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BACKGROUND: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) non-invasive prenatal screening for trisomy (T) 21, 18, and 13 has been rapidly adopted into clinical practice. However, prior studies are limited by lack of follow up genetic testing to confirm outcomes and accurately assess test performance, particularly in women at low-risk for aneuploidy. OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of cfDNA screening for T21, T18 and T13 between women at low and high-risk for aneuploidy in a large, prospective cohort with genetic confirmation of results. STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter prospective observational study at 21 centers in 6 countries. Women who had SNP-based cfDNA screening for T21, T18 and T13 were enrolled. Genetic confirmation was obtained from prenatal or newborn DNA samples. Test performance and test failure (no-call) rates were assessed for the cohort and women with low and high prior risk for aneuploidy were compared. An updated cfDNA algorithm, blinded to pregnancy outcome, was also assessed. RESULTS: 20,194 were enrolled at median gestational age of 12.6 weeks (IQR:11.6, 13.9). Genetic outcomes were confirmed in 17,851 (88.4%): 13,043 (73.1%) low-risk and 4,808 (26.9%) high-risk for aneuploidy. Overall, 133 trisomies were diagnosed (100 T21; 18 T18; 15 T13). cfDNA screen positive rate was lower in low- vs. high-risk (0.27% vs. 2.2%, p

OBJECTIVES:Women who had hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are twice as likely to experience maternal cardiovascular disease later in life. The primary aim of this study (BP2) is to compare outcomes of 3 different management strategies, including lifestyle behaviour change (LBC), in the first 12 months postpartum in women who had HDP in their preceding pregnancy. Secondary aims include assessing the effects on other cardiometabolic parameters. STUDY DESIGN:Three-arm multicentre randomised trial in metropolitan Australian hospitals, (registration: ACTRN12618002004246) target sample size 480. Participants are randomised to one of three groups: 1) Optimised usual care: information package and family doctor follow-up 6 months postpartum 2) Brief intervention: information package as per group 1, plus assessment and brief LBC counselling at a specialised clinic with an obstetric physician and dietitian 6 months postpartum 3) Extended intervention: as per group 2 plus enrolment into a 6 month telephone-based LBC program from 6 to 12 months postpartum. All women have an outcome assessment at 12 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Primary outcomes: (a) BP change or (b) weight change and/or waist circumference change. SECONDARY OUTCOMES:maternal health-related quality of life, engagement and retention in LBC program, biochemical markers, vascular function testing, infant weight trajectory, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. The study is powered to detect a 4 mmHg difference in systolic BP between groups, or a 4 kg weight loss difference/2cm waist circumference change. CONCLUSIONS:BP2 will provide evidence regarding the feasibility and effectiveness of postpartum LBC interventions and structured clinical follow-up in improving cardiovascular health markers after HDP.

Objective\ud The rate of maternal and perinatal complications increases after 39 weeks' gestation in both unselected and complicated pregnancies. The aim of this study was to synthesize quantitatively the available evidence on the effect of elective induction of labor at 39 weeks on the risk of Cesarean section, and on maternal and perinatal outcomes.\ud \ud Methods\ud PubMed, US Registry of Clinical Trials, SCOPUS and CENTRAL databases were searched from inception to August 2018. Additionally, the references of retrieved articles were searched. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials of singleton uncomplicated pregnancies in which participants were randomized between 39 + 0 and 39 + 6 gestational weeks to either induction of labor or expectant management. The risk of bias of individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The overall quality of evidence was assessed according to the GRADE guideline. Primary outcomes included Cesarean section, maternal death and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Secondary outcomes included operative delivery, Grade‐3/4 perineal laceration, postpartum hemorrhage, maternal infection, hypertensive disease of pregnancy, maternal thrombotic events, length of maternal hospital stay, neonatal death, need for neonatal respiratory support, cerebral palsy, length of stay in NICU and length of neonatal hospital stay. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated using random‐effects models.\ud \ud Results\ud The meta‐analysis included five studies (7261 cases). Induction of labor was associated with a decreased risk for Cesarean section (moderate quality of evidence; RR 0.86 (95% CI, 0.78–0.94); I2 = 0.1%), maternal hypertension (moderate quality of evidence; RR 0.65 (95% CI, 0.57–0.75); I2 = 0%) and neonatal respiratory support (moderate quality of evidence; RR 0.73 (95% CI, 0.58–0.95); I2 = 0%). Neonates born after induction weighed, on average, 81 g (95% CI, 63–100 g) less than those born after expectant management. No significant effects were found for the other outcomes with the available data. The main limitation of our analysis was that the majority of data were derived from a single large study. A second limitation arose from the open‐label design of the studies, which may theoretically have affected the readiness of the attending clinician to resort to Cesarean section.\ud \ud Conclusions\ud Elective induction of labor in uncomplicated singleton pregnancy at 39 weeks' gestation is not associated with maternal or perinatal complications and may reduce the need for Cesarean section, risk of hypertensive disease of pregnancy and need for neonatal respiratory support.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate effectiveness of a new ISUOG (International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology) Outreach Teaching and Training Program delivered in Muscat, Oman. Methods: Quantitative assessments to evaluate knowledge and practical skills were administered before and after an ultrasound course for sonologists attending the ISUOG Outreach Course, which took place in November, 2017, in Oman. Trainees were selected from each region of the country following a national vetting process conducted by the Oman Ministry of Health. Twenty-eight of the participants were included in the analysis. Pre- and post-training practical and theoretical scores were evaluated and compared. Results: Participants achieved statistically significant improvements, on average by 47% (p < 0.001), in both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Specifically, the mean score in the theoretical knowledge test significantly increased from 55.6% (± 14.0%) to 81.6% (± 8.2%), while in the practical test, the mean score increased from 44.6% (± 19.5%) to 65.7% (± 23.0%) (p < 0.001). Performance was improved post-course among 27/28 participants (96.4%) in the theoretical test (range: 14 to 200%) and among 24/28 (85.7%) trainees in the practical skills test (range: 5 to 217%). Conclusion: Application of the ISUOG Basic Training Curriculum and Outreach Teaching and Training Course improved the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of local health personnel. Long-term re-evaluation is, however, considered imperative to ascertain and ensure knowledge retention. © 2019 The Author(s).

OBJECTIVES: Targeted non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) tests for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 and sex chromosome aneuploidies and could be an alternative to traditional karyotyping. The aim of this study was to determine the risk of missing other abnormal karyotypes of probable phenotypic significance by NIPT.METHODS: This was a retrospective population-based analysis of all singleton pregnancies booked for combined first-trimester screening (cFTS) in Denmark over a 4-year period. Data concerning maternal demographics, cFTS and prenatal or postnatal karyotypes were collected from the Danish Fetal Medicine database. Karyotypes were classified according to whether the chromosomal anomaly would have been detected by NIPT and whether it was likely to affect phenotype.RESULTS: cFTS was completed in 193638 pregnancies. 10205 (5.3%) had cytogenetic or molecular analysis performed. Of these, 1122 (11.0%) had an abnormal karyotype, of which 262 (23.4%) would have been missed by NIPT, but would probably have been clinically significant. The prevalence of such 'atypical abnormal karyotypes' was increased in women above 45 years of age, in pregnancies with increased nuchal translucency (NT) thickness (≥ 3.5 mm), with abnormal levels of free β-human chorionic gonadotropin (CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of karyotypic abnormalities will be missed by targeted NIPT. Women of advanced maternal age, or with increased fetal NT or abnormal biochemistry, have a higher risk of having a fetus affected by an atypical abnormal karyotype and need to be counseled accordingly when considering NIPT.

There are three major issues that remain subject to debate in relation to fetal growth retardation: (1) Which method should be used to identify the affected population? (2) Which biophysical test(s) is most appropriate to assess the pregnancy? (3) Which factors are important when considering elective delivery? This review summarizes recent studies investigating the efficacy and accuracy of tests used for the identification and surveillance of pregnancies at risk of growth retardation, and discusses the importance of gestational age in the decision for or against intervention.