Primary Care After Pregnancy Survey: Patient Preferences, Health Concerns, and Anticipated Barriers.

Despite recommendations for ongoing care after pregnancy, many individuals do not see a primary care clinician within the first postpartum year, missing a critical window to engage reproductive-age individuals in primary care. We administered an anonymous, cross-sectional, trilingual survey at a large urban safety-net hospital to assess postpartum individuals' preferences, health concerns, and anticipated barriers to primary care during the year after pregnancy. While 90% of respondents preferred a visit within one year, most individuals - including those with complicated pregnancies - did not recall a primary care recommendation from their pregnancy care team. Respondents reported a variety of primary care-amenable health concerns, and many social and logistical barriers to care. Preference for virtual care increased if self-monitoring tools were hypothetically available, indicating virtual visits may improve primary care access.

Group B Streptococcus Infection and Obstetric Hemorrhage Risk.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the association between GBS infection and maternal risk for obstetric hemorrhage (OBH) and OBH-related morbidities (OBH-M). METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of all deliveries with a documented GBS status at a single large academic medical center from 2018 to 2019. GBS status was determined by either urine culture or rectovaginal culture collected during the antepartum period. The primary outcomes were quantitative blood loss (QBL), OBH, and a composite of OBH-M. Secondary outcomes were individual components of the OBH-M composite and frequency of hemorrhage-related interventions utilized intrapartum and postpartum. A stratified analysis was conducted examining only patients who were diagnosed intrapartum with an intrapartum intraamniotic infection (III). RESULTS: Of 4679 pregnant individuals who delivered a live infant between January 1, 2018 and January 1,2019 with a documented GBS status, 1,487 were identified as GBS positive (+) and 3192 were identified as GBS negative (-). The GBS + group did not have significantly higher QBL (p = 0.29) or rate of OBH (p = 0.35). There were no significant differences by GBS status in OBH morbidity (p = 0.79) or its individual components or frequency of individual pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic OBHrelated interventions. There were also no significant differences by GBS status among patients with an III. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: GBS infection at the time of delivery was not associated with increased risk for OBH or OBH-M. Further research is needed to further explore the relationship between peripartum infections and OBH risk.

Association between duration of intrapartum oxytocin exposure and obstetric hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: Prolonged duration of intrapartum oxytocin exposure is included as a risk factor within widely adopted obstetric hemorrhage risk stratification tools. However, the duration of exposure that confers increased risk is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess the association between duration of intrapartum oxytocin exposure and obstetric blood loss, as measured by quantitative blood loss, and hemorrhage-related maternal morbidity. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of all deliveries from 2018 to 2019 at a single medical center. We included patients who had received any intrapartum oxytocin, and we categorized them into 1 of 5 groups: > 0-2, ≥ 2-4, ≥ 4-6, ≥ 6-12, and ≥ 12 h of intrapartum oxytocin exposure. The primary outcomes were mean quantitative blood loss, proportion with obstetric hemorrhage (defined as quantitative blood loss ≥ 1000 mL), and proportion with obstetric hemorrhage-related morbidity, a composite of hemorrhage-related morbidity outcomes. Secondary outcomes were hemorrhage-related pharmacologic and procedural interventions. A stratified analysis was also conducted to examine primary and secondary outcomes by delivery mode. RESULTS: Of 5332 deliveries between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2019 at our institution, 2232 (41.9%) utilized oxytocin for induction or augmentation. 326 (14.6%) had exposure of > 0-2 h, 295 (13.2%) ≥ 2-4 h, 298 (13.4%) ≥ 4-6 h, 562 (25.2%) ≥ 6-12 h, and 751 (33.6%) ≥ 12 h. Across all deliveries, there was higher mean quantitative blood loss (p < 0.01) as well as increased odds of obstetric hemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-1.91) for those with ≥ 12 h of oxytocin compared to all groups between > 0-12 h of exposure. In our stratified analysis, ≥ 12 h of oxytocin exposure was associated with higher mean quantitative blood loss (p = 0.04) and odds of obstetric hemorrhage in vaginal deliveries (aOR 1.47, 95% CI: 1.03-2.11), though not in cesarean deliveries (aOR 1.16, 95% CI 0.82-1.62). There were no differences in proportion with obstetric hemorrhage-related morbidity across all deliveries (p = 0.40) or in the stratified analysis. CONCLUSION: Intrapartum oxytocin exposure of ≥ 12 h was associated with increased quantitative blood loss and odds of obstetric hemorrhage in vaginal, but not cesarean, deliveries.

Comparison of Anti-SARS-CoV-2-Specific Antibody Signatures in Maternal and Infant Blood after COVID-19 Infection versus COVID-19 Vaccination during Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine for pregnant persons to prevent severe illness and death. The objective was to examine levels of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) IgG, IgM, and IgA against spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) and nucleocapsid protein (NCP) in maternal and infant/cord blood at delivery after COVID 19 vaccination compared with SARS-CoV-2 infection at in mother-infant dyads at specified time points. STUDY DESIGN: Mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 31) or COVID-19 vaccination (n = 25) during pregnancy were enrolled between July 2020 and November 2021. Samples were collected at delivery and IgG, IgM, and IgA to RBD of spike and NCPs compared in the infected and vaccinated groups. Timing of infection/vaccination prior to delivery and correlation with antibody levels was performed. RESULTS: The majority of participants received vaccination within 90 days of delivery and over half received the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. There were no significant correlations between antibody levels and timing of infection or vaccination. Infant IgG levels to the RBD domain of spike protein were higher in the vaccinated group (n = 25) as compared with the infants born to mothers with infection (n = 31). Vaccination against COVID-19 during pregnancy was associated with detectable maternal and infant anti-RBD IgG levels at delivery irrespective of the timing of vaccination. CONCLUSION: Timing of vaccination had no correlation to the antibody levels suggesting that the timing of maternal vaccination in the cohort did not matter. There was no IgM detected in infants from vaccinated mothers. Infants from vaccinated mothers had robust IgG titers to RBD, which have a lasting protective effect in infants. KEY POINTS: · COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy had detectable antibody.. · No correlation between antibody levels and timing of vaccination.. · Infants from vaccinated mothers had robust IgG titers to RBD..

Primary Care-Based Cardiovascular Disease Risk Management After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: a Narrative Review.

Several common adverse pregnancy outcomes can reveal subclinical or latent cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, transiently exposed through the physiologic stress of pregnancy. The year after pregnancy may be a singular opportunity to identify and initiate treatment for CVD risk, even before the onset of traditional CVD risk factors. However, clinical guidance regarding CVD risk management after adverse pregnancy outcomes is lacking. We therefore conducted a systematic review of US clinical practice guidelines and professional society recommendations to inform primary care-based CVD risk management after adverse pregnancy outcomes. We identified 13 relevant publications. While most recommendations were based on limited or weak evidence, we identified several areas of consensus. First, individuals with an adverse pregnancy outcome associated with future CVD are likely to benefit from CVD risk assessment-accompanied by education, counseling, and support for lifestyle modification-beginning within the first postpartum year. Second, among clinicians, clear and consistent documentation about adverse pregnancy outcomes and recommended follow-up is important to coordinate care after pregnancy. In addition, patients need to be informed about their pregnancy complications and associated CVD risks, so that they can make informed health care and lifestyle decisions. Finally, in general, CVD prevention in the year after an adverse pregnancy outcome focuses on lifestyle modification, reserving pharmacotherapy for the highest-risk patients and those with traditional CVD risk factors. While postpartum lifestyle interventions show promise for reducing CVD risk after adverse pregnancy outcomes, continued research to determine the optimal content, timing, and long-term effects of such interventions is needed.

SARS-CoV-2 in infant urine and fecal samples after in utero COVID-19 exposure.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic that has and will continue to affect many pregnant women. Knowledge regarding the risk of vertical transmission is limited. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of nasopharyngeal swabs typically have been used to confirm the diagnosis among infants, but whether the virus can be detected in other biological specimens, and therefore potentially transmitted in other ways, is unknown. Positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR has been reported from feces and urine from adult patients. We hypothesize that the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in infant urine and fecal samples after prenatal COVID-19 exposure is low. METHODS: We examined the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA using RT-PCR in urine and fecal samples among 42 infants born to SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers during different stages of pregnancy. RESULTS: A urine sample was collected from 39 of 42 infants and fecal samples from all 42 infants shortly after birth. Although the majority of the women had the symptomatic disease (85.6%), we were unable to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus from any infant urine or fecal samples. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in infant urine or feces after maternal infection during pregnancy, providing further evidence for low rates of perinatal transmission. IMPACT: SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in the urine or feces of infants of mothers with COVID-19 during various time points in pregnancy. This study provides further evidence for low rates of perinatal transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Results help to provide guidance on perinatal care practices for infants exposed to COVID-19 in utero.

Inequities in Adverse Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes: The Effect of Maternal Race and Nativity.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of race and ethnicity on differences in maternal and perinatal outcomes among U.S.-born and foreign-born women, as well as racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes within these groups. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed singleton pregnancies (n = 11,518) among women delivering at Boston Medical Center from January 2010-March 2015. Outcomes of interest included preterm birth, early preterm birth, cesarean delivery, hypertensive disorders, diabetes, low birth weight at term (LBW, < 2500 g), NICU admission and intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD). Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals comparing outcomes between U.S.- and foreign-born women were calculated and stratified by race. Obstetric outcomes among Black and Hispanic women were compared to those of white women within both U.S.- and foreign-born groups. RESULTS: Preterm birth, hypertensive disorders, LBW and NICU admission were more likely to occur among U.S.-born women and their neonates compared to foreign-born women. Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics did not significantly impact these disparities. Among foreign-born women, Black women had a higher prevalence of many maternal and neonatal complications, while Hispanic women had a lower prevalence of some complications compared to white women. Black woman and infants consistently exhibit worse outcomes regardless of their nativity, while Hispanic women foreign-born women experience less disparate outcomes. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Overall, women born in the United States are at higher risk of several adverse perinatal outcomes compared to foreign-born women. Racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes exist in both groups. However, the complex interplay between biopsychosocial influences that mediate these inequities appear to have different effects among U.S- and foreign- born women. A better understanding of these factors can be used to combat disparities and improve outcomes for all women.

Intrapartum Risk Factors and Prediction of Obstetric Hemorrhage-Related Morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether inclusion of intrapartum risk factors improves our obstetric hemorrhage risk stratification tool in predicting obstetric hemorrhage, transfusion, and related severe morbidity. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study using all live deliveries at a single institution over a 2-year period (n = 5,332). Obstetric hemorrhage risk factors, hemorrhage burden, and severe maternal morbidity index outcomes were assessed through chart abstraction. Hemorrhage risk was assessed at (1) "time of admission" through chart abstraction and (2) "predelivery" by calculation after inclusion of all abstracted intrapartum risk factors. Admission high risk was compared with predelivery high risk for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio in predicting obstetric hemorrhage, obstetric hemorrhage requiring transfusion, and obstetric hemorrhage-related severe morbidity. Significance levels were calculated using descriptive statistical methods including chi-squared tests and McNemar's tests. RESULTS: The sensitivities of the risk assessment tool using admission risk classification for high-risk patients is 25% for obstetric hemorrhage, 37% for obstetric hemorrhage requiring transfusion, and 22% for obstetric hemorrhage-related severe morbidity. After intrapartum factor inclusion, the sensitivities increase to 55% for obstetric hemorrhage, 59% for obstetric hemorrhage requiring transfusion, and 47% for obstetric hemorrhage-related severe morbidity. This "predelivery" risk assessment is significantly more sensitive across all three end points (p < 0.001 for all three outcomes). While the positive likelihood ratios for obstetric hemorrhage are equal on admission and predelivery (2.10 on admission and predelivery), they increase after intrapartum factor inclusion for obstetric hemorrhage requiring transfusion and obstetric hemorrhage-related severe morbidity (on admission, 2.74 and 1.6, respectively, and predelivery: 4.57 and 3.58, respectively). CONCLUSION: Inclusion of intrapartum risk factors increases the accuracy of this obstetric hemorrhage risk stratification tool in predicting patients requiring hemorrhage management with transfusion and obstetric hemorrhage-related severe morbidity. KEY POINTS: · There are little data to validate intrapartum hemorrhage risk reassessment.. · Including intrapartum factors improves risk stratification for transfusion and related morbidity.. · Future research should clinically validate risk reassessment in the intrapartum period..

Impact of pregnancy on airway complications after intubation for COVID-19 infection: A case series.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is associated with severe acute respiratory illness, often requiring intensive care unit admission. Some patients require prolonged intubation and mechanical ventilation. Post-intubation laryngotracheal stenosis occurs in approximately four to 13 % of adult patients after prolonged intubation in the absence of COVID-19 infection. The rate of COVID-19 related post-intubation laryngotracheal stenosis may be higher. Of 339 pregnant patients with COVID-19, we identified seven who required intubation and mechanical ventilation. Four of the seven developed persistent airway complications, and laryngotracheal stenosis, the most severe, was present in three. Each patient had variations in duration of intubation, endotracheal tube size, re-intubation, presence of superimposed infections, and pre-existing comorbidities. We speculate that underlying physiologic changes of pregnancy in addition to the increased inflammatory state caused by COVID-19 are associated with an increased risk of post-intubation laryngotracheal stenosis. Otolaryngology physicians should have a low threshold for considering this pathophysiology when consulting on obstetric patients who have previously been intubated with COVID-19. Otolaryngologists can educate obstetricians when caring for pregnant patients who have laryngotracheal stenosis, especially those who may require emergency airway management for obstetric indications.

Factors associated with anti-seizure medication utilization for eclamptic seizures: 1995-2015.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to ascertain the drivers of the use of anti-seizure medications (ASMs) other than magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) in seizure management in a cohort of pregnant and postpartum women with eclamptic seizure. METHODS: Cases of seizure activity attributed to eclampsia from 1995-2015 at 2 large urban academic medical centers were identified and reviewed by a neurologist and an obstetrician. Analyses focused on patterns of ASM utilization among women according to timing, recurrence, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, and specialty consultation with additional sub-analysis focusing on recurrent seizures only. RESULTS: 93 cases of eclampsia were identified. 100% of subjects received MgSO4. 52% of women received an ASM in addition to MgSO4. Subjects with seizures occurring post-partum, with >1 seizure, or who had a formal neurology consult were more likely to receive an ASM in addition (risk ratio [RR] 3.05 [95% confidence interval [CI] [1.30-7.11], RR 3.01 [95% CI 1.29-7.02], and RR 6.29 [2.37, 16.71] respectively). Postpartum recurrent seizures or those receiving a neurology consult were also more likely to be treated with ASMs compared to recurrent or comanaged seizures occurring before delivery (RR 1.55 [1.02, 2.37] and 1.65 [1.02, 2.69]). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective cohort, patients with atypical seizure presentation (e.g., postpartum and/or recurrent) and women who were comanaged with a neurologist were more likely to receive an ASM other than MgSO4.

Racial and ethnic differences in uptake of cell-free fetal DNA aneuploidy screening in an urban safety net hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To identify racial disparities in cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) first-line aneuploidy screening use among advanced maternal age women at a safety net hospital. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study of women 35 and older who delivered at Boston Medical Center from 2012 to 2015 compared to women who used cffDNA for first-line aneuploidy screening to those who did not. Maternal conventional demographics and social determinants of health were collected. We investigated the relationship between race and odds of cffDNA use, adjusting for covariates by stepwise logistic regression. RESULTS: We identified 1223 women. Seventy-two percent were publicly insured. Upon adjusting for parity, prenatal care site, year of delivery, and insurance status, odds of cffNDA use remained lower for Black and Hispanic women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30, 0.71 and aOR 0.34 [0.21, 0.55]) compared to White women. Language proved to be an effect modifier among Hispanic women that attenuated but did not resolve the disparity in use among Hispanic compared to White women. Racial differences in cffDNA use persisted across the study period. CONCLUSION: Disparity in cffDNA screening uptake exists by race in this diverse urban population. The gap in utilization between Hispanic and White women may be related to primary preferred language.

Mother-Infant Dyads with COVID-19 at an Urban, Safety-Net Hospital: Clinical Manifestations and Birth Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe maternal characteristics and clinical outcomes of infants born to mothers with positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) tests during pregnancy at an urban, safety-net hospital in Boston. STUDY DESIGN: We abstracted electronic chart data from 75 pregnant women with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests at any stage of gestation until 72 hours after birth who delivered consecutively between March 31 and August 6, 2020 at our center. We collected clinical data on maternal and infant characteristics, including testing, signs, and symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), delivery outcomes, newborn care practices (skin-to-skin care, location of care, and breastfeeding) and 30-day postdischarge infant emergency room visits and readmissions. We described categorical characteristics as percentages for this case series. RESULTS: Among 75 pregnant women, 47 (63%) were Hispanic, 10 (13%) had hypertension, 23 (30%) had prepregnancy obesity, and 57 (76%) had symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. Regarding birth outcomes, 32 (41%) had cesarean delivery and 14 (19%) had preterm birth. Among 75 infants, 5 (7%) had positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction tests in the first week of life, all of whom were born to Hispanic mothers with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and had clinical courses consistent with gestational age. Six (8%) infants visited the emergency department within 30 days of discharge; one was admitted with a non-COVID-19 diagnosis. CONCLUSION: At our urban, safety-net hospital among pregnant women with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests, 41% had a cesarean delivery and 19% had a preterm birth. Seven percent of infants had one or more positive SARS-CoV-2 tests and all infants had clinical courses expected for gestational age. KEY POINTS: · Among 75 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 positive testing at our center, five infants (7%) had one or more SARS-CoV-2 positive tests in the first week of life.. · Infants with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests had clinical courses expected for gestational age..

Effect of pregnancy on uterine-sparing pelvic organ prolapse repair.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The impact of pregnancy on pelvic organ prolapse following surgical repair is not well understood. We describe five cases of pregnancy following uterine-sparing surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. We analyzed the changes in women's Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) scores. We hypothesized there would be significant improvement in anterior and apical prolapse after surgery and no recurrence of prolapse after pregnancy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the electronic medical record for cases of uterine-sparing apical suspension performed between January 2004 and December 2012 at Boston Medical Center. Student's t-test for paired design was used to compare the change in POP-Q score at points Aa, Ba and C obtained at preoperative, postoperative and postpartum visits. RESULTS: Subjects in our series demonstrated significant improvement in their prolapse at all POP-Q points of interest between the pre- and postoperative visits, particularly at point C. There was a slight increase in POP-Q score from the postoperative visit to the postpartum visit, but this change was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with previous literature, suggesting that the results of uterine-sparing apical prolapse repair are maintained after pregnancy. Women may be counseled to consider surgical prolapse repair even if they have not completed childbearing.

The importance of personalismo: Navigating obstacles in recruitment strategies for Spanish speakers in marginalized communities.

Recruitment obstacles with Spanish-speaking individuals and members of marginalized communities have been documented in the literature in narrative form, but quantitative data on effective strategies are limited. Within our research protocol assessing the impact of a storytelling intervention on knowledge and uptake of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) aneuploidy screening, three different recruitment strategies were trialed and enrollment rates were compared. Throughout the study, field notes were collected from observations in recruitment efforts. We demonstrate the effectiveness of language-concordant, personal interactions, and culturally tailored materials for recruitment of Spanish-speaking participants into genomic research studies. We also offer commentary on the experience of the researchers that provides insights to inform recruitment methods for marginalized communities.

Obstetric Hemorrhage Risk Associated with Novel COVID-19 Diagnosis from a Single-Institution Cohort in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to compare the quantitative blood loss (QBL) and hemorrhage-related outcomes of pregnant women with and without a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study of all live deliveries at Boston Medical Center between April 1, 2020 and July 22, 2020 compares the outcomes of pregnant women with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 positive diagnosis and pregnant women without COVID-19. The primary outcomes are QBL and obstetric hemorrhage. The secondary outcomes analyzed were a maternal composite outcome that consisted of obstetric hemorrhage, telemetry-level (intermediate care unit) or intensive care unit, transfusion, length of stay greater than 5 days, or intraamniotic infection, and individual components of the maternal composite outcome. Groups were compared using Student's t-test, Chi-squared tests, or Fisher's exact. Logistic regression was used to adjust for confounding variables. RESULTS: Of 813 women who delivered a live infant between April 1 and July 22, 2020, 53 women were diagnosed with COVID-19 on admission to the hospital. Women with a COVID-19 diagnosis at their time of delivery were significantly more likely to identify as a race other than white (p = 0.01), to deliver preterm (p = 0.05), to be diagnosed with preeclampsia with severe features (p < 0.01), and to require general anesthesia (p < 0.01). Women diagnosed with COVID-19 did not have a significantly higher QBL (p = 0.64). COVID-19 positive pregnant patients had no increased adjusted odds of obstetric hemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.17-1.04) and no increased adjusted odds of the maternal morbidity composite (aOR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.50-1.93) when compared with those without a diagnosis of COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women with COVID-19 diagnosis do not have increased risk for obstetric hemorrhage, increased QBL or risk of maternal morbidity compared with pregnant women without a COVID-19 diagnosis. Further research is needed to describe the impact of a COVID-19 diagnosis on maternal hematologic physiology and pregnancy outcomes. KEY POINTS: · Information about blood loss associated with peripartum COVID-19 is limited.. · COVID-19 diagnosis is not associated with increase in obstetric hemorrhage.. · COVID-19 diagnosis is not associated with increase in blood loss..

Maternal postpartum plasma folate status and preterm birth in a high-risk US population.

OBJECTIVE: While maternal folate deficiency has been linked to poor pregnancy outcomes such as neural tube defects, anaemia and low birth weight, the relationship between folate and preterm birth (PTB) in the context of the US post-folic acid fortification era is inconclusive. We sought to explore the relationship between maternal folate status and PTB and its subtypes, i.e. spontaneous and medically indicated PTB. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Boston Birth Cohort, a predominantly urban, low-income, race/ethnic minority population at a high risk for PTB.ParticipantsMother-infant dyads (n 7675) enrolled in the Boston Birth Cohort. A sub-sample (n 2313) of these dyads had maternal plasma folate samples collected 24-72 h after delivery. RESULTS: Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions revealed an inverse relationship between the frequency of multivitamin supplement intake and PTB. Compared with less frequent use, multivitamin supplement intake 3-5 times/week (adjusted OR (aOR) = 0·78; 95 % CI 0·64, 0·96) or >5 times/week (aOR = 0·77; 95 % CI 0·64, 0·93) throughout pregnancy was associated with reduced risk of PTB. Consistently, higher plasma folate levels (highest v. lowest quartile) were associated with lower risk of PTB (aOR = 0·74; 95 % CI 0·56, 0·97). The above associations were similar among spontaneous and medically indicated PTB. CONCLUSIONS: If confirmed by future studies, our findings raise the possibility that optimizing maternal folate levels across pregnancy may help to reduce the risk of PTB among the most vulnerable US population in the post-folic acid fortification era.

Addressing the Global Zika Epidemic Locally: An Interprofessional Model of Universal Screening at One Center.

Escalating evidence for the fetal impact of Zika virus infection required a change in care by all prenatal providers. This article describes an effective model of rapid implementation of universal prenatal screening at one hospital and its network of community health centers for a large and diverse immigrant population exploring the challenges, experiences, and lessons learned. Implementation of national recommendations required a workflow change, challenging a system with a heterogeneity of settings and providers. Using a physician clinical champion and advanced practice nurses in the roles of logistical coordinator and liaison to the network, Zika screening was embedded into prenatal intake visits at both the hospital and community health centers. Challenges addressed include varied medical record systems, acceptance by patients, providers, and community health center leadership, as well as culturally appropriate outreach to diverse ethnic and linguistic communities. In 6 months, the prenatal screening rates increased from 20% to 88%, which resulted in the identification of more than 300 pregnant patients at risk of exposure to Zika virus. This model offers key lessons for emergency preparedness in heterogeneous, safety net hospital settings.

The association of early unexplained elevated alanine aminotransferase with large-for-gestational-age birthweight.

BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease causes hepatic insulin resistance and is associated with metabolic syndrome. Elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The effect of hepatic insulin resistance is not only increased glycogen breakdown but also liberation of free fatty acids due to increased lipolysis. Both of these fuel sources are associated with macrosomia. There is little known about the impact of maternal nonalcoholic fatty liver disease on excessive fetal growth. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of early elevated alanine aminotransferase with large-for-gestational-age birthweight. STUDY DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis from a nested case-control study of maternal alanine aminotransferase values measured between 8-18 weeks and subsequent gestational diabetes. We included women with singleton gestations with complete delivery information and without known diabetes, liver disease, or moderate self-reported alcohol use during pregnancy. We used inverse probability weighting to standardize the population and minimize selection bias. We calculated population-based birthweight z scores and defined large for gestational age as ≥90th percentile for gestational age. We compared maternal baseline characteristics with analysis of variance, Fisher exact test, or Wilcoxon rank sum. We then performed conditional logistic regression to evaluate the relationship between alanine aminotransferase and large for gestational age adjusting for maternal age, body mass index, parity, gestational diabetes, smoking, and maternal weight gain. RESULTS: We identified 26 cases of large for gestational age out of 323 mother-infant dyads. The mean maternal body mass index was higher in the large-for-gestational-age group compared to controls (33.7 [SD 4.3] vs 28.9 [SD 6.5], P = .002). Large-for-gestational-age babies were less likely to be male (8 [31%] vs 172 [58%], P = .01) and had a higher mean gestational age (39.5 [SD 0.9] vs 38.4 [SD 2.3] weeks, P = .01). Maternal and infant characteristics were otherwise similar. The mean alanine aminotransferase among the large-for-gestational-age cases was 28 (SD 37) U/L compared to 16 (SD 8) U/L for controls. Each unit increase in log-transformed alanine aminotransferase was associated with a 3-fold odds of large for gestational age (adjusted odds ratio, 3.05; 95% confidence interval, 2.27-4.10; P < .0001), and alanine aminotransferase ≥90th percentile (26 U/L) was associated with a 4-fold increased odds of large for gestational age (adjusted odds ratio, 4.03; 95% confidence interval, 2.84-5.70; P < .0001). This association was unchanged when analysis was restricted only to women without gestational diabetes with a glucose loading test <120 mg/dL (log-transformed alanine aminotransferase: adjusted odds ratio, 3.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-8.96; P = .04, and alanine aminotransferase ≥90th percentile: adjusted odds ratio, 4.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-14.82; P = .03). CONCLUSION: Unexplained elevated alanine aminotransferase in the first trimester was associated with a 4-fold increase in the odds of large-for-gestational-age birthweight even in the absence of clinical glucose intolerance. This may represent the impact of maternal nonalcoholic fatty liver on the fetal developmental milieu.

Health Systems Approaches to Diabetes Screening and Prevention in Women with a History of Gestational Diabetes.

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with a high risk of future type 2 diabetes. Despite multiple clinical guidelines highlighting the importance of screening in this high-risk population, many health systems report that fewer than 50 % of eligible women are screened in the postpartum period, and little is known about screening beyond the first postpartum year. Systems-level approaches to screening for and prevention of type 2 diabetes in women with a history of GDM are therefore an opportunity for quality improvement. This review will discuss the literature on interventions to improve screening at the systems level and highlight successful strategies as well as gaps in the existing literature. Future directions for intervention research are suggested.