This study analyzed the effects of the day of trophectoderm (TE) biopsy and blastocyst grade on clinical and neonatal outcomes. The results showed that the implantation and live birth rates of day 5 (D5) TE biopsy were significantly higher compared with those of D6 TE biopsy. The miscarriage rate of the former was lower than that of the latter, but there was no statistically significant difference. Higher quality blastocysts can achieve better implantation and live birth rates. Among good quality blastocysts, the implantation and live birth rates of D5 and D6 TE biopsy were not significantly different. Among fair quality and poor quality blastocysts, the implantation and live birth rates of D5 TE biopsy were significantly higher compared with those of D6 TE biopsy. Neither blastocyst grade nor the day of TE biopsy significantly affected the miscarriage rate. Neonatal outcomes, including newborn sex, gestational age, preterm birth, birth weight and low birth weight in the D5 and D6 TE biopsies were not significantly different. Both blastocyst grade and the day of TE biopsy must be considered at the same time when performing preimplantation genetic testing–frozen embryo transfer.

Emerging evidence suggests that parents’ nutritional status before and at the time of conception influences the lifelong physical and mental health of their child. Yet little is known about the relationship between diet in adolescence and the health of the next generation at birth. This study examined data from Norwegian cohorts to assess the relationship between dietary patterns in adolescence and neonatal outcomes. Data from adolescents who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (Young-HUNT) were merged with birth data for their offspring through the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Young-HUNT1 collected data from 8980 adolescents between 1995 and 1997. Linear regression was used to assess associations between adolescents’ diet and later neonatal outcomes of their offspring adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Analyses were replicated with data from the Young-HUNT3 cohort (dietary data collected from 2006 to 2008) and combined with Young-HUNT1 for pooled analyses. In Young-HUNT1, there was evidence of associations between dietary choices, meal patterns, and neonatal outcomes, these were similar in the pooled analyses but were attenuated to the point of nonsignificance in the smaller Young-HUNT3 cohort. Overall, energy-dense food products were associated with a small detrimental impact on some neonatal outcomes, whereas healthier food choices appeared protective. Our study suggests that there are causal links between consumption of healthy and unhealthy food and meal patterns in adolescence with neonatal outcomes for offspring some years later. The effects seen are small and will require even larger studies with more state-of-the-art dietary assessment to estimate these robustly.

Studies have suggested that vitamin D status at birth may be associated with a range of neonatal outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the association between neonatal 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) concentration and gestational age, birth weight, Ponderal Index and size for gestational age. Neonatal capillary blood stored as dried blood spots was used to assess 25(OH)D3 concentrations among 2686 subjects selected from a random population sub-sample of individuals, born in Denmark from 1 May 1981 to 31 December 2002. There was an inverse association between 25(OH)D3 concentration and gestational age at birth of −0·006 (95 % CI −0·009, −0·003, P<0·001) weeks of gestation per 1 nmol/l increase in 25(OH)D3 concentration. An inverted U-shaped association between 25(OH)D3 and birth weight and Ponderal Index (P=0·04) was found, but no association with size for gestational age was shown. This study suggests that neonatal 25(OH)D3 concentration is associated with anthropometric measures at birth known to be correlated with many subsequent health outcomes such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Low birth weight is associated with cognitive impairments persisting into adolescence and early adulthood. The purposes of this study was two-fold: to analyse the association between birth weight (BW) and school performance, and to determine the influence of adolescent aerobic capacity and muscular strength on the association between BW and school performance in children at 12–13 years. The study included 395 children (50.4% boys, aged 12–13 years). Self-reported BW was evaluated. We measured school performance (mean of the grades obtained in language and mathematics) and two physical fitness tests (aerobic capacity and muscular strength). Analysis of variance was used to analyse the differences in school performance according to BW categories (⩽2500, 2500–3500 and ⩾3500 g). Linear regression models fitted for mediation analyses examined whether the association between BW and school performance was mediated by aerobic capacity and/or muscular strength. Higher BW was associated with better school performance independent of current body mass index. These differences disappeared after controlling for aerobic capacity, which also mediated the association between BW and school performance (13.4%). The relationship between BW and school performance seems to be dependent on aerobic capacity fitness. Our results are of importance because the consequences of BW tend to continue into childhood, and current physical fitness of the children may potentially be modified to improve school performance.

Many triplets are conceived as a consequence of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Concerns have been raised that triplet pregnancies conceived by ART are more complicated than those conceived spontaneously. The purpose of this study was to evaluate all triplet pregnancies managed over a 12-year period to determine if there were any differences in outcome based on the mode of conception. All triplet pregnancies between 1999 and 2011 that reached at least 20 weeks’ gestation and that were managed at the Royal Women's Hospital (RWH), Melbourne, Victoria were identified. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were compared between ART conceived and spontaneously conceived triplets. In the study period, 53 sets of triplets managed in our institution met the eligibility criteria. Twenty-five triplet sets were conceived by ART and 28 were conceived spontaneously. More ART conceptions resulted in trichorionic triamniotic (TCTA) triplets than did spontaneous conceptions (p = .015). There were no differences between ART and spontaneously conceived triplets for any of the maternal or neonatal complications studied. Trichorionic (TC) triplets delivered at a later gestation than other triplets: 32.1 (SD 2.9) versus 30.4 (SD 3.9) weeks (p = .08). TC triplets were significantly less likely to die than monochorionic (MC) or dichorionic (DC) triplets: 3/93 (3%) versus 13/66 (20%) (p = .025). In conclusion, triplets conceived by ART are more likely to have TCTA placentation and TCTA triplet sets had lower mortality rates than other triplet combinations. Outcomes for triplets conceived by ART were similar to those of triplets conceived spontaneously.

Limited data is available that estimates the effect of gestational weight gain on maternal and neonatal outcomes in term twin pregnancies in obese women. A historical cohort study of 831 obese (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2) women in Missouri delivering 1,662 liveborn, term (≥37 weeks gestation) twin infants in 1998–2005 was conducted. Three gestational weight gain categories were examined: <25 pounds, 25–42 pounds, and >42 pounds. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated with multiple logistic regression, using the 2009 Institute of Medicine provisional guideline of 25–42 pounds as the reference group. Significant increasing trends with gestational weight gain were found for preeclampsia (p < .05), larger twin birth weight (p < .01), smaller twin birth weight (p < .001), and infants weighing >2,500 grams (p < .001). Significant increasing trends for preeclampsia and for cesarean delivery were found in concordant twin pairs (smaller twin >80% of birth weight of larger twin). Women who gained >42 pounds had a borderline significantly higher odds of preeclampsia than women who gained 25–42 pounds (adjusted OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.00–2.99, p = .052). No significant differences were found for 1-min Apgar score <4, 5-min Apgar score <7, or infant mortality ≤1 year. Our study suggests that increasing gestational weight gain is associated with larger infants but increased risk of preeclampsia and cesarean delivery in term twin pregnancies in obese women. Limiting gestational weight gain could reduce the risk of preeclampsia and cesarean delivery. Prospective studies of other study populations and maternal/infant outcomes are needed to evaluate the efficacy of the Institute of Medicine guideline.

Objective: To review, in retrospective fashion, the effect of preoperative mechanical ventilation on neonatal outcomes after cardiac surgery. Methods: We studied 114 newborns less than 15 days old admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit for cardiac surgery. Of the newborns, 71 (62%) were mechanically ventilated at the referring hospital before transport to our institution. Of the 71 ventilated patients, 14 were extubated and breathing spontaneously before cardiac surgery. We compared variable haemodynamics and outcomes between the 57 patients mechanically ventilated at time of cardiac surgery, and the 57 patients breathing spontaneously at this time. Results: Newborns mechanically ventilated before cardiac surgery had increased preoperative haemodynamic compromise, increased postoperative sepsis (p equal to 0.02) and mortality (p equal to 0.005) compared with those breathing spontaneously before cardiac surgery. Conclusion: Newborns requiring preoperative mechanical ventilation had greater risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Heightened vigilance is warranted in this population of patients at high risk.