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Objective. The objective of this study was to estimate the time between removal of cerclage and delivery, stratified by indication for cerclage placement (elective or non-elective). Additionally, delivery within 72 hours after cerclage removal was compared between elective and non-elective cerclage placement, as well as between ultrasound-indicated and physical examination-indicated cerclage placement. Design. A single-center retrospective cohort study. Participants/Materials, Setting, and Methods. Clinical information of 72 pregnant women who underwent transvaginal cerclage over a 4-year period was obtained. Comparisons were made between elective (history-indicated) and non-elective (ultrasound or physical examination-indicated) cerclage placement. Comparisons were also made between physical examination-indicated and ultrasound-indicated cerclage. Results. Compared to those who had a non-elective cerclage, women undergoing elective cerclage were more likely to have history of cervical treatment (44% vs. 15%, p = 0.02), and spontaneous preterm delivery (92% vs. 61%, p = 0.003). There was no difference in the rate of delivery ≤72 hours following cerclage removal between women who had elective cerclage and those who had non-elective cerclage (46% vs. 58%, p = 0.47). Women who had an elective cerclage were more likely to have elective cerclage removal ≥36 weeks (71.8% vs. 39.4%, p = 0.01), compared to those who had undergone non-elective cerclage. The rate of delivery ≤72 hours following removal of cerclage was greater in women who had a physical examination-indicated cerclage compared to women who had ultrasound-indicated cerclage (80% vs. 39%, p = 0.04). Among women who had an elective cerclage, there was no difference in the rate of delivery at ≤72 hours between those who had elective cerclage removal at 36 weeks compared to those electively removed at 37 weeks (31% vs. 58%, p = 0.30). No complications such as fetal demise, iatrogenic amniotic membrane rupture, hemorrhage, or cervical laceration were reported within this cohort. Conclusion. Cerclage indication should be considered prior to scheduling elective cerclage removal. Women who had an elective cerclage are most likely to get it electively removed at 36 weeks compared to their counterparts who had a non-elective cerclage. Furthermore, women who had a physical examination-indicated cerclage are most likely to deliver within 72 hours of cerclage removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monochorionic twin gestations are associated with a greater incidence of neonatal morbidity and mortality when compared with their dichorionic counterparts. In turn, monochorionic-monoamniotic (MCMA) gestations carry greater risks compared with monochorionic-diamniotic (MCDA) gestations. While the true incidence of spontaneous septostomy of the dividing membranes (SSDM) in MCDA twins is unknown, SSDM has been demonstrated to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality, due to functional transition from a MCDA gestation to a MCMA gestation. We report a case of SSDM in a mid-trimester MCDA gestation, review the literature, and describe how to identify and manage this complication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terminal deletions of the chromosome 6q27 region are rare genomic abnormalities, linked to specific brain malformations and other neurological phenotypes. Reported cases have variable sized genomic deletions that harbor several genes including the DLL1 and TBP. We report on an inherited 0.38 Mb terminal deletion of chromosome 6q27 in a 22‐week fetus with isolated bilateral ventriculomegaly and her affected mother using microarray‐based comparative genomic hybridization and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The deleted region harbors at least seven genes including DLL1 and TBP. The affected mother had a history of hydrocephalus, developmental delay, and seizures commonly associated with DLL1 and TBP 6q27 deletions. This deletion is one of the smallest reported isolated 6q27 terminal deletions. Our data provides additional evidence that haploinsufficiency of the DLL1 and TBP genes may be sufficient to cause the ventriculomegaly, seizures, and developmental delays associated with terminal 6q27 deletions, indicating a plausible role in the abnormal development of the central nervous system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To compare optimal visualization of the four-chamber and outflow-tract views of the fetal heart on sonographic examination between morbidly obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 40 kg/m(2) ) and nonobese (BMI < 25 kg/m(2) ) pregnant women.Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we included records and images from 509 pregnant women who had first undergone sonographic examination between 18 and 36 weeks' fetal gestational age.Results: Compared with the nonobese women, morbidly obese women had lower optimal visualization of the four-chamber and outflow-tract heart views: four-chamber view, morbidly obese, 83/186 (44.6%), versus nonobese, 283/323 (87.6%), and outflow-tract view, morbidly obese, 80/186 (43%) versus nonobese, 258/290 (89%); p < 0.0001 for each comparison. Similar outcomes were observed when the results from each subcategory of morbidly obese women (ie, BMI 40-49.9, 50-59.9, and ≥60 kg/m(2) ) were compared with that from nonobese women; p < 0.0001 for each comparison. These outcomes remained the same regardless of whether this comparison was made among those who had their examination before or at 19 weeks' or more gestational age. Among the morbidly obese women, there was no difference in optimal visualization of the four-chamber or outflow-tract views regardless of whether the examination was performed at <23 weeks' or at ≥23 weeks' gestational age: four-chamber view <23 weeks, 44.8% (78/174), versus four-chamber view ≥23 weeks, 41.7% (5/12); p = 0.8, and outflow-tract view <23 weeks, 43.1% (75/174), versus outflow-tract view ≥23 weeks, 41.7% (5/12); p = 0.9. After controlling for maternal age and race, the odds of visualizing the four-chamber and outflow-tract views in the morbidly obese were reduced compared with those in their nonobese counterparts: odds ratio (OR) for four-chamber, 0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.08-0.21, and OR for outflow-tract, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.07-0.17.Conclusions: Optimal visualization of the fetal four-chamber and outflow-tract views was achieved in less than 50% of morbidly obese women, compared with almost 90% in nonobese women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We describe the transvaginal sonographic findings in a patient with complete placenta previa and increased risk of preterm birth owing to a prior history of mid-trimester pregnancy loss in whom we observed a short cervix and prolapse of the placenta and fetal membranes into the endocervical canal. We believe that this could lead to antepartum hemorrhage and mandate close observation when diagnosed. We introduced the term 'placental prolapse' to describe our finding. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 43:122-125, 2015 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]