Maternal-fetal comorbidities and obstetrical outcomes of fetal single ventricle cardiac defects: 10 years' experience with a multidisciplinary management protocol at a single center.

OBJECTIVES: To describe and compare maternal and fetal comorbidities and obstetrical outcomes in pregnancies with hypoplastic left and right heart (HLHS and HRH) single ventricle cardiac defects (SVCD) from a single center under a multidisciplinary protocol. METHOD: A single center retrospective review of fetal SVCD from 2013 to 2022. Maternal-fetal comorbidities, delivery, and postnatal outcomes were compared between HLHS and HRH using descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Of 181 SVCD pregnancies (131 HLHS; 50 HRH), 9% underwent termination, 4% elected comfort care, 5 died in utero and 147/152 liveborns survived to the first cardiac intervention. Cesarean delivery occurred in 57 cases (37%), planned in 36 and unplanned in 21. Comorbidities, which did not differ between HLHS and HRH, included fetal growth restriction (FGR, 17%), prematurity (14%), maternal hypertension (9%), maternal obesity (50%), fetal extracardiac anomalies and chromosome anomalies (12%, 13%). In multivariate analysis, only earlier gestational age at delivery and oligohydramnios predicted decreased odds of survival at one year. CONCLUSION: Maternal-fetal comorbidities are common in both HLHS and HRH. Earlier gestational age at delivery and oligohydramnios predict lower postnatal survival. FGR, even with severe early onset, did not significantly impact short- or long-term neonatal survival in single ventricle conditions.

Hypertensive Crisis in Pregnancy.

Severe hypertension in pregnancy is a medical emergency, defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 160 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 110 mm Hg taken 15 minutes to 4 or more hours apart. Outside pregnancy, acute severe hypertension (HTN) is defined as a BP greater than 180/110 to 120 reproducible on 2 occasions. The lower threshold for severe HTN in pregnancy reflects the increased risk for adverse outcomes, particularly maternal stroke and death, and may be a source of under-recognition and treatment delay, particularly in nonobstetrical health care settings. Once a severe hypertension episode is recognized, antihypertensive therapy should be initiated as soon as feasibly possible, at least within 30 to 60 minutes. Intravenous (IV) labetalol, hydralazine, and oral immediate-release nifedipine are all recommended first-line agents and should be administered according to available institutional protocols and based on provider knowledge and familiarity.

Willing but unable: Physicians' referral knowledge as barriers to abortion care.

Abortion care is a crucial part of reproductive healthcare. Nevertheless, its availability is constrained by numerous forces, including care referrals within the larger healthcare system. Using a unique study of physician faculty across multiple specialties, we examine the factors associated with doctors' ability to refer patients for abortion care among those who were willing to consult in the care of a patient seeking an abortion (N = 674). Even though they were willing to refer a patient for an abortion, half (53%) of the physicians did not know how and whom to make those referrals, though they care for patients who may need them. Those with the least referral knowledge had not been taught abortion care during their medical training and were in earlier stages of their career than those who had more knowledge. This research exposes another obstacle for those seeking an abortion, a barrier that would be overcome with a clear and robust referral system within and across medical specialties.