Microvascular dysfunction in women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A population-based retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate microvascular function in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). DESIGN: Retrospective population-based cohort study. SETTING: Linköping, Sweden. POPULATION: Women aged 50-65 years, participating in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) at one site (Linköping) 2016-18, who underwent microcirculatory assessment (N = 1222). METHODS: Forearm skin comprehensive microcirculatory assessment was performed with a PeriFlux PF6000 EPOS (Enhanced Perfusion and Oxygen Saturation) system measuring oxygen saturation and total speed resolved perfusion. Obstetric records were reviewed to identify women with previous HDP. Data on cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, medication, lifestyle, anthropometric data, and biochemical analyses were obtained from SCAPIS. The microcirculatory data were compared between women with and without previous HDP. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Skin microcirculatory oxygen saturation and total speed resolved perfusion at baseline and post-ischaemic peak. RESULTS: Women with previous pre-eclampsia displayed impaired post-ischaemic peak oxygen saturation compared with women with normotensive pregnancies (88%, interquartile range [IQR] 84-89% vs 91%, IQR 87-94%, p = 0.001) 6-30 years after pregnancy. The difference remained after multivariable adjustment (ß -2.69, 95% CI -4.93 to -0.45). CONCLUSIONS: The findings reveal microvascular dysfunction at long-term follow up in women with previous pre-eclampsia and strengthen the possible role of endothelial dysfunction as a link to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women with HDP.

Gestational diabetes mellitus and time in active labor: A population-based cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have higher rates of adverse perinatal outcomes compared with women without GDM, including an increased risk for having labor induced and for cesarean section. The findings from previous studies analyzing duration of labor in women with GDM are contradictory. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of GDM on time in spontaneous and induced active labor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a population-based cohort study including 247 524 primiparous women who gave birth to a singleton fetus with cephalic presentation, ≥34+0 (completed gestational weeks + additional days) between January 2014 and May 2020 in Sweden. Data was obtained from the Swedish Pregnancy Register. Time in active labor was compared between women with GDM and without GDM with a spontaneous labor onset or induction of labor using Kaplan Meier survival analysis and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Women with GDM had significantly longer time in active labor, both with a spontaneous onset and induction of labor compared to women without GDM. Women with GDM had a decreased chance of vaginal delivery at a certain time-point compared to women without GDM, with adjusted hazard ratio of 0.92 (0.88-0.96) and 0.83 (0.76-0.90) for those with spontaneous onset and induction of labor, respectively. Women with GDM had increased risk for time in active labor ≥12 h both in spontaneous labor onset (adjusted odds ratio 1.14 [1.04-1.25]) and in induction of labor (adjusted odds ratio 1.55 [1.28-1.87]). CONCLUSIONS: Women with GDM seem to spend a longer time in active labor, both in spontaneous and induced active labor compared to women without GDM. To be able to individualize care intrapartum, there is a need for more studies demonstrating the impact of hyperglycemia during pregnancy on outcomes during childbirth.

Student-led clinic cervical cancer screening-medical students' views on progression of learning, quality of Pap smears and women´s experiences of the visit - a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Student-led clinics (SLC) have been described, but not in gynecology. Gynecology is a subject typically covered in the last terms of medical training, however it includes few opportunities for students to tackle all phases of a consultation and a shortage of opportunities to perform gynecological examinations. Therefore, we started a student-led clinic for cervical cancer screening (SLC-CCS) in Linköping, Sweden and aimed to evaluate students' views on the progression of learning, the quality of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear, and women´s experiences of the visit, using mixed methodology. METHODS: The implementation of the SLC-CCS is described in detail. Students (n = 61) taking part in the SLC-CCS between January and May 2021 were invited to participate in a follow-up discussion (n = 24) focused around four themes: attitudes and expectations prior to participation, experiences of the patient encounter, organization of the placement, and reflections on and suggestions for further development of the placements. The group meetings were conducted in Swedish, recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to a qualitative, descriptive thematic analysis. Thematic analysis is considered an appropriate method of analysis for seeking to understand experiences, thoughts, or behaviors across a data set. The proportion of Pap smears lacking cells from the squamous epithelium during the study period was compared with data from the same clinic before the SLC-CCS started. A validated questionnaire on women's experience of the Pap smear visit was provided. Answers were compared between women who had the Pap smear taken by a student or a healthcare provider. RESULTS: Three different themes were generated: growing confidence in the clinical situation, embodied awareness of variation in anatomy, doubting accuracy of one's own performance. The percentage of Pap smears lacking cells from the squamous epithelium were equal (2%) during the study period compared to the period before the SLC-CCS started (p = 0.28). No difference was found in the satisfaction index between the women examined by a student, those examined by a healthcare provider, or women who did not know who the examiner was (p = 0.112). CONCLUSIONS: The students expressed a growing confidence in the clinical situation and there was high satisfaction from the women. The quality of the Pap smears taken by the students was equal to the quality of those taken by the health care staff. All these findings indicate that high patient safety was maintained during this activity support the recommendation to include SLC-CCS as part of the medical training.

Association Between History of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Coronary Artery Disease Assessed by Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography.

Importance: Adverse pregnancy outcomes are recognized risk enhancers for cardiovascular disease, but the prevalence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis after these conditions is unknown. Objective: To assess associations between history of adverse pregnancy outcomes and coronary artery disease assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography screening. Design, Setting, and Participants: Cross-sectional study of a population-based cohort of women in Sweden (n = 10 528) with 1 or more deliveries in 1973 or later, ascertained via the Swedish National Medical Birth Register, who subsequently participated in the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Bioimage Study at age 50 to 65 (median, 57.3) years in 2013-2018. Delivery data were prospectively collected. Exposures: Adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, preterm delivery, small-for-gestational-age infant, and gestational diabetes. The reference category included women with no history of these exposures. Main Outcomes and Measures: Coronary computed tomography angiography indexes, including any coronary atherosclerosis, significant stenosis, noncalcified plaque, segment involvement score of 4 or greater, and coronary artery calcium score greater than 100. Results: A median 29.6 (IQR, 25.0-34.9) years after first registered delivery, 18.9% of women had a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes, with specific pregnancy histories ranging from 1.4% (gestational diabetes) to 9.5% (preterm delivery). The prevalence of any coronary atherosclerosis in women with a history of any adverse pregnancy outcome was 32.1% (95% CI, 30.0%-34.2%), which was significantly higher (prevalence difference, 3.8% [95% CI, 1.6%-6.1%]; prevalence ratio, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.06-1.22]) compared with reference women. History of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia were both significantly associated with higher and similar prevalence of all outcome indexes. For preeclampsia, the highest prevalence difference was observed for any coronary atherosclerosis (prevalence difference, 8.0% [95% CI, 3.7%-12.3%]; prevalence ratio, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.14-1.45]), and the highest prevalence ratio was observed for significant stenosis (prevalence difference, 3.1% [95% CI, 1.1%-5.1%]; prevalence ratio, 2.46 [95% CI, 1.65-3.67]). In adjusted models, odds ratios for preeclampsia ranged from 1.31 (95% CI, 1.07-1.61) for any coronary atherosclerosis to 2.21 (95% CI, 1.42-3.44) for significant stenosis. Similar associations were observed for history of preeclampsia or gestational hypertension among women with low predicted cardiovascular risk. Conclusions and Relevance: Among Swedish women undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography screening, there was a statistically significant association between history of adverse pregnancy outcomes and image-identified coronary artery disease, including among women estimated to be at low cardiovascular disease risk. Further research is needed to understand the clinical importance of these associations.

Study protocol for a modified antenatal care program for pregnant women with a low risk for adverse outcomes-a stepped wedge cluster non-inferiority randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: It is crucial to provide care based on individual needs. Swedish health care is obliged to give care on equal conditions for the entire population. The person with the greatest need should be given the most care, and the health care system should strive to be cost-efficient. Medical and technical advances have been significant during the last decades and the recent Covid-19 pandemic has caused a shift in health care, from in-person visits to virtual visits. The majority of pregnant women with a low risk assessment have an uncomplicated antenatal course without adverse events. These women probably receive excessive and unnecessary antenatal care. This study will investigate if an antenatal care program for healthy pregnant women with a low risk for adverse outcomes could be safely monitored with fewer in-person visits to a midwife, and with some of them replaced by virtual visits. METHODS: This is a non-inferiority trial where a stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled design will be used. Data collection includes register data and questionnaires that concern antenatal, obstetric and neonatal outcomes, patient- and caregiver-reported experiences, healthcare-economy, and implementation aspects. The modified antenatal care (MAC) study is performed in parts of the southeast of Sweden, which has approximately 8200 childbirths annually. At the start of the study, all antenatal care centers included in the study will use the same standard antenatal care (SAC) program. In the MAC program the in-person visits to a midwife will be reduced to four instead of eight, with two additional virtual meetings compared with the SAC program. DISCUSSION: This presented study protocol is informed by research knowledge. The protocol is expected to provide a good structure for future studies on changed antenatal care programs that introduce virtual visits for healthy pregnant women with a low risk for adverse outcomes, without risking quality, safety, and increased costs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered the 21th of April 2021 in the ISRCTN registry with trial ID: ISRCTN14422582 , retrospectively registered.

Mental disorders and risk factors among pregnant women with depressive symptoms in Sweden-A case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Identification of pregnant women suffering from depression or other mental disorders is a challenge for antenatal caregivers. The purpose of this case-control study was to describe mental disorders and the risk factors for mental disorders in women with depressive symptoms assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale during the first trimester and to compare them with pregnant women without depressive symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 2271 women answered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at the first antenatal visit with a midwife. An Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of 13 or higher was considered to be screen-positive and these women were further assessed. Screen-negative pregnant women, matched for age and parity, were chosen as controls. RESULTS: In total, 149 (6.6%) women were found to be screen-positive. The majority (126, 85%) had at least one mental disorder or risk factor for mental disorder, such as depression (36.0%), anxiety (14.8%), or severe fear of childbirth (20.8%). The screen-positive women were more often smokers (16.1% vs 1.3%), unemployed (19.9% vs 1.3%), or on sick leave (25.3% vs 14.1%) during pregnancy and more often used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor during pregnancy (14.2% vs 2.7%) compared with the screen-negative women (P<.001). Among the screen-negative women (n = 150) only three (2%) presented with symptoms of depression during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale seems to be a valuable screening tool to detect depressive symptoms as well as other mental disorders during early pregnancy.

Evaluation of venous plasma glucose measured by point-of-care testing (Accu-Chek Inform II) and a hospital laboratory hexokinase method (Cobas c701) in oral glucose tolerance testing during pregnancy - a challenge in diagnostic accuracy.

To diagnose gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), plasma glucose measurements during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) put high demands on the methods in terms of accuracy. The aim was to evaluate and compare diagnostic performance of a point-of-care test and a glucose hexokinase laboratory method. Using risk-based screening, 175 pregnant women were included. They underwent a 75 g OGTT in their 28th (median) week of gestation. Venous blood was collected in two different tubes. Plasma glucose was measured on Cobas c701 and in duplicates on AccuChek Inform II (both methods from Roche Diagnostics). Accuracy was assessed by participating in external control programs with reference method assigned values. The methods were compared for all samples (n = 512) by regression analysis; slope of 0.90 (95% CI: 0.89-0.92), intercept of 0.12 (95% CI: 0.011-0.22) and rs of 0.968. The average bias between AccuChek Inform II and Cobas c701 was -8%. The proportion of women diagnosed with GDM was 25% based on AccuChek Inform II versus 55% for Cobas c701. Results from the external control program showed a bias of approximately 5% for Cobas c701 and no significant bias for AccuChek Inform II. Cobas c701 showed a large bias both towards Accu-Chek Inform II and the reference method used in the external control program, clearly exceeding the desirable bias of <2.6%. The lack of accuracy has great implications on either over- or under-diagnosis of GDM.

Women's perceptions of medication use during pregnancy and breastfeeding-A Swedish cross-sectional questionnaire study.

INTRODUCTION: Use of medication for different kinds of symptoms and diseases during pregnancy is common. When counseling the pregnant woman, an understanding of her perceptions concerning the use of medication as well as possible associated anxiety and obstacles is important to ensure high adherence to the treatment regimen. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire was developed regarding the use of medication, perceptions on use of medication, as well as perceptions about pregnancy outcomes in association with medication use during pregnancy. In total, 850 pregnant women in gestational weeks 25-29 participated in the study. RESULTS: The response rate was 92.7% (n = 832/898). About 19.4% of the respondents (n = 160/824) were frequent users (medication use daily to several times a week) and 28.4% (n = 234/824) were non-frequent users (medication use once a week to once a month). The majority perceived medication use during early pregnancy (61.4%, n = 501/816), late pregnancy (55.6%, n = 455/819) and breastfeeding (57.7%, n = 474/821) as probably harmful or harmful. These findings were more common in non-users (medication used rarely or never) than frequent users (P-value <0.001, <0.001 and 0.007). The pregnant women had great confidence in advice from a physician (83.8%, n = 666/795) or a midwife (77.0%, n = 620/805) concerning medication during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of pregnant women in Sweden consider the use of medication during pregnancy either 'probably harmful' or 'harmful' and this perception is associated with non-use of medication. The pregnant women in our study had high confidence in healthcare professionals when seeking advice; thus, actively asking about perceptions could lead to better counseling.

Reproduction, fear of childbirth and obstetric outcomes in women treated for fear of childbirth in their first pregnancy: A historical cohort.

INTRODUCTION: About 8% of the pregnant women in Sweden receive counseling for fear of childbirth (FOC) during pregnancy. Little is known about the long-term reproductive and obstetric outcomes after counseling for FOC: Therefore, the objective of this historical cohort study was to compare the long-term reproductive and obstetric outcomes in women treated for FOC in their first pregnancy to women without FOC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All nulliparas consecutively referred for treatment of severe FOC between 2001 and 2007 (n = 608) were compared with all other nulliparas giving birth on the same day (n = 431). Women who were not fluent in Swedish, missing a postal address, had moved out of the area, given birth at another hospital or had a late spontaneous abortion were excluded (n = 555). A total of 235 women agreed to participate in the study, 63 (39%) women in the index group and 172 (53%) in the reference group. The women were contacted by letter in 2015, ie 7-14 years after first childbirth, and asked to permit access to their medical charts from pregnancies and childbirths and to fill out a study specific questionnaire. Based on data from the medical charts and questionnaire, the mode of delivery, birth experience, obstetric complications, FOC, counseling for FOC and number of childbirths were compared in the two groups. RESULTS: Women in the index group less often gave birth more than twice compared with the reference group (8.2% vs 22.0%, P = 0.012). We found no significant differences in complications during subsequent pregnancies and deliveries. Women in the index group more often gave birth by CS in their first (P = 0.002) and second childbirth (P = 0.001), more often had a less positive birth experience (index group NRS: median 6.0, interquartile range 6 vs reference group NRS: 7.0, interquartile range 5, P = 0.004) in their first delivery and more often received counseling for FOC (58.7% vs 12.5%, P < 0.001) in subsequent pregnancies. Women in the index group more often experienced FOC (18% vs 5.3%, P = 0.001) 7-14 years after first childbirth. CONCLUSIONS: FOC is not easily treated. Despite treatment and exposure to childbirth many women received treatment in their next pregnancy and still suffered from FOC 7-14 years after the first childbirth.

Drug use in pregnant women-a pilot study of the coherence between reported use of drugs and presence of drugs in plasma.

PURPOSE: In Sweden, information on drug use during pregnancy is obtained through an interview and recorded in a standardized medical record at every visit to the antenatal care clinic throughout the pregnancy. Antenatal, delivery, and neonatal records constitute the basis for the Swedish Medical Birth Register (MBR). The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the reliability of reported drug use by simultaneous screening for drug substances in the blood stream of the pregnant woman and thereby validate self-reported data in the MBR. METHODS: Plasma samples from 200 women were obtained at gestational weeks 10-12 and 25 and screened for drugs by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TOF-MS). The results from the analysis were then compared to medical records. RESULTS: At the first sampling occasion, the drugs found by screening had been reported by 86% of the women and on the second sampling, 85.5%. Missed reported information was clearly associated with drugs for occasional use. The most common drugs in plasma taken in early and mid-pregnancy were meclizine and paracetamol. Two types of continuously used drugs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and propranolol, were used. All women using them reported it and the drug screening revealed a 100% coherence. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows good coherence between reported drug intake and the drugs found in plasma samples, which in turn positively validates the MBR.

Mental health after first childbirth in women requesting a caesarean section; a retrospective register-based study.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric illness before delivery increases the risk of giving birth by caesarean section on maternal request (CSMR) but little is known about these women's mental health after childbirth. In this study we aimed to compare the prevalence of psychiatric disorders five years before and after delivery in primiparae giving birth by CS on maternal request to all other primiparae giving birth, indifferent on their mode of delivery. METHODS: The study population comprised all women born in Sweden 1973-1983 giving birth for the first time in 2002-2004. Psychiatric diagnoses, in- and outpatient care were retrieved from the National Patient Register in Sweden. The risk of psychiatric care after childbirth was estimated using CSMR, previous mental health and sociodemographic variables as covariates. RESULTS: Psychiatric disorders after childbirth were more common in women giving birth by CSMR compared to the other women (11.2% vs 5.5%, p < 0.001). CSMR increased the risk of psychiatric disorders after childbirth (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-1.9). The prevalence of psychiatric disorders had increased after compared to before childbirth (mean difference 0.02 ± 0.25, 95% CI 0.018-0.022, p < 0.001). Women giving birth by CSMR tended to be diagnosed in the inpatient care more often (54.9% vs. 45.8%, p = 0.056) and were more likely to have been diagnosed before childbirth as well (39.8% vs. 24.2%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Women giving birth by CSMR more often suffer from psychiatric disorders both before and after delivery. This indicates that these women are a vulnerable group requiring special attention from obstetric- and general health-care providers. This vulnerability should be taken into account when deciding on mode of delivery.

Effect of maternal stress during pregnancy on the risk for preterm birth.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth defined as birth prior to 37 weeks of gestation is caused by different risk factors and implies an increased risk for disease and early death for the child. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of maternal stress during pregnancy on the risk of preterm birth. METHODS: A case-control study that included 340 women; 168 women who gave birth preterm and 172 women who gave birth at term. Data were manually extracted from standardized medical records. If the medical record contained a psychiatric diagnosis or a self-reported stressor e.g., depression or anxiety the woman was considered to have been exposed to stress during pregnancy. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was used to calculate the attributable risk (AR) of maternal stress during pregnancy on preterm birth, both for the women exposed to stress during pregnancy (AR1 = (AOR-1)/AOR) and for the whole study population (AR2 = AR1*case fraction). RESULTS: Maternal stress during pregnancy was more common among women who gave birth preterm compared to women who gave birth at term (p <0.000, AOR 2.15 (CI = 1.18-3.92)). Among the women who experienced stress during pregnancy 54% gave birth preterm with stress as an attributable risk factor. Among all of the women the percentage was 23%. CONCLUSIONS: Stress seems to increase the risk of preterm birth. It is of great importance to identify and possibly alleviate the exposure to stress during pregnancy and by doing so try to decrease the preterm birth rate.

Obstetric outcomes for nulliparous women who received routine individualized treatment for severe fear of childbirth - a retrospective case control study.

BACKGROUND: To study pregnancy and delivery outcomes in nulliparous women with severe FOC (fear of childbirth), all of whom had received routine treatment for their FOC and to make comparisons with a healthy reference group of nulliparous women.To study the possible relationship between the number of FOC-treatment sessions and the delivery method. METHODS: All nulliparous women with a diagnose FOC who received routine treatment for FOC (n = 181) and a reference group of nulliparous women without FOC (n = 431) at a university and a county hospital in the south east region of Sweden were analysed. Data from antenatal and delivery medical records were used to study outcome. RESULTS: The majority of women with severe FOC had a vaginal delivery. The incidence of elective CS was greater in the index group than in the reference group (p < 0.001). The total number of women with a planned CS in the index group was 35 (19.4%) and in the control group 14 (3.2%). Thus, on average five women per year received an elective CS during the study years due to severe FOC. The women in the index group who wished to have a CS were similar to the other women in the index group with reference to age, BMI, chronic disease but had been in in-patient care more often during their pregnancy than those who did not ask for CS (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: In this study of women treated for severe FOC, the majority gave birth vaginally and no relationship was found between number of treatment sessions and mode of childbirth.

Salivary cortisol in pregnant women suffering from blood and injection phobia.

Stress and/or anxiety during pregnancy affect maternal and fetal well-being and can cause premature delivery and postnatal pathology in the child. Women suffering from phobias related to blood and injections are prone to high levels of stress, including anxiety and sometimes panic attacks, during pregnancy. Cortisol is amongst the mediators through which the neurohormonal expressions of maternal psychological factors may be transduced to the fetus. The aim of this study was to investigate whether pregnant women suffering from blood and injection phobia have raised cortisol levels or are characterized by unusual diurnal salivary cortisol profiles compared with healthy controls. The sample consisted of 110 pregnant women with blood and injection phobia and 110 pregnant healthy controls. Both groups provided morning and evening saliva samples in weeks 25 and 36 for the assay of cortisol. In gestational week 25, when blood was drawn for the mandatory blood testing, extra blood was taken to analyze corticotrophin-releasing factor, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and cortisol in serum. The diurnal decline in salivary cortisol as well as increased cortisol levels were observed during pregnancy. Pregnant women suffering from blood and injection phobia had a higher output of cortisol compared with women without the phobia (F = 6.25, df = 1, p = 0.014), but no marked difference in the diurnal cortisol rhythm was found between groups. Our findings indicate that untreated blood and injection phobia during pregnancy increases cortisol concentrations. Blood and injection phobia is treatable, and cognitive behavioral therapy can be used. Women with blood and injection phobia during pregnancy therefore need to be recognized and offered treatment without delay in early pregnancy.

The risk of postpartum hemorrhage when lowering the oxytocin dose in planned cesarean section, a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Oxytocin is the drug of choice in preventing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). The aim was to compare the peroperative- and total blood loss within two hours and PPH after planned cesarean section (CS) when receiving 2.5 IU vs 5.0 IU of oxytocin in different risk groups for PPH. STUDY DESIGN: A pilot study including 927 women undergoing planned CS where women receiving 2.5 IU of oxytocin were compared to women receiving 5.0 IU of oxytocin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data comparing peroperative blood loss, total blood loss within two hours and PPH were analyzed. RESULTS: The women receiving 2.5 IU of oxytocin had a slightly higher peroperative blood loss, compared to the 5.0 IU group (476 ml vs 426 ml, p = 0.029). The total blood loss two hours after surgery showed no significant difference between the groups (626 ml vs 595 ml, p = 0.230). In the 2.5 IU group 13% had a blood loss ≥ 1000 ml vs 10% in the 5 IU group (aOR 1.64, 95% CI = 1.05-2.56). When the women considered to be at high risk for postpartum hemorrhage were excluded, we found no difference in the likelihood for postpartum hemorrhage between the groups (aOR 1.13, 95% CI = 0.64-1.99). CONCLUSIONS: Women undergoing planned CS and receiving 2.5 IU of oxytocin had a slightly higher risk for postpartum hemorrhage in this study. However, a lower dose of 2.5 IU of oxytocin seems to be a safe option in planned CS for women without known risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.

The impact of major depressive disorder and antidepressant medication before and during pregnancy on obstetric and neonatal outcomes: A nationwide population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of major depressive disorder (MDD) and antidepressant medication before and during pregnancy on obstetric and neonatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: A national register-based cohort study of pregnant women born in Sweden, and their first child born in 2012-2015 (n = 262 329). Women diagnosed with MDD and who had redeemed an antidepressant one year before becoming pregnant ("before pregnancy") and women who were diagnosed with MDD and who had redeemed an antidepressant both before and during pregnancy ("before and during pregnancy") were compared with each other and with women who had neither been diagnosed with MDD nor been prescribed antidepressants (population controls). RESULTS: In comparison to population controls, the "before pregnancy" and the "before and during pregnancy" groups had increased likelihoods of operative childbirth (aOR = 1.19, 95 % CI 1.12-1.27, aOR = 1.38, 95 % CI 1.28-1.48 respectively), and with an increased likelihood for the child being admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (aOR = 1.51, 95 % CI 1.17-1.95, aOR = 1.55, 95 % CI 1.14-2.11). Children born to mothers in the "before and during pregnancy" group had an increased likelihood of preterm birth (aOR = 1.72, 95 % CI 1.52-1.95,), while children to mothers in the "before pregnancy" group had an increased likelihood of low birthweight (aOR = 1.15, 95 % CI 1.00-1.33) compared to population controls. Women in the "before and during pregnancy" group had an increased likelihood for hyperemesis during pregnancy (aOR = 1.93, 95 % CI = 1.60-2.32), having an operative childbirth (aOR = 1.17, 95 % CI = 1.06-1.29) or a preterm birth (aOR = 1.53, 95 % CI = 1.28-1.81) compared to the "before pregnancy" group. CONCLUSIONS: Women with MDD and antidepressant medication prior to becoming pregnant are at increased risk for adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes compared to women without an MDD. Continuation of antidepressant medication during pregnancy somewhat increased the risk for adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes.

Who do we miss when screening for postpartum depression? A population-based study in a Swedish region.

BACKGROUND: Universal screening for postpartum depression is crucial for early detection, interventions and support. The aim of this study was to describe the proportion of, and explore risk factors for, women not being offered screening, as well as for declining an offer or not being screened due to any other unknown reason. METHODS: Socioeconomic, obstetrical and neonatal data, extracted from the Swedish Pregnancy Registry, for 9,959 pregnancies recorded for the Östergötland county between 2016 and 2018 were linked to Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) screening results at 6-8 weeks postpartum, extracted from medical records. Risk factors were assessed using logistic regression models and with a nomogram for easy visualization. RESULTS: In total, there were no recorded offers of EPDS screening in the medical records for 30.0% of women at the postpartum follow-up. Women born outside of Sweden and women reporting poor self-rated health were at increased risk of not being offered screening for postpartum depression. LIMITATIONS: There is a possibility that women were offered screening or were screened, but this was incorrectly or never recorded in medical records. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of women were offered screening for postpartum depression, but there is room for improvement in order to achieve universal screening. Awareness among healthcare providers of the risk factors for not screening might increase adherence to guidelines for universal screening. Overcoming barriers for screening and raising the topic of mental-health issues for postpartum women should be prioritized.

An open trial with cognitive behavioral therapy for blood- and injection phobia in pregnant women-a group intervention program.

Around 7% of pregnant women suffer from blood- and injection phobia. The aim was to investigate if cognitive behavior group therapy (CBT) is effective in treating pregnant women's blood- and injection phobia. Thirty pregnant women with blood- and injection phobia according to DSM-IV took part in an open treatment intervention. A two-session cognitive behavior group therapy was conducted. As controls, 46 pregnant women with untreated blood- and injection phobia and 70 healthy pregnant women were used. Repeated measures ANOVA were performed. The scores for the CBT treatment group on the "Injection Phobia Scale-Anxiety" were reduced both after each treatment session and postpartum (p < 0.001). Anxiety and depressive symptoms were also reduced (p < 0.001). Cognitive-behavior group therapy for pregnant women with blood- and injection phobia is effective and stable up to at least 3 months postpartum. It seems also to reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

Participation in interventions and recommended follow-up for non-attendees in cervical cancer screening -taking the women's own preferred test method into account-A Swedish randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a highly preventable disease. To not attend an organized cervical cancer screening program increases the risk for cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer. The aim was to investigate the participation rate in three different intervention groups for non- attendees in the Swedish national program for cervical screening. The participation in the recommended follow up, and the histology found were also examined. METHOD: Population-based randomized control trial. It included10,614 women that had not participated in the cervical cancer screening programme during the last six years (ages 30-49) and the last eight years (ages 50-64) were randomised 1:1:1(telephone call from a midwife (offering the choice between a visit for a pap smear or an HPV self-sampling test); an HPV self-sampling test only; or the routine procedure with a yearly invitation). RESULTS: In the intention to treat analysis the participation rates were 25.5% (N = 803/3146) vs 34.1% (N = 1047/3068) and 7.0% (N = 250/3538) (p<0.001) for telephone, HPV self-test and control groups respectively. In the by protocol analysis including women that answered the phone call the participation rates were 31.7% (N = 565/1784) vs 26.1% (N = 788/3002) and 7.0% (N = 250/3538) (p<0.001) for telephone, HPV self-test and control groups. The corresponding results in the by protocol analysis including women that did not answer the phone call was 19.7% (N = 565/2870) vs 26.1% (N = 788/3002) and 7.0% (N = 250/3538) (p< 0.001). The majority of the women 63,4% (1131/1784) who answered the telephone wanted to participate either by booking a visit for pap smear (38,5%) or to be sent a HPV self- sampling test (24,9%) (p<0.001). Women who chose an HPV self-test were older and gave anxiety/ fear as a reason to decline participation, and they were also less likely to participate in the follow-up if found to be HPV-positive compared to the women who chose a Pap smear. The attendance to the recommended follow-up after abnormality was in total 87%. The non-attendees had a three or eight times higher risk of having a cytology result of HSIL or suspected SCC respectively, in the index sample compared to women screened as recommended (OR 3.3 CI 95% 1.9-5.2, OR 8.6 CI 1.6-30). A total of ten SCC and one adenocarcinoma were found in the histopathology results from the non-attendee group with a study intervention, while there was only one SCC in the non-attendee group without any study intervention (p = 0.02, OR 8.1 CI 95% 1.2-350). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests, according to intention to treat analysis, that the best intervention to get as many non-attendees as possible to participate is to send an HPV self-sampling test together with an invitation letter. Almost 90% of women in the study with an abnormal index sample attended follow-up. This is high enough to indicate that interventions to increase the participation among non-attendees are meaningful. REGISTRY: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) Registration number ISRCTN78719765.

Comparison of Venous and Capillary Sampling in Oral Glucose Testing for the Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Diagnostic Accuracy Cross-Sectional Study Using Accu-Chek Inform II.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common complication with negative impacts on mother and child. The primary aim of this study was to examine whether plasma glucose cutoffs for GDM diagnosis based on venous sampling can be replaced by cutoffs based on capillary sampling. A prospective cross-sectional study was performed at an antenatal care clinic including 175 pregnant women undergoing an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Duplicate samples were collected by capillary and venous puncture while fasting and 1 h and 2 h after an OGTT. Both samples were analyzed on Accu-Chek Inform II. The cutoffs for a GDM diagnosis using capillary samples were corrected from 5.1 to 5.3 mmol/L for the fasting sample, from 10.0 to 11.1 mmol/L for the 1 h sample, and from 8.5 to 9.4 mmol/L for the 2-h sample using half of the dataset. Applying these cutoffs to the remaining dataset resulted in a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 85.0%, 95.0%, and 90.3%, respectively, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 83%, an negative predictive value (NPV) of 96%, and a positive negative likelihood ratio (LHR) of 16.4 using capillary sampling for the GDM diagnosis at fasting and 2-h after. Corrected cutoffs and capillary samples can be used for the diagnosis of GDM with maintained diagnostic accuracy using Accu-Chek Inform II.