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Copyright of Anaesthesiologie & Intensivmedizin is the property of DGAI e.V. - Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Anasthesiologie und Intensivmedizin e.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Anaesthesiologie & Intensivmedizin is the property of DGAI e.V. - Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Anasthesiologie und Intensivmedizin e.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Heterotaxy or isomerism of the atrial appendages is a congenital disorder with variable presentation, associated with both cardiac and non-cardiac anomalies, which may have a serious impact on fetal outcome. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the value of fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as a complementary tool to ultrasound, for describing the morphological spectrum encountered in heterotaxy.Methods: This retrospective study included 27 fetuses that underwent fetal MRI following prenatal suspicion of heterotaxy on ultrasound from 1998 to 2019 in a tertiary referral center. Heterotaxy was classified as left atrial isomerism (LAI) or right atrial isomerism (RAI) based on fetal echocardiography (FE) examination. In addition to routine prenatal ultrasound, fetal MRI was offered routinely to enhance the diagnosis of non-cardiac anomalies, which might have been missed on ultrasound. Prenatal findings on ultrasound, FE and MRI were reviewed systematically and compared with those of postnatal imaging and autopsy reports.Results: Twenty-seven fetuses with heterotaxy and cardiovascular pathology, of which 19 (70%) had LAI and eight (30%) had RAI, were included. Seven (7/19 (37%)) fetuses with LAI had normal intracardiac anatomy, whereas all fetuses with RAI had a cardiac malformation. All 27 fetuses had non-cardiac anomalies on fetal MRI, including situs and splenic anomalies. In 12/19 (63%) fetuses with LAI, a specific abnormal configuration of the liver was observed on MRI. In three fetuses, fetal MRI revealed signs of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection obstruction. An abnormal bronchial tree pattern was suspected on prenatal MRI in 6/19 (32%) fetuses with LAI and 3/8 (38%) fetuses with RAI.Conclusions: Visualization on MRI of non-cardiac anomalies in fetuses with suspected heterotaxy is feasible and can assist the complex diagnosis of this condition, despite its limitations. This modality potentially enables differentiation of less severe cases from more complex ones, which may have a poorer prognosis. Fetal MRI can assist in prenatal counseling and planning postnatal management. © 2021 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We conducted a prospective study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Vienna to investigate associations between serum testosterone levels and maternal peripartal mood states.Methods: Two hundred and fifty-two pregnant women at term (38 to 40 weeks' gestation) took part in the study. Blood samples for plasma testosterone levels and other biochemicals were obtained prepartum, and on the 1st and 3rd day postpartum. Mood was assessed with the McNair Profile of Mood States (POMS) at term pregnancy and daily from the first day after delivery until discharge from the hospital.Results: The final study population consisted of 193 women. Serum testosterone levels correlated significantly with maternal depression scores, both pre- and post partum (at term r=0.148, p=0.04; 1st day postpartum r=0.156, p=0.03; and 2nd day postpartum r=0.186, p=0.02, respectively). Testosterone concentrations also correlated with anger prepartum (r=0.164, p=0.02) and on the third day after delivery (r=0.188, p=0.02). No significant correlation between testosterone concentration and fatigue and vigor both pre- and post partum, respectively were found.Conclusion: Serum testosterone levels correlate with depression and anger in the first postpartum days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Prenatal brain pathology in congenital heart disease (CHD)," by E. Maschke-Mlczoch and colleagues, is presented.