Different Types Of Delivery Research Articles

Measuring childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder: Psychometric properties of the Italian version of the City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS).

The City Birth Trauma Scale (City BiTS) assesses postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) criteria. Although it has been validated worldwide, predictive validity has not been previously examined. Moreover, no Italian version of the scale exists. This study aimed to test the bifactor latent structure and alternative models, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, divergent validity, and predictive validity of the City BiTS. Women (N = 629) who had given birth within the past 3 months completed an online survey including sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics, the City BiTS, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. After 3 months, women completed the City BiTS again and reported their intention to breastfeed during the 1-year postpartum. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the two-factorial structure. In confirmatory factor analysis, the two-factorial solution showed the best model fit. Internal consistency was good to excellent for the subscales and the total scale. Correlation analyses showed strong convergent validity with the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, high divergent validity with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, high test-retest reliability, and good predictive validity with the intention to exclusively breastfeed. Moreover, the Birth-Related Symptoms subscale distinguished between different types of delivery. The City BiTS-Italian is the first measure evaluating and diagnosing childbirth-related PTSD symptoms based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) in Italy. The factorial structure and validity reported in other cultural contexts were confirmed; moreover, findings add evidence to the scale's temporal stability and predictive validity. Besides contributing to clinical purposes, the City BiTS-Italian will facilitate international comparability regarding the prevalence of PTSD following childbirth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Analysis of Heart Rate Variability in Newborns Dogs with Different Types of Delivery during the First 35 Days of Life.

The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of the autonomic nervous system on cardiovascular function during the first 35 days of life in different types of delivery, using heart rate variability (HRV) indices. Thirty newborns were equally divided into two groups based on delivery type: eutocic delivery (EG) and emergency cesarean section (CG). Electrocardiographic evaluation was performed at birth (T0), 24 h postpartum (T1), and at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days of life (T2 to T6). Physical parameters, neonatal reflexes, and Apgar scores were recorded. Over 35 days, the values of the time domain indices were higher in the GE group and increased with age. In the frequency domain, the low frequency (LF) index was higher in the CG, and the opposite occurred for the high frequency (HF) index. Since the CG presented lower HRV than the EG, it was shown that the type of delivery should be considered for the assessment of autonomic nervous system activity in neonates. Thus, as predictive factors of vitality, HRV and Apgar scores can help in the face of neonatal depression, demonstrating that delivery by emergency cesarean section can predispose newborns to delays in the autonomic influence on the heart.

Design of respirable sprayed microparticles of encapsulated bacteriophages

Antibiotic resistance is exponentially increasing, and the number of deaths caused by bacterial infections is expected to surge. When dealing with the respiratory system, inefficient antibiotics heighten the chance of death from bacterial infection. However, the alternatives to antibiotics are limited. Bacteriophages are a valid option since they can target a specific type of bacterium. Bacteriophages are highly specific and can avoid any side effects when delivered. However, their poor stability makes their use inefficient. Encapsulation is commonly used to protect any bioactive compound for different types of delivery. In the case of respiratory delivery, particle engineering is used to generate stable dry powders to target the nasal or lung areas. This review article provides a guideline for engineering a process of nasal dry powders of encapsulated bacteriophages.

The correlation between postpartum stress disorder and maternal anxiety in different types of delivery (vaginal and cesarean section)

Aim: Post-traumatic stress disorder refers to a person’s experience of a traumatic event. Traumatic experiences during childbirth can cause postpartum stress in some women. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between postpartum stress disorder in different types of delivery (normal vaginal delivery and cesarean section) and maternal anxiety. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 714 pregnant mothers selected via cluster sampling six-eight weeks after their delivery in selected health centers. The data were collected using Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale I and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The data were then entered into the SPSS 20 software and were analyzed using a chi-square test. The significance level was set as p < 0.05. Results: The results showed that most of the participants in the two groups had medium to low anxiety levels, and the two groups were homogeneous in this regard. However, the mean scores of obvious anxiety (p < 0.0001) and hidden anxiety (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the normal vaginal delivery group compared to the cesarean section group. Moreover, post-traumatic stress score was significantly correlated to both obvious anxiety and hidden anxiety in the two study groups. Conclusion: Postpartum stress disorder had a positive relationship with obvious anxiety and hidden anxiety in both study groups. Counseling may be effective in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder in women.

Recovering Sexuality after Childbirth. What Strategies Do Women Adopt? A Qualitative Study.

This study aimed to determine the strategies used by women to adapt to the changes that affect the first sexual relations after childbirth. A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach used three data collection techniques (in-depth interviews, discussion groups, and online forums). Thirty-six women in the first six months postpartum participated in the study, from physiotherapy centers with maternal child specialties in several locations in Spain. Women with different types of delivery, presence or absence of perineal trauma during delivery, previous deliveries, and different types of breastfeeding were included. Among the strategies, closeness support and understanding were the ones that women used to adjust to the new situation, in order to improve the couple’s relationship, intimacy, and cope with the significant changes that appear in the first six months postpartum. Changes and adaptations in sexual practices become a tool for coping with a new sexuality, especially if it is affected by the presence of pain or discomfort associated with physical changes. Personal time facilitates emotional management and improvement of emotional changes related to the demands of motherhood. Accepting the changes that motherhood brings is critical to dealing with the new situation. Strategies used by postpartum women focus on acceptance, self-care, partner, couple time, personal time, and adapting encounters. The findings of this study are of interest to health professionals as they provide insight into how women cope with the changes that appear in the first six months postpartum. In this way, the findings will be able to transmit to couples the alternatives they can adopt before the resumption of sexual relations to improve satisfaction both as a couple and in terms of sexuality after childbirth.

Pelvic floor function and morphological abnormalities in primiparas with postpartum symptomatic stress urinary incontinence based on the type of delivery: a 1:1 matched case-control study.

The aim of this study was to assess pelvic floor muscle (PFM) morphology and function in primiparas with postpartum symptomatic SUI after different types of delivery. Retrospective analyses were carried out with individuals with postpartum symptomatic stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Among the women screened in our center from January 2018 to December 2019, participants were divided into elective cesarean section (eCS) and spontaneous vaginal delivery (sVD) groups, while being matched 1:1 on age (±5years), body mass index (BMI; ±0.5kg/m2), neonatal birth weight (±300g), gestational age (±1week), degree of pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) degree, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire short form (IIQ-7) score, and postpartum days (±10days); all participants had no sphincter defects or levator ani muscle avulsion. The bioelectrical activity of the PFM was collected using an endovaginal electrode with the Glazer protocol. For the assessment of PFM function, PFM morphometry was evaluated with 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound. A total of 78 matched pairs were recruited based on delivery mode. Regarding functional differences, both fast-twitch and slow-twitch fiber strengths in the eCS group were significantly higher than those in the sVD group, but PFMs were more hyperactive in the eCS group. Regarding morphometric differences, the retrovesical angle (RVA) and bladder neck position were not significantly different in the resting state between the two groups, nor was the RVA during the Valsalva maneuver (eCS group: 130.68 ± 17.08°, sVD group: 136.33 ± 23.93°), p >0.05. There were differences in bladder neck descent (BND; eCS group: 16.51 ± 7.55mm, sVD group: 23.92 ± 8.47mm) and urethral rotation angle (URA; eCS group: 37.53 ± 26.05°, sVD group: 59.94 ± 25.87°), all p < 0.05. BND showed a negative correlation with PFM strength, p < 0.05. URAs and RVAs showed no correlation with PFM strength, p > 0.05. Pelvic floor muscle function disorder, hyperactivity, and instability also occurred after eCS, which resulted in postpartum symptomatic SUI. The effects of sVD compared with eCS on abnormalities in the lower urinary tract were related to bladder neck and urethral hyperactivity, without an RVA increase.

HUBUNGAN JENIS PERSALINAN DENGAN STATUS KESEHATAN BAYI BARU LAHIR DI KOTA BUKITTINGGI

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Every woman wants her labor to run smoothly and can give birth to a baby perfectly. Childbirth can run normally, but it is not uncommon for labor to experience obstacles and must be done through surgery. This means the fetus and mother are in an emergency and can only be saved if labor is performed by surgery. The purpose of this study is to find out the related to the health status of newborn babies at delivery in the City of Bukittinggi.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Type of analytic survey research with design cross-sectional&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;The object of the study was a newborn baby with Caesarean section and normal delivery at Bukittinggi City Hospital. The test used is thetest Chi-Square with a 95% confidence level.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;The results showed that as many as 65 people (54.2%) had the incidence of asphyxia. 65 people (54.2%) had normal respiratory conditions, 62 people (51.7%) had meconium aspiration&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;63 people (52.5%) had trauma to an abnormal baby&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;64 people (53.3%) had infectious diseases. 70 people (58.3%) had IMD.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;72 people (60%) have joined care. 60 people (50%) with type of labor SC. Statistical tests showed that there was a relationship between apgar score (p = 0.003), respiratory conditions (p = 0.010), meconium aspiration (p = 0.0005), trauma in infants (p = 0.0005), joint care (p = 0.002 ) and IMD (p = 0.0005) for the type of labor. While infectious diseases do not have a relationship to the type of labor (p = 0.583).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It was concluded that there was a relationship between apgar score, respiratory condition, meconium aspiration, admission and IMD with different types of delivery. Expected to health workers especially midwives can be used as input in order to improve health status in newborns.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

The short-term economic burden of gestational diabetes mellitus in Italy

BackgroundThe incidence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is rising in all developed countries. This study aimed at assessing the short-term economic burden of GDM from the Italian healthcare system perspective.MethodsA model was built over the last pregnancy trimester (i.e., from the 28th gestational week until childbirth included). The National Hospital Discharge Database (2014) was accessed to estimate delivery outcome probabilities and inpatient costs in GDM and normal pregnancies (i.e., euglycemia). International Classification of Disease-9th Revision-Clinical Modification (ICD9-CM) diagnostic codes and Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) codes were used to identify GDM cases and different types of delivery (i.e., vaginal or cesarean) within the database. Neonatal outcomes probabilities were estimated from the literature and included macrosomia, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, shoulder dystocia, respiratory distress, and brachial plexus injury. Additional data sources such as regional documents, official price and tariff lists, national statistics and expert opinion were used to populate the model. The average cost per case was calculated at national level to estimate the annual economic burden of GDM. One-way sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulations were performed to quantify the uncertainty around base case results.ResultsThe amount of pregnancies complicated by GDM in Italy was assessed at 54,783 in 2014 using a prevalence rate of 10.9%. The antenatal outpatient cost per case was estimated at €43.7 in normal pregnancies compared to €370.6 in GDM patients, which is equivalent to a weighted sum of insulin- (14%; €1034.6) and diet- (86%; €262.5) treated women’s costs. Inpatient delivery costs were assessed at €1601.6 and €1150.3 for euglycemic women and their infants, and at €1835.0 and €1407.7 for GDM women and their infants, respectively. Thus, the overall cost per case difference between GDM and normal pregnancies was equal to €817.8 (+ 29.2%), resulting in an economic burden of about €44.8 million in 2014 at national level. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded a cost per case difference ranging between €464.9 and €1164.8 in 80% of simulations.ConclusionsThe economic burden of GDM in Italy is substantial even accounting for short-term medical costs only. Future research also addressing long-term consequences from a broader societal perspective is recommended.

Route of birth delivery preferred by mothers and their motivations

Abstract Objective: Identify the route of birth delivery preferred by mothers and their motivations. Method: Cross-sectional study with 361 mothers from a university hospital. Data were obtained using a structured questionnaire from February to April 2013. Descriptive analysis was performed and the Chi-square test was used to verify association among the variables. Results: 77.6% of the women preferred vaginal delivery and the reason reported by 81.8% of them was easier recovery postpartum; 20.5% believed they took part in the decision-making concerning the type of delivery; 64.5% believed the type of delivery they experienced did not involve risk for themselves, while 21.9% believed it involved risk for the newborn. Statistical association was found between number of deliveries and type of previous delivery with the preferred route of delivery. Conclusion: Women did not have adequate knowledge regarding the risks and benefits of different types of delivery and for this reason were not empowered to exert their autonomy in regard to this decision.

Relationship between Health Related Quality of Life Determinants and Type of Delivery in Saudi Women

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Saudi women who had undergone different types of delivery and to identify factors that significantly affect the HRQoL on these women. Materials and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was performed at Ministry of health (MOH) centers - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36-item survey (SF-36) was used to assess HRQoL. For comparison, the HRQoL in an equal number of healthy individuals was investigated; multivariate analysis of variance was used for comparisons between groups. Results: Results showed that delivered women (case group) had significantly higher mean scores in the physical functioning, role-physical, vitality, role-emotional and mental health subscales. As regarding body pain, delivered women (case group) reported a significantly lower mean score than controls (Comparator group). Women who underwent caesarean section had significantly worse mean scores for all HRQoL domains, except for body pain, while the normal delivery women reported the highest HRQoL scores. Conclusion: The overall test statistic was statistically significant for the eight subscales, indicating that there was a correlation between type of delivery and HRQoL. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these results owing to the inherent limitations of the cross-sectional design and backward analysis of this study.

Postnatal quality of life in women after normal vaginal delivery and cesarean section with and without physiotherapy care

Back ground: There are many studies that assess different problems resulting from normal vaginal delivery and caesarean section, but there are very few studies focusing on role of physiotherapy care in postnatal health related quality of life (QOL) among women with different types of delivery. Objectives: Aim of this study was to know the difference between QOL in postnatal women with and without physiotherapy care in normal as well as caesarean section deliveries. Study Design: A Prospective Cohort Study of QOL of women living in Vadodara City. Materials and Methods: Postnatal women with normal vaginal delivery and caesarean section delivery and also those who were seeking physiotherapy care (15 women) and women seeking no physiotherapy care (15 women) were interviewed at tertiary care centre from December 2009 to March 2010. A format of WHOQOL-BREF, a simple questionnaire of 26 items was filled up within 3 weeks after the delivery. QOL was compared between women after normal delivery and caesarean section delivery taking physiotherapy care and also not attending physiotherapy care. SPSS version 13 was used to analyze the data. Results: The mean age of postnatal women seeking physiotherapy was 29.33+11.72 years compared to mean age of postnatal women taking no physiotherapy was 25.33 years+3.59 years. The mean score of QOL with physiotherapy group is 50.93+11.76 compared to mean QOL 55.33+ 13.93 among without physiotherapy group. The findings suggest that physiotherapy treatment improved patient’s symptoms due to pregnancy and all together maintained QOL.

C-reactive protein: a marker of neonatal stress?

Aim: To assess whether blood values of C-reactive protein (CRP) in healthy term newborns, are influenced by stress.Material and methods: Since different types of delivery (vaginal delivery [VD], emergency C-section [EMCS] and elective C-section [ELCS]) are notoriously characterized by different levels of stress for the baby, these three groups were used as models of different levels of stress. The mean CRP values of the three groups obtained in the first hours of life were compared.Results: We retrieved 1012 babies. Median values (3rd–97th ct) were: 0.05 (0.01–0.46), 0.17 (0.02–1.54), 0.30 (0.04–1.77), 0.43 (0.05–1.31), 0.40 (0.04–1.13) at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, respectively. Mean values in babies born after VD were statistically higher than those born after C-section, and higher CRP values were present in EMCS with respect to ELCS.Conclusion: This study described normal blood CRP values in a wide population of term babies. An influence of the type of delivery on blood CRP is evident, and this may be explained by the different amount of perinatal stress induced by anyone of the three types of delivery we considered.

Experiences of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion in Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes During Delivery from Four Italian Centers: A Retrospective Observational Study

An optimized metabolic control during delivery is mandatory to prevent maternal-neonatal complications. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) during delivery in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes. The secondary aim was to assess the impact of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) added to CSII versus CSII alone. This was a multicenter observational retrospective study. A standardized protocol, to use CSII throughout pregnancy and delivery, foresaw three different insulin basal rates according to blood glucose level: profile A, the last basal rate in use; profile B, preventive 50% reduction of the last basal rate in use; and profile C, 0.1-0.2 U/h for blood glucose level <70 mg/dL, activated just before anesthesia or at the beginning of active labor. An alternative intravenous protocol (IVP) was given in case of complications and relevant metabolic deterioration. Blood glucose in the target range (70-140 mg/dL) throughout delivery and percentage of activation of the IVP were primary outcomes. Sixty-five pregnant women with diabetes included in the study (56-86% cesarean section; 9-14% spontaneous/stimulated vaginal delivery). Mean blood glucose level was 102 ± 31 mg/dL at 0 min, 109 ± 42 mg/dL at 30 min, 120 ± 48 mg/dL at 60 min, and 99 ± 34 mg/dL at 24 h. Mean basal rate during delivery was 0.6 ± 0.4 U/h (profile B). Mean capillary blood glucose (CBG) level was lower in the RT-CGM group relative to the CSII-alone group: 80 ± 14 mg/dL versus 111 ± 32 mg/dL at 0 min (P<0.01), 79 ± 11 mg/dL versus 109 ± 42 mg/dL at 30 min (P<0.02), and 98 ± 20 mg/dL versus 125 ± 51 mg/dL at 60 min (difference not significant). Eleven newborns experienced transient neonatal hypoglycemia. None of the women switched to IVP. No major differences were observed according to delivery procedure. CSII is possible and safe in different types of delivery in selected and educated women. RT-CGM helps to obtain better outcomes in terms of maternal peripartum CBG level.

Aerosol-Based Delivery of Fibroblast Cells for Treatment of Lung Diseases

Cell-based therapy has great potential to treat patients with lung diseases. The administration of cells into an injured lung is one method of repairing and replacing lost lung tissue. However, different types of delivery have been studied and compared, and none of the techniques resulted in engraftment of a high number of cells into the targeted organ. In this in vitro study, a novel method of cell delivery was introduced to investigate the possibility of delivering aerosolized skin-derived fibroblasts. Skin-derived fibroblasts were trypsinized and resuspended in growth medium. A syringe filled with cells (10(5) cells/mL) was attached to MicroSprayer(®) Aerosolizer, a device that can modify a liquid into an aerosol. The tip of the MicroSprayer Aerosolizer was channeled into a T25 flask containing growth medium. Survivability following aerosolization was observed on a daily basis. HeLa cells were used for comparison. The same aerosolization and culture methods were used to treat HeLa cells. One day following aerosolization, skin-derived fibroblasts showed no sign of vacuolation due to cell stress. They attached to the surface of the flask, indicating that most of them survived aerosolization. The surviving cells were also able to proliferate rapidly, forming a confluent monolayer of cells at day 4. In contrast, HeLa cells were unable to proliferate even after 21 days of culture. This study provides the first evidence that cells can be aerosolized without the risk of low cell survivability and stress. The high survival rate of fibroblast cells following aerosolization illustrates the potential for delivering of such cells in future aerosol cell-based therapy to treat lung diseases.

P32.03: Assessment of pelvic floor by 3D‐ultrasound in primiparous women in different types of delivery: initial experiment from a single reference service in Brazil

P32.03: Assessment of pelvic floor by 3D‐ultrasound in primiparous women in different types of delivery: initial experiment from a single reference service in Brazil

Pregnancy and the risk of autoimmune disease: An exploration.

Fetal microchimerism is the study of persisting fetal cells in the mother years after pregnancy and the purported implications for her health and longevity. Due to the association between pregnancy and autoimmune disease (AID), and the preponderance of these diseases in women, laboratory studies have for years attempted to link microchimeric fetal cells with the onset of AID after pregnancy. This new study gave us the opportunity to examine for the first time if this theory could be proven clinically in a large cohort of women. By examining whether different types of delivery affected the onset of AID, we also aimed to indirectly relate this finding to fetal microchimerism. The results did suggest an association between pregnancy and the risk of subsequent maternal AID, with increased risks noted after caesarean section (CS) and decreased risks after abortion. This is the first epidemiological study on the risk of AID following pregnancy.

Pregnancy and the risk of autoimmune disease

Fetal microchimerism is the study of persisting fetal cells in the mother years after pregnancy and the purported implications for her health and longevity. Due to the association between pregnancy and autoimmune disease (AID), and the preponderance of these diseases in women, laboratory studies have for years attempted to link microchimeric fetal cells with the onset of AID after pregnancy. This new study gave us the opportunity to examine for the first time if this theory could be proven clinically in a large cohort of women. By examining whether different types of delivery affected the onset of AID, we also aimed to indirectly relate this finding to fetal microchimerism. The results did suggest an association between pregnancy and the risk of subsequent maternal AID, with increased risks noted after caesarean section (CS) and decreased risks after abortion. This is the first epidemiological study on the risk of AID following pregnancy.

Quality of life in the mediate postpartum: a quantitative study

Introduction: Postpartum is a period of deep physical and emotional changes for women which may interfere in their quality of life. The objectives of this exploratory descriptive study of quantitative approach were to identify the Quality of Life Index (QLI) of women in the mediate puerperium, using an adaptation of the Ferrans &amp; Powers instrument, and to assess the influence of the following variables on these women&rsquo;s quality of life: type of delivery, breastfeeding, breast conditions and baby&rsquo;s health. Method: The data were collected from April to June 2007. The sample consisted of 144 women, and the majority (70%) had Caesarean delivery. Results: The mean score of quality of life was relatively high (25.82), the maximum being 30.0. In this research, two of the variables studied indicated a statistically significant difference, and thus influenced negatively the Quality of Life of women in the mediate puerperium: nipple fissure and breast engorgement issues, or the association of both conditions, as well as problems with the baby&acute;s health. The results allowed us to affirm that there was no statistically significant difference (in general or by domain) in the women&rsquo;s quality of life concerning the different types of delivery. Moreover, there was no statistical difference in the QoL of the women who presented an unfavorable attitude toward breastfeeding. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that issues that were considered simple, such as nipple fissure and breast engorgement, may interfere in the QoL of puerperal women. Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses must become aware of their role as educators in their clinical practice. The appropriate guidance and support to the mother in the beginning of the breastfeeding process consist of uncomplicated light technologies that are easy to be followed, and that can reflect in a positive way on the QoL of the women.

Expertise and the Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of Anticipatory Information Pick-up from Complex Movement Patterns

Groups of high- (n = 14), intermediate- (n = 12), and low-skilled (n = 15) cricket batsmen participated in two experiments to examine expertise-related differences in anticipatory information pick-up that combined temporal and spatial occlusion methodologies. In experiment 1 participants were shown video displays of a bowler delivering one of three different types of delivery with the display manipulated so that only selected local features of the bowler's movement pattern (bowling hand, bowling hand and arm, trunk, lower body, or whole body) were visible and then only for specific time periods prior to ball release. Only the highly-skilled players were able to produce better-than-chance predictions of ball type and then only under a limited set of display conditions. Information from bowling hand and arm cues was particularly critical although continuous visibility of these cues was apparently not essential for information pick-up. In experiment 2 the order in which particular features were made visible throughout the bowler's movement pattern was varied in an attempt to find the sequence of cues that was most favourable for effective information pick-up. The necessity in this experiment to switch vision between different features eliminated the highly-skilled players' capability to anticipate. Expert anticipation is dependent on sensitivity to information arising from a select set of local cues, and forced attentional switches between different cues negate effective information pick-up and, with it, the expert advantage.

Perception of the childbirth experience: continuity and changes over the postpartum period

The way mothers reconstruct the childbirth experience during the early postpartum period may interfere in their mood and predisposition to get pregnant again. This study explored continuity and changes in the perception of childbirth experience throughout the first six postpartum months, taking into account different types of delivery. The sample consisted of 68 Portuguese pregnant women, who filled in the Childbirth Experience and Satisfaction Questionnaire 48 h after delivery and in the third and sixth postpartum months. A continuity in the mothers' overall perceptions of childbirth experience, use and usefulness of relaxation techniques, social support, health conditions and care provided, and other postpartum events was found over time. Despite that, mothers developed a more positive perception of this experience marked by fewer worries about the infant's health and well‐being as well as their own, and by a decrease in the perception of the pain felt. The type of delivery had an impact both on the mothers' perceptions of childbirth experience and on memory changes over time. Results suggest that the construction of a more positive perception of childbirth can be a relevant postpartum developmental task which can help mothers to better adjust to motherhood.