Anemia during pregnancy and birth outcome: a meta-analysis.

To determine the relationship between maternal anemia [hemoglobin (Hgb) < 10-11 g/dL] and various birth outcomes, a meta-analysis was conducted based on published literature identified by MEDLINE and manual search from 1966 through 1999. Odds ratios (OR) from selected studies were pooled according to the gestational age at anemia diagnosis. The meta-analysis shows that maternal anemia during early pregnancy was associated with slightly increased preterm birth [pooled adjusted OR (aOR): 1.

Trial of labour after caesarean section in sub-Saharan Africa: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a policy of trial of labour for women with a previous caesarean section, delivering in hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa.

Design: A meta-analysis of 17 published reports.

Setting: Hospitals located in sub-Saharan Africa.

Oxytocics in developing countries.

Objectives: A prospective multicenter study of obstetric practices was conducted in three developing countries (Benin, Congo and Senegal) to analyze oxytocic use during labor. One of the objectives was to assess the possible negative effects of the treatment regimens instituted during the labor monitoring phase.

Methods: Four health districts participated in the study.

IUD use and the risk of ectopic pregnancy: a meta-analysis of case-control studies.

Because of inconsistent findings among case-control studies on the relationship between IUD use and the risk of ectopic pregnancy, a meta-analysis of published literature was conducted. From 1977 through 1994, 19 publications regarding 16 studies of ectopic pregnancy and IUD use were found by MEDLINE and manual search. The odds ratio (ORs) of ectopic pregnancy with current and past IUD use in each study were pooled.

[Ignorance and misconceptions in the use of contraceptive methods].

Good knowledge of the available contraceptive methods ensures better acceptability, continuity and satisfaction, and lower failure rates of these methods. This paper describes an inquiry on the contraceptive knowledge in 114 women attending three Brussels family planning clinics. Misconceptions, beliefs in false rumors, and considerable insufficiencies in knowledge were detected.

[Estimate of seroprevalence of HIV infection in Belgium using the back calculation method].

An estimation of HIV seroprevalence in Belgium in June 1990 was made by the "back calculation method". The theoretical calculation of the number of virus carriers gave a range of values from 5,750 to 16,800 carriers. The upper part of this range seems to be more consistent with data from epidemiologic monitoring (range of values from 8,900 to 16,800 carriers).

A versatile approach to health system evaluation.

Although problems in the relationships between different levels of health care systems in developing countries have a significant influence on efficiency, they have not been clearly defined. In the present article a simple method is described for assessing certain aspects of these problems. It is shown that data collected in a hospital can be used not only to highlight inadequate management of patients at the community level, but also to identify deficiencies at the community/hospital interface.

Perinatal geography of Belgium.

The use of routinely collected perinatal data allows calculation of health indicators at regional levels. It helps the health managers in making decisions and provides etiological clues for epidemiology. The information is more easily assimilated with the use of maps.

Organization of prenatal care in Belgium.

Prenatal care in Belgium is characterized by regional variations between the Flemish- and French-speaking communities. Generally, care in the former area is provided by a general practitioner or a gynecologist/obstetrician in private practice, and in the latter by a gynecologist/obstetrician on a private or public basis. The level of use of prenatal care observed is, on average, high, but variations do exist according to the socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the families and the health care services which they frequent.

[Follow-up of a cohort of premature infants: identification of factors associated with hospital death].

A cohort of premature babies (i.e. under 2.

[Avoidable mortality in Belgium].

The concept of avoidable mortality leads to an attempt at using specific mortality rates as output measures of health services. The analysis covered 43 Belgian districts between the years 1974 and 1978. Two Belgian areas were compared along a dimension defined by two axes of a correspondence factor analysis: Flanders which is associated with low SMR of avoidable mortality and Wallonia which has high rates.

[Episiotomy and prevention of complete and complicated tears. A study in 3 European countries].

The rates of third-degree tears in deliveries with and without episiotomy were compared in five samples: three French samples, a Belgian one and a Dutch one. Those samples corresponded to 48,430 single vaginal deliveries. The rates of episiotomy ranged from 29.

[Recent trends in infant mortality. The case of Belgium].

In this study concerning the whole of Belgium, the trends in infant mortality and of its two main components, neonatal mortality (NNM) and post-neonatal mortality (PNNM) from 1960 to 1981 were studied. NNM and PNNM followed similar trends until 1975 when PNNM became steady at a rate of 4-4.5%.

[Prenatal care and occupational activity].

We studied the gestational age at the first prenatal visit and the number of prenatal visits by occupational activity among 1,573 women who delivered in 32 maternity units of the Belgium's French speaking region. The comparison with non working women showed that working women consulted significantly (p less than 0.01) earlier, whatever their professional activity, their parity and their social class.

[Neonatal mortality and birth weight. Which strategy for the future?].

In this study the authors analysed the neonatal mortality rates in Belgium in 1981 and 1982. Newborns were grouped into four categories according to their birth weight: 500-1,499 gr (Cat. A), 1,500-2,499 gr (Cat B), 2,500-3,499 gr (Cat C), 3,500 gr or more (Cat D).

[Evaluation of prenatal care in Belgium and comparison between public and private medical sectors].

The Belgian health system imposes no regulations regarding antenatal care. A special study was carried out by questionnaire in a sample of 32 maternity units representative of the French-speaking region to determine the coverage rate achieved by the health system. The study also compared the private and public sectors for rate of use, socioeconomic profile of users and regularity of antenatal care.

Episiotomy and third-degree tears.

The relation of episiotomy to third-degree perineal tears was investigated in 21 278 singleton deliveries. The incidence of episiotomy was 28.4% (n = 6041).