The Protective Role of Maternal-Fetal Bonding for Postpartum Bonding Following a NICU Admission.

INTRODUCTION: Admission of a newborn to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be a highly stressful event that affects maternal psychological well-being and disrupts the early maternal-infant bonding relationship. Determining factors that promote maternal-infant bonding among those with a NICU admission is essential for the development of effective interventions. METHODS: Using a longitudinal clinic-based sample of diverse and low-income pregnant women, we examined whether maternal-fetal bonding measured during the second trimester moderated the association between NICU admission and postpartum bonding measured at six months post birth, controlling for demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Approximately 18% of the sample experienced a NICU admission at birth. NICU admission was associated with lower postpartum bonding (b = -8.74; p < .001, Model 1), whereas maternal-fetal bonding was associated with higher bonding reported at six months postpartum (b = 3.74, p < .001, Model 2). Results of the interaction revealed that women who reported higher maternal-fetal bonding reported higher postnatal bonding regardless of NICU admission status. DISCUSSION: Because maternal-fetal bonding can be enhanced through intervention, it is a promising target for reducing the risks of NICU admission for the early maternal-infant relationship.

Associations of intimate partner violence and maternal comorbidities: a cross-sectional analysis of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.

CONTEXT: Intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs when an intimate partner inflicts physical, sexual, and/or emotional assault with coercive control and is a traumatic experience with repercussions that can be exacerbated when a woman is pregnant. While screening for IPV during pregnancy is recommended to occur regardless of risk, less than 50% of pregnant women are screened. OBJECTIVES: Identifying clinical factors commonly associated with IPV during pregnancy may improve screening rates, thus our primary objective was to examine associations between IPV and maternal comorbidities. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Phase 8 spanning 2016 through 2019. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was utilized to calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) to determine associations between IPV and diabetes, anxiety, hypertension, depression, asthma, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and thyroid disease. RESULTS: More than 40% of women experiencing IPV reported a history of depression or anxiety. The occurrence of IPV was higher among women with depression (AOR 3.48, CI 3.14-3.85), anxiety (AOR 2.98, CI 2.64-3.37), hypertension (AOR 1.21, CI 1.02-1.44), and asthma (AOR 1.37; CI 1.17-1.59) than women without those respective conditions, but not among diagnoses of diabetes, PCOS, or thyroid disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that pregnant individuals reporting having experienced IPV were more likely to report having certain comorbidities compared to those who did not report experiencing IPV. Given the low rates of screening, knowing clinically relevant associations may increase screening sensitivity among clinicians and, in turn, increase the likelihood that individuals experiencing IPV receive supportive care.

Health disparities, COVID-19, and maternal and childbirth outcomes: a meta-epidemiological study of equity reporting in systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women with COVID-19 are at increased risk for adverse maternal and pregnancy outcomes, and birth complications. Given the health outcome disparities among pregnant women of racial and ethnic minorities and the reliance of medical practice on systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMAs)-as they are the apical component in the hierarchy of evidence in medical research-the primary objective of the study is to examine the inclusion of the equity reporting in SRMAs focused on pregnancy outcomes and COVID-19 using PROGRESS-Plus equity framework. PROGRESS represents equity measures of Place, Race, Occupation, Gender, Religion, Education, Social capital, and Socio-economic status. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of three databases to identify SRMAs related to maternal and pregnancy outcomes related to COVID-19. We extracted whether SRMAs reported or analyzed PROGRESS-Plus components among other study characteristics. RESULTS: Nearly 85% of SRMAs did not include any equity items to account for racial or geographic disparities. Reporting of race was absent from 95% of the studies. Place was the most common PROGRESS item and maternal age was the most common PROGRESS-Plus item reported overall. CONCLUSION: When research is performed and reported in a way that fails to address disparities, the downstream repercussions may include medical care in the form of new protocol-driven hospital management, pharmacologic interventions, and other treatment options that mirror this absence in reporting. The absence of adequate reporting widens gaps in health outcomes among at-risk groups, such as pregnant women of racial and ethnic minorities.

The role of pregnancy intendedness and prenatal contraceptive counseling on postpartum contraceptive use.

BACKGROUND: The study was conducted to prospectively examine how pregnancy intendedness and prenatal provider counseling about postpartum contraceptive options are associated with lack of contraception use at 6 months post-birth (e.g., increased risk for a short interpregnancy interval). METHODS: Logistic regression models were used to examine risk for no postpartum contraception use among a sample of low-income and racially/ethnically diverse women recruited from two metropolitan perinatal clinics in Tulsa, OK. RESULTS: Women who reported that they were trying to get pregnant or "okay either way" about getting pregnant had significantly lower odds of using contraception at 6 months post childbirth than those who had unintended pregnancies. Having providers who discussed postpartum contraceptive options during pregnancy significantly increased the odds of contraceptive uptake among those who were planning or ambivalent about their pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: Intentions of a current pregnancy and provider contraceptive counseling matter for postpartum contraceptive use and the associated risk for a short interval subsequent pregnancy. Provider contraceptive counseling that accounts for the intendedness of a current pregnancy may offer a more targeted approach to prevent a short interval subsequent pregnancy.

Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Biomarker and Urinary Tract Infections: A Diagnostic Case-Control Study (NUTI Study).

OBJECTIVES: Acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) in women is often treated based on symptoms alone. Urinary tract infection symptoms are highly sensitive but lack specificity and result in overuse of antibiotics. We sought to determine if urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) levels in urine can accurately discriminate between UTI and healthy women. METHODS: We recruited adult women aged 18 to 85 years presenting in the ambulatory setting from November 2014 to January 2016. Cases were defined as women with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-defined UTI symptoms and a positive urine culture of more than 10 organisms/mL on a midstream clean-catch specimen. Women without UTI symptoms were matched by age and menopausal status as control subjects. Exclusion criteria were no UTIs within 8 weeks, urinary tract anomalies, renal disease, pregnancy, or diabetes. Clean-catch urine samples were obtained for measuring uNGAL, prior to antibiotic treatment of cases. We used Mann-Whitney U test to compare the 2 groups. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to compare the performance of uNGAL to established urinary markers. RESULTS: We enrolled 50 UTI cases and 50 control subjects. Urine NGAL levels were higher in the UTI group than in the control subjects (P < 0.0001). Using a cutoff of 23.9 ng/mL, NGAL achieved 98% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The receiver operating characteristic curve had an area under the curve of 0.97 (95% confidence interval, 0.93-1.00), which was significantly high and showed that uNGAL can identify UTI. CONCLUSIONS: Urine NGAL has the potential as a biomarker for diagnosing UTIs in adult women.

Nitrofurantoin vs other prophylactic agents in reducing recurrent urinary tract infections in adult women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The clinical and financial burden from bladder infections is significant. Daily antibiotic use is the recommended strategy for recurrent urinary tract infection prevention. Increasing antibiotic resistance rates, however, require immediate identification of innovative alternative prophylactic therapies. This systematic review aims to provide guidance on gaps in evidence to guide future research. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to provide current pooled estimates of randomized control trials comparing the effects of nitrofurantoin vs other agents in reducing recurrent urinary tract infections in adult, nonpregnant women and assess relative adverse side effects. DATA SOURCES: Data sources included the following: MEDLINE, Jan. 1, 1946, to Jan. 31, 2015; Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and web sites of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, and the National Guideline Clearinghouse from 2000 to 2015. Randomized control trials of women with recurrent urinary tract infections comparing nitrofurantoin with any other treatment were included. STUDY DESIGN: A protocol for the study was developed a priori. Published guidance was followed for assessment of study quality. All meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models with Stats Direct Software. Dual review was used for all decisions and data abstraction. RESULTS: Twelve randomized control trials involving 1063 patients were included. One study that had a serious flaw was rated poor in quality, one study rated good, and the remainder fair. No significant differences in prophylactic antibiotic treatment with nitrofurantoin and norfloxacin, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, methamine hippurate, estriol, or cefaclor were found in clinical or microbiological cure in adult nonpregnant women with recurrent urinary tract infections (9 randomized control trials, 673 patients, relative risk ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-1.27; I2, 65%; and 12 randomized control trials, 1063 patients, relative risk ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.26; I2, 76%, respectively). Duration of prophylaxis also did not have a significant impact on outcomes. There was a statistically significant difference in overall adverse effects, with nitrofurantoin resulting in greater risk than other prophylactic treatments (10 randomized control trials, 948 patients, relative risk ratio, 2.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.34-3.50; I2, 61%). Overall, the majority of nitrofurantoin adverse effects were gastrointestinal, with a significant difference for withdrawals (12 randomized control trials, 1063 patients, relative risk ratio, 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-3.56; I2, 8%). CONCLUSION: Nitrofurantoin had similar efficacy but a greater risk of adverse events than other prophylactic treatments. Balancing the risks of adverse events, particularly gastrointestinal symptoms, with potential benefits of decreasing collateral ecological damage should be considered if selecting nitrofurantoin.