Emotional Distress Caused by the Measures Taken in Assisted Reproductive Treatments during the COVID-19 Confinement in Spain.

During the pandemic, assisted reproductive treatments suffered from major disruptions in their terms due to the restrictions imposed. The objective of this study is to evaluate the level of anxiety of women whose treatments were either suspended or delayed. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between April and May 2020. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was applied by telephone in a Spanish adapted version. The research also included social, personal, and work aspects which may be involved in the challenging situation. RESULTS: A total of 115 patients participated in the study (73.7%). Women showed a mean in trait anxiety of 17.79 (SD = 8.80) and a mean in state anxiety of 19.95 (SD = 9.08). Neither the type of treatment nor the time of infertility were predictors of trait anxiety or state anxiety. Greater age pressure and more worry were associated to greater trait and state anxiety (p < 0.001). The most common emotional reactions to discontinuation of fertility treatments were sadness and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Discontinuation of fertility treatments due to confinement restrictions had a negative impact on the mental health of women who were following a process of assisted reproduction treatment, increasing their levels of emotional distress and anxiety.

Video-EEG recordings in full-term neonates of diabetic mothers: observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether full-term newborn infants of diabetic mothers (IDM) present immature/disorganised EEG patterns in the immediate neonatal period, and whether there was any relationship with maternal glycaemic control. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cohort study with an incidental sample performed in a tertiary hospital neonatal unit. PATIENTS: 23 IDM and 22 healthy newborns born between 2010 and 2013. INTERVENTIONS: All underwent video-EEG recording lasting >90 min at 48-72 h of life. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We analysed the percentage of indeterminate sleep, transient sharp waves per hour and mature-for-gestational age EEG patterns (discontinuity, maximum duration of interburst interval (IBI), asynchrony, asymmetry, δ brushes, encoches frontales and α/θ rolandic activity). The group of IDM was divided into two subgroups according to maternal HbA1c: (1) HbA1c≥6% and (2) HbA1c<6%. RESULTS: Compared with healthy newborns, IDM presented significantly higher percentage of indeterminate sleep (57% vs 25%; p<0.001), discontinuity (2.5% vs 0%; p=0.044) and δ brushes in the bursts (6% vs 3%; p=0.024); higher duration of IBI (0.3 s vs 0 s; p=0.017); fewer encoches frontales (7/h vs 35/h; p<0.001), reduced θ/α rolandic activity (3/h vs 9/h; p<0.001); and more transient sharp waves (25/h vs 5/h; p<0.001). IDM with maternal HbA1c≥6% showed greater percentage of δ brushes in the burst (14% vs 4%; p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Full-term IDM newborns showed video-EEG features of abnormal development of brain function. Maternal HbA1c levels<6% during pregnancy could minimise the risk of cerebral dysmaturity.