View clinical trials related to Preterm Birth.
Filter by:Background: A preterm birth remain a worldwide important socioeconomic burden since prematurity has been consistently implicated in a wide range of health medical problems affecting newborn child and contributed in up to more than a half of overall perinatal mortality. Several studies have shown a significant therapeutic benefit as a result of an antenatal cervical pessary use in a high-risk preterm birth group of pregnant women. However the underlying mechanism by which pessary can reduce a risk of a preterm birth remain elusive. The study aims to quantitatively assess an ectocervical stiffness in a normal and in a treated with a pessary high-risk preterm birth pregnancy. Methods: A prospective, non-interventional, post-market, monocentric, longitudinal, cohort study in a obstetric-led tertiary maternity teaching hospital to determine ectocervical stiffness and its changes measured prior and after the placement of a pessary, and the correlation of measured cervical stiffness or its changes with birth outcome in a high-risk preterm birth pregnant women indicated for cervical pessary. A cervical stiffness measured with Pregnolia system as the Cervical Stiffness Index (CSI, in mbar) will be a primary, whilst patient delivery data (gestational age, mode of delivery and complications) will be a secondary endpoint. In this pilot study, up to 142 subjects will be enrolled to have a total of 120 subjects (estimated dropout rate of 15%) completed the study; Pessary cohort: 60 (up to 71 recruited), normal cohort: 60 (up to 71 recruited). Discussion: We hypothesize than the study will substantially improve our knowledge about cervical incontinency and preterm labour pathophysiology. We hope that our investigation will be able to elucidate ectocervical stiffness phenomenon both in high-risk preterm birth and in normal pregnant control, as well as the impact of cervical pessary use on a the CSI values.
Preterm infants (PT) often need to spend their first weeks of life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where they are exposed to several adverse conditions. Whereas a consistent number of studies suggest that NICU-related experiences may have effects on infant development including long-term impairments in emotional regulation, the underlying mechanisms remain partially unexplored. Spectral analysis of EEG signal has demonstrated that frontal alpha-band asymmetry represents a reliable biomarker of social-emotional functioning. In the literature, higher right frontal activation has been associated with worse emotional regulation but no study has measured this value during a condition of social-emotional stress such as the Still Face paradigm. Our hypothesis is that higher alpha activity will be recorded in right frontal areas in premature infants compared to healthy controls and that this activation will be associated with higher negative emotionality (i.e., worse socio-emotional regulation) expressed during the Still Face paradigm. Moreover, despite several changes in epigenetic patterns have already been reported in association with prematurity and early adverse experiences, the relationship between epigenetic changes and electroencephalographic patterns (i.e. frontal alpha asymmetry) remains unexplored. The investigators therefore expect to find associations between increased methylation levels of socio-emotional and stress related genes (i.e. SLC6A4, NR3C1, OXTR, Piezo1, Piezo2, TRPV1 and TRPM8) with spontaneous oscillations of neural activity at frontal sites measured by EEG (i.e. frontal alpha asymmetry). Finally, there is ample evidence that infant's socio-emotional regulation abilities are highly dependent on the behaviors of their caregivers. More recent studies have shown that behavior can be influenced by interoceptive awareness, i.e., the ability to perceive the physiological condition of one's body in this way and to represent one's internal states. Better interoceptive awareness is associated with better recognition of others' needs, more empathetic behaviors, and better emotional regulation. Therefore, with the present exploratory study, the investigators will compare the interceptive awareness of mothers of preterm infants with that of mothers of full-term infants by exploring possible associations of this dimension with the socio-emotional responses of preterm infants and healthy controls. The investigators expect that better socio-emotional regulation of infants is predicted by a higher level of interoceptive awareness in mothers, regardless of prematurity condition.
This is a single center, prospective cohort study of pregnant patients at high risk for spontaneous preterm birth: patient's with history of spontaneous preterm birth, patient's with a short cervix and patient's symptomatic for preterm birth will be included. A control cohort of nulliparous patients without a short cervix will be recruited to provide baseline data. Plan to enroll 240 patients identified through our ultrasound unit with goal of 60 patients in each group.
Pooling effort to collect previously reported data on QTc time in former preterm neonates, and compare these data to controls. At present and based on a recently conducted systematic search, there are conflicting data on the potential QT interval prolongation (all Bazett) in former extreme low birth weight (ELBW, <1000 g) infants or preterms. Consequently, if investigators truly want to assess the presence or absence of either a difference or a prolongation of QTc intervals in this specific population, pooling of published data is likely the most effective approach (potential number of cases = 24 + 49 + 93 = 166; potential number of controls in the same studies = 24 + 53 + 87 = 164), preferably based on individual data. Although the sample is to a large extent pragmatic (as available), the investigators hereby aim to target the 5 ms QTc prolongation applied by the authorities (FDA, EMA) in paired healthy adult volunteer studies as 'golden' standard as primary outcome variable [EMA guideline, FDA guidance].
The aim is to study how a digital follow up tool can identify the preterm born children and their families who need further support or clinical interventions
Use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in preterm neonates has traditionally been limited to between 5-8 cmH2O. In recent years, use of CPAP pressures ≥9 cmH2O is becoming more common in neonates with evolving chronic lung disease, in lieu of other non-invasive modes or invasive mechanical ventilation. A particular knowledge gap in the current literature is the choice of the level of pressure level when using High CPAP as a post-extubation support mode. In this study, we will comparatively evaluate the short-term impact of two different high CPAP pressures when used as a post-extubation support mode in preterm neonates.
Pregnancy ends in preterm birth (PTB) for approximately 1 in 10 women, though more often for Non-Hispanic Black women, 14.12% PTB rate, compared to 9.09% for Non-Hispanic White women. Psychosocial stress and childhood trauma each are associated with risk for PTB and PTB has an intergenerational impact: mothers born preterm are more likely to give birth pretern, especially amongst Black women. In this project, we will study mitochondria, which contain their own genome, the mitochondria DNA, and are inherited from the mother, as they represent a potential intersection point between psychosocial experiences and their biological embedding in underlying disease outcomes such as PTB
Current NICU protocol introduces human milk fortifier at 8 days of feeding. This study will introduce human milk fortifier at day 1. The primary outcome is the effect on growth velocity at 28 days and 36 weeks post menstrual age.
Babies with a history of premature birth and low birth weight are at risk for developmental disorders. These infants may have motor, cognitive and behavioral problems compared to their term peers. Although advances in technology lead to an increase in survival rate, 50% of these infants may have developmental delays in motor, cognitive and behavioral areas. Premature birth does not accelerate any of the early sensory development processes, but exposure to intense, unusual stimuli of unusual character may delay or inhibit sensory development. Therefore, children born prematurely may be at risk in terms of sensory processing. The physical, sensory and social environment of the infant and young child is critical in supporting the healthy and appropriate development of the brain and nerve-sensory systems.
This is a continuation study to the Omega Tots trial (NCT01576783). The purpose of this study is to follow-up with participants of the original study to determine the long-term effect a daily fatty acid dietary supplement taken during toddlerhood might have on children born preterm now that they are 8.5-10.5 years old.