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    The reported incidence of domestic violence in pregnancy : interrelationships with substance use and birthweight : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Midwifery at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2003) Roodt, Cornelia Adriana
    In a prospective non-experimental design, the purpose of the study was to answer the question of what the incidence of domestic violence would be in a cohort of pregnant Waikato women aged 18 years and older. Two hypotheses were included for testing, which were a) domestic violence by itself during pregnancy is associated with lower birthweights and b) domestic violence in combination with substance use during pregnancy are associated with lower birthweights. Twelve midwives participated as interviewers and recruited 105 women to the study. Two research instruments were used. The Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS), a reliable five-question abuse-focused screen and a questionnaire to collect demographic data and substance use habits. The AAS was administered in a personal interview by the LMC and the questionnaire was self-administered. Data was to be collected from each participant on three occasions. However, the research tools were administered three times in only 26.6% (n=28) of cases. Data was analysed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 10). The following findings emerged: • The reported incidence of domestic violence during pregnancy was found to be 7.8% in a Waikato cohort of 105 women aged 18 years and older. • Both hypotheses were rejected based on statistical t-tests • Historic and recent abuse are strongly associated with abuse during pregnancy. • Women who disclosed historic abuse are significantly more likely to smoke • Women who smoke are significantly more likely to have lower birthweight babies. The multiple limitations of the study precluded the ability to extrapolate the findings nationally. This study merely opened the door on the issues of abuse during pregnancy and its sequelae in one New Zealand context.
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    The effect of manipulation of feed intake during pregnancy on lamb birth weight : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Animal Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2000) Tarsono
    This study tested the hypothesis that increased maternal nutrition during early and mid-pregnancy could affect placental and fetal development at mid-gestation and fetal weight at term. Mixed-aged Romney ewes (n=136) were mated at a synchronised oestrus and then randomly allocated to a M ("maintenance", average live weight 54.5±1.5 kg) or H ("high", equal to 1.5M, average live weight 55.3±1.5 kg) feeding level from day 19 of pregnancy (P19). At P47, the M group was divided into two groups and each group was allocated to either a M or H feeding level until P102. Thirty ewes (10 per group) were slaughtered at P102-104. The remaining ewes from each group were further subdivided into either a M or H feeding level from P102 to P136. These ewes were slaughtered at P136-140. Maintenance requirements for a 55 kg ewe were assumed to be 11 MJ ME/day at an energy concentration of 10 MJ ME/kg DM. Over the period from P19 to P102, mean herbage dry matter (DM) intake ranged from 0.98 to 1.24 kg ewe-1 day-1 resulting in ewe live weight changes of 3.1, 4.8 and 5.9 kg for the MM, MH and HH groups (P<0.05) respectively. From P102 to P131, mean herbage DM intake ranged from 0.97 to 1.66 kg ewe-1 day-1 resulting in ewe live weight changes of 5.2, 9.0, 8.4, 14.0, 9.2 and 14.8 kg for the MMM, MMH, MHM, MHH, HHM and HHH groups (P<0.05) respectively. Feeding level had no significant effect on placental and fetal weights at either of the two slaughter periods (P102-104 and P136-140). Placental weights at P102-104 were 658.0±49.5, 612.1±49.5 and 676.7±50.6 g, and fetal weights were 1281.7±50.4, 1296.0±50.8 and 1258.2±53.4 g for the MM, MH, and HH groups, respectively. At P136-140 placental weights were 583.2±81.9, 545.8±72.8, 602.3±77.4, 551.5±72.8, 622.5±84.6 and 547.3±86.7 g, and fetal weights were 4535.9±175.4, 4640.5±162.7, 4836.6±166.3, 4651.5±159.3, 4408.5±186.1 and 4389.2±189.1 g for the MMM, MMH, MHM, MHH, HHM and HHH groups, respectively. Pelt weights were significantly (P<0.05) affected by pregnancy rank at P102 but final ewe live weights and carcass weights were not. Other components (i.e., total placentome and total cotyledon) were significantly (P<0.05) heavier in twins than in singles but were not affected by feeding level. Ewes carrying twin fetuses had significantly (P<0.05) more placentomes and tended to have more caruncles than single-bearing ewes. Caruncle occupancy was significantly (P<0.05) higher in twins than in singles (87% vs 80%, respectively). Pre-partum nutritional treatments from P102 to P136 affected final ewe live weights, carcass weights and pelts weights (P<0.05). Pregnancy rank had no effects on final ewe live weights or pelt weights but did affect carcass weights at P136. Carcasses of ewes carrying a single fetus were heavier than those of ewes carrying twins. Single-bearing ewes had lower weights of mammary glands, uterus, myoendometrium, fetal membranes, total placentomes, and total cotyledons, and had lower placentome numbers compared to ewes carrying twins (P<0.05) at P136. Weights of gravid uterus, total caruncle weights and total caruncle numbers were not affected pregnancy rank at day 136 of gestation. Based on the comparison of these results with earlier studies, it can be concluded that quite severe nutritional treatments are required to influence placental and fetal weights at P102-104 and P136-140.
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    Effects of maternal Bromocriptine and Melatonin treatments on fetal development : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agricultural Science in Animal Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 1996) Wigati, Sri
    A previous study (Jenkinson et al., 1994) has proposed that lowered birth weights of autumn (May)-born lambs compared with those of spring (August)-born lambs are due to a direct seasonal effect on placental size, which in turn mediates a slower fetal growth. The effect of season on placental and fetal development is established early in pregnancy (by day 84 of gestation), and is suggested to be mediated by seasonal differences in circulating prolactin concentrations in the dams and/or fetuses (Jenkinson et al., 1994; McCoard et al., 1996). Plasma prolactin concentrations are likely to be very high in autumn-lambing ewes (December-mated ewes) during the early- to mid-gestation period December-February due to a seasonal (primarily daylength) effect (Pearson et al., 1993; Pearson et al., 1996). The study described herein was carried out in an attempt to increase birth weights of autumn-born lambs by improving placental development and hence fetal growth via manipulation of maternal prolactin concentrations. Treatments with bromocriptine (a dopaminergic agonist) and melatonin early in gestation were tested for their ability to reduce maternal and/or their fetal circulating prolactin concentrations, improve placental development and hence increase fetal growth and birth weights.