Causal effects of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on structural changes in specific brain regions: a Mendelian randomization study.

This study utilized Mendelian randomization to explore the impact of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and their subtypes on brain structures, using genome-wide association study data from the FinnGen consortium for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy exposure and brain structure data from the ENIGMA consortium as outcomes. The inverse-variance weighted method, along with Cochran's Q test, Mendelian randomization-Egger regression, Mendelian randomization-PRESSO global test, and the leave-one-out approach, were applied to infer causality and assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Findings indicate hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with structural brain alterations, including reduced cortical thickness in areas like the insula, isthmus cingulate gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, temporal pole, and transverse temporal gyrus, and an increased surface area in the superior frontal gyrus. Specific associations were found for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy subtypes: chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia increased cortical thickness in the supramarginal gyrus; preeclampsia/eclampsia led to thinner cortex in the lingual gyrus and larger hippocampal volume and superior parietal lobule surface area. Chronic hypertension was associated with reduced cortical thickness in the caudal and rostral anterior cingulate and increased surface area of the cuneus and thickness of the pars orbitalis cortex. Gestational hypertension showed no significant brain region changes. These insights clarify hypertensive disorders of pregnancies' neurological and cognitive effects by identifying affected brain regions.

Decreased FGF23 inhibits placental angiogenesis via the ERK1/2-EGR-1 signaling pathway in preeclampsia.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the expression of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) in pregnant women with preeclampsia and elucidate its role in promoting placental angiogenesis through the ERK1/2-EGR-1 signaling pathway. METHODS: Serum FGF23 levels were measured by ELISA in healthy pregnant women and patients with preeclampsia during the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy. Wound healing, Transwell, and tube formation assays were performed to investigate the effects of FGF23 on cell migration, invasion and tube formation. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and its upstream signaling molecules, p-ERK, and EGR-1, in placental tissues was detected by RT-qPCR and western blotting. Additionally, the effect of FGF23 on VEGF-A, p-ERK, and EGR-1 expression was further explored in vitro. RESULTS: Serum FGF23 levels increased with gestational age. During the third trimester, the control group exhibited a more pronounced increase in FGF23 levels than the preeclampsia group. Administering exogenous FGF23 promoted trophoblast cell migration, invasion and enhanced tube formation in vascular endothelial cells. The expression levels of VEGF-A, p-ERK, and EGR-1 in the placental tissues were significantly lower in the preeclampsia group than in the control group. In vitro experiments confirmed that FGF23 up-regulated VEGF-A expression through the p-ERK/EGR-1 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: The serum level of FGF23 decreased in pregnant women with preeclampsia, inhibiting the ERK1/2-EGR-1 pathway and resulting in decreased expression of VEGF-A, thereby inhibiting placental angiogenesis. This could be a potential mechanism involved in the progression of preeclampsia.

Changes in the characteristics and outcomes of high-risk pregnant women who delivered prior to and after China's universal two-child policy: a real-world retrospective study, 2010-2021.

BACKGROUND: In 2016, the "universal two-child" policy, allowing each couple to have two children, was introduced in China. The characteristic change of the long-term period after the implementation of the universal two-child policy was unclear. We studied trends in the obstetric characteristics and their potential impact on the rates of cesarean section and preterm birth in the era of China's universal two-child policy. METHODS: A tertiary center-based study (2010-2021) retrospectively focused single high-risk pregnancies who delivered from the one-child policy period (OCP, 2010-2015) to the universal two-child policy period (TCP, 2016-2021). A total of 39, 016 pregnancies were enrolled. Maternal demographics, complications, delivery mode and obstetric outcomes were analyzed. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between the cesarean section rate, preterm birth and implementation of the universal two-child policy, adjusting maternal age, parity, and fetal distress. RESULTS: Ultimately a total of 39,016 pregnant women met the criteria and were included in this analysis. The proportion of women with advanced maternal age (AMA) increased from 14.6% in the OCP to 31.6% in the TCP. The number of multiparous women increased 2-fold in the TCP. In addition, the overall rate of cesarean section significantly decreased over the policy change, regardless of maternal age, whereas the risk of preterm birth significantly increased in the TCP. Adjusting for maternal age, parity and fetal distress, the universal two-child policy showed a significantly favorable impact on the cesarean section rate (RR 0.745, 95%CI (0.714-0.777), P < 0.001). Compared to the OCP group, a higher increase in fetal distress and premature rupture of membranes (PROM) were observed in the TCP group. In pregnancies with AMA, there was no increase in the risk of postpartum hemorrhage, whereas more women who younger than 35 years old suffered from postpartum hemorrhage in TCP. The logistic regression model showed that the universal two-child policy was positively associated with the risk of postpartum hemorrhage (RR: 1.135, 95%CI: 1.025-1.257, P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: After the implementation of the universal two-child policy in China, the rate of the cesarean section significantly decreased, especially for women under 35 years old. However, the overall risk of postpartum hemorrhage increased in women under 35 years old, while there was no change in women with AMA. Under the new population policy, the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in the young women should not be neglected.

The association between neonatal birthweight discordance and preeclampsia in twin pregnancy.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between neonatal birthweight (NBW) discordance and preeclampsia (PE) in twin pregnancy. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study. Women with two live births in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2011 to June 2020 were eligible. They were classified into four groups based on the quartiles of NBW discordance in monochorionic (MC) and dichorionic (DC) twin pregnancy. The relationship between NBW discordance and the risk of PE was assessed by logistic regression, subgroup analyses was further analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1566 women were eligible for the final analysis, there were 445 MC cases and 1121 DC cases. No matter in monochorionic or dichorionic pregnancy, higher NBW discordance quartiles were associated with increased risks of PE. Compared with women in the lowest NBW discordance quartile, women in the highest NBW discordance quartile had approximately 3.6 and 6.0 times risk of PE in monochorionic and dichorionic pregnancy respectively. The association between quartiles of NBW discordance and the risk of PE were higher in dichorionic pregnancy than in monochorionic pregnancy. No matter in MC or DC pregnancy, no significant interaction effects were identified for maternal age, pregnancy body mass index, mode of conception and whether complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS: The increased NBW discordance quartile was related to an increased risk of PE. Assessing estimated fetal weight discordance by using ultrasound in clinical practice to predict PE remained to be further researched.

Mechanism of BLIMP1/TRIM66/COX2 in human decidua participates in parturition†.

The mechanism underlying the initiation of parturition remains unclear. Cyclooxygenase 2 and prostaglandins in decidual membrane tissue play an important role in the "parturition cascade." With the advancement of gestation, the expression of the transcriptional suppressor B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 in the decidual membrane gradually decreases. Through chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, we found that B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 has a binding site in the distal intergenic of PTGS2(COX2). Tripartite motif-containing protein 66 is a chromatin-binding protein that usually performs transcriptional regulatory functions by "reading" histone modification sites in chromatin. In this study, tripartite motif-containing protein 66 exhibits the same trend of expression as B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 in the decidua during gestation. Moreover, the co-immunoprecipitation assay revealed that tripartite motif-containing protein 66 combined with B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1. This finding indicated that tripartite motif-containing protein 66 formed a transcription complex with B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1, which coregulated the expression of COX2. In animal experiments, we injected si-Blimp1 adenoviruses (si-Blimp1), Blimp1 overexpression plasmid (Blimp1-OE), and Trim66 overexpression plasmid (Trim66-OE) through the tail vein of mice. The results showed that B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 and tripartite motif-containing protein 66 affected the initiation of parturition in mice. Therefore, the present evidence suggests that B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 and tripartite motif-containing protein 66 partially participate in the initiation of labor, which may provide a new perspective for exploring the mechanism of term labor.

Hepatitis C viral load and mother-to-child transmission: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We aim to assess the association between maternal hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral load and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection and the risk for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) among pregnant women infected with HCV. METHODS: A literature search of the Medline, Embase, Central, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science (CPCIS), Scopus, Literature Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), and WHO Global Index Medicus databases, from inception to June 21, 2022, was performed. Studies that reported the incidence HCV-MTCT were included. Pooled effect estimates were calculated using the random-effects model, and Holm-Bonferroni correction was performed for multiple pooled associations. RESULTS: The present meta-analysis included 26 studies involving 4934 newborns with maternal HCV infection. Pregnant women with HCV viremia exhibited increased risk for MTCT (odds ratio [OR] 8.25 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.65-14.63]) compared with those negative for HCV-RNA. Multiple subgroup analysis revealed that the HCV viremia/HIV-positive group demonstrated the highest risk for HCV MTCT, followed by the HCV viremia mono-infected group, while HCV-RNA-negative women demonstrated the lowest risk for HCV MTCT. Among females with HCV viremia, elevated risk for MTCT was found among subjects with a viral load ≥ 6 log10 copies/mL compared with those with viral load < 6 log10 copies/mL (OR 4.58 [95% CI: 2.52-8.34]). CONCLUSION: The incidence of HCV MTCT was increased among pregnant women with detectable HCV viremia and was even higher in those with a viral load ≥ 6 log10 copies/mL. HIV coinfection further increased the risk for HCV MTCT.

[Important Considerations of Low-Dose Aspirin in the Prevention of Preeclampsia].

Low-dose prophylactic aspirin is widely recommended for pregnant women for the prevention of preeclampsia (PE). Although the efficacy of aspirin in preventing PE has been evaluated in many studies, due to the differences in dosage, initiation time, and screening methods for the identification of women at high risk of PE and the lack of a uniform opinion on the medication regimen of aspirin, currently in China there is no consensus on the standardized treatment scheme of aspirin for the prevention of PE in clinical guidelines. Herein, we reviewed the current available evidence and the recommendations of clinical guidelines concerning the controversies about aspirin dosage as well as the timing of starting and stopping aspirin, so as to provide further guidance for clinical practice. Based on the existing research findings on and clinical practice of using aspirin for PE prevention, we suggested that PE risk screening should be conducted at 11-13+6 weeks of gestation. In addition, the recommended dose for prophylactic use of aspirin for pregnant women at high risk of PE is 150 mg/d, and the recommended minimum effective dose is 100 mg/d. Pregnant women at high risk of PE should start taking low-dose aspirin orally before 16 weeks of pregnancy. Week 36 of gestation is considered the window of opportunity for discontinuation of low-dose aspirin.

Intrauterine administration of G-CSF for promoting endometrial growth after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis: a randomized controlled trial.

STUDY QUESTION: Does intrauterine infusion of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) prevent adhesion reformation and promote endometrial growth after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis? SUMMARY ANSWER: Intrauterine perfusion of G-CSF can increase endometrial thickness but does not prevent the recurrence of intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) in patients with Asherman syndrome (AS) after surgery. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Intrauterine infusion of G-CSF has been used in attempts to treat patients with recurrent miscarriage and an idiopathic thin endometrium for either fresh or frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles but without uniform efficacy. There have been no reports on the effect of G-CSF on the recurrence of IUAs, endometrial regrowth or pregnancy results in specific populations with AS. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This two-center prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial ran between April 2016 and August 2021. In it, 245 patients with moderate to severe AS were randomized to G-CSF and control groups at a 1:1 ratio; 229 women were included in the adhesion recurrence analysis; and 164 patients were analyzed for pregnancy outcomes. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: All eligible patients received the first hysteroscopic adhesion separation and balloon placement procedure. Patients who met our inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomized after surgery. These patients returned for balloon removal and underwent intrauterine perfusion with 300 µg (1.8 ml) G-CSF or 1.8 ml normal saline according to randomization at 7 days after surgery. A second-look hysteroscopy was carried out 1-2 months later. The primary outcome was the rate of formation of new adhesions at the second hysteroscopy. The secondary outcomes included endometrial thickness in the periovulatory period after surgery, as well as the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Age, menstrual cycle characteristics, pregnancy history and IUA score before surgery were similar between groups. There were no statistically significant differences in the adhesion reformation rate or median adhesion score reduction. However, G-CSF perfusion significantly improved endometrial thickness (7.91 ± 2.12 mm vs 7.22 ± 2.04 mm; P = 0.019, 95% CI for difference: -1.26 to -0.12), as well as cumulative pregnancy and live birth rate over time (P = 0.017 and P = 0.042). Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that postoperative endometrial thickness was an independent prognostic factor for pregnancy and live birth rates. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: These results cannot be extended to older patients or those without AS, as our subjects had moderate or severe AS and were aged <40 years. The low number of patients included in the fertility analysis could lead to biased results. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Intrauterine perfusion of G-CSF could be an effective adjuvant therapy for patients with AS to increase endometrial thickness. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC1004800), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82001624 and 81871209), the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LQ20H040004) and the provincial and ministerial construction project of Zhejiang Province (2017 WKJ-ZJ-1721). The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding this work. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02855632). TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE: 4 March 2016. DATE OF FIRST PATIENT'S ENROLMENT: 13 April 2016.

Maternal tobacco exposure and health-related quality of life during pregnancy: a national-based study of pregnant women in China.

BACKGROUND: With the increase of the number of smokers, tobacco exposure among pregnant women is becoming more and more common. Pregnant women exposed to first-hand smoke and second-hand smoke are susceptible to physiological and psychological health issues has been proved in previous studies. Nevertheless, there are no enough studies focus on the impact of third-hand smoke during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess and compare health-related quality of life for pregnant women with exposure to first-hand smoke, second-hand smoke, third-hand smoke and non-exposure to tobacco in mainland China. METHODS: National-based cross-sectional study is based on a questionnaire survey which collects information including demographics, smoking behaviors and self-evaluation. All questionnaires were delivered and collected from August to September 2019. EuroQol group's visual analog scale and EuroQoL Five-dimension Questionnaire were used to collect data in mainland China. RESULTS: Totally, 15,682 pregnant women were included in this study, among which non-exposure to smoke were 7564 (48.2%), exposed to first-hand smoke, second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke were 89 (0.6%), 2349 (15.0%), and 5680 (36.2%) respectively. Pregnant women without tobacco exposure had the highest EuroQol group's visual analog scale score (mean value = 85.4[SD = 14.0]), while those with first-hand smoke had the lowest score (mean value = 77.4[SD = 22.2]). Among all five dimensions of EuroQoL Five-dimension Questionnaire, there were significant differences of EQ-index among groups with different tobacco exposure in usual activity and anxiety or depression dimensions (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Third-hand smoke exposure had close relationship with low health-related quality of life in pregnant women. Moreover, second-hand smoke exposure significantly led more problems on mental dimension of pregnant women.

The role of circular RNA circ_0008285 in gestational diabetes mellitus by regulating the biological functions of trophoblasts.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) has emerged as vital regulator involved in various diseases. In this study, we identified and investigated the potential circRNAs involved in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: High-throughput sequencing was used to collect the plasma circRNAs expression profiles of GDM patients. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expressions of circ_0008285 and circ_0001173 in the plasma specimens. The Pearson's correlation test was employed to assess the correlation between 2 circRNAs expression and the clinicopathologic data. Two circRNAs expression was verified in high glucose (HG)-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells. MTS, transwell assay was used to evaluate the effects of circ_0008285 expression on HG-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells. The network of circ_0008285 was constructed using cytocape. RESULTS: In GDM patients, the expression of circ_0008285 was significantly upregulated, while that of circ_0001173 was decreased. Circ_0008285 was significantly correlated with the total cholesterol and LDL-C levels. Circ_0001173 was significantly correlated with glycated hemoglobin. HG promoted the proliferation, invasion, and migration in HTR-8/SVneo cells, while the knockdown of circ_0008285 exerted reverse effects. In addition, network construction exhibited that circ_0008285 had 45 miRNA binding sites, which correlated with 444 mRNA. CONCLUSIONS: circ_0008285 plays an important role and provides a clue for the usage of therapeutic targets in the development of GDM.

Prediction of cesarean hysterectomy in placenta previa complicated with prior cesarean: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of both placenta previa and cesarean are on the rise. Multiple adverse outcomes are critically increased when placenta previa is subsequent to prior cesarean. The purpose of the present study is to develop a pre-surgical method for predicting adverse outcomes in pregnancy complicated with both placenta previa and prior cesarean. METHODS: Clinical data was obtained from the medical history system at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from February 2003 to December 2016. All cases with a final diagnosis of "placenta previa/low lying placenta (ICD:O44.001-105)" and "scarred uterus complicated with pregnancy (ICD: O34.200-202)" were collected and reviewed. Hysterectomy was taken as the primary outcome; and blood loss was taken as the secondary outcome. RESULTS: Of 219 pregnant women in the final analysis, 25 received a hysterectomy following delivery, and 48 had blood loss exceeding 1000 ml. Pre-surgical risk factors for hysterectomy are ultrasonic signs of vascular lacunae, central placenta previa, and loss of normal hypoechoic retroplacental zone. A pre-surgical predictive equation referred to as "Hysterectomy Index in Placenta Previa with Prior cesarean (HIPs)" was generated and each risk factor was weighted to create an 8-point scale. This index yielded an area under the curve of 0.972 for the prediction of hysterectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Application of the HIPs score may provide an effective pre-surgical prediction of cesarean hysterectomy in pregnant women complicated with both placenta previa and prior cesarean.

The relationship between total cholesterol and postpartum impaired glucose tolerance in women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: History of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and serum lipid abnormalities were associated with postpartum impaired glucose tolerance. To investigate the association between concentration of total cholesterol (TC), at the time of GDM diagnosis, and risk of postpartum glucose intolerance. METHODS: Women who were diagnosed GDM with a live singleton delivery between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2017 were included. Women were grouped based on the TC quartiles at the time of GDM diagnosis and had an OGTT at 6-12 weeks after delivery. The relationship between TC and the risk of postpartum glucose intolerance was assessed by COX regression. RESULTS: A total of 845 women were in the final analysis. Higher TC quartile at diagnosis of GDM was associated with a decreased risk of postpartum glucose intolerance. Women in the highest TC quartile (>7.0 mmol L- 1) had approximately only half-risk of any postpartum glucose intolerance, compared with women in the lowest TC quartile (<5.5 mmol L- 1). CONCLUSIONS: The decreased concentration of TC, at the time of GDM diagnosis, was related to an increased risk of postpartum abnormal glucose regulation in GDM women. Therefore, because both excessively increased and decreased TC were associated with pregnancy and postpartum complications, the optimal concentration of maternal TC throughout pregnancy remained to be further researched.

Health-related quality of life in pregnancy with uterine fibroid: a cross-sectional study in China.

BACKGROUND: Uterine fibroids (UFs) are the most common benign tumors in women. They are likely to cause numerous clinical symptoms, such as pain, menorrhagia, and other obstetric complications in pregnant women. This study aimed to determine the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) during pregnancy with uterine fibroids (UF), thus providing a utility-based case value in pregnant women with UF and understanding of whether HRQoL is associated with clinical outcomes in pregnant women with UFs. METHOD: This study was conducted in a cross-sectional manner. This study was based on questionnaire surveys completed by sequential out- and in-patients and was conducted in a regional university hospital in Guangzhou, China. The EuroQoL five-dimension-five-level (EQ-5D-5 L) questionnaire was used, and demographic data were collected. An electronic record of the clinical outcomes of pregnant women with UF was retrieved from the hospital's electronic medical record system. The association between UF and HRQoL was evaluated by ordered regression. RESULTS: Seven-hundred-sixty-seven pregnant women with a mean age (SD) of 32.7 (4.8) years completed 707 questionnaires. Overall, when comparing the UF with non-UF groups, we detected statistical differences in age, body mass index (BMI), gravidity and abortion times, partner's smoking and alcoholic habits, advanced maternal age, and uterine scars (p <  0.05). Furthermore, pregnant women without UF scored significantly higher than those with UF on the EQ-5D value system (0.84 versus 0.79; p = 0.017). Moreover, pregnant women with UF suffered more health-related problems, especially with respect to self-care (odds ratio [OR] = 3.69, p <  0.01) and usual activity dimensions (OR = 2.11; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: We found that UF has a negative impact on the HRQoL of pregnant women with respect to self-care and usual activity dimensions. Also, the EQ-5D score was a better index than the EQ-VAS score for HRQoL when evaluating of the QoL of our population of pregnant women.

Factors associated with successful vaginal birth after a cesarean section: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Evidence for the relationship between maternal and perinatal factors and the success of vaginal birth after cesarean section (VBAC) is conflicting. We aimed to systematically analyze published data on maternal and fetal factors for successful VBAC. METHODS: A comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, from each database's inception to March 16, 2018. Observational studies, identifying women with a trial of labor after one previous low-transverse cesarean section were included. Two reviewers independently abstracted the data. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model. Risk of bias was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: We included 94 eligible observational studies (239,006 pregnant women with 163,502 VBAC). Factors were associated with successful VBAC with the following odds ratios (OR;95%CI): age (0.92;0.86-0.98), obesity (0.50;0.39-0.64), diabetes (0.50;0.42-0.60), hypertensive disorders complicating pregnancy (HDCP) (0.54;0.44-0.67), Bishop score (3.77;2.17-6.53), labor induction (0.58;0.50-0.67), macrosomia (0.56;0.50-0.64), white race (1.39;1.26-1.54), previous vaginal birth before cesarean section (3.14;2.62-3.77), previous VBAC (4.71;4.33-5.12), the indications for the previous cesarean section (cephalopelvic disproportion (0.54;0.36-0.80), dystocia or failure to progress (0.54;0.41-0.70), failed induction (0.56;0.37-0.85), and fetal malpresentation (1.66;1.38-2.01)). Adjusted ORs were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes, HDCP, Bishop score, labor induction, macrosomia, age, obesity, previous vaginal birth, and the indications for the previous CS should be considered as the factors affecting the success of VBAC.

Using appropriate pre-pregnancy body mass index cut points for obesity in the Chinese population: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate classification of obesity is vital for risk assessment and complication prevention during pregnancy. We aimed to explore which pre-pregnancy BMI cut-offs of obesity, either BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 as recommended by the WHO for Asians or BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 as suggested by the Working Group on Obesity in China (WGOC), best predicts the risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 11,494 medical records for live singleton deliveries in a tertiary center in Guangzhou, China, between January 2013 and December 2016. The primary outcomes included maternal obesity prevalence, adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, logistic regression, and diagnostics tests. RESULTS: Among the study population, 824 (7.2%) were obese according to the WHO criteria for Asian populations, and this would be reduced to 198 (1.7%) based on the criteria of WGOC. Obesity-related adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes were gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, cesarean section, and large for gestational age (P < 0.05). Compared to the WGOC criterion, the WHO for Asians criterion had a higher Youden index in our assessment of its predictive value in identifying risk of obesity-related adverse outcomes for Chinese pregnant women. Women in the BMI range of 25 to 28 kg/m2 are at high risks for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes, which were similar to women with BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: A lower pre-pregnancy BMI cutoff at 25 kg/m2 for defining obesity may be appropriate for pregnant women in South China. If WGOC standards are applied to pregnant Chinese populations, a significant proportion of at-risk patients may be missed.

The effect of exercise during pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus in normal-weight women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications during pregnancy, and it has both short- and long-term adverse effects on the health of mothers and fetuses. To investigate the effect of exercise during pregnancy on the occurrence of GDM among normal-weight pregnant women. METHODS: We searched for studies published between January 1994 and June 2017 that appeared in the Web of Science, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov or Cochrane library databases. Randomized controlled trials that investigated the preventive effect of exercise on GDM in normal-weight women were included. Interventions including any confounding factors (e.g., dietary) were excluded. We extracted maternal characteristics, the diagnostic criteria of GDM, and basic information for intervention and obstetric outcomes. The primary outcome was the occurrence of GDM, and the secondary outcomes included gestational weight gain, gestational age at birth, birth weight, and the odds of cesarean section. A meta-analysis was conducted based on calculations of pooled estimates using the random-effects model. RESULTS: Eight studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Exercise during pregnancy was shown to decrease the occurrence of GDM [RR = 0.58, 95% CI (0.37, 0.90), P = 0.01 and RR = 0.60, 95% CI (0.36, 0.98), P = 0.04 based on different diagnosis criteria, respectively] in normal-weight women. Regarding secondary outcomes, exercise during pregnancy can decrease gestational weight gain [MD = - 1.61, 95% CI (- 1.99, - 1.22), P<0.01], and  had no significant effects on gestational age at birth [MD = - 0.55, 95% CI (- 1.57, 0.47), P = 0.29], birth weight [MD = - 18.70, 95% CI (- 52.49, 15.08), P = 0.28], and the odds of caesarean section [RR = 0.88, 95% CI (0.72, 1.08), P = 0.21], respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise during pregnancy can ostensibly decrease the occurrence of GDM without reducing gestational age at delivery and increasing the odds of cesarean section in normal-weight women.

Early usage of Bakri postpartum balloon in the management of postpartum hemorrhage: a large prospective, observational multicenter clinical study in South China.

AIM: To evaluate the success rate and protocol of the Bakri balloon for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in the course of a prospective observational multicenter cohort study in South China. METHODS: At 20 hospitals in South China, women with postpartum bleeding who failed to respond to the first-line conservative management and received the Bakri balloon were recruited for the study. Maternal characteristics, PPH characteristics, PPH management and outcomes in regard to the Bakri balloon use were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 472 women had a Bakri balloon tamponade and 407 (86.23%) women were enrolled (67 after vaginal delivery and 340 either during or after cesarean delivery). The success rate of the Bakri balloon in this study was 91.65% (373/407 women). During vaginal deliveries, the group with a hemorrhage >2000 mL before balloon insertion had significantly more blood loss (551.67±635.17 mL vs. 242.06±313.69 mL, P=0.039) and lower maternal hemoglobin (73±21.77 g/L vs. 92.06±19.60 g/L, P=0.029) after using Bakri balloon than the group with a hemorrhage <1000 mL. Similar data were found during cesarean deliveries. The blood loss before and after balloon insertion were significantly higher in the Bakri balloon failure group (1700±1429.88 mL before and 1209.58±1139.72 mL after using the balloon) than those in the success group [918±493.92 mL before (P=0.002) and 266.57±361.60 mL after using the balloon (P=0.001)]. CONCLUSION: Rapid diagnosis or prognosis of PPH, in combination with early usage of the Bakri postpartum balloon is more effective for the management of PPH.

Obstetric outcomes in pregnancy with pulmonary hypertension: A retrospective study of 78 cases at one center.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the vary of obstetric outcomes by the severity of pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: A retrospective study involved pregnancies with PH in one certain academic institution. Total 78 pregnancies with PH were classified into three groups according the mean pulmonary arterial systolic pressure: mean pulmonary arterial systolic pressure 30-49 mm Hg (mild-PH group), mean pulmonary arterial systolic pressure 50-69 mm Hg (moderate-PH group) and mean pulmonary arterial systolic pressure ≥ 70 mm Hg (severe-PH group). The clinical features and obstetric outcomes were described and compared among three groups. RESULTS: The incidence of PH was 0.23%, including 57 cases in mild-PH group, 10 cases in moderate-PH group and 11 cases in severe-PH group. Meanwhile, pregnancies with mild PH present NYHA class I/II (P < 0.001). General anesthesia (P < 0.001) and advanced intensive care (P = 0.011) were supplied for pregnancies with severe PH. There was no significant difference in rate of caesarean delivery. Furthermore, severity of PH increased the risk of neonatal death (P = 0.040). CONCLUSION: The severity of PH seems to be a poor prognosis of neonatal death. Intensive care should be provided for pregnancies with severe PH.

Circulating hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are myeloid-biased in cancer patients.

Cancer is associated with a profound perturbation in myelopoiesis that results in the accumulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) to promote disease progression. Recent studies in mice suggest that tumor-derived factors could regulate the differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the bone marrow and subsequently contribute to dysregulation of hematopoiesis. However, the nature and role of HPSCs in patients with cancer remain unknown. Here we show, in detailed studies of the peripheral blood from 133 untreated patients with seven different types of tumors, that the composition of circulating HSPCs was significantly altered in patients with solid tumors. The frequencies of circulating granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GMPs) were increased four to seven fold in all types of tumors examined, and the circulating hematopoietic precursors exhibited myeloid bias with a skew toward granulocytic differentiation in patients with solid tumors. These myeloid precursors are selectively enriched in tumor tissues, and the high levels of circulating GMPs were positively correlated with disease progression. By using cord blood-derived CD34(+) cells, we developed an in vitro short-term culture model to effectively induce the rapid generation of MDSCs. We found that, among the factors produced by various tumors, GM-CSF, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and IL-6 could not only promote the myeloid-biased differentiation, but also induce the differentiation of myeloid precursors into functional MDSCs. These findings suggest that the altered circulating HSPCs may serve as an important link between dysregulated bone marrow hematopoiesis and accumulated MDSCs in patients with cancer.

Impact of Cord Blood Adiponectin and Leptin Levels and Maternal Obesity on Birth Weight of Infants Born to Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective: To evaluate the association between leptin level, adiponectin level, gestational weight gain, maternal constitutional factors, and the weights at birth and at 1 year of age in infants born to women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Study Design: Fifty-one women with GDM were recruited from June 2011 to September 2011. Leptin and adiponectin levels in maternal and cord blood were measured and their correlations with infant's birth weight and weight after 1 year were evaluated using Pearson correlation analysis. The weight correlations were also determined with maternal constitutional factors. Results: The neonatal birth weight positively correlates with cord blood leptin (r=0.316, p=0.024) and adiponectin (r=0.855, p=0.026) levels. One-year-old infant's weight correlates only with the cord blood adiponectin level (r=0.753, p=0.036). The infant's birth weight had positive correlations with maternal constitutional factors such as prepregnancy weight (r=0.340, p=0.015), prepregnancy BMI (r=0.289, p=0.040), prepartum weight (r=0.404, p=0.003), prepartum BMI (r=0.348, p=0.012), and gestational weight gain (r= 0.280, p=0.047). Conclusion: The infant's birth weight is closely associated with cord blood levels of both leptin and adiponectin and with pregravid and prepartum maternal obesity. The 1-year weight of infants born to GDM mothers is only associated with levels of adiponectin in cord blood.