Medical treatment for early pregnancy loss following in vitro fertilization compared to spontaneous pregnancies.

BACKGROUND: Misoprostol is a well-studied medical treatment for early pregnancy loss (EPL), with success rates ranging between 70 and 90%. However, treatment failure is associated with major patient discomfort, including the need for surgical intervention to evacuate the uterus. It was previously reported that medical treatment was especially successful among women who conceived after in vitro fertilization (IVF). We aimed to study if there is a difference in rates of medical treatment failures for EPL between pregnancies conceived by IVF and spontaneous pregnancies. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we included all women who underwent medical treatment for EPL at our institute between 07/2015 and 12/2020. Treatment outcome was compared between IVF and spontaneous pregnancies. Treatment failure was defined as a need for surgical intervention, namely, dilation & curettage (D&C) and/or hysteroscopy, due to retained products of conception, which was defined as a gestational sac or endometrial thickness greater than 15 mm in a TVS scan. RESULTS: Overall, 775 patients were included, of which 195 (169/775 = 25.1%) ultimately required surgical intervention. There was no difference between the study groups in the rate of treatment failure. However, among IVF pregnancies, the rate of emergency D&C was lower (3.6% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.001), compared to spontaneous group. CONCLUSION: In cases of medical treatment for EPL, IVF pregnancies had no differences in rates of treatment failure compared to spontaneous pregnancies. That being said, IVF pregnancies have lower chances to undergo emergency D&C, compared to spontaneous pregnancies.

The use of virtual reality during extra-amniotic balloon insertion for pain and anxiety relief-a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Induction of labor with an extra-amniotic balloon catheter is a procedure commonly associated with maternal discomfort, pain, and anxiety. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the distractive effect of virtual reality technology on pain and anxiety among pregnant patients who underwent induction of labor with an extra-amniotic balloon catheter. STUDY DESIGN: In this randomized controlled trial, pregnant patients who were undergoing planned induction of labor using an extra-amniotic balloon catheter at term for various obstetrical indications were recruited and randomized in a 1:1 ratio into 2 groups. Patients in the virtual reality group were exposed to a virtual reality technology clip (using SootheVR All-In-One virtual reality care system for pain and anxiety) during the entire extra-amniotic balloon catheter insertion, whereas patients in the control group received the institutional standard care for extra-amniotic balloon catheter insertion. Pain scores, expressed as visual analog scale scores, and maternal hemodynamic parameters were obtained before, during, and after extra-amniotic balloon catheter insertion. Anxiety was evaluated using the validated State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale before and after the procedure. Maternal satisfaction with the virtual reality technology was also recorded. The primary outcome was the change in visual analog scale score before and during extra-amniotic balloon catheter insertion. Among the secondary outcomes was the change in anxiety levels before and after extra-amniotic balloon catheter insertion. The study was powered to detect a 25% decrease in the primary outcome. RESULTS: A total of 132 pregnant patients were recruited (66 in each group). There were no differences between groups in terms of age, body mass index, gestational age at enrollment, indication for induction of labor, and preprocedural visual analog scale score and anxiety levels. The change in visual analog scale score (maximal visual analog scale score during the procedure minus the initial visual analog scale score before the procedure, ie, the primary outcome) was significantly lower in the virtual reality group than in the control group (2.78±3.0 vs 4.09±2.99; P=.01). In addition, the virtual reality group experienced a higher rate of anxiety relief, expressed as the difference between the preprocedure and postprocedure State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale scores (-6.46±9.6 vs -2.01±9.11; P=.007). Patients in the virtual reality group reported a very high overall (94%) satisfaction score. CONCLUSION: In this randomized controlled trial, we demonstrated that the use of virtual reality technology among patients who underwent induction of labor using an extra-amniotic balloon catheter was associated with lower visual analog scale scores during the procedure and a significant reduction in anxiety than patients who received standard care. There was also a very high satisfaction rate with the use of virtual reality technology.

Failure Rate of Medical Treatment for Miscarriage Correlated with the Difference between Gestational Age According to Last Menstrual Period and Gestational Size Calculated via Ultrasound.

Objective: To study whether the interval between gestational age calculated using the last menstrual period (GA-LMP) and gestational age calculated via ultrasound (GA-US) is correlated with the success rate of medical treatment in cases of miscarriages. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in a gynecology unit in a tertiary medical center. Women who underwent medical treatment with Misoprostol for miscarriage at the Edith Wolfson Medical Center between 07/2015 and 12/2020 were included. Incomplete or septic miscarriages, multiple pregnancies, patients with irregular periods, and cases of missing data were excluded. Failure of medical treatment was defined as the need for surgical intervention due to a retained gestational sac, severe bleeding or retained products of conception. The cohort study was divided into two groups: patients with successful treatment and patients for whom surgical intervention was eventually needed. We performed both a univariate and multivariate analysis in order to identify whether a correlation between GA-LMP and GA-US interval is indeed a factor in the success rate of a medical abortion. Results: Overall, 778 patients were included in the study. From this cohort 582 (74.9%) had undergone a successful medical treatment, while 196 (25.1%) required surgical intervention due to the failure of medical treatment, as defined above. The GA-LMP to GA-US interval (in weeks) was 2.6 ± 1.4 in the success group, while the GA in the failure group was 3.1 ± 1.6 (p < 0.001). After performing a multivariant regression analysis, we were able to show that the GA-LMP to GA-US interval was found to be independently correlated with an increase in the treatment failure rate (aOR = 1.24, CI 95% (1.01-1.51), p = 0.03). Conclusions: In cases of miscarriage, longer GA-LMP to GA-US interval has been shown to be an independently correlated factor to lower success rate of the medical treatment option.

Urinary Incontinence in Parous Women Practicing Non-Extreme Competitive Sports Compared to the General Population.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the prevalence of urinary symptoms in physically active females to the general population represented by medical staff. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a survey utilizing the UDI-6 questionnaire on women playing catchball for at least one year and training twice a week or more in an official Israeli competitive league. The control group consisted of women practicing medicine (physicians and nurses). RESULTS: The study group consisted of 317 catchball players and the control group consisted of 105 medical staff practitioners. Both groups were similar in most of the demographic characteristics. Urinary symptoms represented by UDI-6 scores were higher in women in the catchball group. Frequency and urgency symptoms were common in women playing catchball. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) was insignificant between the groups (43.8% in the catchball group and 35.2% in the medical staff group, p = 0.114). However, severe symptoms of SUI were more common in catchball players. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of all urinary symptoms were higher in in catchball players. SUI symptoms were common in both groups. However, severe symptoms of SUI were more common in catchball players.

The association of placental histopathological lesions and adverse obstetric outcomes in patients with Müllerian anomalies.

INTRODUCTION: An increased risk of an unfavorable obstetric outcome has been reported in relation with Müllerian anomalies (MA). We evaluated whether placental lesions are more frequent among patients with MA and correlates with adverse pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: The medical records and placental histopathologyy of consecutive patients with MA between 2007 and 2020 were reviewed. A control group matched for maternal age and pregnancy complications was selected in a 1:1 ratio. Characteristics were then compared between the MA and control groups. RESULTS: The study group included 110 patients with MA. Patients in the MA group gave birth at earlier gestational age as (35.8 ± 3.3 vs 39.1 ± 1.3 weeks, respectively, P < 0.001). Placental weight <10th percentile was significantly more frequent in the MA cohort compared with controls (31% vs. 6%, respectively, p < 0.001). Higher rates of vascular and villous lesions of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) were also detected in the MA group (P = 0.04, P = 0.01, respectively). On multivariable analysis the presence of MA was an independent predictor of composite placental MVM lesions (OR 3.9, 95% CI 2.2, 6, p = 0.04). Using multivariate logistic regression models, the presence of MA was also found to be an independent predictor of small for gestational age (SGA), (OR 4.2, 95% CI 2.7, 11.7, p = 0.01). DISCUSSION: MA are associated with placental MVM lesions and SGA independent of background confounders including gestational age - suggesting a placental involvement in the association between MA and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Prospective studies among larger cohorts are needed to corroborate our results.

The Hemodynamic Effect of Intravenous Paracetamol in Children: A Retrospective Chart Review.

AIM: Studies in adults have reported frequent episodes of blood pressure drops following intravenous paracetamol administration. We aimed to investigate the hemodynamic effects of intravenous paracetamol in critically ill children. METHODS: The charts of 100 pediatric intensive care patients (age range 0.1-18 years) who were treated with intravenous paracetamol between March and September 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. A hemodynamic event was defined as a drop of > 15% in systolic or mean arterial blood pressure within 120 min after drug administration. Hypotension was defined as either a drop in systolic blood pressure (SBP) below the 5th percentile for age or a hemodynamic event associated with tachycardia, increased lactate level, or treatment with a fluid bolus or vasopressors. RESULTS: A hemodynamic event was observed in 39 patients (39%). In these patients, SBP was in the pre-hypertension or hypertension values in 36/39 patients before paracetamol administration, median (IQR) SBP decreased from the 99th (95-99) percentile for age before to the 50th (50-95) percentile after paracetamol (p < 0.001) and mean heart rate was 137 bpm before treatment and 115 bpm after (p = 0.002). SBP values did not drop below the 5th percentile in any patient. In 15 patients diagnosed with shock on admission, paracetamol treatment did not cause an increase in vasopressor treatment after drug administration. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study of critically ill pediatric patients, intravenous paracetamol administration was associated with a drop in SBP from high to normal values for age, possibly due to pain relief, with no evidence for a negative hemodynamic event.