To the best of our knowledge, only few reports have evaluated systematic attempts to improve the rate of always seatbelt use or the rate of always infant car-seat use by mothers driving infants. We ...had got some important information as following, 1)The careful attitude of pregnant women toward safety in the car(always using a seatbelt and preferring the rear seat)may be associated with reduced risk of motor vehicle accidents in pregnancy. 2)The minimal intervention via the distribution of an educational seat belt leaflet provided in the early pregnancy was effective in raising the rate of consistent seat belt use during pregnancy, but it did not decrease the rate of motor vehicle accidents. 3)Antepartum minimal intervention via the distribution of an educational leaflet recommending the infant carseat safety guidelines was associated with increased rates of always infant car-seat use; however, it did not contribute to reduced motor vehicle accidents rates after delivery. Thus, we should promote more extensively among pregnant women to decrease rates of pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality from motor vehicle accidents.
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening methods and GDM incidences. In 2018, a national questionnaire was administered at 231 ...institutions (56.6%) of all 408 perinatal medical centers in Japan. Of 100,485 women, 2,982 (3.0%) were diagnosed with GDM during their first pregnancy period (FPP) and 7,289 (7.3%) were diagnosed with GDM during their middle pregnancy period (MPP). The proportion of women diagnosed with GDM during FPP and MPP using 95 mg/dL as the cutoff value (CV) for random plasma glucose (PG) at FPP (4.3% and 9.2%) was significantly higher than that of women diagnosed with GDM using 100 mg/dL as the CV for random PG (2.7% and 6.9%, p < 0.0001, respectively). Compared with women screened for GDM using “random PG and random PG,” women who were screened for GDM using “random PG and 50-g glucose challenge test (GCT)” had a significantly higher incidence of GDM (6.6% versus 8.9%, p < 0.0001). Using random PG and 50-g GCT, the incidence of GDM among women diagnosed at MPP using a CV of 95 mg/dL at FPP was significantly higher than that of women diagnosed using a CV of 100 mg/dL (16.5% versus 7.8%: p < 0.0001). While, using “random PG and random PG,” the incidences of GDM among women were similar between institutions using a CV of 100 mg/dL and those using a CV of 95 mg/dL at FPP (6.7% versus 6.9%: p = 0.3581). This study showed random PG as a first-step screening method in MPP may overlook women with GDM.
Japanese obstetrical hemorrhage recommendations state that not only pregnant women with an obstetrical disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) score ≥ 8 points but also those with fibrinogen ...levels ≤ 1.5 g/L have a high risk of maternal death and warrant blood transfusion. Our aim was to demonstrate the potential of fibrinogen levels ≤ 1.5 g/L as predictors of a Japanese obstetrical DIC score of ≥ 8. We included 595 participants with blood loss ≥ 1000 mL during vaginal delivery or ≥ 2000 mL during cesarean delivery. The frequency and volume of red blood cell (RBC), fresh-frozen plasma, platelet concentrate (PC), and fibrinogen administration in women with a DIC score of ≥ 8 and fibrinogen levels of ≤ 1.5 g/L were significantly higher than controls (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that a score of ≥ 3 was associated with RBC or fibrinogen administration and a score of ≥ 5 was associated with PC transfusion. Fibrinogen levels ≤ 1.89 g/L and ≤ 2.44 g/L were associated with PC transfusion and fibrinogen administration, respectively. Fibrinogen levels ≤ 1.5 g/L may have similar potential to a DIC score of ≥ 8 points for detecting obstetrical DIC in Japan.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Fibrinogen concentrate (FC) for acquired hypofibrinogenemia associated with critical obstetrical hemorrhage (COH) was covered by public medical insurance in September 2021 in Japan. We aimed to ...investigate changes in the policy of FC use and its effect on COH after insurance coverage. A primary survey covering September 2020 to August 2021 and a secondary survey covering September 2021 to August 2022 were conducted at 428 higher-level medical facilities. We investigated the policy of FC use in transfusion strategy and the maternal outcomes in COH. Among the hospitals that responded to both surveys, the number of facilities that use FC increased from 51.5 (101/196) to 78.6% (154/196) (P < 0.0001). The number of COH cases treated using FC increased from 14.3 to 24.3% (P < 0.0001) and that transfused with ≥ 10 units of red blood cells (RBCs) decreased from 36.8 to 29.8% (P = 0.001). The incidence of pulmonary edema reduced by 3.7-2.0% (P = 0.021), and transfusion-induced allergy by 1.9-0.7% (P = 0.008). No changes were observed in the incidence of thromboembolism, arterial embolization, or hysterectomy. The increased use of FC after insurance coverage led to changes in the transfusion strategy, which may be associated with decreases in transfusions of RBCs, pulmonary edema, and transfusion-induced allergies.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aim: To clarify the relationship between the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with or without hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and the incidence of small-for-gestational-age ...(SGA) infants.Methods: We conducted a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation in 455 pregnant women who were classified into four groups according to their GDM and HDP status retrospectively.Results: The number of SGA infants born to women with GDM+HDP was similar to that born to women with HDP alone. In the GDM group, the SGA rate in women with GDM+HDP was similar to that in women with GDM alone. However, in the non-GDM group, significantly more SGA infants were born to women with HDP alone than to women with no pathology. The mean birthweight SD in women with GDM+HDP was comparable to that in women with GDM alone. However, the birthweight SD in women with HDP alone was significantly lower than that in women with no pathology. By multivariate analysis, birthweight SD<−0.564 was a predictor of HDP in the non-GDM group, but not in the GDM group.Conclusions: This study showed that GDM might offset the number of SGA infants induced by HDP.
This study aimed to clarify the educational significance and issues associated with administering the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) twice to midwifery students, i.e., before and ...after clinical training. In Sapporo City University in Japan, 37 assessment items of the OSCE were configured as "Overall," with 17 items as midwifery's normal delivery preparation (Part 1) and 20 items as midwifery's normal delivery assistance (Part 2). All students had attended lectures with textbooks. The first and second OSCEs were conducted before and after the clinical training, respectively. The scores of 54 students were retrospectively analyzed over 6 years (2014-2019). The results of the first and second OSCEs were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test, Fisher's exact test, and analysis of variance. The mean scores for "Overall" 0-37, "Part 1" 0-17, and "Part 2" 0-20 in the second OSCEs were significantly higher than those in the first OSCE (Overall: 22.7 vs 19.3, Part 1: 9.50 vs 7.71, Part 2: 13.2 vs 11.6, p<0.05, respectively). Regarding "Overall" and "Part 1," a positive correlation was observed between the first and second OSCEs, wherein the full scores of "Part 1," converted from 17 to 20 points to match the full scores of "Part 2," were significantly lower than those of Part 2 (p<0.05, respectively). There was a positive correlation between the scores of the first and second OSCEs in "Part 1" and "Part 2" (p<0.05). The scores increased between the two OSCEs, and participants could objectively grasp the knowledge and skills. The OSCEs conducted twice were useful in skilling-up the normal delivery preparation and assistance skills of midwifery students. However, developing an advanced educational method might be necessary for the midwifery students' preparation of normal delivery, because the scores in the OSCEs were lower.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study aimed to clarify the educational significance and issues associated with administering the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) twice to midwifery students, i.e., before and ...after clinical training. In Sapporo City University in Japan, 37 assessment items of the OSCE were configured as “Overall,” with 17 items as midwifery’s normal delivery preparation (Part 1) and 20 items as midwifery’s normal delivery assistance (Part 2). All students had attended lectures with textbooks. The first and second OSCEs were conducted before and after the clinical training, respectively. The scores of 54 students were retrospectively analyzed over 6 years (2014–2019). The results of the first and second OSCEs were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann–Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test, Fisher’s exact test, and analysis of variance. The mean scores for “Overall” 0–37, “Part 1” 0–17, and “Part 2” 0–20 in the second OSCEs were significantly higher than those in the first OSCE (Overall: 22.7 vs 19.3, Part 1: 9.50 vs 7.71, Part 2: 13.2 vs 11.6, p<0.05, respectively). Regarding “Overall” and “Part 1,” a positive correlation was observed between the first and second OSCEs, wherein the full scores of “Part 1,” converted from 17 to 20 points to match the full scores of “Part 2,” were significantly lower than those of Part 2 (p<0.05, respectively). There was a positive correlation between the scores of the first and second OSCEs in “Part 1” and “Part 2” (p<0.05). The scores increased between the two OSCEs, and participants could objectively grasp the knowledge and skills. The OSCEs conducted twice were useful in skilling-up the normal delivery preparation and assistance skills of midwifery students. However, developing an advanced educational method might be necessary for the midwifery students’ preparation of normal delivery, because the scores in the OSCEs were lower.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Although gestational hypertension (GH) is a well-known disorder, gestational proteinuria (GP) has been far less emphasized. According to international criteria, hypertensive disorders of ...pregnancy include GH but not GP. Previous studies have not revealed the predictors of progression from GP to preeclampsia or those of progression from GH to preeclampsia. We aimed to determine both sets of predictors. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with singleton pregnant women who delivered at 22 gestational weeks or later. Preeclampsia was divided into three types: new onset of hypertension/proteinuria at 20 gestational weeks or later and additional new onset of other symptoms at < 7 days or at ≥ 7 days later. Of 94 women with preeclampsia, 20 exhibited proteinuria before preeclampsia, 14 experienced hypertension before preeclampsia, and 60 exhibited simultaneous new onset of both hypertension and proteinuria before preeclampsia; the outcomes of all types were similar. Of 34 women with presumptive GP, 58.8% developed preeclampsia; this proportion was significantly higher than that of 89 women with presumptive GH who developed preeclampsia (15.7%). According to multivariate logistic regression models, earlier onset of hypertension/proteinuria (before or at 34.7/33.9 gestational weeks) was a predicator for progression from presumptive GH/GP to preeclampsia (odds ratios: 1.21/1.21, P value: 0.0044/0.0477, respectively).
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Since July 2022, obstetrical disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in Japan has been diagnosed based on the new criteria (tentative version), which assesses the main underlying disease, ...fibrinogen level, and fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products or D-dimer level. In June 2024, the tentative version underwent minor revision and the final version was released. The previous Japanese criteria assessed underlying disease, clinical symptoms, and various laboratory findings. This study aimed to prove the effectiveness, reliability, and validity of the new criteria (final version). We analyzed 212 women with singleton pregnancies who delivered after 22 gestational weeks and experienced blood loss ≥ 1000 mL during vaginal delivery or ≥ 2000 mL during cesarean section. Those with missing laboratory findings before receiving blood transfusion at delivery were excluded. In the obstetrical DIC group, the frequency of fibrinogen levels < 150 mg/dL was significantly higher than in the control group (90% vs. 5%, p < 0.0001), as was the frequency of scores ≥ 8 according to the previous Japanese criteria (100% vs. 10%, p < 0.0001). Cronbach alpha was 0.757 and Spearman’s rank-order correlation was 0.558 between the new and previous criteria. In conclusion, we proved the effectiveness, reliability, and validity of the Japanese new criteria (final version) to diagnose obstetrical DIC.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aim
In Hokkaido, Japan, the number of people suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is rapidly increased, and by the end of February 2020, there were already 70 confirmed cases of the ...disease. We investigated the safety of urgently initiated maternal telemedicine in preventing the spread of the coronavirus infection.
Methods
This retrospective, single‐institution study examined maternal telemedicine at the department of obstetrics of the Hokkaido University Hospital from March 4 to April 2, 2020. The physicians remotely examined the pregnant women from their homes using a visual communication system which kept communication confidential, performed prenatal checkup and administered medical care according to their various blood pressures, weights and cardiotocograms.
Results
Forty‐four pregnant women received a total of 67 telemedicine interventions. Thirty‐two pregnant women (73%) had complications, and 22 were primiparas (50%). Telemedicine interventions were provided 19 times at less than 26 weeks of gestation, 43 times between 26 and 36 weeks of gestation and 5 times after 37 weeks of gestation. There was one case with an abnormality diagnosed during the remote prenatal checkups, and the patient was hospitalized on the same day. However, there were no abnormal findings observed in mothers and children during the other 66 remote prenatal checkups and medical care.
Conclusion
Maternal telemedicine can be safely conducted in pregnant women who are at risk of having an underlying disorder or fetal abnormality 1 month following the start of the attempt. It should be considered as a form of maternal medical care to prevent the spread of COVID‐19.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK