METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study involving 58 pregnancies from 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2019. Inclusion criteria were previous mid-trimester miscarriage and/or preterm birth, previous cervical surgery or short cervical length on routine sonogram. The demographic data, characteristics of each pregnancy and details of outcomes and management were described.
RESULTS: The majority of women were Malay with mean age and body mass index of 32.9 ± 4.2 years and 27.1 ± 6.3 kg/m2 respectively. The most frequent indications for Arabin pessary insertion were previous mid-trimester miscarriage (46.4%) and early preterm birth (17.2%). A total of 73.4% of these women had the pessary inserted electively at a mean cervical length of 31.6 ± 9.1 mm at median gestation of 15.0 weeks. They were managed as outpatient (56.9%), inpatient (24.1%) or mixed (19.0%) with combination of progestogen (81.0%) and 53.4% received antenatal corticosteroids. Spontaneous preterm birth at or more than 34 weeks gestation occurred in 74.1% with birthweight at or more than 2000 g (82.4%). Despite cervical funneling in 12 women (20.7%), 66.7% delivered at or later than 34 weeks gestation and 2 (16.7%) resulted in miscarriage.
CONCLUSIONS: Insertion of the Arabin pessary is beneficial to prevent spontaneous preterm birth in pregnant women who are at high risk. In particular, early insertion and close monitoring allows the best possible outcomes.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04638023 ) on 20/11/2020.
METHODOLOGY: Prospective observational cohort study of consecutive surviving VLBW infants and randomly sampled NBW infants born in the Kuala Lumpur Maternity Hospital between 1 December 1989 and 31 December 1992. Infants were followed up regularly during the first year of life, after correction for prematurity.
RESULTS: Compared with NBW infants (n = 106), VLBW infants (n = 127) had significantly higher risk of failure to thrive (odds ratio [OR] = 8.0, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.1 to 354.3), wheezing (OR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.6 to 9.3), rehospitalization (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.0), cerebral palsy (OR = 8.6, 95% CI: 2.0 to 77.6), neurosensory hearing loss (OR = 12.0, 95% CI: 1.7 to 513.6) and visual loss (7.9 vs 0%, P = 0.002). The mean mental developmental index (MDI) and mean psychomotor developmental index (PDI) at 1 year of age were significantly lower among VLBW infants (MDI 99 [SD = 28], PDI 89 [SD = 25]) than NBW infants (MDI 106 [SD = 18], PDI 101 [SD = 18]) (95% CI for difference between means being MDI: -14.1 to -1.7; and PDI: -17.6 to -6.0). Logistic regression analysis showed that among VLBW infants: (i) male sex, Malay ethnicity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were significant risk factors associated with wheezing; (ii) longer duration of oxygen therapy during the neonatal period, seizures after the post-neonatal period and wheezing were significant risk factors associated with rehospitalization; and (iii) longer duration of oxygen therapy during the neonatal period was a significant risk factor associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome during the first year of life.
CONCLUSIONS: Compared with NBW infants, VLBW Malaysian infants had significantly higher risks of physical and neuro-developmental morbidities.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used cross-sectional and secondary data from the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS). A total of 142 infants under 1 year were selected as the respondents. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used to examine factors associated with diarrhoea in infants with LBW in Indonesia.
RESULTS: There are several factors more likely to increase the incidence of diarrhoea in infants with LBW, which are living in rural areas [OR = 5.65, 95% CI = 1.08-29.5] and having internet access less than the last 12 months (OR = 13.03, 95% CI = 1.48-114). Meanwhile, factors more likely to decrease the incidence of diarrhoea in infants with LBW, which are maternal age (20-24 years old) [odds ratio (OR) = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01-0.98], cell phone ownership (OR = 0.08, 95% CI= 0.01-0.45), and the use of feeding bottles (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.05-0.92).
CONCLUSION: This study highlights that maternal age, cell phone ownership, internet access, area of residence, and use of feeding bottles are significant factors associated with diarrhoea in infants with LBW. Health workers must enhance health education related to those factors through the Community Integrated Child Health Service (Posyandu) programs.
CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 21-year-old local Sarawakian woman with partial molar pregnancy who presented with severe pre-eclampsia in which the baby was morphologically normal, delivered prematurely, and there was a single large placenta showing molar changes.
CONCLUSION: Even though the incidence of this condition is very rare, recognizing and diagnosing it is very important for patient care and it should be considered and looked for in patients presenting with pre-eclampsia.