The Impact of Umbilical Cord Clamping Time on the Infant Anemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Anemia during infancy causes irreversible physical, cognitive, motor, and behavioral development disorders. This study aimed to determine the effect of delaying umbilical cord clamping time on certain parameters regarding anemia during the infancy. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at a university hospital in west of Turkey (Dec 2017-Dec 2018). Overall, 110 participants were evaluated for the research, 65 participants were randomized after excluding those who did not meet the inclusion criteria (intervention=32, control=33). Randomly assigned to delayed clamping (1 min after delivery) or early clamping (in 15 sec after delivery), and followed up until 4 months postpartum. 48th-hour hematocrit, bilirubin values, need for phototherapy and hematocrit, hemoglobin values, diagnosis of anemia at the postnatal fourth month were compared between two groups. The data showing normal distribution were assessed using the parametric tests. The level of statistical significance was determined as P0.05). Means of the intervention group hematocrit and hemoglobin levels measured during anemia screening performed at the fourth month were found to be higher than those of the infants in the control group (P<0.05 and P<0.05, respectively). Conclusion: Delaying umbilical cord clamping had a positive impact on the haematological parameters of infants. Clamping the cord at least one minute in birth can be performed to prevent the iron deficit anemia that could be seen during the first years of infants' lives

Evaluation of labor and birth education by midwifery educators: A qualitative study from Turkey

Background: Midwifery students’ education regarding labor and birth is crucial because it directly affects the quality of care provided to women in labor. Aims: Exploring educators’ experiences of delivering labor and birth education to midwifery students and evaluating the circumstances that affect the quality of labor and birth education Methods: This was a qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 educators teaching midwifery in 16 midwifery departments at universities in Turkey. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted. All transcripts were evaluated by two researchers, and codes were created. The codes formed the subthemes in terms of similarities and differences; themes were created based on combining subthemes. Findings: Three themes were identified. The first— “impacts of global changes on labor and birth education”—shows how labor and birth is affected by changing policies, philosophies, individuals, and cultures. The second theme— “opportunities/obstacles in labor and birth education”—shows how sources of information, as well as individual and systemic factors, create opportunities or obstacles for the quality of labor and birth education. The final theme - “recommendations for quality labor and birth education”—presents participants’ suggestions for the effective integration of courses, use of sources of information, and updating of curriculum. Discussion: Changing policies, philosophies, individuals, and cultures affect labor and birth education. Individual and systemic factors and information sources create opportunities or barriers for the quality of labor and birth education. Conclusion: A positive childbirth experience is a basic human right for both women and newborns. This can be made possible by professionals who have received quality labor and birth education. Thus, investment in midwifery education is an important cost-effective approach to improving health outcomes

Oxidant and Antioxidant Balance in Patients with Childhood Non-Cystic Fibrosis-Related Bronchiectasis

Objective: To evaluate the role of the oxidant and antioxidant balance in the pathogenesis and prognosis of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (non-CF BE) in children. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine children with non-CF BE were enrolled between June 2009 and October 2010. Thirty healthy children were enrolled as controls. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1), total oxidant status (TOS), and total antioxidant status (TAS) serum levels were measured in controls and in patients when stable and at acute exacerbation. Results: PON1 and TAS levels were lower in patients at acute exacerbation than in controls (P=0.05 and P=0.01, respectively). TOS levels indicative of oxidative stress were higher, and TAS/TOS levels were lower, in immune-deficient patients than control group (P=0.008 and P=0.01, respectively). TAS levels and PON1/TOS ratio were significantly lower in patients with moderate-severe bronchiectasis than in patients with mild bronchiectasis (P=0.043 and P=0.03, respectively). Conclusion: Oxidative stress was increased and antioxidant capacity decreased in patients with non-CF BE during the exacerbation period. Antioxidant treatment in patients with non-CF BE, especially in patients with immunodeficiency and/or with moderate-severe bronchiectasis, could be helpful to reduce the frequency and severity of the attacks by reducing oxidative stress-induced damage, ultimately contributing to a better prognosis