Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0029713 (immaturity)
 4,335 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We set out to design a simple test, derived from the Dubowitz gestational assessment, to differentiate immature from mature newborn infants. An initial group of 196 infants of known gestation was studied to determine the two criteria with the most discriminant value. It was found that the clearest cut-off for most criteria occurred at 36 rather than at 37 weeks gestation, and that the best criteria were breast size and plantar creases. The usefulness of this pair of criteria was then assessed in a second group of 120 babies weighing 1750-2200 g where a full 21-point Dubowitz assessment had been used to estimate gestational age. Based on this assessment, babies were categorized as "true immature" (less than 36 weeks) or "true mature". In this low-birthweight group, if maturity (36 weeks or more) was diagnosed when both the breast nodule and the plantar creases scored 2 or more on Dubowitz rating, then 79% of "true immature" and 81% of "true mature" infants were correctly classified. Thus, in low-birthweight Melanesian infants, a baby with indentations on the sole (or red marks on the posterior half) and breast tissue of diameter 0.5 cm or more on one or both sides is likely to be mature. If one or both signs is absent, immaturity is likely. This simple assessment of maturity would be practical and easy to teach in primary health care in developing countries.
 ...
PMID:Simple maturity classification of the newborn infant. 169 90

In order to identify the characteristics of pregnant adolescents which are associated with preterm delivery of their babies, data collected from the Rochester Study of Adolescent Pregnancy, a 3-year prospective study of the relationship between maternal age, weight gain, and infant outcome in 195 consecutively enrolled, poor, Black, 12-30 year old women, were used to develop a cohort of 126 pregnant adolescents who were less than 19-years-old at conception. Gestational age was calculated from the date of the last menstrual period and verified by ultrasound and Dubowitz examinations. Infants born prior to the 37th week of gestation were considered preterm. 12 of the study mothers had preterm infants (born at an average of 33+or-4 weeks compared with 39+or-1 week for term infants). Univariate analysis revealed that preterm delivery was significantly associated (por=0.05) with 5 maternal characteristics: 1) conception within 3 years of menarche, when menarche occurred after the population mean of 12 years; 2) a body mass index blow the population mean of 23kg/sq. m; 3) a history of abuse; 4) a sexual partner (the baby's father) involved in socially deviant behaviors; and 5) vaginal bleeding during the first 8 weeks of gestation. These maternal characteristics fit a theoretical framework which suggests that during the first trimester, pregnancy hormonal deficiencies associated with physical immaturity, the additional nutritional requirements of a thin body habitus, and stress-related physiologic changes can adversely affect adaptation to the physiologic demands of pregnancy and compromise the growth of the utero-placental vascular bed. This would predispose a women to early first trimester vaginal bleeding and/or preterm delivery. To test this hypothesis, more research is needed in the area of early maternal physiologic adjustment to pregnancy in larger, more diverse populations. Such research would provide a scientific basis for the allocation of scarce adolescent prenatal services.
 ...
PMID:Factors associated with preterm delivery among pregnant adolescents. 834 49