Search Results (38)

Background/Objectives: Maternal vaccination and breastfeeding are important aspects of public health that should be recommended by medical staff caring for pregnant and postpartum women. We aimed to analyze factors affecting women’s likelihood of dual vaccination during pregnancy and their infant feeding strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 953 Polish mothers. An online questionnaire was used and included questions on sociodemographic and obstetric variables, women’s attitudes towards COVID-19 and influenza vaccination, and breastfeeding practices. Results: COVID-19 vaccination was reported by 66.0%, influenza vaccination by 18.2%, and dual vaccination by 15.6% of Polish mothers. Increasing willingness to receive vaccines was significantly associated with older maternal age, lower BMI, living in urban areas with >100,000 residents, and high levels of knowledge regarding vaccination. No significant association between dual vaccination and neonatal feeding strategy was detected. The group of exclusively breastfeeding mothers, in comparison to formula- and mixed-feeding women, was characterized by having lower pre-pregnancy BMI and previous maternal experience. Conclusions: Rates of vaccination against seasonal influenza and dual (influenza and COVID-19) vaccination remain low among Polish mothers. The promotion of antenatal vaccination and reliable information about short- and long-term advantages related to breastfeeding are crucial to perinatal health care for the mother–infant dyad. Young, primiparous women who are overweight or obese should be targets of preventive programs focused on the health of the mother–infant dyad. Full article

Background and Objectives: Smoking has adverse effects on both maternal and fetal health and its incidence varies among different countries. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of smoking during pregnancy and to identify factors associated with smoking. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted at the Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, during an 11-year period (2013–2023). All women receiving antenatal care in our unit were eligible to participate when they attended the prenatal unit for the first trimester nuchal translucency scan (11⁺⁰–13⁺⁶ weeks). Results: Of the 12,074 pregnant women included in the study, 5005 (41.5%) reported themselves as smokers before pregnancy; the smoking cessation rate due to pregnancy was 70.2% (3516/5005) and the prevalence of smoking in pregnancy was 12.3% (1489/12,074). Multiparity was associated with less odds of smoking before pregnancy (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.73–0.85), whereas advanced maternal age (OR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.07–1.27) and obesity (OR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.29–1.6) were associated with higher odds of smoking before pregnancy. Smoking prevalence in pregnancy was lower in women that conceived via assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.38–0.70) and higher in cases of multiparity (OR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.008–1.26) and maternal obesity (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.20–2.00). Conception via ARTs was associated with higher odds of smoking cessation (OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.38–2.69), whereas multiparous (OR: 0.7; 95% CI: 0.62–0.8) and obese women (OR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.61–0.85) were less likely to quit smoking. Conclusions: Pregnancy is a strong motivator for women to quit smoking, especially in primiparous women and those undergoing ARTs. Our findings highlight the need for more consistent smoking prevention and health promotion strategies in Greece as a very high proportion of women smoke before pregnancy and a substantial proportion continue in pregnancy. Full article

Objective: To investigate primiparous women’s partners for knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the physical home food environment (PHFE), and to assess if the first pregnancy provides a teachable opportunity to enhance the PHFE of first-time pregnant couples. Design: This was a two-phase longitudinal in-depth qualitative study involving questionnaires and individual interviews during and after pregnancy. Participants: Fifteen male partners of primigravida women. Main outcome measures: Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning PHFE; lifestyle and dietary habits; and interest in guidance regarding healthy PHFE during the first pregnancy and the transition to parenthood. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: Key findings include the importance of mutual prenatal PHFE decisions; increased motivation for a healthier PHFE during pregnancy; a desire to provide a healthier environment than their own parents offered, acknowledgement of their wives as ‘nutrition experts’; challenges in accessibility of health foods in the home; and ‘the child eats what we eat’. The first pregnancy was recognized as a critical period for establishing a healthy PHFE. Conclusions and Implications: Expectant fathers have a crucial role in nestrition (nutritional nesting) in first pregnancies. Their engagement is essential in establishing a more supportive nutritional environment in the home and influencing the family nutrition in the long term. There is a need to promote partner involvement, investigate the broader roles of expectant fathers and non-male partners, and develop effective PHFE education for couples in the first pregnancy. Full article

Aims: To assess factors associated with the prevalence of breastfeeding in a cohort of Spanish primiparous pregnant women to whom a health education program was applied. Methods: Prospective, descriptive, and inferential cohort analysis with data obtained from the beginning of pregnancy to the child’s year. Prevalence of breastfeeding was classified into periods or categories: (1) “non-breastfeeding”; (2) “breastfeeding until 6 months”; (3) “breastfeeding up to 12 months”. The sample was 288 primiparous pregnant women divided into two groups of equal size using as a matching strategy whether they attended the health education sessions with or without an informal caregiver (mother, partner, sister): group A (primiparous women who attended the sessions without an informal caregiver; n = 144) and group B (primiparous women who attended the sessions with an informal caregiver; n = 144). Results: The best-associated variables with the prevalence of breastfeeding were age, vitamin B₁₂ variation (postintervention—preintervention), and informal caregiver intervention. This association was statistically significant for breastfeeding up to 12 months of age compared to non-breastfeeding (age (p = 0.007); vitamin B₁₂ variation (p = 0.010); caregiver intervention (p = 0.008)). The younger the breastfeeding woman, the greater the probability of breastfeeding up to 12 months (β: −0.246 (0.91); OR: 0.782 (0.654–0.935)). The greater the increase in vitamin B₁₂ after the educational intervention program, the greater the probability of breastfeeding up to 12 months (β: 0.007 (0.003); OR: 1.007 (1.002–1.012)). The absence of an informal caregiver decreased the likelihood that breastfeeding would be maintained until the child’s 12 months (β: −0.734 (1.024); OR: 0.065 (0.009–0.483)). Conclusions: The prevalence of breastfeeding up to 12 months, in a cohort of Spanish primiparous women, increased the higher increase in vitamin B₁₂ levels after applying an educational intervention program to promote breastfeeding. The prevalence of breastfeeding up to 12 months also increased with the presence of the informal caregiver and in young women. Full article

Background: During pregnancy, significant cardiovascular changes occur to accommodate fetal growth, and catestatin may play a role in these changes. Evidence suggests that catestatin, a pleiotropic sympathoinhibitory peptide, is involved in multiple cardiovascular pathologies, including hypertensive disorders. The objective of this study was to compare serum catestatin levels between first-trimester pregnant women and non-pregnant women, aiming to investigate catestatin’s role in blood pressure regulation during early pregnancy. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 72 first-trimester pregnant women and 57 age-matched non-pregnant controls, all without known cardiovascular or metabolic disorders. Results: Serum catestatin concentrations were significantly higher in pregnant women compared to controls (12.4 (9.9–21.2) ng/mL vs. 7.1 (4.5–10.9) ng/mL, p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in serum catestatin levels between those with a normal and abnormal uterine artery pulsatility index (17.8 (8.3-22.3) ng/mL vs. 12.5 (9.9–22.4) ng/mL, p = 0.962). Similarly, catestatin concentrations did not significantly differ between primiparous and multiparous women (14.0 (11.5–22.4) ng/mL vs. 10.7 (8.8–19.0) ng/mL). A positive correlation was observed between systolic blood pressure and serum catestatin levels in the control group (r = 0.335, p = 0.011) but not in pregnant women. Conclusions: Research on catestatin in pregnancy is still in its early stages, necessitating further studies to fully elucidate its roles and potential therapeutic applications. Full article

Objective: To investigate primiparous women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the physical home food environment (PHFE) and to assess if the first pregnancy provides a teachable opportunity to enhance the PHFE of first-time pregnant couples. Design: Longitudinal in-depth qualitative study involving questionnaires and individual interviews during and after pregnancy. Participants: Fifteen primigravida women. Main outcome measures: Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning PHFE; lifestyle and dietary habits; and interest in guidance regarding healthy PHFE during the first pregnancy and the transition to motherhood. Analysis: Thematic analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistics. Results: Key findings include the significance of health, nutrition, and spousal support in the transition to motherhood. The first pregnancy was recognized as a critical period for establishing a healthy PHFE, while noting the physical and emotional challenges involved. A gap was found in guidance regarding PHFE for first-time pregnant women despite their interest in practical advice. Conclusions and Implications: The first pregnancy presents a significant opportunity to improve PHFE. ‘Nestrition’ (nutritional nesting), a new health-promotion strategy, incorporates nutrition education to enhance this process. These data support future research encompassing partners and diverse at-risk populations prior to the development of effective nutrition education for PHFE in the first pregnancy. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated fears and anxieties, potentially influencing maternal perinatal mental health. This study addresses a gap in the literature on fear of COVID-19 in pregnant women, aiming to identify contributing factors. Method: Participants were 401 primiparous women with an average age of 34 years (SD = 4.56) who were recruited through the National Health System during birth support courses. They completed a series of self-reported instruments via an online survey, providing information on their levels of reflective functioning, dyadic consensus, perinatal maternal affectivity, and fear of COVID-19. Pearson’s correlation and mediation analysis via a generalized linear model were implemented to analyze the collected data. Results: The relationship between dyadic consensus and fear of COVID-19 was significant and negative. Furthermore, a significant parallel mediation involving perinatal maternal affectivity and reflective functioning was found to the extent that, when these factors were inserted into the model, the direct association between dyadic consensus and fear of COVID-19 became non-significant (total mediation). Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of dyadic adjustment in alleviating maternal COVID-19 fear, emphasizing interventions promoting couple functioning, mentalization, and addressing affective difficulties. Such approaches are vital for supporting expecting mothers during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

Game usage has recently been increasing, but the actual situation of game usage and issues among pregnant women are not clarified. The purpose of this prospective longitudinal study was to examine changes in game usage, lifestyle, and thoughts about game usage during pregnancy depending on parity and to clarify the characteristics of pregnant women who continue to use games. We conducted three web surveys in early, mid- and late pregnancy in 238 pregnant women. For primiparous women who continued to use games, there was a significant increase in game usage time from early to late pregnancy (p = 0.022), and 25.0% of those women had anxiety that they might have a game addiction. For primiparous women in mid-pregnancy and multiparous women in early and late pregnancy, the proportions of women who thought that they could not use gaming sufficiently due to pregnancy and child-rearing were significantly higher in women who continued to use games. In both primiparous women and multiparous women, the proportion of partners who used games was significantly higher in women who continued to use games. It is necessary for midwives to discuss with pregnant women and their partners about game usage and to provide advice about control of game usage in daily life. Full article

Background: COVID-19 was an infection that was capable of bringing the entire world to a standstill position within a period of days to months. Despite the advancements in the medical sector, the contagion was difficult to control and costed the lives of millions of people worldwide. Many short- and long-term effects are witnessed even to date in people that contracted the disease. Pregnant females had to suffer not only the devastating effects of the virus, but also the psycho-social impact of the lockdown. The impact of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy causing decreased antenatal care or hypoxemic episodes due to severe respiratory distress and whether it could lead to the appearance of congenital gastrointestinal malformation in neonates is still unclear. The aim of our study was to analyze if COVID-19 infection during pregnancy could increase the incidence of gastric malformations in neonates born from these women. Materials and Methods: We sifted the files of all neonates admitted into our hospital between January 2022 and December 2022, and based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, we included the cases having gastrointestinal congenital malformations during the COVID-19 pandemic. We performed a single-center, retrospective, observational descriptive study. We further divided the patients based on the anatomical location of the malformation. We also took down details of the evolution of pregnancy and whether the mother had contracted a SARS-CoV-2 infection during the pregnancy. Details regarding the Apgar score, days of intensive care admission, sex, and nutrition were the key findings studied. Results: A total of 47 neonates were found to have digestive anomalies, among which, based on the anatomical locations, the number of malformation cases found at the level of the esophagus were 15, while 16 occurred at the level of the pylorus; we found 12 cases of malformation of the duodenum, and four cases had malformation of the rectum. Out of these 47 neonates, 38.3% were females and 61.7% were males. A total of 58% were preemies, among which 9% had intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR), and 42% were full-term newborns, among which 4% had intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR). A total of 45% of the births were primiparous pregnancies and 55% were from multiparous females. A total of 14 mothers were found to have tested positive for COVID-19 during the course of pregnancy (p-value = 0.23); many had mild symptoms but were not tested. Conclusions: COVID-19 can affect the wellbeing of the pregnant female and their fetus. Larger studies can help gain extensive knowledge as to whether COVID-19 also has the potential to result in congenital gastrointestinal anomalies in children born from COVID-19 positive mothers. In our study, only a few infants born with this pathology were found to be born from COVID-19 positive mothers. Hence, it is difficult to conclude or exclude a direct correlation between the infection and the congenital malformations. Full article

Introduction. Pregnancy is a unique time in a woman’s life that can be both exciting and challenging. It is also a period that can be associated with significant stress, anxiety, and depression, which can have negative consequences for both the mother and the baby. Mindfulness interventions are known to be a well-suited treatment and prevention method for psychiatric symptoms in pregnancy, and web-based applications have been explored. We here present an up-to-date systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized–controlled trials to investigate the effect of digital-based mindfulness interventions on depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms during pregnancy. Methods. The systematic literature search and data extraction was performed by two independent raters. It resulted in 13 eligible studies overall comprising 1373 participants. We conducted random-effects meta-analyses for depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms after completion of a digital mindfulness intervention (compared to a control group). Results. Digital mindfulness intervention methods were significantly able to reduce depression (g = −0.47, 95% CI [−0.9; −0.09]) and anxiety symptoms (g = −0.41, 95% CI [−0.77; −0.05]), but not stress symptoms. These effects were moderated by the attrition rate (β_Depression = 0.025, p_Depression < 0.01; β_Anxiety = 0.022, p_Anxiety < 0.01; β_Stress = 0.022, p_Stress < 0.01). Primiparity also had a significant influence on the intervention effect regarding depression symptoms (β = 0.033, p = 0.024). Conclusions. Digital mindfulness interventions are a promising method to reduce mental health symptoms in pregnant women. We identified certain parameters moderating this effect, for example, primiparity and the attrition rate. Full article

The level of association between hemoglobin level/anemia and obesity during pregnancy is not yet fully understood. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hail Maternity Hospital in northern Saudi Arabia from March to May 2023 to assess the associations between hemoglobin levels, anemia, and obesity among pregnant women. Reproductive history was gathered through a questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated/computed from the women’s weight and height. Linear and binary regression analyses were performed. A total of 334 pregnant women were enrolled. The median (interquartile range (IQR)) age and parity were 33.2 (27.4–37.8) years and 3 (1–5), respectively. Of the 334 women, 52 (15.6%) were normal weight, while 87 (26.0%) were overweight and 195 (58.4%) were obese. In the multiple linear regression, parity (coefficient = $-$0.121, p = 0.001) and BMI (coefficient = 0.030, p = 0.006) were negatively associated with the hemoglobin level. Ninety-nine (26.9%) women had anemia. In the multivariate analysis, primiparity (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.30–0.97), increasing BMI (AOR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.89–0.97), and obesity (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.16–0.61) were associated with decreased ORs of anemia. Increasing parity was associated with increased ORs of anemia (AOR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.05–1.32). Being overweight was not associated with anemia (AOR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.27–1.16). In the current study, a high hemoglobin level and lower prevalence of anemia were observed among obese pregnant women. Full article

Background: Achieving the optimal quality of life is currently a health challenge for the world’s population. Pregnancy is a stressful period of life that affects women’s quality of life. Aims: This study aimed to describe and analyse the health-related quality of life in pregnant women during their first trimester in a health area in the north of Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out. A total of 359 women completed the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Results: The sample consisted of 57.9% primiparous women, 30% had experienced a previous abortion, and 7.2% were foreign women. The mean age was 33.53 years. The sum of the physical and mental component values was below 50 points. Notably, 4.17% of women reported a worsening of their health in the last year, and 28.69% had an increased depression risk. Conclusion: Being a foreigner, prenatal abortion, previous caesarean section, previous children, or assisted reproduction techniques are the variables that have a negative association with some dimensions of quality of life in pregnant women. Full article

Post-partum depression is one of the most severe types of depression and can be developed at any age, no matter of cultural of social status. Objectives. To determine the factors associated with the psychological impact of pregnancy and to emphasize the psychological and psychiatric risks after giving birth for a woman. Materials and Methods. The study enrolled 35 patients diagnosed with postpartum depression that have been hospitalized in a tertiary-care center for psychiatric disorders between 2016 and 2020. Data were collected from patients’ observation charts. Results. The incidence of postpartum depression is higher in the age range 30-45 years old for primiparous women who are from urban areas, unemployed and not integrated in a family (unbalanced families or single parents), with medium level of education (high school) and alcohol addiction. One of 35 patients committed infanticide. Conclusions. Even if the postpartum depression is known worldwide it is still underdiagnosed, with certain factors concurring to that. Postpartum depression requires the identification of risk conditions in pregnant women and individualized therapy in a patient-centered, holistic manner. Full article

Limited evidence exists on the effects of maternal dietary patterns on birth weight, and most studies conducted so far did not adjust their findings for gestational age and sex, leading to potentially biased conclusions. In the present study, we applied a novel method, namely the clustering on principal components, to derive dietary patterns among 667 pregnant women from Catania (Italy) and to evaluate the associations with birth weight for gestational age. We identified two clusters reflecting distinct dietary patterns: the first one was mainly characterized by plant-based foods (e.g., potatoes, cooked and raw vegetables, legumes, soup, fruits, nuts, rice, wholemeal bread), fish and white meat, eggs, butter and margarine, coffee and tea; the second one consisted mainly of junk foods (sweets, dips, salty snacks, and fries), pasta, white bread, milk, vegetable and olive oils. Regarding small gestational age births, the main predictors were employment status and primiparity, but not the adherence to dietary patterns. By contrast, women belonging to cluster 2 had higher odds of large for gestational age (LGA) births than those belonging to cluster 1 (OR = 2.213; 95%CI = 1.047–4.679; p = 0.038). Moreover, the odds of LGA increased by nearly 11% for each one-unit increase in pregestational BMI (OR = 1.107; 95%CI = 1.053–1.163; p < 0.001). To our knowledge, the present study is the first to highlight a relationship between adherence to an unhealthy dietary pattern and the likelihood of giving birth to a LGA newborn. This evidence adds to the current knowledge about the effects of diet on birth weight, which, however, remains limited and controversial. Full article

Background and Objectives: Preterm birth as a complex phenomenon is influenced by numerous endogenic and exogenic factors, although its exact cause often remains obscure. According to epidemiological studies, maternal periodontal diseases, in addition to affecting general health, can also cause adverse pregnancy outcomes. Nonetheless, the existing results in the literature regarding this topic remain controversial. Consequently, our study aimed to determine the connection between poor maternal periodontal status and neonatal birth weight. Materials and Methods: A total of 111 primigravida–primiparous pregnant, healthy women underwent a periodontal examination in the second trimester of their pregnancies. Probing depth (PD) and bleeding on probing (BOP) were determined, and based on these diagnostic measurements, the patients were divided into three subgroups according to their dental status: healthy (H, n = 17), gingivitis (G, n = 67), and periodontitis (P, n = 27). Results: Considering that poor maternal oral status is an influencing factor for obstetrical outcomes, the presence of PD and BOP (characterized by the sulcus bleeding index, SBI) was evaluated. In the case of P, defined as PD ≥ 4 mm in at least one site and BOP ≥ 50% of the teeth, a significant correlation between BOP and a low neonatal birth weight at delivery (p = 0.001) was found. An analysis of the relationship between SBI and gestational age (GA) at the time of the periodontal examination in the different dental status groups showed a significant correlation between these parameters in the G group (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Our results suggest that a worse periodontal status during pregnancy may negatively affect obstetrical outcomes, especially the prematurity rate and newborn weight. Therefore, the importance of periodontal screening to prevent these complications is undeniable. Full article