[Alcohol and pregnancy in Lorraine: Study of professional practice and aid to detection]. / Alcool et grossesse en Lorraine: étude des pratiques professionnelles et aide au repérage.

BACKGROUND: Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the main non-genetic cause of mental disability in children. "The zero alcohol rule" during pregnancy is recommended but no tracking tool is available to perinatal professionals. In order to improve prevention of FASD in Lorraine, the Lorraine Perinatal Network conducted an assessment of current practices by perinatal professionals and proposed a tool to facilitation detection of FASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The proposed tool is a self-assessment questionnaire combining the AUDIT-C and T-ACE procedures. One hundred randomly selected professionals and all midwives of the Department of Maternal and Child Health (Meurthe-et-Moselle) were asked about their practices before filling in the self-assessment questionnaire. RESULTS: Midwives (98%) were significantly more involved than doctors (53%) (p < 0.0001). 32% of the professionals interviewed encountered difficulties talking about alcohol and 30% were willing to be trained in this issue. The majority of professionals who tested the tool found it to be appropriate. Pregnant women easily answered the questionnaire. Only 15 women reported drinking alcohol during pregnancy, while the self-administered survey revealed that 38 women required specific monitoring. DISCUSSION: It remains difficult to encourage active participation of professionals, especially doctors, in this field. Professionals expressed the need for an aid to detection of high-risk behaviours. The proposed tool facilitates detection, but there is still room for improvement. CONCLUSION: The Perinatal Network must find new means to mobilize professionals, organize training programmes and improve the tool so that drinking can be systematically discussed during prenatal visits.

Pregnancy denial and early infant development: a case-control observational prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The denial of pregnancy is the non-recognition of the state of the current pregnancy by a pregnant woman. It lasts for a few months or for the whole pregnancy, with generally few physical transformations. In this study, we will consider the denial of pregnancy as a late declaration of pregnancy (beyond 20 weeks of gestation) as well as a lack of objective perceptions of this pregnancy. The main objective of this study is to explore the relationship between pregnancy denial and the development of the infant (attachment pattern of the infant, early interactions of mother-infant dyads, and early development of the infant). METHODS: The design is a case-control prospective study, which will compare two groups of mother-infant dyads: a "case" group with maternal denials of pregnancy and a "control" group without denials of pregnancy. A total of 140 dyads (mother + infant) will be included in this study (70 cases and 70 controls) and followed for 18 months. The setting is a national recruitment setting with 10 centers distributed all over France. The follow-up of the "cases" and the "controls" will be identical and will occur over 5 visits. It will include measures of the infant attachment pattern, the quality of early mother-infant interaction and infant development. DISCUSSION: This study aims to examine the pathogenesis of pregnancy denial as well as its consequences on early infant development and early mother-infant interaction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial Number: NCT02867579 on the date of 16 August 2016 (retrospectively registered).

[Termination of pregnancy: A survey about its evolution in French perinatal centres]. / Évolution des demandes d'interruption médicale de grossesse : enquête auprès du centre pluridisciplinaire de diagnostic prénatal de Lorraine.

CONTEXT: Termination of pregnancy (TOP) is regulated by French law for decades. Indications of TOP may vary depending on progress performed in perinatal medicine and in diagnosis of fetal anomalies, and also according to the way malformations are perceived in society. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the frequency and indications of TOP had varied in the Lorraine Centre for Perinatal Diagnosis from 2000 to 2012. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study performed on a randomized sample of medical files presented in the Lorraine Centre for Perinatal Diagnosis in years 2000, 2006 and 2012. We analyzed the number of files presented by parents-to-be, the indication motivating TOP, general characteristics of both pregnancies and mothers. We also performed a prospective enquiry among the French Centres for Perinatal Diagnosis in order to determine national rates. RESULTS: General characteristics of mothers and pregnancies were similar from 2002 to 2012. No modification in indications of TOP was measured. In Lorraine, most TOPs were performed for chromosomal abnormality. On the national level, centres for perinatal diagnosis received more requests for TOPs in the study period. There were also more TOPs for non-lethal fetal anomalies, and parents refusing TOPs though the centres had agreed with its indication. CONCLUSION: The national trends were not measured in Lorraine region.

French multicentric survey of outcome of pregnancy in women with pregestational diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate perinatal outcome in pregnancies in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and the influence of preconception care 10 years after the St. Vincent's declaration. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 perinatal centers in France in 2000-2001. The main investigated outcomes were perinatal mortality, major congenital malformations, and preterm delivery. RESULTS: Among 435 single pregnancies, 289 (66.4%) were from women with type 1 and 146 (33.6%) from women with type 2 diabetes. Perinatal mortality rate was 4.4% (0.7% national rate), severe congenital malformations rate was 4.1% (2.2% national rate), and preterm delivery rate was 38.2% (4.7% national rate). Preconception care was provided in 48.5% women with type 1 diabetes and in 24.0% women with type 2 diabetes. Women whose first trimester HbA(1c) was >8% had higher rates of perinatal mortality (9.2 vs. 2.5%; odds ratio 3.9; 95% CI 1.5-9.7; P < 0.005), major congenital malformations (8.3 vs. 2.5%; 3.5; 1.3-8.9; P < 0.01), and preterm delivery (57.6 vs. 24.8%; 1.4; 1.1-1.7; P < 0.005) than those with first trimester HbA(1c) <8%. These results are similar to those reported in France in 1986-1988. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancies in women with diabetes are still poorly planned and complicated by higher rates of perinatal mortality and major congenital malformations. Despite knowledge of the importance of intensified glycemic control before pregnancy, reaching the St. Vincent's target needs further implementation in France.