Trusted Information for Healthy Pregnancies
premature birth
Stain repellents linked to low birth weight and premature births
Dec 7th
Research finds that stain repellent and anti-adhesive chemicals may be linked to low birth weight and premature births in those born near a factory that both produces and uses the chemicals.
A study that surveyed members of a West Virginia community finds that higher exposures - presumably through water and air - to antistick chemicals released from a nearby factory may be linked to low birth weight and early birth in babies born to women who live in the area.
The synthetic chemicals of concern in the study are called polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs). They are widely used in the manufacture of stain repellents applied to carpets and furniture and as anti-adhesives in pots and pans.
Two of the most common PFCs are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). While they are designed for use in product coatings, PFOA and PFOS may also form when other PFCs break down. The chemical plant located near Parkersburg, West Virginia used PFOA since 1951 to make nonstick coatings.
These chemicals are very persistent and have been detected worldwide in wildlife and humans. The most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) reported that virtually all US residents are exposed to PFOA and PFOS.
Animal studies have reported reduced fetal weight and increased neonatal mortality after exposure to high doses of PFCs. Results from previous human studies have been inconsistent.
In this study, women with PFOS blood levels above the median (13.6 nanograms/milliliter (ng/mL)) had a 50 percent increased risk of low birth weight and a 10 percent increased odds of preterm birth when compared with women with exposure below the median. These women were also 30 percent more likely to have preeclampsia, which is characterized by high blood pressure during pregnancy and is in turn a risk factor for abnormally slow fetal growth.
Data were collected as part of a survey of more than 69,000 people living close to a chemical plant located in the Mid-Ohio Valley in West Virginia. These data were collected following a class action lawsuit alleging health damage due to exposure to PFOA, which is believed to have occurred through groundwater contamination and air deposition. Researchers measured PFCs in the blood of 1,845 women and obtained information on pregnancy outcomes based on participant interviews.
Source
Plastics Chemical Phthalate May Lead to Preterm Birth
Nov 30th
Pregnant women who are exposed to higher levels of an increasingly controversial chemical in certain plastics may deliver their babies slightly earlier than women with less exposure, results of a study suggest.
The chemical, DEHP - short for di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate - is a "plasticizer" used widely in consumer products to help make vinyl plastic soft and flexible.
"Exposures (to DEHP) are ubiquitous," Dr. Robin M. Whyatt from Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health in New York City told Reuters Health. DEHP breakdown products "have been detected in 95% of the general U.S. population."
In recent preliminary studies, DEHP exposure has been linked to some health risks. In animal studies, for example, exposure to this and other so-called phthalates has been linked to lower-weight babies and shorter pregnancies.
In preliminary human studies, prenatal DEHP exposure has been shown to affect the timing of labor; however, the findings have been mixed.
They gauged DEHP exposure by measuring four DEHP breakdown products in urine samples collected from the 311 African American or Dominican women aged 18 to 35. All of the women were living in New York City and were in their third trimesters.
The team found that the higher the level of DEHP breakdown products in the mothers' urine during pregnancy, the earlier the infant was born, Whyatt told Reuters Health. Babies with the highest level of exposure were born about five days earlier than those exposed to the lowest levels.
It's important to note, the researchers say, that the women in the study delivered their babies at or near term. However, if prenatal DEHP exposure were to lead to more infants being delivered prematurely, on average, this could be cause for concern.
Steve Risotto, Senior Director, Phthalate Esters, at the American Chemistry Council industry group, noted that two earlier studies contradicted the current one, showing opposite effects. "There was also no association found between phthalate exposure and prematurity, as all of the births were full term," he told Reuters Health.
Source
Pregnant Women Unaware of How Long Pregnancy Should Last
Nov 20th
Recent reports show that the rate of preterm deliveries continues to climb in the United States. Now, a new study suggests one reason why: Many women are confused about what constitutes a full-term birth in the first place.
About one-quarter of new mothers surveyed in the study considered a baby born at 34 to 36 weeks of gestation to be full term, while slightly more than half of women considered 37 to 38 weeks full term.
Though technically speaking, preterm births are babies born prior to 37 weeks, 39 to 40 weeks is optimal, according to the researchers.
Many women interviewed were also unaware that babies born even a little bit premature are at a higher risk of serious health problems compared to babies born at term, the new survey shows.
Misconceptions about what constitutes full gestation and how soon it's safe to schedule an elective induction or cesarean delivery are contributing to increasing numbers of premature births in the United States, said lead study author Dr. Robert L. Goldenberg, professor of obstetrics and director of research at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia.
The study, which included 650 first-time mothers ages 21 to 45 from around the nation who had health insurance, is in the December issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
When asked, "What is the earliest point in pregnancy that it is safe to deliver the baby, should there not be other medical complications requiring early delivery?", more than half chose 34 to 36 weeks, 41 percent chose 37 to 38 weeks and less than 8 percent chose 39 to 40 weeks.
However, experts warn that any delivery short of 39 weeks puts a baby at higher risk of respiratory distress, sepsis (blood infection) and needing to be placed in the neonatal intensive care unit, according to background information in the study. Only one-quarter of new moms realized 39 to 40 weeks was safest.
Technically, the World Health Organization and other major medical organizations define preterm births as babies born before 37 weeks. But that definition was developed some 50 years ago and is outdated, said Dr. Alan Fleischman, medical director for the March of Dimes.
More recently, studies have shown that babies born even a bit too early -- at 37 or 38 weeks -- have a greater chance of chronic respiratory disease and learning disorders than children born at 39 weeks or later.
Babies born between 34 and 37 weeks are six times more likely to die during their first week or life and three times more likely to die during their first year than babies born at 39 or 40 weeks, Fleishman added.
In many situations, there is probably some medical reason for choosing to deliver early -- perhaps the mother has slightly elevated blood pressure, for example, Goldenberg said.
"I call them semi-electives," Goldenberg said. "I believe over the last 15 or 20 years, the practice is evolving to deliver those babies earlier and earlier when there is no evidence of benefits."
TV shows and news reports about very premature babies that survive may also be fueling misconceptions, Goldenberg said. Some women are left with the impression that if babies born before 30 weeks can survive, infants that are just a little bit premature should have no problems.
The last few weeks of gestation are critical to fetal development. All of the organs continue to mature in preparation for moving from the womb to the outside world, Fleischman explained. Between 35 and 40 weeks, the fetal brain grows by about 50 percent.
Source
Nine Ways for Pregnant Moms to Avoid Premature Birth
Nov 17th
The following statistics regarding premature birth are sobering, to say the least.
- Currently the number of premature births in the United States is over 540,000 per year.
- The United States' infant mortality rate exceeds that of China, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Australia, and Singapore.
- It's estimated that simply by cutting the preterm birth rate in the US in half, to match Sweden's, would save approximately 8,000 babies.
- Even though preemies in the US are more likely to survive than anywhere else, they are still more likely to die than full-term infants.
- Just under half of premature babies grow up with some form of neurological or developmental disorder.
- Premature infants can develop lifelong health issues such as cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss and learning disabilities.
- Despite the increase in medical advances in the US, the amount of premature births has increased 36% in the last 25 years.
- It is the group of “late preterm” births, which occur after 34-37 weeks of pregnancy, that are the fastest growing subgroup of premature births.
- Get proper prenatal care throughout your pregnancy.
- Don’t smoke, drink or take drugs while pregnant.
- Avoid violent or abusive situations.
- Lower stress levels. Only take on as much as you are capable of, avoid extremely stressful situations and practice stress-relief exercises as needed.
- Avoid early elective inductions and cesareans. These might be used in emergency situations for the better of mom and baby, but elective cesareans and inductions should not be undertaken before 39 weeks of pregnancy.
- Eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet, including fish or fish oil and folic acid.
- Exercise regularly.
- Avoid exposure to environmental toxins like car exhaust, pesticides and phthalates.
- Avoid working situations where you need to stand for long periods of time.
- To learn more about premature labor, click here.
- KeepEmCookin.com is another resource that I would strongly recommend for patients at risk for preterm labor
Nicotine Patches and Gum Seem Safe During Pregnancy
Nov 14th
Nicotine patches and gum seem to be safe and effective in pregnant women, according to a new study.
Such patches and gum have been shown to help non-pregnant adults stop smoking, study co-author Dr. Geeta K. Swamy told Reuters Health. However, women and their obstetricians have been uncertain about their safety and effectiveness during pregnancy.
Dr. Swamy, from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues took another look at data on pregnant smokers who had participated in a study comparing psychological treatments with nicotine patches or gum to help them quit.
Adding nicotine patches or gum tripled the number of women who quit, from 8 percent to 24 percent.
Almost a third - 31 percent -- of the women who used the patch or gum had pregnancy complications, compared to 17 percent of the women who did not use it.
However, there was a much higher risk of such complications in black women, those with complications in previous pregnancies, and use of painkillers. The use of the patch did not seem to have a direct effect, the researchers note.
Based on the findings, although the patch is not "absolutely safe," it may still be worth using in heavy smokers, given the known association between smoking and bad pregnancy outcomes, particularly premature birth and low birth weight, they conclude.
Source