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Background: Several cross-sectional studies have investigated the incidence of urinary Congo-red dye positivity in women with preeclampsia (PE), compared to unaffected pregnancies, and reported very high sensitivity and low false positive rate in the diagnosis of PE. Objective: To determine the performance of the urinary Congo-red dot paper test at 35–37 weeks’ gestation in the prediction of delivery with PE at ≤2 and >2 weeks after assessment. Methods: This was a prospective observational study in women attending for a routine hospital visit at 35+0 to 36+6 weeks’ gestation in a maternity hospital in England. Urine samples were collected and the Congo-red dot paper test was used to assess the degree of Congo-red dye positivity. The test uses a scoring system from 1 to 8 and the higher the score the greater the degree of Congo-red dye positivity. We examined and compared the degree of Congo-red dye positivity in the groups that delivered with PE at ≤2 and >2 weeks with those that remained normotensive. Reproducibility was assessed by examining the inter- and intra-observer reliability of scoring on stored images with the researchers blinded to previous results. Results: The study population of 2140 women included 46 (2.1%) that subsequently developed PE (2.1%). The urinary Congo-red dot test was positive in 8.3% (1/12) and 2.9% (1/34) that delivered with PE at ≤2 and >2 weeks from assessment and in 0.2% (4/2094) of the unaffected pregnancies when the cutoff for Congo-red dye positivity was ≥5. The respective values when the cutoff used was ≥3 were 66.7%, 23.5%, and 16.5%, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the inter-observer reliability was 0.926 (95% CI 0.890–0.953, p<.0001) and Cohen's kappa coefficient for the intra-observer reliability was 0.904, p<.0001. Conclusions: The performance of the urinary Congo-red dot paper test at 35–37 weeks’ gestation in the prediction of PE is very poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of magnesium sulfate for prevention of eclampsia on blood loss at time of cesarean delivery (CD). Methods: We conducted an electronic based search using the following databases: MEDLINE, PUBMED and the Cochrane Library. The search terms were “magnesium sulfate”, “preeclampsia” and “randomized”. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials of women with preeclampsia who delivered with or without magnesium sulfate therapy for seizure prophylaxis. Only trials with placebo or no treatment comparison groups were included. Primary outcome was postpartum hemorrhage. Secondary outcomes were estimated blood loss, change in hemoglobin, blood transfusion and eclampsia. Results: Five trials met inclusion criteria. The incidence of postpartum hemorrhage was similar between the two groups [magnesium sulfate: 754/4482 (17%); no magnesium sulfate: 775/4427 (18%); RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.88–1.06]. There was no statistical difference between any of the other blood loss outcomes reported in the included studies. The rate of eclampsia with magnesium sulfate was significantly lower than with placebo (42/5604, 0.7%, versus 107/5600, 1.9%; RR 0.40, 95% CI 0.28–0.57). Conclusions: Magnesium sulfate does not appear to affect blood loss intrapartum and postpartum in women with preeclampsia. Magnesium sulfate, therefore, should be continued during CD, given the benefit of seizure prophylaxis without any increased risk of hemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aims/hypothesis: We assessed the association between congenital malformations and maternal hyperglycemia in pregnant women with pregestational (type 1 or type 2) diabetes and investigated if the rate of congenital malformations was similar in women with near-normal glycemic control compared to the background population. We also assessed the association between congenital malformations and maternal hyperglycemia in pregnant women with pregestational diabetes with special focus on women with near-normal HbA1c in early pregnancy.Materials and Methods: This is a literature review based on an electronic literature search of the databases PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Web of Science conducted in July 2017 using the search terms diabetes, pregnancy, HbA1c or glycemic control and congenital anomaly or congenital anomaly. We included original papers in English published after 1997 with data on congenital malformations and HbA1c in at least 250 women with pregestational diabetes.Results: Nine papers with in total 6225 women with type 1 diabetes and 2334 women with type 2 diabetes were included. The prevalence of congenital malformations was 6.4% in women with type 1 diabetes and 4.3% in women with type 2 diabetes and for the combined group of women with pregestational diabetes, the relative risk compared to the background population was 3.2. In women with HbA1c < 53 mmol/mol (7.0%) in early pregnancy or HbA1c 53-64 mmol/mol (7.0-8.0%) the prevalence of congenital malformations was 4.3 and 3.7%, respectively, with a relative risk of 2.2 and 1.9, respectively.Conclusions: In pregnant women with pregestational diabetes the prevalence of congenital abnormalities was threefold higher in women with pregestational diabetes compared to the background population. However, HbA1c below 53 mmol/mol (7.0%) in early pregnancy was also associated with a two times increased risk of congenital malformations compared to the background population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Infants who remain in-utero after their due date are exposed to increasing risk of infection, late stillbirth and delivery complications. Much of the current literature on post-term outcomes is based on short term observations and the impacts may be substantially greater in the long term. The aim of this work is to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the cognitive or educational impacts of post term delivery.Methods: Systematic review was performed by the two authors using Medline database (1960-2017). A title search was performed to identify likely relevant literature. Exposure terms were clarified to identify papers where the exposure was related to delivery after the infants' due date. Primary outcome was cognitive score. A quality assessment and data extraction pro forma was completed by both reviewers for all studies deemed to satisfy the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis used adjusted results where available. Small-study bias was assessed visually using a funnel plot and then formally tested using Egger's regression asymmetry test.Results: Medline was searched on the 4 July 2018; and produced a list of 1318 publications. Of these, 43 abstracts were screened, and of these a total of 10 full-text papers were reviewed. A further three papers were identified during this review and contributed to a total of 13 papers. The publications dated from 1969 to 2017. Two studies presented a binary outcome for cognitive measures and combined estimates found that the risk of a low cognitive score was higher in post-term infants compared to term infants (odds ratio [OR] 1.06 [1.04-1.08]). Four papers presented the association with mean cognitive measures and post-term delivery, and all demonstrated a mean reduction in scores in the post-term group. A combined estimate showed strong evidence of a reduction in cognitive scores across the four studies (-1.90 [-3.50 to -0.31]). There was little evidence of heterogeneity in the studies which reported cognitive outcomes (other p-values >.2).Conclusion: This meta-analysis has found that post term birth (>41 + 6 weeks) is associated with small but significant negative effects on cognitive outcomes when compared with delivery at, or around term. The effect, while small, is compounded by a common exposure and appears consistent in the studies identified. Less evidence was found for a measurable impact on early developmental measures or educational outcomes. This may further help inform the debate on the timing of otherwise uncomplicated pregnancies and further trials in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Optimal glycemic control is vital in decreasing the risk of congenital birth defects and perinatal complications in women with diabetes. Although frequent blood glucose (BG) monitoring is essential during pregnancy, studies have highlighted poor compliance and falsification of glucose readings. We designed this study to assess whether a web-based glucose monitor improves compliance, glycemic control, and patient satisfaction. Methods: This was a prospective study of 30 women with pre-gestational diabetes. After 4 weeks of using paper logs, patients were given a web-based glucose monitor. The primary outcome of interest was the average number of BG readings prior to and during web-based implementation. Secondary outcomes included glycemic control and patient satisfaction as determined by a pre- and post-study survey. Results: The number of BG readings after 2 months using the web-based meter was similar to baseline. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) significantly improved and there was a trend toward improved overall glycemic values. Survey results demonstrated satisfaction with the new system, although 20% of patients felt uncomfortable with glucose values being available to providers in real time. Conclusions: Compliance with BG monitoring was similar when comparing a web-based system with written logs. Since other studies have highlighted that some glucose data from written logs are falsified, actual compliance using the web-based monitor may be improved. This study demonstrates potential patient concerns using a web-based system. Further studies should explore patient reactions to providers having real-time access to online glycemic data given our survey results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of expectant mothers report sleep alterations during pregnancy and almost 40% report poor sleep quality. There is growing evidence that sleep quality (SQ) during pregnancy influences maternal health. This review focuses on how SQ during pregnancy relates to maternal health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The review also aims to identify whether this relation varies between pregnancy trimesters, and for different subdomains of HRQoL. A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines and registered on Prospero in August 2021 with ID no: CRD42021264707. Pubmed, Psychinfo, Embase, Cochrane, and trial registries were searched up to June 2021. Studies with any design that investigated the relation between SQ and quality of life/HRQoL in pregnant women, published in English, and peer-reviewed, were included. Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts, and extracted data from the included papers. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Three hundred and thirteen papers were identified in the initial search, of which 10 met the inclusion criteria. Data included 7330 participants from six different countries. The studies had longitudinal (n = 1) or cross-sectional designs (n = 9). In nine studies SQ was reported subjectively by self-report questionnaires. Actigraphic data was available from two studies. HRQoL was assessed by validated questionnaires in all studies. Due to high levels of clinical and methodological heterogeneity in included studies, a narrative synthesis was employed. Nine studies found that poor sleep quality was related to a lower overall HRQoL during pregnancy. Effect sizes were low to medium. This relation was reported most during the third trimester. Especially sleep disturbances and subjective low SQ seemed to be related consistently to lower HRQoL. Furthermore, an indication was found that SQ might have a relation with the mental and physical domain of HRQoL. The social and environmental domain may also be associated with overall SQ. Despite the scarcity of studies available, this systematic review found evidence that low SQ is related to low HRQoL during pregnancy. An indication was found that the relationship between SQ and HRQoL during the second trimester might be less prominent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV2 is the latest pandemic that have plagued the socio-health system as an epiphenomenon resulting from planetary resources abuse, crucial for biodiversity. The Anthropocene best defines the present epoch in which human activity irreversibly manipulates intricate and delicate geological and biological balances established over eons. The devastating ecological and socio-economic implications of COVID-19, underline the importance of updating the present pandemic framework to a syndemic. This paper stems from the need to suggest to scientists, doctors, and patients a mission that integrates responsibility from individual to collective health, from present to trans-generational, from human to the entire biotic network. Today's choices are crucial for the perspective on all levels: political, economic, and health as well as cultural. Research on PubMed and other specific web-sites journal was performed on the topic "Microbiota", "Covid-19", "Pandemic", "Zoonosis", "SARS-CoV-2", "Environmental Pollutants", "Epigenetics", "Fetal Programming", "Human Extinction". Data collected were analysed for an integrative model of interconnection between environment, pregnancy, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and microbiota. Moreover, systematic literature review allowed to summarise in a table information about the worst pandemics that afflicted the human species recently. This paper offers a broad view of the current pandemic starting with pregnancy, the moment when a new life begins and the health trajectories of the unborn child are defined, which will inevitably have repercussions on his well-being. The fundamental role of the biodiversity-rich microbiota in avoiding the development of severe infectious diseases, is therefore highlighted. It is imperative to adjust the current reductionist paradigm based on mostly immediate symptom management towards a broader understanding of the spatial interconnection of ecological niches with human health and the impacts of today's choices on the future. Health and healthcare are elitist rather than egalitarian, therefore focusing on environmental health forces us to make a concerted and systemic effort that challenges political and economic barriers, which are biologically senseless. A healthy microbiota is essential to well-being, both by preventing chronic degenerative conditions, the infectiousness and pathogenicity of bacterial and viral diseases. SARS-CoV-2 should not be an exception. The human microbiota, forged by the first 1,000 days of life, is fundamental in shaping the health-disease trajectories, and by the everlasting exposome that is dramatically affected by the ecological disaster. Individual health is one world health whereas single and global well-being are interdependent in a space-time perspective. Is it not a convenient reductionism not to consider the COVID-19 emergency as a bio-social epiphenomenon of a far more devastating and multi-faceted crisis whose common denominator is the global biotic network loss of which humans are still part? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the current interventions and outcomes in neonates born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDHs). A comprehensive search of the literature using relevant search words was conducted from the date of each database inception to August 2018 to identify interventions and outcomes in patients with CDH and HLHS. Conference papers, review articles, case reports, and animal studies were not eligible for this review. Articles were also excluded if left heart hypoplasia, rather than HLHS, was studied. Neither language nor sample size was used for exclusion. A preliminary screening of article titles was performed to rule out irrelevant articles and article types by a single reviewer. A second screening circle was performed by two independent reviewers to assess remaining abstracts. Data were presented as a systematic review and were descriptively summarized. Of the 162 retrieved articles, five studies were eligible for inclusion. The total number of neonates included in this systematic review was 5063. One hundred and eighteen (2.3%) presented specifically with CDH and HLHS. Overall, a total of 62 of the 118 patients underwent a surgical procedure (51%) with 36 (59%) surviving to discharge. Available data suggest current surgical interventions still result in a high degree of mortality. Age at which surgery occurred, pulmonary function and the use of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are potential variables that may determine and improve outcomes in these patients in the future. However, long-term outcomes and analyses of more variables are needed to determine effective treatment for this rare but often fatal comorbid congenital diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Umbilical catheters are inserted through the umbilical artery or vein at birth and are crucial in neonatal care. There are several different methods of estimating adequate insertion length of umbilical catheters based on one of two hypotheses; that the insertion length of the UC is correlated to either the infant's birth weight or an external length measurement. To review the published literature on methods of estimating insertion lengths of umbilical arterial catheters (UACs) and umbilical venous catheters (UVCs) in newborn infants. Systematic search on Medline was undertaken using keywords for relevant papers up to March 2019. Papers were selected by manual search of titles and abstracts. Formulae for predicting umbilical catheter insertion length are unreliable, particularly for UVCs. There is also conflicting evidence around whether birth weight-based formulae are more reliable than external length-based formulae. Studies comparing various methods to determine their efficacy to show that current formulae have a low accuracy for determining both UVC and UAC positioning. Current formulae for estimating insertion length of umbilical catheters are not fit for purpose. We propose a new observational study which uses a new external length measurement, the sternal notch to umbilicus length, to develop a more reliable formula for the insertion of UVC and UAC to an adequate length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung ultrasound (LUS) has been widely used in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of neonatal lung diseases (NLDs), but whether it can replace the routine use of chest X-ray (CXR) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) remains controversial. This paper summarizes the clinical practice of our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during the past three years to explore the feasibility and necessity of using LUS instead of CXR to diagnose NLDs in the NICU setting. The clinical data and LUS examination results from 1,381 newborn infants with respiratory difficulty who were hospitalized in our NICU from March 2017 to February 2020 were retrospectively collected to analyze the types of lung diseases diagnosed and the reliability of LUS for diagnosing NLDs. (1) During this period, 1381 newborn infants with dyspnea were admitted to our NICU, accounting for 41.2% of all hospitalized children. (2) Among the 1381 infants, 17 patients with respiratory distress were confirmed as having severe heart disease by echocardiography, while the remaining 1364 patients had different kinds of lung diseases: pneumonia (697 patients, 51.1%), respiratory distress syndrome (251 patients, 17.4%), transient tachypnea of the newborn (197 patients, 13.3%), atelectasis (89 patients, 5.6%), pneumothorax (46 patients, 3.2%), pulmonary hemorrhage (69 patients, 4.5%), severe pleural effusion (18 patients, 1.32%), congenital pulmonary sequestration (3 patients, 0.22%), bullae of the lung (2 patients, 0.15%), and congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (2 patients). (5) Among the 1381 infants, 217 received CXR examination before admission, which resulted in misdiagnosis in 45 patients (20.7%) and missed diagnosis in 12 patients (5.5%); the missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis rate was 26.3%. Our 3-year clinical practice experience indicated that LUS could completely replace chest X-ray for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of NLDs in the NICU. Compared with X-ray, LUS had higher accuracy and reliability in diagnosing NLDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) has been repeatedly identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). A possible explanation for this association is the effect of IUGR on cardiovascular structure and function. However, the specific changes observed are not consistent among studies. In this paper, we analyze several sources of heterogeneity within and between studies related to exposure, outcome and co-variables. A broad IUGR definition might include different phenotypes, expressing heterogeneity as an outcome. Outcome heterogeneity may also be the result of the postnatal effect modification that can be explored within studies. In order to do so, it is important to move beyond mean differences between groups, for example using unsupervised, stratified or interaction analysis. Different definitions of IUGR and the inclusion of different postnatal variables as confounders are potential sources of heterogeneity between studies. Researchers should be aware that postnatal variables may play different roles throughout a person's life and are not limited to behave as confounders. Therefore, their inclusion in the statistical model needs to be carefully considered. We discuss when sources of heterogeneity need to be controlled, and when they need to be identified and shown as a result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonatal sepsis (NS) has no specific clinical manifestations and blood culture analysis requires a long period of time. Knowledge of prevalent bacterial isolates and their antibiotic susceptibility is crucial when choosing an empirical therapy to decrease morbidity and mortality. This literature review summarizes the distribution characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of bacterial pathogens associated with bloodstream infections in Chinese neonates, and thus serves as a reference for pediatricians. The full-text journal database, CNKI, was searched using the key words "neonatal", "sepsis", and "bacterial pathogen" to retrieve relevant literature published from 2016 up to April 2018. The following data were extracted from the selected papers: title, pathogen collection time, care unit name, province (city), distribution of bacterial pathogens among bloodstream infections, and antimicrobial resistance of major pathogens. A total of 86 articles were searched, of which 30 complied with the study requirements and thus were included in the review; all were retrospective studies. The articles covered a total of 4098 bacterial strains from 24 cities (2494 Gram-positive bacteria, 1429 Gram-negative bacteria, 176 fungi). Among the Gram-positive bacteria, the four pathogens with the highest detection rates were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (40.23%), Streptococci (6.81%), Enterococci (6.10%), and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (5.15%); among the Gram-negative bacteria, Klebsiella (14.52%), Escherichia coli (12.12%), Enterobacter cloacae (1.90%), and Pseudomonas (1.41%) had the highest detection rates. The detection rate of Candida and other fungi was 4.29%. Among the pathogens with high clinical detection rates, S. epidermidis and S. aureus are highly resistant to both erythromycin and penicillin. Antibacterial drugs with high efficacy for both S. epidermidis and S. aureus include vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, linezolid, rifampicin, and tetracycline. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli are highly resistant to ampicillin, but there are drugs with high efficacy for both, including imipenem, piperacillin/tazobactam, aminoglycosides (gentamicin, amikacin), and quinolones (levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin). In contrast to the drug resistance data reported by the China Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (CARSS) in 2017, the detection rate of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) in the blood cultures of neonates with sepsis exceeded the national average drug resistance level (p <.01). The resistance rate of K. pneumoniae to third-generation cephalosporins was higher than the national average drug resistance level (p <.01), but this organism was most sensitive to carbapenems (carbapenem resistance refers to resistance to any of imipenem, meropenem, or ertapenem). The resistance of Escherichia coli to quinolones was better than the national average level (p <.01). Medical care-related infections in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) were more often caused by CoNS than by S. aureus and Gram-negative bacteria. Vancomycin remains the preferred drug for treating confirmed infections, because most isolated CoNS are resistant to β-lactam drugs including penicillin. For Gram-negative enteric bacteria, aminoglycoside and carbapenem were sufficient for treatment. Compared to the CARSS data on bacterial resistance, the data in this review on the resistance of pathogens causing NS were not favorable. The next goal in antibiotic management in NICUs must be to develop strategies to reduce the use of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term thrombophilia describes disorders associated with an increased predisposition of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). It may be acquired, like in those with antiphospholipid syndrome or inherited. The aim of this review was to compare the complications and outcomes of pregnancies in women with inherited thrombophilia between different populations, including the population of our country where the results of the research are scarce. The review of literature included all papers indexed on PubMed and Medline in the last 20 years, with different study design, including other reviews of literature, systematic reviews with meta-analysis and several case-control studies and population-based cohort studies. We aimed to cover as many geographic regions as possible with the aim to show the differences in the different parts of the world and including our country. Our analysis showed that types of thrombophilia differ in different geographic regions. Also, the differences exist between one particular type of thrombophilia in different regions. Nevertheless, no matter what the differences are between prevalence, all authors investigated the association between inherited thrombophilia and poor pregnancy outcome and managed to find some kind of association. The case with our own country is similar. Although we lack in studies with this issue and the design of published studies is not powerful enough, we may conclude that in our samples, women with thrombophilia are in potential risk of several poor pregnancy outcomes. Further and better analyses are necessary to prove this hypothesis not only on the level of study sample but also on general population. Given the fact that thrombophilia certainly affects the pregnancy and its outcome, the urge to perform screening tests in every woman suspected to have this kind of disorder and with respect to differences that exist in different world regions is inevitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly accurate serum marker for predicting viable pregnancy needs to be developed. Recent studies have demonstrated that kisspeptin is a potential biomarker for this purpose. This systematic review evaluated the available data in the literature on the role of kisspeptin as a miscarriage biomarker. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases using the following keywords: (kisspeptin) AND (miscarriage OR pregnancy loss OR spontaneous abortion OR reproductive failure). Seven case–control studies were selected for the systematic review. The included papers described the potential role of kisspeptin as a putative biomarker of pregnancy loss. Furthermore, two studies reported that changes in kisspeptin levels may be associated with unexplained infertility and low rates of embryo implantation in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology. Kisspeptin might be used as a potential biomarker of pregnancy viability in the near future. However, studies with better evidence are needed to establish the applicability of kisspeptin as a diagnostic and prognostic tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to explore whether antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that reduce LncNR_040117 expression in patients with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS)-induced recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), and further decrease apoptosis and improve trophoblasts invasion through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. This paper aimed to provide a new strategy to treat APS-induced RPL. In this study, we used quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT–qPCR) to analyze the expression level of LncNR 040117 in HTR-8/SVneo cells following transfection with ASOs. Then we utilized Western blotting to test the expression levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and key molecules of MAPK pathways, including the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and p38. In addition, we examined the HTR-8/SVneo cells apoptosis by cell apoptosis assay, and migration and invasion by transwell antibody assay. Each experiment was repeated three times. The data are presented as the means ± SDs, and statistical comparisons were performed using Student's t-test. p < 0.05 was considered significant. Transfected with ASOs, LncNR_040117 was downregulated in trophoblasts compared with APS-induced RPL patients. And LncNR_040117 low expression induced IL-1β and downstream adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1expression level decreased, as well as MAPK pathways downregulation, including the ERK pathway, JNK pathway and p38/MAPK pathway. Furthermore, all these changes resulted in decreased apoptosis and increased migration and invasion of trophoblasts. This study indicated that ASOs that decrease LncNR_040117 expression can reduce apoptosis and enhance the invasion and migration of trophoblasts by regulating the MAPK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal timing of an elective cesarean delivery for uncomplicated placenta previa remains controversial. Although the present guidelines recommend an elective cesarean delivery between 360/7 and 376/7 weeks of gestation, data supporting this recommendation does not differentiate in outcomes between elective and emergent delivery, or between women with and without ante-partum hemorrhage. Recommendations regarding optimal timing of delivery are based on the risks and benefits associated with delivery at a certain gestational week, compared with a reference of 38 weeks. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to assess the maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes associated with elective delivery at different gestational weeks from 360/7 to 386/7 weeks compared with expectant management in women with uncomplicated placenta previa. A retrospective cohort study in a single tertiary medical center of 251 women with a diagnosis of uncomplicated placenta previa, who delivered between 360/7 and 386/7 weeks of gestation, who delivered at our center between Jan 2011 and Dec 2019. Maternal and neonatal outcomes at each gestational week were compared with expectant management. At 360/7–366/7 weeks, the rate of composite maternal adverse outcome was similar for elective delivery and expectant management (10.5% vs 7.7%, p =.68). Similarly, at 370/7–376/7 the rate of composite maternal adverse outcome was comparable for elective cesarean delivery and expectant management (7.2% vs 6.4%, p =.54). Maternal bleeding was the main indication of an urgent cesarean delivery, and account for 86% of urgent cesarean delivery at 360/7–366/7, 76.4% of urgent cesarean delivery at 370/7–376/7, and for 70.6% of all urgent cesarean delivery at 380/7–386/7 weeks. This group of women who were delivered due to maternal bleeding had a history of maternal bleeding during 2nd and/or 3rd trimester in 75–92.3% of cases. Composite adverse neonatal outcome was similar for elective cesarean delivery at each gestational age compared with expectant management. The risk for lower 5-min APGAR score and hypoglycemia was higher for newborns that were delivered electively a 36th weeks of gestation compared with expectant management. Our study suggests that the optimal time of delivery for women with an uncomplicated placenta previa is between 380/7 and 386/7 weeks of gestation, especially in women without ante-partum bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neurological condition with a wide range of symptoms, including visual disturbances, headache, vomiting, seizures, and altered consciousness. This review describes the pathophysiology of PRES, as well as the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic intervention during pregnancy. The gold standard for diagnosis of PRES is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), helping to differentiate it from other similar conditions. The aim of this paper is to review the principal aspects of PRES, general care, blood pressure control, and seizures prevention while avoiding potential injuries to the mother and fetus in the event of pregnancy. We concluded that PRES can be effectively treated and reversed if prompt diagnostic action is made, and adequate care is initiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a form of glucose intolerance which manifests during pregnancy. There is lack of literature regarding the study of cognitive functions in GDM. Recent evidences suggests an increase in accumulation of serum Advanced glycated end products (AGE’S) during GDM. Accumulation of AGE’s in brain can induce changes in permeability of blood brain barrier and creates oxidative stress and inflammation that can alter cognitive functions. In this study we hypothesize that diagnosis of GDM in pregnancy is related to lower cognitive scores which is correlated to increased serum AGE’s level. Method: This was a cross sectional case control study which recruited 60 participants in total consisting of two groups with 30 participants in each - diagnosed cases of GDM and healthy pregnant controls. Subjects were recruited from OPD of Obstetrics & Gynecology department in a tertiary care hospital in South India at gestational age of 32–36 weeks. On the first appointment, biochemical parameters of Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) & HbA1C was measured in both groups. Serum was obtained for testing levels of N Carboxy methyl lysine (N-CML) (a form of AGE). On second appointment, pen and paper neurocognitive tests including Montreal cognitive tests (MOCA) and Trail making test (TMT A & B) was presented. Event related potentials (ERP’s) are time locked EEG wave signals produced in response to a sensory, motor or cognitive event. P300 is an “endogenous” ERP produced by cognitive processing in response to a stimuli presented to subject. P300 wave Latency and amplitude was recorded in both the groups as an objective marker of cognitive processing. Above mentioned biochemical and neurocognitive parameters were compared between both the groups and correlation analysis between serum AGE levels and neurocognitive parameters was performed using SPSS software. Results: Biochemical parameters of HbAIC & N-CML(A form of AGE) levels were increased in GDM group (HbA1C 6.01±0.30 and N CML 236.25 ± 68.9) vs Control group (HbA1C 4.11 ± 0.68 and NCML 198.42 ± 44.2). Scores in MOCA were significantly lower in GDM (28 (27–29)) group as compared to controls (24 (23–25)). GDM subjects took significantly greater time to perform TMT A (24.59 ± 2.60 s) test than controls (29.7 ± 1.72 s). Significant changes were not found in P300 Latency & amplitude in GDM group. Decreased MOCA scores and increased duration of TMT A attempt were correlated with increased serum AGE concentration in GDM group. Conclusions: Our study indicates the vulnerability of women suffering from GDM to cognitive impairment during pregnancy. Lower scores in cognitive tests were correlated to AGE accumulation in GDM women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Middle interhemispheric (MIH) variant of holoprosencephaly (HPE) or syntelencephaly is a rare prosencephalic cleavage disorder. In literature, few cases of accurate prenatal diagnosis have been reported. We report on four additional prenatally diagnosed cases. Methods: Between 2012 and 2017, four cases of MIH HPE were retrieved. Data on prenatal imaging, genetic analysis, and pathological investigation are collected. A “PubMed” and “Trip database” search were conducted revealing six papers reporting on 11 prenatally diagnosed cases. Results and discussion: Four additional cases of MIH HPE were diagnosed at an earlier gestational age (between 17 and 25 weeks of gestation) compared with 11 cases from the literature review (15–39 weeks). First trimester transvaginal ultrasound facilitates correct differentiation between the severe HPE variants. Frequent association with ZIC2 mutation was found in nearly 50% of the cases (5/11) compared with one case in our series. Conclusions: MIH variant of HPE is detectable from the early second trimester and should be considered in the differential diagnosis when the cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) is absent. Genetic analysis and autopsy should be conducted to investigate this more recent and rare variant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 has raised many concerns about the possible side effects of pregnancy. There is currently no conclusive evidence of the vertical transmission of COVID-19. Accordingly, this paper is a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis investigated neonatal outcomes among pregnant women with COVID-19. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science (WoS), EMBASE, ProQuest, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched up to November 2020. The Cochran’s Q-test and I 2 statistic were applied to assess heterogeneity, a random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled estimate of the mean, and a meta-regression method was utilized to investigate the factors affecting heterogeneity between studies. Results: Of 1132 studies, 23 were included in the analysis (sample size: 749 for neonates and 820 for mothers). Most of these studies (n = 13) were conducted in China. The pooled estimate for the mean of birth weight, APGAR score in min 1 and 5 was 3084.97 g (95% CI: 2993.66–3176.29), 8.76 (95% CI: 8.27–9.25), and 9.44 (95% CI: 9.18–9.70), respectively. Also, the pooled prevalence of premature birth, shortness of breath, and neonatal death was 17.80% (95% CI: 12.47–23.13), 8.43% (95% CI: 4.50–12.37), and 7.73% (95% CI: 2.00–13.47), respectively. The meta-regression results indicated that the mother’s age, disease duration, and sample size had no significant effect on heterogeneity between studies (p-value all of them was >.05). Finally, 15 studies (65.22%) reported that vertical transmission did not occur. Conclusion: The COVID-19 infection can have adverse outcomes for the newborn. Despite the positive test of neonates, the vertical transmission of COVID-19 from the infected mother to the fetus has not yet been conclusively proven; thus, further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate and compare the causes of macrosomia and FGR fetuses, their ultrasound characteristics and the importance of their similar metabolic profile in intrauterine and extrauterine life. Materials and methods: We searched Pubmed/Google Scholar database up until 15 December 2020 using keywords. Out of the 70 matching results we selected 50 most representative and matching papers. Results: We found similar causes and metabolic profiles and in both conditions offspring are at increased risk of developing metabolic and cardiovascular diseases in the extrauterine life. Conclusion: Despite similarities of the maternal factors and fetal metabolic profile it is still unknown which of them has worse metabolic status during intrauterine and extrauterine life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a recent legal case which calls into discussion the women’s safe access to voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTP) after the first 90 days. On 15 January 2021, the Italian Supreme Court sentenced a physician to damage compensation because he did not correctly inform the patient, in her 22nd week of pregnancy, about the risks to the fetus relating to an infection from cytomegalovirus (CMV). The option for VTP was not offered since, at the time of the woman’s request, medical investigations did not show the evidence of fetal malformations, neither there were concrete risks for the life of the mother, as Italian law requires. The baby was born with severe brain injuries. The case is noteworthy because it offers a new precedent to extend legal requirements for late VTP. The impact of this decision must be tested in the clinical practice. Further studies are necessary to evaluate possible law amendments extending access conditions for this practice and new policies promoting the strengthening of informative and assistance procedures, including psychological help, to the pregnant woman are needed, as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Association of interleukin-10 (IL-10) polymorphism with diabetes and its complication was recently established, while there were few kinds of research considering the potential role of IL-10 in gestational diabetes (GDM). This study aimed to systematically review the association between serum IL-10 level and GDM susceptibility. Methods: A comprehensive literature search for the published studies in PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Google Scholar databases was performed for English language papers published up to 31st July 2020. Following key terms were used: “Cytokine level” OR “Interleukin-10” OR “IL-10,” OR “Pro-inflammatory Cytokines” OR “gestational diabetes mellitus” OR “GDM.” Fixed or random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled SDM and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Begg’s funnel plot was used to assess the potential for publication bias. Results: In our meta-analysis, a total of ten studies for the risk of GDM involving 609 GDM cases and 664 controls were included. No significant association between IL-10 levels and risk of GDM as compared to control subjects (SMD = - 0.09, 95% CI = -0.73 to 0.55). Subgroup analysis based on ethnicity also does not reveal any association between IL-10 levels and risk of GDM as compared to control subjects has more or less similar trends in Caucasian (SMD = - 0.07, 95% CI = - 0.58 to 0.45) as well as Asian population (SMD = -0.03, 95% CI = - 1.56 to 1.49). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the serum IL-10 level may not be significantly associated with an increased risk of susceptibility to GDM. Further well-designed prospective studies embedded with a large sample size are needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Preeclampsia (PE) is a gestational hypertensive syndrome characterized by a complex disease with variable clinical manifestation. An aspect of increased interest is the possible effect of PE on the mammary gland (and therefore on breast milk composition) considering that a mother’s own milk is always considered the first choice for the nutrition of all neonates. Human milk (HM) is a unique food believed to contain biological factors involved in both short and long-term benefits. This article aims to review the published papers on this topic and to offer additional insights on the role of this gestational pathology on the composition of HM. Materials and methods: This review was performed by searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAL, and Cochrane Library databases. Results: A total of 15 articles were selected. Conclusions: Overall, the findings from the literature suggest that PE can alter the composition of HM milk. Nevertheless, the number of studies in this field are scarce, and the related protocols present some limitation, for example, evaluating the variability of just a few specific milk biochemical markers in association with this syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We studied natural vanilla permeability through amniotic membranes.Methods: We studied natural vanilla permeability through amniotic membranes obtained from 45 spontaneous normal deliveries at term. The ferric chloride test (FeCL3) was used to determine the presence or absence of phenols in a given sample. Vanilla is a polyphenol so it gives a reaction to FeCL3 with an intense color change. The diffusion of the vanilla was checked by dropping ferric chloride solution on the gauze once the membranes are lifted with care to avoid contamination. If vanilla has passed through the membranes the distilled water papers would change from an initial ferric yellow in the drops toward a marked gray/greenish color on the papers (positive test).Results: In all cases, the swabs were stained, all the membranes in both directions were permeable to the whole vanilla molecule.Conclusions: This experiment allows us to reevaluate the importance of molecular diffusion through the amniotic membranes with no placental metabolism existing between maternal and fetal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Villous capillary lesions are rare abnormal placental developmental conditions which include chorangiosis, chorangiomatosis, chorangioma and a rare variant of the latter called multiple chorangioma syndrome. The causes of villous capillary lesion are not completely clear but appear to involve excessive angiogenesis. In this paper we start illustrating our experience of multifocal chorangiomatosis with the newborn affected by massive umbilical vein thrombosis, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and hydrops, going to a literature review of cases available. Results: Two other similar cases have been previously published in literature. Comparing clinical characteristics and fetal outcomes, we confirm the association with unfavorable neonatal outcome mentioned in literature. Our case is the first characterized by severe hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, heart congestion with the overlap of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and massive umbilical vein thrombosis and congenital anomalies. Our clinical case and the review of literature highlight how multifocal chorangiomatosis, within the three subgroups identified, is the rarer form with distinct placental features and the worst outcomes for neonates. No cases of multifocal chorangiomatosis have never been described prenatally and, for further studies, could be reasonable investigate the involvement of some growth factors like vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor that could lead to a detection of a subgroup of patient at higher risk to manifest placental vascular lesions and the follow fetal and maternal complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A meta-analysis (MA) of natural vs. cesarean births in HBV infected mothers was performed to assess which delivery methods could minimize the mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of Hepatitis B virus (HBV). Electrical databases PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched for the English papers about the HBV MTCT up to 19 August 2019. STATA 11.0 software was used for all analysis. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to present the effect size for MTCT at birth and MTCT more than 6 months. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the chi-squared Q and I2 test to determine the use of random effects model or fixed effects model. A total of 19 articles involving 11,144 HBV-positive pregnant women (5251 underwent natural delivery and 5893 received a cesarean section) were included in the study. The pooled OR for MTCT at birth was 0.42, 95% CI: 0.23–0.76 based on random effect model (I2 = 69.9%, p =.019). Meanwhile, in fixed effect model (I2 = 0.0%, p =.470), the pooled OR for MTCT more than 6 months was 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48–0.81. The results indicated that HBV infection in cesarean births significantly lower than that of vaginal delivery. Subgroup analysis of MTCT more than 6 months was clearly, and the results indicated that cesarean section significantly reduced the risk of MTCT (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48–0.81, p <.001). Cesarean section can reduce the risk of HBV MTCT and should be employed as a preventive measure. Due to the limitations of this study, further multi-center, large-sample randomized controlled trials must be performed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore parental perceptions of written handbooks provided to them during antenatal counseling for anticipated extremely preterm birth. This study involved a prospective convenience sample of parents anticipating delivery between 22 weeks + 0 days and 25 weeks + 6 days gestation. The antenatal counseling involved a shared decision-making process. In-person interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide to gather feedback about new parent handbooks developed to support decision making. The questions during the semi-structured interview targeted seven main themes: overall impression, timing, graphs/tables, formatting, imagery, ease of use and understanding, and content. The interviews followed an antenatal consultation and provision of the appropriate handbook(s) by a neonatologist. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis of the data was completed. Eleven parents were interviewed. All parents described the provision of the handbook(s) following the consultation with a neonatologist as the ideal time. All parents considered a visual representation of the data to be invaluable. Parents considered the handbooks easy to understand and straightforward. Some parents were satisfied with simple information, which helped them feel less overwhelmed; others felt the depth of information was insufficient. Parents preferred a paper copy to electronic. Reactions to the photo of an infant receiving intensive care varied; some parents felt frightened, others felt comforted. Overall, parents positively evaluated the handbooks, supporting their utility for parents anticipating extremely preterm birth. Concrete suggestions for improvement were made; the handbooks will be modified accordingly. Parents at other perinatal centers may benefit from receiving such handbooks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is little evidence about how novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) affects pregnant women and their newborns. Comparisons with other members of the coronavirus family responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have been done to predict maternal and neonatal outcomes; however, more information is required to establish clinical patterns, disease evolution and pregnancy prognosis in this group of patients.Methods: This paper is reporting a series of 91 women diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and puerperium. The analysis showed that 40 patients developed pneumonia, bilateral in most cases, with a 46.2% rate of hospitalization and 4 patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In confront with previous publications, we have found a higher rate of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) severe forms, even when compared to non-pregnant women with the same baseline characteristics. We have analyzed the demographic characteristics, pregnancy-related conditions and presenting symptoms to identify features that could determine which patients will need hospitalization because of COVID-19 (Group 1-G1) and those who not (Group 2-G2). We have found that obesity and Latin-American origin behave as risk factors: OR: 4.3; 95% CI: 1.4-13.2, and OR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.1 - 6.2, respectively. Among the 23 patients that delivered with active SARS-CoV-2, the overall rate of cesarean section (CS) and preterm birth were 52.2% and 34.8%, respectively, but we observed that the rate of CS was even higher in G1 compared to G2: 81.8% versus 25%, p = .012. However, prematurity was equally distributed in both groups and only one preterm delivery was determined by poor maternal condition. There were no deaths among the patients neither their newborns.Conclusion: In conclusion, the results of our cohort reveal that SARSC-CoV-2 infection may not behave as mild as suggested during pregnancy, especially when factors as obesity or Latin-American origin are present. No evidence of late vertical transmission was noticed but prematurity and high CS rate were common findings, although it is difficult to establish any causality between these conditions and COVID-19. Further evidence is required to establish if pregnancy itself can lead to severe forms of COVID-19 disease and whether risk factors for the general population are applicable to obstetric patients. Until larger studies are available, pregnant women should be monitored carefully to anticipate severe complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is inconclusive nowadays for the association between infant's gender and their mothers' risk of developing postpartum depression (PPD). In addition, a complete overview is missing. A meta-analysis of cohort and case-control studies was performed to address the question of whether women who gave birth to a female infant were at an increased risk of developing PPD, compared with those giving birth to a male infant.Methods: Unrestricted searches were conducted, with an end date parameter of 31 January 2018, of PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Cochrane Libraries, and Chinese databases, to identify studies that met pre-stated inclusion criteria. Reference lists of retrieved articles were also reviewed. Either a fixed- or a random-effects model was used to calculate the overall combined risk estimates.Results: Twenty-three studies involving 119,736 women were included for analysis. Overall, mothers who gave birth to a female infant experienced a significantly increased risk of developing PPD compared with the reference group (OR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.01-1.31; p = .03). However, substantial heterogeneity (p < .00001; I2 = 75%) was observed across studies. Relevant heterogeneity moderators have been identified by subgroup analysis. Sensitivity analysis yielded consistent results. No evidence of publication bias was observed.Conclusions: Although the role of potential bias and evidence of heterogeneity should be carefully evaluated, the present study suggests women giving birth to a girl are associated with a higher risk of developing PPD when compared with those giving birth to a boy. Improving family and social communication and reducing gender preference should be important components of any such interventions.Statement of significanceProblem or issue Interestingly, the known risk factors leading to PPD are basically the same in different regions and cultures, but the gender of the infant seems to be an exception.What is already known Some studies conducted in traditional western countries indicated that there is a weak or null association between infant's gender and risk of PPD, while others suggested a positive association. In contrast, studies conducted in Nigeria, India, Turkey and China showed that mothers giving birth to a female infant were at a higher risk of developing PPD.What this paper adds Today, the association between infant's gender and risk of developing postpartum depression (PPD) is still uncertain; additionally, a complete overview is missing. Our study represents the first meta-analysis of risk of PPD associated with infant's gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous benefits have been associated with omega-3 fatty acid consumption during pregnancy and the postpartum period, whether it is consumed in the diet with seafood or via supplements such as fish oil. This review primarily aimed to assess the current situation of the impact of omega-3 long-chain Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA) supplementation on the outcomes of pregnancy. The electronic search of Medline, PubMed, Public Library of Science (PLOS) and Google Scholar databases was carried out for papers from 01 February 1995 to 01 March 2017 using keywords such as "pregnancy," "supplement," "long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids," "omega 3 fatty acids," and "clinical trials." Out of twenty-six studies, both observational and interventional, fourteen studies found the influence of omega 3 fatty acids during pregnancy or the early postpartum period on the duration of gestation and infant size at birth, preeclampsia, depression, and infant visual function and neurodevelopment have been reported. Omega 3 fatty acid intakes (both in terms of absolute amounts of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and the ratio of these 2 fatty acids) varied widely in these studies, however, and no clear consensus exists regarding the effects of omega 3 fatty acids on any of these outcomes. Because of the potential importance of these fatty acids for pregnant or lactating women, fetus, and newborn infants and the limited data from clinical trials assessing the effect of these fatty acids on pregnancy and infant outcomes, additional research is required to better define optimal intakes of specific omega 3 fatty acids during these critical periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of serious coronavirus epidemic, it is critical that pregnant women not be ignored potentially life-saving interventions. So, this study was designed to improve the quality of care by health providers through what they need to know about coronavirus during pregnancy and childbirth. We conducted a systematic review of electronic databases was performed for published in English, before 25 March 2020. Finally, 29 papers which had covered the topic more appropriately were included in the study. The results of the systematic review of the existing literature are presented in the following nine sections: Symptoms of the COVID-19 in pregnancy, Pregnancy management, Delivery Management, Mode of delivery, Recommendations for health care provider in delivery, Neonatal outcomes, Neonatal care, Vertical Transmission, Breastfeeding. In conclusion, improving quality of care in maternal health, as well as educating, training, and supporting healthcare providers in infection management to be prioritized. Sharing data can help to countries that to prevent maternal and neonatal morbidity associated with the COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of raw seafood, generally considered to be a healthy food, has greatly increased worldwide. Pathogens of fish can cause foodborne illnesses in humans, especially following the consumption of raw seafood from contaminated water. Foodborne illness in pregnant women is seldom the cause of neonatal infection, but, as in the reported cases, it has been associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. We present the case of a newborn with septicemia and meningitis caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides acquired via the transplacental route. There was a maternal history of ingestion of raw seafood 1 week prior to delivery. A few similar cases are described in the existing literature, which reports 7 neonatal deaths. Therefore, the primary objective of this paper is to highlight the fact that the popularity of raw seafood such as sushi, sashimi, and oysters, requires an improvement in dietary advice regarding unsafe choices in pregnancy in order to avoid preventable foodborne diseases, sometimes fatal for the newborn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal weight is an important factor to determine the delivery mode of pregnant women. The change of fetal weight is significant, according to regular health monitoring of pregnant women. Conventional methods of fetal weight estimation, namely those based on B-ultrasound, are very complicated and the costs are high. In this paper, we propose a new method based on body composition. An abdominal four-segment impedance model is first established upon pregnant women, as well as the method of calculation. A body composition based method is then given to estimate the fetal weight, with the solution given explicitly. Analyses of clinical data reveal the smallness of the error between the estimated value and the actual value. The error between B-ultrasound and the present method is less than 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neonatal incubators are important tools for sick newborns in the first few days of life. Nevertheless, their electric engine, often very close to the newborn's body, emits electromagnetic fields (EMF) to which newborns are exposed. Aim of this paper is to review the available literature on EMF exposure in incubators, and the effects of such exposures on newborns that have been investigated. Methods: We carried out a systematic review of studies about EMF emissions produced by incubators, using Medline and Embase databases from 1993 to 2017. Results: We retrieved 15 papers that described the EMF exposure in incubators and their biological effects on babies. EMF levels in incubators appear to be between 2 and 100 mG, depending on the distance of the mattress from the electric engine. In some cases, they exceed this range. These values interfere with melatonin production or with vagal tone. Even caregivers are exposed to high EMF, above 200 mG, when working at close contact with the incubators. Conclusion: EMF have been described as potentially hazardous for human health, and values reported in this review are an alert to prevent babies' and caregivers' exposure when close to the incubators. A precautionary approach should be adopted in future incubator design, to prevent high exposures of newborns in incubators and of caregivers as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Odon DeviceTM is an innovative investigational device for assisted vaginal birth (AVB) and has not yet been granted regulatory approval for sale in any country. It is the first innovation in AVB since the introduction of the vacuum extractor in the 1950’s and the device is designed for use by different level of trained health care providers. Efficacy studies are presently in progress in two centers: The ASSIST II Study, Bristol, England, and The BESANCON ASSIST Study, Besanc¸on, France. The device consists of an applicator, sleeve and cuff. This original paper illustrates the operating process in real conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a combination of symptoms in infants exposed to any variety of substances in utero. Information systems and registries help to collect information about these patients; however, there is always a deep gap between complete and accurate information to be collected, understood, and applied in the health care system; thus, defining a minimum data sets (MDS) as one of the primarily steps of designing a registry system is essential. The aim of this study was to develop an MDS of the registry for infants with NAS in Iran. This research is a descriptive cross-sectional study. In this study, three steps were carried out to develop the MDS including systematic review, Delphi technique, and focus group discussion. A systematic review was conducted in relevant databases to identify appropriate related data. In the second phase, a focus group discussion was used to classify the extracted data elements by contributing neonatologists. Finally, data elements were chosen through the decision Delphi technique in two distinct rounds. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 22 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). By reviewing related papers and available NAS registries in other countries, 145 essential data elements were identified. They were classified into two main categories based on the eight experts' opinions including maternal with two sections and infant with two sections. After applying two rounds of Delphi technique, the final data elements for maternal and infant categories were 42 and 31, respectively. Thus, on completion of the survey, 73 data elements were approved. The proposed MDS for NAS can help to store an accurate and comprehensive data, document medical records, integrate them with other information systems and registries, and communicate with other healthcare providers and healthcare centers. This MDS can contribute to the provision of high-quality care and better clinical decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The ability to predict patients at risk for preterm birth remains a major health challenge. The currently available clinical diagnostics such as cervical length and fetal fibronectin may detect only up to 30% of patients who eventually experience a spontaneous preterm birth. This paper reviews ongoing efforts to improve the ability to conduct a risk assessment for preterm birth. In particular, this work focuses on quantitative methods of imaging using ultrasound-based techniques, magnetic resonance imaging, and optical imaging modalities. While ultrasound imaging is the major modality for preterm birth risk assessment, a summary of efforts to adopt other imaging modalities is also discussed to identify the technical and diagnostic limits associated with adopting them in clinical settings. We conclude the review by proposing a new approach using combined photoacoustic, ultrasound, and elastography as a potential means to better assess cervical tissue remodeling, and thus improve the detection of patients at-risk of PTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Neonates undergo many painful procedures daily, in particular venipunctures and heelpricks. Our aim was to assess how painful these procedures actually are, and how effective are the common analgesic strategies to blunt this pain.Methods: We performed a MEDLINE/PubMed research from 1999 to 2013. We retrieved all papers in English language that evaluated pain during neonatal heelprick or venipuncture and that used as score the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP), a widely used scale for evaluate acute pain in term and preterm babies.Results: Fifteen papers met the inclusion criteria, using different analgesic methods. Just in one case two studies used the same analgesic method. Most analgesic procedures show a relevant level of pain. We didn't find univocal difference between heelprick and venipuncture. Topic creams, systemic analgesics, posture and oral glucose 10% have scarce analgesic effectiveness. The most effective procedures are the use of oral sweet solutions (sucrose or glucose) at concentrations greater than 20%, multisensory stimulations and non-nutritive sucking used along with 10% glucose.Conclusions: A large amount of analgesic methods was used, making comparisons difficult. Nevertheless, in the absence of analgesic treatment, heelpricks and venipunctures are moderately-severely painful, and among the proposed analgesic procedures, few seem to be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance of Congenital Abnormalities (HCCSCA) is one of the largest case-control data sets of CA-surveillance in the world. We unified all data collected in the HCCSCA between 1980 and 2009 into a new, validated single database that is now open for examination. The details of this unified database are given in this paper. The total number of cases and control newborns is 32,345 and 57,231, respectively. The overall prevalence of CAs recorded in the HCCSCA was 10.7/1000 live-births. Data available for each pregnancy are: CA(s), gender, birth year/month/date, birth weight, gestational age, area of mother's living, maternal age, paternal age, birth order, mother's and father's qualification, employment status and type of employment, mother's marital status, outcome of previous pregnancies, maternal diseases during pregnancy (according to pregnancy months), drug intake during pregnancy (according to pregnancy months), folic acid and/or pregnancy vitamin supplement intake (according to pregnancy months), mother's smoking habits and alcohol consumption patterns. The most frequent anomalies detected were ventricular septal defect (2864), atrial septal defect (1895), polydactyly (1499), hypospadias (1083), and unilateral cleft lip ± palate (961). According to ICD-10, 701 diseases have been found to affect case mothers during pregnancy. Eight hundred and sixteen drugs were identified that had been taken by mothers during pregnancy. The authors are absolutely open for any scientific cooperation based on this database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnancies in women with systemic vasculitis constitute high-risk pregnancies, and outcomes vary based on the size of the affected blood vessels. Currently, there is limited data describing pregnancy outcomes in these women. The aim of this paper is to evaluate pregnancy outcomes in women with large, medium, or small vessel vasculitis to aid preconceptional counseling and inform antepartum and intrapartum care. We included all women with large-, medium-, or small-vessel vasculitis and documented pregnancies attending high-risk pregnancy clinics at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada between 2001 and 2016. Pregnancy characteristics and outcomes were reported as proportions. Maternal, fetal/neonatal, and obstetric outcomes, stratified by type of vasculitis, were the main outcomes measured. We identified 60 pregnancies in 50 women with systemic vasculitis. These included large-vessel (n = 10), medium-vessel (n = 5), small-vessel [n = 30, of which 16 were AntiNeutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody (ANCA)-associated and 14 were immune-complex mediated], central nervous system (n = 3), and retinal (n = 2). Although vasculitis flares occurred with large-vessel (3/12), small-vessel (13/36), and retinal (2/3) vasculitis, only one was severe and involved hemoptysis requiring blood transfusion in a woman with ANCA-associated vasculitis. Preeclampsia complicated two pregnancies each with large- (25%) and small- (6%) vessel vasculitis. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) only occurred with small-vessel vasculitis (10, 29.4%). Although seven (26.4%) viable pregnancies resulted in preterm birth, the mean gestational age was over 35 weeks. Although women with systemic vasculitis can have successful pregnancies, they are at increased risk for late preterm birth. In addition, those with small-vessel vasculitis are at increased risk for IUGR and vasculitis flares. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the research was to understand the experience of families living a premature birth and to outline the current care plan in Italy. The survey was addressed to 150 parents of children born under the 34th week of pregnancy. Topics of the investigation were the implications on their family, social and working contexts, determined through a questionnaire enriched by a collection of narratives. Written testimonies were clustered through a Narrative Medicine method and matched with quantitative information. The main respondents were mothers of severe and moderate preterm children. Except for the Kangaroo Care, services were not uniformed amongst the centers and few home care supports resulted available for families. Sixty-seven percent of the mothers could not obtain a prolonged maternity leave and described the impacts on their working activities. Narratives revealed a low level of prevention, information and awareness on the risks of prematurity amongst families, few local networks among Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) teams, gynecologists and pediatricians, and the shortage of support for parents at work; these actions were collected in a Position Paper. Findings showed the integration between families' coping strategies and the offered care services for preterm births. Narrative tools could represent the bridge between families and health care teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is much inconsistency in management recommendations for cardiotocograms by international organizations. Impediments to achieving consensus include disagreement on the spectrum of risk of fetal acidemia, different fetal heart rate pattern display due to differing chart paper speed, and the necessity for ancillary testing in confirming fetal acidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent evidence suggests prenatal fetoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) may improve the survival and long-term morbidity of neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, yet little guidance exists in the medical literature as to the ethical permissibility of performing a maternal-fetal surgical intervention in a twin pregnancy discordant for a structural abnormality.Case: Here, we present a case of a twin pregnancy with an unaffected twin (Twin A) and a twin diagnosed with severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (Twin B). A proposed fetoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) procedure may improve the likelihood of survival and postnatal outcome of Twin B; however, balloon placement may also initiate very preterm birth at 28 weeks of gestation. The Fetal Ethics Advisory Board was asked to provide guidance on the permissibility of FETO in this pregnancy.Discussion: A literature review identified one brief mention of FETO in a 34-week dichorionic twin pregnancy in the medical literature, which resulted in the rupture of fetal membranes in the sac of the nonsurgical twin. Only one paper specifically addressed the question of whether it would be ethically permissible to subject a healthy twin to the risks of maternal-fetal surgery for the benefit of a compromised twin, finding that any risk to the unaffected twin would be an ethical contraindication. We offer our own analysis of moral weight and risk/benefit considerations of this proposed intervention, and present our findings on the circumstances in which it may be ethically permissible to perform a maternal-fetal intervention in a twin pregnancy.Conclusion: While FETO was not ethically advisable in this pregnancy, we find that in limited circumstances, certain maternal-fetal surgical interventions may be ethically permissible in a twin pregnancy discordant for a structural abnormality if the risks to the unaffected twin are minimal and the procedure would improve the likelihood of survival and postnatal outcome of a critically compromised co-twin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a rapidly increasing condition among neonates. It represents failure of adaptation of pulmonary circulation to the extrauterine environment causing severe hypoxemia in affected newborns. Few data have weighed the relationship of ventricular dysfunction in the context of PPHN and the outcome in involved patients. The aim of this paper is to study ventricular functions in newborns with PPHN and to determine whether short-term outcome is closely related or not to ventricular dysfunction occurring in PPHN.Methods: Thirty full-term neonates with PPHN were screened with conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) for the assessment of ventricular functions at the start of treatment for PPHN, demographic data and Arterial blood gazes were performed as well. The echocardiographic data were compared to healthy age-matched controls. The sensitivity and specificity of relevant echocardiographic data to predict the short-term (Day 3) outcome of patients were measured.Results: Patients with PPHN had both left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction when compared to controls, RV Tei (Cases: 0.39 ± 0.1 versus controls: 0.29 ± 0.08, p < .01) LV Tei (Cases: 0.3 ± 0.04 versus controls: 0.25 ± 0.02, p < .01), LV functions were found of greatest prediction of negative outcome in cases with PPHN than RV Tei.Conclusion: The aforementioned findings are sight opening towards the importance of LV dysfunction in PPHN, LV dysfunction might occur in PPHN as a result of RV-LV interactions and the observed involvement might be an important aggravating factor of PPHN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lung ultrasound (LUS) has been successfully used for neonatal lung disease diagnosis, as a non-invasive, free of radiation tool, the application of point-of-care LUS (POC-LUS) to diagnose lung disease has become a new trend worldwide. This paper was to introduce the new application of LUS to guide or assist the neonatal lung diseases treatment. Methods: Based on case series of our daily routine clinical work, in combining with the latest literatures, we introducing the new using field of POC-LUS in guiding the treatment of uninflated lung disease by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), guiding the treatment of severe pleural effusion and pneumothorax, guide the use of and weaning from mechanical ventilation, and in assessing the efficacy of exogenous pulmonary surfactant (PS) therapy. Results: The results of this study showed that the using rate of invasive ventilation and PS were decreased significantly, the duration of invasive ventilation was shortened significantly, the recovery of pleural effusion and pneumothorax were more quickly and safety, and finally a significantly shortened length of hospitalizations was obtained. Conclusions: LUS monitoring had significant effects in guiding the management of neonatal severe lung diseases, which with the worthy of extensive clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: External cephalic version (ECV) increases the likelihood of a vaginal delivery in patients with breech presentation. Our objective was to determine the rate of cephalic vaginal delivery in women undergoing ECV after PROM.Methods: We performed a systematic review of all case reports, case series and clinical trials of patients undergoing an ECV after PROM ≥ 24 weeks. Maternal demographics and outcome data were obtained. The primary outcome was rate of cephalic vaginal delivery. Statistical analysis was performed for continuous outcomes by calculating mean and standard deviations for appropriate variables.Results: The systematic review yielded six papers with 13 case reports and no clinical trials of ECV after PROM. The rate of success to cephalic presentation was 46.1% (six of 13 cases), with a subsequent vaginal delivery rate of 23.1% (three of 13 cases). The rate of umbilical cord prolapse was 33.3% (two of six cases).Conclusions: ECV after PROM has been reported in 13 cases in the literature. For the cases reported, 46.1% of ECV were successful in turning to cephalic position, but only 23.1% resulted in a vaginal delivery. There was a 33.3% incidence of umbilical cord prolapse. Given the high rate of umbilical cord prolapse, it would be imperative to offer an ECV in the setting of PROM only at an institution that has the ability to perform the indicated emergent cesarean delivery and only after appropriate counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To conduct an audit of the Omniview-SisPorto® central monitoring station (CMS) and determine the effect of the measures undertaken to correct identified problems. Methods. All cardiotocograms (CTGs) recorded in randomly selected days of 2006 and 2009, both in the outpatient clinic and labor ward, were reviewed to assess the following parameters: tracing identification, duration, signal quality, signal loss, acquisition method, and time elapsed between tracing-end and birth. A random sample of cases was compared with original paper recordings and 25%% of CTGs were re-retrieved for comparison with first retrieval. Results. Antepartum tracings were identified in 92%% of cases. Mean signal quality rose from 96.4%% in 2006 to 97.1%% in 2009 ( p == 0.009). Mean signal loss fell from 7.4%% to 5.8%% ( p == 0.012). Intrapartum CTGs were identified in 44%% of cases in 2006 and in 69%% in 2009 ( p < 0.001). Mean interval between tracing-end and birth decreased from 12.0 to 8.4 min ( p < 0.001). Coincidence of variables in tracings retrieved twice increased between 2006 and 2009. All retrieved tracings matched the original paper recordings. Several technical problems identified in 2006 were not found in 2009. Conclusions. The Omniview-SisPorto® system showed reliable recording, storage, and retrieval of CTGs. Auditing of fetal CMSs allows improvement of their performance and use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a bundle to reduce unplanned extubations (UE) in ventilated newborn infants (NB) and to verify the factors associated to UE.Method: Intervention study with a historical control group in a university hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between June 2014-May 2015 (Period I) and September 2015-August 2016 (Period II). All ventilated NB were included except those with facial malformations. The bundle (new tracheal tube fixation model, team training, identification of NB at risk of UE, and debriefing after UE episodes) was implemented between Periods I and II. Rates of UE/100 NB ventilated-day were compared between periods for the entire sample and according to the cause: accidental or by medical indication. Factors associated to the first UE episode of each NB were studied by logistic regression.Results: A total of 231 intubations were performed in 120 infants in Period I (gestational age 33.6 ± 4.7 W; birth weight: 2020 ± 929 g) and 212 intubations in 131 infants in Period II (34.2 ± 4.7 W; 2080 ± 997 g). UE occurred in 19.9% and 14.6% of the NB, in Periods I and II, respectively. Accidental extubation and change of the tube by medical indication were observed in 58.7% and 41.3% of UE in Period I and in 51.6% and 48.4% in Period II. Higher birth weight, lower SNAPPE-II score, and daytime period were associated with a lower chance of UE in all newborns.Conclusion: The bundle did not reduce the UE in NB ventilated in NICU but continued control of UE rates is crucial for improved care, especially for immature and critically neonates.What is new about the paper? The study presented a strategy for assessing the causes of unplanned extubations in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, considering not only the accidental extubations, but aldo the medical ordered extubations, which contributes to the definition of actions for the reduction of unplanned extubations in the NICU setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The identification of women at risk for preterm birth should allow interventions which could improve neonatal outcome. Fetal fibronectin, a glycoprotein which acts normally as glue between decidua and amniotic membranes could be a good marker of impending labour when its concentration in cervicovaginal secretions between 22 and 36 weeks of gestation is ≥50 ng/mL. Many authors worldwide have tested this marker with many different methodologies and clinical settings, but conclusions about its clinical use are mixed. It is time for a comprehensive update through a systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase, supplemented by manual search of bibliographies of known primary and review articles, international conference papers, and contact with experts from 1-1990 to 2-2018. We have selected all type of studies involving fetal fibronectin test accuracy for preterm delivery. Two authors independently extracted data about study characteristics and quality from identified publications. Contingency tables were constructed. Reference standards were preterm delivery before 37, 36, 35, 34, and 32 weeks, within 28, 21, 14, or 7 d and within 48 h. Data were pooled to produce summary likelihood ratios for positive and negative tests results.Results: One hundred and ninety-three primary studies were identified allowing analysis of 53 subgroups. In all settings, none of the summary likelihood ratios were >10 or <0.1, thus indicating moderate prediction, particularly in asymptomatic women and in multiple gestations.Conclusions: The fetal fibronectin test should not be used as a screening test for asymptomatic women. For high-risk asymptomatic women, and especially for women with multiple pregnancies, the performance of the fetal fibronectin test was also too low to be clinically relevant. Consensual use as a diagnostic tool for women with suspected preterm labor, the best use policy probably still depends on local contingencies, future cost-effectiveness analysis, and comparison with other more recent available biochemical markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]