Peds/OB/GYN

States' Primary Cesarean Rates Range from 13% to 27%
The primary rate of cesarean section in the U.S. for 2012 was about 22% — ranging from 13% in Utah to twice that, about 27%, in Florida and Louisiana. A 38-state breakdown has just been released by the National Center for Health Statistics. That rate, to be clear, is the percentage of singleton births delivered by cesarean among mothers without a previous cesarean delivery. Journal Watch

Small size in early pregnancy linked to poor heart health later in life
oor growth in the first three months of pregnancy is associated with a range of cardiovascular risk factors in childhood, finds a study published on bmj.com today. The findings add to a growing body of evidence and suggest that the first trimester of pregnancy may be a critical period for cardiovascular health in later life. Eurekalert!

Malaria drug combo could help prevent pregnancy complications in lupus patients
An anti-malaria drug combination might be useful in helping to prevent pregnancy complications in women with lupus and the related disorder antiphospholipid syndrome, Yale School of Medicine researchers have found in a new study published in the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology. Eurekalert!