INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare instrumental vaginal deliveries (IDs) and Caesarean sections (CSs) performed at full cervical dilatation, including factors influencing delivery and differences in maternal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients who experienced a prolonged second stage of labour at Singapore General Hospital from 2010 to 2012. A comparison between CS and ID was made through analysis of maternal/neonatal characteristics and peripartum outcomes. RESULTS: Of 253 patients who required intervention for a prolonged second stage of labour, 71 (28.1%) underwent CS and 182 (71.9%) underwent ID. 5 (2.0%) of the patients who underwent CS had failed ID. Of the maternal characteristics considered, ethnicity was significantly different. Induction of labour and intrapartum epidural did not influence delivery type. 70.4% of CSs occurred outside office hours, compared with 52.7% of IDs (p = 0.011). CS patients experienced a longer second stage of labour (p < 0.001). Babies born via CS were heavier (p < 0.001), while the ID group had a higher proportion of occipitoanterior presentations (p < 0.001). Estimated maternal blood loss was higher with CSs (p < 0.001), but neonatal outcomes were similar. CONCLUSION More than one in four parturients requiring intervention for a prolonged second stage of labour underwent emergency CS. Low failed instrumentation rates and larger babies in the CS group suggest accurate diagnoses of cephalopelvic disproportion. The higher incidence of CS after hours suggests trainee reluctance to attempt ID. There were no clinically significant differences in maternal and neonatal morbidity.
Adult ; Cesarean Section ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Databases, Factual ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Emergency Medical Services ; Extraction, Obstetrical ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Labor Stage, First ; Labor Stage, Second ; Obstetrical Forceps ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Singapore ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of delayed cord clamping (DCC) on preterm infants with a gestational age of <32 weeks.

METHODSNinety preterm infants with a gestational age of <32 weeks delivered naturally from January to December, 2015 were enrolled and randomly divided into DCC group (46 infants) and immediate cord clamping (ICC) group (44 infants). The routine blood test results, total amount of red blood cell transfusion, blood gas parameters, mean arterial pressure, bilirubin peak, total time of phototherapy, and incidence rates of necrotizing enterocolitis, late-onset sepsis, intracranial hemorrhage, retinopathy, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with the ICC group, the DCC group had significantly higher levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean arterial pressure, and standard base excess (P<0.05), as well as a significantly lower percentage of preterm infants who underwent volume expansion and dopamine treatment and a significantly lower amount of red blood cell transfusion (P<0.05). The body temperature, pH value, HCO3(-) concentration, serum bilirubin peak, total time of phototherapy, and incidence rates of late-onset sepsis, retinopathy, grade≥2 intracranial hemorrhage, and grade≥2 neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis showed no significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSDCC is a safe clinical intervention and can improve the prognosis of preterm infants with a gestational age of <32 weeks.

Constriction ; Delivery, Obstetric ; methods ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; blood ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Time Factors ; Umbilical Cord ; blood supply

INTRODUCTIONImmediate postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the most common cause of maternal mortality worldwide. Most recommendations focus on its prevention and management. Visual estimation of blood loss is widely used for the early detection of PPH, but the most appropriate method remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of visual estimation and objective measurement using a sterile under-buttock drape, to determine the volume of postpartum blood loss.

METHODSThis study evaluated patients aged ≥ 18 years with low-risk term pregnancies, who delivered vaginally. Immediately after delivery, a birth attendant inserted the drape under the patient's buttocks. Postpartum blood loss was measured by visual estimation and then compared with objective measurement using the drape. All participants received standard intra- and postpartum care.

RESULTSIn total, 286 patients with term pregnancies were enrolled. There was a significant difference in postpartum blood loss between visual estimation and objective measurement using the under-buttock drape (178.6 ± 133.1 mL vs. 259.0 ± 174.9 mL; p < 0.0001). Regarding accuracy at 100 mL discrete categories of postpartum blood loss, visual estimation was found to be inaccurate, resulting in underestimation, with low correspondence (27.6%) and poor agreement (Cohen's kappa coefficient 0.07; p < 0.05), compared with objective measurement using the drape. Two-thirds of cases of immediate PPH (65.4%) were misdiagnosed using visual estimation.

CONCLUSIONVisual estimation is not optimal for measurement of postpartum blood loss in PPH. This method should be withdrawn from standard obstetric practice and replaced with objective measurement using the sterile under-buttock drape.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Delivery, Obstetric ; instrumentation ; methods ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Maternal Mortality ; Obstetrics ; Postpartum Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surgical Drapes ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common chronic disease. Many factors could affect the development of AR. We investigated early-life factors, such as delivery mode, feeding method, and use of antibiotics during infancy, which could affect the development of AR. In addition, how interactions between these factors and innate gene polymorphisms influence the development of AR was investigated. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 1,828 children aged 9-12 years was conducted. Three early-life factors and AR were assessed by a questionnaire. Skin prick tests were done. Polymorphisms of TLR4 (rs1927911) and CD14 (rs2569190) were genotyped. RESULTS: Use of antibiotics during infancy increased the risk of AR (aOR [95% CI] 1.511 [1.222-2.037]) and atopic AR (aOR [95% CI], 1.565 [1.078-2.272]). There were synergistic interactions between caesarean delivery, formula feeding, and use of antibiotics in the rate of atopic AR (aOR [95% CI], 3.038 [1.256-7.347]). Additional analyses revealed that the risk for the development of AR or atopic AR subjects with the TLR4 CC genotype were highest when all the 3 early-life factors were present (aOR [95% CI], 5.127 [1.265-20.780] for AR; 6.078 [1.499-24.649] for atopic AR). In addition, the risk for the development of AR or atopic AR in subjects with the CD14 TT genotype were highest when all the 3 early-life factors were present (aOR [95% CI], 5.960 [1.421-15.002] for AR; 6.714 [1.440-31.312] for atopic AR). CONCLUSIONS: Delivery mode, feeding method, and use of antibiotics during infancy appeared to have synergistic interactions in the development of AR. Gene-environment interactions between polymorphism of innate genes and early- life risk factors might affect the development of AR.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Child ; Chronic Disease ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Feeding Methods ; Female ; Gene-Environment Interaction ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunity, Innate* ; Infant Food ; Rhinitis* ; Risk Factors* ; Skin ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between autism and prenatal environmental risk factors.

METHODSA case-control study was conducted among 193 children with autism from the special educational schools and 733 typical development controls matched by age and gender by using questionnaire in Tianjin from 2007 to 2012. Statistical analysis included quick unbiased efficient statistical tree (QUEST) and logistic regression in SPSS 20.0.

RESULTSThere were four predictors by QUEST and the logistic regression analysis, maternal air conditioner use during pregnancy (OR=0.316, 95% CI: 0.215-0.463) was the single first-level node (χ²=50.994, P=0.000); newborn complications (OR=4.277, 95% CI: 2.314-7.908) and paternal consumption of freshwater fish (OR=0.383, 95% CI: 0.256-0.573) were second-layer predictors (χ²=45.248, P=0.000; χ²=24.212, P=0.000); and maternal depression (OR=4.822, 95% CI: 3.047-7.631) was the single third-level predictor (χ²=23.835, P=0.000). The prediction accuracy of the tree was 89.2%.

CONCLUSIONThe air conditioner use during pregnancy and paternal freshwater fish diet might be beneficial for the prevention of autism, while newborn complications and maternal depression might be the risk factors.

Adolescent ; Air Conditioning ; Air Pollution ; adverse effects ; Autistic Disorder ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Delivery, Obstetric ; adverse effects ; methods ; Depression ; complications ; Diet ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Income ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Maternal Exposure ; Obstetric Labor Complications ; epidemiology ; Paternal Exposure ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

INTRODUCTIONFaecal incontinence (FI) is a stigmatised condition that remains a silent affliction for many populations. To date, no local study has been performed to determine its prevalence in our population. The existing literature from the West has shown highly variable rates, ranging from 0.8% to 18.0%. The aim of this study was to determine the cross-sectional prevalence of FI in Singapore and to identify at-risk groups.

METHODSA door-to-door questionnaire survey was performed between February and March 2013. We randomly selected 1,000 individuals from the electoral roll to be surveyed using the validated Comprehensive Fecal Incontinence Questionnaire.

RESULTSA total of 381 participants agreed to be enrolled in the study. The mean age of the participants was 52 (range 21-86) years, and slightly more than half of the participants were female (52.8%). Among the female participants, 73.1% had children (78.8% underwent normal vaginal delivery). The overall prevalence of FI in our study population was 4.7%. The prevalence of FI was observed to be significantly associated with increasing age (p = 0.004) and female gender (p = 0.029); women were three times more likely to suffer from FI than men.

CONCLUSIONWith the ageing population of Singapore, the results of the present study provide further impetus to continue public outreach efforts as well as develop clinical programmes that address the growing need for specialist treatments for people with FI.

Adult ; Age Distribution ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Delivery, Obstetric ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Fecal Incontinence ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sex Distribution ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONWe aimed to investigate the epidemiology, diagnosis, prognostication, follow-up care and outcomes of antenatally diagnosed congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), Singapore. The objective of this study was to identify trends in current practice, and evaluate and improve the management of CDH.

METHODSWe retrospectively reviewed cases of antenatally diagnosed CDH from 2006 to 2010.

RESULTSA total of 22 cases of CDH were found, bringing its incidence in KKH to 3.6 per 10,000 live births. The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 22.7 weeks, with 14 (63.6%) cases diagnosed at < 22 weeks and 8 (36.4%) diagnosed at ≥ 22 weeks. All cases were left-sided - 15 (68.2%) were isolated CDH and 7 (31.8%) were associated with other anomalies. Of the 22 cases, counselling about the prognosis of pregnancy based on the lung-to-head ratio was provided in 9 (40.9%). Overall, 10 (45.5%) cases resulted in termination of pregnancy (TOP), 9 (40.9%) resulted in live birth and 1 (4.5%) in stillbirth; 2 (9.1%) cases were lost to follow-up prior to delivery. Of the 9 live births, 3 (33.3%) resulted in neonatal death. In the 10 births, 5 (50.0%) were delivered by normal vaginal delivery, 4 (40.0%) by emergency Caesarean section and 1 (10.0%) by elective Caesarean section.

CONCLUSIONCDH is a challenging perinatal problem with a low overall survival rate. Almost half of the cases opt for TOP. The data in this study can help clinicians better undertake the task of adequately counselling parents with qualitative and quantitative prognostic factors, using an evidence-based approach.

Adult ; Counseling ; Delivery, Obstetric ; methods ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Hernia, Diaphragmatic ; diagnostic imaging ; epidemiology ; Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of different combined immunoprophylaxis delivery modes on mother to infant transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV).

METHODSSix hundred and ninety-six relevant literatures were collected by systematic literature search. Meta-analysis was applied to seven selected literatures that met the criteria and to assess the influence on the infant HBV transmission via different delivery patterns by infants combined immunoprophylaxis.

RESULTSA total of 1435 cases from seven studies which met the criteria were included. The positive rate of HBV was 7.34% (61/831) among the 831 infants in the vaginal delivery group and 4.80% (29/604) among the 604 infants in the caesarean section group. There was no statistically difference between the two groups (OR = 0.70, 95%CI: 0.45 - 1.11, Z = 1.52, P = 0.13).

CONCLUSIONThere was no significant effect of delivery modes on infant infectious rate of HBV by infants' passive and active immunization.

Delivery, Obstetric ; methods ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; prevention & control ; transmission ; Hepatitis B Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B virus ; Humans ; Immunization ; Infant ; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical ; prevention & control ; Pregnancy

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation with success being associated with the total nucleated cell (TNC) count, CD34(+) cells and colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) content infused. This study was purposed to clarify the impact of maternal and neonatal factors on hematopoietic potential of UCB product. UCB samples were screened, processed, tested and cryopreserved according to the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) of Guangzhou cord blood bank (GZCBB). Relationship of hematopoietic cell parameters with maternal and neonatal characteristics for 4615 UCB units was analyzed retrospectively. The results showed that both collected volume (Mean ± SD: 95.23 ± 22.42 ml; Median: 91.85 ml) and initial TNC [Mean ± SD: (1.34 ± 0.49) × 10(9); Median: 1.25 × 10(9)] correlated well with postprocessed TNC [Mean ± SD: (1.21 ± 0.42) × 10(9); Median: 1.14 × 10(9); p < 0.001], CD34(+)count [Mean ± SD: (5.14 ± 4.55) × 10(6); Median: 4.08 × 10(6); p < 0.001] and CFU-GM content [Mean ± SD: (9.72 ± 8.66) × 10(5); Median: 7.53 × 10(5); p < 0.001]. As for donor factors, only infant birth weight correlated strongly with volume collected and all hematopoietic cell parameters (p < 0.001). UCB samples from bigger babies had higher collected volume, TNC, CD34(+) count and CFU-GM content (p < 0.001). Mother's age had no correlation with all the above parameters. Gestational age correlated positively with initial/postprocessed TNC (p < 0.001) and negatively with CD34(+) count (p = 0.04), but no relation with collected volume and CFU-GM content. Cesarean section produced superior volume (Mean ± SD: 97.05 ± 22.23 ml vs 92.53 ± 22.43 ml; Median: 94.08 ml vs 88.82 ml; p < 0.001), but inferior cell count than vaginal delivery (p < 0.001). Male infants had more initial volume and CD34(+) count (Mean ± SD: 96.41 ± 22.31 ml vs 93.95 ± 22.47 ml; Median: 93.27 ml vs 90.14 ml; p < 0.001); [Mean ± SD: (5.28 ± 5.04) × 10(6) vs (5.00 ± 3.94) × 10(6); Median: 4.18 × 10(6) vs 3.94 × 10(6); p < = 0.042], but lower initial and postprocessed TNC than female ones [Mean ± SD: (1.31 ± 0.50) × 10(9) vs (1.37 ± 0.47) × 10(9); Median: 1.22 × 10(9) vs 1.28 × 10(9); p < 0.001]; [Mean ± SD: (1.18 ± 0.42) × 10(9) vs (1.24 ± 0.41) × 10(9); Median: 1.10 × 10(9) vs 1.17 × 10(9); p < 0.001], while no significant difference of CFU-GM were found between male and female infants. It is concluded that these data may be helpful to optimize the UCB donor selection and improve cost efficiency of UCB bank resource. The heavier infants after vaginal delivery should be selected and large-volume units with higher TNC should be chosen at first.
Adult ; Birth Weight ; Blood Banks ; methods ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods ; Delivery, Obstetric ; Donor Selection ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; cytology ; immunology ; Gestational Age ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Maternal Age ; Pregnancy ; Young Adult

This study was designed to assess the effect of inflatable obstetric belts on uterine fundal pressure in the management of the second stage of labor. One hundred twenty-three nulliparas with a singleton cephalic pregnancy at term were randomized. Standard care was performed in the control group, and uterine fundal pressure by the Labor Assister(TM) (Baidy M-420/Curexo, Inc., Seoul, Korea) was utilized in addition to standard care in the active group. The Labor Assister(TM) is an inflatable obstetric belts that synchronized to apply uniform fundal pressure during a uterine contraction. The 62 women in the active group spent less time in the second stage of labor when compared to the 61 women in the control group (41.55+/-30.39 min vs. 62.11+/-35.99 min). There was no significant difference in perinatal outcomes between the two groups. In conclusion, the uterine fundal pressure exerted by the Labor Assistertrade mark reduces the duration of the second stage of labor without attendant complications.
Adult ; Delivery, Obstetric/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; *Labor Stage, Second ; Pregnancy ; Pressure ; Prospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Uterine Contraction