Vasa previa: when antenatal diagnosis can change fetal prognosis.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate ultrasound diagnostic accuracy, maternal-fetal characteristics and outcomes in case of vasa previa diagnosed antenatally, postnatally or with spontaneous resolution before delivery. METHODS: Monocentric retrospective study enrolling women with antenatal or postnatal diagnosis of vasa previa at Sant'Anna Hospital in Turin from 2007 to 2018. Vasa previa were defined as fetal vessels that lay 2 cm within the uterine internal os using 2D and Color Doppler transvaginal ultrasound. Diagnosis was confirmed at delivery and on histopathological exam. Vasa previa with spontaneous resolutions were defined as fetal vessels that migrate >2 cm from uterine internal os during scheduled ultrasound follow-ups in pregnancy. RESULTS: We enrolled 29 patients (incidence of 0.03%). Ultrasound antenatally diagnosed 25 vasa previa (five had a spontaneous resolution) while four were diagnosed postnatally, with an overall sensitivity of 96.2%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 96.2%, and negative predictive value of 100%. Early gestational age at diagnosis is significally associate with spontaneously resolution (p 0.023; aOR 1.63; 95% IC 1.18-2.89). Nearly 93% of our patient had a risk factor for vasa previa: placenta previa at second trimester or low-lying placenta, bilobated placenta, succenturiate cotyledon, velametous cord insertion or assisted reproduction technologies. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal and fetal outcomes in case of vasa previa antenatally diagnosed are significally improved. Our data support the evaluation of umbilical cord insertion during routine second trimester ultrasound and a targeted screening for vasa previa in women with risk factor: it allows identification of fetus at high risk, reducing fetal mortality in otherwise healthy newborns.

Arteriovenous uterine malformation developed from an interstitial pregnancy on residual tubal stump: A critical managment in a fertile woman.

Uterine arteriovenous malformations are rare conditions with diverse clinical presentation that range from asymptomatic patients to different degrees of menorrhagia, commonly associated with previous pregnancy or uterine trauma. This case report describes a 36-year-old woman who presented with ultrasound diagnosis of interstitial pregnancy on residual right tube stump 4 months after a laparoscopic salpingectomy for extrauterine pregnancy. She started treatment with methotrexate; afterwards serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels and ultrasound follow-ups were scheduled. While serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels were progressively reducing, transvaginal ultrasound follow-ups showed a persistent anechoic mass on right rube stump, with increased peripheral high flow vascularity: highly suspicious for a uterine arteriovenous malformation. A laparoscopy was performed with a tumorectomy of the mass. The histopathological exam of the specimen confirmed uterine arteriovenous malformation. Patient successfully became pregnant 2 years later, with an eventless pregnancy and a vaginal delivery without complications.

Maternal outcomes in first and second trimester termination of pregnancy: which are the risk factors?

AIMS: To evaluate maternal complications of first trimester and second trimester termination of pregnancy (TOP) performed after first or second trimester positive prenatal diagnosis (PD). RESULTS: We performed a retrospective study from January 2007 to December 2011, on 844 patients, who underwent a TOP after positive amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) for foetal aneuploidies, performed for maternal age ≥35 years of age, positive prenatal screening (PS) or for genetic reasons. Exclusions criteria were gestational age >22+0 weeks, twin pregnancy and co-existing maternal pathologies. We compared maternal complications of first trimester and second trimester TOP and we established which risk factors were correlated to higher maternal complications (haemorrhages, transfusion, repeated uterine curettage and infections). Maternal complications were significantly higher in second trimester TOP. Previous uterine surgery is a significant risk factor for maternal complications in second trimester TOP, but not in first trimester TOP. Six uterine ruptures and three hysterectomies occurred, all in multiparous women with second trimester TOP. All uterine ruptures occurred in women with previous caesarean sections. CONCLUSIONS: First trimester TOP in women with risks factors for maternal complications guarantees better maternal outcomes and less health costs. Thus, in these women we should prefer a first trimester PS and PD.

Vegan-vegetarian low-protein supplemented diets in pregnant CKD patients: fifteen years of experience.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy in women with advanced CKD becoming increasingly common. However, experience with low-protein diets in CKD patients in pregnancy is still limited. Aim of this study is to review the results obtained over the last 15 years with moderately restricted low-protein diets in pregnant CKD women (combining: CKD stages 3-5, proteinuria: nephrotic at any time, or > =1 g/24 at start or referral; nephrotic in previous pregnancy). CKD patients on unrestricted diets were employed for comparison. STUDY PERIOD: January, 2000 to September, 2015: 36 on-diet pregnancies (31 singleton deliveries, 3 twin deliveries, 1 pregnancy termination, 1 miscarriage); 47 controls (42 singleton deliveries, 5 miscarriages). The diet is basically vegan; since occasional milk and yoghurt are allowed, we defined it vegan-vegetarian; protein intake (0.6-0.8 g/Kg/day), keto-acid supplementation, protein-unrestricted meals (1-3/week) are prescribed according to CKD stage and nutritional status. Statistical analysis was performed as implemented on SPSS. RESULTS: Patients and controls were similar (p: ns) at baseline with regard to age (33 vs 33.5), referral week (7 vs 9), kidney function (CKD 3-5: 48.4 % vs 64.3 %); prevalence of hypertension (51.6 % vs 40.5 %) and proteinuria >3 g/24 h (16.1 % vs 12.2 %). There were more diabetic nephropathies in on-diet patients (on diet: 31.0 % vs controls 5.3 %; p 0.007 (Fisher)) while lupus nephropathies were non-significantly higher in controls (on diet: 10.3 % vs controls 23.7 %; p 0.28 (Fisher)). The incidence of preterm delivery was similar (<37 weeks: on-diet singletons 77.4 %; controls: 71.4 %). The incidence of other adverse pregnancy related outcomes was non-significantly lower in on-diet patients (early preterm delivery: on diet: 32.3 % vs controls 35.7 %; birth-weight = <1.500 g: on diet: 9.7 % vs controls 23.8 %). None of the singletons in the on-diet series died, while two perinatal deaths occurred among the controls (p = 0.505). The incidence of small for gestational age (SGA <10th centile) and/or extremely preterm babies (<28th week) was significantly lower in singletons from on-diet mothers than in controls (on diet: 12.9 % vs controls: 33.3 %; p: 0.04 (Fisher)). CONCLUSION: Moderate protein restriction in the context of a vegan-vegetarian supplemented diet is confirmed as a safe option in the management of pregnant CKD patients.

A slowly reabsorbed, echogenic surgical thread provides a long-lasting ultrasound-detectable marker of grafted ovarian tissue.

This communication reports a novel technical solution for the orthotopic transplant of cryostored-thawed ovarian tissue. The described technique was applied to three young women with iatrogenic ovarian failure. An echogenic thread that is reabsorbed after 6 months was used to fasten the thawed ovarian small fragments before grafting them onto the atrophic ovary. This technical solution made it possible to avoid the loss of small tissue pieces during laparoscopic grafting as well as to precisely localize the grafted tissue by transvaginal ultrasound during the following months. The precise localization of the grafted tissue was particularly helpful when its revascularization and functional recovery were followed up using, respectively, colour Doppler and transvaginal follicle growth examination. In conclusion, the use of a slowly reabsorbed, ultrasound-detectable surgical thread as an ultrasound-detectable marker able to improve the localization of the exact site at which ovarian tissue was grafted is proposed.

Ultrasound accuracy in prenatal diagnosis of abnormal placentation of posterior placenta previa.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound in prenatal diagnosis of Placenta accrete spectrum disorders in patients with posterior placenta previa, and to assess the impact of prenatal diagnosis in our population. STUDY DESIGN: We prospectively enrolled 198 women with posterior placenta previa from 2011 to 2017. We performed transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound examinations (Grey-scale and colour/power Doppler). The diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorders was based on detection of at least two of the following criteria: loss of retroplacental clear zone, interruption of uterine serosa-bladder wall interface, turbulent placental lacunae with high velocity flow, myometrial thickness <1 mm, increased vascularity of uterine serosa-bladder wall interface, loss of vascular arch parallel to basal plate and/or irregular intraplacental vascularization. Definitive diagnosis was made at delivery with Caesarean section. Furthermore, we compared maternal outcomes in cases diagnosed antenatal versus that one's diagnosed at delivery. RESULTS: There were 20/198 cases of placenta accreta spectrum disorders. The two-criteria system identified 12 cases of placenta accreta, providing a 60.0% of sensitivity, 98.8% of specificity, 85.7% of positive and 95.7% of negative predictive value. Maternal outcomes were better in women with prenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorders, although not statistical significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that grey-scale and Color-Doppler ultrasound evaluation for detecting placenta accreta spectrum disorders on posterior placenta previa have high specificity, positive and negative predictive value, but a low sensitivity. Nevertheless, an antenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorders for posterior placenta previa should be encouraged.

Pregnancy, Proteinuria, Plant-Based Supplemented Diets and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis: A Report on Three Cases and Critical Appraisal of the Literature.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly recognized in pregnant patients. Three characteristics are associated with a risk of preterm delivery or small for gestational age babies; kidney function reduction, hypertension, and proteinuria. In pregnancy, the anti-proteinuric agents (ACE-angiotensin converting enzyme-inhibitors or ARBS -angiotensin receptor blockers) have to be discontinued for their potential teratogenicity, and there is no validated approach to control proteinuria. Furthermore, proteinuria usually increases as an effect of therapeutic changes and pregnancy-induced hyperfiltration. Based on a favourable effect of low-protein diets on proteinuria and advanced CKD, our group developed a moderately protein-restricted vegan-vegetarian diet tsupplemented with ketoacids and aminoacids for pregnant patients. This report describes the results obtained in three pregnant patients with normal renal function, nephrotic or sub-nephrotic proteinuria, and biopsy proven diagnosis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a renal lesion in which hyperfiltration is considered of pivotal importance (case 1: GFR (glomerular filtration rate): 103 mL/min; proteinuria 2.1 g/day; albumin 3.2 g/dL; case 2: GFR 86 mL/min, proteinuria 3.03 g/day, albumin 3.4 g/dL; case 3: GFR 142 mL/min, proteinuria 6.3 g/day, albumin 3.23 g/dL). The moderately restricted diet allowed a stabilisation of proteinuria in two cases and a decrease in one. No significant changes in serum creatinine and serum albumin were observed. The three babies were born at term (38 weeks + 3 days, female, weight 3180 g-62th centile; 38 weeks + 2 days, female, weight 3300 g-75th centile; male, 38 weeks + 1 day; 2770 g-8th centile), thus reassuring us of the safety of the diet. In summary, based on these three cases studies and a review of the literature, we suggest that a moderately protein-restricted, supplemented, plant-based diet might contribute to controlling proteinuria in pregnant CKD women with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. However further studies are warranted to confirm the potential value of such a treatment strategy.