Highlights

Home versus hospital births

Planned home births attended by a registered midwife were associated with very low and comparable rates of perinatal death and reduced rates of obstetric interventions and other adverse perinatal outcomes compared with planned hospital births attended by either a midwife or a physician. In the cohort studied by Janssen and colleagues, the outcomes of 2889 planned home births were compared with the outcomes of 4752 planned hospital births attended by a midwife and 5331 attended by a physician. See Research, page 377

Evidence supports planned home birth for women at low risk of complications, provided they are cared for by qualified midwives with access to backup, say McLachlan and Forster. See Commentary, page 359

Glucose intolerance in pregnancy

Mild glucose intolerance during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Retnakaran and Shah come to this conclusion in a large population-based cohort study that included women from Ontario aged 20–49 years with live deliveries between 1994 and 1998. See Research, page 371

Is type 2 diabetes a vascular disease before it becomes glycemia? Cruickshank and Banerjee revisit this question and ask whether type 2 diabetes should be redefined as a vascular disease with glycemia secondary to obesity. See Commentary, page 361

Contraband cigarettes

The widespread use of contraband cigarettes by adolescents, especially in Ontario and Quebec, is a challenge to tobacco control strategies. Callaghan and colleagues studied data for over 40 000 high school students aged 14–18 who participated in Canada’s 2006/2007 Youth Smoking Survey. They found that 5.2% were classified as current daily smokers. Of these, 13.1% reported that contraband cigarettes were their usual brand. See Research, 384

Vocabulary of embryonic research

The choice of words matters when talking about the genetic diagnosis of embryos, argue Bouffard and colleagues. The use of sensationalist terms confuses fiction with reality and holds back the development of informed regulatory policy, they add. See Analysis, page 387

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis

Recovery in acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis is usually spontaneous and complete once the causative drug is withdrawn. See Practice, page 393

Pearly penile papules

A 24-year-old man presented with spiny papules around the coronal rim of his glans penis. Pearly penile papules are benign and rarely need treatment. See Clinical images, page 397