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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Oxytocin for induction or augmentation of labor should not be started when there is a previous scar on the body of the uterus (such as previous classical cesarean section, uterine perforation or myomectomy when uterine cavity is reached) or in any other condition where labor or vaginal delivery are contraindicated. (Moderate quality evidence +++-; Strong recommendation). 2. Oxytocin should not be started before at least 1 h has elapsed since amniotomy, 6 h since the use of dinoprostone (30 min if vaginal insert) and 4 h since the use of misoprostol (Low quality evidence ++- -; Moderate recommendation). 3. Cardiotocography (CTG) should be performed and a normal pattern without tachysystole should be documented for at least 30 min before oxytocin is used. Continuous CTG, with adequate monitoring of both fetal heart rate and uterine contractions, should be maintained for as long as oxytocin is used, and thereafter until delivery (Low ++- - to moderate +++- quality evidence; Strong recommendation). 4. For labor induction, at least 1-h should be allowed after amniotomy before oxytocin infusion is started, to evaluate whether adequate uterine contractility has meanwhile ensued. For augmentation of labor, if the membranes are intact and there are conditions for a safe amniotomy, the latter should be considered before oxytocin is started (Very low quality evidence +- --; Weak recommendation). 5. Oxytocin should be administered intravenously using the following regimen: 5 IU oxytocin diluted in 500 mL of 0.9% normal saline (NaCl) (each mL contains 10 mIU of oxytocin), in an infusion pump at increasing rates, as shown in Table 1, until a frequency of 3-4 contractions per 10 min is reached, a non-reassuring CTG pattern ensues, or maximum rates are reached (Low quality evidence ++ - -; Strong recommendation). If the frequency of contractions exceeds 5 in 10 min, the infusion rate should be reduced, even if a normal CTG pattern is present. With a non-reassuring CTG pattern, urgent clinical assessment by an obstetrician is indicated, and strong consideration should be given to reducing or stopping the oxytocin infusion. The minimal effective dose of oxytocin should always be used. (Low ++- - to Moderate +++- - quality evidence; Strong recommendation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National screening programs use dried blood specimens to detect metabolic disorders or aberrant protein functions that are not clinically evident in the neonatal period. Similarly, gut microbiota metabolites and immunological acute-phase proteins may reveal latent immune aberrations. Microbial metabolites interact with xenobiotic receptors (i.e., aryl hydrocarbon and pregnane-X) to maintain gastrointestinal tissue health, supported by acute-phase proteins, functioning as sensors of microbial immunomodulation and homeostasis. The delivery (vaginal or cesarean section) shapes the microbial colonization, which substantially modulates both the immune system's response and mucosal homeostasis. This study profiled microbial metabolites of the kynurenine and tryptophan pathway and acute-phase proteins in 134 neonatal dried blood specimens. We newly established neonatal blood levels of microbial xenobiotic receptors ligands (i.e., indole-3-aldehyde, indole-3-butyric acid, and indole-3-acetamide) on the second day of life. Furthermore, we observed diverse microbial metabolic profiles in neonates born vaginally and via cesarean section, potentially due to microbial immunomodulatory influence. In summary, these findings suggest the supportive role of human gut microbiota in developing and maintaining immune system homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: External cephalic version (ECV) is a useful method helping to reduce the incidence of planned caesarean deliveries for fetal malpresentation. There is an effort to look for the best predictors for a successful ECV, the effect of maternal weight is still unclear. The aim of our study is to determine maternal body mass index (BMI) in association with the ECV success rate and the risk of complications. Material and methods: A retrospective observational cohort study in 981 women after the 36th week of gestation with a fetus in a breech presentation who had undergone an ECV attempt. We evaluated the success rate and complications of ECV in association with BMI categories according to the WHO classification of obesity. Results: ECV was successful in 478 cases (48.7%). In the category of overweight patients (BMI > 25; n = 484), ECV was successful in 51% and unsuccessful in 49% (p = 0.28) of cases. In obese patients (BMI > 30; n = 187), ECV was successful in 44.8% and unsuccessful in 55.2% (p = 0.28) of cases. The effect of BMI on the success rate of ECV for the category of overweight and obesity was not proven by statistical analysis. Serious complications occurred in seven cases in similar numbers in all three subgroups according to BMI. Conclusions: BMI in the categories of overweight and obesity is not a factor influencing the success rate and risk of complications of ECV. These results can be helpful when consulting pregnant women the chance of successful ECV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the association between microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and/or intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI) and the cervical prevalence of Gardnerella vaginalis DNA in pregnancies with preterm prelabor rupture of membrane (PPROM). Method: In total, 405 women with singleton pregnancies complicated with PPROM were included. Cervical fluid and amniotic fluid samples were collected at the time of admission. Bacterial and G. vaginalis DNA were assessed in the cervical fluid samples using quantitative PCR technique. Concentrations of interleukin-6 and MIAC were evaluated in the amniotic fluid samples. Loads of G. vaginalis DNA ≥ 1% of the total cervical bacterial DNA were used to define the cervical prevalence of G. vaginalis as abundant. Based on the MIAC and IAI, women were categorized into four groups: with intra-amniotic infection (both MIAC and IAI), with sterile IAI (IAI without MIAC), with MIAC without IAI, and without either MIAC or IAI. Results: The presence of the abundant cervical G. vaginalis was related to MIAC (with: 65% vs. without: 44%; p = 0.0004) but not IAI (with: 52% vs. without: 48%; p = 0.70). Women with MIAC without IAI had the highest load of the cervical G. vaginalis DNA (median 2.0 × 104 copies DNA/mL) and the highest presence of abundant cervical G. vaginalis (73%). Conclusions: In women with PPROM, the presence of cervical G. vaginalis was associated with MIAC, mainly without the concurrent presence of IAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem: To determine the changes of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) level in noninvasively obtained cervical fluid samples from women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) based on the presence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and/or intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI), and intra-amniotic infection (the presence of both MIAC and IAI).Methods Of Study: A total of 160 women with PPROM were included. Cervical fluid samples were obtained using a Dacron polyester swab and amniotic fluid samples were obtained by transabdominal amniocentesis. Cervical fluid PTX3 levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: PTX3 was found in all the cervical fluid samples and its levels were higher in women with MIAC, IAI, and intra-amniotic infection than in women without these conditions. When the women were categorized into four subgroups based on the presence of MIAC and/or IAI, women with intra-amniotic infection had higher cervical fluid PTX3 levels than those with sterile IAI (IAI alone), colonization (MIAC alone), or no MIAC or IAI. A cervical fluid PTX3 level of 11 ng/mL was the best value for identifying the presence of intra-amniotic infection in women with PPROM.Conclusions: PTX3 is a constituent of cervical fluid of women with PPROM. Cervical fluid PTX3 level reflects the situation in the intra-amniotic compartments of women with PPROM. Cervical fluid PTX3 is a potential marker for the noninvasive identification of intra-amniotic infection in PPROM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore whether miR-210 expression can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in acute fetal hypoxia. Methods. Whole blood samples of 29 women and their fetuses without hypoxia and 24 women and their fetuses with hypoxia were analysed in this study. Reverse transcription and quantitative real-time PCR were used to measure the expression of miR-210. Expression level differences between the control and hypoxic group in labour time and postpartum change fold were analyzed by standard statistical tests. Results. We confirmed that miR-210 is significantly more upregulated in fetal blood with acute hypoxia when compared to maternal blood (P<0.001). Furthermore, there was significant up-regulation in miR-210 level in the hypoxic group when compared to the control non-hypoxic group (P<0.05) in both maternal and fetal blood. Our results did not confirm a significant difference in postpartum miR-210 clearance level 2 h, 8 h, 24 h or 48 h after labour. Conclusions. Our study confirmed miR-210 upregulation in the blood of pregnant women with acute fetal hypoxia at the time of labour compared to pregnant women without acute fetal hypoxia. Additional investigation should be done to determine miR-210 clearance and the possibility of using miR-210 as a diagnostic and prognostic marker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Umbilical cord blood could serve as useful source of blood markers enabling more efficient and reliable prenatal and neonatal diagnostics. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ubiquitous in body fluids where they were used for detecting and monitoring various physiological and pathological conditions. In this descriptive study, we aimed to identify changes in miRNA expression profiles associated with basic maternal somatic and epidemiological characteristics. Methods: Study is based on 24 mothers from the Pilot phase of CELSPAC: TNG (Central European Longitudinal Studies of Parents and Children: The Next Generation) study. Cord blood was collected at time of delivery and global miRNA profiling was performed using microRNA Ready-to-use PCR Human Panel I+II TaqMan microarrays. Expression profiles were statistically evaluated in relation to maternal age, BMI, pregnancy weight gain, blood type, Rh factor status, allergies during pregnancy, addictive substance abuse and smoking status. Results: We analyzed expression of 752 human mature miRNAs in 24 samples of umbilical cord blood. For all maternal characteristics tested we described a specific signature of significantly deregulated miRNAs (P < 0.05). Analysis revealed seven miRNA associated with maternal age (three increased and four decreased in women younger than 35 years), 14 miRNAs associated with BMI status (five miRNAs increased and nine miRNAs decreased in women with BMI > 25) and nine miRNAs associated with maternal weight gain during pregnancy (eight miRNAs increased, and one miRNA decreased in women with weight gain < 12 kg). Additionally, 17 miRNAs correlated to blood type (two miRNAs decreased in blood type A, 11 increased in blood type B, two miRNAs increased in blood type AB and two miRNAs increased in blood type 0) and 17 miRNAs to Rh status of mother. We also detected seven miRNAs deregulated in umbilical cord blood of women with allergy (four increased and three decreased in women with allergy), four miRNAs associated to addictive substance abuse status (two up- and two downregulated in women with addictive substance abuse) and eight miRNAs associated with maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy. Conclusions: We successfully described differences in miRNA profiles in umbilical cord blood associated with basic characteristics connected with mother. Our data suggest that miRNAs in umbilical cord blood are detectable and associated with a wide range of maternal characteristics. These results indicate that miRNAs could potentially serve, and should be studied, as biomarkers for screening and diagnosis of pregnancy-associated complications and pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-adaptive signal processing methods have been successfully applied to extract fetal electrocardiograms (fECGs) from maternal abdominal electrocardiograms (aECGs); and initial tests to evaluate the efficacy of these methods have been carried out by using synthetic data. Nevertheless, performance evaluation of such methods using real data is a much more challenging task and has neither been fully undertaken nor reported in the literature. Therefore, in this investigation, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of two popular non-adaptive methods (the ICA and PCA) to explore the non-invasive (NI) extraction (separation) of fECGs, also known as NI-fECGs from aECGs. The performance of these well-known methods was enhanced by an adaptive algorithm, compensating amplitude difference and time shift between the estimated components. We used real signals compiled in 12 recordings (real01-real12). Five of the recordings were from the publicly available database (PhysioNet-Abdominal and Direct Fetal Electrocardiogram Database), which included data recorded by multiple abdominal electrodes. Seven more recordings were acquired by measurements performed at the Institute of Medical Technology and Equipment, Zabrze, Poland. Therefore, in total we used 60 min of data (i.e., around 88,000 R waves) for our experiments. This dataset covers different gestational ages, fetal positions, fetal positions, maternal body mass indices (BMI), etc. Such a unique heterogeneous dataset of sufficient length combining continuous Fetal Scalp Electrode (FSE) acquired and abdominal ECG recordings allows for robust testing of the applied ICA and PCA methods. The performance of these signal separation methods was then comprehensively evaluated by comparing the fetal Heart Rate (fHR) values determined from the extracted fECGs with those calculated from the fECG signals recorded directly by means of a reference FSE. Additionally, we tested the possibility of non-invasive ST analysis (NI-STAN) by determining the T/QRS ratio. Our results demonstrated that even though these advanced signal processing methods are suitable for the non-invasive estimation and monitoring of the fHR information from maternal aECG signals, their utility for further morphological analysis of the extracted fECG signals remains questionable and warrants further work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The main aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the maternal white blood cell (WBC) count at the time of hospital admission in pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) and the presence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and/or intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI). The second aim was to test WBC diagnostic indices with respect to the presence of MIAC and/or IAI. Methods: Four hundred and seventy-nine women with singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM, between February 2012 and June 2017, were included in this study. Maternal blood and amniotic fluid samples were collected at the time of admission. Maternal WBC count was assessed. Amniotic fluid interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration was measured using a point-of-care test, and IAI was characterized by an IL-6 concentration of ≥ 745 pg/mL. MIAC was diagnosed based on a positive polymerase chain reaction result for the Ureaplasma species, Mycoplasma hominis, and/or Chlamydia trachomatis and/or for the 16S rRNA gene. Results: Women with MIAC or IAI had higher WBC counts than those without (with MIAC: median, 12.8 × 109/L vs. without MIAC: median, 11.9 × 109/L; p = 0.0006; with IAI: median, 13.7 × 109/L vs. without IAI: median, 11.9 × 109/L; p < 0.0001). When the women were divided into four subgroups based on the presence of MIAC and/or IAI, the women with both MIAC and IAI had a higher WBC count than those with either IAI or MIAC alone, and those without MIAC and IAI [both MIAC and IAI: median, 14.0 × 109/L; IAI alone: 12.1 × 109/L (p = 0.03); MIAC alone: 12.1 × 109/L (p = 0.0001); and without MIAC and IAI: median, 11.8 × 109/L (p < 0.0001)]. No differences in the WBC counts were found among the women with IAI alone, MIAC alone, and without MIAC and IAI. Conclusion: The women with both MIAC and IAI had a higher maternal WBC count at the time of hospital admission than the remaining women with PPROM. The maternal WBC count at the time of admission showed poor diagnostic indices for the identification of the presence of both MIAC and IAI. Maternal WBC count at the time of admission cannot serve as a non-invasive screening tool for identifying these complications in women with PPROM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we present the evaluation results of our novel noninvasive phonocardiographic-based fiberoptic sensor for fetal Heart Rate (fHR) detection using adaptive filtering and the NLMS Algorithm. The sensor uses two interferometric probes encapsulated inside a PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS) polymer. Based on real data acquired from pregnant women in a suitable research laboratory environment, once they had given their written informed consents, we created a simplified dynamic signal model of the distribution of maternal and fetal heart sounds inside the maternal body. Building upon this signal model, we verified the functionality of our novel fiber-optic sensor and its associated adaptive filtering system using the NLMS Algorithm. The main reason why we chose this technology to develop our system was that it allows monitoring the fHR without exposing the fetus to any external energies or radiation (in contrast to the ultrasound-based Cardiotocography Method). We used objective criteria such as: Signal to Noise Ratios: SNRin, SNRout and Percentage Root-mean-square Difference (PRD) for our evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms, including pelvic organ prolapse (POP), urinary incontinence (UI), and fecal incontinence (FI) among primiparous women after vaginal and cesarean delivery.Methods: In a prospective cohort study at a University hospital in the Czech Republic, singleton primiparas with cephalic presentation who delivered at term were enrolled between 2002 and 2007. In 2013, 5-10 years after delivery, women who had not delivered again completed an internet-based survey about current symptoms of POP, UI, and FI, which were evaluated using validated questionnaires. The relative risk (RR) of POP, UI, and FI symptoms was calculated.Results: Complete questionnaire data were obtained from 641 women who delivered vaginally and 224 who delivered by cesarean. The mean UI score (ICIQ-SF) was 2.3 ± 3.6 in the vaginal group and 1.0 ± 2.7 in the cesarean group (P=0.005). The mean POP scores (POPDI-6) were 2.2 ± 2.3 and 2.1 ± 2.0, respectively (P=0.944). The mean Wexner scores to evaluate FI were 1.3 ± 1.7 and 1.0 ± 1.5, respectively (P=0.220). The RR of pelvic floor dysfunction after vaginal delivery was highest for women with UI symptoms (RR 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.92-1.42).Conclusion: Significant differences in the occurrence of symptoms of UI were observed after vaginal delivery as compared with cesarean delivery. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02661867. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on the design, implementation and verification of a novel method for the optimization of the control parameters (such as step size m and filter order N) of LMS and RLS adaptive filters used for noninvasive fetal monitoring. The optimization algorithm is driven by considering the ECG electrode positions on the maternal body surface in improving the performance of these adaptive filters. The main criterion for optimal parameter selection was the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). We conducted experiments using signals supplied by the latest version of our LabVIEW-Based Multi-Channel Non-Invasive Abdominal Maternal-Fetal Electrocardiogram Signal Generator, which provides the flexibility and capability of modeling the principal distribution of maternal/fetal ECGs in the human body. Our novel algorithm enabled us to find the optimal settings of the adaptive filters based on maternal surface ECG electrode placements. The experimental results further confirmed the theoretical assumption that the optimal settings of these adaptive filters are dependent on the ECG electrode positions on the maternal body, and therefore, we were able to achieve far better results than without the use of optimization. These improvements in turn could lead to a more accurate detection of fetal hypoxia. Consequently, our approach could offer the potential to be used in clinical practice to establish recommendations for standard electrode placement and find the optimal adaptive filter settings for extracting high quality fetal ECG signals for further processing. Ultimately, diagnostic-grade fetal ECG signals would ensure the reliable detection of fetal hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the design, realization, and verification of a novel phonocardiographic-based fiber-optic sensor and adaptive signal processing system for noninvasive continuous fetal heart rate (fHR) monitoring. Our proposed system utilizes two Mach-Zehnder interferometeric sensors. Based on the analysis of real measurement data, we developed a simplified dynamic model for the generation and distribution of heart sounds throughout the human body. Building on this signal model, we then designed, implemented, and verified our adaptive signal processing system by implementing two stochastic gradient-based algorithms: the Least Mean Square Algorithm (LMS), and the Normalized Least Mean Square (NLMS) Algorithm. With this system we were able to extract the fHR information from high quality fetal phonocardiograms (fPCGs), filtered from abdominal maternal phonocardiograms (mPCGs) by performing fPCG signal peak detection. Common signal processing methods such as linear filtering, signal subtraction, and others could not be used for this purpose as fPCG and mPCG signals share overlapping frequency spectra. The performance of the adaptive system was evaluated by using both qualitative (gynecological studies) and quantitative measures such as: Signal-to-Noise Ratio--SNR, Root Mean Square Error--RMSE, Sensitivity--S+, and Positive Predictive Value--PPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims. Although epidural analgesia is still regarded as the gold standard for labour analgesia due to its efficacy, in cases of contraindication, systemic remifentanil is an alternative. Since the first demonstration of the safety of remifentanil in obstetric analgesia in 1996, this has been repeatedly confirmed for both mother and newborn. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate recently published studies (up to December 2014) on the analgesic efficacy of remifentanil during labour (as a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) decrease in the first hour by 2 or more). Methods. Search of the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health (www.pubmed.gov), SCOPUS database (www.scopus.com) and Web of Science database (www.webofknowledge.com) using the key words "labour" and "remifentanil". 44 identified articles were included in the review and 15 published randomised controlled studies were incorporated into the meta-analysis. This was based on the fixed model and described by differences in the VAS between t=0 and t=1 hour after remifentanil administration using the 95% confidence interval (CI). The analysis was computed using the Comprehensive meta-analysis version 2.2.064. Results. The combined data from the meta-analysis showed a statistically significant decrease in VAS in the remifentanil group. From a comparison of the CIs of summary estimates with a cut-off decrease of VAS 2, for the fixed model, there was a statistically significantly greater decrease in VAS than the cut-off. In the systematic review, we describe possible modes of application, dosage and side-effects for mother, fetus/ newborn. Conclusion. The meta-analysis presented here confirms that remifentanil for labour analgesia is effective but questions remain which can only be answered by further randomized trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper details the process of mining information from a hospital information system that has been designed approximately 15 years ago. The information is distributed within database tables in large textual attributes with a free structure. Information retrieval from these information is necessary for complementing cardiotocography signals with additional information that is to be implemented in a decision support system. The basic statistical overview ( n -gram analysis) helped with the insight into data structure, however more sophisticated methods have to be used as human (and expert) processing of the whole data were out of consideration: over 620,000 text fields contained text reports in natural language with (many) typographical errors, duplicates, ambiguities, syntax errors and many (nonstandard) abbreviations. There was a strong need to efficiently determine the overall structure of the database and discover information that is important from the clinical point of view. We have used three different methods: k-means, self-organizing map and a self-organizing approach inspired by ant-colonies that performed clustering of the records. The records were visualized and revealed the most prominent information structure(s) that were consulted with medical experts and served for further mining from the database. The outcome of this task is a set of ordered or nominal attributes with a structural information that is available for rule discovery mining and automated processing for the research of asphyxia prediction during delivery. The proposed methodology has significantly reduced the processing time of loosely structured textual records for both IT and medical experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the vaginal fluid interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 concentrations in pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes and their correlation to microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) as well as histological chorioamnionitis (HCA). Methods: Sixty-eight women with singleton pregnancies were included in this study. Vaginal fluid was collected at the time of admission. IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations in the vaginal fluid were determined using ELISA. Result: Women with MIAC had higher vaginal fluid IL-6 levels compared to those without MIAC (with MIAC: median 374 pg/mL versus without MIAC: median 174 pg/mL; p = 0.03). IL-8 levels were higher in women with MIAC only in the crude analysis but not after adjustment for gestational age. There was no difference in the IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations between those with and without HCA. Women with both MIAC and HCA had higher IL-6 vaginal fluid levels than those without both MIAC and HCA (with MIAC and HCA: median 466 pg/mL versus without MIAC and HCA: median 178 pg/mL; p = 0.02). IL-8 levels were higher in women with MIAC and HCA only in the crude analysis but not after adjustment for gestational age. Conclusions: Vaginal fluid IL-6 but not IL-8 levels reflect the presence of MIAC and both MIAC and HCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Goodpasture syndrome (GS) is an autoimmune disease affecting mainly the kidneys and lungs. This review article focuses on GS occurring during pregnancy, which can seriously threaten the lives of both mother and fetus. We summarize the current clinical diagnosis and management of GS in pregnancy. Methods: A profound literature search was carried out to review all published articles or case studies reporting on GS in pregnancy. We extracted the following data from each case: patient age, parity, gestational age, therapy of GS during pregnancy, pregnancy outcome, neonatal outcome, mode of delivery, and the patient's kidney status. We describe in detail how a recent case of GS diagnosed in pregnancy was successfully treated. Results: A review of the available literature revealed 4 cases of GS in pregnancy. The average patient age was 29.3 ± 2.5 years, and most were primiparous, with an average parity of 1.3 ± 1.5. The average gestational age at the time of diagnosis was 12.5 ± 5.9 weeks. The therapies of GS during pregnancy were remarkably varied. Furthermore, the neonatal outcomes were also quite individual among the observed cases. Conclusion: The occurrence of GS during pregnancy is very rare. This unusual pregnancy complication is associated with significant maternal and fetal morbidity. The management of GS during pregnancy requires intensive care and multidisciplinary cooperation. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the cervical fluid interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 levels in pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) and the association of these interleukins with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and histological chorioamnionitis (HCA). Methods: Sixty women with singleton pregnancies were included in this study. Cervical fluid was sampled at the time of admission using Dacron polyester swabs, which were placed into the endocervical canal for 20 s. IL-6 and IL-8 levels were determined by ELISA. The management of PPROM was active management (except for in pregnancies <28 weeks of gestation) and occurs not later than 72 h after the rupture of membranes. Result: The women with MIAC had higher IL-6 and IL-8 levels than did the women without MIAC (IL-6: p = 0.01; IL-8: p = 0.003). There was no difference in IL-6 levels between women with and without HCA ( p = 0.37). The women with HCA had higher IL-8 levels only in the crude analysis ( p = 0.01) but not after adjustment for gestational age ( p = 0.06). The women with both MIAC and HCA had higher levels of IL-6 and IL-8 than did the other women (IL-6: p = 0.003; IL-8: p = 0.001). IL-8 level of 2653 pg/mL was found to be the best cut-off point in the identification of PPROM pregnancies complicated by both MIAC and HCA with a likelihood ratio of 24. Conclusions: The presence of MIAC is the most important factor impacting the local cervical inflammatory response, which is determined by IL-6 and IL-8 levels in the cervical fluid. IL-8 levels seem to be a promising non-invasive marker for the prediction of pregnancies complicated by the presence of both MIAC and HCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Epidural analgesia (EA) has significant contraindications including coagulation disorders and parturient refusal. One alternative is intravenous self-administered analgesia using the ultra short-acting opioid remifentanil (rPCA). We compared the efficiency and safety of standard epidural analgesia with parturient-controlled intravenous analgesia using remifentanil as well as personal satisfaction. Materials and Methods. We enrolled twelve ASA I classified women with singleton pregnancy who delivered vaginally in the period 3/2010-5/2010 and who received rPCA (n=12) in standard analgesic protocol: 20 μg boluses using PCA pump with a lockout interval of 3 min. The control group consisted of 12 pregnant women who received EA (n=12): 0.125% bupivacaine with sufentanil 0.5 μg/mL in top-up boluses every hour until delivery. Data were acquired from standard Acute Pain Service (APS) form and patient medical records (demographic, labour course parameters), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Bromage Scale (BS) and adverse effects of analgesia. Results. There were no demographic or labour course parameter differences between groups (P>0.05).The differences in VAS decrease (P=0.056) and parturient satisfaction (P=0.24) during the whole analgesia administration were statistically insignificant. The main limitation of the study was small sample and enrolment of healthy singleton pregnant women only. Conclusion. Remifentanil use in obstetric analgesia is a viable alternative to EA, especially in cases of EA contraindications and parturient disapproval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the influence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) on the intensity of the fetal inflammatory response and the occurrence of fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS) in preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM). Methods: One hundred and forty-nine women with singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM between the gestational ages 24 + 0 and 36 + 6 weeks were included in the study. Blood samples were obtained by venipuncture from the umbilical cord after the delivery of the newborn. The umbilical cord blood interleukin (IL)-6 levels were evaluated using ELISA kits. The fetal inflammatory response was determined by IL-6 levels, and FIRS was defined as an umbilical cord blood IL-6 >11 pg/mL. Result: IL-6 levels and the occurrence of FIRS were higher in women complicated with both MIAC and HCA (median IL-6 35.5 pg/mL, FIRS in 68%) than in women with HCA alone (median IL-6 5.8 pg/mL, FIRS in 36%), MIAC alone (median IL-6 2.8 pg/mL, FIRS in 17%) or women without MIAC or HCA (median IL-6 4.3 pg/mL, FIRS in 29%). There were no differences in IL-6 levels or rates of FIRS among women with MIAC alone or HCA alone and women without both MIAC and HCA. Conclusion: A higher fetal inflammatory response mediated by umbilical cord blood IL-6 was identified when both MIAC and HCA were detected in pregnancies complicated by PPROM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACD/MPV) is a rare developmental lung disorder that is uniformly lethal. Affected infants die within the first few weeks of their life despite aggressive treatment, although a few cases of late manifestation and longer survival have been reported. We have shown previously that mutations and deletions in FOXF1 are a cause of this disorder. Although most of the cases of ACD/MPV are sporadic, there have been infrequent reports of familial cases. We present a family with five out of six children affected with ACD/MPV. DNA analysis identified a missense mutation (c.416G>T; p.Arg139Leu) in the FOXF1 gene that segregated in the three affected siblings tested. The same variant is also present as a de novo mutation in the mother and arose on her paternally derived chromosome 16. The two tested affected siblings share the same chromosome 16 haplotype inherited from their maternal grandfather. Their single healthy sibling has a different chromosome 16 haplotype inherited from the maternal grandmother. The results are consistent with paternal imprinting of FOXF1 in human. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design, construction, and testing of a multi-channel fetal electrocardiogram (fECG) signal generator based on LabVIEW. Special attention is paid to the fetal heart development in relation to the fetus' anatomy, physiology, and pathology. The non-invasive signal generator enables many parameters to be set, including fetal heart rate (FHR), maternal heart rate (MHR), gestational age (GA), fECG interferences (biological and technical artifacts), as well as other fECG signal characteristics. Furthermore, based on the change in the FHR and in the T wave-to-QRS complex ratio (T/QRS), the generator enables manifestations of hypoxic states (hypoxemia, hypoxia, and asphyxia) to be monitored while complying with clinical recommendations for classifications in cardiotocography (CTG) and fECG ST segment analysis (STAN). The generator can also produce synthetic signals with defined properties for 6 input leads (4 abdominal and 2 thoracic). Such signals are well suited to the testing of new and existing methods of fECG processing and are effective in suppressing maternal ECG while non-invasively monitoring abdominal fECG. They may also contribute to the development of a new diagnostic method, which may be referred to as non-invasive trans-abdominal CTG +  STAN. The functional prototype is based on virtual instrumentation using the LabVIEW developmental environment and its associated data acquisition measurement cards (DAQmx). The generator also makes it possible to create synthetic signals and measure actual fetal and maternal ECGs by means of bioelectrodes.

Cardiotocography (CTG) is the monitoring of fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine contractions (TOCO) since 1960's used routinely by obstetricians to detect fetal hypoxia. The evaluation of the FHR in clinical settings is based on an evaluation of macroscopic morphological features and so far has managed to avoid adopting any achievements from the HRV research field. In this work, most of the ever-used features utilized for FHR characterization, including FIGO, HRV, nonlinear, wavelet, and time and frequency domain features, are investigated and the features are assessed based on their statistical significance in the task of distinguishing the FHR into three FIGO classes. Annotation derived from the panel of experts instead of the commonly utilized pH values was used for evaluation of the features on a large data set (552 records). We conclude the paper by presenting the best uncorrelated features and their individual rank of importance according to the meta-analysis of three different ranking methods. Number of acceleration and deceleration, interval index, as well as Lempel-Ziv complexity and Higuchi's fractal dimension are among the top five features.