Intrapartum hepatitis B screening

Article Abstract:

Screening pregnant women for hepatitis B (HBV) during early pregnancy does not appear to adequately prevent transmission to the newborn. About 10% to 20% of babies who are born to infected mothers will become infected, rising to 90% if the mother's infection is active. Among infected infants, almost all will become HBV carriers and one-quarter will eventually die of liver disease. A group of 8,712 women in labor provided blood samples for hepatitis B screening. Only half the group had been screened during early pregnancy. Fourteen women tested positive, of whom seven had received a prenatal screen and two had an active infection. One of the two women with an active infection had no symptoms and was not known to be at risk. Hospitals should screen all women in labor, give all newborns the HBV vaccine, and treat infants of mothers with active infections with HBV immune globulin.

Hepatitis B virus

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Jelly beans as an alternative to a cola beverage containing fifty grams of glucose

Article Abstract:

Jelly beans may be used instead of dextrose solutions when testing pregnant women for gestational diabetes. Glucose tolerance tests (GTT) typically involve swallowing thick sugar solutions, but many women experience side effects from this test. Researchers gave 157 pregnant women a GTT using a cola beverage containing 50 grams of glucose. Two weeks later, they took another GTT but this time ate 18 jelly beans, which contain approximately 50 grams of carbohydrate. The jelly beans had a sensitivity and specificity for gestational diabetes that was similar to that of the cola beverage. The women experienced almost no side effects from the jelly beans, but many developed nausea and bloating after drinking the cola beverage. Eighty-eight percent of the women preferred eating the jelly beans.

Usage, Candy, Diagnosis, Diabetes in pregnancy, Gestational diabetes

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Legal considerations in screening pregnant women for human immunodeficiency virus

Article Abstract:

There are many things obstetricians can do to minimize their legal liability in caring for HIV-infected pregnant women. Research has shown that HIV-infected pregnant women who take AIDS drugs can substantially reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to their baby. However, this means all pregnant women would have to be tested for HIV. A lawsuit is most likely if a newborn baby is found to be infected but its mother was never tested for HIV during pregnancy. Thus, obstetricians should offer HIV testing to all pregnant women and carefully document all aspects of their care if they test positive.

Ethical aspects, HIV testing, HIV tests

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