Search results for "preterm"

Severe pre-eclampsia is associated with alterations in cytotrophoblasts of the smooth chorion.

2016

Pre-eclampsia (PE), which affects ∼8% of first pregnancies, is associated with faulty placentation. Extravillous cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) fail to differentiate properly, contributing to shallow uterine invasion and deficient spiral artery remodeling. We studied the effects of severe PE (sPE) on the smooth chorion portion of the fetal membranes. The results showed a significant expansion of the CTB layer. The cells displayed enhanced expression of stage-specific antigens that extravillous CTBs normally upregulate as they exit the placenta. Transcriptomics revealed the dysregulated expression of many genes (e.g. placental proteins, markers of oxidative stress). We confirmed an sPE-related incr…

Atypical perceptual narrowing in prematurely born infants is associated with compromised language acquisition at 2 years of age

2010

Abstract Background Early auditory experiences are a prerequisite for speech and language acquisition. In healthy children, phoneme discrimination abilities improve for native and degrade for unfamiliar, socially irrelevant phoneme contrasts between 6 and 12 months of age as the brain tunes itself to, and specializes in the native spoken language. This process is known as perceptual narrowing, and has been found to predict normal native language acquisition. Prematurely born infants are known to be at an elevated risk for later language problems, but it remains unclear whether these problems relate to early perceptual narrowing. To address this question, we investigated early neurophysiolog…

Feasibility of shotgun urinary proteomics for investigating prematurely born preschoolers (PBP)

2016

Background: Preterms and twins are at higher risk of respiratory morbidity later in life. Advances in proteomic approaches may allow the characterization of biomarkers involved in respiratory diseases (Mauri et al. Imm. Lett. 2014;162:2-10). Gel-free approach quantitatively identify differentially expressed proteins in relation to physiopathological conditions (Mauri&Dehò, Meth Enzymology 2008;447:99-117). This can improve the clinical reliability of the next generation of biomarkers to discriminate multiple phenotypes of childhood respiratory diseases. Aim: To assess the ability of gel-free proteomics for identifying specific protein profiles related to PBP. Methods: Urine samples were…

Oral plus vaginal alpha-lipoic acid in women at risk for preterm delivery

2018

Objective: The etiology of preterm labor is multifactorial. An inflammatory response is always involved with the activation of NF-kB that determines synthesis and release of inflammatory molecules, implicated in fetal membrane activation, cervical modifications, abdominal pain and spontaneous uterine contractions. There is a close relationship between preterm birth and cervical shortening in the second quarter of pregnancy. We evaluated the benefits of alpha-lipoic acid administration on women considered at risk of preterm delivery due to the presence of symptoms (pelvic pain and uterine contractions) or reduced cervical length. Patients and Methods: This prospective observational study was…

Non-immune hydrops fetalis: Two case reports

2021

BACKGROUND Fetal hydrops is a serious condition difficult to manage, often with a poor prognosis, and it is characterized by the collection of fluid in the extravascular compartments. Before 1968, the most frequent cause was the maternal-fetal Rh incompatibility. Today, 90% of the cases are non-immune hydrops fetalis. Multiple fetal anatomic and functional disorders can cause non-immune hydrops fetalis and the pathogenesis is incompletely understood. Etiology varies from viral infections to heart disease, chromosomal abnormalities, hematological and autoimmune causes. CASE SUMMARY A 38-year-old pregnant woman has neck lymphoadenomegaly, fever, cough, tonsillar plaques at 14 wk of amenorrhea…

Precursori di ADHD nei bambini moderatamente pretermine

2011

From Neonatal Intensive Care to Neurocritical Care: Is It Still a Mirage? The Sicilian Multicenter Project

2021

Background. Neonatal brain injury (NBI) can lead to a significant neurological disability or even death. After decades of intense efforts to improve neonatal intensive care and survival of critically ill newborns, the focus today is an improved long-term neurological outcome through brain-focused care. The goal of neuroprotection in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is the prevention of new or worsening NBI in premature and term newborns. As a result, the neonatal neurocritical care unit (NNCU) has been emerging as a model of care to decrease NBI and improve the long-term neurodevelopment in critically ill neonates. Purpose. Neurocritical care (NCC) Sicilian project includes three aca…

Prematurity and overlap between reading and arithmetic: The cognitive mechanisms behind the association

2019

It is well-known that very preterm children perform at lower levels than full-term children in reading and arithmetic at school. Whether the lower performance levels of preterm children in these two separate domains have the same or different origins, however, is not clear. The present study examined the extent to which prematurity is associated with the overlap (i.e., common variance) of reading and arithmetic among Finnish school beginners. We also examined the extent to which the association of prematurity with the overlap between reading and arithmetic is due to different prereading skills, basic number skills, and general cognitive abilities. The participants (age 6-7) consisted of 193…

Returns to Childbirth Technologies: Evidence from Preterm Births

2013

We investigate the impact of obstetrician supervision, as opposed to midwife supervision, on the short-term health of low-risk newborns. We exploit a unique policy rule in the Netherlands that creates a large discontinuity in the probability of a low-risk birth being attended by an obstetrician at gestational week 37. Using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design, we consistently find no health benefits from obstetrician supervision, despite increased rates of neonatal intensive care unit admissions among births supervised by obstetricians. These results indicate potential cost savings from increased use of midwifery care for low-risk deliveries.

Maternal occupation, pregnancy length and low birth weight

2009

Objetivo: Evaluar la relación de la ocupación materna durante el embarazo con el bajo peso en los recién nacidos y con los partos pretérmino. Método: La muestra consistió en 1.341.686 nacimientos pretérmino y 1.217.897 con bajo peso, en España (1996-2000), con información válida sobre ocupación materna procedente del Registro Nacional de Nacimientos. La ocupación materna fue la variable principal codificada por grupos de ocupación (CNO-79), y las de resultados fueron el bajo peso (< 2.500 gramos) y los partos pretérmino (< 37 semanas). Se calcularon las odds ratios (OR) y sus intervalos de confianza al 95% (IC95%), crudas y ajustadas mediante el método no condicional de máxima verosimilitud…