[Maternal anxiety related to how the pediatrician provided prenatal information about preterm birth]. / Évaluation de l'anxiété maternelle liée aux modalités d'informations sur la prématurité chez les patientes présentant un risque d'accouchement prématuré.

INTRODUCTION: Women hospitalized for preterm labor require clear information about prematurity. This study assessed whether or not specific written information about prematurity delivered at admission to the unit combined with an oral explanation from a pediatrician would decrease women's anxiety compared to an oral explanation alone. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective, single-center observational study. Women were included in the high-risk pregnancies department and distributed into two groups: receiving "only oral" information for a prenatal clinical consultation with a senior pediatrician or receiving "combined" oral information+a booklet about prematurity given to the women at admission. The primary endpoint was the change in anxiety-state (before and after the information procedure) evaluated by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y (STAI-Y). RESULTS: The anxiety score before receiving information did not differ between the two groups (STAI-Y-A "combined" group: 46.7±3.0 vs. "only oral" group: 42.7±2.74; P=0.55). After consultation with a pediatrician, the acute anxiety-state score STAI-Y-A decreased significantly in the "combined" group (-6.7±1.9) compared to the "only oral" group (-2.5±4.6; P<0.05). DISCUSSION: A booklet about prematurity combined with oral information from a pediatrician reduced patients' anxiety more than oral information alone. Given that the psychology of the mother interacts with the pregnancy, it is necessary to provide clear and adapted information. Giving a booklet appears to be one of the modalities to improve information. Other modalities such as video documents have to be studied.

[Noise level in the NICU: Impact of monitoring equipment]. / Nuisances sonores en réanimation néonatale : impact d'un outil de monitorage.

BACKGROUND: The sound level in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may induce adverse effects for neonates, their family, and the staff. This study evaluated the sound level in a NICU before and after the implementation of an educational program. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A baseline audit determined the most exposed area of the NICU and the most exposed periods over 24 h. Then an educational program started, including sound level measurement methods, side effects for neonates, results from the baseline audit, and new visual monitoring equipment (SoundEar®). Sound levels were measured before, 1, 2, and 3 months after starting the educational program and the use of SoundEar®. The NICU staff was blind to the periods of sound level measurements. RESULTS: The base noise level was high, especially near the central part of the NICU and during transmission time (mean Leq: 60.6±3.6dB(A); sound peaks: 94.8±6.8dB(A)). A decrease in the sound level (P<0.001) was found 1 and 2, but not 3 months after starting the educational program. It remained high compared to the guidelines. CONCLUSION: Human activity was responsible for most of the sound level. An educational program was effective in reducing the sound level, but did not reach the guideline's target. The continuous use of sound-monitoring equipment after starting the project reduced the sound level for 2 months, but no longer. Therefore, a continuous educational program about the sound level in the NICU including feedback monitoring every 2-3 months should be encouraged.

[Clinical criteria for pathogen bacteria in term newborn suspected of neonatal sepsis]. / Critères cliniques en faveur d'un portage de germe pathogène chez le nouveau-né à terme suspect d'infection néonatale bactérienne précoce.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal early onset sepsis (EOS) remains an important etiology of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis is difficult due to a lack of sensitivity and specificity markers. In France, the management of newborn infants suspected of infection includes the analysis of gastric suction. The objective of the study was to identify early clinical signs in newborn infants with suspected neonatal sepsis to differentiate a likely infection with pathogen bacteria in the gastric suction culture (Streptococcus agalactiae or Escherichia coli) from a possible infection without such pathogen bacteria. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study in the Amiens University Hospital. All term newborn infants born between 1 January and 31 December 2013 and hospitalized for suspected EOS were included. Suspicion of EOS was considered when there were arguments to treat by antibiotics for a period of at least 5 days. RESULTS: Fifty-eight newborn infants were included, 25 had a likely EOS and 33 a possible EOS. Newborn infants with a likely EOS were less mature (P<0.01) with more clinical signs at birth (P<0.01). The most common clinical signs were: hyperthermia (P=0.01), somnolence (P<0.01), and hypotonia (P=0.01). After adjusting for the term, the presence of hyperthermia was no longer significantly different between the two groups (P=0.059), the other clinical signs remained significantly different. CONCLUSION: The presence of neonatal symptoms at birth appears to be a useful clinical marker of probable neonatal EOS.

[Evaluation of the measurement of hemoglobin by the Hemocue System® in the preterm neonate less than 28 days old]. / Évaluation de la mesure du taux d'hémoglobine par Hémocue® chez le nouveau-né prématuré de moins de 28 jours de vie.

BACKGROUND: Hemoglobin (Hb) measurement is essential for the monitoring of anemia in preterm neonates to assess if any bleeding (pulmonary, cerebral, digestive) is present. EDTA samples require 500 µL vs. 10 µL for the Hemocue(®) system. This system has been evaluated and validated in adults and children but not in preterm neonates with fetal hemoglobin. The aim of the study was to compare Hb measurement with the Hemocue(®) system vs. the EDTA laboratory system on fetal Hb in preterm neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study conducted in the preterm intensive care unit in the Amiens Hospital. Preterm neonates, before 28 days of life, requiring EDTA (Hb) measurement were included. Two Hemocues(®) were performed at the same time. Postnatal age (correlated to the fetal hemoglobin level decrease), blood sample site, and other factors that could influence the Hb result were evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-six EDTA and 152 Hemocue(®) samples from 38 preterm neonates were included. The term was 28.1±3.7 weeks of gestation, the birth weight was 1215.5±657 g. We found a good correlation between the Hemocue(®) and EDTA samples (Hemocue(®)=EDTA*0.94-0.4; R(2)=0.63; P<0.001). The influence of confounding factors was insignificant. CONCLUSION: The use of the Hemocue(®) system showed a good correlation with the EDTA measurement of fetal Hb, with a moderate bias (-0.2±1.5 g/dL), which remained stable for the first 28 days of life.

[Skin-to-skin care in the delivery room: impact of SpO2 monitoring]. / Peau-à-peau en salle de naissance : impact du monitorage de la saturation pulsée en oxygène.

BACKGROUND: Skin-to-skin care in the delivery room increases mother-newborn bonding, reduces the newborn's stress level, and facilitates breastfeeding. However, a few reports of life-threatening events in newborn infants during skin-to-skin care have prompted suggestions that SpO2 monitoring may be of value in the delivery room. The present study compared SpO2 monitoring with standard clinical practices during skin-to-skin care in the delivery room. The midwife's opinion and the mother's anxiety level were assessed for both procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The midwife's opinion was measured on a Likert scale and the mother's anxiety level was measured on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y-A and Y-B scales. Two procedures (standard clinical practice vs. SpO2 monitoring) were compared prospectively in two consecutive 3-month periods. RESULTS: Seventy case report forms were completed for the "standard clinical practice" group and 62 were completed for the "SpO2 monitoring" group. The care procedure was considered to be satisfactory or quite satisfactory in 60 cases (96.8%) in the "SpO2 monitoring" group and in 57 cases (81.4%; P<0.05) in the "standard clinical practice" group. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the mean maternal anxiety level. CONCLUSION: SpO2 monitoring during skin-to-skin care in the delivery room was well accepted by the midwife. Relative to standard clinical practice alone, SpO2 monitoring was not associated with elevated maternal anxiety levels.