlying pathomechanism in placenta-related selective fetal growth restriction in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy is not known.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate any differences in placental transcriptomic profile between the selectively growth-restricted twins and the normally grown cotwins in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies.

Study Design: This was a prospective study of monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies complicated by selective fetal growth restriction.

Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, placental growth factor and their ratio as a predictor for pre-eclampsia in East Asians.

Objective: To assess the clinical utility of the sFlt-1:PlGF ratio rule-in/rule-out pre-eclampsia either directly or after correcting each marker for gestation and maternal weight.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. sFlt-1, PlGF were measured in 965 women randomized to undergo a single blood withdraw between 20 and 39 weeks of gestation.

Acceptance towards giving birth to a child with beta-thalassemia major - A prospective study.

Objective: To explore the acceptance of pregnant Chinese women on giving birth to a child with beta-thalassemia major.

Materials And Methods: Women's acceptance on having a child with beta thalassemia major was assessed using standard gamble metrics during an interviewer-administered survey on 309 women recruited in the antenatal clinic. Utility scores were determined and the association with sociodemographic factors was assessed.

Systematic Selection of Reference Genes for the Normalization of Circulating RNA Transcripts in Pregnant Women Based on RNA-Seq Data.

RNA transcripts circulating in peripheral blood represent an important source of non-invasive biomarkers. To accurately quantify the levels of circulating transcripts, one needs to normalize the data with internal control reference genes, which are detected at relatively constant levels across blood samples. A few reference gene candidates have to be selected from transcriptome data before the validation of their stable expression by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Deficient knowledge on hepatitis B infection in pregnant women and prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen carriage in an endemic area: a review.

Hepatitis B infection is a major global health problem. Vertical transmission is the commonest route of spreading hepatitis B virus (HBV) in many endemic areas. In order to control such transmission in Hong Kong, neonatal immunization programme was implemented for more than two decades.

Breastfeeding initiation: is this influenced by maternal hepatitis B infection?

Objective: To elucidate the effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on breastfeeding uptake in Chinese mothers in an endemic region.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective cohort study on 63 885 consecutive pregnant delivered between January 1997 and June 2008, were extracted from computerized database to examine the relationship between breastfeeding uptake and maternal HBV status, adjusted for demographic factors.

Results: A total of 6593 (10.

Awareness and knowledge of hepatitis B infection and prevention and the use of hepatitis B vaccination in the Hong Kong adult Chinese population.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global public health problem and it is an important cause of acute, chronic and fulminant hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The prevalence of HBV infection in Hong Kong over the past decade remained unchanged at 10%, despite the implementation of universal neonatal and availability of adult vaccination. We suspect that the current state of affairs is attributable to inadequate awareness and knowledge of HBV transmission and prevention in the general population, resulting in a low rate of uptake of HBV vaccination by the lay public.

Do prior contraceptive methods impact maternal carriage in patients with hepatitis B?

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly endemic in many Asian countries.

Objectives: We examined whether prior contraceptive methods and sexual behavioral factors impact maternal HBV carriage in an obstetric population.

Patients And Methods: For this study, pregnant women were considered to be representative of the sexually active and fertile female population.

Seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus among pregnant women in Hong Kong: comparison with self-reported history.

Objective: To compare seroprevalence (serum IgG titre) with self-reported history of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection among pregnant women in Hong Kong.

Methods: Pregnant women undergoing first trimester Down screening over a 3-months period were recruited for the study.

Results: Positive immunity was found in 477 (95.

Maternal understanding of commercial cord blood storage for their offspring - a survey among pregnant women in Hong Kong.

Objective: To assess the knowledge on commercial cord blood banking (CCBB) among pregnant women.

Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting.

Knowledge on hepatitis B infection among pregnant women in a high endemicity area.

Objective: To assess the knowledge on hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and associated factors among expectant mothers in an endemic region.

Methods: A questionnaire was administered to pregnant Chinese women (n=1623) attending the antenatal clinic to examine their knowledge on HBV infection, and correlating this with socio-demographic, medical and obstetric factors.

Results: Independent factors associated with insufficient reduced HBV knowledge include women outside the healthcare sector, lower education level, and no previous HBV testing.

Nausea and vomiting in health-related quality of life among Chinese pregnant women.

Background: Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is the most common pregnancy complication affecting women during the first trimester of pregnancy. The cause of NVP remains unknown and factors associated with the occurrence of NVP are contradictory. There is currently little information on its effects of NVP in general and specifically in the Chinese population.

Outcome of induction of labour using maternal characteristics, ultrasound assessment and biochemical state of the cervix.

Objective: To assess pre-induction sonographic, digital examination and biochemical changes in the cervix to predict induction outcome.

Methods: Transvaginal and abdominal scans were performed in 460 women at 37-41 weeks of gestation to determine cervical length (CL), posterior cervical angle (PCA) and foetal occipital position. The Bishop Score (BS) and the absence/presence of phosphorylated form of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (phIGFBP-1) in cervical secretions were assessed.

Chinese women's preferences for prenatal diagnostic procedure and their willingness to trade between procedures.

Objective: To assess Chinese women's preference for the choice of a prenatal diagnosis test, karyotyping or rapid aneuploidy, and its relationship to maternal psychological state.

Study Design: Three hundred consenting women completed a self administered structured questionnaire which documented their psychological state and their preferred choice of diagnostic test for chromosomal abnormality using a discrete choice experiment design. Diagnostic tests were categorised according to three attributes: completeness of chromosomal information, procedure-to-result time interval and cost.

Miscarriage after invasive prenatal diagnostic procedures: how much risk our pregnant women are willing to take?

Objectives: To elicit the level of risk of prenatal diagnostic procedure-related miscarriage that Chinese pregnant women were willing to accept.

Methods: An interviewer-administered survey was conducted on 276 women who presented to the University Obstetric Unit. Using the standard gamble approach, subjects were asked to choose between a screening test with a 90% detection rate and a diagnostic test which is definitive but carries a finite risk of abortion.

Determinants of hepatitis B vaccine uptake among pregnant Chinese women in Hong Kong.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of a history of hepatitis B vaccination among pregnant Chinese women in Hong Kong, and to identify factors associated with vaccine uptake at their own expense.

Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional survey was conducted in a university obstetric unit in Hong Kong. Pregnant Chinese women who attended the prenatal clinic were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire, which requested details of their history of hepatitis B vaccination and sociodemographic characteristics.

Expectation and knowledge of pregnant women undergoing first and second trimester ultrasound examination in a Chinese population.

Objective: To evaluate expectation and knowledge on obstetric ultrasound examination in the first and second trimester in a Chinese population.

Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a university obstetric clinic in Hong Kong. Chinese pregnant women who underwent the first trimester early scan sessions, or the second trimester anomaly scan sessions were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire, which contained items on their knowledge, expectation, and sociodemographic characteristics.