Background: The timing of hospital admission for women with spontaneous labor onset and the criteria used to assess active labor progress and diagnose labor dystocia may significantly influence women's risk for primary cesarean birth. Our aims were to assess associations of labor status at admission (i.e., preactive or active) and active labor progress (i.e., dystocic or physiologic) with oxytocin augmentation, cesarean birth, and adverse neonatal outcome rates. Methods: A sample of low-risk, nulliparous women admitted to hospitals for spontaneous labor onset was extracted from the Consortium on Safe Labor (n = 27 077). Binomial logistic regression was used to assess associations between labor classifications and outcomes. Results: At admission, 68.0% of women were in preactive labor and 32.0% were in active labor. Cesarean rates for these groups were 18.0% and 7.2%, respectively (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.69; 95% CI 2.45-2.96). Oxytocin augmentation and adverse neonatal outcomes were more likely for women admitted in preactive labor. Among women admitted in active labor, 9.3% experienced labor dystocia and 90.7% progressed physiologically. Cesarean rates for these groups were 20.4% and 5.9%, respectively (AOR 3.02; 95% CI 2.45-3.73). Nearly half of the cesareans performed for dystocia among women admitted in active labor occurred when cervical dilation was physiologic. Oxytocin augmentation and adverse neonatal outcomes were more likely when active labor was dystocic. Conclusions: Adoption of evidence-based, standardized approaches for diagnosing active labor onset, assessing labor progress, and diagnosing dystocia may safely decrease oxytocin augmentation and cesarean birth rates in the United States.
Over a third of women of childbearing age in the United States are obese, and during pregnancy they are at increased risk for delayed labor onset and slow labor progress that often results in unplanned cesarean delivery. The biology behind this dysfunctional parturition is not well understood. Studies of obesity-induced changes in parturition physiology may facilitate approaches to optimize labor in obese women. In this review, we summarize known and proposed biologic effects of obesity on labor preparation, contraction/synchronization, and endurance, drawing on both clinical observation and experimental data. We present evidence from human and animal studies of interactions between obesity and parturition signaling in all elements of the birth process, including: delayed cervical ripening, prostaglandin insensitivity, amniotic membrane strengthening, decreased myometrial oxytocin receptor expression, decreased myocyte action potential initiation and contractility, decreased myocyte gap junction formation, and impaired myocyte neutralization of reactive oxygen species. We found convincing clinical data on the effect of obesity on labor initiation and successful delivery, but few studies on the underlying pathobiology. We suggest research opportunities and therapeutic interventions based on plausible biologic mechanisms.
Background: In most high and middle income countries across the world, at least 1:4 women give birth by cesarean section. Rates of labour induction and augmentation are rising steeply; and in some countries up to 50 % of laboring women and newborns are given antibiotics. Governments and international agencies are increasingly concerned about the clinical, economic and psychosocial effects of these interventions.
Discussion: There is emerging evidence that certain intrapartum and early neonatal interventions might affect the neonatal immune response in the longer term, and perhaps trans-generationally. Two theories lead the debate in this area. Those aligned with the hygiene (or 'Old Friends') hypothesis have examined the effect of gut microbiome colonization secondary to mode of birth and intrapartum/neonatal pharmacological interventions on immune response and epigenetic phenomena. Those working with the EPIIC (Epigenetic Impact of Childbirth) hypothesis are concerned with the effects of eustress and dys-stress on the epigenome, secondary to mode of birth and labour interventions.
Summary: This paper examines the current and emerging findings relating to childbirth and atopic/autoimmune disease from the perspective of both theories, and proposes an alliance of research effort. This is likely to accelerate the discovery of important findings arising from both approaches, and to maximize the timely understanding of the longer-term consequences of childbirth practices.
Background
Caesarean section (CS) rates especially without medical indication are rising worldwide. Most of indications for CS are relative and CS rates for various indications vary widely. There is an increasing tendency to perform CSs without medical indication on maternal request. Women with higher socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to give birth by CS. We aimed to study whether giving birth by CS was associated with SES and other characteristics among singleton births during 2000–2010 in Finland with publicly funded health care.
Methods
Data were gathered from the Finnish Medical Birth Register. The likelihood of giving birth by CS according to CS type (planned and non-planned), parity (nulliparous vs. multiparous), socio-demographic factors, delivery characteristics and time periods (2000–2003, 2004–2007 and 2008–2010) was determined by using logistic regression analysis. SES was classified as upper white collar workers (highest SES), lower white collar workers, blue collar workers (lowest SES), others (all unclassifiable cases) and cases with missing information.
Results
In total, 19.8% (51,511 of 259,736) of the nulliparous women and 13.1% (47,271 of 360,727) of the multiparous women gave birth by CS. CS was associated with several delivery characteristics, such as placental abruption, placenta previa, birth weight and fear of childbirth, among both parity groups. After adjustment, the likelihood of giving birth by planned CS was reduced by 40% in nulliparous and 55% in multiparous women from 2000–2003 to 2008–2010, whereas the likelihood of non-planned CSs did not change. Giving birth by planned and non-planned CS was up to 9% higher in nulliparous women and up to 17% higher in multiparous women in the lowest SES groups compared to the highest SES group.
Conclusions
Giving birth by CS varied by clinical indications. Women with the lowest SES were more likely to give birth by CS, indicating that the known social disparity in pregnancy complications increases the need for operative deliveries in these women. Overall, the CS policy in Finland shows favoring a trial of labor over planned CS and reflects no inequity in healthcare services.
by
Annelee Boyle;
Jessica P. Preslar;
Carol J Hogue;
Robert M. Silver;
Uma M. Reddy;
Robert L. Goldenberg;
Barbara Stoll;
Michael W. Varner;
Deborah L. Conway;
George R. Saade;
Radek Bukowski;
Donald J. Dudley
To describe delivery management of singleton stillbirths in a population-based, multicenter case series. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 611 women with singleton stillbirths at 20 weeks of gestation or greater from March 2006 to September 2008. Medical and delivery information was abstracted from medical records. Both antepartum and intrapartum stillbirths were included; these were analyzed both together and separately. The primary outcome was mode of delivery. Secondary outcomes included induction of labor and indications for cesarean delivery. Indications for cesarean delivery were classified as obstetric (abnormal fetal heart tracing before intrapartum demise, abruption, coagulopathy, uterine rupture, placenta previa, or labor dystocia) or nonobstetric (patient request, repeat cesarean delivery, or not documented). RESULTS: Of the 611 total cases of stillbirth, 93 (15.2%) underwent cesarean delivery, including 43.0% (46/107) of women with prior cesarean delivery and 9.3% (47/504) of women without prior cesarean delivery. No documented obstetric indication was evident for 38.3% (18/47) of primary and 78.3% (36/46) of repeat cesarean deliveries. Labor induction resulted in vaginal delivery for 98.5% (321/326) of women without prior cesarean delivery and 91.1% (41/45) of women with a history of prior cesarean delivery, including two women who had uterine rupture. Among women with a history of prior cesarean delivery who had spontaneous labor, 74.1% (20/27) delivered vaginally, with no cases of uterine rupture. CONCLUSION: Women with stillbirth usually delivered vaginally regardless of whether labor was spontaneous or induced or whether they had a prior cesarean delivery. However, 15% underwent cesarean delivery, often without a documented obstetric indication.
Introduction: Although rare, perinatal HIV transmission still occurs in the United States and most transmissions are preventable. We aim to identify patient barriers to antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence during pregnancy and assess patient understanding of perinatal transmission. Methods: This cross-sectional survey recruited HIV positive postpartum women at a large safety net hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, between January 2016 and February 2018. Survey questions included demographic characteristics, HIV history, knowledge of perinatal transmission, and ART adherence. Perinatal and HIV outcomes were assessed using chart abstraction. Results: Of the 70 HIV infected postpartum women delivered at a large safety net hospital in Atlanta, GA, 45 women were eligible and consented to participate. Participating women were aged 18 to 40 years with an average age of 29 years old, 93% of participants were African-American, and 68% had ≥3 pregnancies. The majority of participants (75%) reported daily ART adherence. "Forgetting" was the most frequent reason for missing pills (57%). Thirteen women had a detectable viral load at the time of delivery and nine of those women had a viral load greater than 1000 copies/mL. Approximately 85% of women who correctly stated ART medications decrease perinatal transmission risk reported daily adherence compared with 50% of women without that knowledge (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.17, 26.7). Almost half of women (40%) either did not know or believed a vaginal delivery, regardless of viral load, would increase their risk of perinatal transmission. Conclusion: Overall, women who were diagnosed with HIV during the current pregnancy, those with planned pregnancies, and those who were on medications prior to pregnancy were more likely to report daily ART adherence. Detectable viral load at delivery is the greatest risk factor for perinatal transmission; therefore strategies to increase ART adherence are needed.