Skip Navigation

Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

Sign up for MCHalert eNewsletter

Search Results: MCHLine

Items in this list may be obtained from the sources cited. Contact information reflects the most current data about the source that has been provided to the MCH Digital Library.

Displaying records 1 through 2 (2 total).

Main D. 1993. Physiologic Risk Assessments to Predict Preterm Birth [Final report]. San Francisco, CA: California Pacific Medical Center, 22 pp.

Annotation: This study sought to validate a highly predictive (retrospective) screening method using uterine contraction monitoring recently developed by the principal investigator, and determined whether the ability to use this method to identify women at risk for preterm labor could be further improved by the addition of pelvic examination findings. The 3-year project addressed whether these physiologic measures (i.e., uterine contraction frequency, cervical examination, and vaginal pH), when determined at standard prenatal visit intervals, could be used effectively to identify low risk women who subsequently experience preterm birth because of preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM), and whether interpretation of uterine contraction data could be improved and standardized by means of a computer program. The study found, however, that the physiologic measures failed to differentiate the few women destined for preterm delivery in this sample of pregnant women at very low risk for preterm delivery, suggesting that these approaches are not useful in very low risk populations despite their possible value in women at high risk for preterm labor or PPROM. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: High risk pregnancy, Monitoring, Pregnant Women, Premature Labor, Uterine Activity

Creasy R. 1992. Uterine Activity Patterns Definition with Home Monitor [Final report]. Houston, TX: University of Texas Medical School, 53 pp.

Annotation: This project was conceived in response to an urgent need for definitive information about uterine contractile activity in normal human pregnancy. The purpose of the study was to describe uterine activity in normal singleton gestations. 109 women from three different study sites constituted the final study population. The patients wore a specially designed tododynamomoter for a complete 24 hour period, twice a week for the remainder of their pregnancy beginning at 20-24 weeks. The study found: (1) No difference between primiparous and multiparous patients in regard to contraction frequency; (2) an increase in contraction frequency as gestation advances; (3) low and moderate levels of general physical activity were not associated with an increase in uterine activity; (4) sexual activity increases uterine activity. The investigators suggest that uterine contractions alone cannot be used to diagnose preterm labor but should be used in conjunction with other methods. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: Home monitoring, Pregnant women, Prenatal care, Preterm birth, Uterine activity
   

The MCH Library is one of six special collections at Georgetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. The library is supported through foundation, private, university, state, and federal funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by Georgetown University or the U.S. Government. Note: web pages whose development was supported by federal government grants are being reviewed to comply with applicable Executive Orders.