Beliefs, barriers and preferences of European overweight women to adopt a healthier lifestyle in pregnancy to minimize risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus: an explorative study

Introduction: Overweight and obese women are at high risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Lifestyle programs might help curb the GDM risk. We explored beliefs, perceived barriers and preferences regarding lifestyle changes among overweight European pregnant women to help inform the development of future high quality lifestyle interventions. Methods: An explorative mixed methods, two-staged study was conducted to gather information from pregnant European women (BMI≥25kg/m2). In three European countries (Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom) interviews were conducted, followed by questionnaires in six other European countries (Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain). Content analysis, descriptive and chi square statistics were applied (p<0.05). Results: Women preferred to obtain detailed information about their personal risk. The health of their baby was major motivating factor. Perceived barriers for physical activity included pregnancy-specific issues such as tiredness and experiencing physical complaints. Insufficient time was a barrier more frequently reported by women with children. Abstaining from snacking was identified as a challenge for the majority of women, especially for those without children. Women preferred to obtain support from their partner, as well as health professionals and valued flexible lifestyle programs. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals need to inform overweight pregnant women about their personal risk, discuss lifestyle modification and assist in weight management. Lifestyle programs should be tailored to the individual, taking into account barriers experienced by overweight first-time mothers and multipara women

AURORA : bariatric surgery registration in women of reproductive age : a multicenter prospective cohort study

Background: The expansion of the obesity epidemic is accompanied with an increase in bariatric procedures, in particular in women of reproductive age. The weight loss induced by the surgery is believed to reverse the negative impact of overweight and obesity on female reproduction, however, research is limited to in particular retrospective cohort studies and a growing number of small case-series and case-(control) studies. Methods/design: AURORA is a multicenter prospective cohort study. The main objective is to collect long-term data on reproductive outcomes before and after bariatric surgery and in a subsequent pregnancy. Women aged 18-45 years are invited to participate at 4 possible inclusion moments: 1) before surgery, 2) after surgery, 3) before 15 weeks of pregnancy and 4) in the immediate postpartum period (day 3-4). Depending on the time of inclusion, data are collected before surgery (T1), 3 weeks and 3, 6, 12 or x months after surgery (T2-T5) and during the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy (T6-T8), at delivery (T9) and 6 weeks and 6 months after delivery (T10-T11). Online questionnaires are send on the different measuring moments. Data are collected on contraception, menstrual cycle, sexuality, intention of becoming pregnant, diet, physical activity, lifestyle, psycho-social characteristics and dietary supplement intake. Fasting blood samples determine levels of vitamin A, D, E, K, B-1, B-12 and folate, albumin, total protein, coagulation parameters, magnesium, calcium, zinc and glucose. Participants are weighted every measuring moment. Fetal ultrasounds and pregnancy course and complications are reported every trimester of pregnancy. Breastfeeding is recorded and breast milk composition in the postpartum period is studied. Discussion: AURORA is a multicenter prospective cohort study extensively monitoring women before undergoing bariatric surgery until a subsequent pregnancy and postpartum period

Traumapotilaan golden hour Kainuun ensihoidossa : Tutkimus traumapotilaan golden hour:n toteutumisesta sekä siihen vaikuttavista tekijöistä Kainuun ensihoidossa

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kuvailla Kainuun ensihoidon laatua traumapotilaiden hoidossa. Opinnäytetyömme on tehty yhteistyössä Kainuun sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon kuntayhtymän ensihoidon kanssa. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli hyödyntää tutkimusta Kainuun ensihoidossa traumapotilaiden hoidon kehittämisessä. Tutkimuksemme on toteutettu kvantitatiivisena ja retrospektiivisena tutkimuksena. Aineiston keräämiseen käytimme valmista tiedonkeruupohjaa, johon keräsimme 391 ensihoitotehtävän tiedot. Analysoimme tutkimuksen tulokset Excel- ja SPSS-ohjelmilla. Tutkimuksen perusteella 50 % (N= 196) traumapotilaista pääsi kultaisen tunnin aikana lopulliseen hoitopaikkaan. Keskimäärin ensihoitajilla kului kohteessa 21 minuuttia, joka on yli suositellun 10 minuutin. Tutkimuksen mukaan 15 %:lla (N= 58) ensihoitotehtävistä kuljetus päästiin aloittamaan 10 minuutin sisällä. Tutkimuksessa kävi ilmi, että mitä enemmän kohteessa tehtiin hoitotoimenpiteitä, sitä pidempi kohteessa oloaika oli. Tutkimuksessa kävi ilmi, että ensihoitotehtävien kokonaisajasta suurin osa kului matkalla potilaan luokse ja potilaan kuljettamiseen hoitolaitokseen. Tämä selittyy Kainuun alueen pitkillä välimatkoilla. Ensihoitotehtävien kokonaisaika kasvoi huomattavasti, mikäli potilas jatkokuljetettiin Kainuun keskussairaalasta yliopistolliseen sairaalaan Ouluun. Ensihoitotehtävillä, joissa potilas jatkokuljetettiin, aikaa kului merkittävästi keskussairaalassa potilaan tilan stabilointiin ennen jat-kokuljetuksen aloittamista. Tutkimme myös vaikuttaako ensihoitotehtävien kokonaisaikaan eri viranomaisjohtajuudet. Tutkimuksen perusteella voidaan todeta, että poliisijohtoisilla ensihoitotehtävillä kohteessa oloaika oli keskimäärin kaikista lyhyin. Opinnäytetyötämme voidaan hyödyntää ensihoidon laadun kehittämiseksi Kainuun ensihoidossa sekä henkilöstön ammattitaidon ylläpitämiseksi. Tutkimustuloksia voidaan käyttää simulaatiokoulutuksen suunnittelun tukena, jolloin tunnistetaan mahdolliset kehittämishaasteet ensihoitajien toiminnassa. Traumapotilaiden lopullinen hoito tapahtuu aina sairaalassa, jossa on mahdollista saada mm. leikkaushoitoa. Jotta traumapotilas saa parasta mahdollista hoitoa, tulee ensihoidossa pyrkiä mahdollisimman nopeaan kuljetukseen, jolla pyritään turvaamaan traumapotilaan nopea sairaalahoitoon pääsy.Purpose of this study was to describe the quality of emergency care in Kainuu in trauma patients care. Our thesis is made in co-operation with emergency care centre of Kainuu. Objective of the study was to exploit research in developing of care for trauma patients in emergency care of Kainuu. Our study is implemented as a quantitative and retrospective research. For collecting the material, we used ready data collection sheet which we gathered the information of 391 alarms. We analyzed the result of the research by using Excel- and SPSS-programs. Based on the study 50% (N= 196) of trauma patients were transported in the final sequel care facility during the golden hour. Paramedics spent approximately 21 minutes on scene which is over than the recommended 10 minutes. According to the study in 15% (N= 58) of the alarms transportation was achieved to start within 10 minutes. The study showed that the on-scene time was the longer the more procedures were accomplished in the destination. The study also showed that most of the time on the alarms were spent by travelling to the patient and transporting the patient to care facility. This is explained by the long distances of the area of Kainuu. The total time of alarms was highly increased if the patient was sequel transported from central Hospital of Kainuu to University Hospital in Oulu. In alarms which the patient was sequel transported, significant amount of time was spent in central Hospital stabilizing the patient before continuing the transport. We also investigated if authority leaderships affect to the total time spent on alarms. The study lightened out that in those alarms which was lead by police, the on-scene time was averagely shortest. Our thesis can be utilized in developing the quality of emergency care in Kainuu and maintaining the professionality of personnel. Results of the study can be used as a support of simulation education which allows to identify the possible developing challenges in the action of paramedics. The final care of trauma patients always occurs at hospital where multiple procedures are availa-ble. To guarantee that the patient receives best care, must emergency care always strive to quick transportation which secures that patients gets quickly the care they need

Dietary intake, physical activity and sedentary behavior and association with BMI during the transition to parenthood: a prospective dyadic study

IntroductionLittle is known on how diet, physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) changes during pregnancy and after childbirth in primiparous couples. Moreover, it is unclear how potential behavioral changes are associated with changes in BMI. This study examined changes in diet, PA and SB, and their association with changes in BMI in couples transitioning to parenthood.MethodsDietary intake (FFQ), PA, SB (both Actigraph GT3X accelerometers) and BMI of women and men were assessed at 12 weeks of gestation, 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Data were analyzed using dyadic longitudinal data analyses techniques.ResultsIn women, a decrease in fruit intake, an increase in alcohol intake, an increase of light-intensity PA, and a decrease in SB were observed from the beginning of pregnancy up to 6 months postpartum. Decreases in fruit intake between 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum was associated with increases in BMI. Men did not show significant dietary changes, while an increase in light-intensity PA and a decrease in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was observed at 6 months postpartum when compared to 12 weeks of gestation. Paternal increases in “avoidance food group” intake were associated with increases in BMI between baseline and 6 weeks postpartum. No associations of changes in BMI and changes in PA and SB were found.DiscussionNot only mothers but also fathers experienced unfavorable changes in lifestyle during the transition to parenthood, with impact on BMI changes. This highlights the need to monitor unhealthy changes in lifestyle and body weight in both parents when expecting a child and after childbirth.Clinical trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT03454958

The Fetal Heart in Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome is a severe complication occurring in 10% of monochorionic twin pregnancies. The disease is usually explained as due to an intrauterine imbalance in intertwin blood exchange, which leads to a volume depleted-donor twin and an overfilled recipient twin. The recipient has signs of cardiac dysfunction, which can be measured using echocardiography or blood and amniotic fluid derived biomarkers. Whereas cardiac dysfunction typically progresses in pregnancies treated with amniodrainage, it usually disappears within a few weeks after fetoscopic laser coagulation of the connecting intertwin anastomoses. Nevertheless, recipients remain at a increased risk of pulmonary stenosis. In this paper, we summarize the cardiac alterations in twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, describe the changes seen after fetal therapy, list the newly proposed staging systems based on fetal cardiac function, and make recommendations about the use of fetal echocardiography in the evaluation and followup of pregnancies complicated by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome

The Impact of Caesarean Delivery on Paracetamol and Ketorolac Pharmacokinetics: A Paired Analysis

Pharmacokinetics is a first, but essential step to improve population-tailored postoperative analgesia, also after Caesarean delivery. We therefore aimed to quantify the impact of caesarean delivery on the pharmacokinetics of intravenous (iv) paracetamol (2 g, single dose) and iv ketorolac tromethamine (30 mg, single dose) in 2 cohorts eachof 8 women at caesarean delivery and to compare these findings with postpartum to quantify intrapatient changes. We documented a higher median paracetamol clearance at delivery when compared to 10–15 weeks postpartum (11.7 to 6.4 L/h·m2, P < 0.01), even after correction for weight-related changes. Similar conclusions were drawn for ketorolac: median clearance was higher at delivery with a subsequent decrease (2.03 to 1.43 L/h·m2, P < 0.05) in postpartum (17–23 weeks). These differences likely reflect pregnancy- and caesarean-delivery-related changes in drug disposition. Moreover, postpartum paracetamol clearance was significantly lower when compared to estimates published in healthy young volunteers (6.4  versus  9.6 L/h·m2), while this was not the case for ketorolac (1.43  versus  1.48 L/h·m2). This suggests that postpartum is another specific status in young women that merits focused, compound-specific pharmacokinetic evaluation

DALI:Vitamin D and lifestyle intervention for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) prevention: an European multicentre, randomised trial - study protocol

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an increasing problem world-wide. Lifestyle interventions and/or vitamin D supplementation might help prevent GDM in some women. METHODS/DESIGN: Pregnant women at risk of GDM (BMI 65 29 (kg/m(2))) from 9 European countries will be invited to participate and consent obtained before 19+6 weeks of gestation. After giving informed consent, women without GDM will be included (based on IADPSG criteria: fasting glucose<5.1 mmol; 1 hour glucose <10.0 mmol; 2 hour glucose <8.5 mmol) and randomized to one of the 8 intervention arms using a 2 7 (2 7 2) factorial design: (1) healthy eating (HE), 2) physical activity (PA), 3) HE+PA, 4) control, 5) HE+PA+vitamin D, 6) HE+PA+placebo, 7) vitamin D alone, 8) placebo alone), pre-stratified for each site. In total, 880 women will be included with 110 women allocated to each arm. Between entry and 35 weeks of gestation, women allocated to a lifestyle intervention will receive 5 face-to-face, and 4 telephone coaching sessions, based on the principles of motivational interviewing. The lifestyle intervention includes a discussion about the risks of GDM, a weight gain target <5 kg and either 7 healthy eating 'messages' and/or 5 physical activity 'messages' depending on randomization. Fidelity is monitored by the use of a personal digital assistance (PDA) system. Participants randomized to the vitamin D intervention receive either 1600 IU vitamin D or placebo for daily intake until delivery. Data is collected at baseline measurement, at 24-28 weeks, 35-37 weeks of gestation and after delivery. Primary outcome measures are gestational weight gain, fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity, with a range of obstetric secondary outcome measures including birth weight. DISCUSSION: DALI is a unique Europe-wide randomised controlled trial, which will gain insight into preventive measures against the development of GDM in overweight and obese women

Effect of the INTER-ACT lifestyle intervention on maternal mental health during the first year after childbirth:A randomized controlled trial

We assess whether the INTER-ACT postpartum lifestyle intervention influences symptoms of depression and anxiety, sense of coherence and quality of life during the first year after childbirth. A total of 1047 women of the INTER-ACT RCT were randomized into the intervention (n = 542) or control arm (n = 505). The lifestyle intervention consisted of 4 face-to-face coaching sessions, supported by an e-health app. Anthropometric and mental health data were collected at baseline, end of intervention and 6-months follow-up. We applied mixed models to assess whether the evolution over time of depressive symptoms, anxiety, sense of coherence and quality of life differed between the intervention and control arm, taking into account the women's pre-pregnancy BMI. There was no statistical evidence for a difference in evolution in anxiety or quality of life between intervention and control arm. But an improvement in symptoms of depression and sense of coherence was observed in women who received the intervention, depending on the mother's pre-pregnancy BMI. Women with normal/overweight pre-pregnancy BMI, reported a decrease in EPDS between baseline and end of intervention, and the decrease was larger in the intervention arm (control arm: -0.42 (95% CI, -0.76 to -0.08); intervention arm: -0.71 (95% CI, -1.07 to -0.35)). Women with pre-pregnancy obesity showed an increase in EPDS between baseline and end of intervention, but the increase was less pronounced in the intervention arm (control arm: +0.71 (95% CI, -0.12 to 1.54); intervention arm: +0.42 (95% CI -0.42 to 1.25)). Women with a normal or obese pre-pregnancy BMI in the intervention arm showed a decrease in sense of coherence between baseline and end of intervention (-0.36) (95% CI, -1.60 to 0.88), while women with overweight pre-pregnancy showed an increase in sense of coherence (+1.53) (95% CI, -0.08 to 3.15) between baseline and end of intervention. Receiving the INTER-ACT postpartum lifestyle intervention showed improvement in depressive symptoms, in normal weight or overweight women on the short run, as well as improvement in sense of coherence in women with pre-pregnancy overweight only