Do we have the infant mortality rate we desire?
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H A Hein.
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The speech and language status of 662 children between the ages of 30 months and 5 years was determined through the use of parent report information. Twelve of these children were reported by their parents to have been diagnosed as having a speech-language disorder, and 50 of these children were found to be at or below the 10th percentile in language development for children of their age. Information about family background and birth history obtained when these children were born was evaluated with respect to its power to predict speech-language status in these preschool children. A set of risk criteria was found to accurately predict 55% of those children with poor communication skills and 76% of those with normal communication development. This prediction was improved by the addition of data about the child's birth order. These results suggest that programs of preschool identification should consider the inclusion of a registry of children who are at risk for a communication disorder.
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We studied the impact of unwed status on infant mortality in the state of Iowa, where obstetric and newborn care is readily accessible. Our purpose was to document the extent of the contribution of unwed status to infant mortality and to compare unwed gravidas with their married counterparts. We hoped the comparisons would provide information that could be used for future programs of prevention. Our data encompassed a 10-year period (1977-1986) during which the incidence of infant deaths occurring in offspring of unmarried women was significantly greater than expected. The unwed population commonly consisted of younger, poorly educated, primigravid women who frequently did not seek prenatal care. We suggest that personal factors inherent in this group of women may be more operative than lack of access to perinatal care in determining pregnancy outcome. We believe our data underscore the need to redouble efforts to prevent unintended pregnancy.
The safe practice of inhalational anesthesia requires control over the amount of volatile anesthetic delivered to the patient. With minimal fresh gas flow this is facilitated by continuous monitoring and recording of the agent's concentration ('Anestheticography'). Alterations brought about by routine clinical maneuvers become visible. We recorded the course of the inspiratory and expiratory concentration of volatile anesthetic (Isoflurane) by infrared absorption and a trend recorder. Changing the carrier gas composition during high flow from 75% to 25% nitrous oxide in oxygen resulted in a 10% increase of the inspiratory isoflurane concentration. Activating the oxygen bypass or exchanging the soda lime canisters was followed by a prolonged disturbance of concentrations, most pronounced with minimal flow. Initiating emergence by closing the vaporizer during minimal flow led to a slow decrease in concentration whilst at a flow of 61/min the inspiratory isoflurane concentration rapidly decreased to subanesthetic levels. Insertion of a charcoal filter into the inspiratory limb of the breathing circuit immediately dropped the inspiratory concentration to undetectable levels. 'Anestheticography' is a useful means of monitoring and documentation of inhalational anesthetic. With the use of a charcoal filter all advantages of minimal flow anesthesia can be realized throughout the entire anesthetic, including emergence.
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We followed a group of high-risk children, both those who passed early developmental screenings and those who did not. Three hundred sixty-two children who had previously passed screenings were evaluated at 5 years of age. Significant differences were found between this group and a comparison group in mean scores on verbal, perceptuomotor, and preacademic tests. Children who had previously failed screenings at or before 30 months of age were followed up through telephone interviews with referral agencies and records review. Ninety percent proved to have significant problems, and 67% were in special education programs at 5 years of age. This study demonstrates the need for long-term follow-up of high-risk children at least to the age of school entry.
Fiberoptic intubation is widely accepted in the management of a "difficult airway". In the majority of these cases the underlying anatomical findings require a nasal approach. We report a case of fiberoptic intubation where nasal passage was not possible. Orotracheal fiberoptic intubation was easily performed using a Williams oral airway and a Patil-Syracuse face mask. We recommend this technique for those cases where fiberoptic intubation is indicated but contraindications to the transnasal route apply and an "asleep-intubation" is desired.
Partial exchange transfusion is often used to treat neonatal polycythemia. Concern about the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis following the procedure has recently been raised. We report a retrospective analysis of 185 term, polycythemic neonates who received partial exchange transfusion. No evidence of severe gastrointestinal injury was found. The technique for partial exchange transfusion we report consists of removal of blood from the umbilical vein with reinfusion of a commercial plasma substitute through a peripheral vein. Based on our data and a literature review, we offer suggestions for future conduct of partial exchange transfusion in polycythemic neonates.
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Small Iowa community hospitals (fewer than 500 deliveries annually) are currently the site of approximately 37% of hospital births in the state. Many of these facilities face severe financial constraints aggravated by reduced Medicare payments and diagnosis-related group payment mechanisms. The quality and quantity of services provided by small hospitals are illustrated by birth and mortality data for the period that spans the development of Iowa's regionalized perinatal care system. Small hospitals appear to compare very favorably when matched with their larger level I counterparts with regard to neonatal mortality rates, incidence of births of very-low-birth-weight neonates, survival of very-low-birth-weight neonates, occurrence of neonatal deaths relative to the total birth population, and incidence of neonatal morbidities. Because these hospitals provide valuable services in Iowa's perinatal care system, their closure may seriously compromise perinatal health care for rural Iowans.
Neonatal deaths in Iowa were reviewed for the years 1982 and 1983. As in a similar review of deaths in 1978 and 1979, respiratory distress syndrome, bacterial sepsis, asphyxia, lethal malformations, and extreme immaturity accounted for approximately 90% of deaths. Fewer deaths occurred in 1982 and 1983 and the causes of death shifted toward the nonpreventable. Lethal malformations became the leading cause of death and showed an increased incidence over the previous period. The greatest reduction of deaths was in level 1 hospitals. Ability to effect further reduction in neonatal deaths was estimated by calculation of an idealized neonatal mortality rate for the state and each level of care. These calculations suggest that future reduction in mortality must come primarily from improved care in level 2 and 3 centers rather than from further change in level 1 provider behavior.
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In 1973, Iowa, a rural, midwestern state in the U.S.A., established a Statewide Perinatal Care Program. A major objective was to develop and maintain a regionalized system of care. Such a system has been developed but differed from traditional systems by using regional level II centers. Iowa's low population density necessitated this modification. The development and maintenance of Iowa's system is described. Evaluation is provided by analysis of commonly available birth and mortality data. Improved birth-weight-specific neonatal and fetal mortality rates suggest an overall improvement in care. A more favorable birth weight distribution and evidence of screening and selective referral of high-risk patients provide evidence of improvements in prenatal care. Data are presented to show that a stratified system of care is evidence in the state. Level I hospitals currently manage low-risk patients and report very low mortality rates. Level II facilities receive high-risk referrals, but selective referral occurs since the tertiary center accounts for a disproportionate number of fetal and neonatal deaths, and births weighting less than 1500 g. Other regions may benefit from similar approaches to development of regionalized systems of care and evaluation of the same.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.