Evaluating the role of bedrest on the prevention of hypertensive diseases of pregnancy and growth restriction.

Background: Evaluating the effect of restricted activity on the development of preeclampsia under experimental clinical settings has been compromised by inherent selection bias and differential misclassification. The aim of our study was to overcome such limitations by using hospitalized bedrest for preterm labor/birth-related indications as an unbiased measure of restricted activity and evaluate its effect on the development of hypertensive diseases of pregnancy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the McGill Obstetrical and Neonatal Database on all pregnancies that took place between 1991 and 2001.

Comparison of obstetric outcomes between on-call and patients' own obstetricians.

Background: The question "will you be delivering my baby?" is one that pregnant women frequently ask their physicians. We sought to determine whether obstetric outcomes differed between women whose babies were delivered by their own obstetrician (regular-care obstetrician) and those attended by an on-call obstetrician who did not provide antenatal care.

Methods: We performed a cohort study of all live singleton term births between 1991 and 2001 at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montréal.

Effect of instrument preference for operative deliveries on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between physicians' instrument preference and obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study comparing obstetrical and neonatal outcomes of second stage deliveries between obstetricians who prefer forceps (forceps >/=90%) with obstetricians with no preference to forceps (either instrument <90%) was completed using the McGill Obstetrical and Neonatal Database. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain an adjusted odds ratio controlling for maternal, intrapartum and neonatal confounders.

Effect of prepregnancy body mass index categories on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.

Objectives: To examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study comparing prepregnant BMI categories with obstetrical and neonatal outcomes using the McGill Obstetrical and Neonatal Database on all deliveries in 10 year period (1987-1997). Prepregnant BMI was categorized into underweight (<20), normal (20-24.

Under-reporting of maternal mortality in Canada: a question of definition.

In Canada, maternal mortality reporting is based on information contained on death certificates. To examine the extent to which maternal deaths are under-reported in Canada and whether this is likely to change under the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), we linked live birth and stillbirth registrations to In Canada death registrations of women aged 10 to 50 for 1988 through 1992. We reviewed the death certificates of women found to have died while pregnant or within a year of the termination of pregnancy.