The Effect of Relaxation Therapy on Preterm
Labor Outcomes.
Journal of obstetric,
gynecologic, and neonatal nursing, 1999, vol. 28, no. 3,
pp. 255
Janke, Jill
Abstract:
Relaxation therapy, a cost-effective nursing intervention, made a
difference in preterm labor outcome. The experimental group had longer
pregnancies and larger newborns.
Language: English Document Type: Journal article ISSN:
0884-2175
|
SICI
(online): |
0884-2175(19990501)28:3L.255:ERTP;1- |
|
Am J Reprod Immunol 2001 May;45(5):303-9 |
Murine stress-triggered abortion is mediated
by increase of CD8+ TNF-alpha+ decidual cells via substance P.
Joachim RA, Hildebrandt M, Oder J, Klapp BF, Arck PC.
Department of Internal Medicine, Charite-Campus Virchow, Humboldt University,
Berlin, Germany.
PROBLEM: Stress is known to induce abortions in mice and humans. Increased
levels of abortogenic type 1 helper T-cell cytokines and decreased levels of
pregnancy protective cytokines could be linked to stress-triggered embryonic
loss. Stress promotes neurotransmitter substance P (SP) release in tissues. SP
increases the production of decidual tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, whereby
the phenotype of these TNF-alpha-producing cells is hypothetical. The objective
of the present study was to identify decidual TNF-alpha-producing cell
populations that are involved in stress-induced murine abortion. METHOD:
DBA/2J-mated CBA/J female mice were exposed to ultrasonic sound stress on day
5.5 of pregnancy. The mice were randomized and half were treated with the SP
NK1-receptor antagonist (SP-RA) RP 67580 (200 microg/mouse). Frequency and
cytokine profile of CD8+ cells were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and flow
cytometry. Degranulation of uterine mast cells was examined histologically.
RESULTS: On day 13.5 of pregnancy, the uteri were removed and the resorption
rate was calculated. A mean resorption rate of 38.4% was detected in stressed
mice (n = 10) compared to 13.1% in non-stressed control mice (n = 11, P <
0.01). Injection of SP-RA decreased the abortion rate to 18.4% in stressed mice
(n = 19, P < 0.01). Flow cytometry revealed a stress-related increase of
TNF-alpha+/CD8+ decidual T cells, which could be abrogated by SP-RA (P <
0.05). No significant differences could be observed in numbers of mast cells
and total CD8+ cells in situ. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that
stress-triggered abortion is mediated by SP, and SP receptor blockade abrogates
stress-triggered abortion via reduced production of TNF-alpha by CD8+ T cells.
PMID: 11432405 [PubMed - in process]
|
BJOG 2001 Jun;108(6):598-604 |
Are there common triggers of preterm
deliveries?
Petridou E, Salvanos H, Skalkidou A, Dessypris N, Moustaki M, Trichopoulos
D.
Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Athens University Medical School,
Greece.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect(s) of transient events which are perceived as
stressful on the inseption of preterm delivery. DESIGN: A case-control study,
with immature infants as cases and borderline term babies as controls. SETTING:
A teaching maternity hospital in Athens. POPULATION: All infants born at less
than 37 weeks of gestation, during a twelve-month period. METHODS: Information
was collected about maternal socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics,
clinical variables and stressful events occurring within two weeks prior to
delivery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Factors affecting the risk of preterm
delivery. RESULTS: Extreme prematurity (<33 weeks) is more common among
younger (<25 years of age) and older (>29 years of age) women and is
positively associated with parity, body mass index and smoking, whereas it is
inversely associated with educational level, regular physical exercise and
serious nausea/vomiting. After controlling for these factors, however, only
coitus during the last weeks of pregnancy had a significant triggering effect
on prematurity (P = 0.004, odds ratio 3.21, 95% CI 1.45 to 7.09 for very
immature babies, and P = 0.04, OR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.70 for immature
babies). On the contrary, several events perceived as stressful, such as
illness of relatives or friends, husband's departure, loss of employment, were
unrelated to the onset of premature labour. CONCLUSIONS: Coitus during the last
few weeks of pregnancy appears to increase the risk of preterm delivery, while
a possible detrimental effect of physical exertion seems more limited.
Stressful events should not receive undue attention as possible causes of
preterm delivery.
PMID: 11426894 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
|
Hum Reprod 2001 Jul;16(7):1505-11 |
Stress and immune mediators in miscarriage.
Arck PC, Rose M, Hertwig K, Hagen E, Hildebrandt M, Klapp BF.
Charite, Campus Virchow, Department of Internal Medicine and Department of
Obstetrics, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
BACKGROUND: Stress is thought to be abortogenic and psycho-neuro-immunological
pathways have been suggested to be involved in triggering miscarriages. From
experiments in pregnant mice exposed to stress some insights into the
underlying mechanisms have been gained, delineating immunological imbalances as
a cause of pregnancy failure. In order to test the validity of the conclusions
drawn from murine experiments and the role of stress in human pregnancy loss,
the following study was performed. METHODS: We used an established perceived
stress questionnaire and measured the stress score of women with a confirmed
diagnosis of first trimester spontaneous abortion (n = 94). Decidual tissue was
investigated by immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization to detect the
presence and distribution of immunocompetent decidual cells [CD56(+) natural
killer (NK) cells, CD8(+)and CD3(+) T cells, tryptase(+) mast cells (MCT(+))
and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha(+) cells]. The patient cohort was
divided into women experiencing low or high levels of stress. RESULTS: In the
decidua of women with high stress scores we observed significantly higher
numbers of MCT(+), CD8(+) T cells and TNF-alpha(+) cells per mm(2) tissue (P
</= 0.05). No significant differences between individuals with lower or
higher stress scores could be observed with respect to decidual CD56(+) NK and
CD3(+) T cells. CONCLUSIONS: Using a questionnaire to score perceived stress in
humans may be a valid approach to assess non-biased stress scores.
Stress-triggered abortion in humans, identified by a questionnaire, can be
linked to immunological imbalances.
PMID: 11425839 [PubMed - in process]
|
Kaohsiung J Med Sci 2001 Jan;17(1):36-45 |
Stress and maternal-fetal attachment of
pregnant women during their third trimester.
Hsu TL, Chen CH.
Chung Hwa College of Medical Technology, Kaohsiung Medical University, No. 100,
Shin-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
This study was conducted to investigate the maternal-fetal attachment,
pregnancy stress and life-event stress of women during their third trimester and
to explore the predictors of the maternal-fetal attachment. Purposive sampling
was used to recruit 150 subjects from two hospitals in Kaohsiung. Four
instruments were used to collect data: (a) the Demographic Data Questionnaire,
(b) the Modified Maternal Fetal Attachment Scale, (c) The Pregnancy Stress
Rating Scale, and (d) the Assessment Chart for Stressful Events of Adult Life.
Factor analysis of the Modified Maternal Fetal Attachment scale defined four
factors: (1) interacting with the fetus, (2) giving of self, (3) identifying
the fetus, and (4) fantasizing. Results of the stepwise multiple regression
indicated that the best subsets to predict the criterion variable of
maternal-fetal attachment, including parity, attendance of prenatal class,
stress from seeking safe passage for herself and her child through pregnancy,
and the life-event stress, accounted for 32% of variance.
PMID: 11411258 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]