Multidimensional assessment of women after severe maternal morbidity: the COMMAG cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a multidimensional assessment of women who experienced severe maternal morbidity (SMM) and its short-term and medium-term impact on the lives and health of women and their children. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A tertiary maternity hospital from the southeast region of Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: The exposed population was selected from intensive care unit admissions if presenting any diagnostic criteria for SMM. Controls were randomly selected among women without SMM admitted to the same maternity and same time of childbirth. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME VARIABLES: Validated tools were applied, addressing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and quality of life (SF-36) by phone, and then general and reproductive health, functioning (WHO Disability Assessment Schedule), sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)), substance abuse (Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test 2.0) and growth/development (Denver Developmental Screening Test) of children born in the index pregnancy in a face-to-face interview. RESULTS: All instruments were applied to 638 women (315 had SMM; 323 were controls, with the assessment of 264 and 307 children, respectively). SF-36 score was significantly lower in the SMM group, while PTSD score was similar between groups. Women who had SMM became more frequently sterile, had more abnormal clinical conditions after the index pregnancy and a higher score for altered functioning, while proportions of FSFI score or any drug use were similar between groups. Furthermore, children from the SMM group were more likely to have weight (threefold) and height (1.5 fold) for age deficits and also impaired development (1.5-fold). CONCLUSION: SMM impairs some aspects of the lives of women and their children. The focus should be directed towards monitoring these women and their children after birth, ensuring accessibility to health services and reducing short-term and medium-term repercussions on physical, reproductive and psychosocial health.

Lessons from the Field Beyond the Numbers: Narratives of Professionals on Women who Experienced Severe Maternal Morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: Several factors might affect the health and the quality of life of women who had a severe maternal morbidity (SMM) or a maternal near-miss (MNM) episode. The objective of the present study was to explore the perspectives of the professionals on the repercussions of SMM or of MNM after interviewing women who survived such episodes. METHOD: Selected cases that captured the attention of professionals were reported. The professionals built individually 10 narratives, which were analyzed with the technique of content analysis. RESULTS: According to the perspectives of the professionals, women surviving a severe maternal condition and their families experienced clinical and psychosocial consequences. Some cases portrayed the intense psychological distress in mourning for the loss of the fetus or of their reproductive capacity and changes in family dynamics generating emotional overload, depression, and gender violence. CONCLUSION: The analysis of narratives may offer an idea on the complexity of the perception of care by professionals and on the need for an interdisciplinary follow-up of women surviving an SMM or an MNM episode.

OBJETIVO: Diversos fatores podem afetar a saúde e a qualidade de vida das mulheres que tiveram um episódio de morbidade materna grave (MMG) ou near-miss materno (NMM). O objetivo do presente estudo foi explorar as perspectivas dos profissionais sobre as repercussões da MMG ou do NMM após terem entrevistados mulheres que sobreviveram a um desses episódios. MéTODOS: Casos selecionados que chamaram a atenção dos profissionais foram relatados. Estes profissionais construíram individualmente 10 narrativas, que foram analisadas com a técnica de análise de conteúdo. RESULTADOS: Segundo as perspectivas dos profissionais, as mulheres que sobreviveram a uma condição materna grave e suas famílias vivenciaram consequências clínicas e psicológicas. Alguns casos relataram um intenso estresse psicológico no luto pela perda do feto ou de sua capacidade reprodutiva e de mudanças da dinâmica familiar, gerando sobrecarga emocional, depressão e violência de gênero. CONCLUSãO: A análise das narrativas pode oferecer uma ideia sobre a complexidade da percepção do cuidado de profissionais e sobre a necessidade de um seguimento interdisciplinar das mulheres sobreviventes de um episódio de MMG ou de NMM.

Drug use during pregnancy and its consequences: A nested case control study on severe maternal morbidity / Uso de drogas na gestação e suas consequências: um estudo de caso-controle aninhado sobre morbidade materna grave

Abstract Objective To assess the relationship between the use of psychoactive substances during pregnancy and the occurrence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM), perinatal outcomes and repercussions on the neuropsychomotor development of exposed children. Methods A case-control study nested within a cohort of severe maternal morbidity (COMMAG) was performed. Women with SMM were considered cases. Controls were thosewith low-risk pregnancy,without SMMand admitted during the same time period as the cases. Cohort data were collected retrospectively in hospital records for childbirth. A face-to-face interview was also performed with 638 women (323 without SMM and 315 with SMM) and their children of the index pregnancy between 6 months and 5 years after childbirth. During the interview, substance abuse during pregnancy was assessed by a modified question from the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test 2.0 (ASSIST) and the neuropsychomotor development in the children was assessed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test, 2nd edition. Results The prevalence of licit or illicit drug use during pregnancy was ~ 17%. Among drug users, 63.9% used alcohol, 58.3% used tobacco, 9.2% used cocaine/crack and 4.6% used marijuana. There was no association between drug use during pregnancy and SMM, although tobacco use during pregnancy was associated with bleeding, presence of near-miss clinical criteria (NMCC) and alteration in infant development; alcohol use was associated with neonatal asphyxia; and cocaine/crack use was associated with the occurrence of some clinical complications during pregnancy. Conclusion The use of psychoactive substances during pregnancy is frequent and associated with worse maternal, perinatal and child development outcomes.

Resumo Objetivo Avaliar a relação entre o uso de substâncias psicoativas na gestação e a ocorrência de morbidade materna grave (MMG), resultados perinatais e repercussões no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor das crianças expostas. Métodos Estudo de caso-controle a partir de uma coorte de morbidade materna grave (COMMAG). Mulheres com MMG foram consideradas casos. Controles foram mulheres com gestação de baixo risco, admitidas no mesmo período que os casos. Os dados da coorte foram coletados retrospectivamente em prontuários de internação para o parto e entrevistas presenciais conduzidas com 638 mulheres e seus filhos da gestação-índice, entre 6 meses e 5 anos após o parto. Na entrevista, o uso de substâncias na gestação foi avaliado com uma pergunta modificada introduzida no questionário para triagem do uso de álcool, tabaco e outras substâncias 2.0 (ASSIST, na sigla em inglês) e o desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor das crianças foi avaliado pelo teste de triagem do desenvolvimento Denver II. Resultados A prevalência do uso de drogas lícitas ou ilícitas na gestação foi de cerca de 17%. Das usuárias, 63,9% usaram álcool, 58,3% usaram tabaco, 9,2% usaram cocaína/crack e 4,6% usaram maconha. Não houve associação entre o uso de drogas na gestação eMMG. Contudo, o uso de tabaco foi associado a hemorragia, presença de critérios clínicos de near miss e alteração no desenvolvimento infantil. O uso de álcool foi associado à asfixia neonatal e o uso de cocaína/crack à ocorrência de alguma complicação clínica na gestação. Conclusão O abuso de substâncias lícitas ou ilícitas na gestação é frequente e associado a piores desfechos maternos, perinatais e do desenvolvimento infantil.

Drug Use during Pregnancy and its Consequences: A Nested Case Control Study on Severe Maternal Morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between the use of psychoactive substances during pregnancy and the occurrence of severe maternal morbidity (SMM), perinatal outcomes and repercussions on the neuropsychomotor development of exposed children. METHODS: A case-control study nested within a cohort of severe maternal morbidity (COMMAG) was performed. Women with SMM were considered cases. Controls were those with low-risk pregnancy, without SMM and admitted during the same time period as the cases. Cohort data were collected retrospectively in hospital records for childbirth. A face-to-face interview was also performed with 638 women (323 without SMM and 315 with SMM) and their children of the index pregnancy between 6 months and 5 years after childbirth. During the interview, substance abuse during pregnancy was assessed by a modified question from the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test 2.0 (ASSIST) and the neuropsychomotor development in the children was assessed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test, 2nd edition. RESULTS: The prevalence of licit or illicit drug use during pregnancy was ∼ 17%. Among drug users, 63.9% used alcohol, 58.3% used tobacco, 9.2% used cocaine/crack and 4.6% used marijuana. There was no association between drug use during pregnancy and SMM, although tobacco use during pregnancy was associated with bleeding, presence of near-miss clinical criteria (NMCC) and alteration in infant development; alcohol use was associated with neonatal asphyxia; and cocaine/crack use was associated with the occurrence of some clinical complications during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: The use of psychoactive substances during pregnancy is frequent and associated with worse maternal, perinatal and child development outcomes.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a relação entre o uso de substâncias psicoativas na gestação e a ocorrência de morbidade materna grave (MMG), resultados perinatais e repercussões no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor das crianças expostas. MéTODOS: Estudo de caso-controle a partir de uma coorte de morbidade materna grave (COMMAG). Mulheres com MMG foram consideradas casos. Controles foram mulheres com gestação de baixo risco, admitidas no mesmo período que os casos. Os dados da coorte foram coletados retrospectivamente em prontuários de internação para o parto e entrevistas presenciais conduzidas com 638 mulheres e seus filhos da gestação-índice, entre 6 meses e 5 anos após o parto. Na entrevista, o uso de substâncias na gestação foi avaliado com uma pergunta modificada introduzida no questionário para triagem do uso de álcool, tabaco e outras substâncias 2.0 (ASSIST, na sigla em inglês) e o desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor das crianças foi avaliado pelo teste de triagem do desenvolvimento Denver II. RESULTADOS: A prevalência do uso de drogas lícitas ou ilícitas na gestação foi de cerca de 17%. Das usuárias, 63,9% usaram álcool, 58,3% usaram tabaco, 9,2% usaram cocaína/crack e 4,6% usaram maconha. Não houve associação entre o uso de drogas na gestação e MMG. Contudo, o uso de tabaco foi associado a hemorragia, presença de critérios clínicos de near miss e alteração no desenvolvimento infantil. O uso de álcool foi associado à asfixia neonatal e o uso de cocaína/crack à ocorrência de alguma complicação clínica na gestação. CONCLUSãO: O abuso de substâncias lícitas ou ilícitas na gestação é frequente e associado a piores desfechos maternos, perinatais e do desenvolvimento infantil.

Early Empiric Antibiotic Use Is Associated With Delayed Feeding Tolerance in Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Analysis.

The causative factors of neonatal feeding intolerance are poorly understood, but potentially related to clinical practices such as empiric antibiotic usage. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether early empiric antibiotic exposure negatively affects preterm infants' enteral feeding tolerance. Data from infants without risk factors for sepsis, 500 to 1499 g birth weight and 24 to 34 weeks gestational age were analyzed. The primary outcomes were the empiric antibiotic exposure effects on the infants' total parenteral nutrition usage duration and prevalence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Among the 901 infants included, 67 were exposed to early empiric antibiotic. A 50% increase in parenteral nutrition usage duration and a 4-fold greater prevalence of NEC was seen in the early empiric antibiotic-exposed neonates, when compared with control infants (P < 0.01). Early empiric antibiotic exposure appears to negatively influence preterm infant feeding tolerance and possibly contributes to NEC.

Death or survival with major morbidity in VLBW infants born at Brazilian neonatal research network centers.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze unfavorable outcomes at hospital discharge of preterm infants born at Brazilian public university centers. METHODS: Prospective cohort of 2646 inborn infants with gestational age 23-33 weeks and birth weight 400-1499 g, without malformations, born at 20 centers in 2012-2013. Unfavorable outcome was defined as in-hospital death or survival at hospital discharge with ≥1 major morbidities: bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at 36 corrected weeks, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) grades 3-4, periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) or surgically treated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). RESULTS: Among 2646 infants, 1390 (53%) either died or survived with major morbidities: 793 (30%) died; 497 (19%) had BPD; 358 (13%) had IVH 3-4 or PVL; and 84 (3%) had ROP. Logistic regression adjusted by center showed association of unfavorable outcome with: antenatal steroids (OR 0.70; 95%CI 0.55-0.88), C-section (0.72; 0.58-0.90), gestational age <30 (4.00; 3.16-5.07), being male (1.44; 1.19-1.75), small for gestational age (2.19; 1.72-2.78), 5th-min Apgar <7 (3.89; 2.88-5.26), temperature at NICU admission <36.0 °C (1.42; 1.15-1.76), respiratory distress syndrome (3.87; 2.99-5.01), proven late sepsis (1.33; 1.05-1.69), necrotizing enterocolitis (3.10; 2.09-4.60) and patent ductus arteriosus (1.69; 1.37-2.09). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the VLBW infants born at public university level 3 Brazilian hospitals either die or survive with major morbidities.

Adaptação transcultural da Escala de Avaliação de Incapacidades da Organização Mundial de Saúde (WHODAS 2.0) para o Português / Cross-cultural adaptation of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) into Portuguese abstract

OBJETIVO: A Escala de Avaliação de Incapacidades da Organização Mundial de Saúde (WHO-DAS 2.0) foi desenhada para avaliar o nível de funcionalidade em seis domínios de vida (cognição, mobilidade, autocuidado, convivência social, atividades de vida e participação na sociedade). Possui diferentes versões, desde as mais simplificadas até as mais completas, apresentações variadas (entrevistas ou autoadministrado) e abrange os domínios da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade (CIF). O objetivo do estudo foi realizar a adaptação transcultural da versão completa para a língua portuguesa. MÉTODOS: O processo foi desenvolvido em seis etapas: tradução, retrotradução, equivalência semântica, avaliação de especialistas das etapas anteriores, pré-teste do instrumento e versão final. RESULTADOS: Após o pré-teste, realizou-se adequação para o português mais coloquial, substituindo termos para aproximar a linguagem às expressões do dia a dia. As versões mostraram-se semelhantes em relação ao significado geral e referencial. CONCLUSÃO: O instrumento WHODAS 2.0 mostrou-se de fácil aplicação e compreensão com mulheres no ciclo grávido-puerperal.

OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) was designed to assess the functioning level in six life domains (cognition, mobility, selfcare, getting along, life activities, and participation in community activities). There are different versions, from the simplest to the most complete, various presentations (either interviews or self-administered), comprehending the domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). This study aimed to make a cross-cultural adaptation of the complete version into Portuguese. METHODS: The proceeding was developed over six stages: translation, back-translation, semantic equivalence, evaluation of previous stages by experts, tool pretest, and final version. RESULTS: After the pretest, an adjustment to a more colloquial Portuguese was made. The versions were shown to be similar regarding general and referential meaning. CONCLUSION: WHODAS 2.0 was shown to be easily applied and understood by women in the pregnancy-postpartum cycle.

[Cross-cultural adaptation of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) into Portuguese]. / Adaptação transcultural da Escala de Avaliação de Incapacidades da Organização Mundial de Saúde (WHODAS 2.0) para o Português.

OBJECTIVE: The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) was designed to assess the functioning level in six life domains (cognition, mobility, self-care, getting along, life activities, and participation in community activities). There are different versions, from the simplest to the most complete, various presentations (either interviews or self-administered), comprehending the domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). This study aimed to make a cross-cultural adaptation of the complete version into Portuguese. METHODS: The proceeding was developed over six stages: translation, back-translation, semantic equivalence, evaluation of previous stages by experts, tool pretest, and final version. RESULTS: After the pretest, an adjustment to a more colloquial Portuguese was made. The versions were shown to be similar regarding general and referential meaning. CONCLUSION: WHODAS 2.0 was shown to be easily applied and understood by women in the pregnancy-postpartum cycle.