ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of maternal age and body mass index (BMI) on oral misoprostol induction of labor for late-term pregnancies. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study (ClinicalTrial iD: NCT06184139), including only late-term pregnancies in healthy nulliparous women and single cephalic fetus with normal birthweight. Specify the type of study (randomized, prospective cohort, case-control, other) and include the number of study subjects (cases/controls), treatment type and duration, sampling procedures if applicable. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: One-hundred-and-four pregnant women underwent induction of labor with oral misoprostol for late-term pregnancy on the 290th day of gestation. Study population was divided in two groups based on age (<35 and ≥35 years) and obesity (BMI <30 and ≥30). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS V.21.0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY). The inclusion of 51 women from each of the two arms achieved 80% power with an alpha error of 0.05. Continuous variables were expressed as the mean and standard deviation (SD). Categorical variables are expressed as frequencies and percentages. Results No statistically significant differences were recorded between younger and older women. Obese women reported a longer time between the last dose of misoprostol and cervical dilation of 6 cm (p=0.01), a longer time between the last dose of misoprostol and delivery (p=0.04), and a higher rate of grade II vaginal lacerations (p=0.02). Limitations While this study contributes novel insights into cervical ripening and labor induction using oral misoprostol for late-term pregnancies, its scope is limited by the retrospective study design, inherently carrying biases compared to prospective approaches, and the limited sample size within the study cohort. Conclusions Maternal BMI is a factor negatively influencing the efficacy of oral misoprostol for induction of labor in late-term pregnancy.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK: Performance assessment is a key administrative function and an essential component of organizational quality programs, by quantifying it in relation to set goals, standards, expectations and guides to improvement initiatives. The present study aimed to correlate the nursing performance levels perceived by the nurses themselves with the levels of organizational well-being. Methods. An on-line questionnaire was administered to Italian nurses in order to assess nursing performance, thanks to the Six-Dimension on Nursing performance questionnaire and also the wll-being of nursing organization was explored thanks to the Questionnaire on nursing organization- brief form questionnaire (QISO brief form). RESULTS: Significant correlations were assessed between the nursing performance sub dimensions on frequency sub scale and each sub-dimensions of the well-being questionnaire (p<.001). Also in Teaching/Collaboration sub-dimension of the quality nursing performance sub scale, positive correlations were recorded with the QISO brief form. CONCLUSIONS: Findings were in agreement with the little current literature on this topic, as: the nursing sector might implement reforms and instill an organizational culture in which staff feel they own their profession and will be intimately involved in the vision and mission of their organizations. To help achieve this and improve health services, nurses' organizational engagement enhancement policies should be implemented as an organizational issue requiring the development of strategies for recruiting, attracting and retaining engaged nurses.
