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Although the cesarean section (C-section) is known as a lifesaving procedure, it can also increase the risk of maternal mortality and morbidity. This study was conducted to achieve two objectives: (1) determination of maternal near miss (MNM) indicators and pregnancy outcomes among women with a history of C-section and (2) investigation of the women's experience of near miss events during childbirth to provide a deeper understanding of the weaknesses of care delivery process. The present study was conducted using a prospective cross-sectional study using the World Health Organization (organ system dysfunction–based) criteria. All subjects were women at more than 22 weeks of gestation who gave birth in Ali ibn Abi Talib Hospital, Zahedan, Iran, and were referred to this hospital for childbirth or those within 42 days of pregnancy termination. Logistic regression was used to predict the risk factors for severe maternal outcomes (SMOs). Nearly 58% of all MNM cases were related to women with a history of C-section. The MNM ratio was estimated at 8.04 per 1000 live births. Moreover, the frequent causes of SMOs were reported as severe hemorrhage (58.3%), severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (27.8%), medical condition (8.3%), and sepsis or severe systemic infection (5.6%). Abnormally invasive placenta (61%) was the most common cause of severe hemorrhage. After adjustment for potential confounder variables, the hemoglobin level of <11 g/dl (odds ratio [OR] = 0.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.09–0.36) and place of residence (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.19–0.90) remained as independent risk factors for SMOs in the final model of multivariate analysis. A risk assessment system is needed to diagnose and manage the risk factors for SMOs during prenatal care. In addition, there should be a continuous audit of the indication and number of C-sections performed across health facilities. • Fifty-eight percent of all maternal near miss (MNM) cases were related to women with a history of cesarean section. • Abnormally invasive placenta was the most common cause of sever hemorrhage. • Anemia and living in rural areas were the determinants of severe maternal outcomes. • Delay in providing care and harmful practices were contributed to MNM incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a serious mental disorder commonly associated with functional impairments and adverse health outcomes. Very little is known about BPD in pregnant women; hence, our study objective was to evaluate the effect of BPD on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. Methods We carried out a retrospective cohort study using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2003 to 2012. We identified births using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnostic and procedure codes and classified women by BPD status. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of BPD on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes, adjusted for subject baseline characteristics. Findings During the study period, there were 989 births to women with BPD with an overall incidence of 11.65 in 100,000 births. Women with BPD were more likely younger, of lower socioeconomic status, smoked or used drugs, and had an underlying mental disorder. Unadjusted models revealed that BPD was associated with an increased risk of almost all adverse maternal and fetal outcomes we examined, the exception being post partum hemorrhage and instrumental delivery, which both had a null association with BPD, and induction of labor, which was negatively associated with BPD. Upon full adjustment, BPD was found to be associated with the following obstetrical and neonatal outcomes: gestational diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% CI, 1.13–1.85), premature rupture of the membranes (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.07–1.83), chorioamnionitis (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.14–2.39), venous thromboembolism (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.12–3.96), caesarian delivery (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.26–1.64), and preterm birth (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.29–1.83). Conclusion BPD is associated with several adverse obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. Hence, pregnant women who suffer from BPD should be monitored closely by a multidisciplinary health care team both before and during their pregnancies. This oversight would allow for the receipt of treatment for BPD and also interventions to help them to cease tobacco and drug use, which may ultimately decrease the incidence of poor obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The rate of placenta accreta, a life threatening condition, is constantly increasing, mainly due to the rise in the rates of cesarean sections. This study is aimed to determine the effect of a history of placenta accreta on subsequent pregnancies. Study design A population based retrospective cohort study was designed, including all women who delivered at our medical center during the study period. The study population was divided into two groups including pregnancies with: (1) a history of placenta accreta ( n = 514); and (2) control group without placenta accreta ( n = 239,126). Results (1) A history of placenta accreta is an independent risk factor for postpartum hemorrhage (adjusted OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.5–11.5) as were placenta accreta (adjusted OR 22.0, 95% CI 14.0–36.0) and placenta previa (adjusted OR 7.6, 95% CI 4.4–13.2) in the current pregnancy, and a prior cesarean section (adjusted OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3–2.2); (2) in addition, placenta accreta in a previous pregnancy is associated with a reduced rate of mild preeclampsia in future pregnancies (1.8% vs. 3.4%, RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.26–0.98); (3) however, in spite of the higher rate of neonatal deaths in the study group, a history of placenta accreta was not an independent risk factor for total perinatal mortality (adjusted OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.5–1.9) after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion A history of placenta accreta is an independent risk factor for postpartum hemorrhage. This should be taken into account in order to ensure a safety pregnancy and delivery of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether exposure to an alternative method of care, called the active management of risk in pregnancy at term, was associated with a lower group cesarean delivery rate. Study design: Active management of risk in pregnancy at term used risk factors for cesarean delivery to guide an increased use of labor induction. A retrospective cohort design was used to compare clinical outcomes of 100 pregnant women who were exposed to active management of risk in pregnancy at term to 300 randomly selected subjects who received standard management. Results: The 2 groups had comparable levels of prenatal risk. The group exposed to the active management of risk in pregnancy at term exposure group encountered a higher induction rate (63% vs 25.7%; P < .001) and a lower cesarean delivery rate (4% vs 16.7%; P = .01). Findings were similar for both nulliparous and multiparous subgroups. Active management of risk in pregnancy at term exposure was not associated with higher rates of other major birth outcomes. Conclusion: Exposure to the active management of risk in pregnancy at term exposure was associated with a significantly lower group cesarean delivery rate. A prospective randomized trial that involved active management of risk in pregnancy at term exposure is needed to further explore this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of the study was to assess the influence of different characteristics of fibroids on pregnancy outcome. Study Design We identified women with fibroids 4 cm or greater in size on ultrasonography at the dating scan between January 2002 and December 2012. The size (4-7 cm, 7-10 cm, >10 cm), number (multiple/single), location (lower uterus/body of uterus), and type (intramural, combination of intramural/subserosal, subserosal) were ascertained. Medical records were reviewed to obtain pregnancy outcomes (preterm delivery, birthweight, mode of delivery, estimated blood loss, postpartum hemorrhage, and admission for fibroid-related pain). Results A total of 121 patients with 179 pregnancies were identified. Preterm delivery was more likely in those with multiple fibroids compared with single fibroids (18% vs 6%; P = .05). The location of the fibroid had an important effect on the mode of delivery with a higher cesarean section rate for fibroids in the lower part of uterus than in the body of the uterus (86% vs 40%; P = .01), a higher rate of postpartum hemorrhage (22% vs 11%; P = .03), and greater estimated blood loss (830 mL [SD, 551] vs 573 mL [SD, 383]; P = .03). Increasing size of fibroid was associated with greater rates of hemorrhage (11% vs 13% vs 36%; P = .04), increased estimated blood loss (567 mL [SD, 365] vs 643 mL [SD, 365] vs 961 mL [SD, 764]; P = .01), and higher rates of admissions for fibroid-related pain (5% vs 23% vs 21%; P = .01). Conclusion Different fibroid characteristics affect pregnancy outcome in varying ways. This information can be used to aid counseling women antenatally and in risk-stratifying patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High prevalence of pre-pregnancy weight excess, as well as evidence of increased risk of maternal and perinatal complications associated with nutritional states have been observed lately. Considering the possible ethnic and environmental influences few studies have assessed this risk in pregnant Brazilian women. Objectives: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of pre-pregnancy weight excess (overweight and obesity) and its association with maternal and perinatal complications in a Brazilian women population. Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study with 3,300 women who had birth care at the Asa Sul Regional Hospital of Brasília – Federal District (FD), from October 2009 to May 2010. Nutritional status was determined by body mass index (BMI), according to WHO criteria (2000): Low weight (BMI<18.5kg/m2), Normal weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9kg/m2), Weight excess (BMI⩾25kg/m2), Overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9kg/m2) and obesity (BMI⩾30kg/m2). The outcome variables were: pre-clinical complications such as chronic hypertension and diabetes, manifestation of gestational hypertension/preeclampsia, pregnancy duration and resolution as well as perinatal outcomes. The association among these variables was assessed using chi-square (Pearson) and Fisher’s exact test. Results were considered significant when p <0.05. Results: In this population, weight excess before pregnancy had a prevalence of 27.2%, being 19.7% and 7.5% of pregnant women presenting, respectively, overweight and obesity. The prevalence of normal weight was 64.6% and low weight was 8.3%. Comparing the weight excess (BMI⩾25kg/m2) group with the normal weight group it was observed predominant hypertension (23% vs. 10%) and diabetes (10.1% vs. 3.6%), prolonged pregnancy (14.4% vs. 10.7%) and cesarean section rate (58.1% vs. 47.2%) in the weight excess group. Newborn weight equal to or greater than 4,000 g (9.5% vs. 4.5%) as well as fetal macrosomia (14.6% vs. 7.4%) also predominated in weight excess group. The comparison among the groups normal weight, overweight and obesity showed predominance of hypertension, diabetes cesarean section rate, newborns weight and fetal macrosomia in the obesity group. Conclusion: In the population analyzed, the prevalence of pre-pregnancy weight excess, particularly obesity, was high and associated with maternal and perinatal complications. Weight excess pre-pregnancy should be considered a risk to the pregnancy, demanding different obstetric care. Efforts should be made so that, in the pre-pregnancy period, women’s weight can be as close to the normal weight as possible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]