The infant health effects of starting universal child benefits in pregnancy: Evidence from England and Wales

Child benefits are typically paid from birth. This paper asks whether starting universal child benefits in pregnancy leads to improvements in infant health. Leveraging administrative birth registry and hospital microdata from England and Wales, I study the effects of the Health in Pregnancy Grant, a universal conditional cash transfer equivalent to three months of child benefit (190 GBP) as a lump sum to pregnant mothers from 2009 to 2011. I exploit quasi-experimental variation in eligibility with a regression discontinuity design in the date of birth of the baby. I find that the policy increased birth weight by 8–12 grams on average, reduced low birth weight ($<$2500 g) by 3-6 percent and decreased prematurity by 9–11 percent. Younger mothers, particularly those living in deprived areas, benefit the most. I present evidence that the mechanisms are unlikely to be antenatal care, nutrition or smoking, with reductions in stress remaining a possible explanation.     

Ultrasound Fetal Weight Estimation: How Accurate Are We Now Under Emergency Conditions?

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of sonographic estimation of fetal weight when performed at due date by first-line sonographers. This was a prospective study including 500 singleton pregnancies. Ultrasound examinations were performed by residents on delivery day. Estimated fetal weights (EFWs) were calculated and compared with the corresponding birth weights. The median absolute difference between EFW and birth weight was 200 g (100–330). This difference was within ±10% in 75.2% of the cases. The median absolute percentage error was 5.53% (2.70%–10.03%). Linear regression analysis revealed a good correlation between EFW and birth weight (r = 0.79, p < 0.0001). According to Bland–Altman analysis, bias was −85.06 g (95% limits of agreement: −663.33 to 494.21). In conclusion, EFWs calculated by residents were as accurate as those calculated by experienced sonographers. Nevertheless, predictive performance remains limited, with a low sensitivity in the diagnosis of macrosomia.     

胎膜早破孕妇生殖道感染情况及对妊娠结局影响

目的 研究胎膜早破孕妇生殖道感染情况及对妊娠结局的影响。方法 选择2014年5月至2015年1月住院分娩的胎膜早破孕妇70例为早破组,同期无胎膜早破70例为对照组,检测两组生殖道病原微生物感染情况,并比较两组的妊娠结局。结果 早破组生殖道感染阳性率高于对照组,且剖宫产率,母体发生产后出血,绒毛膜羊膜炎,胎儿窘迫及新生儿窒息发生率均高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 生殖道感染是胎膜早破最常见的诱因,积极筛查及治疗孕妇生殖道感染可以减少相关产科并发症的发生。     

The need for a revival of psychoanalytic investigations into premature ejaculation

Although psychoanalysis was the first-choice treatment for premature ejaculation (PE) between 1920 and 1960, hardly any reports on its efficacy have been published. Moreover, a scientific debate about its findings has never been fully developed. The recent progress that has been made in the classification of three different PE syndromes creates a new opportunity for psychoanalytic investigations of men with complaints of PE, distinguished by the actual duration of their intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT). The term premature-like ejaculatory dysfunction has been introduced to distinguish men with self-perceived PE at normal and long IELT durations from those men with lifelong, acquired and normal variable PE. Psychoanalytic research may contribute to a better understanding of the consequences of objective early ejaculations on the unconscious mental life of men with the four forms of PE. By integrating neurobiological, clinical and epidemiological data of ejaculatory performance, a revival of psychoanalytic research of PE in the four distinct, classified PE groups, will probably contribute to a deeper insight in to the unconscious mental life of men affected by PE.     

孕足月胎膜早破与头位难产的相关性

目的：探讨足月妊娠胎膜早破与难产的关系。方法：选择262例足月妊娠胎膜早破患者作为观察组,另随机抽取本院同期262例无胎膜早破的健康孕妇作为对照组,比较两组难产率的发生情况。结果：观察组难产率为45.0%,明显高于对照组的22.9%（P〈0.01）。两组的难产因素差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论：胎膜早破与难产有相关性,应及早处理,防止母儿并发症的发生。     

妊娠高血压综合征尿蛋白的丢失对新生儿出生体重的影响

目的: 几乎没有研究报道妊娠高血压综合征 (妊高征 ) 患者尿蛋白对新生儿出生体重的影响, 该研究欲探讨妊高征患者不同水平尿蛋白对新生儿出生体重的影响关系。方法: 1997年 1月 ~2004年 6月期间, 住院分娩患中、重度妊高征产妇 136例, 对新生儿出生体重与各种因素进行回归分析及t检验分析。结果: 单变量回归分析尿蛋白、孕龄分别与新生儿出生体重有高度显著性关系 (P<0. 01); 尿蛋白和孕龄一起进入多元回归分析, 校正影响因素, 尿蛋白和孕龄仍然是影响新生儿出生体重显著性因素 (P<0 .01); 与妊高征尿蛋白 ( +) 比较, 尿蛋白 无显著性影响新生儿出生体重 (P>0. 05), 尿蛋白 有显著性影响新生儿出生体重 (P<0. 01)。结论: 新生儿出生体重与妊高征患者尿蛋白丢失有关, 尿蛋白 丢失将严重影响新生儿出生体重。     

新生儿窒息124例临床分析

目的探讨预防新生儿窒息的措施，以降低新生儿窒息的发生率。方法收集我院124例新生儿窒息的临床资料，分析发病的相关高危因素。结果窒息的相关因素依次为：早产因素34例居首位，占27．4％；羊水过少占14．5％；胎位异常占10．5％；产程异常占9．7％；脐带因素（缠绕、脱垂及过短）占8．9％；巨大儿占8．9％；胎盘早剥及前置胎盘占6．5％；妊娠高血压综合征占5．6％；宫内生长迟缓（IUGR）占3．2％。结论加大孕产妇分级管理的力度，加强孕期保健和产前检查，适时纠正臀位，尽量减少早产，及早发现和正确处理胎儿宫内窘迫，是降低新生儿重度窒息的有效措施。     

早泄病人慢性前列腺炎的发生率调查

目的 :调查早泄男性中慢性前列腺炎的发生率。　方法 :对 10 6例早泄病人和 38例正常人前列腺按摩前后尿液标本及前列腺按摩液 (EPS)进行显微镜和 /或细菌学检查 ,并评估 12 0例慢性前列腺炎病人中早泄的发生率。　结果 :在早泄病人中发现 49例 (46 .2 %)有慢性前列腺炎 ,其中 34 .7%存在慢性细菌性前列腺炎 ,与对照组相比均有统计学差异 (P <0 .0 5 )。 12 0例慢性前列腺炎病人中 5 7例 (47.5 %)存在不同程度的早泄。　结论 :本研究结果提示慢性前列腺炎症在某些早泄病人的发病机制中可能具有一定作用 ,在针对早泄治疗前进行前列腺仔细检查具有重要意义。     

The Alcohol Beverage Warning Label: When Did Knowledge Increase?

This article presents data on the awareness of the alcohol beverage warning label among a sample of 5,169 inner city African-American gravidas seeking prenatal care. While the label law was implemented in November 1989, a significant increase in knowledge of the label did not occur until March 1990. Women who predominantly consumed wine coolers and beer, and those under age 30 were more likely to know about the label than their counterparts.     

Pulmonary effects of closure of patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome

The pulmonary effects of closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) were investigated in 11 premature infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome. Successful closure of a PDA did not improve the short-term severity of pulmonary disease (24 and 48 h after treatment) as judged by the arterial/alveolar oxygen tension ratio or the amount of ventilatory support. Also, pulmonary mechanics measured 24 h before, 24 and 48 h after treatment, were not statistically different.Conclusion Infants with severe respiratory disease requiring high ventilation pressure and high oxygen concentration, where structural changes in the lungs are already established, will rarely show short-term improvement in pulmonary disease as a result of closure of a PDA. The overall clinical condition may, however, improve as a result of reduced cardiovascular strain. Earlier treatment of a PDA could reduce the ventilation period and the possible risk of developing chronic lung disease.