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Objective: To identify maternal second and third trimester urine metabolomic biomarkers for the detection of fetal congenital heart defects (CHDs). Study design: This was a prospective study. Metabolomic analysis of randomly collected maternal urine was performed, comparing pregnancies with isolated, non-syndromic CHDs versus unaffected controls. Mass spectrometry (liquid chromatography and direct injection and tandem mass spectrometry, LC-MS-MS) as well as nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, ¹H NMR, were used to perform the analyses between 14 0/7 and 37 0/7 weeks gestation. A total of 36 CHD cases and 41 controls were compared. Predictive algorithms using urine markers alone or combined with, clinical and ultrasound (US) (four-chamber view) predictors were developed and compared. Results: A total of 222 metabolites were identified, of which 16 were overlapping between the two platforms. Twenty-three metabolite concentrations were found in significantly altered in CHD gestations on univariate analysis. The concentration of methionine was most significantly altered. A predictive algorithm combining metabolites (histamine, choline, glucose, formate, methionine, and carnitine) plus US four-chamber view achieved an AUC = 0.894; 95% CI, 0814-0.973 with a sensitivity of 83.8% and specificity of 87.8%. Enrichment pathway analysis identified several lipid related pathways that are dysregulated in CHD, including phospholipid biosynthesis, phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis, phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis, and fatty acid metabolism. This could be consistent with the increased risk of CHD in diabetic pregnancies. Conclusions: We report a novel, noninvasive approach, based on the analysis of maternal urine for isolated CHD detection. Further, the dysregulation of lipid- and folate metabolism appears to support prior data on the mechanism of CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the associations of electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (EFM) patterns and adverse neonatal outcomes Study design: From 2013 to 2016; 12,067 term, singleton deliveries in labor ≥2 h with abnormal EFM defined as absent accelerations, variable, late or prolonged decelerations, tachycardia, bradycardia, or minimal variability were analyzed as any documentation during labor, in first hour and last hour of labor. Outcomes were composite neonatal adverse outcomes, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, neonatal hypoxia, neonatal hypoglycemia, umbilical artery pH, and base excess. Independent associations were ascertained using regression analysis. Results: Significant independent associations occurred between any abnormal EFM during the last hour and five adverse neonatal outcomes; between abnormal EFM at any time and one adverse neonatal outcome while there was none with the first hour of labor. In the last hour, accelerations had significant negative associations with three adverse neonatal outcomes, while prolonged decelerations, late decelerations, tachycardia, and bradycardia had significant positive associations with three adverse neonatal outcomes. Throughout labor, increasing accelerations events were significantly negatively correlated with all adverse neonatal outcomes, while increasing frequency of late, variable, and prolonged decelerations were positively associated with five adverse neonatal outcomes. Hierarchical analysis showed that bradycardia/tachycardia contributed only 0.8%, while all EFM periodic changes contributed 1%; the addition of the frequencies of abnormal EFM events contributed 0.6% to the variance in umbilical artery pH and base excess. Conclusions: Terminal EFM patterns are independently associated with neonatal outcomes. Accelerations are protective of adverse neonatal outcomes. Increasing frequency of EFM patterns overtime contributes to neonatal outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the associations of electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (EFM) patterns and adverse neonatal outcomes Study design: From 2013 to 2016; 12,067 term, singleton deliveries in labor ≥2 h with abnormal EFM defined as absent accelerations, variable, late or prolonged decelerations, tachycardia, bradycardia, or minimal variability were analyzed as any documentation during labor, in first hour and last hour of labor. Outcomes were composite neonatal adverse outcomes, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, neonatal hypoxia, neonatal hypoglycemia, umbilical artery pH, and base excess. Independent associations were ascertained using regression analysis. Results: Significant independent associations occurred between any abnormal EFM during the last hour and five adverse neonatal outcomes; between abnormal EFM at any time and one adverse neonatal outcome while there was none with the first hour of labor. In the last hour, accelerations had significant negative associations with three adverse neonatal outcomes, while prolonged decelerations, late decelerations, tachycardia, and bradycardia had significant positive associations with three adverse neonatal outcomes. Throughout labor, increasing accelerations events were significantly negatively correlated with all adverse neonatal outcomes, while increasing frequency of late, variable, and prolonged decelerations were positively associated with five adverse neonatal outcomes. Hierarchical analysis showed that bradycardia/tachycardia contributed only 0.8%, while all EFM periodic changes contributed 1%; the addition of the frequencies of abnormal EFM events contributed 0.6% to the variance in umbilical artery pH and base excess. Conclusions: Terminal EFM patterns are independently associated with neonatal outcomes. Accelerations are protective of adverse neonatal outcomes. Increasing frequency of EFM patterns overtime contributes to neonatal outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses accidental household carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning as the most frequent cause of poisoning in pregnancy. Topics discussed include the need to remain vigilant for CO poisoning during cold winter months as sources of CO production include running vehicles, poorly maintained heating equipment and clogged chimneys and the higher risk of fetal mortality with exposures that are severed and life threatening.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the associations of electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (EFM) patterns and adverse neonatal outcomes Study design: From 2013 to 2016; 12,067 term, singleton deliveries in labor ≥2 h with abnormal EFM defined as absent accelerations, variable, late or prolonged decelerations, tachycardia, bradycardia, or minimal variability were analyzed as any documentation during labor, in first hour and last hour of labor. Outcomes were composite neonatal adverse outcomes, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, neonatal hypoxia, neonatal hypoglycemia, umbilical artery pH, and base excess. Independent associations were ascertained using regression analysis. Results: Significant independent associations occurred between any abnormal EFM during the last hour and five adverse neonatal outcomes; between abnormal EFM at any time and one adverse neonatal outcome while there was none with the first hour of labor. In the last hour, accelerations had significant negative associations with three adverse neonatal outcomes, while prolonged decelerations, late decelerations, tachycardia, and bradycardia had significant positive associations with three adverse neonatal outcomes. Throughout labor, increasing accelerations events were significantly negatively correlated with all adverse neonatal outcomes, while increasing frequency of late, variable, and prolonged decelerations were positively associated with five adverse neonatal outcomes. Hierarchical analysis showed that bradycardia/tachycardia contributed only 0.8%, while all EFM periodic changes contributed 1%; the addition of the frequencies of abnormal EFM events contributed 0.6% to the variance in umbilical artery pH and base excess. Conclusions: Terminal EFM patterns are independently associated with neonatal outcomes. Accelerations are protective of adverse neonatal outcomes. Increasing frequency of EFM patterns overtime contributes to neonatal outcome.

Objective  To determine independent perinatal associations of anxiety and depression in women who were and were not treated with psychotropic drugs in comparison to unaffected pregnancies. Study Design  From 2013 to 2014, 978 (6.3%) cases of anxiety/depression, of which 35% used psychotropic drugs, were compared with 14,514 (93.7%) unaffected pregnancies using logistic regression. Results  Subjects were more likely to be Non-Hispanic Whites, use tobacco and illegal substances, be unmarried, use public insurance, and have medical complications of pregnancy. For independent maternal outcomes, untreated anxiety/depression was associated with labor induction (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.02), cesarean deliveries (aOR = 1.69), longer length of stay (aOR = 1.96), readmission (aOR = 2.40), fever (aOR = 2.03), magnesium exposure (aOR = 1.82), and postpartum hemorrhage (aOR = 2.57), whereas treated cases were associated with increased blood transfusion (aOR = 4.81), severe perineal lacerations (aOR = 2.93), and postpartum hemorrhage (aOR = 3.85), but decreased risk of cesarean deliveries (aOR = 0.59). Independent neonatal outcomes included small for gestational age (aOR = 3.04), meconium-stained fluid (aOR = 1.85; 2.61), respiratory failure (aOR = 5.84), neonatal adaptation syndrome (aOR = 11; 10.2), and neonatal seizures (aOR = 12.3) in treated cases, whereas untreated cases were associated with hypoxia (aOR = 2.83), low Apgar score (aOR = 3.82), and encephalopathy (aOR = 18.3). Exposure to multiple psychotropic medications independently increased the risk of neonatal adaptation syndrome, neonatal length of stay, and hypoglycemia. Conclusion  Untreated cases were associated with increased maternal adverse outcomes, whereas treated cases were associated with more adverse neonatal outcomes when compared with unaffected pregnancies.