Maternal and child health journal
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To examine the incidence and temporal trends of hospitalization during pregnancy, and provide additional information on maternal morbidity among Canadian women. ⋯ The decline in antenatal hospitalization may reflect changes in management of pregnancy complications, e.g., transition from in-hospital care to out-of-hospital care, and introduction of antepartum home care programs. Information on interprovincial/territorial variations in antenatal hospitalization may be helpful in directing future maternal health care.
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Prenatal and birth history as potential sources of risk factors in relation to the onset of autism were examined. ⋯ These findings support the general hypothesis that systemic problems at the prenatal stage may form a distinct dimension of risk associated with autism.
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Matern Child Health J · Nov 2006
Medically unnecessary emergency medical services (EMS) transports among children ages 0 to 17 years.
Estimate the prevalence of medically unnecessary Emergency Medical Services (EMS) transports among children. ⋯ The proportion of EMS transports which may be medically unnecessary is relatively modest compared to previous studies. However, many questions remain for future research. Further investigation should include examination of primary care availability and occurrence of unnecessary EMS use, existence of race-based disparities, and transports involving conduct disturbance and other behavioral conditions among children.
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Matern Child Health J · Mar 2006
Unmet need and problems accessing specialty medical and related services among children with special health care needs.
To extend what is known about parent reports of their child's need for specialty medical and related services, unmet need, and specific types of access problems among children with special health care needs (CSHCN). ⋯ The results underscore the importance of finding new ways to link children with behavioral health problems to mental health services, implementing coordinated care and the other core dimensions of the medical home concept, increasing the number of specialty pediatricians and home health providers, and expanding coverage for a wider range of mental health services.
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Matern Child Health J · Mar 2006
Comparative StudyMother-infant interaction, life events and prenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms among urban minority women in primary care.
Prenatal and postpartum depression are significant mental health problems that can have negative effects on mother-infant interactions. We examined the relationships among mother-infant interactions, depressive symptoms, life events, and breastfeeding of low-income urban African American and Hispanic women in primary care settings. ⋯ To improve services in primary care, perinatal screenings for depression can help identify those women most at risk. When follow-up use of structured diagnostic instruments is not possible or cost-effective, clinician assessment of severity of depression will determine women with clinical levels of depression. Reducing negative life events is beyond the control of women or clinicians but cognitive interventions to help women focus on positive life events can reduce the deleterious effects of depression on mothers and their infants.