Prevalence of Thyroid Autoimmunity in Women with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.

Background and objectives: Thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) has been associated with a significantly increased risk of miscarriage in women with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of TAI in women with RPL and compare the clinical characteristics of positive and negative TAI women. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study; 203 women with RPL were included. Thyroid profile, anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO-Ab), and anti-thyroglobulin (TG-Ab) antibodies were measured in all participants. Clinical characteristics and causes of RPL were compared between positive and negative TAI. Results: Prevalence of TAI was 14.8%; prevalence of positive TPO-Ab and TG-Ab was 12.3% and 4.9%, respectively. Women with TAI had significantly higher concentrations of thyrotropin (TSH) compared to women without TAI (4.8 ± 3.8 versus 3.1 ± 1.1, p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in age, the number of gestations, miscarriages, state of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), or causes of RPL between women that were TAI-positive versus TAI-negative. Prevalence of positive TAI by cause of RPL was: endocrine 7/25 (28%), genetic 1/5 (20%), autoimmune 1/5 (20%), anatomic 8/55 (14.5%), and unexplained cause 13/112 (11.6%). Conclusions: The prevalence of TAI in women with RPL is 14.8%. Women with an endocrine cause have the highest prevalence of TAI.

Associations between Air Pollution Exposure and Blood Pressure during Pregnancy among PRINCESA Cohort Participants.

High blood pressure (BP) is a risk factor for hypertensive disease during pregnancy. Exposure to multiple toxic air pollutants can affect BP in pregnancy but has been rarely studied. We evaluated trimester-specific associations between air pollution exposure and systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). Ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter less than 10 and 2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10, PM2.5) in the Pregnancy Research on Inflammation, Nutrition, & City Environment: Systematic Analyses (PRINCESA) study. Multipollutant generalized linear regression models with each pollutant and O3 were fit. Due to nonlinear pollution/BP associations, results are presented for "below the median" or "above the median", where the beta estimate is the change in BP at a pollutant's median versus BP at the pollutant's minimum or maximum, respectively. Associations varied across trimesters and pollutants, and deleterious associations (higher blood pressure with higher pollution) were found only at pollutant values below the median: for SBP with NO2 in the second and third trimesters, and PM2.5 during the third trimester, and for DBP, PM2.5, and NO2 in the second and third trimesters. Findings suggest that minimizing prenatal exposure to air pollution may reduce the risks of changes in BP.

Cervicovaginal Cytokines to Predict the Onset of Normal and Preterm Labor: a Pseudo-longitudinal Study.

Inflammatory processes associated with human parturition are still not completely understood, not only because the gap between inflammation and the onset of labor has been difficult to study but also because of the limited knowledge about the role of cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) cytokines during the sequence of labor. We aimed to determine whether CVF cytokines could predict the onset of normal and preterm labor. Chemokines and proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in CVF were measured in a pseudo-longitudinal manner in healthy women between 12 and 41 weeks gestation with intact fetal membranes before and during the first stage of labor. Women were grouped into five stages, from the absence of uterine activity and cervical changes to regular uterine contractions with cervix dilation > 3 cm (active phase of labor). Of 144 women with spontaneous labor, 96 gave birth at term, 48 gave birth preterm, and both groups displayed similar cytokine concentrations. We found positive correlations between proinflammatory cytokines and the initial sequence of labor, using individual cytokines and score-based data by principal component analysis (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6) as dependent variables. The risk of labor onset increased as the concentrations of IL-6 increased (hazard ratio = 202.09, 95% confidence interval = 24.57-1662.49, P < 0.001). The IL-6 concentration predicted the onset of labor within 12 days of sampling (area under the time-dependent ROC curve = 0.785, 95% confidence interval = 0.693-0.877). Here, we showed that regardless of gestational age, the onset of labor could be predicted by the IL-6 concentration in the CVF, since the initial sequence of spontaneous labor displayed an inflammatory response expressed by the increase in proinflammatory cytokines.

Effect of the Cut-Off Level for Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone on the Prevalence of Subclinical Hypothyroidism among Infertile Mexican Women.

The primary aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) using two different cut-off levels for TSH values (≥2.5 mIU/L versus ≥4.1 mIU/L). The secondary objective was to analyze the clinical-biochemical characteristics in women with and without SCH. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. In total, 1496 Mexican women with infertility were included: Group 1, women with TSH levels ranging between 0.3 and 2.49 mIU/L, n = 886; Group 2, women with TSH between 2.5 and 4.09 mIU/L, n = 390; and Group 3, women with TSH ≥4.1 mIU/L n = 220. SCH prevalence was 40.7% (CI 95%: 38.3-43.3%) with TSH cut-off ≥ 2.5 mIU/L, and 14.7% (CI 95%: 12.7-16.5%) with TSH cut-off ≥ 4.1 mIU/L, (p = 0.0001). The prevalence of overweight was higher in Group 2 than in Groups 1 and 3. Thyroid autoimmunity, obesity and insulin resistance were higher in Group 3 than in Group 1 (p < 0.05). No other differences were observed between groups. Conclusions: The prevalence of SCH in our selected patients increased almost three times using a TSH cut-off ≥ 2.5 mIU/L compared with a TSH cut-off ≥ 4.1 mIU/L. Women with TSH ≥4.1 mIU/L compared with TSH cut-off ≤ 2.5 mIU/L more often presented with obesity, thyroid autoimmunity and insulin resistance.

Prevalencia de las causas de pérdida gestacional recurrente en un centro médico de tercer nivel de atención / Prevalence of the causes of recurrent pregnancy loss in a third-level health care center

Resumen OBJETIVO: Determinar la prevalencia de los principales factores etiológicos de pérdida gestacional recurrente en la población de un hospital de tercer nivel de atención. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio retrospectivo, transversal y descriptivo llevado a cabo en pacientes con protocolo de estudio de dos o más pérdidas gestacionales recurrentes que iniciaron el control prenatal en el servicio de Obstetricia o que ingresaron al Instituto Nacional de Perinatología con diagnóstico de infertilidad entre los meses de enero de 2017 a enero de 2020. En cada grupo se revisaron los factores etiológicos descritos en la bibliografía internacional como posibles causas de pérdida gestacional recurrente. RESULTADOS: Se estudiaron 280 pacientes y el factor con mayor prevalencia de pérdida gestacional recurrente fue el endocrino con el 56.78% (n = 159), seguido del anatómico-uterino con el 42.14% (n = 118) y en tercer lugar el infeccioso con 40.35% (n = 113). En las 75 pacientes del grupo de infertilidad, el factor etiológico más prevalente fue el endocrino (88%; n = 66), seguido del anatómico-uterino (53.3%; n = 40) y a continuación del masculino (50.6%; n = 38). En las pacientes del grupo de Obstetricia, el factor con mayor prevalencia fue el endocrino (45.36%; n = 93), seguido del anatómico-uterino (38.04%; n = 78) y el infeccioso (37%; n = 76). CONCLUSIONES: Los factores relacionados con la pérdida gestacional recurrente, descritos en la bibliografía internacional y analizados en este estudio, mostraron prevalencias similares en población institucional. Las que difieren están influidas por las características de la población estudiada, los recursos de la institución e, incluso, el diagnóstico y servicio por el que ingresaron como pacientes al INPer.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of the main etiological factors of recurrent gestational loss in the population of a tertiary care hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study carried out in patients with study protocol of two or more recurrent gestational losses who initiated prenatal control in the Obstetrics service or who were admitted to the Instituto Nacional de Perinatologia with a diagnosis of infertility between the months of January 2017 to January 2020. In each group, the etiological factors described in the international literature as possible causes of recurrent gestational loss were reviewed. RESULTS: 280 patients were studied and the factor with the highest prevalence of recurrent gestational loss was endocrine with 56.78% (n = 159), followed by anatomic-uterine with 42.14% (n = 118) and thirdly infectious with 40.35% (n = 113). In the 75 patients in the infertility group, the most prevalent etiologic factor was endocrine (88%; n = 66), followed by anatomic-uterine (53.3%; n = 40) and then male (50.6%; n = 38). In patients in the obstetrics group, the factor with the highest prevalence was endocrine (45.36%; n = 93), followed by anatomic-uterine (38.04%; n = 78) and infectious (37%; n = 76). CONCLUSIONS: The factors related to recurrent gestational loss, described in the international literature and analyzed in this study, showed similar prevalences in institutional population. Those that differ are influenced by the characteristics of the population studied, the resources of the institution and, even, the diagnosis and service for which they were admitted as patients to the INPer.

Cardiopatía congénita corregida en la mujer embarazada, experiencia en un hospital de tercer nivel / Correction congenital heart disease in pregnancy patients. Experience in a third level hospital

Resumen OBJETIVO: Describir los desenlaces cardiovasculares, obstétricos y perinatales durante el embarazo y puerperio de pacientes con cardiopatía congénita corregida. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio de cohorte simple, retrospectivo, descriptivo y transversal efectuado en pacientes embarazadas con cardiopatía congénita corregida, atendidas en el Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, entre enero de 2015 y febrero de 2017. Del expediente clínico se obtuvieron los datos demográficos, además de evaluar el riesgo de cardiopatía según la clasificación de la OMS, las comorbilidades y desenlaces obstétricos y perinatales. El análisis estadístico se realizó con el programa SPSS, versión 20. RESULTADOS: Se registraron 24 pacientes con cardiopatía congénita, principalmente comunicación interauricular e interventricular y coartación aórtica. La edad promedio fue de 24.6 años. En cuanto a la clasificación de riesgo de la OMS se encontraron 7 de 24 en OMS I, 8 de 24 en OMS II, 7 de 24 en OMS II-III y 2 de 24 en OMS III. Se observó que 13 de 24 pacientes tenían parche de pericardio bovino, 3 de 24 stent y 4 de 24 válvulas; 1 de 24 tuvo aborto espontáneo, 1 de 24 nacimiento pretérmino y 22 de 24 embarazo de término. El promedio de edad gestacional fue de 38.5 semanas y Apgar a los cinco minutos de 9. Ningún recién nacido ingresó a la unidad de cuidados intensivos, ni se registraron muertes maternas. CONCLUSIONES: El riesgo de alteraciones cardiovasculares durante el embarazo depende de la identificación de la cardiopatía específica y el estado clínico de la paciente. Es importante la asesoría individual, por un equipo multidisciplinario y en un centro especializado desde la etapa inicial del embarazo.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To describe the cardiovascular, obstetric and perinatal outcomes during pregnancy and the puerperium of patients with corrected congenital heart disease; treated at the Instituto Nacional de Perinatología. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Simple, retrospective, descriptive and cross-sectional cohort study of pregnant patients with corrected congenital heart disease treated at the Instituto Nacional de Perinatología of January 2015 at February 2017. The cardiovascular risk according to WHO, comorbidities, obstetric outcomes and perinatal. Demographic data, WHO risk, comorbidities, obstetric outcomes and perinatal. The statistical analysis was carried out with the SPSS program in its version 20. RESULTS: We included 24 patients with congenital heart disease, the most frequent being interatrial and interventricular communication, aortic coarctation; average age of 24.6 years, the WHO risk distribution: 7/24 OMS I, 8/24 OMS II, 7/24 OMS II-III y 2/24 OMS III; 13/24 had a bovine pericardium patch, 3/24 stent, 4/24 valves;1/24 presented spontaneous abortion, 1/24 preterm birth, 22/24 achieved full-term gestation, average gestational age at the resolution of 38.5 SDG, Apgar at 5 minutes of 9, no newborn required admission to NICU, no maternal death occurred. CONCLUSION: The risk of pregnancy depends on the heart disease and clinical condition of the patient. Individual counseling is important, by a multidisciplinary team and in a specialized center from the early stage of pregnancy.