Popularizing labor analgesia in China.

In China many women in labor are young primigravidas whose fear of labor pain leads them to request cesarean deliveries. While the rate of cesarean deliveries has reached 50% in many hospitals, less than 1% of women in labor are given neuraxial analgesia. The necessary equipment is seldom available in China and many physicians have misconceptions about the risks associated with neuraxial analgesia, which are low with the ultra-low-dosages used today.

[Role of urotensin II gene in the genetic susceptibility to gestational diabetes mellitus in northern Chinese women].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the polymorphism of site rs228648 in urotensin II gene and the genetic susceptibility to gestational diabetes mellitus in northern Chinese women.

Methods: Genotyping was conducted to investigate the polymorphism of site rs228648 (G-A) in urotensin II gene among 70 unrelated gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) subjects and 70 normal controls. DNA samples isolated from leucocyte of the control and study groups were analyzed for single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the urotensin II gene at positions rs228648 using polymerase chain reaction and restriction analysis.