The relationship between resolution of asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis and spontaneous preterm birth in fetal fibronectin-positive women.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of persistent bacterial vaginosis (BV) on the occurrence of spontaneous preterm birth (SPB) in women who test positive for fetal fibronectin. STUDY DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of a subset of pregnant women who tested positive for BV and fetal fibronectin between 16(0/7) and 25(6/7) weeks of gestation and who participated in randomized placebo controlled trials of antibiotic therapy. Nugent's criteria were used for the diagnosis of BV. Patients were reassessed for the presence of BV after treatment. The rate of SPB at <34 weeks of gestation was analyzed on the basis of treatment mode and BV status at the follow-up visit. RESULTS: The primary studies included a total of 3285 women. A subset of 215 women met the criteria for this analysis. Seventy-seven of 100 patients (77%) in the antibiotics group vs 33 of the 115 patients (28.7%) in the placebo group became BV negative (P < .0001). The rate of SPB at <34 weeks of gestation was lower for BV resolution compared with persistent BV (0 vs 5.7%, respectively; P = .01). CONCLUSION: In women who tested positive for fetal fibronectin and BV, resolution of BV is associated with less SPB before 34 weeks of gestation.

Frequency of congenital varicella syndrome in a prospective cohort of 347 pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the rate of congenital varicella zoster virus syndrome in neonates born to women developing varicella zoster virus infections during pregnancy. METHODS: Pregnant women with clinical varicella zoster virus infection were enrolled at ten perinatal centers. Maternal and fetal immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM by fluorescent antibody confirmed 74.3% of cases. Specialists examined neonates at 0-6 months, 7-18 months, and 19-30 months after delivery to detect abnormalities of their eyes, hearing, and physical and developmental features. A hierarchical set of criteria was used to define congenital varicella syndrome. A jury of four investigators assigned the classification of all findings. RESULTS: In 362 women enrolled from 1993 to 1996, 15 had herpes zoster, and 347 had primary varicella zoster virus infection. Varicella zoster virus affected 140 women (38.7%) in the first trimester, 122 (33.7%) in the second trimester, and 100 (27.6%) in the third trimester. Five twin pairs were included. Only one case (0.4%) of definite congenital varicella syndrome was found, a 3360-g female infant having a left retinal macular lesion with typical skin scars after maternal varicella at 24 weeks. The maternal blood sample at birth was negative for IgG antibodies to toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus. Two cases involved fetal death at 20 weeks and fetal hydrops at 17 weeks after maternal varicella at 11 and 5 weeks, respectively. We found no cases of limb hypoplasia, microcephalus, or cataract. CONCLUSION: The frequency of congenital varicella syndrome is very low (0.4%) in a prospectively studied cohort. Eye examinations of exposed infants had a low yield.

Obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome: an update on pathophysiology and management.

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) are acquired antibodies directed against negatively charged phospholipids, a group of inner and outer cell membrane antigens found in mammals. Obstetric antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is diagnosed in the presence of certain clinical features in conjunction with positive laboratory findings. Although obstetric APS was originally reported in association with slow progressive thrombosis and infarction in the placenta, it is most often associated with a poor obstetric outcome. In fact, obstetric APS is one of the most commonly identified causes of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Thus obstetric APS is distinguished from APS in other organ systems where the most common manifestation is thrombosis. Several pathophysiological mechanisms of action of aPLs have been described. The most common histopathological finding in early pregnancy loss has been defective endovascular decidual trophoblastic invasion. Treatment with heparin and aspirin is emerging as the therapy of choice, with ∼75% of treated women with RPL and aPLs having a successful delivery compared with <50% without treatment. This review highlights the diagnostic challenges of obstetric APS, the obstetric complications associated with APS, proposed pathophysiological mechanisms of APS during pregnancy, and the management of women during and after pregnancy.

Have we met the educational challenges of obstetrics and gynecology? A response to the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Initiative of 1986.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the progress that has been made toward meeting the educational challenges in obstetrics and gynecology that were made at an Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology special forum in 1986. STUDY DESIGN: We placed the five major issues and specific problems that were identified within the context of developments that have occurred in medical education, the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the specialty over the last 15 years. We used the medical education literature and the accomplishments of the members of the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology to measure progress. RESULTS: Many of the challenges that were raised at the original forum remain. Significant progress, much of it spearheaded by the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has been made in the areas of teaching methods and skills, evaluation techniques, faculty development, computer usage, teaching recognition, counseling for the fourth-year student, and an integrated curriculum in women's health. CONCLUSION: Progress has occurred within the context and demands of a changing health care system that constricts the time and funding that are available for medical education.

Risk factors and outcome of varicella-zoster virus pneumonia in pregnant women.

To determine the factors associated with an increased risk of developing varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pneumonia during pregnancy, a case-control analysis was done in which 18 pregnant women with VZV pneumonia were compared with 72 matched control subjects. VZV infection was identified clinically, and VZV pneumonia was diagnosed by dyspnea and findings on chest radiographs. Of 347 pregnant women with VZV infection, 18 (5.2%) had pneumonia treated with acyclovir, and none died. Mean gestational age at rash onset was 25.8 plus minus 8.8 weeks for patients with pneumonia and 17.7 +/- 10.3 weeks for control subjects, which was not significant in the multivariable model. Women with VZV pneumonia were significantly more likely to be current smokers (odds ratio [OR], 5.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-16.7) and to have > or = 100 skin lesions (OR, 15.9; 95% CI, 1.9-130.2). Pregnant women with VZV infection may be more likely to develop varicella pneumonia if they are smokers or manifest > or = 100 skin lesions.

The process of translating women's health care competencies into educational objectives.

"Women's Health Care Competencies for Medical Students" lists the competencies undifferentiated medical students should be able to demonstrate before graduation. The Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) was among the groups asked to convert specified competencies into educational objectives. Working individually, APGO's Undergraduate Medical Education Committee members used APGO's Medical Student Educational Objectives, Seventh Edition, to construct objectives appropriate to preassigned competencies. Referring to the work of Miller, members determined the level of professional competence medical students should reach for each objective. Members also selected evaluation tools appropriate for the skill and its competency level from the Toolbox of Assessment Methods created by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the American Board of Medical Specialties. The group collectively revised the work of its members using a standard format to generate the final product.