Basic Mechanisms Controlling Term And Preterm Birth

The mechanisms that initiate labour (i. e. , the conversion of the quies cent uterus to an active and reactive organ at term) are poorly under stood. Of considerable importance are the factors that control preterm labour and preterm birth, with their devastating effects on society. This problem is the leading obstetrical issue. Preterm labour affects ap proximately 10% of all pregnant women (even higher numbers are re- Abb. I. The participants of the workshop VI Preface ported for less developed countries or where prenatal healthcare is a low priority) and it is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality of babies. Current practices to arrest preterm labour, once initiated, are in effective. In addition, procedures to stimulate labour and dilate the cer vix at term may not be used effectively. On October 19th - 21 st, 1992, a Schering Foundation Workshop took place in Berlin to discuss the "Basic Mechanisms Controlling Term and Preterm Labour". Leading scientists from Europe and North America were assembled to consider the fundamental systems which regulate the uterus and cervix during pregnancy. The topics in the sym posium ranged from key cellular events governing uterine contractility and cervical dilatation during labour to clinical advances and applica tions. This book contains the proceedings of the workshop. We were pleased to have been part of the workshop and to have been responsible for its organization.

The mechanisms that initiate labour (i. e. , the conversion of the quies cent uterus to an active and reactive organ at term) are poorly under stood. Of considerable importance are the factors that control preterm labour and preterm birth, with their devastating effects on society. This problem is the leading obstetrical issue. Preterm labour affects ap proximately 10% of all pregnant women (even higher numbers are re- Abb. I. The participants of the workshop VI Preface ported for less developed countries or where prenatal healthcare is a low priority) and it is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality of babies. Current practices to arrest preterm labour, once initiated, are in effective. In addition, procedures to stimulate labour and dilate the cer vix at term may not be used effectively. On October 19th - 21 st, 1992, a Schering Foundation Workshop took place in Berlin to discuss the "Basic Mechanisms Controlling Term and Preterm Labour". Leading scientists from Europe and North America were assembled to consider the fundamental systems which regulate the uterus and cervix during pregnancy. The topics in the sym posium ranged from key cellular events governing uterine contractility and cervical dilatation during labour to clinical advances and applica tions. This book contains the proceedings of the workshop. We were pleased to have been part of the workshop and to have been responsible for its organization.

The increasing prevalence of preterm birth in the United States is a complex public health problem that requires multifaceted solutions. Preterm birth is a cluster of problems with a set of overlapping factors of influence. Its causes may include individual-level behavioral and psychosocial factors, sociodemographic and neighborhood characteristics, environmental exposure, medical conditions, infertility treatments, and biological factors. Many of these factors co-occur, particularly in those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged or who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups. While advances in perinatal and neonatal care have improved survival for preterm infants, those infants who do survive have a greater risk than infants born at term for developmental disabilities, health problems, and poor growth. The birth of a preterm infant can also bring considerable emotional and economic costs to families and have implications for public-sector services, such as health insurance, educational, and other social support systems. Preterm Birth assesses the problem with respect to both its causes and outcomes. This book addresses the need for research involving clinical, basic, behavioral, and social science disciplines. By defining and addressing the health and economic consequences of premature birth, this book will be of particular interest to health care professionals, public health officials, policy makers, professional associations and clinical, basic, behavioral, and social science researchers.

Comprehensive Human Physiology is a significantly important publication on physiology, presenting state-of-the-art knowledge about both the molecular mechanisms and the integrative regulation of body functions. This is the first time that such a broad range of perspectives on physiology have been combined to provide a unified overview of the field. This groundbreaking two-volume set reveals human physiology to be a highly dynamic science rooted in the ever-continuing process of learning more about life. Each chapter contains a wealth of original data, clear illustrations, and extensive references, making this a valuable and easy-to-use reference. This is the quintessential reference work in the fields of physiology and pathophysiology, essential reading for researchers, lecturers and advanced students.

Each year in the United States approximately 440,000 babies are born premature. These infants are at greater risk of death, and are more likely to suffer lifelong medical complications than full-term infants. Clinicians and researchers have made vast improvements in treating preterm birth; however, little success has been attained in understanding and preventing preterm birth. Understanding the complexity of interactions underlying preterm birth will be needed if further gains in outcomes are expected. The Institute of Medicine's Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine sponsored a workshop to understand the biological mechanism of normal labor and delivery, and how environmental influences, as broadly defined, can interact with the processes of normal pregnancy to result in preterm birth. This report is a summary of the main themes presented by the speakers and participants.

Pregnancy, childbirth and being a newborn are not diseases - they are special periods in human life when the risk of death or disability can be very high. Recognizing this, the last decade has brought enormous progress in science and technology into improving maternal and newborn health, such as the treatment of genetic diseases, intra-uterine surg

Combined oral contraceptives are the most convenient and accepted method of hormonal contraception. Nevertheless, the medical community and consumers constantly demand innovation, additional benefits during use and lower hormonal load despite the high safety profile of available products. At the Ernst Schering Research Foundation Workshop 52, new perspectives and mechanisms for tissue-selective, estrogen-free contraception were discussed. The aim of the workshop was to bring together experts in the field of molecular and pharmacodynamic action of progestins with clinicians and medical experts to discuss potential medical endpoints, physiological reactions and (bio)marker useful describing the tissue selectivity and the contraceptive action of new progestins in different target organs. A major factor for successful realization of these new concepts is a deeper understanding of local pharmacological responses to progestins in general and to new progestins in particular.