Prophylaxis for venous thromboembolic disease in pregnancy and the early postnatal period

Some women are at risk of forming blood clots in a deep vein during pregnancy, after a caesarean birth, or during the first few weeks after childbirth. If part of the clot breaks off and lodges in a blood vessel in the lungs, it can be life-threatening. Preventive treatments include blood-thinning drugs to prevent clots, support stockings, and exercise soon after the birth to keep circulation moving. However, some drugs might cause problems such as increased blood loss after the birth. Drugs used include heparin, low molecular weight heparin and aspirin. We included 16 randomised controlled studies in the review but only 13 trials with 1774 women contributed data for the outcomes of interest. We did not find enough evidence from the trials to be sure about the effects of these different preventive treatments.This means there is not enough evidence to show which are the best ways to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) during or following pregnancy, or after a caesarean birth

Homocysteine and folate plasma concentrations in mother and baby at delivery after pre-eclamptic or normotensive pregnancy: influence of parity

Pre-eclampsia affects between 2-7% of all pregnant women, contributing to perinatal and maternal morbidity. There are conflicting data on plasma homocysteine and folate in pre-eclampsia, and little about fetal concentrations. Objectives: Firstly, to compare the concentrations of homocysteine and folate in maternal and paired fetal (umbilical venous) plasma samples from normotensive or pre-eclamptic pregnancies at delivery; secondly, to identify any effect of parity on these concentrations. Study design: Hospital based cross-sectional study consisting of 24 normotensive and 16 pre-eclamptic pregnant White European women from whom maternal and fetal plasma samples were collected at delivery. Main outcome measures: Maternal and fetal plasma homocysteine and folate concentrations between normotensive and pre-eclamptic pregnancies with varying parity. Results: There were no significant differences in either maternal or fetal plasma homocysteine or folate concentrations between normotensive and pre-eclamptic pregnancies, or between homocysteine and folate. In both the normotensive and pre-eclamptic women, plasma folate concentration was higher in paired fetal compared to maternal plasma (P 0.4 for both). Conclusions: The low plasma folate in parous women is an interesting finding and, when intake is also low, may contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes, particularly in relation to pre-eclampsia

Beneficial Effects of Probiotic and Food Borne Yeasts on Human Health

Besides being important in the fermentation of foods and beverages, yeasts have shown numerous beneficial effects on human health. Among these, probiotic effects are the most well known health effects including prevention and treatment of intestinal diseases and immunomodulatory effects. Other beneficial functions of yeasts are improvement of bioavailability of minerals through the hydrolysis of phytate, folate biofortification and detoxification of mycotoxins due to surface binding to the yeast cell wall

A practical manual of industrial finishes: on wood, metal and other surfaces

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