Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices (Kap) Towards Covid-19 Pandemic Among Pregnant Women In A Tertiary Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Sumaira Naz, Syeda Dur E Shawar, Shamila Saleem, Ayesha Malik, Amir Raza

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the pregnant population during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. KAP towards COVID-19 was assessed using 21-item questionnaires. A score for each category was calculated and points were summed. The outcome variables of KAP were compared with demographic characteristics. Data were analyzed by using SPSS 19.
Results: A total of 377 patients participated in the study. The majority of the patients were multiparous (36.8%) in the age group of …

Changes In Prenatal Testing During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sara C Handley, Rachel Ledyard, Lisbet S Lundsberg, Molly Passarella, Nancy Yang, Moeun Son, Kathryn Mckenney, Jay S. Greenspan, Kevin Dysart, Jennifer F Culhane, Heather H Burris

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted healthcare delivery, including prenatal care. The study objective was to assess if timing of routine prenatal testing changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Retrospective observational cohort study using claims data from a regional insurer (Highmark) and electronic health record data from two academic health systems (Penn Medicine and Yale New Haven) to compare prenatal testing timing in the pre-pandemic (03/10/2018-12/31/2018 and 03/10/2019-12/31/2019) and early COVID-19 pandemic (03/10/2020-12/31/2020) periods. Primary outcomes were second trimester fetal anatomy ultrasounds and gestational diabetes (GDM) testing. A secondary analysis examined first trimester ultrasounds.

Results: The three datasets …

Maternal Prenatal Cortisol Trajectories Predict Accelerated Growth In Infancy, Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook, Elysia Poggi Davis, Curt A. Sandman, Laura M. Glynn

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Higher maternal cortisol in pregnancy has been linked to childhood obesity. Much of the previous research has been limited in that cortisol in pregnancy is only measured at one time-point, precluding the ability to examine critical timing effects of prenatal maternal cortisol. To fill this gap, this longitudinal study measured maternal plasma cortisol at 15, 19, 25, and 31 weeks of pregnancy, and assessed infant body mass index percentile (BMIP)1 at birth, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months in 189 mother-infant pairs. Three distinct patterns of maternal cortisol in pregnancy (typical, steep, and flat trajectories) were identified using general growth …

Association Between Fetal Abdominal Growth Trajectories, Maternal Metabolite Signatures Early In Pregnancy, And Childhood Growth And Adiposity: Prospective Observational Multinational Interbio-21st Fetal Study, Jose Villar, Roseline Ochieng, Robert B. Gunier, Aris T. Papageorghiou, Stephen Rauch, Rose Mcgready, Julia M. Gauglitz, Fernando C. Barros, Manu Vatish, Michelle Fernandes

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Obesity predominantly affects populations in high-income countries and those countries facing epidemiological transition. The risk of childhood obesity is increased among infants who had overweight or obesity at birth, but in low-resource settings one in five infants are born small for gestational age. We aimed to study the relationships between: (1) maternal metabolite signatures; (2) fetal abdominal growth; and (3) postnatal growth, adiposity, and neurodevelopment.

Methods: In the prospective, multinational, observational INTERBIO-21st fetal study, conducted in maternity units in Pelotas (Brazil), Nairobi (Kenya), Karachi (Pakistan), Soweto (South Africa), Mae Sot (Thailand), and Oxford (UK), we enrolled women …

Association Between Fetal Abdominal Growth Trajectories, Maternal Metabolite Signatures Early In Pregnancy, And Childhood Growth And Adiposity: Prospective Observational Multinational Interbio-21st Fetal Study, Jose Villar, Roseline Ochieng, Robert B. Gunier, Aris T. Papageorghiou, Stephen Rauch, Rose Mcgready, Julia M. Gauglitz, Fernando C. Barros, Manu Vatish, Shama Munim

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: Obesity predominantly affects populations in high-income countries and those countries facing epidemiological transition. The risk of childhood obesity is increased among infants who had overweight or obesity at birth, but in low-resource settings one in five infants are born small for gestational age. We aimed to study the relationships between: (1) maternal metabolite signatures; (2) fetal abdominal growth; and (3) postnatal growth, adiposity, and neurodevelopment.
Methods: In the prospective, multinational, observational INTERBIO-21st fetal study, conducted in maternity units in Pelotas (Brazil), Nairobi (Kenya), Karachi (Pakistan), Soweto (South Africa), Mae Sot (Thailand), and Oxford (UK), we enrolled women (≥18 years, …

The Global Network Socioeconomic Status Index As A Predictor Of Stillbirths, Perinatal Mortality, And Neonatal Mortality In Rural Communities In Low And Lower Middle Income Country Sites Of The Global Network For Women's And Children's Health Research, Archana B. Patel, Carla M. Bann, Cherryl S. Kolhe, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tshefu, Melissa Bauserman, Lester Figueroa, Nancy F. Krebs, Fabian Esamai, Sarah Saleem

Community Health Sciences

Background: Globally, socioeconomic status (SES) is an important health determinant across a range of health conditions and diseases. However, measuring SES within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can be particularly challenging given the variation and diversity of LMIC populations.
Objective: The current study investigates whether maternal SES as assessed by the newly developed Global Network-SES Index is associated with pregnancy outcomes (stillbirths, perinatal mortality, and neonatal mortality) in six LMICs: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Pakistan, and Zambia.
Methods: The analysis included data from 87,923 women enrolled in the Maternal and Newborn Health Registry of the NICHD-funded …

The Efficacy Of Low-Dose Aspirin In Pregnancy Among Women In Malaria-Endemic Countries, Melissa Bauserman, Sequoia I. Leuba, Jennifer Hemingway-Foday, Tracy L. Nolen, Janet Moore, Elizabeth M. Mcclure, Adrien Lokangaka, Antoinette Tsehfu, Sarah Saleem, Saleem Jessani

Community Health Sciences

Background: Low dose aspirin (LDA) is an effective strategy to reduce preterm birth. However, LDA might have differential effects globally, based on the etiology of preterm birth. In some regions, malaria in pregnancy could be an important modifier of LDA on birth outcomes and anemia.
Methods: This is a sub-study of the ASPIRIN trial, a multi-national, randomized, placebo controlled trial evaluating LDA effect on preterm birth. We enrolled a convenience sample of women in the ASPIRIN trial from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya and Zambia. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect malaria. We calculated crude prevalence …

Prenatal Drug Exposure And Its Effects On Fetal Development: Clinical And Health Education Implications, Johanna Marie Olo Tapangan

Senior Honors Theses

Prenatal drug exposure is a common clinical phenomenon in pregnancy cases. Pregnancy is a fragile period of time for both the mother and the fetus. Therefore, strict drug regulation is important to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the developing fetus. Certain drugs, once thought to be safe, have been found to have detrimental effects on the normal development of functioning organ systems in the fetus. Current research has identified drugs that when taken during pregnancy can result in the onset of fetal physical abnormalities, impaired brain development, and disrupted organogenesis and organ function. Thalidomide, losartan, opioids, alcohol, and caffeine …

Characteristics And Birth Outcomes Of Pregnant Adolescents Compared To Older Women: An Analysis Of Individual Level Data From 140,000 Mothers From 20 Rcts, Nadia Akseer, Emily Catherine Keats, Pravheen Thurairajah, Simon Cousens, Ana Pilar Bétran, Brietta M. Oaks, David Osrin, Ellen Piwoz, Exnevia Gomo, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Adolescence is a critical period of maturation when nutrient needs are high, especially among adolescents entering pregnancy. Using individual-level data from 140,000 participants, we examined socioeconomic, nutrition, and pregnancy and birth outcomes for adolescent mothers (10-19 years) compared to older mothers in low and middle-income countries.
Methods: This study was conducted between March 16, 2018 and May 25, 2021. Data were obtained from 20 randomised controlled trials of micronutrient supplementation in pregnancy. Stratified analyses were conducted by age (10-14 years, 15-17 years, 18-19 years, 20-29 years, 30-39 years, 40+ years) and geographical region (Africa, Asia). Crude and confounder-adjusted means, …

Understanding The Needs Of A Mobile Phone-Based Telemonitoring Program For Pregnant Women At High Risk For Pre-Eclampsia: Interpretive Qualitative Description Study, Anam Shahil Feroz, Kristina De Vera, Nadia D. Bragagnolo, Sarah Saleem, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Emily Seto

Community Health Sciences

Background: Lack of early risk detection, diagnosis, and treatment of pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia can result in high maternal mortality and morbidity not only in Pakistan but also in other low- to middle-income countries (LMICs). A potential tool for supporting pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia for early detection is telemonitoring (TM). However, there is a limited body of evidence on end-user needs and preferences to inform the design of the TM programs for pregnant women at high risk for pre-eclampsia, specifically in LMICs such as Pakistan.
Objective: This study aims to explore the needs of …

Nutrition Support Practices For Infants Born <750 Grams Or <25 Weeks Gestation: A Call For More Research, Melissa K. Thoene, Ann Anderson-Berry

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

With advances in medical care and efforts to care for continually smaller and younger preterm infants, the gestational age of viability has decreased, including as young as 21 or 22 weeks of gestation [...].