• Toxicological Research
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.227-234
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• 2003

2-Bromopropane (2-BP), a halogenated propane analogue, is a substitute for chlorofluorocarbones (CFCs) which have a great potential to destroy the ozone layer and to warm the earth's environment. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential adverse effects of 2-BP on pregnant dams and embryo-fetal development after maternal exposure during the gestational days (GD) 6 through 17 in ICR mice. The test chemical was administered subcutaneously to pregnant mice at dose levels of 0, 313, 625 or 1,250 mg/kg/day. All dams were subjected to caesarean section on GD 18 and their fetuses were examined for external, visceral and skeletal abnormalities. In the 1,250 mg/kg group, maternal toxicity included an increase in the incidence of abnormal clinical signs and a decrease in the maternal body weight, body weight gain, and corrected body weight. Developmental toxicity included a decrease in the fetal body weight, a reduction in the placental weight, an increase in the fetal skeletal variation and ossification delay. There were no adverse effects on either pregnant dams or embryo-fetal development in the 313 and 625 mg/kg groups. These results suggest that a 12-day subcutaneous dose of 2-BP is embryotoxic at a maternally toxic dose (i.e., 1,250 mg/kg/day) in ICR mice. In the present experimental condition, the no-observed-adverse-effect level of 2-BP is considered to be 625 mg/kg/day for dams and embryo-fetuses, respectively.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.261-270
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• 2020

진단 방사선 검사에서 임산부와 태아에 대한 선량 평가는 현실적으로 어려우며, 관련된 연구 자료 또한 부족한 실정이다. 이에 본 연구에서는 모의실험을 통해 복부 X선 검사 시 임산부에 대한 선량과 태아선량을 분석하고자 하였다. 본 연구에서는 ICRP 89에서 제시하는 자료를 토대로 기존의 임산부 팬텀을 재구성한 팬텀을 제작 하였으며, 이를 이용하여 임신 주 수에 따른 임산부의 장기선량 및 태아선량에 대한 평가와 기존 팬텀과 재구성된 팬텀의 선량 차이를 분석하였다. 그 결과 복부 X선 검사 시, 입사되는 선원방향에 가까운 장기일수록 높은 선량을 나타내는 경향을 보였다. 또한 후전방향 촬영 시, 전후방향 촬영보다 태아 선량이 약 65%이상 감소하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• 여성건강간호학회지
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.336-347
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of relaxation therapy on state anxiety, preterm labor stress, blood pressure, skin temperature, pulse rate of pregnant women with preterm labor and heart rate of their babies. Methods: The participants were 55 pregnant women with preterm labor who hospitalized from May, 2009 to January, 2010. 29 participants were assigned to experimental group and the other 26 participants to control group. All of them were not have any other complications except preterm labor. The relaxation therapy was applied to the experimental group for 5 days. Data were analyzed by the SPSS/WIN 14.0 program. Results: The state anxiety score and the preterm labor stress score of experimental group were statistically significant lower than those of control group. In addition, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate of experimental group were statistically lower than those of control group. The skin temperature of experimental group was higher than that of control group. However, the fetal heart rate of experimental group was not statistically significant lower than fetal heart rate of control group. Conclusion: From these findings, it is concluded that relaxation therapy may be an effective nursing intervention for pregnant women with preterm labor.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.167-180
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• 2015

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid that exists ubiquitously in the environment, and affects global health problems due to its carcinogenicity. In most populations, the main source of arsenic exposure is the drinking water. In drinking water, chronic exposure to arsenic is associated with increased risks of various cancers including those of skin, lung, bladder, and liver, as well as numerous other non-cancer diseases including gastrointestinal and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and neurologic and cognitive problems. Recent emerging evidences suggest that arsenic exposure affects the reproductive and developmental toxicity. Prenatal exposure to inorganic arsenic causes adverse pregnancy outcomes and children's health problems. Some epidemiological studies have reported that arsenic exposure induces premature delivery, spontaneous abortion, and stillbirth. In animal studies, inorganic arsenic also causes fetal malformation, growth retardation, and fetal death. These toxic effects depend on dose, route and gestation periods of arsenic exposure. In males, inorganic arsenic causes reproductive dysfunctions including reductions of the testis weights, accessory sex organs weights, and epididymal sperm counts. In addition, inorganic arsenic exposure also induces alterations of spermatogenesis, reductions of testosterone and gonadotrophins, and disruptions of steroidogenesis. However, the reproductive and developmental problems following arsenic exposure are poorly understood, and the molecular mechanism of arsenic-induced reproductive toxicity remains unclear. Thus, we further investigated several possible mechanisms underlying arsenic-induced reproductive toxicity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.75-82
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• 1972

Fifteen cases of primiparas and their offsprings (fetal cord) were investigated with regard their serum total, free and esterified cholesterol by means of Liberman Buchard reaction. The serum ${\alpha}-and\;{\beta}-lipoprotein$ were analyzed by cellulose acetate electrophoresis, and the serum atherolipid numbers were calculated on the bases of the serum total cholesterol and ${\beta}-/{\alpha}-$ lipoprotein ratio, with the following conclusion. 1.Total, free and esterified cholesterol are $178.9{\pm}25.3$, $45.1{\pm}12.6$ and $133.7{\pm}20.6\;mg.%$ in the normal control women, $201.5{\pm}29.5,\;58.7{\pm}42.1$ and $157.1{\pm}26.2\;mg.%$ in the maternal blood, showing hypercholesterolemia in the latter as compared to the former. 2. The serum total, free and esterified cholesterol in the cord blood are $94.5{\pm}20.4$, $32.9{\pm}1.5$ and $61.2{\pm}18.9mg.%$, showing hypocholesterolemia as compared to the control women and maternal blood. 3. The serum ${\alpha}-$, $pre-{\beta}$, ${\beta}-lipoprotein$ and chylomicron are $24.2{\pm}4.2$, $17.3{\pm}3.4$, $51.8{\pm}4.8$ and $6.0{\pm}1.6%$ in the normal women, whereas $14.9{\pm}2.1$, $22.2{\pm}5.1$, $58.7{\pm}3.3 and 3.1{\pm}1.2%$ in the maternal serum, $32.4{\pm}8.1$, $28.8{\pm}2.4$, $25.8{\pm}7.0$ and $3.1{\pm}0.9%$ in the cord serum, showing $hyper-{\beta}-lipoproteinemia$ in the former and $hypo-{\beta}-lipoproteinemia$ in the latter. 4. The serum atherolipid number of the normal control women, maternal cord blood are $4.21{\pm}1.24$, $8.02{\pm}1.42$ and $1.12{\pm}0.37$, showing hyperlipemia in the former and hypolipemia in latter. 5. The relative ratio of the serum free and esterified cholestrol of both normal control women and maternal blood is about 1 : 3, while that of the fetal blood about 1 : 2. 6. The relative ratioes of the serum ${\alpha}-and$ ${\beta}-lipoprotein$ in the control women is about 1 : 2, that of materna blood about 1 : 3 and that of the fetal blood about equal magnitude. 7. The serum esterified cholesterol, ${\alpha}-lipoprotein,\;{\beta}-/{\alpha}-lipoprotein$ ratio and atherolipid number fluctuates are proportionally between the maternal and fetal blood, while the serum free, total cholesterol and ${\beta}-lipoprotein$ between the two vary inversely with statistically significant corelations. 8. It is apparent from the above results that the fetal nutritional demand for lipids resulted from hypocholesterolemia and hypo ${\beta}-lipoproteinemia$ seems to be met satisfactorily by maternal hypercholesterolemia and hyper ${\beta}-lipoproteinemia$, which seems to pose a significant maternal-infant nutritional relationship. A brief ciscussion was made on these conciusion in the light of biochemistry and endocrinology.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.72-78
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• 2018

Purpose: Physicians' attitudes may have a strong influence on women's decision regarding prenatal screening options. The aim of this study is to assess the physicians' attitudes toward prenatal screening for fetal aneuploidy including non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in South Korea. Materials and Methods: Questionnaires were distributed and collected at several obstetrics-gynecological conferences and meetings. The questionnaire included 31 multiple choice and 5 fill-in-the-blank questions. Seven questions requested physicians' demographic information, 17 questions requested information about the NIPT with cell-free fetal DNA, and 12 questions requested information about general prenatal screening practices. Results: Of the 203 obstetricians that completed the survey. In contrast with professional guidelines recommending the universal offering of aneuploidy screening, only 53.7% answered that prenatal aneuploidy testing (screening and/or invasive diagnostic testing) should be offered to all pregnant women. Physicians tended to have positive attitudes toward the clinical application of NIPT as both primary and secondary screening methods for patients at high-risk for fetal trisomy. However, for patients at average-risk for fetal trisomy, physicians tended to have positive attitudes only as a secondary screening method. Physicians with more knowledge about NIPT were found to tend to inform their patients that the detection rate of NIPT is higher. Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate expert opinion on prenatal screening in South Korea. Education of physicians is essential to ensure responsible patient counseling, informed consent, and appropriate management after NIPT.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.122-129
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• 2022

This study is a phenomenological qualitative study that confirms the structure of college students' thoughts on artificial abortion. The data collection period was from 5 March to 10 April 2022. To this end, a total of three interviews were conducted on seven college students aged 20 to 25. Interview data were conducted through analysis and interpretation using the phenomenological research method, the Giorgi method, and as a result, 40 semantic units were derived, grouped into six sub-components, and divided into three categories. As a result of the analysis, college students' thoughts on artificial abortion consisted of fetal rights, respect for women's rights, and choices for a healthy life. Based on the above meaning, college students' thoughts on artificial abortion were, in conclusion, that considering the happiness of the baby and the quality of life of the woman, consideration for non-marriage mothers was more urgent than legal sanctions, and that abortion was not irresponsible. Accordingly, this study suggests that understanding and consideration for pregnant women should be prioritized over legal sanctions.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.134-140
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• 2009

Adequate nutrient intake during pregnancy is important to fetal and maternal health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting birth weight and gestational age and to provide basic data to promote more favorable pregnancy outcomes. Data were collected from 234 pregnant women at two hospitals in Seoul. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements and health related habits were obtained using a questionnaire at the hospital visit during the second trimester. Dietary intakes were estimated by 24 hour recall at the hospital visit during the second trimester. Data on pregnancy outcomes, including birth weights and gestational ages, were obtained from hospital records after delivery. Birth weights were divided into a low birth weight group (birth weight<3.1 kg), a normal birth weight group (3.1-3.6 kg) and a high birth weight group (>3.6 kg). Gestational ages were divided into tertiles according to the gestational age of the subjects: group 1 (<38.53 weeks), group 2 (38.53-40.00 weeks) and group 3 (>40.00 weeks). The number of family members was significantly lower in the low birth weight group than in the normal birth weight group (p<0.05). In the low birth weight group, pregnancy weight was significantly lower than in the high birth weight group (p<0.05) Health related habits were not significantly different among any of the groups. Intakes of fiber, phosphorous, iron, vitamin $B_6$ and folic acid were significantly higher in the high birth weight group than the low birth weight group (p<0.05). Gestational age was not significantly affected by nutrient intakes, but birth weight was affected by nutrient intake in the results of this study. Therefore, the adequacy of nutrient intake is important for the improvement of pregnancy outcomes.

• 여성건강간호학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.209-222
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether upright position is effective in labor through systematic review in randomized controlled trials. Methods: We established the PICO (Patient-Intervention-Comparator-Outcome) strategy, and reviewed 282 literatures from national and international electronic databases, and finally selected 9 references based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. We evaluated the quality of references and carried out a meta-analysis. Results: The maternal outcomes showed that the duration of their second-stage labor was 2.29 minutes shorter than that of the women in the recumbent position, and were less likely to have episiotomy. The other outcomes, including the mode of delivery, blood loss, hemoglobin level, use of oxytocin, use of analgesics, and perineal laceration, did not differ between the groups. The fetal heart rate abnormality occurred less than in the control group. The Apgar scores of the groups did not differ. Conclusion: There is evidence that an upright position in the second stage of labor reduces the duration of the second stage of labor, the incidence of episiotomy, and an abnormal fetal heart rate.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.291-299
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• 2004

As there have been growing concerns about the adverse effects of air pollution on birth outcome, studies for this area has been carried out in different populations and sites. We reviewed the epidemiologic studies that evaluated the effects of air pollution on birth outcome such as low birth weight and preterm births. We identified the air pollution exposure during pregnancy was related with low birth weight and preterm birth, although there are differences among studies for the critical period of vulnerability. The biological mechanisms whereby air pollution might influence health of fetus are not clearly established. The exposure to carbon monoxide(CO) during pregnancy could increase fetal carboxyhemoglobin and result in tissue hypoxia. On the other hand, ambient particles less than $10{\mu}m$ in aerodynamic diameter($PM_{10}$) could lead to inflammation and increase blood viscosity. Controlling for potential confounders and valid assessment of exposure are the methodological issues remained in these epidemiologic studies. In the future, more studies are needed to investigate the effect of air pollution on preterm birth or stillbirths, considering the various exposure period and the biological mechanism.