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Objectives: Improvement in the antenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) would allow preparation for delivery in a referral center, leading to decreased maternal morbidity and mortality. Our objectives were to assess the performance of classic ultrasound signs and to determine the value of novel ultrasound signs in the detection of PAS.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of women with second-trimester placenta previa who underwent third-trimester transvaginal ultrasound and all women with PAS in seven medical centers. A retrospective image review for signs of PAS was conducted by three maternal-fetal medicine physicians. Classic signs of PAS were defined as placental lacunae, bladder-wall interruption, myometrial thinning and subplacental hypervascularity. Novel signs were defined as small placental lacunae, irregular placenta-myometrium interface (PMI), vascular PMI, non-tapered placental edge and placental bulge towards the bladder. PAS was diagnosed based on difficulty in removing the placenta or pathological examination of the placenta. Multivariate regression analysis was performed and receiver-operating-characteristics (ROC) curves were generated to assess the performance of combined novel signs, combined classic signs and a model combining classic and novel signs.Results: A total of 385 cases with placenta previa were included, of which 55 had PAS (28 had placenta accreta, 11 had placenta increta and 16 had placenta percreta). The areas under the ROC curves for classic markers, novel markers and a model combining classic and novel markers for the detection of PAS were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.75-0.88), 0.84 (95% CI, 0.77-0.90) and 0.88 (95% CI, 0.82-0.94), respectively. A model combining classic and novel signs performed better than did the classic or novel markers individually (P = 0.03). An increasing number of signs was associated with a greater likelihood of PAS. With the presence of 0, 1, 2 and ≥ 3 classic ultrasound signs, PAS was present in 5%, 24%, 57% and 94% of cases, respectively.Conclusions: We have confirmed the value of classic ultrasound signs of PAS. The use of novel ultrasound signs in combination with classic signs improved the detection of PAS. These findings have clinical implications for the detection of PAS and may help guide the obstetric management of patients diagnosed with these placental disorders. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although twin stillbirth rates have declined substantially over the past two decades, the contribution of changes in obstetric interventions to reducing twin stillbirths has not been quantified. Methods: We carried out a retrospective cohort study of twin live births and stillbirths in the United States between 1989 and 1999 (n = 1102212). Changes in the rate of stillbirth (≥ 22 weeks) before and after adjustment for changes in labor induction, Cesarean delivery and sociodemographic factors were estimated through ecological logistic regression analysis. This analysis was based on aggregating data by each state within the United States. Results: Between 1989 and 1999, rates of labor induction and Cesarean delivery among twin live births increased by 138% (from 5.8% to 13.8%) and 15% (from 48.3% to 55.6%), respectively. These changes were accompanied by a 43% decline in the stillbirth rate between 1989 and 1999 (from 24.4 to 13.9 per 1000 fetuses at risk). After excluding births weighing < 500 g, rates of labor induction among twins at 22–27 weeks', 28-33 weeks' and ≥ 34 weeks' gestation increased by 95%, 131% and 127%, respectively, between 1989 and 1999. Cesarean delivery rates also increased by 55%, 29% and 2% in these same gestational age categories. The 48% (relative risk (RR) 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49–0.55) decline in stillbirth rate between 1989–91 and 1997–99 was reduced to a 25% (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.72–0.79) decline after adjustment for changes in labor induction and Cesarean delivery. The decline in the rate of twin stillbirths was larger at later gestational ages (at ≥ 32 and ≥ 34 weeks) where the largest absolute increases in labor induction rates were observed. Conclusions: The use of Cesarean delivery and especially labor induction for twin pregnancies has increased substantially in the United States over the last decade and these changes have been associated with a large decline in the rate of stillbirth among twins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]