Urinary metabolites as a predictive marker for perinatal depression: A secondary analysis of the mothers, Omega-3 & Mental Health Study.

Background: Perinatal depression has been associated with unfavorable pregnancy and childhood development outcomes; however, no objective markers exist to identify perinatal mood disorders. We investigated whether metabolites in maternal urine during pregnancy can predict increased depressive symptoms in late pregnancy and postpartum among pregnant women at risk for perinatal depression. Methods: We evaluated metabolomic markers in urine collected at 12-20 and 34-36 weeks' gestation. We analyzed 49 urinary metabolites using ion pairing reversed-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Depressive symptom severity was identified using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores from 105 participants at 12-20 and 34-36 weeks' gestation, and 6-8 weeks' postpartum. Mixed model repeated measures analysis evaluated associations between changes in maternal urinary metabolites and BDI scores across pregnancy. Results: Increases in urinary xanthine and hypoxanthine were positively associated with increases in maternal depressive symptoms throughout pregnancy (p = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively). This finding did not persist after false discovery rate correction. None of the urinary metabolites examined were significantly associated with development of postpartum depressive symptoms. Limitations: This study is an exploratory secondary biologic sample analysis from a trial whose sample size was determined by a different primary outcome and expected effect size, which may have limited statistical power to detect associations between urinary metabolites, depressive symptoms, and mood trajectory over time. Conclusions: Increasing concentrations of xanthine and hypoxanthine were associated with increasing depressive symptoms throughout pregnancy. Further research is needed to evaluate the utility of these metabolic markers in identifying women at risk for perinatal depressive symptoms.

Conjoined twins: an obstetrician's guide to prenatal care and delivery management.

OBJECTIVE: Obstetricians infrequently encounter conjoined twins. Much of the clinical care literature focuses on postnatal management from a neonatology and pediatric surgery perspective; guidance on obstetrical management is limited. We outline steps for prenatal evaluation, obstetrical care, and delivery planning. STUDY DESIGN: Experiences with two cases of conjoined twins. RESULTS: We identified several points throughout the planning, delivery, and postnatal process that are important to highlight for optimizing clinical outcome, patient safety, and parental satisfaction. CONCLUSION: After diagnosis, patients should be referred to a center experienced in the management of conjoined twins. Specialists in fields including maternal fetal medicine, pediatric surgery, neonatology, and radiology play a vital role in the management of these patients. Early referral allows for timely family counseling and decision-making. Prenatal evaluation beyond the first trimester should include a detailed ultrasound, fetal echocardiogram, and fetal MRI. 3D printed life-sized models can improve delivery planning and patient understanding.

Guidance for Evaluation and Management of Blunt Abdominal Trauma in Pregnancy.

Blunt abdominal trauma is the leading type of traumatic injury in pregnancy, with motor vehicle crashes, falls, and assault being the most common etiologies. Several adverse outcomes can occur in pregnancy, including placental abruption, preterm labor and preterm delivery, uterine rupture, and pelvic fracture. Understanding and integration of key anatomic and physiologic changes in pregnancy are key when evaluating a pregnant trauma patient. Pregnant women should be managed in a medical center with the ability to provide adequate care to both trauma patients-the pregnant woman and fetus. Multiple clinical providers are usually involved in the care of pregnant trauma patients, but obstetric providers should play a central role in the evaluation and management of a pregnant trauma patient given their unique training, knowledge, and clinical skills. An algorithm for management of trauma in pregnancy should be used at all sites caring for pregnant women. An alignment of policies within each system optimizes appropriate triage, integration of care, management, and monitoring of pregnant trauma patients and their fetuses. Ensuring effective protocols for prehospital and hospital treatment, as well as thorough training of involved health care providers, is essential in ensuring that optimal care is provided.

Incidence and Timing of Thromboembolic Events in Patients With Ovarian Cancer Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the incidence and timing of venous thromboembolism as well as any associated risk factors in patients with ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer and receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy from January 2009 to May 2014 at a single academic institution. The timing and number of venous thromboembolic events for the entire cohort were categorized as follows: presenting symptom, during neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment, after debulking surgery, and during adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Of the 125 total patients with ovarian cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 13 of 125 patients (10.4%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.1-17.2%) had a venous thromboembolism as a presenting symptom and were excluded from further analysis. Of the 112 total patients at risk, 30 (26.8%, 95% CI 19.3-35.9%) experienced a venous thromboembolism. Based on the phase of care, 13 (11.6%, 95% CI 6.8-19.1%) experienced a venous thromboembolism during neoadjuvant chemotherapy, six (5.4%, 95% CI 2.4-11.5%) developed a postoperative venous thromboembolism, and 11 (9.9%, 95% CI 5.5-17%) developed a venous thromboembolism during adjuvant chemotherapy. Two of the four patients with clear cell histology developed a venous thromboembolism in this cohort. CONCLUSION: Overall new diagnosis of venous thromboembolism was associated with one fourth of the patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for ovarian cancer with nearly half of these diagnosed during chemotherapy cycles before interval debulking surgery. Efforts to reduce venous thromboembolism so far have largely focused on the postoperative period. Additional attention to venous thromboembolic prophylaxis during chemotherapy (neoadjuvant and adjuvant) in this patient population is warranted in an effort to decrease the rates of venous thromboembolism.