Analysis of cystic hygroma diagnosed in the prenatal period: 5-years’ experience at a tertiary hospital in Southeastern Turkey

Purpose: Our aim was to evaluate the association of cystic hygroma (CH) with fetal malformations and also to investigate the outcome of fetuses with CH diagnosed in the prenatal period.

Methods: We divided the CH patients into two main groups as isolated CH or CH associated with the congenital structural abnormality (CSA) by measuring the thickness of CH and showing other fetal abnormalities. Pregnancy outcomes were recorded as spontaneous abortion, elective termination, intrauterine death, live birth, postnatal death, and lost to follow-up.

Results: There were 74 cases of fetal CH including 19 in CSA-CH group and 55 in isolated-CH group diagnosed between 11 and 21 weeks’ gestation. Karyotype analysis of these 28 patients revealed 18 (64.2%) normal karyotypes. Pregnancy outcomes included 54 elective terminations, five postnatal deaths, one spontaneous abortion, six live births, four intrauterine deaths, and four patients were lost to follow-up.

Conclusion: In the presence of any CSA concurrent with CH, prognosis may be considered as poor and any additional help of fetal karyotyping is questionable. But fetal karyotyping may be advocated in counseling patients with isolated CH, in which a better prognosis and resolvement of CH may be expected in case of a normal karyotype.     

Prenatal diagnosis of intra hepatic arterio venous fistula: case report and review of the literature

Aim: To describe the prenatal features and management of a congenital intra hepatic fistula.

Material and methods: Case report

Results: Congenital intra hepatic fistula are extremely rare. The prenatal ultrasound seiology is described.

Conclusion: Prenatal diagnosis of these anomalies may improve pre and post natal management.     

Protective effect of vitamin D supplementation in a rat modal of preeclampsia: a possible implication of chemerin

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a disorder of pregnancy associated with vitamin D (VD) deficiency. Chemerin is an adipokine significantly increased in preeclampsia and is regulated by VD.

Objectives: To determine whether VD supplementation would protect against development of PE through Chemerin reduction

Methods: PE was induced in albino rats by injection of 12.5 mg of deoxycorticosterone (DOCA). Rats were randomly divided into normal pregnant, PE group, VD supplemented PE group.

Results: VD supplementation decreased systolic blood pressure, proteinuria and decreased serum Chemerin level.

Conclusion: VD treatment reduced Chemerin level, and blood pressure in DOCA rat model of PE.     

Neuropathological complications associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Objective: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy particularly severe preeclampsia and eclampsia result in significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Many of these misfunctions can aggravate some of the neuropathological complications of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.

Method: In this review article, we described some of the neuropathological complications associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Results and conclusion: It is explained how the possible mechanism of neuropathological events triggers some of the complications associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Conclusion: A strong plea is made for the early detection of high blood pressure, its immediate control with rapid acting anti-hypertensive agents if necessary and timeous delivery of fetus as the exact pathogenesis of preeclampsia remains unknown.     

Haptotherapy as a new intervention for treating fear of childbirth: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: To evaluate the effect of haptotherapy on severe fear of childbirth in pregnant women.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Community midwifery practices and a teaching hospital in the Netherlands.

Population or Sample: Primi- and multigravida, suffering from severe fear of childbirth (N?=?134).

Methods: Haptotherapy, psycho-education via Internet and care as usual were randomly assigned at 20–24?weeks of gestation and the effects were compared at 36?weeks of gestation and 6?weeks and 6?months postpartum. Repeated measurements ANOVA were carried out on the basis of intention to treat. Since there were crossovers from psycho-education via Internet and care as usual to haptotherapy, the analysis was repeated according to the as treated principle.

Main outcome measures: Fear of childbirth score at the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire.

Results: In the intention to treat analysis, only the haptotherapy group showed a significant decrease of fear of childbirth, F(2,99)?=?3.321, p?=?.040. In the as treated analysis, the haptotherapy group showed a greater reduction in fear of childbirth than the other two groups, F(3,83)?=?6.717, p?<?.001.

Conclusion: Haptotherapy appears to be more effective in reducing fear of childbirth than psycho-education via Internet and care as usual.     

The role of three-dimensional ultrasonography fetal lung volume measurement in the prediction of neonatal respiratory function outcome

Background: Respiratory distress is commonly encountered among premature babies immediately after birth resulting in significant neonatal morbidity or mortality.

Objectives: To evaluate the possible correlation between three dimensional fetal lung volumes (FLVs) and neonatal respiratory outcomes.

Study design: A cohort study included 100 pregnant women who participated in the study and were divided into two groups; group A (n: 50 – women pregnant ±34–37 weeks) and group B (n: 50 – women pregnant ±37⁺¹ to 40 weeks). A three dimensional measurement of the right fetal lung was made using virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) software then correlated to neonatal respiratory functions namely Apgar score at birth and the occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

Results: In group A, FLV was negatively correlated with Apgar score and the occurrence of RDS. In group B, FLV showed no statistical correlation with Apgar score and the occurrence of RDS.

Conclusions: Three dimensional fetal lung volumes might be an accurate noninvasive predictor for the development of RDS among preterm fetuses.     

The importance of proteinuria in preeclampsia and its predictive role in maternal and neonatal outcomes

Objective: To evaluate impact of 24-h proteinuria level in preeclampsia on maternal/perinatal outcomes.

Methods: Singleton pregnancies with preeclampsia delivered after 24 weeks of gestation were included. Patients were divided into mild (0.3 to <2 g) (n=72), severe (2 to <5 g) (n=30), and massive (≥5 g) (n=24) proteinuria groups, and cut-off values of 24-h proteinuria for composite adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes were calculated.

Results: Twenty-four hour proteinuria level cut-offs for composite adverse outcomes were 3275 mg (72.2% sensitivity, 85.6% specificity) and 2395 mg (72.7% sensitivity, 78% specificity) respectively.

Conclusion: Severe and massive proteinuria were related to poor maternal, perinatal, and neonatal outcomes.     

The analysis of negative birth experiences of mothers: a qualitative study

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyse the factors associated with a negative childbirth experience from the perspective of the women who gave birth vaginally.

Background: A negative birth experience can pose a risk for both the maternal/newborn health and the health of the community by disturbing the physical and spiritual health of the woman/family.

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with 11 mothers who gave birth vaginally assisted by midwives in a state hospital. The data were collected using in-depth interviews and analysed using the thematic analysis technique.

Results: The factors causing the women to have negative birth perceptions were analysed under four main themes: challenges/difficulties encountered, the inadequate communication of health professionals, embarrassment/privacy and inadequate hospital facilities. The mothers indicated that they had experienced their births negatively due to personal reasons such as the inability to cope with labour pain, inability to push, hospital policies such as interventions at birth and hunger. In addition, some of the participants stated that they had difficulty and felt embarrassed during vaginal examinations.

Conclusion: The sociocultural characteristics of mothers, hospital facilities and rules, medical and traditional practices at birth, inadequate empathic communication of health professionals and reproductive health policies can lead to negative childbirth experiences.     

Psychosocial predictors of IVF success after one year: a follow-up study

Objectives: There is growing evidence that psychosocial factors play an important role in the success of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). The current study explored the impact of coping style, social support, self-compassion, parenthood motivation and relationship attachment as predictors of IVF success.

Design: A follow-up survey of 305 women undergoing IVF who had initially been assessed one year earlier.

Methods: Participants were assessed on measures of coping style, social support, self-compassion, parenthood motivation, relationship attachment and psychological distress and reassessed one year later in terms of the outcome of IVF.

Results: Of these, 156 reported successful births while 149 had been unsuccessful. Of the 149 who had been unsuccessful, 66 were undertaking another cycle of IVF and 83 were not, although whether they had completely given up is not known. The significant positive predictors were problem-focused coping, mindfulness, nurturance motivation, secure attachment, support from friends and self-kindness. In addition, social pressure motivation, and avoidance coping were negative predictors.

Conclusions: The findings point to potential psychological interventions in terms of stress management, couple counselling and mindfulness therapy in increasing the likelihood of success from IVF.     

Are non-pregnant women afraid of childbirth? Prevalence and predictors of fear of childbirth in students

Introduction: Fear of childbirth (FOC) has been mostly studied in peripartum women; however, it can be present in non-pregnant young women, and the question is whether it occurs even before pregnancy planning.

Objective: (1) to determine the prevalence of clinically significant FOC in non-pregnant female students, and (2) to investigate the role of anxiety sensitivity (AS), trait anxiety, childbirth pain expectancy, and sources of birth knowledge for FOC.

Methods: Non-pregnant female students (N?=?374) from different study programmes (health studies, social sciences and humanities, and biotechnical studies) participated in the study. They completed

Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ, version A), The State–Trait Anxiety

Inventory (STAI-T), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), the average expected labor pain, and sources

of information about childbirth.

Results: The results showed that 25.9% of students reported clinically significant FOC. FOC could be predicted by postponing pregnancy planning, the high expectancy of labor pain, high trait anxiety, and high physical dimension of AS. Students from health sciences reported a lower level of FOC, as opposed to social science and humanities’ students. Students reported receiving the most information about childbirth from family and the least from the professional books.

Conclusions: Fear of childbirth is highly prevalent in the sample of young nulliparous women with one in four women reporting clinically significant fear. The higher levels of the FOC could be predicted, by AS, trait anxiety, expected labor pain, and sources of knowledge about the childbirth. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy increase the risk of developing neovascular age-related macular degeneration in later life

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and short-term adverse outcomes have long been recognized; however, survivors remain at risk of long-term complications. We investigated whether HDP is associated with the development of choroidal neovascular age-related macular degeneration (CNV AMD).

Methods: We identified 31,454 women who experienced HDP based on Utah birth certificates and 62,908 unexposed women matched 2:1 to the exposed. Risk of CNV AMD was estimated using Cox models.

Findings: Women with HDP exhibited an 80% higher risk for early CNV AMD (age < 70 y; 95%CI 1.23–2.58).

Conclusion: Our findings may have implications forearlier CNV AMD screening and detection.     

External validation of prognostic models for preeclampsia in a Dutch multicenter prospective cohort

Objective: To perform an external validation of all published prognostic models for first-trimester prediction of the risk of developing preeclampsia (PE).

Methods: Women <14 weeks of pregnancy were recruited in the Netherlands. All systematically identified prognostic models for PE that contained predictors commonly available were eligible for external validation.

Results: 3,736 women were included; 87 (2.3%) developed PE. Calibration was poor due to overestimation. Discrimination of 9 models for LO-PE ranged from 0.58 to 0.71 and of 9 models for all PE from 0.55 to 0.75.

Conclusion: Only a few easily applicable prognostic models for all PE showed discrimination above 0.70, which is considered an acceptable performance.     

The association between abnormal coagulation testing in preeclampsia,adverse pregnancy outcomes,and placental histopathology

Objective: We aimed to determine whether abnormal coagulation laboratory testing results in preeclampsia, are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and placental histopathology lesions.

Methods: Demographic, labor, laboratory-testing, and placental histopathology reports of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia were compared between those with and without abnormal coagulation profile (ACP).

Results: Of 348 cases of preeclampsia 16.1% had ACP. There were no differences between the groups in GA at delivery, severe features, placental-abruption, SGA, composite adverse neonatal outcome and placental histopathology lesions.

Conclusion: ACP in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia was not associated with any of the studied outcomes. Our data question the usefulness of routine coagulation tests in the initial assessment of women presenting with preeclampsia.     

Strategies for preventing early-onset sepsis and for managing neonates at-risk: wide variability across six Western countries

Objective: Group B streptococcus (GBS) early-onset sepsis (EOS) has declined after widespread intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. However, strategies for preventing EOS may differ across countries. The analysis of their strategies allows to compare the effectiveness of prevention in different countries and suggests opportunities for improvement.

Methods: We compared six western countries. Prevention strategies, incidence rates of EOS and approaches for managing neonates at-risk were analysed. Countries were selected because of availability of recommendations for prevention and sufficient epidemiological data for comparison.

Results: Five of six countries recommend antenatal vagino-rectal screening. The decline of GBS cases is relevant in most countries, particularly in those with a screening-based strategy, which have reached incidence rates from 0.1 to 0.3/1000 live births and zero or close to zero mortality in full-term newborns. The recommendation for managing asymptomatic neonates at risk for EOS varies according to gestational age and ranges from observation only to laboratory testing plus empirical antibiotics. Chorioamnionitis (suspected or confirmed) is the main indication for carry out laboratory testing and for administering empirical antibiotics.

Conclusions: Wide variations exists in preventing EOS. They depend on national epidemiology of GBS infections, compliance, cost, and feasibility of the strategy. The extreme variability of approaches for managing neonates at risk for EOS reflects the even greater uncertainty regarding this issue, and may explain the persisting, great use of resources to prevent a disease that has become very rare nowadays.     

Ultrasound characteristics and outcome of prenatally diagnosed fetal cholelithiasis

Aim: To investigate ultrasound characteristics and outcome in fetuses with cholelithiasis.

Materials and methods: We report a small case series of three patients with prenatally diagnosed fetal cholelithiasis. Ultrasound features, pregnancy outcome and neonatal follow-up are presented and discussed.

Results: Sonographic pattern associated to fetal cholelithiasis is variable. Pregnancy issue is globally good with no ominous fetal or neonatal events.

Conclusions: Prenatally diagnosed fetal cholelithiasis is a rare finding and doesn’t seem to carry an adverse effect on the pregnancy.     

Cardiac function and tadalafil used for treating fetal growth restriction in pregnant women without cardiovascular disease

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate tadalafil for the treatment of fetal growth restriction (FGR) and the cardiac function in pregnant women without cardiovascular disease who used tadalafil for this reason.

Materials and methods: We examined nine pregnant women without cardiovascular disease who were using tadalafil to treat FGR. Maternal heart rate, systolic blood pressure (BP), and echocardiographic findings were assessed before and after tadalafil use.

Results: Diastolic BP was lower after compared to that before using tadalafil, but the difference was not significant. Echocardiographic findings were not significantly different before and after tadalafil use.

Conclusions: Tadalafil did not adversely affect pregnant women without cardiovascular disease and was considered acceptable for use since it did not affect the mother’s cardiac function.     

Longitudinal assessment of D-dimer and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 plasma levels in pregnant women with risk factors for preeclampsia

Objective: Investigating D-Dimer/D-Di and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1/PAI-1 levels throughout gestation in women with preeclampsia/PE risk factors.

Methods: D-Di and PAI-1 plasma levels were determined in 28 women at 12–19, 20–29, 30–34 and 35–40 weeks of gestation.

Results: D-Di was lower at 12–19 weeks and higher at 30–34 weeks in women who developed PE versus who did not develop it. D-Di increased throughout gestation in both groups, peaking earlier in pregnant women who developed PE versus who did not develop it. PA1-1 increased across gestation, but it didn’t differ between groups.

Conclusion: D-Di was able to discriminate these groups of women at 12–19 and 30–34 weeks of gestation.     

The risk of perinatal mortality with each week of expectant management in obese pregnancies

Introduction: The risk of stillbirth associated with maternal obesity increases with gestational age; however, it is unclear if earlier delivery reduces the overall perinatal mortality rate. Our objective was to compare the risk of perinatal mortality associated with each additional week of expectant management to that of immediate delivery.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of singleton non-anomalous births in Texas between 2006 and 2011. Analyses were stratified based on maternal pre-pregnancy BMI class. For each BMI class, we calculated the rate of neonatal death and stillbirth at each week of gestation from 34 to 41 weeks. A composite risk of perinatal mortality associated with 1 week of expectant management was estimated combining the stillbirth rate of the current week and the neonatal death rate of the following week. This was compared with the rate of neonatal death of the current week.

Results: After all exclusions, 2,149,771 births remained for analysis. In the normal weight group, stillbirth risk increased from 0.8 per 10,000 births at 34 weeks to 5.7 per 10,000 births at 42 weeks, whereas the neonatal death risk decreased from 76.5 per 10,000 births at 34 weeks to 30.4 per 10,000 births at 42 weeks, there were no differences between expectant management and delivery for any gestational week. In the obese group, stillbirth risk increased from 1.8 per 10,000 births at 34 weeks to 10.5 per 10,000 births at 42 weeks, whereas the neonatal death risk decreased from 67.7 per 10,000 births at 34 weeks to 26.2 per 10,000 births at 42 weeks, the perinatal mortality risk favored delivery at 39 weeks (RR: 1.17; 99% CI: 1.01–1.36) and not thereafter. In contrast, in the morbidly obese group, stillbirth risk increased from 8.8 per 10,000 births at 34 weeks to 83.7 per 10,000 births at 42 weeks, whereas the neonatal death risk decreased from 63.6 per 10,000 births at 34 weeks to 15.5 per 10,000 births at 42 weeks, the perinatal mortality risk favored delivery from 38 weeks (RR: 1.53; 99% CI: 1.16–2.02) through 41 weeks (RR: 5.39; 99% CI: 1.83–15.88).

Conclusion: The findings reported here suggest that delivery by 38 weeks in gestation minimizes perinatal mortality in pregnancies complicated by maternal morbid obesity.     

Late-preterm infants,early-term infants,and timing of elective deliveries; current status in a Korean medical center

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the current perinatal outcomes among infants born late-preterm and early-term compared to those born full-term and evaluate the optimal gestational age for delivery.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study for births occurred at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital over the past 7 years. Statistical comparison was performed using χ² test and multivariable logistic regression models.

Results: A total of 7580 women met the study criteria. Compared to 39 weeks, delivery at late-preterm and early-term had higher risk of composite morbidity, including respiratory morbidities, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (34 weeks adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 132.54; 95% confidence interval (CI): 74.00–240.10; 37 weeks aOR: 2.14; 95%CI: 1.65–2.77). The risks of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis in deliveries before 36 weeks and the risk of feeding difficulty in deliveries before 37 weeks were significantly higher than those of 39 weeks. Neonatal morbidity at deliveries was not significantly different between 38 and 39 weeks.

Conclusions: Neonatal morbidities at late-preterm births are significant and surveillance for them seems increasing. Obstetricians should recognize the risk of respiratory morbidity, ICH, and NICU admission for deliveries before 38 weeks’ gestation.