The relationship of abruptio placentae with maternal smoking and small for gestational age infants

Article Abstract:

Abruptio placentae is the early separation of the placenta (the organ of fetal nutrition) from the wall of the uterus. It is associated with severe bleeding and premature delivery. Although the exact mechanism is not known, women who smoke cigarettes are more likely to develop this complication. It is not clear whether abruptio placentae is directly related to smoking or related to the higher incidence of small-for-gestational-age (SGA, smaller than 90 percent of fetuses at the same fetal age) births common among women who smoke during pregnancy. To help clarify this issue, the relationship between smoking, SGA and abruptio placentae was studied among 1,089 births complicated by abruptio placentae and 2,323 randomly selected births. Women who smoked were 1.6 times more likely to develop abruptio placenta and women who had SGA infants were 2.6 times more likely to develop abruptio placentae. The association between abruptio placentae and SGA was the same, regardless of whether the mother smoked or not. Only 38 percent of the cases involving abruptio placenta were related to smoking. Smoking is known to affect blood circulation through the placenta, which could theoretically effect the early separation of the placenta. Smoking was a good explanation for why SGA fetuses (regardless of whether they are premature or born small even when completing a full term) are at risk for abruptio placentae. The association between small-for-gestational-age fetuses and abruptio placenta is independent of maternal smoking status. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Research, Causes of, Fetus, Physiological aspects, Fetal growth retardation, Tobacco, Pregnancy, Complications of, Pregnancy complications, Gestational age, Abruptio placentae, Placental abruption, Smoking and women, Women smokers

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Combined estrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy in relation to risk of breast cancer in middle-aged women

Article Abstract:

The use of menopausal hormone replacement therapy among middle-aged women does not appear to pose a higher risk of breast cancer. Long-term use of combined therapy (estrogen-progestin) may possibly reduce the risk of breast cancer. Researchers studied 537 white women with breast cancer and 492 women without breast cancer (the control group). Subjects completed questionnaires regarding medical history, family cancer incidence, use of hormone replacement therapy and other hormones, and social factors. Hormone replacement therapy was used by 57.6% of the women with breast cancer compared to 61% of the control group. The relative odds of developing breast cancer did not increase with estrogen use alone or with combined therapy.

Risk factors, Breast cancer, Hormone therapy

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Characteristics of women with and without breast augmentation

Article Abstract:

Women who get breast implants appear to have different characteristics than women who do not and this needs to be taken into account when assessing the health risks of breast implants. A study of 80 women who had breast implants and 3,490 who did not revealed that the women with breast implants drank more alcohol, got pregnant at a younger age, were more likely to use contraceptives and hair dyes and had more sexual partners. They were also more likely to be thin than women without breast implants.

Women, Behavior, Breast implants

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