View clinical trials related to Premature Birth.
Filter by:This study is designed to test the hypothesis that among infants born at less than 30 weeks, weighing less than 1500 g at delivery, and receiving initial respiratory support non-invasively or on invasive respiratory support and meeting extubation criteria in the first 72 h of life, fewer neonates managed on Seattle--PAP will require endotracheal intubation and conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV) than will neonates managed from birth on bubble nasal continuous positive airway pressure (Bn-CPAP) using the Fischer- & Paykel (FP) device. Neonates on nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in the delivery room or who are stabilized on mechanical ventilation as their initial form of respiratory support and meet our criteria for extubation within 72 h of birth will be eligible for randomization and study. The primary endpoint of this study is the cumulative incidence of respiratory failure requiring intubation that occurs in patients after randomization and before 36 weeks post menstrual age (PMA) or discharge, whichever comes first. Presently, the literature supports that this age group typically exhibits intubation rates of 50% or more, which is consistent with the data from the Nationwide Children's Hospital/Ohio State University (NCH/OSU) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Feeding intolerance is a common problem in very preterm infants due to their immature digestive system. This intolerance extends the time to full enteral feeding and thereby also prolongs the time on parenteral nutrition (PN). Prolonged time to full enteral feeding may predispose these infants to a higher risk of growth retardation, infections and organ dysfunctions (e.g. liver, brain). Mother's own milk (MM) is considered the optimal nutrition for preterm infants and is superior to infant formula (including preterm formula, PF) in stimulating gut maturation, feeding tolerance, resistance against necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and late-onset sepsis (LOS), and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, MM is often absent, or not available in sufficient amounts, during the first days or weeks after preterm delivery. Human donor milk (DM) is probably a better supplement to MM than PF, but DM is not available for all hospitals. To supplement insufficient MM during the early neonatal period in hospital settings with no access to donor milk, we suggest that bovine colostrum (BC) may be used instead of PF for very preterm infants during early life. BC, the first milk from cows after birth, is a rich source of protein and bioactive components, including lactoferrin, lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, immunoglobulins, and various growth factors, such as IGF-I and -II, EGFs, and TGF-β. BC has repeatedly been shown to improve gut maturation and NEC/LOS resistance in a well-established piglet model of preterm infants. We suggest a randomized, controlled trial to investigate the effects of BC vs. PF, supplemented to MM during the first 2 weeks, on the time to full enteral feeding in very preterm infants.
Extremely premature infants are at risk of developing a potentially blinding eye disease, called retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Currently available treatment, consisting of laser surgery or injection of drugs into the eye balls, may prevent most but not all cases of permanent ROP-mediated blindness. Both types of treatment are associated with significant costs and side effects. An orally administered drug commonly used to treat hypertension, propranolol, may be effective in halting progression of ROP to severe stages, as suggested by preliminary data from small studies. As severe (threshold) ROP is an overall rare disease, the effectiveness of propranolol in combating ROP can only be assessed in a large, multicenter randomized controlled trial involving hospitals caring for extremely preterm infants of diverse origin.
Epipage 2 (epidemiologic study on small-for-gestational-age children) is a nationwide study implemented to improve our knowledge of the outcome of preterm children in France. This study was launched on March 28, 2011 and includes three groups of preterm children, all born before 35 weeks: extremely preterm infants (born between 22 and 26 completed weeks of gestation), very preterm children (born between 27 and 31 completed weeks) and moderately preterm children (born between 32 and 34 completed weeks). These children are being studied from their birth up to the age of 12 years. At birth, data on maternal and infants' characteristics were collected from medical records. At one and two years, questionnaires sent to families and to physicians (at two years only) allowed to collect data about the children's life and health. At five and a half years, medical and psychological assessments are specifically implemented for the study in order to evaluate motor and cognitive disorders in this population.
A prospective randomized control trial that will compare cervical cerclage plus vaginal progesterone to vaginal progesterone along in twin pregnancies complicate by a short cervix (</= 15.0mm) between 16w0d to 25w6d.
Annually in the U.S 300,000 neonates are born late preterm, defined as 34 weeks 0 days - 36 weeks 6 days. The Antenatal Late Preterm Steroids (ALPS) Trial demonstrated that maternal treatment with betamethasone in the late preterm period significantly reduces neonatal respiratory complications, but also increases neonatal hypoglycemia, compared to placebo. This research study will attempt to answer the following primary question: Does a management protocol aimed at maintaining maternal euglycemia after ALPS decrease fetal hyperinsulinemia, compared to usual antepartum care?
Preterm birth still remains a major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The exact mechanism stimulating term and preterm births in humans is still unknown. Prostaglandins, by mediating cervical ripening and early stimulation of myometrial contractions, are likely to play a major role in the parturition process. Much of the unique fetal circulation is facilitated by the ductus arteriosus. Patency of the ductus arteriosus in utero is primarily maintained via prostaglandins which are highly expressed by smooth muscle cells located in the media of the ductus arteriosus. The primary objective of this study is to prospectively assess whether any changes in the fetal ductus arteriosus parameters exist at 32 weeks' gestation. The secondary objective is to investigate whether there is an association between the ductus arteriosus parameters and the time to delivery interval at 32 weeks' gestation.
This is a chart review of all patients who have underwent open prenatal repair of fetal myelomeningocele. Although prenatal repair is associated with improved neurologic outcomes and a decreased need for cerebrospinal fluid shunting after birth, one of the major risks is preterm delivery. This study is intended to identify maternal, fetal or intraoperative risk factors associated with preterm delivery.
Investigators will test a novel system of integrated care, to promote the use of the WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Guidelines for the management of pre-eclampsia and initiate the use of a structured risk assessment strategy to reduce the incidence of preterm delivery from pre-eclampsia by providing obstetricians with the confidence to safely defer delivery of women with pre-eclampsia, identified to be of low risk.
This experimental study will determine the effectiveness of nursing intervention "the attachment promotion" to increase the affective bonds between mothers and their premature infants. The assignment of the mothers to the control group will receive usual care, the mothers will be assigned to intervention group will receive the intervention.