BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth最新文献

{"title":"Understanding the user experience of a web-based screening program for pregnancy specific anxiety: a qualitative descriptive study.","authors":"Hamideh Bayrampour, Nazanin Sadoughian, Alice Luan, Jenna Langlois, Kellie Thiessen, Patricia Janssen","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09598-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-026-09598-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pregnancy-specific anxiety (PSA) is prevalent and associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. The scarcity of health care resources hinders universal screening for perinatal mental health conditions. Web-based screening programs with embedded interpretation and recommended support pathways can be a scalable and cost-effective approach to address common mental health issues. Our team created the PSA Screening Program (PSA-SP) and examined its feasibility and acceptability. The aim of this research was to understand the participants' experience with the program, explore help-seeking intentions and behaviours after screening and synthesize the participants' feedback to determine how the program can be improved.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a qualitative descriptive study with semi-structured interviews. Inclusion criteria were: age ≥ 19 years, having a singleton pregnancy, ≤ 24 weeks' gestation, living in British Columbia, Canada, and access to the Internet. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sixteen interviews provided data and findings were classified under three themes: (1) user experience and feedback on PSA-SP, (2) cognitive and behavioral impacts of screening: risk appraisal and help seeking, and (3) experience with the overall study. Main findings of the user experience and feedback theme included a need to elaborate on the experience and individualizing the input, benefits of receiving the actual screening score, contextualizing the results and receiving feedback in each assessment. Risk appraisal included reflection and increased self-awareness, comparison with others and the extent of screening results' alignment with participants' expectations. Help-seeking after screening included sharing the results and considering/reaching out for support. Participants experiencing anxiety were heterogenous in terms of awareness of their condition and readiness to seek support after screening.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Web-based screening for PSA along with signposting was acceptable to this sample of pregnant people. The detailed user feedback collected in this study can inform the enhanced design of web-based screening programs for this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge of essential newborn care among caregivers in Ga West Municipality, Ghana.","authors":"Eunice Akosua Brobbey Agyemfra Fianko, Kwaku Owusu-Ansah, Samuel Dery","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09568-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09568-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Essential newborn care (ENC) is a key strategy for reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality. Caregivers' knowledge of recommended newborn care practices influences the quality of care provided during the neonatal period. This study assessed knowledge of essential newborn care and factors associated with good knowledge among postnatal mothers in the Ga West Municipality of Ghana.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 351 postnatal mothers attending child welfare clinics. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing knowledge across four domains of essential newborn care. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and knowledge levels categorized as poor (< 40%), average (40-80%), or good (> 80%). Simple logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with good knowledge, and variables significant at p < 0.05 were included in a multivariable logistic regression model using backward stepwise selection.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most respondents demonstrated average overall knowledge of essential newborn care (85.42%), while 14.29% had good knowledge and 0.29% had poor knowledge. Knowledge was highest for breastfeeding and vaccination but comparatively lower for eye and cord care and neonatal danger signs. In the adjusted analysis, mothers aged 35 years and above (AOR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.31-11.18), married mothers (AOR = 3.50, 95% CI: 1.10-11.19), mothers with tertiary education (AOR = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.62-7.20), and Christian mothers (AOR = 6.85, 95% CI: 1.96-23.91) were significantly more likely to have good knowledge of essential newborn care.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although most mothers demonstrated average knowledge of essential newborn care, important gaps remain in eye and cord care and recognition of neonatal danger signs. Maternal age, marital status, educational attainment, and religion were identified as independent predictors of good knowledge. Findings should be interpreted considering the facility-based cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13660026/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Navigating the unthinkable: brain herniation due to glioma after pregnancy termination.","authors":"Dawei Chen, Kun Xue, Shuyu Liu","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09643-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09643-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Brain herniation after pregnancy termination due to glioma diagnosed during pregnancy is an exceptionally rare and potentially debilitating and even fatal condition that poses significant treatment challenges.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>This report presents the case of a 26-year-old pregnant woman who, at 21 weeks of gestation, experienced headache, vomiting, and speech difficulties. Magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance spectroscopy identified a glioma in the left temporal lobe. Following a multidisciplinary consultation, the patient elected to terminate her pregnancy. She was discharged to a local hospital for temporary medical management with intracranial pressure-lowering medications, with a plan to undergo tumour resection after regaining physical strength. The decision to defer surgery was based on the patient's preference to recover physical strength before undergoing tumour resection, rather than on any medical contraindication to immediate surgery. Two weeks after termination, she developed sudden loss of consciousness and left pupillary dilation. Repeat head computed tomography showed marked enlargement of the left temporal lobe glioma, obliteration of the ipsilateral lateral ventricle, and a midline shift to the right. The patient suffered an acute brain herniation, necessitating emergency tumour removal surgery. Postoperative pathological analysis confirmed an isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant astrocytoma (CNS WHO grade 4). Radiotherapy and chemotherapy were administered, and no tumour recurrence was observed over 19 months of follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Brain herniation is a complex and life‑threatening condition, especially in the context of pregnancy and pregnancy termination. Management of such patients requires close collaboration among a multidisciplinary team including neurosurgeons, obstetricians, anaesthesiologists, and other relevant professionals. Critically, the optimal timing of surgery should be carefully assessed, and tumour resection should be performed as early as clinically feasible. Delaying surgery may lead to irreversible neurological deficits and even life‑threatening consequences. Personalised treatment planswill lead to improved outcomes and a better prognosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13656595/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of triglyceride-glucose index and triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio with pregnancy-related risks: a meta-analysis.","authors":"Eram Yousif, Malaz A I Abdalla, Omer A Abdelrahman, Mohamed A M Abdulrahim, Khalefa Alzubeir, Elmudathir Abdelrahman, Ibrahim Elhagelbashir, Mohamed A S Abdelrahim, Omnia Haboura, Trteel Elsadiq Ali, Khadeja F Abdallah, Abubakar ElKabashi, Abdelmoiz El A Mohamed, Rayan Hima, Sagad O O Mohamed","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09647-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09647-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Insulin resistance has a role in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Both triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL) ratio have been considered as indicators of insulin resistance. However, existing studies evaluating their association with pregnancy complications have reported inconsistent findings. This systematic review sought to measure the link between these markers and the risk of unfavorable pregnancy and perinatal outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines for methodology and reporting. Systematic searches were conducted across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and ProQuest in March 2026. The relations between the TyG index, TG/HDL, and adverse pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained using R version 4.3.2.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 23 studies comprising more than 180,000 participants were included. Elevated TyG index was associated with several adverse pregnancy complications such as gestational hypertension (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.41-4.24), preeclampsia (OR = 2.70, 95% CI: 2.00-3.65), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.60-2.90), preterm birth (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.15-1.90), and large for gestational age (LGA) (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.18-4.46). Similarly, an elevated TG/HDL ratio was associated with an increased risk of GDM (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.30-3.14) and LGA (OR = 4.38, 95% CI: 2.09-9.18).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Elevated TyG index and TG/HDL ratio are related to a greater risk of adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. These findings suggest that the TyG index and TG/HDL ratio may serve as adjunctive risk markers for adverse pregnancy outcomes, although further validation is needed before clinical application.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13656690/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Subtypes and associated factors of prenatal depressive symptoms and their association with health-related quality of life among pregnant women: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Lanting Huo, Xingfeng Yu, Anum Nisar, Yujia Ma, Yiping Nan, Lei Yang, Xiaowei Li, Xiaomei Li","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09634-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09634-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pregnant women with prenatal depression could have distinctly heterogeneous constellations of symptoms. Classifying prenatal depressive symptoms into different subtypes using a person-centered approach and investigating their associated factors are beneficial for personalized assessment and management of the disorder. However, relevant evidence is still lacking.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted in the obstetrics outpatient clinics of two university-affiliated, governmental, tertiary hospitals in Xi'an City, Northwestern China. A total of 1020 pregnant women were included in the study and administered with a researcher-designed sociodemographic, health-related and pregnancy-related information sheet, the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire, the five-level EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale. Latent profile analysis was used to classify prenatal depressive symptoms into different subtypes, while a multivariate binomial logistic regression model was employed to identify the associated factors of the different subtypes. Health-related quality of life, prenatal anxiety and stress were compared across subtypes of prenatal depressive symptoms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Prenatal depressive symptoms were classified into three subtypes, including 'minimal-to-mild symptoms' (58.6%), 'mild-to-moderate psychosomatic symptoms' (17.1%) and 'mild-to-moderate melancholic symptoms' (24.3%). Multiple sociodemographic, health-related and pregnancy-related factors were associated with the subtypes of prenatal depressive symptoms. Moreover, health-related quality of life, prenatal anxiety and stress differed significantly across subtypes of prenatal depressive symptoms.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Pregnant women with depressive symptoms could be classified into distinct subgroups characterized by heterogeneous clinical manifestations. With further validation, investigating the relevant associated factors may become a useful addition to routine prenatal healthcare, facilitating the identification of women at risk of different subtypes and the implementation of early individualized management.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13663282/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preanesthetic withdrawal improves the conversion efficacy of prolonged epidural labor analgesia to epidural surgical anesthesia: a prospective cohort study combined with MRI mechanistic exploration.","authors":"Shuying Li, Juan Gu, Yan Zhang, Xuesheng Li, Xian Xiong","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09684-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09684-z","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Conversion from epidural labor analgesia (ELA) to epidural surgical anesthesia (ESA) is a common clinical procedure in obstetric practice. However, its failure rate remains unacceptably high (15%-38% in previous reports), posing substantial risks to maternal and neonatal safety, including increased reliance on general anesthesia and associated adverse outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of preanesthetic ELA interruption on the conversion efficacy of prolonged ELA (≥ 8 h) to ESA and to explore underlying anatomical and physiological mechanisms using lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;This integrated study comprised two complementary components: a prospective cohort study and a controlled before-after MRI study. For the prospective cohort study, 167 parturients requiring conversion from prolonged ELA (≥ 8 h) to ESA were assigned to either Group S (ELA interrupted ≥ 30 min before ESA initiation, n = 77) or Group NS (ELA continued until ESA initiation, n = 88) based on clinical practice preferences and patient-related factors. The primary outcome was the ESA failure rate; secondary outcomes included intraoperative analgesic efficacy (visceral and incision pain visual analog scale [VAS] scores), muscle relaxation quality, and maternal satisfaction. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounding factors at intervention assignment. For the MRI study, 11 parturients who underwent vaginal delivery with ELA underwent lumbar MRI scans in the supine position with left uterine displacement at 2 h post-delivery (ELA active phase) and 24 h post-delivery (ELA interruption phase). Key measurements included dural sac (DS) area, epidural space (ES) area, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of spinal ganglia at the L1-L5 levels. All MRI volumetric quantifications were performed by two experienced radiologists using a standardized segmentation protocol to improve reliability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;In the cohort study, Group S showed a significantly lower ESA failure rate compared with Group NS (13.0% vs. 29.5%, P = 0.014). Group S also had better intraoperative pain control, muscle relaxation, and maternal satisfaction. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for maternal weight and ELA duration confirmed that longer ELA interruption time was independently associated with reduced odds of ESA failure (OR = 0.986, 95% CI 0.977-0.996, P = 0.006). The MRI study revealed that at 2 h post-delivery, compared with 24 h post-delivery, the DS area was significantly reduced and the ES area was significantly enlarged at all lumbar levels. Epidural fluid accumulation was observed in 18.2% of parturients at 2 h. No significant differences in spinal ganglion ADC values were detected, indicating no neural edema.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Preanesthetic interruption of ELA for ≥ 30 min significantly improves the conversion efficacy of p","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13449512/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal mortality due to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: an ecological time-series study in Brazil, 2000-2024.","authors":"Melissa Barbosa Martins, Jéssica Emanuela de Sena Gonçalves, Anna Carollina Nunes Ferreira Dos Anjos, Ana Paula Assunção Moreira, Fernanda Penido Matozinhos, Thales Philipe Rodrigues da Silva","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09396-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09396-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Maternal mortality remains a major public health problem and an indicator of health inequities, despite global and national reduction targets. In Brazil, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are the leading cause of maternal deaths, particularly among socially vulnerable groups. However, limited analyses of temporal trends and sociodemographic disparities hinder the development of policies and prevention strategies.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To analyze maternal mortality due to HDP in Brazil by temporal trend and sociodemographic distribution from 2000 to 2024.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted an ecological time-series study using secondary data from the Mortality Information System (SIM) and the Live Birth Information System (SINASC). We analyzed deaths from direct obstetric causes related to hypertension. Time-series analyses were performed for Brazil's five major geographic regions from 2000 to 2024.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In Brazil, 9,011 maternal deaths due to HDP were recorded, with an HDP-related maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 12.48 per 100,000 live births. Eclampsia was the leading cause (46.33%). Black women had an HDP-related MMR 4.16 times higher than White women, and Indigenous women 2.52 times higher. Women older than 40 years had an HDP-related MMR 4.50 times higher than those aged 20-29 years. Nationally, the MMR trend was decreasing (average annual percent change [APC] = 0.61%; p < 0.001), driven by the Southeast and Southern Regions. However, the Northern Region showed an increasing trend (APC = 0.93%; p = 0.007), while the Northeastern and Central-West Regions remained stable.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Despite the national-level reduction, regional and racial disparities persist. The predominance of eclampsia indicates gaps in prenatal care and obstetric emergency services, reinforcing the need for equity-oriented policies and appropriate management of hypertensive complications.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13656570/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recruitment of healthy third-trimester pregnant women and their newborns into a prospective dental study at a primary health care clinic.","authors":"Nisreen Al Jallad, Shasha Cui, Rita Cacciato, Naemah Alkhars, Marie Thomas, Colleen Fogarty, Noor Abid, Shahenda Aboelmagd, Jin Xiao","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09680-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09680-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Recruiting and retaining mother-infant dyads in clinical research is often complex, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged and ethnically diverse communities. This paper reports on the recruitment and retention strategies employed within a prospective longitudinal cohort study (First Tooth Study) that investigated the oral colonization of Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans as risk factors for Severe Early Childhood Caries (S-ECC) and the vertical transmission of these oral microorganisms. The study population was underserved mother-infant dyads, a group historically challenging to engage and retain due to factors such as socioeconomic barriers, busy schedules, and logistical challenges, which were further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Few studies have systematically described recruitment and retention strategies for this population in the context of oral health research.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate the recruitment and retention strategies used to enroll and maintain 186 third-trimester pregnant women and their infants within a primary care setting, and to assess the relative efficiency of each approach based on enrollment conversion rates, contribution to overall recruitment, and time allocation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants were recruited from two facilities of the University of Rochester: Highland Family Medicine (HFM), and the Perinatal dental clinic at Eastman Institute for Oral Health in Rochester, NY using a combination of direct recruitment, community networking, and outreach within prenatal groups. Retention efforts included scheduling study visits alongside routine pediatric appointments to reduce participant burden, offering financial incentives, and implementing a Reminder, Recall, and Outreach (RRO) system managed by a dedicated outreach worker. During the COVID-19 pandemic, additional adaptations were made, including offering home visits and curbside data collection, to maintain participant safety and adherence.</p><p><strong>Results and conclusion: </strong>Over 27 months, the study successfully enrolled 186 mother-infant dyads, meeting the recruitment target despite initial challenges and COVID-19 disruptions. Retention rates remained high, with an approximate 15% annual attrition during the two-year follow-up period, attributed to strategic visit alignment, personalized outreach, and practical supports like parking vouchers and home visits. The study underscores the importance of customized recruitment and retention strategies in overcoming socioeconomic and logistical barriers in underserved populations. Findings contribute valuable insights into best practices for engaging mother-infant dyads in longitudinal oral health research.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13656531/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A rapid review of digital health applications supporting self-care during pregnancy and postpartum period.","authors":"Yasaman Jafari, Elham Shakibazadeh, Reza Rabiei, Hossein Sadr, Seyed Hamid Hosseini, Rezvan Rajabzadeh","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09677-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09677-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>With the growing adoption of mobile technologies, mHealth applications have emerged as valuable tools for enhancing maternal healthcare by providing accessible and flexible support throughout pregnancy and postpartum period. Despite their widespread use, limited evidence exists on how these apps are designed and evaluated for self-care, highlighting the need for a structured review.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A rapid review was conducted using a structured search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify studies focusing on digital applications delivered through mobile or web-based platforms that support self-care during pregnancy and postpartum. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, study protocols, and development papers published from 2015 to 2025. Data were extracted and narratively synthesized to examine app features, theoretical foundations, and evaluation strategies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 13 studies were included, primarily evaluating mobile health (mHealth) interventions during pregnancy and postpartum period. The applications predominantly targeted mental health, lifestyle behaviors, and health literacy. Randomized controlled trials were the most common study design. Although several studies applied behavioral theories such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Social Cognitive Theory, many lacked explicit theoretical frameworks.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>mHealth applications show promise in supporting maternal self-care, particularly for postpartum mental health. However, many interventions lack theoretical grounding and long-term evidence. Future efforts should prioritize scalable, theory-based, and culturally tailored designs to enhance effectiveness and sustainability.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13656701/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differences in fetal soft tissue thickness between GDM and non-GDM pregnancies and an exploratory nomogram for LGA prediction.","authors":"Qiaoli Zeng, Chunyan Hu, Yuqiao Liang, Jiaxin Liu, Yixing Chen, Dan Zhao, Yue Wei, Runmin Guo","doi":"10.1186/s12884-026-09665-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12884-026-09665-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aimed to compare fetal soft tissue thickness, particularly anterior abdominal wall thickness (AAWT), between GDM and non-GDM pregnancies, and to preliminarily explore its association with LGA as a secondary analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis was conducted on 250 pregnant women who underwent regular prenatal examinations at our hospital from January 2021 to February 2022, consisting of 125 cases in the GDM group and 125 in the non-GDM group. Ultrasound measurements of conventional fetal biometric parameters (biparietal diameter [BPD], head circumference [HC], abdominal circumference [AC], and femur length [FL]) and AAWT, fetal thigh soft tissue thickness [FTSTT], thigh muscle thickness [TM], and thigh fat thickness [TF]) were performed at 24-26, 30-32, and 36-38 weeks of gestation. Differences between the two groups were compared. Correlations between each indicator and birth weight were analyzed, along with their individual predictive efficacy for LGA. Predictor variables were selected using univariate and multivariate logistic regression as well as LASSO regression to construct an LGA risk prediction model. Its performance was compared with a estimated fetal weight (EFW) prediction model. Finally, a nomogram was developed for visual prediction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI, and neonatal birth weight were significantly higher in the GDM group than in the non-GDM group (P < 0.05). Fetal AAWT was also significantly greater in the GDM group across all measured gestational periods (P < 0.05). In LGA fetuses, AAWT and AC, and other parameters were significantly larger than in non-LGA fetuses at all gestational weeks (P < 0.05). Among all indicators, AAWT exhibited the strongest correlation with birth weight, and this correlation strengthened with advancing gestation (r = 0.666 at 36-38 weeks). ROC curve analysis showed that AAWT at 36-38 weeks had the highest predictive efficacy for LGA (AUC = 0.940). The multivariate logistic regression model identified AAWT at 30-32 weeks, AAWT at 36-38 weeks, and AC as independent predictors of LGA. The logistic regression model constructed based on these factors demonstrated good predictive performance (AUC = 0.966) and outperformed the EFW prediction model. Based on this model, a clinically practical nomogram was subsequently established.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Fetal AAWT is significantly greater in GDM pregnancies than in non-GDM pregnancies and is strongly associated with LGA. A preliminary exploratory model incorporating AAWT and AC demonstrated potential utility in identifying LGA, but these findings require validation in larger, LGA-enriched cohorts. The nomogram should be considered hypothesis-generating rather than ready for clinical implementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":9033,"journal":{"name":"BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13617886/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148468769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}