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Introduction: Adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), gestational diabetes (GDM) and preterm birth have been linked to maternal cardiovascular disease in later life. Pre-eclampsia (PE) is associated with an increased risk of postpartum microalbuminuria, but there is no clear consensus on whether HDP increases the risk of maternal chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Similarly, it is uncertain whether GDM, preterm birth and delivery of low birth-weight infants independently predict the risk of maternal renal disease in later life. The aims of this proposed systematic review and meta-analysis are to summarise the available evidence examining the association between adverse outcomes of pregnancy (HDP, GDM, preterm birth, delivery of low birth-weight infant) and later maternal renal disease and to synthesise the results of relevant studies., Methods and Analysis: A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science will be undertaken using a detailed prespecified search strategy. Two authors will independently review the titles and abstracts of all studies, perform data extraction and appraise the quality of included studies using a bias classification tool. Original case-control and cohort studies published in English will be considered for inclusion. Primary outcomes of interest will be CKD and ESKD; secondary outcomes will be hospitalisation for renal disease and deaths from renal disease. Meta-analyses will be performed to calculate the overall pooled estimates using the generic inverse variance method. The systematic review will follow the Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines., Ethics and Dissemination: This systematic review and meta-analysis will be based on published data, and thus there is no requirement for ethics approval. The results will be shared through publication in a peer reviewed journal and through presentations at academic conferences., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42018110891., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: To generate a regression equation for the nuchal translucency (NT) median for the Swedish population and compare this with other median values., Setting: Eight Swedish hospitals., Sample: The data set included 20 887 unaffected fetuses., Methods: Calculation and generation of an NT centile chart for the Swedish population., Results: The NT centiles for crown-rump length (CRL) from 45 to 84 mm were calculated and compared with the medians from Glasgow, from the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF, London, UK; FMF-original) and those published recently (FMF-new). The NT medians cease to increase at CRLs between 70 and 75 mm. The Swedish, FMF-new and Glasgow medians followed the same pattern, but the Glasgow NT median curve was systematically lower by around 20%. Swedish, FMF-new and Glasgow medians differed in shape from the FMF-original medians, which continuously increase throughout the whole range of CRLs., Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that there are substantial differences in the NT medians and centiles between countries., (© 2011 The Authors Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica© 2011 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Objective: To design and validate a classification system for audit groups working with stillbirth. The classification includes well-defined primary and associated conditions related to fetal death., Design: Descriptive., Setting: All delivery wards in Stockholm., Population: Stillbirths from 22 completed weeks in Stockholm, Sweden., Methods: Parallel to audit work, the Stockholm stillbirth group has developed a classification of conditions related to stillbirth. The classification has been validated., Main Outcome Measure: The classification and the results of the validation are presented., Result: The classification with 17 groups identifying underlying conditions related to stillbirth (primary diagnoses) and associated factors which may have contributed to the death (associated diagnoses) is described. The conditions are subdivided into definite, probable and possible relation to the death. An evaluation of 382 cases of stillbirth during 2002-2005 resulted in 382 primary diagnoses and 132 associated diagnoses. The most common conditions identified were intrauterine growth restriction/placental insufficiency (23%), infection (19%), malformations/chromosomal abnormalities (12%). The 'unexplained' group together with the 'unknown' group comprised 18%. Validation was done by reclassification of 95 cases from 2005 by six investigators. The overall agreement regarding primary diagnosis was substantial (kappa=0.70)., Conclusions: The Stockholm classification of stillbirth consists of 17 diagnostic groups allowing one primary diagnosis and if needed, associated diagnoses. Diagnoses are subdivided according to definite, probable and possible relation to stillbirth. Validation showed high degree of agreement regarding primary diagnosis. The classification can provide a useful tool for clinicians and audit groups when discussing cause and underlying conditions of fetal death.

Background: Caesarean delivery rates continue to increase worldwide. Our aim was to assess the association between caesarean delivery and pregnancy outcome at the institutional level, adjusting for the pregnant population and institutional characteristics., Methods: For the 2005 WHO global survey on maternal and perinatal health, we assessed a multistage stratified sample, comprising 24 geographic regions in eight countries in Latin America. We obtained individual data for all women admitted for delivery over 3 months to 120 institutions randomly selected from of 410 identified institutions. We also obtained institutional-level data., Findings: We obtained data for 97,095 of 106,546 deliveries (91% coverage). The median rate of caesarean delivery was 33% (quartile range 24-43), with the highest rates of caesarean delivery noted in private hospitals (51%, 43-57). Institution-specific rates of caesarean delivery were affected by primiparity, previous caesarean delivery, and institutional complexity. Rate of caesarean delivery was positively associated with postpartum antibiotic treatment and severe maternal morbidity and mortality, even after adjustment for risk factors. Increase in the rate of caesarean delivery was associated with an increase in fetal mortality rates and higher numbers of babies admitted to intensive care for 7 days or longer even after adjustment for preterm delivery. Rates of preterm delivery and neonatal mortality both rose at rates of caesarean delivery of between 10% and 20%., Interpretation: High rates of caesarean delivery do not necessarily indicate better perinatal care and can be associated with harm.

Introduction: Previous evidence examining the association between socioeconomic status and pregnancy complications are conflicted and often limited to using area‐based measures of socioeconomic status. In this study, we aimed to examine the association between individual‐level socioeconomic factors and a wide range of adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes using data from the IMPROvED birth cohort conducted in Sweden, the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland. Material and methods: The study cohort consisted of women who participated in the IMPROvED birth cohort between 2013 and 2017. Data on socioeconomic factors were self‐reported and obtained at 15 weeks' gestation, and included level of education, employment status, relationship status, and income. Data on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes included gestational hypertension, pre‐eclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, emergency cesarean section, preterm birth, post term delivery, small for gestational age and Apgar score at 1 min. These data were obtained within 72 h following delivery and confirmed using medical records. Multivariable logistic regression examined the association between each socioeconomic variable and each outcome separately adjusting for maternal age, maternal body mass index, maternal smoking, maternal alcohol consumption and cohort center. We also examined the effect of exposure to any ≥2 risk factors compared to none. Results: A total of 2879 participants were included. Adjusted results suggested that those with less than third level of education had an increased odds of gestational hypertension (OR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.23–2.46), while those on a middle level of income had a reduced odds of emergency cesarean section (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.42–0.84). No significant associations were observed between socioeconomic variables and neonatal outcomes. Exposure to any ≥2 socioeconomic risk factors was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.06–2.89). Conclusions: We did not find strong evidence of associations between individual‐level socioeconomic factors and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in high‐income settings overall, with only few significant associations observed among pregnancy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) (preeclampsia, gestational hypertension) are associated with an increased risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Evidence for associations between HDP and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is more limited and inconsistent. The underlying causes of CKD are wide-ranging, and HDP may have differential associations with various aetiologies of CKD. We aimed to measure associations between HDP and maternal CKD in women who have had at least one live birth and to identify whether the risk differs by CKD aetiology.Methods and Findings: Using data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register (MBR), singleton live births from 1973 to 2012 were identified and linked to data from the Swedish Renal Register (SRR) and National Patient Register (NPR; up to 2013). Preeclampsia was the main exposure of interest and was treated as a time-dependent variable. Gestational hypertension was also investigated as a secondary exposure. The primary outcome was maternal CKD, and this was classified into 5 subtypes: hypertensive, diabetic, glomerular/proteinuric, tubulointerstitial, and other/nonspecific CKD. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used, adjusting for maternal age, country of origin, education level, antenatal BMI, smoking during pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and parity. Women with pre-pregnancy comorbidities were excluded. The final sample consisted of 1,924,409 women who had 3,726,554 singleton live births. The mean (±SD) age of women at first delivery was 27.0 (±5.1) years. Median follow-up was 20.7 (interquartile range [IQR] 9.9-30.0) years. A total of 90,917 women (4.7%) were diagnosed with preeclampsia, 43,964 (2.3%) had gestational hypertension, and 18,477 (0.9%) developed CKD. Preeclampsia was associated with a higher risk of developing CKD during follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.92, 95% CI 1.83-2.03, p < 0.001). This risk differed by CKD subtype and was higher for hypertensive CKD (aHR 3.72, 95% CI 3.05-4.53, p < 0.001), diabetic CKD (aHR 3.94, 95% CI 3.38-4.60, p < 0.001), and glomerular/proteinuric CKD (aHR 2.06, 95% CI 1.88-2.26, p < 0.001). More modest associations were observed between preeclampsia and tubulointerstitial CKD (aHR 1.44, 95% CI 1.24-1.68, p < 0.001) or other/nonspecific CKD (aHR 1.51, 95% CI 1.38-1.65, p < 0.001). The risk of CKD was increased after preterm preeclampsia, recurrent preeclampsia, or preeclampsia complicated by pre-pregnancy obesity. Women who had gestational hypertension also had increased risk of developing CKD (aHR 1.49, 95% CI 1.38-1.61, p < 0.001). This association was strongest for hypertensive CKD (aHR 3.13, 95% CI 2.47-3.97, p < 0.001). Limitations of the study are the possibility that cases of CKD were underdiagnosed in the national registers, and some women may have been too young to have developed symptomatic CKD despite the long follow-up time. Underreporting of postpartum hypertension is also possible.Conclusions: In this study, we found that HDP are associated with increased risk of maternal CKD, particularly hypertensive or diabetic forms of CKD. The risk is higher after preterm preeclampsia, recurrent preeclampsia, or preeclampsia complicated by pre-pregnancy obesity. Women who experience HDP may benefit from future systematic renal monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preeclampsia has been suggested to increase the risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD); however, most studies were unable to adjust for potential confounders including pre-existing comorbidities such as renal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to examine the association between preeclampsia and the risk of ESKD in healthy women, while taking into account pre-existing comorbidity and potential confounders.Methods and Findings: Using data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register (MBR), women who had singleton live births in Sweden between 1982 and 2012, including those who had preeclampsia, were identified. Women with a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), CVD, hypertension, or diabetes prior to the first pregnancy were excluded. The outcome was a diagnosis of ESKD, identified from the Swedish Renal Registry (SRR) from January 1, 1991, onwards along with the specified cause of renal disease. We conducted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to examine the association between preeclampsia and ESKD adjusting for several potential confounders: maternal age, body mass index (BMI), education, native country, and smoking. This analysis accounts for differential follow-up among women because women had different lengths of follow-up time. We performed subgroup analyses according to preterm preeclampsia, small for gestational age (SGA), and women who had 2 pregnancies with preeclampsia in both. The cohort consisted of 1,366,441 healthy women who had 2,665,320 singleton live births in Sweden between 1982 and 2012. At the first pregnancy, women's mean (SD) age and BMI were 27.8 (5.13) and 23.4 (4.03), respectively, 15.2% were smokers, and 80.7% were native Swedish. The overall median (interquartile range [IQR]) follow-up was 7.4 years (3.2-17.4) and 16.4 years (10.3-22.0) among women with ESKD diagnosis. During the study period, 67,273 (4.9%) women having 74,648 (2.8% of all pregnancies) singleton live births had preeclampsia, and 410 women developed ESKD with an incidence rate of 1.85 per 100,000 person-years. There was an association between preeclampsia and ESKD in the unadjusted analysis (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.93-6.33; p < 0.001), which remained in the extensively adjusted (HR = 4.96, 95% CI 3.89-6.32, p < 0.001) models. Women who had preterm preeclampsia (adjusted HR = 9.19; 95% CI 5.16-15.61, p < 0.001) and women who had preeclampsia in 2 pregnancies (adjusted HR = 7.13, 95% CI 3.12-16.31, p < 0.001) had the highest risk of ESKD compared with women with no preeclampsia. Considering this was an observational cohort study, and although we accounted for several potential confounders, residual confounding cannot be ruled out.Conclusions: The present findings suggest that women with preeclampsia and no major comorbidities before their first pregnancy are at a 5-fold increased risk of ESKD compared with parous women with no preeclampsia; however, the absolute risk of ESKD among women with preeclampsia remains small. Preeclampsia should be considered as an important risk factor for subsequent ESKD. Whether screening and/or preventive strategies will reduce the risk of ESKD in women with adverse pregnancy outcomes is worthy of further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare causes of stillbirth in preterm and term pregnancies. Design Cohort study. Setting All delivery wards in Stockholm, 1998-2009. Population Stillbirths from singleton pregnancies of gestational age ≥22+0 ( n = 1089) extracted from a web-based database including all stillbirths in the major Stockholm area since 1998. Methods The parents of the stillborns were all offered an extensive standardized investigation. The causes of death were assigned in a perinatal audit using the Stockholm classification of stillbirth. Singleton stillbirths were divided into preterm (gestational week 22+0-36+6) and term/post-term (gestational week ≥37+0). The term/post-term group was subdivided into term (gestational week 37+0-40+6) and post-term stillbirths (gestational week ≥41+0). Main outcome measure Causes of stillbirth at different gestational ages. Results A higher proportion of placental abruption and preeclampsia/hypertension was seen in preterm stillbirths compared with term/post-term stillbirths, which instead had a higher proportion of umbilical cord complications and infection. Infection was more common in post-term than term stillbirths (46.5 vs. 19.8%, p < 0.001). Conclusion Increased knowledge of causes of stillbirth in different gestational ages may be valuable in developing strategies for prevention of fetal death. The high proportion of infection in post-term stillbirths could be clinically important and warrants further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We present a review of all cases of intravascular transfusions in red cell alloimmunization over a time span of 20 years in Stockholm. The aim of the study is to compare our results with published results from larger centers and to identify areas that can be further improved. Material and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all women treated with intrauterine transfusions due to erythrocyte immunization in our hospital between June 1990 and June 2010. Primary outcome variables were fetal and neonatal survival, procedure-related complications and gestational age at delivery. Results: A total of 284 intrauterine transfusions were performed in 84 pregnancies, with an overall survival rate of 91.8%. Procedure-related and fatal complications occurred in the present study in 4.9 and 1.4% of fetuses or neonates, respectively. Procedure-related complications were significantly more common in free-loop transfusions than in transfusions in the intrahepatic part of the umbilical vein (OR: 5.4, p = 0.025). There was no significant difference between the intrahepatic and the placental cord insertion route (p = 0.83). Gestational age at first transfusion was significantly associated with an increased risk of a procedure-related complication (OR: 0.8, p = 0.019). Of the live-born infants, 24% of the neonates were born before gestational week 34. Discussion: Our study confirms previous studies demonstrating favorable results with intravascular transfusions. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the use of an Internet-based information system on infectious disorders (INFPREG) in antenatal care in Sweden.Methods: A postal questionnaire was sent to all antenatal clinics in Sweden in 2000 (n = 515) and 2002 (n = 503). The questionnaire consisted of sections covering use of computers, availability of Internet connections and the use of INFPREG in patient care.Results: We received 404 completed questionnaires in 2000 and 501 in 2002. In 2000, 81% of the midwives had access to computers at their antenatal clinics, and this number had increased to 93% in 2002. Sixty-eight percent and 88% in 2000 and 2002, respectively, had computers with an Internet connection. Of the responding midwives, 74% in 2000 and 84% in 2002 had received information concerning INFPREG. In 2000, 29% of the midwives had visited INFPREG and this figure had increased to 58% in 2002. Of the midwives that had used INFPREG, 67% in 2000 and 81% in 2002 reported that the information obtained from the site was implemented in the patient care. Of the responders, 45% in 2000 and 43% in 2002 claimed that they needed more information on how to use INFPREG.Conclusions: A majority of midwives at antenatal clinics in Sweden have access to the Internet and are confident in using an Internet-based knowledge center on infectious disorders in pregnancy. The present study indicates a rapid acceptance among health care providers in antenatal care in Sweden of this new method for dissemination of information and guidelines. However, many midwives still want more information and knowledge on how to use an Internet-based information system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal chronic kidney disease and chronic hypertension have been linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to examine the association between these conditions and adverse pregnancy outcomes over the last 3 decades.Objective: We conducted this national cohort study to assess the association between maternal chronic disease (CH, CKD or both conditions) and adverse pregnancy outcomes with an emphasis on the effect of parity, maternal age, and BMI on these associations over the last three decades. We further investigated whether different subtypes of CKD had differing effects.Study Design: We used data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register, including 2,788,490 singleton births between 1982 and 2012. Women with chronic kidney disease and chronic hypertension were identified from the Medical Birth Register and National Patient Register. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the associations between maternal chronic disease (chronic hypertension, chronic kidney disease, or both conditions) and pregnancy outcomes, including preeclampsia, in-labor and prelabor cesarean delivery, preterm birth, small for gestational age, and stillbirth.Results: During the 30-year study period, 22,397 babies (0.8%) were born to women with chronic kidney disease, 13,279 (0.48%) to women with chronic hypertension and 1079 (0.04%) to women with both conditions. Associations with chronic hypertension were strongest for preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio, 4.57; 95% confidence interval, 4.33-4.84) and stillbirth (adjusted odds ratio, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-2.03) and weakest for spontaneous preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.96-1.20). The effect of chronic kidney disease varied from (adjusted odds ratio, 2.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.92-2.19) for indicated preterm birth to no effect for stillbirth (adjusted odds ratio, 1.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.95-1.43). Women with both conditions had the strongest associations for in-labor cesarean delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.49-2.32), prelabor cesarean delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 2.18-3.28), indicated preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio, 9.09; 95% confidence interval, 7.61-10.7), and small for gestational age (adjusted odds ratio, 4.52; 95% confidence interval, 3.68-5.57). The results remained constant over the last 3 decades. Stratified analyses of the associations by parity, maternal age, and body mass index showed that adverse outcomes remained independently higher in women with these conditions, with worse outcomes in multiparous women. All chronic kidney disease subtypes were associated with higher odds of preeclampsia, in-labor cesarean delivery, and medically indicated preterm birth. Different subtypes of chronic kidney disease had differing risks; strongest associations of preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio, 3.98; 95% confidence interval, 2.98-5.31) and stillbirth (adjusted odds ratio, 2.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-6.59) were observed in women with congenital kidney disease, whereas women with diabetic nephropathy had the most pronounced increase odds of in-labor cesarean delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 3.54; 95% confidence interval, 2.06-6.09), prelabor cesarean delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 7.50; 95% confidence interval, 4.74-11.9), and small for gestational age (adjusted odds ratio, 4.50; 95% confidence interval, 2.92-6.94). In addition, women with renovascular disease had the highest increased risk of preterm birth in both spontaneous preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio, 3.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.57-5.76) and indicated preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio, 8.09; 95% confidence interval, 5.73-11.4).Conclusion: Women with chronic hypertension, chronic kidney disease, or both conditions are at an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes which were independent of maternal age, body mass index, and parity. Multidisciplinary management should be provided with intensive clinical follow-up to support these women during pregnancy, particularly multiparous women. Further research is needed to evaluate the effect of disease severity on adverse pregnancy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]