BACKGROUND This study examines the prevalence and correlates of stages of change of smoking, in terms of psychosocial, structural and sociodemographic factors, among inhabitants of deprived neighbourhoods. METHODS Cross-sectional data were obtained from a survey on health related behaviour. Subjects were 2009 current and former smokers, aged 20-46, living in deprived neighbourhoods in Rotterd...

For additional copies of the Measurement Forum or for more information about the new third edition of Psychological Testing and Assessment, contact Mayfield Publishing Company at (800) 433-1279 or [email protected] Welcome to Issue Number 1 of Volume 3 of the Measurement Forum. With this current issue, we join Mayfield Publishing Company in continuing to meet our primary objective of provi...

Seventeen female patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation between June 1973 and June 1987 became pregnant 5 months to 11 years after transplantation. Immunosuppression was maintained with combinations of prednisone, cyclosporine, and azathioprine prior to and during pregnancy. One patient discontinued immunosuppression after knowledge of pregnancy, taking only azathioprine sporad...

Seventeen female patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation between June 1973 and June 1987 became pregnant 5 months to 11 years after transplantation. Immunosuppression was maintained with combinations of prednisone, cycloeporine, and azathioprine prior to and during pregnancy. One patient discontinued immunosuppression after knowledge of pregnancy, taking only azathioprine sporad...

Caesarean delivery can improve maternal and child health, and even save lives. But the past two decades have brought a sharp growth in caesareans in many nations, raising concerns about unnecessarily high rates. Caesarean delivery onmaternal request is relatively rare in the UK (1-2% of births) and US (3% of births). But in some middle income countries the rate is high and growing (20% of birth...

BACKGROUND Cultural and ethnic roots impact women's fertility and delivery preferences This study investigated whether the likelihood of cesarean delivery, primary cesarean, and vaginal delivery after cesarean (VBAC) varies by maternal national origin. METHODS We conducted a nation-wide, population-based, observational study using secondary data from Taiwan. De-identified data were obtained o...

This paper is the first in a three-part series on preterm birth, which is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Infants are born preterm at less than 37 weeks' gestational age after: (1) spontaneous labour with intact membranes, (2) preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM), and (3) labour induction or caesarean delivery for maternal or fetal in...

BACKGROUND Immersion in water during labour is an important non-pharmacological method to manage labour pain, particularly in midwifery-led care settings where pharmacological methods are limited. This study investigates the association between immersion for pain relief and transfer before birth and other maternal outcomes. METHODS A prospective cohort study of 16,577 low risk nulliparous wom...

OBJECTIVE To determine risk factors for perinatal asphyxia. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING Teaching hospital. METHODS All consecutive hospital births were evaluated during the study period. Asphyxia was defined on intrapartum and neonatal resuscitation criteria. Maternal, intrapartum and neonatal variables were recorded in all births. Data was analyzed after stratifying for live and stillbi...