Index pregnancy versus post-index pregnancy in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss

Objective: To compare pregnancy outcomes of two consecutive pregnancies in a cohort of women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), in order to determine the long-term prognosis of women with RPL managed in a dedicated RPL clinic.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study including 262 patients with two or more consecutive pregnancy losses followed by two subsequent pregnancies – index pregnancy (IP) and post-index pregnancy (PIP). All patients were evaluated and treated in the RPL clinic in the Soroka University Medical Center.

Results: Comparing IP with PIP, no significant difference in perinatal outcome was observed. The perinatal outcome remained encouraging with approximately 73% birth rate (73.7% versus 72.5%; p?=?0.83). Only 11% of the women with RPL continued to experience pregnancy losses for two subsequent pregnancies. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, number of miscarriages pre-Index was the only factor independently associated with birth in the PIP.

Conclusion: There is no significant difference between IP and PIP regarding perinatal outcome. Appropriate management in the RPL clinic conferred a significant beneficial effect on long-term pregnancy outcome of a cohort of women with RPL.     

孕期体重增加与妊娠并发症及妊娠结局的相关性研究

目的:探讨孕期体重增加与妊娠并发症及妊娠结局的相关性。方法:收集2010年6月至2010年12月在我院进行正规产前检查并分娩的孕妇423例进行研究,分析孕期体重增加与妊娠并发症及妊娠结局的关系。结果:C组妊娠期糖尿病与妊娠期高血压疾病的发病率高于A组和B组,两者比较差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);C组剖宫产率及巨大儿的发生率高于A组和B组,C组及B组产后出血的发生率高于A组,两者比较差异均具有显著性(P<0.05)。C组胎儿窘迫及新生儿窒息的发生率明显高于A组(P<0.05)。结论:孕期体重增加过高可导致妊娠并发症及不良妊娠结局的发生,适当控制孕期体重增加可改善母婴妊娠结局,提高产科质量。     

Prescribing in pregnancy. Epilepsy in pregnancy

In women with epilepsy, seizure control during pregnancy can be improved by maintaining the serum anticonvulsant drug concentration within the therapeutic range. Treatment with one anticonvulsant drug plus folic acid supplementation 5 mg per day seems appropriate in most cases. This should be achieved before conception whenever possible. No anticonvulsant drug seems free of teratogenic risk. With the commonly used anticonvulsant drugs-phenytoin, phenobarbitone, carbamazepine and sodium valproate-the risk is relatively low and represents less potential harm to the fetus than might occur with uncontrolled seizures.     

Marijuana use in pregnancy and pregnancy outcome

A retrospective analysis utilizing historical data collected as part of our computerized data base was performed to assess the impact of marijuana use in pregnancy on pregnancy outcome. Records of 8350 patients were reviewed and 417 patients gave a history of only marijuana use for a prevalence of 5%. There was no association between marijuana use and prematurity or congenital anomalies. Marijuana use was strongly associated with the use of alcoholic beverages and smoking. Previously reported associations may represent the concomitant use of these other drugs.     

Influence of pregnancy outcome on subsequent pregnancy

In this study to determine the harmful effect of abnormal pregnancy outcome on the immediately following pregnancy, 573 recently delivered women (with 2347 pregnancies) were interviewed. Data were recorded on their pregnancy outcomes (normal, abortion, stillbirth and congenital malformation), as well as on their interpregnancy intervals. A significant difference was found between the chances of having a spontaneous abortion following a normal outcome (5.5%) against that following a spontaneous abortion (31.1%). Also, the chances of a normal outcome following a normal outcome were 92.4%, compared with 63.9% following a spontaneous abortion. The delivery of a malformed baby is associated with a larger proportion of abortion and congenital malformation in the subsequent pregnancy, while stillbirth was followed by a larger proportion of abortion and stillbirth. A longer interpregnancy interval did not appear to have any protective effect on the subsequent pregnancy.     

Drugs in pregnancy. Pharmacokinetics in pregnancy.

Pharmacokinetics describes the handling of a drug by the body - how the drug is absorbed, distributed and eliminated and how these processes determine plasma concentrations of the drug. Changes in maternal physiology during pregnancy influence pharmacokinetics, and this may have important sequelae for drug dosing, especially for drugs for which adverse effects occur at concentrations within, or just above, the therapeutic range. For many drugs absorption is decreased and elimination increased, thus tending to reduce plasma concentrations. There are, however, relatively few specific data on pharmacokinetics in pregnancy, compared to the non-gravid state, because of the obvious ethical issues surrounding studies during pregnancy. Most therapeutic guidelines are thus based on observational studies and basic principles.     

妊娠期发热对妊娠结局的影响

发热是妊娠期的常见症状,妊娠期发热可以对孕妇和胎儿产生不利影响,需要进行全面系统的评估和判断。本文将阐述妊娠期发热的原因及对子代和孕妇的影响,从而为临床诊治提供参考依据。     

Maternal medical compromise during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes

Objective: To examine the outcomes of pregnancy and newborn following an event of maternal medical compromise during pregnancy.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on all patients hospitalized following an event of medical compromise during pregnancy. Medical compromise was divided to acute or chronic bleeding, major or complicated operations, and admission to intensive care unit (ICU). Data collected included maternal, fetal, neonatal and child’s follow-up.

Results: The study included 51 pregnant patients and 58 fetuses. The study group had increased risk of preterm deliveries (35.0 versus 6.5%, p?p?p?=?0.002). Patients with acute bleeding had higher rates of cesarean sections, preterm deliveries, admissions to neonatal ICU and neonatal mortality. Two cases of fetal abnormalities included brain abnormalities and pericardial effusion. Three terminations of pregnancies were performed: two in patients in ICU due to severe maternal medical condition and one in the fetus with brain abnormalities.

Conclusions: Maternal medical compromise during pregnancy increases the risk for preterm deliveries, cesarean delivery and low Apgar scores. Acute bleeding was the main cause of medical compromised and with the higher rates of adverse outcomes.     

Prescribing in pregnancy. Bacterial infections in pregnancy

Certain infections, such as UTI, may have an increased incidence during pregnancy owing to physiological changes. Between 2 and 10% of pregnant women have covert or asymptomatic bacteriuria which is associated with an increased incidence of acute symptomatic UTI in later pregnancy if left untreated. Thus antenatal screening to detect the presence of bacteriuria is justified. Most women will remain abacteriuric throughout the remainder of pregnancy after a single course of antibiotic therapy but a small percentage will fail to respond or have recurrent UTIs. Maternal infection with certain organisms, namely those which resist phagocytosis, may result in transplacental infection of the fetus in utero. Congenital syphilis is preventable and antenatal serological screening is usually routinely performed. Listeriosis following maternal infection in pregnancy is less predictable and the epidemiology of L. monocytogenes remains unclear. Genital tract carriage of sexually transmitted organisms, such as N. gonorrhoeae or C. trachomatis, may also be detected during pregnancy and antibiotic therapy will be indicated to eradicate such organisms and prevent maternal and neonatal morbidity. Antibiotic therapy during pregnancy will not, however, eradicate carriage of GBS from the genital tract, although carriage status at term can now be reliably predicted by using enriched culture techniques and swabbing multiple sites on more than one occasion. Where carriage is confirmed, the administration of intrapartum antibiotics to the mother appears a useful approach in the prevention of early onset neonatal GBS disease. Broad spectrum intrapartum antibiotics may also be indicated when there are complications, such as prolonged labour or premature rupture of membranes, which are associated with a higher incidence of maternal postpartum endometritis and morbidity than in women following uncomplicated vaginal delivery. Serious postnatal sepsis and shock is fortunately now rare. The pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in late pregnancy and the puerperium are altered and maternal serum levels may be reduced by 10-50%. Most antibiotics cross the placenta and are excreted in breast milk. Some agents, such as the beta-lactams, are considered safe in pregnancy and breast-feeding women while other antibiotics are contraindicated owing to risk of toxicity (often rare) or teratogenicity (often theoretical). Caution is necessary with many agents which may cause side effects or toxicity although this does not necessarily contraindicate their use in pregnancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)