Current Women's Health Reviews - Volume 2, Issue 3, 2006

An article of this issue is illustrative of research contribution in clinical practice. Progesterone has always been identified as a hormone involved in the initiation of labour due to its role in uterine quiescence, but concomitantly, its use in preventing premature labour was not completely ruled out. Randomised controlled trials have shown that its use can prevent preterm birth in women at risk. Still further research is needed to asse Read More

Prematurity is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, accounting for most part of the deaths of infants without congenital anomalies. Also, the cost of neonatal intensive care and long-term care for infants born preterm is enormous. The medical, psychological, and economic burdens of preterm births are very important. In spite of advances in obstetrical care, the rate of preterm delivery in industrialized coun Read More

An important component of quality of care is the use of evidence-based practices. Three studies from three different continents (Africa, Asia and Latin America) have reported the suboptimal use of evidence - based interventions in obstetric care, proving that despite scientific evidence and dissemination efforts, there are harmful and/or unnecessary procedures still used, while others that are beneficial are ignored. This illust Read More

Cord blood is recognised as a rich source of haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and its use has increased greatly in recent years. Since first cord blood transplantation was performed in Paris in 1988, knowledge of the biologic characteristics of umbilical cord blood has improved, and the benefits of using cord blood stem cells have become apparent. In fact, cord blood has showed to have several advantages as compared Read More

Newborns may suffer of severe infections and the best defense against pathogens is given by the passage of maternal antibodies through the placenta and later by breastfeeding. A greater amount of circulating antibodies in the mother is often related to a higher value in the blood of the child, thus maternal immunization could be a tool for preventing neonatal infections. Most trials were performed in developing countries Read More

A comparison of outcome versus gestation at induction of labour (IOL) for post maturity in three groups:40,41and 42 weeks. Design: Retrospective study of all 703 IOLs for post maturity over three-years. The main outcome being measured was recourse to emergency Caesarean section (Em LSCS) mode of delivery. Groups were compared. Setting: A District General Hospital with 8754 deliveries over the study period. The over Read More

Estrogen acts as agonist on the estrogen receptor. The effects of estrogen may be confounded by concomitant treatment with progestins. Postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) can be divided into: postmenopausal estrogen therapy (ET - estrogen alone), and postmenopausal estrogen-progestin therapy (EPT - estrogen plus a progestin). EPT is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cerebro Read More

No current objective measures exist to determine uterine or cervical function during pregnancy, or to accurately predict term or preterm labor and delivery. Uterine electromyography (EMG) and cervical light-induced fluorescence (LIF) studies were performed in term and pre-term animals and humans to evaluate the state and function of the uterus and cervix, and to determine the predictive capability of measurements made Read More

1. Review the Incidence of Anesthesia-Related Maternal Mortality 2. Review Changes in Anesthesia for the Parturient over the Past 20 years 3. Review Suggested "Negative" Morbidity Associated with Epidural Labour Analgesia 4. Review the Evidence Pertaining to the Effect of Epidural Labour Analgesia on Cesarean and Instrumented Vaginal Delivery rates as well as Progress of Labour.

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), a rodent-borne arenavirus, has been causally associated with postnatal and in utero infection. Although the consequences of acquired LCMV infection are generally benign, primarily a flu-like illness and aseptic meningitis, encephalitis has been reported. Fatalities are however, rare. Congenital LCMV infection has been recognized in Europe and the United States, yet the syndrom Read More