Pregnancy and placental outcomes according to maternal BMI in women with preeclampsia: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Obesity and preeclampsia share similar patho-mechanisms and can both affect placental pathology. We aimed to investigate pregnancy outcomes in correlation with placental pathology among pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia in three different maternal body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) groups. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, medical and pathological records of patients with preeclampsia and a singleton pregnancy delivered between 2008 and 2021 at a single tertiary medical center were reviewed. Study population was divided into three BMI groups: BMI < 22.6 kg/m2 (low BMI group), 22.7 ≤ BMI ≤ 28.0 kg/m2 (middle-range BMI group), and BMI > 28.0 kg/m2 (high BMI group). Data regarding maternal characteristics, neonatal outcomes, and placental histopathological lesions were compared. RESULTS: The study groups included a total of 295 patients diagnosed with preeclampsia-98, 99, and 98 in the low, middle-range, and high BMI groups respectively. Neonatal birth weight was significantly decreased in the low maternal BMI group compared to both middle and high BMI groups (p = 0.04) with a similar trend seen in placental weight (p = 0.03). Villous changes related to maternal malperfusion were more prevalent in the low and high BMI groups compared to middle-range BMI group (p < 0.01) and composite maternal vascular malperfusion lesions were also more prevalent in the groups of BMI extremities compared to the middle-range BMI group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Maternal BMI might influence neonatal outcomes and placental pathology in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. Both extremes of BMI were associated with higher rates of placental maternal vascular malperfusion. Balanced BMI in women at risk for preeclampsia may reduce the incidence of placental lesions.

Feasibility of Fetal Proximal Lateral Cerebral Ventricle Measurement.

OBJECTIVES: Measuring the posterior horn of the lateral ventricle in the fetus during ultrasound scans may be challenging. We aimed to examine this measurement feasibility, in relation to gestational age. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted, including nonanomalous fetuses, in which both lateral ventricles measured less than 10 mm during anomaly scans. The measurements were performed according to the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology guidelines. Success rate of measuring both ventricles was assessed at different gestational ages. Association between lateral ventricle width with contralateral ventricle width, gender, gestational age, and fetal head position were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 156 cases were recruited. The lateral ventricle distal to the probe was measured in all cases. In 10 cases proximal lateral ventricle could not be adequately measured (failed proximal ventricle measurement group). In 146 scans both ventricle measurements were available. All 10 cases of failed proximal ventricle measurement were in third trimester (30-38 weeks). Success rate of measurement of both ventricles was 100%, 96.2%, 71.4%, and 37.5% for gestational week 14-29, 30-32, 33-35, and 36-38, respectively (P <.001). Proximal lateral ventricle width was strongly associated with the distal ventricle width (B = 0.422, 95% confidence interval 0.29, 0.555, P <.001), but not with head position, fetal gender, or gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of the proximal lateral ventricle is feasible in most cases, even during late third trimester scans. Efforts should be made to visualize both ventricles in every evaluation of the fetal brain.

Association of the Cerebro-Placental Ratio With Adverse Outcomes in Pregnancies Affected by Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: Cerebro-placental ratio (CPR) is a doppler tool contributes to clinical decision-making in pregnancies affected by small for gestational age weight (SGA). Pregnancies affected by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) tend to have higher newborn weight, but greater risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. We hypothesized that in GDM-complicated-pregnancies CPR will be associated with adverse perinatal outcomes even in the absence of SGA. METHODS: This prospective single-center cohort study included non-anomalous singleton pregnancies in women with GDM. Those with pre-pregnancy diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorder or suspected SGA were excluded. Routine fetal sonographic assessment included CPR-defined as middle cerebral artery pulsatilty index/umbilical artery pulsatilty index. Masked CPR measurement closest to birth was used, classified as >10th (normal) or ≤10th centile (low). Primary outcome was a composite, consisting of stillbirth, Caesarean birth due to abnormal fetal heart rate pattern, 5-minute Apgar <7, cord arterial pH < 7.0, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, or NICU admission >24 hours. RESULTS: Of 281 participants, 24 (8.5%) had low CPR, at a mean gestational age of 36.3 weeks (IQR 34.0-37.4). Birthweight percentile was significantly lower among the low CPR group (35th [IQR 16-31] versus 60th [IQR 31-82]; P = .002). There was no statistically difference in the primary composite outcome between the groups (8.3% versus 7.0%, P = .68). Low CPR was significantly associated with a higher risk of neonatal hypoglycemia (adjusted odds ratio 3.2, 95% CI 1.2-8.3). CONCLUSION: In pregnancies affected by GDM, CPR ≤10th percentile was not associated with adverse perinatal outcome but was associated with neonatal hypoglycemia.

Does parity affect pregnancy outcomes in the elderly gravida?

PURPOSE: To identify whether older primiparas have more complications than do women who continue to deliver children into their late reproductive age. Patients of at least 35 years of age at delivery were included. Within this cohort, data from primiparous and multiparous women were compared. METHODS: This retrospective study was based on electronic medical records from a single academic center, with more than 7000 deliveries annually. The impact of parity on maternal complications was assessed using a multivariate logistic regression model that adjusted for baseline maternal characteristics and medical history. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 54 283 deliveries in our medical center. A total of 13,982 (25.7%) patients were at least 35 years old at delivery. The rate of twin pregnancy was higher in the primiparous group (1.9%) as compared to the multiparous group (0.8%, 95% CI 0.30-0.64, P < 0.001), as was the incidence of delivery prior to 34 weeks (6.1% of the primiparas versus 2.9% of the multiparas, P < 0.001, OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.75-2.68); hypertensive disorders (3.9% versus 1.7%, P < 0.001, 95% CI 0.33-0.57); diabetes (4.6% versus 3.2%, P = 0.003, 95% CI 0.55-0.88); and IUGR (10.5% versus 4.7%, P < 0.001, 95% CI 0.35-049), respectively. The increased risk for pre-term delivery, hypertensive disorders, diabetes, and IUGR was maintained after logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: We found that pregnancy complications typical to older parous women are significantly more common among primiparas, indicating that not only older age, but also having a first child relatively late in the reproductive period contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Vaginal examination vs. cervical length - which is superior in predicting preterm birth?

OBJECTIVE: To compare the predictive value of preterm birth (PTB) by transvaginal sonographic cervical length (CL) measurement to digital examination of the cervix (Bishop score - BS), in patients with premature contractions (PC) and intact membranes. DESIGN: A retrospective case-control study. SETTING: Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel. POPULATION: Women at 24-34 weeks of gestation who were hospitalized with PC and intact membranes. METHODS: All patients underwent CL and BS measurements upon admission. Power analysis revealed that 375 patients were needed to show a significant difference between the two methods for predicting PTB. Each one served as her own control. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: PTB<37 and<34 weeks. RESULTS: Receiver-operator characteristic curve (ROC) and logistic regression analyses indicated a correlation between both shortened CL and increased BS to PTB (P<0.001). Neither test offered an advantage in predicting PTB. Areas under the curve for BS and CL ROC were similar for PTB before 37 weeks gestation (0.611 vs. 0.640, P=0.28). For nulliparous women, CL predicted PTB better that BS (0.642 vs. 0.724, P=0.03). For singleton and multiple pregnancy pregnancies, BS and CL did not differ significantly in predicting PTB (P=0.9, P=0.2, respectively). For nulliparous with multiple pregnancy, the BS and CL ROC curves differ nearly significantly (0.554 vs. 0.709, P=0.07), with better predictive ability for CL. CONCLUSIONS: CL and BS have similar value in predicting PTB in patients with PC. For nulliparous women, CL is superior over the BS.

Telomere homeostasis in trophoblasts and in cord blood cells from pregnancies complicated with preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures, essential for chromosome stability and cell survival. Telomeres are progressively shortened with each cell division and by environmental factors. Telomere loss has been linked to age and stress-induced premature senescence. Dysfunctional telomeres tend to form aggregates, which consist of the end-to-end fusion of telomeres. Telomere elongation is carried out by telomerase, which is a specific reverse transcriptase capable of adding telomeric repeats to chromosome termini. The TERC gene encodes the RNA template of the telomerase. Another compensatory mechanism that is enhanced in response to telomere shortening and senescence is the telomere capture (TC). Telomere shortening and elevated aggregate formation have been observed in trophoblasts from pregnancies complicated with preeclampsia (PE). OBJECTIVE: We opted to study mechanisms of telomere shortening in trophoblasts from pregnancies complicated with PE and to assess telomere length and homeostasis in fetal cord blood cells from PE pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: Placental specimens and cord blood samples from uncomplicated pregnancies and from pregnancies complicated with PE were collected. Staining with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole was used to assess nuclear fragmentation: senescence-associated heterochromatin foci (SAHF). Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to evaluate TERC gene copy number and TC. Telomere length and aggregate formation were assessed in cord blood using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were applied to test the differences between the study groups. RESULTS: Nine samples from pregnant patients with PE without intrauterine growth restriction and 14 samples from uncomplicated pregnancies that served as controls were collected. In cord blood cells, no differences were observed in telomere length, aggregate formation, TERC copy number, TC, or SAHF between PE and controls. In PE trophoblasts the percentage of cells with SAHF was higher in PE trophoblasts compared to controls (56.8 SD = 10.5% vs 35.2 SD = 10.7%, P = .028). The percentage of cells with abnormal TERC copy number was increased in PE trophoblasts compared to controls (31 ± 3.6% vs 12.97 SD = 5%, P = .004) as well as the percentage of cells with TC (27.4 SD = 9.4% vs 16 SD = 4.67%, P = .028). CONCLUSION: We suggest that telomere shortening in PE trophoblasts is linked to cellular increased senescence. Alterations in telomere homeostasis mechanisms are present in such cases. These findings support the role of telomeres in the pathogenesis of trophoblastic dysfunction in PE. The lack of telomere shortening, modified telomere homeostasis mechanisms, and increased senescence in cord blood from pregnancies complicated with PE suggests that these processes are probably restricted primarily to the placenta.

Adhesions at repeat cesarean delivery: is there a personal impact?

PURPOSE: The rise in the rate of cesarean deliveries highlights complications related to adhesion formation. This study evaluated whether the incidence and severity of adhesions secondary to repeat cesarean deliveries are a consequence of repeated surgeries or due to an individual's propensity to develop adhesions. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for 160 patients who had more than two repeat cesarean deliveries in a single teaching hospital. Data regarding intra-abdominal adhesions were collected. The severity, location, density and amount of adhesions were evaluated based on standard operative reports. Adhesion progression in subsequent cesarean deliveries was evaluated for each individual patient. RESULTS: 69/160 (43 %) patients developed significant adhesions following the primary cesarean delivery. Of these, 46 (67 %) had significant adhesions at the second surgery. Of the 91 (57 %) patients, who did not develop significant adhesions after the primary cesarean delivery, 34 (37 %) had significant adhesions at the third surgery. A patient presenting with significant adhesions at her second cesarean had a 1.88-fold risk for significant adhesions at her third cesarean (95 % CI 1.3-2.7). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that adhesion development might be influenced by individual factors more than by the number of cesarean deliveries.

Vaginal Progesterone for Pregnancy Prolongation After Arrested Preterm Labor: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Women with arrested preterm labor (APTL) are at very high risk for spontaneous preterm delivery (SPTD), the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. To date, no maintenance therapy has been found to be effective for pregnancy prolongation. A few clinical trials with considerable methodological limitations have demonstrated some efficacy for 400 mg vaginal micronized progesterone (VMP) in women with APTL. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of daily 400 mg VMP for the prolongation of pregnancy after APTL. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial was conducted between December 19, 2018, and February 27, 2023, in 3 university-affiliated medical centers in Israel. Participants included women with singleton and twin pregnancies after APTL following tocolysis at 24 weeks 0 days to 34 weeks 0 days' gestation. Women with a history of preterm delivery or asymptomatic cervical shortening in the current pregnancy were excluded. Interventions: Participants were randomly allocated to receive VMP 200 mg twice a day or no treatment until 36 weeks 6 days' gestation. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end points were mean number of days from study enrollment to delivery and the rate of SPTD prior to 37 weeks' gestation. Results: A total of 129 participants were enrolled (65 in the VMP group and 64 in the no-treatment group). Mean (SD) age was 27.6 (5.1) years. Between the VMP and no-treatment groups, there was no difference in pregnancy prolongation (mean [SD], 40.0 [17.8] vs 37.4 [20.3] days; P = .44) and the rate of SPTD (16 [25%] vs 19 [30%]; relative risk, 0.8; 95% CI, 0.5-1.5; P = .52). In twin pregnancies, including 12 and 15 pairs in the VMP and no-treatment groups, respectively, VMP prolonged pregnancy (mean [SD], 43.7 [18.1] vs 26.1 [15.2] days; P = .02), postponed the delivery week (36.5 [1.4] vs 34.7 [2.2] weeks; P = .01), shortened the length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (4.9 [10.6] vs 13.2 [18.5] days; P = .03) and overall hospital stay (8.3 [9.6] vs 15.1 [17.2] days; P = .03), and was associated with a higher birth weight (2444 [528] vs 2018 [430] g; P = .01). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings show that VMP given in a dosage of 200 mg twice a day following APTL is not an effective treatment to prolong pregnancy or prevent SPTD. However, VMP demonstrated beneficial effects in twin pregnancies, warranting further investigation. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02430233.

Improved neonatal outcomes in pregnancies with coexisting gestational diabetes and preeclampsia in normal birthweight neonates- insights from a retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to assess neonatal and maternal outcomes in appropriate-for-gestational-weight (AGA) neonates of mothers with both gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and preeclampsia (PET). METHODS: Medical records of women diagnosed with GDM or PET were reviewed. Women with AGA neonates were divided into three groups- GDM, PET, and GDM + PET and maternal neonatal and placental outcomes were compared. The primary outcome was a composite of adverse neonatal outcomes, including intensive care unit admission (NICU), neurological morbidity, hypoglycemia, ventilation, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), phototherapy, sepsis, blood transfusion, and neonatal death. Post-hoc analysis was performed to determine between-group significance. RESULTS: Composite adverse neonatal outcomes are significantly lower in women with multiple morbidities compared to women with confined PET (p = 0.015), and a similar trend is observed when comparing neonatal outcomes between women with GDM to those with GDM + PET, yet these results are underpowered (18.9 % vs. 12.8 % respectively, p = 0.243). Placentas of women with GDM + PET were larger, with a lower rate of placentas below the 10th percentile as compared to placentas of women with isolated PET (p < 0.001), but with similar rates of MVM lesions. DISCUSSION: While maternal and placental outcomes in patients of the GDM + PET group resemble the characteristics of the PET group, surprisingly, the neonatal outcomes in this group are significantly better compared to isolated morbidities. The paradoxical benefit attributed to the coexistence of GDM + PET may be explained by a balance of the opposing trends characterizing these morbidities-the reduced blood and nutrient supply characterizing PET vs. chronic overflow and abundance typical of GDM. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: approval of local ethics committee WOMC-19-0152.

The effect of oral probiotics on glycemic control of women with gestational diabetes mellitus-a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus should be treated adequately to avoid maternal hyperglycemia-related complications. Previously, probiotic supplements were suggested to improve fasting blood glucose in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. However, a major limitation of previous studies was that preprandial and especially postprandial glucose values, which are important predictors of pregnancy outcomes, were not studied. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the effect of a mixture of probiotic strains on maternal glycemic parameters, particularly preprandial and postprandial glucose values and pregnancy outcomes among women with gestational diabetes mellitus. STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter prospective randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Women newly diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus were randomly allocated into a research group, receiving 2 capsules of oral probiotic formula containing Bifidobacterium bifidum, B lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L paracasei, L rhamnosus, and Streptococcus thermophilus (>6 × 109/capsule), and a control group, receiving a placebo (2 capsules/day) until delivery. Glycemic control was evaluated by daily glucose charts. After 2 weeks, pharmacotherapy was started in case of poor glycemic control. The primary outcomes were the rate of women requiring medications for glycemic control and mean daily glucose charts after 2 weeks of treatment with the study products. RESULTS: Forty-one and 44 women were analyzed in the treatment and placebo cohorts, respectively. Mean daily glucose during the first 2 weeks in the probiotics and placebo groups was 99.7±7.9 and 98.0±9.3 mg/dL, respectively (P=.35). The rate of women needing pharmacotherapy because of poor glycemic control after 2 weeks of treatment in the probiotics and placebo groups was 24 (59%) and 18 (41%), respectively (P=.10). Mean preprandial and postprandial glucose levels throughout the study period were similar between the groups (P>.05). There were no differences in maternal and neonatal outcomes, including birthweight and adverse effect profile between the groups. CONCLUSION: The oral probiotic product tested in this study did not affect glycemic control of women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Intermittent vs continuous catheterization for postpartum urinary retention: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum urinary retention is a common complication in the immediate postpartum period. However, there is no consensus regarding optimal management. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare 2 catheterization strategies for the treatment of postpartum urinary retention. STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted at 4 university-affiliated medical centers between January 2020 and June 2022. Individuals with postpartum urinary retention (bladder volume of >150 mL) up to 6 hours after vaginal or cesarean delivery were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 protocols: intermittent catheterization every 6 hours, up to 4 times, or continuous catheterization with an indwelling urinary catheter for 24 hours. If postpartum urinary retention was not resolved after 24 hours, an indwelling catheter was inserted for an additional 24 hours in both groups. The primary endpoint was the mean time to postpartum urinary retention resolution. The secondary endpoints included postcatheter urinary tract infection rate and length of hospital stay. The satisfaction rate was estimated using the 30-Item Birth Satisfaction Scale questionnaire. RESULTS: After randomization, 73 individuals were allocated to the intermittent catheterization group, and 74 individuals were allocated to the continuous catheterization group. The mean time to postpartum urinary retention resolution was significantly shorter in the intermittent catheterization group than in the continuous catheterization group (10.2±11.8 vs 26.5±9.0 hours; P<.001), with 75% and 93% resolution rates after 1 and 2 catheterizations, respectively. The number of individuals who achieved resolution at 24 hours was 72 (99%) in the intermittent catheterization group and 67 (91%) in the continuous catheterization group (P=.043). The satisfaction rate was higher in all categories in the intermittent catheterization group than in the continuous catheterization group (P<.001). No intercohort difference was found in the urinary tract infection rates (P=.89) or hospital stay length (P=.58). CONCLUSION: Compared with indwelling catheterization, intermittent catheterization for urinary retention after delivery was associated with quicker postpartum urinary retention resolution and a higher satisfaction rate without increasing the complication rates.

Association between level of training and reliability of intrapartum transperineal ultrasound measurement of angle of progression.

OBJECTIVES: Intrapartum transperineal ultrasound (ITU) is an accepted tool for assessing fetal head position and station prior to operative vaginal delivery attempt. However, the validity of intrapartum ultrasound in real-life obstetrics with operators at different proficiency level is yet to be established. We aimed to investigate the association between operator level of training and reliability of angle of progression (AOP) measurements in real-life obstetrics. METHODS: This was a retrospective study in one university medical center. We included women who underwent ITU for the measurement of AOP, before vacuum assisted delivery from November 2017 to September 2020. AOP measurements performed by residents and their correlation to head station were compared to those performed by specialists. RESULTS: A total of 320 cases met the inclusion criteria. In 234 of them, AOP measurements were performed by specialists and in 86 by residents. Average AOP for each station was similar between the specialists and the residents groups, indicating similar accuracy. However, measurements in the residents group were more scattered (median deviation 11.4° vs. 8.9°, respectively, p = .021), indicating poorer precision. CONCLUSIONS: AOP measurements performed by obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) specialists are more precise than those performed by residents. Efforts should be taken to improve ITU training and to implement assessment of performance programs.

The yield of the prenatal work-up in intrauterine growth restriction and the spectrum of fetal abnormalities detected postnatally †.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the yield of work-up in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) pregnancies and their outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective data regarding prenatal work-up (serology, genetic testing and imaging), and neonatal outcomes of 198 IUGR pregnancies (estimated fetal weight <10th percentile) were analyzed. RESULTS: IUGR was isolated in 72 cases. Work-up performed in 158 (80%) cases was positive in 4 (2.5%). No abnormalities were detected in prenatal genetic testing. Echocardiogram performed in 27 cases was abnormal in 3 (11.1%). Serological testing performed in 150 pregnancies (75.8%) detected 1 case (0.7%) of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Thirteen neonates (6.5%) were diagnosed with significant health problems. A positive work-up and significant postnatal health problems were not correlated with IUGR severity, symmetry or additional concurrent findings. CONCLUSION: The yield of IUGR work-up is not clear and is probably highest for fetal echocardiography. The rate of significant adverse outcomes after birth is increased in IUGR pregnancies.

Obstetric and neonatal outcomes after preterm premature rupture of membranes among women carrying group B streptococcus.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether carriers of group B streptococcus (GBS) have adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes when preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) occurs. METHODS: In a retrospective study, data were reviewed for women with a singleton pregnancy and PPROM before 34 weeks who attended the Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel, between 2005 and 2012. All women received roxithromycin for 1 week, and ampicillin until GBS culture results were available. Ampicillin was continued to 1 week if the GBS culture was positive. The primary study outcome measure was the latency period (time from rupture of membranes to active/induced labor). RESULTS: Among 116 eligible patients, 21 (18.1%) were GBS carriers and 95 (81.9%) noncarriers. The latency period was 11.2 ± 18.1 days for GBS carriers versus 7.5 ± 9.6 days for noncarriers (P=0.93). However, there was a correlation between the length of ampicillin treatment and the latency period (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.7; P<0.001). There were no differences in early neonatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: GBS carriers with PPROM did not have adverse outcomes. Longer treatment with ampicillin among GBS carriers prolonged the latency period.