Adolescent men’s pregnancy resolution choices in relation to an unintended pregnancy: A comparative analysis of adolescent men in three countries.

This paper investigates adolescent men's pregnancy resolution choices in Australia, Ireland and Italy. It addresses two main gaps in the literature: the lack of research on (adolescent) men's views on unintended pregnancy and pregnancy resolution; and the lack of international comparative case studies on men and reproductive choices. Consistent with theories of the transformation of intimacies in society and the growth of individualization, the results suggest that adolescent men are interested in the effect of an unintended pregnancy on their individual biographies as well as the effect on their girlfriend's health and well-being. However, Australian male adolescents were much more likely to choose abortion than Italian or Irish adolescents, suggesting adolescent males have also internalized country level debates surrounding abortion. Methodologically, the paper demonstrates an innovative approach to data-collection using a computer-based interactive drama to facilitate participants' deliberation and responses. It was shown to engage a large number of adolescent men and is likely to have wider generalisability in developing international comparative research on the topic, as well as applications for health promotion.

Prenatal alcohol exposure alters biobehavioral reactivity to pain in newborns

To examine biobehavioral responses to an acute pain event in a Cape Town, South Africa, cohort consisting of 28 Cape Colored (mixed ancestry) newborns (n = 14) heavily exposed to alcohol during pregnancy (exposed), and born to abstainers (n = 14) or light (<or = 0.5 oz absolute alcohol/d) drinkers (controls).

Externalizing and attentional behaviors in children of depressed mothers treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant during pregnancy

To evaluate attentional and activity behaviors in 4-year-olds following prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) exposure.

Fetal and maternal leptin in pre-gestational diabetic pregnancy

Objective: To compare maternal and fetal leptin among women without diabetes, women with type 1 diabetes, and women with type 2 diabetes. 

Methods: In a prospective study at the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, 40 women with type 1 diabetes, 10 with type 2 diabetes, and 30 without diabetes were enrolled between July 2006 and July 2008. Maternal (36-week) and cord blood leptin was measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay. 

Results: No difference was found in maternal leptin among the groups: without diabetes (mean, range): 325 pg/mL, 36-1492 pg/mL; type 1 diabetes: 343.2 pg/mL, 55.5-1108.2 pg/mL; type 2 diabetes: 2022 pg/mL, 35.1-1553.3 pg/mL (P>0.05). Leptin levels were higher among fetuses of women with type 1 (223 pg/mL, 25.7-810 pg/mL) and type 2 (447.2 pg/mL, 1363-679 pg/mL) diabetes than among women without diabetes (803 pg/mL, 273-623.1 pg/mL; P<0.05). The single significant predictor of fetal leptin for the whole cohort was maternal body mass index (BMI; r=039, P=0.01). Only third-trimester glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was significantly related to fetal leptin after controlling for maternal BMI among women with diabetes (r=028, P=0.04).

 Conclusion: Fetuses of women with diabetes might have some degree of leptin resistance. This might be important in appetite regulation in extrauterine life. (C) 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 

Maternal Vitamin D Status in Type 1 Diabetic Pregnancy: Impact on Neonatal Vitamin D Status and Association with Maternal Glycaemic Control

Objective: The first aim of this study was to assess 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD) concentrations in women with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) during pregnancy, post-delivery and also foetal (cord blood) 25OHD concentrations and to examine relationships between these. The second aim of the study was to investigate potential interactions between maternal body mass index (BMI) and foetal vitamin D status. A further study aim was to examine potential relationships between maternal 25OHD and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA_1c) throughout pregnancy.

Research Design and Methods: This was an observational study of 52 pregnant controls without diabetes and 65 pregnant women with T1DM in a university teaching hospital. Maternal serum 25OHD was measured serially throughout the pregnancy and post-delivery. Cord blood 25OHD was measured at delivery. 25OHD was measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Results: Vitamin D deficiency (25OHD <25 nmol/L) was apparent in both the T1DM subjects and controls at all 3 pregnancy trimesters. Vitamin D levels in all cord blood were <50 nmol/L. Maternal 25OHD correlated positively with cord 25OHD at all 3 trimesters in the T1DM group (p= 0.02; p<0.001; p<0.001). 25OHD levels within cord blood were significantly lower for women with diabetes classified as obese vs. normal weight at booking [normal weight BMI <25 kg/m² vs. obese BMI >30 kg/m² (nmol/L±SD); 19.93±11.15 vs. 13.73±4.74, p= 0.026]. In the T1DM group, HbA_1c at booking was significantly negatively correlated with maternal 25OHD at all 3 trimesters (p= 0.004; p = 0.001; p= 0.05).

Conclusion: In T1DM pregnancy, low vitamin D levels persist throughout gestation and post-delivery. Cord blood vitamin D levels correlate with those of the mother, and are significantly lower in obese women than in their normal weight counterparts. Maternal vitamin D levels exhibit a significant negative relationship with HbA_1c levels, supporting a potential role for this vitamin in maintaining glycaemic control. 

Design and Development of a Film-based Intervention about Teenage Men and Unintended Pregnancy: Applying the Medical Research Council Framework in Practice

Following the UK Medical Research Council’s (MRC) guidelines for the development and evaluation of complex interventions, this study aimed to design, develop and optimise an educational intervention about young men and unintended teenage pregnancy based around an interactive film. The process involved identification of the relevant evidence base, development of a theoretical understanding of the phenomenon of unintended teenage pregnancy in relation to young men, and exploratory mixed methods research. The result was an evidence-based, theory-informed, user-endorsed intervention designed to meet the much neglected pregnancy education needs of teenage men and intended to increase both boys’ and girls’ intentions to avoid an unplanned pregnancy during adolescence. In prioritising the development phase, this paper addresses a gap in the literature on the processes of research-informed intervention design. It illustrates the application of the MRC guidelines in practice while offering a critique and additional guidance to programme developers on the MRC prescribed processes of developing interventions. Key lessons learned were: 1) know and engage the target population and engage gatekeepers in addressing contextual complexities; 2) know the targeted behaviours and model a process of change; and 3) look beyond development to evaluation and implementation.