Clinic Versus the Operating Room: Determining the Optimal Setting for Dilation and Curettage for Management of First-Trimester Pregnancy Failure.

Introduction There is no clear guidance for the optimal setting for dilation and curettage (D&C) for the management of first-trimester pregnancy failure. Identifying patients at risk of clinically significant blood loss at the time of D&C may inform a provider's decision regarding the setting for the procedure. We aimed to identify risk factors predictive for blood loss of 200mL or greater at the time of D&C. Methods  This is a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with first-trimester pregnancy failure at gestational age less than 11 weeks who underwent surgical management with D&C at a single safety net academic institution between 4/2016 and 4/2021. Patient characteristics and procedural outcomes were abstracted. Women with less than 200mL versus greater than or equal to 200mL blood loss were compared using descriptive statistics, chi-square for categorical variables, and Satterthwaite t-tests for continuous variables. Results A total of 350 patients were identified; 233 met inclusion criteria, and 228 had non-missing outcome data. Mean gestational age was 55 days (SD 9.4). Thirty-one percent (n=70) had estimated blood loss (EBL) ≥200mL. Younger patients (mean 28.7 years vs. 30.9, p=0.038), Latina patients (67.1% vs. 51.9%, p=0.006), patients with higher body mass index (BMI, mean 30.6 vs. 27.3 kg/m2, p=0.006), and patients with pregnancies at greater gestational age (59.5 days vs. 53.6 days, p<0.001) were more likely to have EBL ≥200mL. Additionally, patients with pregnancies dated by ultrasound (34.3% vs. 18.4%, p=0.007), those who underwent D&C in the operating room (81.4% vs. 48.7%, p<0.001), and those who underwent general anesthesia (81.4% vs. 44.3%, p<0.001) were more likely to have EBL ≥200mL. Discussion In this study, patients with EBL ≥200mL at the time of D&C differed significantly from those with EBL<200mL. This information can assist providers in planning the best setting for their patients' procedures.

A pre-conception clinical trial to reduce intergenerational obesity and diabetes risks: The NDPP-NextGen trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine exposure to maternal overweight/obesity or diabetes transmits risks to offspring, perpetuating a disease cycle across generations. Prenatal interventions to reduce maternal weight or dysglycemia have limited impact, while postpartum interventions can alter the intrauterine environment only if child-bearing continues. Efficacious preconception interventions are needed, especially for underserved populations, and with the potential to be scaled up sustainably. Research is also needed to assess intervention effects at conception, throughout pregnancy, and among offspring. METHODS: This two-arm, parallel randomized clinical trial will include 360 biological females with overweight/obesity and moderate-to-high likelihood of pregnancy within 24 months. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to a yearlong pre-conception lifestyle intervention based on the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP-NextGen) or usual care. Data collection will occur at enrollment (before conception), post-conception (<8 weeks gestation), late pregnancy (28-32 weeks gestation), and delivery (before discharge) for participants who become pregnant within 24 months of enrollment. Main outcomes are post-conception body mass index (<8 weeks gestation; primary outcome), post-conception fasting glucose (<8 weeks gestation; secondary outcome), and neonatal adiposity (<2 days post-birth). Additional clinical, behavioral, perinatal and offspring data will be collected, and biospecimens (blood, urine, stool, cord blood) will be banked for future ancillary studies. CONCLUSION: This clinical trial will evaluate an intervention model (NDPP-NextGen) with potential to improve maternal health among the >50% of US females with overweight/obesity or diabetes risks in pregnancy. If successful, it can be scaled among >1800 organizations delivering NDPP in the United States to benefit the health of future generations.

Observed Versus Expected Distribution of Patient Self-Reported Race and Ethnicity in Quality Improvement Review Processes at a Single Safety Net Academic Institution.

Background While there is a plethora of evidence describing racial and ethnic disparities in obstetric care and outcomes, little has been published evaluating potential inequities in departmental Patient Safety and Quality Improvement (PSQI) processes.  Objective The study aims to describe the distribution of patient-reported race or ethnicity for safety events at a single safety net teaching hospital. We hypothesized that the observed versus expected case distribution for each racial or ethnic group would be similar, signifying proportional representation in the PSQI reporting and review process.  Study design We performed a cross-sectional study including all Safety Intelligence (SI) events filed on obstetric and gynecologic patients and all cases reviewed at monthly PSQI multidisciplinary departmental meetings from May 2016 to December 2021. We compared the distribution of patients' self-reported race or ethnicity as documented in the medical record to our patient population's expected race or ethnicity distribution based on historical institutional data. Results Two thousand and five SI events were filed on obstetric and gynecologic patients. Of those, 411 cases were selected for review by the departmental multidisciplinary PSQI committee, which meets once monthly. Of the 411 cases reviewed by the PSQI committee, 132 met Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) criteria defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Fewer SI reports were filed on Asian patients and those who declined to provide race or ethnicity (observed 4.3% versus expected 5.5%, p=0.0088 and 2.9% versus expected 1%, p<0.0001, respectively). For cases reviewed by the departmental PSQI committee and for those which met SMM criteria, there was no significant difference in race/ethnicity distribution. Conclusions There was a disparity between fewer safety events filed for Asian patients and those not reporting race/ethnicity. It was reassuring that our process did not identify other racial/ethnic disparities. However, given the widespread systemic inequities in healthcare, further evaluation of our PSQI process, and PSQI processes beyond our institution, is needed.

Beyond uterine atony: characterizing postpartum hemorrhage coagulopathy.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum hemorrhage is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet the associated early coagulopathy is not well defined. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that women who develop postpartum hemorrhage have a distinct derangement of thrombin generation and coagulation factors compared with postpartum women without postpartum hemorrhage. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study of pregnant patients with postpartum hemorrhage was completed at a single urban hospital. Blood was drawn on postpartum hemorrhage diagnosis and 2 and 4 hours later. Assays of patients with postpartum hemorrhage included thrombelastography, whole blood thrombin generation, coagulation factor activity, tissue factor levels and activity, and tissue factor pathway inhibitor levels, which were compared with that of patients without postpartum hemorrhage. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients were included in this study. Of those patients, 66 had postpartum hemorrhage, and 15 served as controls. Compared with patients without PPH, patients with postpartum hemorrhage had lower fibrinogen levels (469.0 mg/dL vs 411.0 mg/dL; P=.02), increased tissue plasminogen activator resistance (fibrinolysis 30 minutes after maximal clot strength: 8.7% vs 4.2%; P=.02), decreased peak thrombin concentration (150.2 nM vs 40.7 nM; P=.01), and decreased maximal rate of thrombin generation (60.1 nM/minute vs 2.8 nM/minute; P=.02). Furthermore, compared with patients without postpartum hemorrhage, patients with postpartum hemorrhage had decreased tissue factor levels (444.3 pg/mL vs 267.1 pg/mL; P=.02) and increased tissue factor pathway inhibitor levels (0.6 U/mL vs 0.8 U/mL; P=.04), with decreased tissue factor pathway inhibitor ratios (624 vs 299; P=.01). CONCLUSION: PPH is not only an issue of uterine tone and mechanical bleeding but also a distinct coagulopathy that is characterized by decreased fibrinogen level, clot breakdown resistance, and markedly low thrombin generation. This pathology seemed to be driven by low tissue factor and high tissue factor pathway inhibitor levels.

The prevalence of blood product transfusion after the implementation of a postpartum hemorrhage bundle: a retrospective cohort at a single safety net academic institution.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum hemorrhage, defined as blood loss of ≥1000 mL within 24 hours after birth, is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and is associated with substantial financial and emotional burden. Based on societal and regulatory guidelines, in 2019, our institution adopted a postpartum hemorrhage prevention and management bundle based on the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative initiatives. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to compare the prevalence of maternal blood product transfusion before and after the implementation of the bundle. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study comparing the prevalence of blood product transfusion before and after the implementation of a California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative-based postpartum hemorrhage management bundle at a single safety net teaching hospital between October 2017 and December 2019 excluding a 4-month rollout period between September 2018 and December 2018. The study included all patients ≥18 years of age and at >20 weeks' gestation. Exclusion criteria were out-born deliveries, delivery at time of significant nonobstetrical trauma, and refusal of blood transfusion. The primary outcome was the frequency of any blood product transfusion in the pre- and postbundle implementation cohorts. Secondary outcomes included blood product transfusion type and amount, maternal death, intrauterine balloon placement, uterine artery embolization, unplanned peripartum hysterectomy, intensive care admission, and length of stay among all deliveries complicated by postpartum hemorrhage. We further evaluated compliance with bundle measures for all postpartum hemorrhage cases. Cohort characteristics were compared using chi-square tests or Fisher exact tests for categorical data and Satterthwaite or Wilcoxon 2-sample tests for continuous variables based on data distributions. The proportion of blood product transfusion were evaluated using a chi-square test. RESULTS: A total of 6744 deliveries were included with 3310 in the pre- and 3425 in the postbundle cohort. The prevalence of any blood product transfusion was similar between the pre- and postbundle cohorts (3.41%; 113/3310 vs 3.47%; 119/3425; P=.892). The prevalence of postpartum hemorrhage was 7.05% (233/3310) in the prebundle cohort and 10.34% (354/3434) in the postbundle cohort (P<.001). Among women with postpartum hemorrhage, those in the prebundle cohort had a higher rate of blood product transfusion than those in the postbundle cohort (36.05%; 84/233 vs 26.84%; 95/354; P=.018). Compared with the prebundle counterparts, patients with postpartum hemorrhage in the postbundle cohort had higher rates of utilization of intrauterine balloon placement (10.30%; 24/233 vs 16.95%; 60/354; P=.024). There were no significant differences among other secondary outcomes. The overall compliance with the bundle among those with blood loss ≥1000 mL was 92.1%. CONCLUSION: The implementation of the postpartum hemorrhage bundle did not decrease the overall prevalence of blood product transfusion and may have led to higher rates of utilization of resources.

Development and validation of a prediction model for postpartum hemorrhage at a single safety net tertiary care center.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum hemorrhage is a leading cause of pregnancy-related morbidity and mortality; however, there is limited ability to identify women at risk of this obstetrical complication. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and validate a prediction model for postpartum hemorrhage based on antenatal and intrapartum risk factors. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of women who delivered between April 2016 and March 2019 at a single safety net hospital. The prevalence of postpartum hemorrhage, defined as blood loss of ≥1000 mL at the time of delivery, was determined, and characteristics were compared between women with and without postpartum hemorrhage. Women were randomly assigned to a prediction or a validation cohort. The selection of predictors to be included in the model was based on known antenatal and intrapartum risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage. A multivariable logistic regression with a backward stepwise approach was used to create a prediction model. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and 95% bootstrap confidence intervals were calculated. Using the final model, a single threshold for classifying postpartum hemorrhage was chosen, and the resulting sensitivity, specificity, and false-negative and false-positive rates were explored. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of postpartum hemorrhage in the prediction and validation cohorts were 6.3% (377 of 6000 cases) and 6.4% (241 of 3774 cases), respectively (P=.83). The following predictors were selected for the final model: maternal body mass index (kg/m2), number of fetuses, history of postpartum hemorrhage, admission platelets of <100,000/µL, chorioamnionitis, arrest of descent, placental abruption, and active labor duration. The predictive model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-0.84). When applied to the validation cohort, the model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.78-0.83), a sensitivity of 86.9%, a specificity of 74.2%, a positive predictive value of 18.6%, a negative predictive value of 98.8%, a false-negative rate of 13.1%, and a false-positive rate of 25.9%. CONCLUSION: The model performed reasonably well in identifying women at risk of postpartum hemorrhage. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the model in clinical practice and its effect on decreasing the prevalence of postpartum hemorrhage and associated maternal morbidity.

Reach and Effectiveness of the National Diabetes Prevention Program for Young Women.

INTRODUCTION: Reducing obesity and diabetes risks among women of child-bearing age is urgently needed to halt the transgenerational cycle of disease. Interventions among pregnant women have largely been ineffective and may be initiated too late to improve maternal and child health. The National Diabetes Prevention Program is a widely disseminated lifestyle intervention that may help mitigate risks before pregnancy. However, the program has targeted relatively older adults, and effectiveness among women of child-bearing age remains largely unknown. METHODS: The National Diabetes Prevention Program was delivered in an urban safety net hospital. Reach and effectiveness were evaluated among 4,866 eligible women who were invited to participate in the program. The authors compared enrollment, attendance, and weight loss for women aged 18-39 years as compared to women aged ≥40 years. Data were collected between 2013 and 2016. Analyses were conducted in 2017. RESULTS: Women of child-bearing age were nearly half as likely to enroll than older women in adjusted models (OR=0.58, 95% CI=0.49, 0.69). Subsequently, younger enrollees were less likely to attend ≥1 session(s) than older women (OR=0.77, 95% CI=0.61, 0.99). There was no significant age group difference in program completion rates or weight-loss outcomes. Both groups lost an average of 3% body weight. CONCLUSIONS: Women of child-bearing age were less likely than older women to engage in the National Diabetes Prevention Program; however, they were equally likely to benefit from weight loss when they attended. Further efforts are needed to improve engagement of women of child-bearing age.

The dangers of lithotomy positioning in the operating room: case report of bilateral lower extremity compartment syndrome after a 90-minutes surgical procedure.

BACKGROUND: Lower extremity acute compartment syndrome after gynecologic surgery in the lithotomy position is a rare, yet potentially devastating complication. A high level of suspicion is paramount for early recognition and mitigation of acute compartment syndrome originating from prolonged surgery in lithotomy position. CASE PRESENTATION: A 23-year-old female, gravida 1, para 0, underwent a laparoscopic salpingectomy for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Surgical time was 90 min. Postoperatively, the patient developed acute compartment syndrome of both legs necessitating emergent bilateral four-compartment fasciotomies, with repeated returns to the operating room for 2nd look procedures and delayed wound closures. The patient regained full function within 3 months and returned to an unrestricted baseline activity level. CONCLUSION: Technical diligence in applying a lithotomy position is paramount for preventing postoperative lower extremity compartment syndrome. A high level of suspicion for this severe complication in conjunction with early recognition and immediate surgical management can mitigate long-term adverse sequelae and improve postoperative outcomes.

Panniculectomy at the Time of Cesarean Section and Postoperative Wound Complications in Morbidly Obese Women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a modified abdominal panniculectomy at the time of cesarean delivery decreases wound complications in morbidly obese women. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study of 59 morbidly obese patients who delivered via cesarean section at a single center between 2003 and 2009. A total of 30 morbidly obese patients who underwent modified panniculectomy at the time of cesarean section were compared to a control group of 29 morbidly obese women who underwent cesarean section alone. RESULTS: Of the 30 women who underwent modified panniculectomy at the time of cesarean, 3% (n = 1) developed operative site infection that required readmission. In the control group, 24% (n = 7) developed operative site infection (p = 0.026), and 10% (n = 3) were readmitted (p = 0.35). There was no difference in the postpartum length of hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, operative time and infant delivery time between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, morbidly obese women who underwent panniculectomy at the time of cesarean section had lower incidence of wound complications without significant increase in operative time, hospital length of stay, and infant delivery time. Modified panniculectomy at the time of cesarean may be a useful adjunct in an effort to decrease postoperative infectious morbidity in obese patients. However, the effects of the procedure on long-term healing,future obstetric outcomes, and other medical conditions warrant further evaluation.

Evaluation of the utility of baseline serum hepatic and renal testing in pregnant patients with chronic hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether baseline serum hepatic and renal laboratory testing during routine prenatal visits in gravidas with chronic hypertension facilitates the diagnosis of superimposed preeclampsia later in pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: The study is a historical cohort of pregnant patients with chronic hypertension identified via ICD-9 codes over a 3-year period in a single center. RESULTS: Of the 250 cases reviewed, 73 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of those, 24 developed superimposed preeclampsia and 1 developed eclampsia. In the majority of cases the diagnosis of superimposed preeclampsia was based on severe-range blood pressure and/or new-onset or worsening proteinuria. Only 1 patient had abnormal hepatic transaminase levels at diagnosis. None of the patients were diagnosed with superimposed preeclampsia based solely on abnormal serum hepatic or renal function. Further, the majority of patients had normal baseline testing. Only 3 patients had abnormal baseline serum tests, all of which were elevated transaminase levels. All 3 patients had normalization of their laboratory results on repeat testing prior to delivery, and only 1 of these patients developed superimposed preeclampsia later in pregnancy. CONCLUSION: In our cohort most women with chronic hypertension were diagnosed with superimposed preeclampsia based on exacerbation in blood pressure and/or new-onset or increase in proteinuria. There were no women diagnosed with superimposed preeclampsia on the basis of increased serum hepatic and renal abnormalities alone. In addition, abnormalities in baseline laboratory tests were rare, bringing into question the utility of this testing.