INTRODUCTION Data on the safety of waterbirth in the United States are lacking. METHODS We used data from the Midwives Alliance of North America Statistics Project, birth years 2004 to 2009. We compared outcomes of neonates born underwater waterbirth (n = 6534), neonates not born underwater nonwaterbirth (n = 10,290), and neonates whose mothers intended a waterbirth but did not have one inten...

INTRODUCTION Perinatal mortality rates have come down in cesarean sections, but fetal morbidity is still high in comparison to vaginal delivery and the complications are more commonly seen in emergency than in elective cesarean sections. The objective of the study was to compare the fetal outcome and the indications in elective versus emergency cesarean section performed in a tertiary maternity...

BACKGROUND Primiparity has been associated with 3 to 4 mg/dL lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations in black and white adult women that persist several years after delivery. OBJECTIVE To examine the lasting effects of adolescent pregnancy on blood lipids, an early risk factor for future cardiometabolic diseases. DESIGN The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's Growth ...

Knowledge of factors influencing the timing of reproduction is important for animal conservation and management. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are able to vary the birth date of their cubs in response to their fat stores, but little information is available about the timing of implantation and parturition in free-ranging brown bears. Body temperature and activity of pregnant brown bears is higher ...

Reproductive synchrony tends to be widespread in diverse species of plants and animals, especially at higher latitudes. However, for long-lived mammals, birth dates for different individuals can vary by weeks within a population. A mother's birth timing can reveal useful information about her reproductive abilities and have important implications for the characteristics and survival of her offs...

BACKGROUND While most Sub-Saharan African countries are now implementing the WHO-recommended Option B+ protocol for prevention of vertical HIV transmission, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the influence of Option B+ exposure on adverse birth outcomes (ABOs). Against this background, we assessed ABOs among delivering women in Western Uganda. METHODS A cross-sectional, observational stud...

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to explore the influence of maternal prenatal characteristics and behaviors and of weight and BMI gain during early childhood on the timing of various puberty outcomes in girls who were enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. METHODS Repeated self-assessments of pubertal development were obtained from approximately 4000 girls...

BACKGROUND In recent decades, the overall rate of preterm births has increased. The aim of the present study was to examine whether this trend is also seen for multiple gestations. More specifically, we examined if there has been a decrease in gestational age for live born monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins and if there has been a simultaneous change in birthweight. The contributions of ...

PURPOSE To analyze the obstetrical and neonatal outcomes of pregnancies with small for gestation age fetuses after 35 weeks based on umbilical cord nucleated red blood cells count (NRBC). METHODS NRBC per 100 white blood cells were analyzed in 61 pregnancies with small for gestation age fetuses and normal Doppler findings for the umbilical artery. The pregnancies were assigned to 2 groups: NR...

PURPOSE To describe the characteristics of mothers and children and to evaluate the factors associated with discontinuation of exclusive breastfeeding. METHODS A cross-sectional study on infants under six months of age who attended the vaccination campaign in 2008. In the sample design, vaccination units were selected by drawing lots and infants were similarly selected later at each unit syst...