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Biomedical subjects

R L Goldenberg

Publications and source records attributed to R L Goldenberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Neonatal morbidity according to gestational age and birth weight from five tertiary care centers in the United States, 1983 through 1986.

OBJECTIVES: This study details the incidence, by gestational age and birth weight, of specific neonatal morbidities in singleton neonates without major congenital anomalies. STUDY DESIGN: Data were prospectively collected on all deliveries at five tertiary centers in the United States during the years 1983 through 1986. Pregnancies were meticulously dated and the gestational ages of the neonates at delivery were confirmed by Dubowitz score. RESULTS: The incidence of respiratory distress syndrome gradually decreases with increasing gestational age until 36 weeks. A marked decrease in the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, patent ductus arteriosus, intraventricular hemorrhage, and sepsis occurs after 32 completed weeks. The number of days of mechanical ventilation for respiratory distress syndrome and newborn stay in the tertiary care facility also were significantly reduced after 32 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of both respiratory distress syndrome and patent ductus arteriosus is markedly decreased by both increasing gestational age and birth weight. The incidence of grade III and IV intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and sepsis virtually vanishes after 34 weeks. These data relating neonatal morbidities to gestational age are important to the obstetrician in the critical decision regarding the timing of delivery and to the parents, who can benefit from a realistic prediction of the neonatal course.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1992

Maternal alpha-2-macroglobulin levels and fetal growth in Guatemala.

Maternal serum alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) levels were measured at the time of delivery in 244 women in the central highlands of Guatemala. Significantly higher alpha 2M levels were found in thin women and in poor women. In multiple regression analysis controlling for gestational age, race, sex, maternal triceps skinfold thickness and socioeconomic status, high alpha 2M levels were significantly associated with decreased birthweight. These findings agree with those in a predominantly black population in the United States and extend the relationship between alpha 2M and decreased birthweight to a developing country.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1992

Maternal weight status and term birth weight in first and second adolescent pregnancies.

The relationship of maternal weight status to birth weight was evaluated retrospectively for the first and second pregnancies of 72 younger (age 12-15 years at first conception) and 80 older (age 16-19 years at first conception) low-income adolescents (76% black, 24% white). Mean birth weight increased during the second pregnancies of both groups (277 g and 132 g, respectively). Multiple regression analysis (controlling for potentially confounding variables) indicated a positive relationship between second and third trimester rate of maternal weight gain (kg/week) and birth weight for younger adolescents during their second pregnancy (p = 0.014), and for older adolescents during their first pregnancy (p = 0.047). Mean birth weight increased with each increase in maternal weight-for-height (W/H) category near term from the lowest (< 100% of standard) to the highest (> or = 140% of standard), for both age groups during both pregnancies. Multiple regression analysis indicated that among older adolescents birth weight increased 4.2 +/- 2.0 g (X +/- SE) for each 1% increase in maternal W/H near term in their first pregnancy (p = 0.038) and 7.1 +/- 1.8 g for each 1% increase in maternal W/H near term in their second pregnancy (p = 0.0003). Among younger adolescents these relationships, while in the same direction, were not statistically significant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Elevated levels of midtrimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein are associated with preterm delivery but not with fetal growth retardation.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine if the low birth weight associated with unexplained elevations of midtrimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels is due to prematurity or to fetal growth retardation. STUDY DESIGN: Rates of preterm delivery and fetal growth retardation were analyzed according to incremental maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in 5555 women, predominantly white, who were screened for neural tube defects (group 1) and 843 women, predominantly black, with risk factors for low birth weight (group 2). Statistical methods included chi 2, t tests, analysis of variance, and regression analysis. RESULTS: In both groups increasing levels of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein are significantly associated with preterm delivery but not with fetal growth retardation. The preterm delivery rate increased in each group from 8% at levels less than 0.5 multiples of the median to 18.1% (p less than 0.001) at levels greater than or equal to 2.5 multiples of the median in group 1 and 28.1% (p = 0.01) in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Women with unexplained elevations of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein are at increased risk for preterm delivery but not fetal growth retardation. Because of the wide availability of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening, women at increased risk for preterm delivery can be identified in the midtrimester of pregnancy.

Black People↗
PubMed1992

Neonatal periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage after maternal beta-sympathomimetic tocolysis. The March of Dimes Multicenter Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine if the rate of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage is increased in the offspring of women who received a beta-sympathomimetic agent as part of the management of preterm labor. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective study consists of 2827 women who were delivered of a singleton, live infant free of congenital neurologic anomalies between 25 and 36 completed weeks of gestation during a multicenter preterm birth prevention trial. The data were analyzed, adjusting for type of tocolytic agent, race, infant sex, gestational age, birth weight, health care center, route of delivery, indication for delivery, intrapartum fetal distress, respiratory distress syndrome, and neonatal sepsis. RESULTS: The overall incidence of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage in this population was 5.6%. In a univariate analysis in which no adjustment was made for potentially confounding variables, beta-sympathomimetic tocolysis was found to be associated with nearly a fourfold increase in the incidence of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage when compared with the use of either magnesium sulfate or no tocolytic agent. The results of a multivariate regression analysis revealed that beta-sympathomimetic agents were associated with a statistically significant increase in the overall incidence of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (odds ratio 2.47, 95% confidence interval 1.34 to 4.56, p = 0.004) and a similar, but not significant, increase in the incidence of grades 3 and 4 periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (odds ratio 2.50, 95% confidence interval 0.96 to 6.48, p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: beta-Sympathomimetic tocolytic therapy may be associated with a more than twofold increase in the incidence of neonatal periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1992

Screening for hypertension in pregnancy.

The literature dealing with screening for hypertension in pregnancy was reviewed. No level of blood pressure or any other factor provides a guarantee of no risk for the development of preeclampsia. However, higher blood pressure in early pregnancy and a failure to decrease blood pressure in mid-pregnancy are both associated with the development of preeclampsia. The development of proteinuria, rather than the level of blood pressure, is the best predictor of poor pregnancy outcome. Multiparas, especially those with severe chronic hypertension who develop preeclampsia, are at greatest risk of poor pregnancy outcome.

Female↗
PubMed1992

Blood pressure, growth retardation, and preterm delivery.

The effect of various levels of both diastolic and systolic blood pressure at various times during pregnancy on the rates of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and preterm delivery (PTD) were determined. Low systolic and diastolic pressures were associated with both IUGR and PTD, as were high pressures. Low pressures tended to be associated with spontaneous preterm deliveries, whereas high pressures were associated with more indicated preterm deliveries.

Blood Pressure Determination↗
PubMed1992

Maternal serum folate and zinc concentrations and their relationships to pregnancy outcome.

To evaluate the relationship between folate and zinc, and its effect on pregnancy outcome, maternal serum folate and zinc concentrations were determined at 18 and 30 wk gestation in a defined population of 285 pregnant women as part of a large-scale study to identify risk factors for fetal growth retardation (FGR). These results were correlated with birth weight and Apgar scores of newborn infants and with maternal infections during the perinatal period. A weak linear relationship was observed between maternal serum folate and zinc concentrations at 30 wk gestation. Folic acid supplementation had favorable effects on birth weight and Apgar scores of newborns, and reduced prevalence of FGR and maternal infections. No significant correlation was found between serum zinc concentration and birth weight of infants. The concept that folic acid supplementation has an adverse effect on maternal zinc nutriture and pregnancy outcome was not supported.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Maternal demographic, situational and psychosocial factors and their relationship to enrollment in prenatal care: a review of the literature.

Whether or not a woman enrolls in prenatal care in a timely fashion is a major predictor of pregnancy outcome. In this review, we consider maternal demographic, situational and psychosocial factors which have been studied with relation to enrollment in prenatal care. Paying increased attention to some situational barriers such as problems with child care or transportation, and a number of psychosocial factors such as unplanned pregnancy and negative feelings about medical care, holds promise in achieving improved utilization of prenatal care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Serum folate and fetal growth retardation: a matter of compliance?

Serum folate levels were measured at 30 weeks' gestational age in 289 pregnant women, each of whom had been provided with folate supplementation at enrollment in prenatal care. There was a significant association between low serum folate levels and fetal growth retardation. High folate levels were most likely explained by recent folic acid intake. Therefore, we were concerned that the decreased fetal growth associated with low folate levels may have been related to a combination of psychological and behavioral characteristics for which low serum folate levels were only a surrogate measure. A profile of maternal psychosocial status was created, which included measures of depression, anxiety, self-esteem, mastery, stress, and social support. Poorer psychological scores were significantly related to lower serum folate levels. However, in women with both good and poor psychosocial scores, high folate levels were significantly associated with increased birth weight, a relationship that persisted even after adjusting for maternal race, body mass index, smoking, history of a low birth weight infant, and infant gender. Our findings suggest that women with good psychosocial scores are more likely to take folate, but that the use of folate itself is related to a lower risk of fetal growth retardation and increased birth weight.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1992

The relationships among psychosocial profile, maternal size, and smoking in predicting fetal growth retardation.

OBJECTIVE: We explored the relationships among measures of psychosocial well-being, maternal size, and smoking in predicting infant size at birth. METHODS: Participants in this population-based cohort study were drawn from public health prenatal clinics in Jefferson County, Alabama during 1985-1988. Para 1 and 2 women were screened for 11 risk factors for low birth weight, including small stature, a previous low birth weight infant, and smoking. RESULTS: Poor scores on five of six psychosocial scales, as well as on a combined profile, were associated with a significantly higher relative risk of fetal growth retardation (FGR) only in thinner women, defined as having a body mass index less than the median (relative risk [RR] 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47, 3.04). A significant association between the psychosocial profile and birth weight was demonstrated for thin women in a multivariate analysis adjusting for gestational age, race, infant sex, and smoking (P = .0003). The relationship remained significant when hypertension, alcohol and drug use, and weight gain were added to the model (P = .003). In women with a body mass index above the median, a poor psychosocial profile showed little association with FGR (RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.73, 1.98) and did not have a significant association with birth weight. A poor profile had a greater association with FGR in non-smokers (RR 2.04, 95% CI 1.29, 3.22) than in smokers (RR 1.4, 95% CI 0.95, 2.06). CONCLUSIONS: Greater pre-pregnancy weight for height appears to protect against the adverse effects of a poor psychosocial profile in a population of poor, primarily black women. In thinner women, both smoking and a poor psychosocial profile were associated with a substantially increased rate of FGR, indicating a subgroup of women who may receive greater benefits from intervention programs.

Body Mass Index↗
PubMed1992

The influence of previous low birth weight on birth weight, gestational age, and anthropometric measurements in the current pregnancy.

The effect of a previous low birth weight birth (less than 2750 g) was examined using a series of regression analyses. Effects on birth weight were partitioned into those associated with preterm delivery (128 g) and term delivery (178 g). Among term births, a mean difference of 107 g was associated with a previous birth of less than 2750 g, even after controlling for other risk factors including smoking, drug and alcohol use, maternal race, size, and hypertension. The pattern of measurements seen after a previous birth of less than 2750 g included significantly smaller head, chest, abdomen, arm, and thigh circumferences, but an insignificant impact on skinfold thicknesses and no significant effect on length measurements.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed1991

Gestational diabetes mellitus among African-American women.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased risk of poor outcomes for the pregnancy. It is a strong risk factor for subsequent diabetes. The epidemiology of GDM in African-American women is not well known. It has not been demonstrated that their risk factors are similar in character and weight to those among White women. There is considerable multicollinearity among GDM risk factors such as age, parity, obesity, hypertension, and family history of diabetes, and this needs to be sorted out. This review is based on the results of a nested case-control study to evaluate the frequency of, and the relationships of the known risk factors with, the onset of GDM among African-American women. All cases of GDM within a cohort of women seen at any of the county health department clinics in Jefferson County, Alabama from 1981 to 1987 were identified. The cohort represents approximately 63% of all African-American pregnancies in the county during the period. With few exceptions (5.1% based on fasting plasma glucose greater than or equal to 120 mg/dl), potential GDM cases (7.1%) were selected on the basis of a 2 h post 100 g carbohydrate meal screening plasma glucose measure at their second prenatal visit and again at 28-32 weeks greater than or equal to 115 mg/dl and diagnosed on the basis of the results of an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) using the criteria of O'Sullivan and Mahan. Women with any prior history of diabetes (even in pregnancy), 1.6%, were excluded. The frequency of the new diagnosis of GDM among African-American women in this pregnancy in the cohort was 2.5% of pregnancies and 3.4% of women, which is similar to the values reported in the other studies. Controls were selected from women with negative screening tests who delivered after a GDM subject. The results reported in this paper reflect 358 cases (86% of all eligible GDM cases identified) and 273 controls. Cases were significantly older (28.3 vs. 21.7 years), of higher gravidity (2.7 vs. 1.9), more obese (76.7 vs. 61.7 kg), gained weight more rapidly (0.34 vs. 0.28 kg/week), had more hypertension in this pregnancy (28.2 vs. 2.6%), and there was a higher proportion with a family history of diabetes (41.3 vs. 16.5%) (p less than 0.001 for all comparisons). Because there were significant correlations among the risk factors in both cases and controls, multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Contraceptive female sterilization in Alabama: a replication of the WHO study.

The prevalence of female sterilization for contraceptive purposes has grown rapidly throughout the world, and is especially high in the United States. Yet the psychosocial impact of female sterilization is incompletely understood. Much of the previous research has been retrospective and has lacked comparison groups of women using other methods. Better designed, prospective studies have been needed, and the World Health Organization's Collaborative Prospective Study of Female Sterilization was conducted to address this need. No evidence was found in the WHO study of a significant impact of tubal ligation compared to other contraceptive methods on mental health, menstruation, or sexual satisfaction. The present study, a replication of the WHO study, compared 323 Alabama women undergoing elective contraceptive sterilization with 318 women using other techniques to control fertility. In general, the results supported the WHO study conclusions. Although sterilization produced a small increase in menstrual distress in Alabama, there were no significant differences between sterilization and comparison women in mental health or sexual satisfaction.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The relationship between maternal serum zinc levels during pregnancy and birthweight.

A retrospective follow-up study to ascertain the relationship between the level of serum zinc and its rate of change during gestation and birthweight was conducted in 476 women of lower socioeconomic status. Serum zinc concentrations measured at approximately 16 (early) and 32 weeks (later) in gestation were both found to be significant predictors of birthweight. Even after controlling for gestational age at birth and other determinants of birthweight, for each microgram/dl increase in serum zinc early and later in pregnancy, birthweight increased by 5.8 and 8.6 g, respectively. Furthermore, after adjustment for initial zinc levels both the total change (beta = -7.0, P = 0.0007) and the rate of change (beta = -60.8, P = 0.007) in serum zinc during pregnancy were inversely associated with birthweight, i.e., the larger the fall in serum zinc during pregnancy, the smaller the infant. Low serum zinc level (less than 60 micrograms/dl) late in pregnancy was associated with greater than a five-fold increase in the odds (OR = 5.8, 95% CI = 1.8, 16.4) of giving birth to a low birthweight infant. The results of this study suggest a threshold for maternal serum zinc below which the prevalence of low birthweight increases rapidly.

Adolescent↗