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Objective: To evaluate caesarean section and adverse neonatal outcome rates after induction of labour or expectant management in women with an unripe cervix at or near term.Design: Secondary analysis of data from two randomised clinical trials.Setting: Data were collected in two nationwide Dutch trials.Population: Women with hypertensive disease (HYPITAT trial) or suspected fetal growth restriction (DIGITAT trial) and a Bishop score ≤6.Methods: Comparison of outcomes after induction of labour and expectant management.Main Outcome Measures: Rates of caesarean section and adverse neonatal outcome, defined as 5-minute Apgar score ≤6 and/or arterial umbilical cord pH <7.05 and/or neonatal intensive care unit admission and/or seizures and/or perinatal death.Results: Of 1172 included women with an unripe cervix, 572 had induction of labour and 600 had expectant management. We found no significant difference in the overall caesarean rate (difference -1.1%, 95% CI -5.4 to 3.2). Induction of labour did not increase caesarean rates in women with Bishop scores from 3 to 6 (difference -2.7%, 95% CI -7.6 to 2.2) or adverse neonatal outcome rates (difference -1.5%, 95% CI -4.3 to 1.3). However, there was a significant difference in the rates of arterial umbilical cord pH <7.05 favouring induction (difference -3.2%, 95% CI -5.6 to -0.9). The number needed to treat to prevent one case of umbilical arterial pH <7.05 was 32.Conclusions: We found no evidence that induction of labour increases the caesarean rate or compromises neonatal outcome as compared with expectant management. Concerns over increased risk of failed induction in women with a Bishop score from 3 to 6 seem unwarranted.Tweetable Abstract: Induction of labour at low Bishop scores does not increase caesarean section rate or poor neonatal outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the influence of hormonal treatment on the vaginal microbiome during fertility treatments. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) could affect fecundity, particularly in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) population, where negative effects on pregnancy outcomes have been reported. It is hypothesized that the hormone treatment during fertility treatments could influence the abundance of Lactobacilli, with negative effects on the pregnancy results. A total of 53 couples attending a fertility clinic in the Netherlands between July 2019 and August 2022 were included in this prospective cohort study. Vaginal samples were collected at start of treatment, oocyte retrieval or insemination from subjects undergoing intra uterine insemination (IUI) with mild ovarian stimulation, and IVF or intra cytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. AmpliSens® Florocenosis/Bacterial vaginosis-FRT qPCR and 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing were performed on all samples. In total, 140 swabs were analyzed, with a median of two swabs per person. 33 (24%) tested qPCR BV positive. Lactobacilli percentage decreased during fertility treatments, leading to changes in the vaginal microbiome. Shannon diversity index was not significantly different. Of the total of 53 persons, nine switched from qPCR BV negative to positive during treatment. The persons switching to qPCR BV positive had already a (not significant) higher Shannon diversity index at start of treatment. If the vaginal microbiome of persons deteriorates during fertility treatments, timing of following treatments, lifestyle modifications, or a freeze all strategy could be of possible benefit., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Pregnant women with a negative oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) between 24-28 weeks as part of risk-based screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may develop clinical signs or symptoms suggestive for GDM in the third trimester. We aimed to determine the additional yield of repeating an OGTT to detect missed GDM in this group and assess patient characteristics and indications associated with a positive second OGTT., Study Design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of women with a negative OGTT between 24-28 weeks of pregnancy in two hospitals in the Netherlands. Patient characteristics, pregnancy outcomes, OGTT results and indications were compared between women with normal (non-GDM) and abnormal (GDM) results of the second OGTT, using the WHO 1999 criteria (fasting glucose ≥7.0 mmol/L or 2 -h post load ≥7.8 mmol/L). We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine cut-offs for fasting and 2 -h glucose values of the index OGTT that were associated with a positive OGTT in the third trimester., Results: Of 3147 women at risk for GDM, 183 underwent a second OGTT in the third trimester following their regular OGTT at 24-28 weeks. In 43 women (23.5%) GDM was diagnosed based on the second OGTT. A history of GDM was associated with subsequent GDM diagnosis, with an odds ratio of 2.6 (95% CI 1.0-6.3). Both fasting and 2 -h post load glucose values of the index OGTT were significantly higher in women with abnormal OGTT results later in pregnancy. Index OGTT glucose value cut-offs of 4.8 mmol/L (fasting) and 6.5 mmol/L (2 -h) had positive predictive values of 0.32 and 0.47 for a positive OGTT in the third trimester, and negative predictive values of 0.83 and 0.90, respectively. Fetal growth as a clinical symptom for GDM was the most frequent indication for repeating the OGTT, resulting in the diagnosis of GDM in 22.7% of women tested for this indication., Conclusion: Repeating an OGTT after initial negative screening results in additional GDM diagnoses. In case of clinical signs, especially in women with additional risk factors such as a history of GDM or higher index OGTT glucose values, repeating an OGTT could be considered., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate caesarean section and adverse neonatal outcome rates after induction of labour or expectant management in women with an unripe cervix at or near term., Design: Secondary analysis of data from two randomised clinical trials., Setting: Data were collected in two nationwide Dutch trials., Population: Women with hypertensive disease (HYPITAT trial) or suspected fetal growth restriction (DIGITAT trial) and a Bishop score ≤6., Methods: Comparison of outcomes after induction of labour and expectant management., Main Outcome Measures: Rates of caesarean section and adverse neonatal outcome, defined as 5-minute Apgar score ≤6 and/or arterial umbilical cord pH <7.05 and/or neonatal intensive care unit admission and/or seizures and/or perinatal death., Results: Of 1172 included women with an unripe cervix, 572 had induction of labour and 600 had expectant management. We found no significant difference in the overall caesarean rate (difference -1.1%, 95% CI -5.4 to 3.2). Induction of labour did not increase caesarean rates in women with Bishop scores from 3 to 6 (difference -2.7%, 95% CI -7.6 to 2.2) or adverse neonatal outcome rates (difference -1.5%, 95% CI -4.3 to 1.3). However, there was a significant difference in the rates of arterial umbilical cord pH <7.05 favouring induction (difference -3.2%, 95% CI -5.6 to -0.9). The number needed to treat to prevent one case of umbilical arterial pH <7.05 was 32., Conclusions: We found no evidence that induction of labour increases the caesarean rate or compromises neonatal outcome as compared with expectant management. Concerns over increased risk of failed induction in women with a Bishop score from 3 to 6 seem unwarranted., Tweetable Abstract: Induction of labour at low Bishop scores does not increase caesarean section rate or poor neonatal outcome., (© 2016 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.)

Objective: To assess the effect of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion on quality of life in acutely anaemic women after postpartum haemorrhage., Design: Randomised non-inferiority trial., Setting: Thirty-seven Dutch university and general hospitals., Population: Women with acute anaemia (haemoglobin 4.8-7.9 g/dl [3.0-4.9 mmol/l] 12-24 hours postpartum) without severe anaemic symptoms or severe comorbidities., Methods: Women were allocated to RBC transfusion or non-intervention., Main Outcome Measures: Primary outcome was physical fatigue 3 days postpartum (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, scale 4-20; 20 represents maximal fatigue). Non-inferiority was demonstrated if the physical fatigue difference between study arms was maximal 1.3. Secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life and physical complications. Health-related quality of life questionnaires were completed at five time-points until 6 weeks postpartum., Results: In all, 521 women were randomised to non-intervention (n = 262) or RBC transfusion (n = 259). Mean physical fatigue score at day 3 postpartum, adjusted for baseline and mode of delivery, was 0.8 lower in the RBC transfusion arm (95% confidence interval: 0.1-1.5, P = 0.02) and at 1 week postpartum was 1.06 lower (95% confidence interval: 0.3-1.8, P = 0.01). A median of two RBC units was transfused in the RBC transfusion arm. In the non-intervention arm, 33 women received RBC transfusion, mainly because of anaemic symptoms. Physical complications were comparable., Conclusions: Statistically, non-inferiority could not be demonstrated as the confidence interval crossed the non-inferiority boundary. Nevertheless, with only a small difference in physical fatigue and no differences in secondary outcomes, implementation of restrictive management seems clinically justified., (© 2014 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.)

A 36-year-old woman suffered from abdominal pain immediately after placement of an intra-uterine device (IUD). Abdominal X-ray revealed that the IUD had perforated the uterus and lay in the peritoneal cavity.