BMJ  2007;334:807-808 (21 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.39175.638623.BE

Editorials

Improving outcomes in pregnancy

What are the implications of first trimester fetal growth and racial origin?

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Two of the greatest challenges facing reproductive science in many developed countries are dealt with by two studies in this week's BMJ.^{1 2} The first challenge is the need to find innovative approaches to prevent perinatal death, low birth weight, and preterm birth. The second is the challenge to our healthcare systems resulting from the attendance of large numbers of people of differing racial origins. Together, the findings from these two studies provide vital clues as to how healthcare outcomes may be improved by strategies aimed at the early stages of human life.

In the developed world, the outcome of pregnancy for both mother and child improved dramatically during the 20th century. Reproduction has never been as safe as it is today. Many of the advances that have contributed to improved outcomes have come from the application of medical discoveries in late pregnancy and during childbirth. Yet some of the major . . . [Full text of this article]

University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Fetal growth in early pregnancy and risk of delivering low birth weight infant: prospective cohort study

Radek Bukowski, Gordon C S Smith, Fergal D Malone, Robert H Ball, David A Nyberg, Christine H Comstock, Gary D V Hankins, Richard L Berkowitz, Susan J Gross, Lorraine Dugoff, Sabrina D Craigo, Ilan E Timor-Tritsch, Stephen R Carr, Honor M Wolfe, Mary E D'Alton for the FASTER Research Consortium
BMJ 2007 334: 836. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Racial variation in the association between gestational age and perinatal mortality: prospective study

Imelda Balchin, John C Whittaker, Roshni R Patel, Ronald F Lamont, and Philip J Steer
BMJ 2007 334: 833. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Ravelli, A C J, Tromp, M, van Huis, M, Steegers, E A P, Tamminga, P, Eskes, M, Bonsel, G J (2009). Decreasing perinatal mortality in The Netherlands, 2000-2006: a record linkage study. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 63: 761-765 [Abstract] [Full text]  

Online poll

Find out more >>