Difficulties during delivery, brain ventricle enlargement and cognitive impairment in first episode psychosis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) display clinical, cognitive, and structural brain abnormalities at illness onset. Ventricular enlargement has been identified in schizophrenia since the initial development of neuroimaging techniques. Obstetric abnormalities have been associated with an increased risk of developing psychosis but also with cognitive impairment and brain structure abnormalities. Difficulties during delivery are associated with a higher risk of birth asphyxia leading to brain structural abnormalities, such as ventriculomegaly, which has been related to cognitive disturbances. METHODS: We examined differences in ventricular size between 142 FEP patients and 123 healthy control participants using magnetic resonance imaging. Obstetric complications were evaluated using the Lewis-Murray scale. We examined the impact of obstetric difficulties during delivery on ventricle size as well as the possible relationship between ventricle size and cognitive impairment in both groups. RESULTS: FEP patients displayed significantly larger third ventricle size compared with healthy controls. Third ventricle enlargement was associated with diagnosis (higher volume in patients), with difficulties during delivery (higher volume in subjects with difficulties), and was highest in patients with difficulties during delivery. Verbal memory was significantly associated with third ventricle to brain ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that difficulties during delivery might be significant contributors to the ventricular enlargement historically described in schizophrenia. Thus, obstetric complications may contribute to the development of psychosis through changes in brain architecture.

Endometrial preparation protocols prior to frozen embryo transfer - convenience or safety?

The number of frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles is increasing rapidly worldwide. Different endometrial preparations for FET result in comparable live birth rates. However, several recent publications have reported higher maternal risks for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), pre-eclampsia and postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in programmed cycles (PC-FET) compared with natural cycles and modified natural cycles with an intact corpus luteum. Nevertheless, PC-FET is frequently used in ovulatory women despite the increased risks for HDP, pre-eclampsia and PPH. Although randomized controlled studies have been suggested, PC-FET raises several methodological problems. Large study populations would be required to investigate the outcomes in question, and the inclusion of ovulatory women, where the intervention may increase the risk of a negative outcome, is ethically troublesome. In the authors' opinion, the existing evidence from large observational studies and systematic reviews is sufficiently strong to recommend an endometrial preparation strategy that aims to maintain or stimulate the corpus luteum to minimize the risk of HDP and pre-eclampsia after FET cycles.

Effectiveness of care bundles for prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Care bundles are a promising approach to reducing postpartum hemorrhage-related morbidity and mortality. We assessed the effectiveness and safety of care bundles for postpartum hemorrhage prevention and/or treatment. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Maternity and Infant Care Database, and Global Index Medicus (inception to June 9, 2023) and ClinicalTrials.gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (last 5 years) using a phased search strategy, combining terms for postpartum hemorrhage and care bundles. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Peer-reviewed studies evaluating postpartum hemorrhage-related care bundles were included. Care bundles were defined as interventions comprising ≥3 components implemented collectively, concurrently, or in rapid succession. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, interrupted time series, and before-after studies (controlled or uncontrolled) were eligible. METHODS: Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 (randomized trials) and ROBINS-I (nonrandomized studies). For controlled studies, we reported risk ratios for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences for continuous outcomes, with certainty of evidence determined using GRADE. For uncontrolled studies, we used effect direction tables and summarized results narratively. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included for analysis. For prevention-only bundles (2 studies), low-certainty evidence suggests possible benefits in reducing blood loss, duration of hospitalization, and intensive care unit stay, and maternal well-being. For treatment-only bundles (9 studies), high-certainty evidence shows that the E-MOTIVE intervention reduced risks of composite severe morbidity (risk ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.50) and blood transfusion for bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage, severe postpartum hemorrhage, and mean blood loss. One nonrandomized trial and 7 uncontrolled studies suggest that other postpartum hemorrhage treatment bundles might reduce blood loss and severe postpartum hemorrhage, but this is uncertain. For combined prevention/treatment bundles (11 studies), low-certainty evidence shows that the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative care bundle may reduce severe maternal morbidity (risk ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.72). Ten uncontrolled studies variably showed possible benefits, no effects, or harms for other bundle types. Nearly all uncontrolled studies did not use suitable statistical methods for single-group pretest-posttest comparisons and should thus be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSION: The E-MOTIVE intervention improves postpartum hemorrhage-related outcomes among women delivering vaginally, and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative bundle may reduce severe maternal morbidity. Other bundle designs warrant further effectiveness research before implementation is contemplated.

Beyond the classics: The emerging value of anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies in antiphospholipid syndrome.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs), which can lead to thrombosis and pregnancy complications. Within the diverse range of aPLs, anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies (aPS/PT) have gained significance in clinical practice. The detection of aPS/PT has proven valuable in identifying APS patients and stratifying their risk, especially when combined with other aPL tests like lupus anticoagulant (LA) and anti-ß2-glycoprotein I (aß2GPI). Multivariate analyses have confirmed aPS/PT as an independent risk factor for vascular thrombosis and obstetric complications, with its inclusion in the aPL score and the Global Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome Score (GAPSS) aiding in risk evaluation. However, challenges remain in the laboratory testing of aPS/PT, including the need for assay standardization and its lower sensitivity in certain patient populations. Further research is necessary to validate the clinical utility of aPS/PT antibodies in APS diagnosis, risk stratification, and management.

Associations between maternal metabolic conditions and neurodevelopmental conditions in offspring: the mediating effects of obstetric and neonatal complications.

BACKGROUND: Maternal pre-gestational diabetes (PGDM), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and overweight/obesity have been associated with increased risks of offspring neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) including autism, intellectual disability (ID), and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Less is known about whether and how obstetric and neonatal complications (e.g., preterm birth, neonatal asphyxia) could mediate these associations. METHODS: In this Swedish register-based cohort study, we examined complications during pregnancy, delivery, and the neonatal period as potential mediators of the relationships between maternal metabolic conditions and offspring NDCs. We quantified the extent to which these obstetric and neonatal factors could mediate the associations of maternal metabolic conditions with offspring NDCs by applying parametric regression models for single mediation analyses and weighting-based methods for multiple mediation analyses under counterfactual frameworks. RESULTS: The study sample included 2,352,969 singleton children born to 1,299,692 mothers from 1987-2010 who were followed up until December 31, 2016, of whom 135,832 children (5.8%) were diagnosed with at least one NDC. A substantial portion of the association between maternal PGDM and children's odds of NDCs could be explained by the combined group of obstetric and neonatal complications in the multiple mediation analysis. For instance, these complications explained 44.4% of the relationship between maternal PGDM and offspring ID risk. The proportion of the relationship between maternal overweight/obesity and children's risk of NDCs that could be explained by obstetric and neonatal complications was considerably smaller, ranging from 1.5 to 8.1%. Some complications considered on their own, including pregnancy hypertensive diseases, preterm birth, neonatal asphyxia, and hematological comorbidities, could explain at least 10% of the associations between maternal PGDM and offspring NDCs. Complications during the neonatal period showed a stronger joint mediating effect for the relationship between PGDM and offspring NDCs than those during pregnancy or delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Obstetric and neonatal complications could explain nearly half of the association between maternal PGDM and offspring risk of NDCs. The mediating effects were more pronounced for complications during the neonatal period and for specific complications such as pregnancy hypertensive diseases, preterm birth, neonatal asphyxia, and hematological comorbidities. Effective preventive strategies for offspring NDCs should holistically address both the primary metabolic issues related to PGDM and the wide array of potential complications, especially those in the neonatal period.

Risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes prior to the onset of an autoimmune rheumatic disease: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: An increased risk of adverse maternal and foetal pregnancy complications (including pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and small for gestational age) is well described in women with autoimmune rheumatic disease (ARD) compared with the general population (GenPop). It is less clear, however, whether this risk of adverse pregnancy outcome (APO) also exists in women with 'preclinical ARD' (pre-ARD) before they are diagnosed with an ARD many years post-partum. Therefore, we have undertaken a systematic review of the available evidence on APO in patients who subsequently were diagnosed with a rheumatic disease to identify whether there is an increased risk in pre-ARD. METHODS: The present study was reported in accordance with the guidance of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standard. A systematic literature review was performed using the online PubMed database. Pre-SLE and pre-RA patients were defined as those who, over the subsequent years, developed SLE or RA according to international classification criteria. RESULTS: A total of 176 articles were screened, and 27 original articles were selected for final analysis. Pre-RA was the most studied group, with 15 studies and a total of >1600 pregnancies, and pre-SLE was the second-most studied pre-ARD in pregnancy, with 14 studies and a total of >1000 pregnancies. We found that patients who subsequently developed SLE had an increased burden of poor pregnancy outcomes compared with pregnant women from the GenPop, but fewer APOs compared with pregnancies of women with SLE. In contrast, a similar rate of APOs was found when pre-RA pregnancies were compared with GenPop pregnancies. CONCLUSION: Our findings of an increased risk of APO in certain pre-ARDs highlights the relevance of taking an obstetric history during the first rheumatology appointment and the need for novel screening strategies for the prediction of APOs. Further research is required to elucidate the immune basis of APOs in preclinical and clinical ARD.

Pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcomes among women with hypoparathyroidism-A population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: Data are inconclusive regarding pregnancy complications associated with maternal chronic hypoparathyroidism. Therefore, we aimed to compare pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcomes in patients affected by chronic hypoparathyroidism to those without chronic hypoparathyroidism. DESIGN: A retrospective population-based study utilising data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) database over 11 years from 2004 to 2014 inclusively. Multivariate logistic regression was used to control for confounders. PATIENTS: Patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism compared with those without. MEASUREMENTS: Obstetric and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 204 pregnancies in mothers with chronic hypoparathyroidism and 9,096,584 pregnancies without chronic hypoparathyroidism. After adjusting for age, insurance plan type, obesity, chronic hypertension, thyroid disease, pregestational diabetes mellitus, and previous caesarean section, patients in the hypoparathyroidism group, compared with those without hypoparathyroidism, were found to have an increased rate of preterm birth (<37 weeks) (19.1% vs. 7.2%, aOR: 2.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.74-3.54, p < 0.0001, respectively); and blood transfusions (4.9% vs. 1.0%, aOR: 4.07, 95% CI: 2.15-7.73, p < -0.0001). Neonates to mothers with chronic hypoparathyroidism had a higher rate of congenital anomalies (4.4% vs. 0.4%, aOR: 6.50, 95% CI: 3.31-12.75, p < 0.0001), with comparable rates of small-for-gestational-age neonates and intrauterine foetal death. CONCLUSION: This is the largest study of chronic hypoparathyroidism in pregnancy to date. We found significant increases in the rates of preterm birth, blood transfusions and congenital anomalies in chronic hypoparathyroidism. Our findings highlight the importance of identifying chronic hypoparathyroidism as a risk factor for pregnancy and neonatal complications, although it remains unknown if maintaining calcium in the target range will mitigate these risks.

Effects of bipolar disorder on maternal and fetal health during pregnancy: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a mental disorder characterized by mood shifts from severe depression to mania. Pregnant women with BD may experience manic or depressive episodes, so they are usually concerned about the effects of BD on their pregnancy. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the effects of BD on maternal health and fetal health, weight, and development. It also addresses how BD affects the probability of incidence of pregnancy complications in women with bipolar compared with healthy controls. METHODS: Seven electronic databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, MIDRIS, APA PsychINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceOpen) were searched, and 1728 eligible studies were identified. After deduplication, screening, and manual search processes, we included only 15 studies. Descriptive analysis, and calculation of the probability of incidence for each pregnancy outcome were used to analyze the results. RESULTS: The findings of the included studies suggest that BD during pregnancy may affect both fetal growth and maternal health by increasing the risk of giving birth to an infant with some birth defects such as microcephaly, CNS problems, small for gestational age, and other congenital anomalies, in addition to causing some obstetric complications such as gestational hypertension, preterm labor, need for assisted delivery, hospital readmission, and others. CONCLUSION: Bipolar disorder during pregnancy negatively affects mothers and their fetuses and increases the probability of incidence of obstetrics complications.

Perceptions of service providers, service recipients and female community health volunteers on a rural obstetric ultrasound program in rural Nepal: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: In rural Nepal, where women face financial and geographic barriers in accessing ultrasound scans, the government initiated a Rural Obstetric Ultrasound Program (ROUSG) to train skilled birth attendants (SBAs) in rural birthing centers and expand access to routine ultrasound scans for local pregnant women. This study explores the perceived benefits and limitations of the training and implementation of this program. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in 15 primary care facilities in Bhojpur and Dhading, two rural districts of Nepal. The research team conducted in-depth interviews with 15 trained SBAs and focus group discussions with 48 service recipients and 30 FCHVs to gain insight into their perceptions. All interviews and focus group discussions were recorded, reviewed, and manually coded into MS Excel. RESULTS: Overall, our findings indicated that the ROUSG program was very well received among all our study participants, though critical gaps were identified, mostly during the training of the SBAs. These included insufficient guidance or practice opportunities during training and the challenges of implementing the mobile obstetric ultrasound service. Most importantly, though, our results suggest that the implementation of the ROUSG program increased access to prenatal care, earlier identification and referrals for abnormal scans, as well as reduced pregnancy-related stress. There was also a notable anecdotal increase in antenatal care utilization and institutional deliveries, as well as high satisfaction in both service providers and recipients. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlighted that while the training component could use some strengthening with increased opportunities for supervised practice sessions and periodic refresher training after the initial 21-days, the program itself had the potential to fill crucial gaps in maternal and newborn care in rural Nepal, by expanding access not only to ROUSG services but also to other MNH services such as ANC and institutional deliveries. Our findings also support the use of ultrasound in areas with limited resources as a solution to identify potential complications at earlier stages of pregnancy and improve timely referrals, indicating the potential for reducing maternal and neonatal morbidities. This initial study supports further research into the role ROUSG can play in expanding critical MNH services in underserved areas and improving broader health outcomes through earlier identification of potential obstetric complications.

The acceptability and feasibility of a randomised trial exploring approaches to managing impacted fetal head during emergency caesarean section: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Caesarean sections (CS) account for 26% of all births in the UK, of which at least 5% are done at full dilatation, in the second stage of labour. Second stage CS may be complicated by the fetal head being deeply impacted in the maternal pelvis, requiring specialist skills to achieve a safe birth. Numerous techniques are used to manage impacted fetal head, however, there are no national clinical guidelines in the UK. AIM: To explore health professionals' and women's views on the acceptability and feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) designed to explore approaches to managing an impacted fetal head during emergency CS. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 10 obstetricians and 16 women (6 pregnant and 10 who experienced an emergency second stage CS). Interviews were transcribed and analysed using systematic thematic analysis. RESULTS: The findings considered the time at which you obtain consent, how and when information about the RCT is presented, and barriers and facilitators to recruiting health professionals and women into the RCT. Obstetricians emphasised the importance of training in the techniques, as well as the potential conflict between the RCT protocol and current site or individual practices. Women said they would trust health professionals' to use the most appropriate technique and abandon the RCT protocol if necessary. Similarly, obstetricians raised the tension between the RCT protocol versus safety in reverting to what they knew under emergency situations. Both groups reflected on how this might affect the authenticity of the results. A range of important maternal, infant and clinical outcomes were raised by women and obstetricians. However, there were varying views on which of the two RCT designs presented to participants would be preferred. Most participants thought the RCT would be feasible and acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests an RCT designed to evaluate different techniques for managing an impacted fetal head would be feasible and acceptable. However, it also identified a number of challenges that need to be considered when designing such an RCT. Results can be used to inform the design of RCTs in this area.

Quality of reporting and trends of emergency obstetric and neonatal care indicators: an analysis from Tanzania district health information system data between 2016 and 2020.

BACKGROUND: Routine health facility data provides the opportunity to monitor progress in quality and uptake of health care continuously. Our study aimed to assess the reliability and usefulness of emergency obstetric care data including temporal and regional variations over the past five years in Tanzania Mainland. METHODS: Data were compiled from the routine monthly district reports compiled as part of the health management information systems for 2016-2020. Key indicators for maternal and neonatal care coverage, emergency obstetric and neonatal complications, and interventions indicators were computed. Assessment on reliability and consistency of reports was conducted and compared with annual rates and proportions over time, across the 26 regions in of Tanzania Mainland and by institutional delivery coverage. RESULTS: Facility reporting was near complete with 98% in 2018-2020. Estimated population coverage of institutional births increased by 10% points from 71.2% to 2016 to 81.7% in 2020 in Tanzania Mainland, driven by increased use of dispensaries and health centres compared to hospitals. This trend was more pronounced in regions with lower institutional birth rates. The Caesarean section rate remained stable at around 10% of institutional births. Trends in the occurrence of complications such as antepartum haemorrhage, premature rupture of membranes, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or post-partum bleeding were consistent over time but at low levels (1% of institutional births). Prophylactic uterotonics were provided to nearly all births while curative uterotonics were reported to be used in less than 10% of post-partum bleeding and retained placenta cases. CONCLUSION: Our results show a mixed picture in terms of usefulness of the District Health Information System(DHIS2) data. Key indicators of institutional delivery and Caesarean section rates were plausible and provide useful information on regional disparities and trends. However, obstetric complications and several interventions were underreported thus diminishing the usefulness of these data for monitoring. Further research is needed on why complications and interventions to address them are not documented reliably.

The course of non-infectious uveitis in pregnancy: a retrospective study of 79 pregnancies.

PURPOSE: The study aims to describe the course and management of non-infectious uveitis during pregnancy and postpartum period in European populations. METHODS: A retrospective observational study in two tertiary centers in France was performed. Pregnant patients during the follow-up of a non-infectious uveitis as well as those with new-onset uveitis were included. The medical records were analyzed with a systematic collection of the characteristics of the uveitis, the treatment and evolution of the uveitis, and the course of the pregnancy including obstetric complications. RESULTS: Seventy-nine pregnancies in 59 women were included: 48 patients (68 pregnancies) were followed for uveitis and 11 had a new-onset uveitis diagnosis. Most patients had idiopathic uveitis (32.2%) or sarcoid uveitis (27.1%). Among the patients followed for uveitis at the time of conception, there were 18 relapses (26.5%) requiring treatment escalation. Relapses occurred mainly in the two first trimester (n = 12) or during the postpartum period (n = 5) and were significantly associated with an active uveitis at the time of conception (OR = 9.2, 95% CI [1.57-48.4], p = 0.01). The characteristics of the new-onset uveitis were similar to those already existing before pregnancy. Obstetric complications occurred in 25 pregnancies (31.6%), mainly gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes. CONCLUSION: The frequency of non-infectious uveitis relapses decreases as pregnancy progresses, in agreement with data from other non-European studies. However, multidisciplinary monitoring should be advised, especially to uncontrolled patients at the time of conception.

Microbial profile of placentas from Tanzanian mothers with adverse pregnancy outcomes and periodontitis.

AIM: To investigate microbial profiles in placentas from a population of East African mothers with and without adverse pregnancy outcomes and with regard to their periodontal status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-six placentas from pregnant women from Tanzania were classified into three groups according to both pregnancy outcome and the mother's periodontal health. The microbial composition in each group was then compared using 16S rRNA metagenomics. Additionally, placenta specimens were analyzed histologically for chorioamnionitis by a single pathologist blinded to the clinical data. RESULTS: The greatest differences were observed in the group of mothers with periodontitis. The microbial load was low in all three groups of mothers. Periodontitis had a notable influence on the structure of the placental microbiota. Three phyla and 44 genera were associated with periodontitis, whereas only the Tenericutes phylum was associated with the adverse pregnancy variable. Streptococcaceae and Mycoplasmataceae families were associated with both periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Finally, although the differences for chorioamnionitis were not significant, this intra-amniotic infection was more frequent in the placentas from mothers with periodontitis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that bacteria from the oral cavity may involve the feto-placental unit, and that periodontitis may be a modulating factor of the microbial community present in this niche.

Associations between self-reported obstetric complications and experience of care: a secondary analysis of survey data from Ghana, Kenya, and India.

BACKGROUND: Although several indicators have been proposed to measure women's experience of care in health facilities during the intrapartum period, it is unknown if these indicators perform differently in the context of obstetric emergencies. We examined the relationship between experience of care indicators from the Person-Centered Maternity Care (PCMC) scale and obstetric complications. METHODS: We used data from four cross-sectional surveys conducted in Kenya (rural: N = 873; urban: N = 531), Ghana (N = 531), and India (N = 2018) between August 2016 and October 2017. The pooled sample included 3953 women aged 15-49 years who gave birth within 9 weeks prior to the survey. Experience of care was measured using the PCMC scale. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were conducted to examine the associations between the composite and 31 individual PCMC indicators with (1) obstetric complications; (2) severity of complications; and (3) delivery by cesarean section (c-section). RESULTS: 16% (632) of women in the pooled sample reported obstetric complications; and 4% (132) reported having given birth via c-Sect. (10.5% among those with complications). The average standardized PCMC scores (range 0-100) were 63.5 (SD = 14.1) for the full scale, 43.2 (SD = 20.6) for communication and autonomy, 67.8 (SD = 14.1) for supportive care, and 80.1 (SD = 18.2) for dignity and respect sub-scales. Women with complications had higher communication and autonomy scores (45.6 [SD = 20.2]) on average compared to those without complications (42.7 [SD = 20.6]) (p < 0.001), but lower supportive care scores, and about the same scores for dignity and respect and for the overall PCMC. 18 out of 31 experience of care indicators showed statistically significant differences by complications, but the magnitudes of the differences were generally small, and the direction of the associations were inconsistent. In general, women who delivered by c-section reported better experiences. CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence based on our analysis to suggest that women with obstetric complications report consistently better or worse experiences of care than women without. Women with complications appear to experience better care on some indicators and worse care on others. More studies are needed to understand the relationship between obstetric complications and women's experience of care and to explore why women who deliver by c-section may report better experience of care.

In several studies and reports, women have described mistreatment by health providers during childbirth in health facilities. Particularly in low- and middle-income countries, such mistreatment has negative effects on women's decisions to seek maternity care in health facilities. It is unclear if women with complications are more or less likely to experience some forms of mistreatment compared to women without complications. In this study, we examined 31 experience of care indicators in three domains: (1) Supportive Care; (2) Respect and Dignity; and (3) Communication and Autonomy from the validated Person-Centered Maternity Care (PCMC) questionnaire. We compare these experience of care indicators between women who report obstetric complications and those who don't report complications, by the reported severity of the complications, and by their mode of delivery. The study included data from three countries: Ghana, Kenya, and India. The results showed that the experience of care among women who reported obstetric complications was not consistently better or worse than that of those who did not have complications. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve the experience of care in health facilities for every birthing woman. Additionally, women who delivered via c-section had consistently better experiences than women who delivered vaginally. More studies are needed to understand the relationship between mode of delivery and women's experience of care.

The initial number of fetuses in multiple pregnancy before reduction affects perinatal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the perinatal outcomes of dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancies reduced by the fetal reduction (FR) procedure and cases with continuing DCDA twin pregnancies without FR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FR performed in a university hospital in the last 10 years was evaluated. Pregnancies reduced to DCDA twin pregnancies by reduction from three or more pregnancies and pregnancies that started with DCDA twins and continued with DCDA twins were compared in terms of perinatal outcomes. In the subgroup analysis, those who were reduced from three-chorionic three-amniotic (TCTA) triplets to DCDA twins and those who were reduced to DCDA twin pregnancies from four or more were compared in terms of perinatal outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 119 pregnant women were included in the study, 36 patients underwent FR, while 83 patients were DCDA twins who did not undergo FR. The groups were similar in terms of preterm delivery (p = 0.370). There was a higher rate of miscarriage (21.4% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.019) in the group that was reduced to DCDA twins from quadruplet and above pregnancies compared to the group that was reduced from TCTA triplets to DCDA twins. The gestational week at birth was lower in the group reduced to DCDA twins from quadruplets and above pregnancies (31.00 ± 4.31 vs. 34.64 ± 2.88, p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: The study's results show that the perinatal outcomes of multiple pregnancies with and without FR are the same As the number of reduced fetuses increases, the rates of preterm birth and miscarriage also increase.

The role of transperineal ultrasonography for perinatal management: A review.

BACKGROUND: Transperineal ultrasound (TPUS) has become an increasingly popular tool in obstetrics due to its objective, non-invasive, and real-time imaging capabilities. AIM: This review aims to describe the basic approaches, current utilization, and potential future applications of TPUS. MATERIALS & METHOD: A comprehensive literature review on TPUS was conducted. In addition, discussions at academic meetings and congress focused on TPUS were also considered. RESULTS: TPUS was initially used in prostate biopsies and is currently applied to evaluating fetal head descent in labor, with the angle of progression being the most widely used parameter. It is more tolerated than conventional invasive or expensive methods, such as digital vaginal examinations or MRIs. Additionally, TPUS can assess the internal rotation of the fetal head in the birth canal. DISCUSSION: Compared to other imaging modalities like MRI and CT scans, TPUS is easier to perform and more cost-effective. It also provides real-time imaging, allowing for quick and accurate assessments. It also help clinicians make critical decisions regarding the mode of delivery and identify patients at high risk for fecal incontinence postpartum. With its many benefits, TPUS has the potential to become a standard tool in urogynecology and obstetrics. CONCLUSIONS: Transperineal ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging modality that is well-tolerated and easy to understand for patients and their family and help medical staff support the patients. Transperineal ultrasound can be applied in real-time monitoring of labor progress, helping predict the possibility of vaginal delivery during labor, and further research in this area is warranted.

Severe maternal morbidity following stillbirth in Western Australia 2000-2015: a population-based study.

PURPOSE: There is scant literature about the management of stillbirth and the subsequent risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM). We aimed to assess the risk of SMM associated with stillbirths compared with live births and whether this differed by the presence of maternal comorbidities. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we used a population-based dataset of all stillbirths and live births ≥ 20 weeks' gestation in Western Australia between 2000 and 2015. SMM was identified using a published Australian composite for use with routinely collected hospital morbidity data. Maternal comorbidities were identified in the Hospital Morbidity Data Collection or the Midwives Notification System using a modified Australian chronic disease composite. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with SMM in analyses stratified by the presence of maternal comorbidities. Singleton and multiple pregnancies were examined separately. RESULTS: This study included 458,639 singleton births (2319 stillbirths and 456,320 live births). The adjusted RRs for SMM among stillbirths were 2.30 (95% CI 1.77, 3.00) for those without comorbidities and 4.80 (95% CI 4.11, 5.59) (Interaction P value < 0.0001) for those with comorbidities compared to live births without and with comorbidities, respectively. CONCLUSION: In Western Australia between 2000 and 2015, mothers of stillbirths both with and without any maternal comorbidities had an increased risk of SMM compared with live births. Further investigation into why women who have had a stillbirth without any existing conditions or pregnancy complications develop SMM is warranted.

Obstetric complications and clinical presentation in first episode of psychosis.

OBJECTIVE: Psychotic disorders exhibit a complex aetiology that combines genetic and environmental factors. Among the latter, obstetric complications (OCs) have been widely studied as risk factors, but it is not yet well understood how OCs relate to the heterogeneous presentations of psychotic disorders. We assessed the clinical phenotypes of individuals with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) in relation to the presence of OCs. METHODS: Two-hundred seventy-seven patients with an FEP were assessed for OCs using the Lewis-Murray scale, with data stratified into three subscales depending on the timing and the characteristics of the obstetric event, namely: complications of pregnancy, abnormal foetal growth and development and difficulties in delivery. We also considered other two groups: any complications during the pregnancy period and all OCs taken altogether. Patients were clinically evaluated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for schizophrenia. RESULTS: Total OCs and difficulties in delivery were related to more severe psychopathology, and this remained significant after co-varying for age, sex, traumatic experiences, antipsychotic dosage and cannabis use. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the relevance of OCs for the clinical presentation of psychosis. Describing the timing of the OCs is essential in understanding the heterogeneity of the clinical presentation.

Endometrial thickness is an independent risk factor of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a retrospective study of 13,458 patients in frozen-thawed embryo transfers.

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are an important cause of maternal and fetal mortality, and its potential risk factors are still being explored. Endometrial thickness (EMT), as one of the important monitoring indicators of endometrial receptivity, has been confirmed to be related to the incidence of HDP in fresh embryo transfer. Our study was designed to investigate whether endometrial thickness is associated with the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET). METHODS: This respective cohort study enrolled 13,458 women who received vitrified embryo transfer and had a singleton delivery in the Reproductive Hospital affiliated to Shandong University from January 2015 to December 2019. We set strict screening criteria and obtained the information from the hospital electronic medical system. Statistical methods including logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve and restricted cubic spline were used to evaluate the relationship between endometrial thickness and the incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension. RESULTS: The incidences of HDP in a thin endometrial thickness group (< 0.8 cm) and a thick endometrial thickness group (> 1.2 cm) were significantly greater than in a reference group (0.8 cm-1.2 cm) (7.98 and 5.24% vs 4.59%, P <  0.001). A nonlinear relationship between endometrial thickness and risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy was examined by restricted cubic spline (P <  0.001). The thin endometrial thickness and thick endometrial thickness groups were significantly associated with the risk of HDP after adjusting for confounding variables by stepwise logistic regression analysis. Subsequently, subgroup logistic regression analysis based on endometrial preparation regimens showed that thin endometria were still significantly associated with a higher morbidity rate in the artificial cycle group, while in the natural cycle group, thick endometria were closely associated with increased morbidity. CONCLUSION: Our study manifested that both the thin and thick endometria were associated with an increased risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in frozen embryo transfer cycles. Reproductive clinicians should focus on adjusting endometrial thickness in different preparation regimens; and obstetricians should be mindful of the risk of hypertension during pregnancy, when women with thin (< 0.8 cm) or excessively thicker (> 1.2 cm) endometrial thickness achieve pregnancy through frozen-thawed embryo transfer.

Obstetric complications and cognition in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia (SZ) is a complex brain disorder linked to cognitive and neurostructural abnormalities that involves genetic and environmental factors with obstetric complications (OCs) at birth conferring a high risk for the disease. Indeed, current research in the general population describes the deleterious effect of OCs on cognitive performance in adulthood. With this rationale, we aim to review the relationship between OCs and cognition in SZ and related psychotic disorders. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis describing cognitive function and OCs in patients with SZ and related disorders were conducted. PubMed, EmBase, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched to identify eligible studies up to January 2022. We calculated the effect sizes (Hedges' g) of cognitive domains within each study and quantified the proportion of between-study variability using the I2 statistic. Homogeneity was assessed using the Q-statistic (X2). The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42018094238). RESULTS: A total of 4124 studies were retrieved, with 10 studies meeting inclusion criteria for the systematic review and eight for meta-analysis. SZ subjects with OCs showed poor verbal memory [Hedges' g = -0.89 (95% CI -1.41 to -0.37), p < 0.001] and working memory performance [Hedges' g = -1.47 (95% CI -2.89 to -0.06), p = 0.01] in a random-effect model compared to those without OCs. CONCLUSIONS: OCs appear to have a moderate impact on specific cognitive such as working memory and verbal memory. Our findings suggest that OCs are associated with brain development and might underlie the cognitive abnormalities described at onset of psychosis.