High Incidence Of Stillbirths Research Articles

An epidemiological survey of Raynaud's phenomenon

A questionnaire was sent to 1000 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and an equal number of controls in order to accumulate one of the largest patient data banks currently available. Five-hundred and seventy-one correctly completed paired returns were processed so as to investigate the association between Raynaud's phenomenon and other factors suspected of influencing the condition. The involvement of female sex hormones in RP was indicated by the predominance of women (93%), a 6% (P less than 0.02) higher incidence of infertility and the influence of menstruation (15%), the menopause (73%) and pregnancy (53%) on symptoms. Patients with scleroderma had a 5% higher incidence of stillbirths. A familial predisposition for RP was noted dependent on age at onset of symptoms (age less than 30, 14% greater than 30, 4.9%). The Raynaud's group overall had a significantly higher percentage who had been treated for migraine (7% higher P less than 0.01), angina (3% higher P less than 0.05) and duodenal ulcer (3% higher P less than 0.001). Of the respondents who had undergone sympathectomy (n = 140, 24.5% of the total), 18.6% claimed lasting benefit and 66.4% claimed no benefit after one year. The mean age at sympathectomy was 38.6 years (S.D. +/- 13 range 14-78) with a mean age of start of symptoms of 29.2 years (S.D. +/- 14.7, range 0-70). There was no significant difference between the effects of sympathectomy on those patients with and those without associated conditions.

An examination of behavioral, immunological and productive traits in four management systems for sows and piglets

Forty-one sows and litters were utilized in a multi-disciplinary evaluation of four common commercial housing systems for sows and piglets: (1) a standard crate (SC); (2) a modified or turnaround crate (TC); (3) a pen with an indoor and outdoor area (OP); (4) a straw-bedded hut on a lot (HL). HL litters had a higher incidence of still-births than OP litters. Litters raised in HL had higher mortality and weaned fewer and lighter pigs. Litters in TC had lower mortality than SC litters. Sow behavior data (such as sow feeding time) paralleled productivity data (number piglets weaned). Sows who spent more time showing oral behaviors towards bars pre-farrowing had larger litter sizes ( r = 0.73, P <0.01). Sows who were less active (that is, moved while standing) pre-farrowing weaned more piglets ( r=0.55, P<0.05). Sows who spent more time feeding weaned more pigs ( r=0.57, P<0.05). Immunological data indicated that piglets in OP had higher white blood cell numbers and piglets in HL had lower antigen-induced blood antibody titers. Since litters in the TC had improved piglet survival compared with SC, a large-scale performance and economic-evaluation trial is in order to further study the system on commercial farms.

Obstetrician's view of the physiology of equine parturition and dystocia.

The author reviews 40 years of clinical experience including more than 1000 cases of dystocia in mares of different breeds. The high incidence of stillbirth and perinatal mortality of the foal, severe lesions of the genital tract developing during foaling and in the early post partum period are discussed and suggestions made for their prevention and treatment. The advantages of partial embryotomy to avoid unnecessary caesarean sections are emphasised. Special attention is given to the causes of and approach to cases of prolonged gestation; to dystocia caused by retroversion of preparturient torsion of the uterus; and to transverse presentation developed from bicornual pregnancy, regarded as the most important indication for caesarean section. Recommendations are proposed to improve the results of caesarean section for the mare and foal.

Effect of nicotine on the development of fetal and suckling rats.

Nicotine, administered at a dose of 100 micrograms/kg/day from day 14 of gestation, did not affect maternal food intake, weight gain, length of gestation, litter size or fetal development; however, a daily dose of 1 mg/kg led to smaller litter size and higher incidence of stillbirth. Continued maternal administration of nicotine (100 micrograms/kg/day) until 12 days post partum did not affect newborn growth (body weight and length and size of heart and lung) during the first week after birth; during the second week, however, the nicotine-treated group lagged behind the controls. The stomachs of pups of nicotine-treated rats contained less food than those of controls; this difference increased with age, becoming more than 40% at 12 days. We suggest that lower milk production of nicotine-treated rats interferes with the normal development of the offspring during periods of rapid growth.

Zinc, copper and mercury in Oriomo Papuans' hair

Hair samples from the Oriomo Papuans, being sago‐ and meat‐eaters, were analysed for zinc, copper, and inorganic and organic mercury concentrations. Values obtained were compared between the sexes, and with those for Japanese islanders (rice‐ and fish‐eaters) on Kuchinoshima in the south of Japanese mainlands. Hair zinc values of female Papuans were significantly lower than those of male Papuans and adult male and female Japanese islanders, but no difference was found in hair copper values. Hair organic mercury values were markedly higher in Japanese islanders than in Papuans. The low levels of hair zinc nutriture in female Papuans was discussed in relation to the food consumption and the high incidence of stillbirth.

Maternal and infantile obesity

One of the earliest reports of the relationship between obesity and reproduction was a study of the circumstances under which 40 women became overweight as a result of pregnancy. No consistent pattern emerged from this study. Excessive gain in weight was recognised in some women during pregnancy, in others only some time after delivery. Furthermore, the response to successive pregnancies was varied, but all the patients had continued to gain weight over the years, and for this reason had sought medical advice. In this selected sample, abnormalities of pregnancy were common, with a high incidence of stillbirths and neonatal mortality.

Pancreatic Pathology in Manganese-deficient Guinea Pigs

A high incidence of stillbirths and poor viability of neonatal guinea pigs has occurred in offspring born to females maintained throughout pregnancy with a diet deficient in manganese. At autopsy these animals were observed to have gross abnormalities of the pancreas. Guinea pigs, presumably less severely affected, which were continued with the manganese-deficient dietary regimen to young adult life, had previously been found to have diabetic-like responses to administered glucose. Former work also has demonstrated that supplementation of such young adult animals with dietary manganese for 2 months resulted in normal utilization of glucose. Histological examination of tissues from animals of these various groups forms the basis of the study. The most seriously defective newborn young killed for examination of tissues showed aplasia or marked hypoplasia of all cellular components of the pancreas. Where hypoplasia occurred, islet population was reduced but islet size was increased. Islets contained fewer and less intensely granulated beta cells when compared with pancreatic islets in the tissues of control newborn guinea pigs. Young adult manganese-deficient guinea pigs also had decreased numbers of pancreatic islets which were enlarged in size and contained less intensely granulated beta cells and increased numbers of alpha cells. Following dietary supplementation with manganese, increased numbers of islets were found to be present. These islets contained more beta cells which were more heavily granulated than those present in the islets of the pancreas of deficient guinea pigs.

Tolerance of the Rat for N,N'-Diphenyl-P-Phenylenediamine

SummaryInclusion of N, N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine in a vit. E-low diet fed to female rats through growth and reproduction has resulted in varying degrees of reproductive failure. Toxicity was encountered during growth at a level of 0.5% but not at 0.1% or below. Rats receiving 0.1% dppd exhibited uterine and vaginal hemorrhages at parturition accompanied by anorexia, anemia and emaciation. Concentrations of 0.025%, 0.01% and 0.005% resulted in a high incidence of stillbirths. No adverse effects were encountered from feeding 0.0006% dppd in the diet. The data show that dppd elicits symptoms of toxicity in the rat at concentrations below those used in commercial mixed feeds.

Cortisone-induced congenital cleft palate in rabbits.

WHEN pregnant mice were treated with large doses of cortisone they frequently resorbed their litters (Fainstat, 1951a). Subresorptive doses of cortisone were given and a variety of congenital defects was present among the newborn. Cleft palate was the most frequently visible gross defect. Greatly reduced birth-weights and a very high incidence of stillbirths were evident. The response to cortisone treatment, as measured by the incidence of cleft palate, was markedly influenced by the genetic makeup of the animals, since well-defined differences between mice of different strains were observed in response to identical cortisone treatment (Fraser and Fainstat, 1951; Fainstat, 1953; Fraser, Fainstat and Kalter, 1953). To learn whether the above phenomena occur only in the mouse, or whether they could apply to other mammals, the following parallel experiments were performed with rabbits. materials and methods Cortisone acetate3 was injected intramuscularly into the quadriceps in daily doses of 25 and 30 mg. for 4 consecutive days.