Low birth weight - not a black-and-white issue

Article Abstract:

Short intervals between pregnancies may partly explain higher rates of low birth weight and preterm delivery among blacks than among whites. Low birth weight may be a strong predictor of infant mortality, and black infants are known to have higher death rates than white infants. Previously, the difference in infant mortality rates between the races was thought to be caused by socioeconomic factors. Poverty may affect a mother's health by causing high levels of stress, poor nutrition, exposure to infections, or environmental hazards. It may be possible that black women have poorer health than white women because they are products of generations with poor health. More attention may need to be focused on the preconception health of mothers. The association of preconception health, intergenerational factors, and pregnancy may need to be translated into the risk of causing low birth weight.

Health aspects, Editorial, Patient outcomes, Mortality, Risk factors, Birth weight, Low, Low birth weight, Infants, Infant mortality, Premature labor, Birth intervals, Women, Black, Black women

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A clinical trial of active management of labor

Article Abstract:

Active management of labor may not reduce the likelihood of cesarean section, but may lead to briefer labor and decrease the risk of fever in the mother. Active management of labor involves definitive diagnosis of labor and early rupture of membranes, administration of high doses of oxytocin if the uterus contracts inefficiently, and continuous attention to the mother during labor. Researchers compared the deliveries of 1,017 women with actively managed labor to those of 917 women who received usual care during labor. Cesarean deliveries occurred in approximately 19% of deliveries in both groups. Among women who had a low risk of cesarean delivery, the median time of labor was 6.2 hours in the actively managed group and 8.9 hours in the usual care group. In comparison to the usual care group, the actively managed group were less likely to develop a fever.

Management, Labor (Obstetrics)

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