INTRODUCTION: e Quality of Life (QOL) of primary caregivers may have decreased. e aim of this study was to assess the objective and subjective elements related to QOL of the primary caregivers of the dependent elderly. e theoretical framework used was the role theory and socialization process of care and the theory of social disengagement. METHODOLOGY: Qualitative study. e sample consisted of n=22 informal caregivers of people over 75 years old treated by the Primary Home Care Service Center of Vilafranca del Penedes (Barcelona, Spain). Dimensions used were: sociodemographic data, quality of life and happiness, care burden, social and family relationships, motivation and feelings when caring and the health status of the caregiver. e technique chosen was a semi-structured interview. RESULTS: In our study, half of the caregivers had a regular perception of health and QOL, care burden, a self-care de cit and contradictory feelings towards caring. CONCLUSIONS: e Informal caregivers of dependent elderly of the home care program are mainly older women and with one or more chronic condition. ey have a self-care de cit. ey say they have little social and personal life.

We determined the effect of cord blood collection before placental expulsion on postpartum maternal blood loss in a retrospective study between a group of cord blood donors and a group of non-donors. The study was conducted in a university hospital blood bank and obstetric services and included Spanish women entered in a European study project (EUPHRATES) and who had consented to donate cord blood for public banking purposes. We measured blood volume lost during delivery by a bag collection method, as well as the need for transfusion and postpartum anemia symptoms. Deliveries at which cord blood was collected presented a significant increase in blood loss (321 ± 273 vs. 255 ± 237 ml, p=0.02). Instrumental deliveries were associated with higher postpartum blood loss than spontaneous deliveries. Cord blood collection can increase intrapartum blood loss, especially at instrumental deliveries. Additional staff who handle the collection are required to allow the leading clinician to focus on maternal care.

Placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction may lead to fetal hypoxia and acidemia, which result in fetal cardiac injury. The aim was to compare the levels of fetal cardiac troponin T (cTnT) at birth according to fetal gender in pregnancies complicated by placental insufficiency before 34 weeks gestation. Methods: Between March 2007 and Feb 2010, 45 singleton pregnancies with placental insufficiency characterized by abnormal umbilical artery Doppler were prospectively studied. All the patients delivered by Cesarean section and the Doppler exams were performed at the same day. Immediately after delivery, UA blood samples were obtained for fetal cTNT measurements. Fetal cardiac injury was characterized by abnormal level of fetal cTnT at birth (>=0.10 ng/mL). Results: Fetal cardiac TnT at birth was significantly higher in the group of male fetuses (n = 20, 44.4%) when compared with female fetuses (mean = 0.137, SD = 0.095 ng/mL vs. mean = 0.082, SD = 0.077 ng/mL, P = 0.041). In the group of male fetuses, Doppler results of ductus venosus (DV) showed values of DV PIV > 1.0 in 14 cases (70%), and in the group of female fetuses 12 cases (48%, P = 0.237). Conclusions: Fetal gender was associated with cTnT level at birth in pregnancies complicated by placental insufficiency before 34 th weeks gestation. The fetal cardiac compromise and cardiac injury may be influenced by fetal gender, suggesting differences in the cardiovascular response to fetal hypoxia.

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