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Objective: To evaluate the correlation of maternal and cord blood levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pregnant women immunized against COVID-19., Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed of pregnant women who delivered at a single university affiliated tertiary medical center. Women who received the COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2 Pfizer©) were approached. The correlation between levels of maternal sera and umbilical cord SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG was assessed., Results: Overall, 58 women were included; of them, 19 had received a single dose and 39 received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Positive levels of umbilical cord IgG were found in 13/19 (68.4%) and 38/39 (97.4%) women after the administration of a single dose and two doses of the vaccine, respectively. The levels of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in the maternal sera of vaccinated women were positively correlated to their respective concentrations in cord blood sera (ρ = 0.857; R 2 linear = 0.719; P < 0.001). Thirteen days after vaccination, the ratio of maternal-to-umbilical cord anti Spike IgG antibodies was approximately 1, indicating relatively similar levels in maternal and cord sera., Conclusion: After the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, levels of maternal and cord blood antibodies were positively correlated, especially when tested after 13 days following administration of the first dose of the vaccine., (© 2021 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Objectives: To establish a nomogram for fetal cardiac three-vessel view diameter changes during gestation., Methods: The study is a prospective cross-sectional evaluation of 338 male and female fetuses between 14 and 38 weeks of normal singleton pregnancies. Measurements of fetal pulmonary artery, aorta and superior vena cava diameters, performed on a transverse view of the upper mediastinum were conducted using transvaginal ultrasonography between 14 to 18 weeks and transabdominal after 19 weeks' gestation., Results: Adequate measurements of the three cardiac vessels were obtained in 338 fetuses. The regression equations for vessel diameters modeled as function of gestational age were pulmonary artery diameter (mm) = -2.275 + 0.273 x gestational age (week), aorta diameter (mm) = -1.77 + 0.227 x gestational age (week), and SVC diameter (mm) = -0.98 + 0.142 x gestational age (week). The correlation coefficients between gestational age and the diameter of the vessels were, r = 0.93, r = 0.93 and r = 0.86 for pulmonary artery, aorta and SVC respectively (all found to be highly statistically significant, p < 0.0001). The normal mean and 90% prediction limits were defined., Conclusion: Our data present the normal range of fetal heart three-vessel diameters during gestation. They may allow intrauterine assessment of their development and an adjunct in the detection and evaluation of great vessel pathology., (Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Background: Several reports suggest preeclampsia to be associated with oxidative stress. In view of potential experimental artifacts in these studies, we tested the effect of preeclampsia on the oxidizibility of maternal serum lipids, using an optimized ex vivo method., Methods: This prospective study included 28 pregnant women with preeclampsia and 28 women matched for maternal and gestational age with normal pregnancies. Venous blood was drawn from the consenting women. Serum levels of lipid peroxidation products and the kinetics of copper-induced oxidation ex vivo were monitored spectroscopically by continuous recording of absorbance at 245 nm., Results: The initial optical density (OD) at 245 nm, attributed to preformed products of lipid peroxidation, was higher in the women with preeclampsia than in the controls (1.26 +/- 0.02 vs. 1.17 +/- 0.02 OD units; p = 0.01). The lag phase preceding oxidation, reflecting resistance of serum lipids to oxidation, was significantly shorter in the preeclampsia group than in the controls (47.4 +/- 2.3 vs. 57.6 +/- 4.0 min; p = 0.027)., Conclusions: High levels of serum hydroperoxides and increased susceptibility of serum lipids to copper-induced peroxidation ex vivo indicate preeclampsia to be associated with high oxidative stress. The role of this high oxidizibility in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia has yet to be evaluated.

A single umbilical artery resulting from absence of the umbilical arteries and persistence of the vitelline artery that arises directly from the abdominal aorta has been described only in malformed fetuses with sirenomelia or caudal regression. Such an aberrant artery was suggested to be the etiology of sirenomelia caused by a 'steal' mechanism of blood flow from the caudal end of the embryo. We present a case in which prenatal ultrasound showed a similar aberrant single artery arising from the abdominal aorta in an otherwise normal fetus with a normal course of pregnancy. This vessel, a continuation of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), corresponds to a persistent vitelline artery assuming the function of the umbilical arteries. The etiology of such a finding and its possible consequences are discussed., (Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: To evaluate the prenatal parameters that increase the risk of tuberous sclerosis in prenatal management of fetal cardiac tumors suspected as rhabdomyoma., Methods: The study was a retrospective survey of 18 documented cases in which cardiac rhabdomyoma was suspected during pregnancy. The following parameters were evaluated as possible risk factors associated with tuberous sclerosis: tumor size, isolated or multiple, and family history of tuberous sclerosis., Results: Eighteen documented cases in which cardiac rhabdomyoma was found during pregnancy were evaluated. Of these cases, seven (39%) had proven tuberous sclerosis and 11 were found to be non-associated tuberous sclerosis tumors. When combining the present data with previous series, cases with diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis had equal mean tumor size to those with normal outcome. Family history of tuberous sclerosis in the presence of cardiac rhabdomyoma almost invariably ended with tuberous sclerosis (86%). All other cases with diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis and no family history had all multiple cardiac tumors., Conclusion: The present data suggest that 39% of in utero suspected cardiac rhabdomyoma would have tuberous sclerosis. Family history and multifocality remain the strongest predictors of tuberous sclerosis, whereas size of the cardiac tumor can not reliably be used to predict tuberous sclerosis in prenatal counseling., (Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objectives: To establish a nomogram for early fetal kidney development during early gestation., Methods: The study is a prospective, cross-sectional evaluation of 275 male and female fetuses between 13 and 22 weeks in normal singleton pregnancies. Measurements of fetal kidney length were performed by high resolution transvaginal ultrasonography between 14 and 17 weeks' gestation, and by transabdominal ultrasonography beyond 18 weeks' gestation., Results: Adequate kidney length measurements were obtained in all 275 normal fetuses as well as in six fetuses with urinary tract anomalies. Kidney length as a function of gestational age was expressed by the regression equation: (square root) kidney length (mm) = -11.66 + 1.52 x gestational age (weeks). The correlation coefficient, r = 0.983 was found to be highly statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The normal mean and the 90% prediction limits were defined. Four cases with single kidney and two cases with posterior urethral valve had kidney length above the 95% upper limit., Conclusion: The present data offer a normal range of fetal kidney length from early stages of gestation that may allow intrauterine assessment of its development. It may also be helpful in the early prenatal diagnosis of renal abnormalities., (Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objectives: To establish a nomogram for fetal thymus size during gestation., Methods: The study is a prospective, cross sectional evaluation of 403 male and female fetuses between 14 and 38 weeks of normal singleton pregnancies. Measurements of fetal thymus size were performed by high resolution transvaginal ultrasonography between 14 and 17 weeks' gestation, and by transabdominal ultrasonography after 18 weeks' gestation., Results: Adequate thymus size measurements were obtained in all 403 fetuses. Thymus size as a function of gestational age was expressed by the regression equation: (square root) thymus size (mm)= -39.39+4.41 x gestational age (weeks). The correlation coefficient, r=0.965, was found to be highly statistically significant (p<0.0001). The normal mean and the 90% prediction limits were defined., Conclusion: The present data offer the normal range of fetal thymus size from early stages of gestation that may allow intrauterine assessment of its development. It may be helpful in the prenatal diagnosis of thymic pathologies., (Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)