Childbearing, child-rearing, cardiovascular risk factors, and progression of carotid intima-media thickness: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Parity is associated with the risk of clinical cardiovascular events and the severity of preclinical atherosclerosis in older subjects. We sought to determine whether childbearing is associated with concurrent changes in cardiovascular risk factors and the progression of carotid intima-media thickness. METHODS: We examined the association between the number of children born during a 6-year period and concurrent changes in cardiovascular risk factors and progression of carotid intima-media thickness in men and women of reproductive age from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study. Complete data for parity and carotid intima-media thickness were available for 1786 subjects (1005 females, 781 males). RESULTS: For females, childbirth during the 6-year follow-up was associated with concurrent reductions in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P(trend)<0.0001), apolipoprotein A-I (P(trend)<0.0001), and apolipoprotein B (P(trend)=0.01); a redistribution of adiposity to abdominal deposits; and increased progression of carotid intima-media thickness (7.5+/-3.2 mum/birth [mean+/-SEM], P=0.02). The association of childbirth with carotid intima-media thickness progression was not greatly modified by adjustment for concurrent changes in cardiovascular risk factors (fully adjusted: P=0.05). This association was significantly stronger in females than males (P(heterogeneity)=0.001), who served as a control group exposed to the social and lifestyle influences of child-rearing but not the biological influences of childbearing. CONCLUSIONS: The progression of carotid atherosclerosis over a 6-year period is increased in females who gave birth during the same period, independent of traditional risk factors. Mechanisms that underlie this observation possibly include parity-induced changes in nontraditional risk factors or an acute influence of pregnancy itself.

Parity and carotid atherosclerosis in men and women: insights into the roles of childbearing and child-rearing.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Parity appears to be associated with carotid atherosclerosis in women aged 45 years and older. Studying this association among younger women and men may provide insight into whether this association relates predominantly to childbearing or child-rearing. METHODS: The association between parity and carotid atherosclerosis (intima-media thickness and presence of plaques) was assessed in a cohort consisting of 750 women and 1164 men, all with at least one traditional cardiovascular risk factor, aged 18 to 80 years of age. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors were also assessed, and the Framingham Risk Score calculated. RESULTS: In age-adjusted analyses, the number of children was associated with adiposity, fasting glucose, 2-hour glucose, Framingham risk score, and carotid atherosclerosis in women, but not in men. Multivariate linear regression models indicate that the prevalence of plaques was increased by 15% (95% CI, 2 to 29) per child among women, and 0% (95% CI, -10 to 11) among men, after adjustment for age, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors (including waist circumference). The association between parity and carotid intima-media thickness was similar in younger and older women (P(Heterogeneity)=0.20). CONCLUSIONS: A higher number of children is associated with increased carotid atherosclerosis in both younger and older women, but not among men. These findings indicate that childbearing, but not child-rearing, may be a risk factor for atherosclerosis, and suggest the potential importance of considering the number of children when assessing the level of cardiovascular risk in women.

Audit of maternal and fetal outcomes in women treated for glucose intolerance during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether one should aim for glycaemia that is statistically 'normal' or for levels of glycaemia low enough to prevent macrosomia (if such a threshold exists) when glucose intolerance is detected during pregnancy. DESIGN: An audit of pregnancy outcomes in women with impaired glucose tolerance in pregnancy as compared to a local age-matched reference group with normal glucose tolerance. RESULTS: Our study suggests that for most patients, more intensive therapy would not have been justified. Maternal smoking appeared to convey some 'advantages' in terms of neonatal outcomes, with reduction in large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants and jaundice in babies of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) mothers. CONCLUSIONS: These observations demonstrate the importance of considering risk factors other than GTT results in analysing pregnancy outcomes, while emphasising that 'normalisation' of fetal size should not be our only therapeutic endpoint. Our detailed outcome review allows us to reassure patients with GDM that with current treatment protocols, they should have every expectation of a positive pregnancy outcome.

Update on intrapartum fetal pulse oximetry.

This article examines the current status of fetal pulse oximetry (FPO) as a means of intrapartum assessment of fetal wellbeing. FPO has been developed to a stage where it is a safe and accurate indicator of intrapartum fetal oxygenation. In general, sliding the FPO sensor along the examiner's fingers and through the cervix, to lie alongside the fetal cheek or temple is easy The recent publication of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of FPO versus conventional intrapartum monitoring has validated its use to reduce caesarean section rates for nonreassuring fetal status. An Australian multicentre RCT is currently underway. Maternal satisfaction rates with FPO are high. FPO may be used during labour when the electronic fetal heart rate trace is nonreassuring or when conventional monitoring is unreliable, such as with fetal arrhythmias. If the fetal oxygen saturation (FSpO2) values are < 30%, prompt obstetric intervention is indicated, such as fetal scalp blood sampling or delivery FSpO2 monitoring should not form the sole basis of intrapartum fetal welfare assessment. Rather, the whole clinical picture should be considered.