Parental Preference for Sex of Newborn as Reflected in Positive Affect in Birth Announcements

Content analysis of birth announcements was used as a method to investigate parental preference for the sex of newborns in Canada. The expression of positive affect (happiness and pride) in birth announcements was examined to determine whether parents express these emotions differently as a function of the sex of newborn. The findings suggest that parents express relatively more pride at the birth of boys than girls, whereas the opposite results were found for happiness. Parents seem unconsciously to categorize boys and girls into two distinct motivational systems: status and attachment, which are related to pride and happiness, respectively. This distinction may influence parents perception of their childs worth and their subsequent investment in their childs development.     

Newborn behavioral observations system in rural Pakistan: A feasibility and acceptability study

The Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system is a relationship-based tool that helps parents recognize their infant's competencies and learn their behavioral cues, with the goals of enhancing parental responsiveness and satisfaction in the infant-parent relationship. In our study, a pediatrician integrated the NBO into 44 pediatric health care visits of infants in rural Pakistan villages, under the remote guidance of two U.S.-based child psychiatrists. A clinician then gave the mothers a survey about their experience of the NBO and found that the mothers were highly satisfied, reporting greater appreciation of their infant's strengths, greater understanding of their infant's behavioral cues, stronger attachment to their infant, and greater self-confidence as a mother. In their consideration of these results, the authors explore cultural reasons for the mothers’ responses and generate hypotheses to inform an outcome study of a similar intervention. This was a feasibility and acceptability study and was not randomized, had no control group, and did not use objective measures of outcome.     

竹溪县降低孕产妇死亡率和消除新生儿破伤风项目分析

为实施“降低孕产妇死亡率和消除新生儿破伤风项目”,通过培训乡村产儿科技术服务人员,以改善乡镇卫生院产儿科服务条件,提高育龄妇女住院分娩安全意识,降低孕产妇死亡率和消除新生儿破伤风。开展了人员培训、健康教育、设备配置、贫困救助、监督指导等活动。孕产妇死亡率、新生儿破伤风等重点指标达到终期目标。提出贫困地区妇幼卫生事业建设与发展必需有可行性项目支持。     

脑损伤新生儿救治的选择

脑损伤是婴儿死亡、儿童残疾的主要原因之一。关于有严重脑损伤新生儿（包括脑瘫、智能精神发育落后等）是否该救治,牵涉到很多矛盾的思想观点。通过分析新生儿期脑损伤发生的高危因素,且提出相应的综合处置意见,认为要和谐地解决此矛盾,需要医院、家庭和社会有关部门的共同努力。     

对“残婴安乐死”的伦理审视

在对“残婴安乐死”的伦理学理论考察中,从目的论思维方法的角度来看,出于婴儿自身利益为优先考虑的安乐死行为具有道德合理性。而持义务论的人通常对其持反对态度。“残婴安乐死”作为一种特殊的具体的道德情境处于义务论进行道德评价的推理逻辑的有效范围之外,因此我们应该坚持从目的论立场来看“残婴安乐死”的本性：一种本质为善的“必要恶”。     

Genetic Counseling and Screening of Consanguineous Couples and Their Offspring: Recommendations of the National Society of Genetic Counselors

The objective of this document is to provide recommendations for genetic counseling and screening for consanguineous couples (related as second cousins or closer) and their offspring with the goals of1. providing preconception reproductive options2. improving pregnancy outcome and identifying reproductive choices3. reducing morbidity and mortality in the 1st years of life, and4. respecting psychosocial and multicultural issues.The recommendations are the opinions of a multicenter working group (the Consanguinity Working Group (CWG)) with expertise in genetic counseling, medical genetics, biochemical genetics, genetic epidemiology, pediatrics, perinatology, and public health genetics, which was convened by the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC). The consensus of the CWG and NSGC reviewers is that beyond a thorough medical family history with follow-up of significant findings, no additional preconception screening is recommended for consanguineous couples. Consanguineous couples should be offered similar genetic screening as suggested for any couple of their ethnic group. During pregnancy, consanguineous couples should be offered maternal–fetal serum marker screening and high-resolution fetal ultrasonography. Newborns should be screened for impaired hearing and detection of treatable inborn errors of metabolism. These recommendations should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of management, nor does use of such recommendations guarantee a particular outcome. The professional judgment of a health care provider, familiar with the facts and circumstances of a specific case, will always supersede these recommendations.