Exposición a temperaturas extremas y su efecto en la gestación en un departamento de Colombia / Exposure to extreme temperatures and its effect on pregnancy in a department of Colombia

Introducción: Diversas investigaciones han establecido la relación entre temperatura y duración del embarazo, la exposición a temperaturas altas durante el embarazo plantea interrogantes en especial el papel que esta juega frente a los partos prematuros y partos de bajo peso, es indispensable determinar si las temperaturas altas o bajas tienen un comportamiento protector o de riesgo sobre el feto durante la gestación en regiones tropicales. Objetivo: describir la relación entre la exposición a temperaturas altas y bajas durante el embarazo y su efecto en la edad gestacional y peso al momento del parto en los recién nacidos del departamento del Guaviare-Colombia. Metodología: Estudio tipo observacional, analítico, retrospectivo de corte transversal que busco determinar la relación entre exposición a temperaturas altas y bajas durante el embarazo y su efecto en la edad gestacional y peso al momento del parto en los recién nacidos, el universo estuvo conformado por 10.137 nacidos vivos, de los cuales 9.932 cumplieron los criterios de inclusión. Se determinó Odds Ratio para estimar la asociación entre las variables. Resultados: Dentro de la semana de retraso 3 el estar expuesto a temperaturas máximas percentil 90 es un factor protector para la ganancia ponderal de peso OR < 1, la exposición a temperaturas mínimas percentil 10 se asoció como factor protector para el parto prematuro en la semana de retraso 1 y 2 OR < 1.Conclusión: A pesar del beneficio de las altas y bajas temperaturas durante el embarazo en la ganancia ponderal de peso y disminución del parto prematuro, es recomendable prevenir la exposición a temperaturas extremas durante el periodo de gestación[AU]

Introduction: Various investigations have established the relationship between temperature and duration of pregnancy. Exposure to high temperatures during pregnancy raises questions, especially the role it plays in premature births and low-weight births. It is essential to determine whether high temperatures or low have a protective or risky behavior on the fetus during pregnancy in tropical regions.Objective: to describe the relationship between exposure to high and low temperatures during pregnancy and its effect on gestational age and weight at the time of delivery in newborns in the department of Guaviare-Colombia.Methodology:Observational, analytical, retrospective cross-sectional study that sought to determine the relationship between exposure to high and low temperatures during pregnancy and its effect on gestational age and weight at the time of delivery in newborns. The universe was made up of 10,137 births. alive, of which 9,932 met the inclusion criteria. Odds Ratio was determined to estimate the association between the variables.Results:Within the 3rd week of delay, being exposed to maximum temperatures at the 90th percentile is a protective factor for weight gain OR < 1, exposure to minimum temperatures at the 10th percentile was associated as a protective factor for premature birth in the week. of delay 1 and 2 OR < 1. Conclusion: Despite the benefit of high and low temperatures during pregnancy in weight gain and reduction in premature birth, it is advisable to prevent exposure to extreme temperatures during the gestation period[AU]

Introdução: Várias investigações estabeleceram a relação entre temperatura e duração da gravidez. A exposição a altas temperaturas durante a gravidez levanta questões, especialmente o papel que desempenha nos partos prematuros e nos nascimentos de baixo peso. É essencial determinar se as temperaturas altas ou baixas têm um comportamento protetor ou de risco para o feto durante a gravidez em regiões tropicais. Objetivo:descrever a relação entre a exposição a altas e baixas temperaturas durante a gravidez e seu efeito na idade gestacional e no peso no momento do parto em recém-nascidos no departamento de Guaviare-Colômbia. Metodologia: Estudo observacional, analítico, retrospectivo e transversal que buscou determinar a relação entre a exposição a altas e baixas temperaturas durante a gravidez e seu efeito na idade gestacional e no peso no momento do parto em recém-nascidos. O universo foi composto por 10.137 nascimentos. vivos, dos quais 9.932 preencheram os critérios de inclusão. O Odds Ratio foi determinado para estimar a associação entre as variáveis. Resultados:Na 3ª semana de atraso, a exposição a temperaturas máximas no percentil 90 é fator de proteção para ganho de peso OR < 1, a exposição a temperaturas mínimas no percentil 10 foi associada como fator de proteção para parto prematuro na semana. de atraso 1 e 2 OR < 1.Conclusão:Apesar do benefício das altas e baixas temperaturas durante a gravidez no ganho de peso e redução do parto prematuro, é aconselhável evitar a exposição a temperaturas extremas durante o período de gestação[AU]

NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF PREGNANT WOMEN INCLUDING BARIATRIC SURGERY.

A healthy, balanced diet of a pregnant woman is an integral part for the full development of the fetus, mainly pregnant women receive the mentioned recommendations from gynecologists, because consulting a nutritionist is less mandatory at this stage still in our country. Since obesity is highly prevalent paralleling the globe, especially among the European population but nevertheless it's a preventable risk factor which is associated with negative outcomes for both mother and fetus. That's where bariatric surgery plays an important role, that has increased among women for an achievable pregnancy but being overweight prevents it. I have created a general medical booklet that would be useful to them as well, easy to understand and will bring positive results. This book shows the amount of calories to be consumed by pregnant mothers each trimester, kind of food to go for or should be avoided and type and duration of physical activity. That's where bariatric surgery plays an important role, that has increased among women for an achievable pregnancy, but being overweight prevents it. The crucial part to focus is how many months later the pregnancy occurred and how her nutrition was going. Being a pediatrician and nutritionist it's foremost important to observe mother and baby after the mentioned operation. Because monitoring the diet properly leads to better health in both mother and newborn since this topic is still lagging in research areas especially in European countries and data about obesity among pregnant women is lacking, so future studies would be beneficial among obese pregnant women for the betterment of their health.

[Genetic analysis of a Chinese pedigree affected with Branchio-oculo-facial syndrome and a literature review].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of a Chinese pedigree affected with Branchio-oculo-facial syndrome (BOFS) and summarize the prenatal phenotype of BOFS patients. METHODS: A pedigree with BOFS which had presented at the Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in December 2021 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the pedigree was collected. The fetus was subjected to routine prenatal ultrasound scan. Trio-whole exome sequencing (trio-WES) was carried out for the fetus and its parents, and candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. Relevant literature was searched from the database to summarize the prenatal phenotype of BOFS patients. RESULTS: Ultrasound exam suggested the fetus had cleft lip and palate. Its father had presented with high palatal arch, prematurely grayed hair, occult cleft lip, congenital preauricular fistula, red-green color blindness and unilateral renal agenesis. Its grandfather also had high palatal arch, prematurely gray hair, protruding ears, congenital preauricular fistula and hearing disorders. Trio-WES revealed that the fetus and its father had both harbored a heterozygous c.890-1G>A variant of the TFAP2A gene. The same variant was not found in its mother. Sanger sequencing confirmed that its grandfather had also harbored the same variant. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was rated as likely pathogenic (PVS1+PM2_Supporting). Combined with 36 similar cases retrieved from the literature, the prenatal phenotypes of BOFS patients had included growth restriction (25/37), renal abnormalities (10/37), cleft lip and palate (5/37) and oligohydramnios (5/37). CONCLUSION: The c.890-1G>A variant of the TFAP2A gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of BOFS in this pedigree. Discovery of the novel variant has enriched the mutational spectrum of the TFAP2A gene. The common prenatal phenotypes of BOFS have included growth restriction, renal abnormalities, cleft lip and palate and oligohydramnios. Delineation of the intrauterine phenotype of BOFS may facilitate its prenatal diagnosis, clinical diagnosis, treatment and genetic counseling.

Primary hyperparathyroidism-induced acute pancreatitis in pregnancy: A systematic review with a diagnostic-treatment algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT)-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) during pregnancy has rarely been described. Due to this rarity, there are no diagnostic or treatment algorithms for pregnant patients. AIM: To determine appropriate diagnostic methods, therapeutic options, and factors related to maternal and fetal outcomes for PHPT-induced AP in pregnancy. METHODS: A literature search of articles in English, Japanese, German, Spanish, and Italian was performed using PubMed (1946-2023), PubMed Central (1900-2023), and Google Scholar. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was followed. The search terms included "pancreatite acuta," "iperparatiroidismo primario," "gravidanza," "travaglio," "puerperio," "postpartum," "akute pankreatitis," "primärer hyperparathyreoidismus," "Schwangerschaft," "Wehen," "Wochenbett," "pancreatitis aguda," "hiperparatiroidismo primario," "embarazo," "parto," "puerperio," "posparto," "acute pancreatitis," "primary hyperparathyroidism," "pregnancy," "labor," "puerperium," and "postpartum." Additional studies were identified by reviewing the reference lists of retrieved studies. Demographic, imaging, surgical, obstetric, and outcome data were obtained. RESULTS: Fifty-four cases were collected from the 51 studies. The median maternal age was 29 years. PHPT-induced AP starts at the 20th gestational week; higher gestational weeks were seen in mothers who died (mean gestational week 28). Median values of amylase (1399, Q1-Q3 = 519-2072), lipase (2072, Q1-Q3 = 893-2804), serum calcium (3.5, Q1-Q3 = 3.1-3.9), and parathormone (PTH) (384, Q1-Q3 = 123-910) were reported. In 46 cases, adenoma was the cause of PHPT, followed by 2 cases of carcinoma and 1 case of hyperplasia. In the remaining 5 cases, the diagnosis was not reported. Neck ultrasound was positive in 34 cases, whereas sestamibi was performed in 3 cases, and neck computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 9 cases (the enlarged parathyroid gland was not localized in 3 cases). Surgery was the preferred treatment during pregnancy in 33 cases (median week of gestation 25, Q1-Q3 = 20-30) and postpartum in 12 cases. The timing was not reported in the remaining 9 cases, or surgery was not performed. AP was managed surgically in 11 cases and conservatively in 43 (79.6%) cases. Maternal and fetal mortality was 9.3% (5 cases). Surgery was more common in deceased mothers (60.0% vs 16.3%; P = 0.052), and PTH values tended to be higher in this group (910 pg/mL vs 302 pg/mL; P = 0.059). Maternal mortality was higher with higher serum lipase levels and earlier delivery week. Higher calcium (4.1 mmol/L vs 3.3 mmol/L; P = 0.009) and PTH (1914 pg/mL vs 302 pg/mL; P = 0.003) values increased fetal/child mortality, as well as abortions (40.0% vs 0.0%; P = 0.007) and complex deliveries (60.0% vs 8.2%; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: If serum calcium is not tested during admission, definitive diagnosis of PHPT-induced AP in pregnancy is delayed, while early diagnosis and immediate intervention lead to excellent maternal and fetal outcomes.

Validation of the Turkish version of the Modified Early Obstetric Warning System (MEOWS) chart.

BACKGROUND: The Modified Early Obstetric Warning System (MEOWS) is a score-based or color-coded system that detects changes in physiological parameters and enables earlier diagnosis and care of worsening obstetric patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the tool's performance and contribute to its use in Türkiye by translating MEOWS into Turkish. METHODS: This prospective and descriptive study, approved by the local ethics committee, included 350 obstetric in-patients who gave birth at Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Gynecology and Children's Hospital between April and August 2022. The study involved patients with a gestational week greater than 28 weeks and up to six weeks postpartum. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 28.9±5.9 (18-40) years, with trigger values occurring in 34.6% (n=121) and morbidity occurring in 30.9% (n=108) of the cases. The most common trigger among the individual physiological indicators was high systolic blood pressure (28.3%). When the performance of MEOWS was evaluated, a statistically significant correlation was found between trigger and morbidity (Kappa=0.605; p<0.001). The sensitivity of MEOWS in estimating morbidity was 77.78% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 68.76-85.21%), specificity was 84.71% (95% CI: 79.55-89.00%), Positive Predictive Value (PPV) was 69.42% (95% CI: 62.40-75.64%), Negative Predictive Value (NPV) was 89.52% (95% CI: 85.67-92.43%), and accuracy was 82.57% (95% CI: 78.18-86.40%). CONCLUSION: MEOWS was found to be an effective screening tool for predicting morbidity in this study and performs well in Turkish with sufficient sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. However, the inclusion of long-term results would provide a more comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of MEOWS.

Tandem mass tag-based proteomics analysis reveals the mechanism underlying the interleukin-6-mediated regulation of trophoblast function in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the mechanism whereby interleukin-6 (IL-6), an important inflammatory marker, influences trophoblast function during preeclampsia. METHODS: Quantitative PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to determine the IL-6 mRNA and protein levels, respectively. CCK8 and transwell assays were used to detect how IL-6 affects the proliferation and invasion abilities of HTR-8/SVneo cells respectively; the tube-forming assay was conducted to explore how IL-6 affects the angiogenesis ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) after their co-culture with HTR-8/SVneo cells. Using tandem mass tag-based proteomics analysis, we screened for different proteins before and after IL-6 stimulation; Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses were performed to investigate the functions and signal pathways associated with these proteins. RESULTS: The IL-6 levels were higher in the placenta of preeclampsia group than in the normal group. IL-6 suppressed the proliferation and invasion of HTR-8/SVneo cells, but promoted the angiogenesis of HUVECs. Seventy differentially expressed IL-6 downstream proteins were identified; these were enriched with various biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components, and biological pathways.Conclusions: IL-6 regulates trophoblast function by interacting with multiple proteins and pathways. Proteomics-based screening serves as a macroscopic approach to clarify the molecular mechanisms associated with preeclampsia.

Molecular diagnostic yield of exome sequencing in a Chinese cohort of 512 fetuses with anomalies.

BACKGROUND: Currently, whole exome sequencing has been performed as a helpful complement in the prenatal setting in case of fetal anomalies. However, data on its clinical utility remain limited in practice. Herein, we reported our data of fetal exome sequencing in a cohort of 512 trios to evaluate its diagnostic yield. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, the couples performing prenatal exome sequencing were enrolled. Fetal phenotype was classified according to ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Genetic variants were analyzed based on a phenotype-driven followed by genotype-driven approach in all trios. RESULTS: A total of 97 diagnostic variants in 65 genes were identified in 69 fetuses, with an average detection rate of 13.48%. Skeletal and renal system were the most frequently affected organs referred for whole exome sequencing, with the highest diagnostic rates. Among them, short femur and kidney cyst were the most common phenotype. Fetal growth restriction was the most frequently observed phenotype with a low detection rate (4.3%). Exome sequencing had limited value in isolated increased nuchal translucency and chest anomalies. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides our data on the detection rate of whole exome sequencing in fetal anomalies in a large cohort. It contributes to the expanding of phenotypic and genotypic spectrum.

"I don't need my kid to be high": prioritizing harm reduction when using cannabis during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is the most common illicit substance used in pregnancy. As use continues to increase, understanding peoples' behaviors surrounding cannabis use during pregnancy is needed to improve maternal and child health outcomes. The aim of this study was to better understand pregnant individuals' perceptions and knowledge of cannabis use and use patterns as well as the social and environmental factors that may influence their use. METHODS: We conducted interviews with 19 participants between December 2022 and March 2023. Individuals self-identified as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), were over 21 years of age, spoke English or Spanish, resided in California, and had used cannabis during pregnancy in the last 0-2 years. Using qualitative, constructivist grounded theory methods, we analyzed the contexts that contributed to participants' lived experiences surrounding cannabis use behaviors during pregnancy. RESULTS: Participants reported making conscious decisions to responsibly manage their cannabis use during pregnancy to minimize potential harm to the fetus. Participants prioritized making what they perceived to be safer adjustments to their use of cannabis: (1) changing the amount of cannabis used, (2) changing the types of cannabis products used, and (3) changing sources of cannabis procurement. DISCUSSION: Our findings show that pregnant individuals are seeking information about safe cannabis use beyond medical supervision and are open to altering their cannabis consumption patterns. However, they are unable to find trustworthy and evidence-based harm reduction practices which can be implemented to mitigate harm to their unborn children. A harm reduction approach is needed in the field of maternal cannabis use to promote positive maternal and fetal health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: More data is needed on comprehensive harm reduction approaches to cannabis use during pregnancy. This requires implementation of education on these topics in healthcare settings presented by prenatal care clinicians.

Ruptured coronary sinus aneurysm in pregnancy combined with cardiogenic shock and elevated V1 and aVR ST segments: Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SOVA), a rare cardiac malformation, is usually congenital and rarely acquired and most commonly occurring in the right coronary sinus. The clinical presentation of patients with SOVA varies. It is usually asymptomatic when it has not ruptured, and when it compresses neighboring structures or ruptures, it can lead to heart failure or shock, at which point urgent surgical intervention is usually required. Rupture of the sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (RSOVA) during pregnancy is really hard to come by, especially if the clinical presentations resemble that of an acute myocardial infarction. This report describes a pregnant woman with severe chest pain and hypotension with aVR and V1 ST-segment elevation due to RSOVA. PATIENT CONCERNS: Effects of RSOVA on the fetus, disease survival, and prognosis. DIAGNOSIS: RSOVA. INTERVENTIONS: Open SOVA repair. OUTCOMES: The patient's blood pressure returned to normal range and clinical symptoms disappeared after the surgery. After 3 months of follow-up, the patient was hemodynamically stable without chest discomfort, and an echocardiogram showed a normal aortic sinus. CONCLUSION: Progressive aneurysm dilatation or rupture has a poor prognosis. A thorough history and physical examination are fundamental, with echocardiography being the initial diagnostic tool of choice, and other ancillary tests (e.g., computed tomography) being used to complement and confirm the diagnosis. Surgery remains the current treatment of choice for patients with RSOVA, while the continuation of pregnancy in pregnant patients with RSOVA remains a case-by-case measure.

Effects of pretreatment with long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists on pregnancy outcomes in patients with minimal and mild peritoneal endometriosis: A retrospective study of 274 frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles.

To investigate the effects of pretreatment with long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) before frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) on pregnancy outcomes in patients after minimal-mild (stages I-II) peritoneal endometriosis surgery. A retrospective cohort study was performed from March 2018 to May 2019. Overall, 274 patients met inclusion criteria of undergoing FET after minimal/mild peritoneal endometriosis surgery. For the FET protocol, patients were divided into 2 groups: GnRH-a plus hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (group A, n = 154) and HRT-only (group B, n = 120), with the former divided into 2 subgroups receiving 1 (group A1, n = 80) or 2 doses (group A2, n = 74) of GnRH-a. Basic characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of groups A and B and groups A1 and A2 were compared. Clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) were the primary outcomes and logistic regression was used to analyze independent correlation factors. The CPR and LBR in group A were 58.4% and 50.0%, respectively, and were not significantly higher than in group B (49.2% and 40.0%; respectively, χ2 = 2.339, P = .126 and χ2 = 2.719, P = .099, respectively). CPR and LBR in group A1 were not significantly lower than those in group A2 (52.5% and 45.0% vs 64.9% and 55.4%, respectively; χ2 = 2.420, P = .120 and χ2 = 1.665, P = .197, respectively). However, group A2's CPR and LBR were significantly higher than group B's (64.9% and 55.4% vs 49.2% and 40.0%, respectively; χ2 = 4.560, P = .023 and χ2 = 4.375, P = .026, respectively). Logistic regression analysis showed that GnRH-a pretreatment (1 or 2 doses) had no significant effect on CPR and LBR compared with the HRT-only group. Patients with minimal-mild (stages I-II) peritoneal endometriosis surgery may not require GnRH-a pretreatment before FET.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) are associated with the PI3K-AKT pathway activation.

Aims: We aimed to elucidate the mechanism leading to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Background: PCOS is an endocrine disorder. Patients with RSA also have a high incidence rate of PCOS, implying that PCOS and RSA may share the same pathological mechanism. Objective: The single-cell RNA-seq datasets of PCOS (GSE168404 and GSE193123) and RSA GSE113790 and GSE178535) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Methods: Datasets of PSCO and RSA patients were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The "WGCNA" package was used to determine the module eigengenes associated with the PCOS and RSA phenotypes and the gene functions were analyzed using the "DAVID" database. The GSEA analysis was performed in "clusterProfiler" package, and key genes in the activated pathways were identified using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was conducted to determine the mRNA level. Cell viability and apoptosis were measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry, respectively. Results: The modules related to PCOS and RSA were sectioned by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and positive correlation modules of PCOS and RSA were all enriched in angiogenesis and Wnt pathways. The GSEA further revealed that these biological processes of angiogenesis, Wnt and regulation of cell cycle were significantly positively correlated with the PCOS and RSA phenotypes. The intersection of the positive correlation modules of PCOS and RSA contained 80 key genes, which were mainly enriched in kinase-related signal pathways and were significant high-expressed in the disease samples. Subsequently, visualization of these genes including PDGFC, GHR, PRLR and ITGA3 showed that these genes were associated with the PI3K-AKT signal pathway. Moreover, the experimental results showed that PRLR had a higher expression in KGN cells, and that knocking PRLR down suppressed cell viability and promoted apoptosis of KGN cells. Conclusion: This study revealed the common pathological mechanisms between PCOS and RSA and explored the role of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in the two diseases, providing a new direction for the clinical treatment of PCOS and RSA.

Incarcerated gravid uterus liberated by vaginal gauze packing under general anesthesia: a case report.

Incarceration of the gravid uterus is a rare and serious obstetric complication that can lead to severe complications. We present the case of a 32-year-old woman (gravida 5, para 2022) at 12 weeks and 5 days of gestation who presented with urinary retention and lower abdominal pain. Despite attempts at positional changes and manipulative repositioning under epidural anesthesia, the incarceration of the gravid uterus persisted. Subsequent intervention under general anesthesia involved partially reducing the uterine fundus into the abdominal cavity and using gauze strips in the posterior vaginal fornix to maintain traction. In addition, the bilateral round ligaments of the uterus were sutured to release the incarcerated uterus via laparoscopy. Vaginal gauze packing under general anesthesia may be a beneficial intervention for addressing cases of an incarcerated uterus, particularly in patients in whom passive maneuvers and manual pressure fail to resolve the condition.

GnRH-a-based fertility-sparing treatment of atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) and early endometrial carcinoma (EC) patients: a multicenter, open-label, randomized designed clinical trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Around 4% of women receive an endometrial cancer diagnosis before turning 40, mainly those without prior childbirth experience and a strong desire to preserve their ability to conceive. Consequently, for young patients diagnosed with atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) or early endometrial carcinoma (EC), a fertility-preserving approach employing high-dose oral progesterone has been adopted. However, previous research has shown a notable relapse rate. Furthermore, the extended use of substantial oral progesterone doses may hinder ovarian function and raise the risk of weight gain, liver issues, blood clotting, and breast cancer. We previously assessed the clinical effectiveness and pregnancy outcomes of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) based re-treatment for women with EC and AEH who did not respond to oral progestin therapy but achieved favorable treatment results and reproductive outcomes. METHODS: This study will be an open-label, two-armed, randomized, investigator-initiated multicenter trial evaluating the combination of GnRH-a with the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system or the combination of GnRH-a with an aromatase inhibitor (comprising a subcutaneous GnRH-a injection every 4 weeks and daily oral letrozole 2.5 mg). A total of 226 participants will be randomly allocated to one of the two treatment groups in a 1:1 ratio. The primary objective is to determine the effectiveness of GnRH-a-based re-treatment in achieving a complete response (CR) at 24 weeks for patients with AEH or EC. Secondary objectives include assessing the pregnancy rate 12 weeks after treatment, as well as post-treatment pregnancy outcomes and the rate of recurrence. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and from boards at five other institutions. The trial will adhere to the principles outlined in the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki and follow Good Clinical Practice standards. The trial results will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal. CONCLUSIONS: Prospective evidence supporting conservative treatment for EC and AEH is limited. There is a need for new approaches that can achieve higher CR rates with fewer side effects. This trial will assess the effectiveness of GnRH-a-based fertility-sparing treatment in obese women and recurrent patients, offering a promising alternative for patients with EC and AEH. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200067099. Registered on December 27, 2022.

Massachusetts Medicaid ACO Program May Have Improved Care Use And Quality For Pregnant And Postpartum Enrollees.

Value-based care models, such as Medicaid accountable care organizations (ACOs), have the potential to improve access to and quality of care for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid enrollees. We leveraged a natural experiment in Massachusetts to evaluate the effects of Medicaid ACOs on quality-of-care-sensitive measures and care use across the prenatal, delivery, and postpartum periods. Using all-payer claims data on Medicaid-covered live deliveries in Massachusetts, we used a difference-in-differences approach to compare measures before (the first quarter of 2016 through the fourth quarter of 2017) and after (the third quarter of 2018 through the fourth quarter of 2020) Medicaid ACO implementation among ACO and non-ACO patients. After three years of implementation, the Medicaid ACO was associated with statistically significant increases in the probability of a timely postpartum visit, postpartum depression screening, and number of all-cause office visits in the prenatal and postpartum periods, with no changes in severe maternal morbidity, preterm birth, postpartum glucose screening, or prenatal or postpartum emergency department visits. Changes in cesarean deliveries were inconclusive. Results suggest that implementing Medicaid ACOs in the thirty-eight states without them could improve maternal health care outpatient engagement, but alone it may be insufficient to improve maternal health outcomes.

Choledochal Cyst Diagnosed during Pregnancy and Treated by Postpartum Laparoscopic Choledochal Cyst Excision: Case Report.

We report a rare case of choledochal cyst with acute cholangitis that was diagnosed at 37 weeks' gestation and treated by laparoscopic choledochal resection and biliary reconstruction after delivery. A 31-year-old Japanese primigravida at 37 weeks' gestation presented with right upper quadrant pain. The patient was diagnosed as having acute cholangitis due to a type-Ia choledochal cyst, according to the Todani classification, with pancreaticobiliary maljunction. Acute cholangitis improved with conservative treatment, the fetus was delivered by Cesarean section at 38 weeks' gestation, and the patient was treated by laparoscopic choledochal cyst excision and biliary reconstruction at 47 days postpartum. Total operation time was 579 minutes and intraoperative body fluid loss was 100 mL. The patient is now healthy with normal liver function 7 years after the operation. To ensure good outcomes for the mother and fetus, treatment decisions for choledochal cyst diagnosed during pregnancy must be carefully considered.

Magnetic resonance imaging of abnormal placental shapes with correlation with pathologic findings.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of abnormal placental shapes (APS) compared with prenatal ultrasound. METHODS: From an initial cohort of 613 women with a high prevalence of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders, the MRI findings of 27 pregnant women with APS who underwent antenatal ultrasound and MRI examinations before delivery were retrospectively analyzed. The clinicopathological findings were used as the gold standard, and the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of antenatal MRI and a multidisciplinary team experienced in diagnosing APS were assessed. RESULTS: The 27 patients diagnosed with APS included 14 cases of succenturiate placenta, eight cases of the bilobed placenta, two cases of the circumvallate placenta, and one case each of placenta chorioangioma, placenta membranacea, and placental mesenchymal dysplasia. The sensitivity and specificity of APS classification with antenatal MRI were 40.74% (11/27) and 97.65% (498/510), respectively. Nonetheless, the multidisciplinary team achieved a higher sensitivity and specificity of up to 96.29% (26/27) and 99.22% (506/510), respectively. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated the complementary role of MRI and ultrasound in the detection of placental shapes in the setting of MRI images, highlighting the importance of radiologists communicating with sonographers in the diagnosis of APS.

Value of Engagement in Digital Health Technology Research: Evidence Across 6 Unique Cohort Studies.

BACKGROUND: Wearable digital health technologies and mobile apps (personal digital health technologies [DHTs]) hold great promise for transforming health research and care. However, engagement in personal DHT research is poor. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to describe how participant engagement techniques and different study designs affect participant adherence, retention, and overall engagement in research involving personal DHTs. METHODS: Quantitative and qualitative analysis of engagement factors are reported across 6 unique personal DHT research studies that adopted aspects of a participant-centric design. Study populations included (1) frontline health care workers; (2) a conception, pregnant, and postpartum population; (3) individuals with Crohn disease; (4) individuals with pancreatic cancer; (5) individuals with central nervous system tumors; and (6) families with a Li-Fraumeni syndrome affected member. All included studies involved the use of a study smartphone app that collected both daily and intermittent passive and active tasks, as well as using multiple wearable devices including smartwatches, smart rings, and smart scales. All studies included a variety of participant-centric engagement strategies centered on working with participants as co-designers and regular check-in phone calls to provide support over study participation. Overall retention, probability of staying in the study, and median adherence to study activities are reported. RESULTS: The median proportion of participants retained in the study across the 6 studies was 77.2% (IQR 72.6%-88%). The probability of staying in the study stayed above 80% for all studies during the first month of study participation and stayed above 50% for the entire active study period across all studies. Median adherence to study activities varied by study population. Severely ill cancer populations and postpartum mothers showed the lowest adherence to personal DHT research tasks, largely the result of physical, mental, and situational barriers. Except for the cancer and postpartum populations, median adherences for the Oura smart ring, Garmin, and Apple smartwatches were over 80% and 90%, respectively. Median adherence to the scheduled check-in calls was high across all but one cohort (50%, IQR 20%-75%: low-engagement cohort). Median adherence to study-related activities in this low-engagement cohort was lower than in all other included studies. CONCLUSIONS: Participant-centric engagement strategies aid in participant retention and maintain good adherence in some populations. Primary barriers to engagement were participant burden (task fatigue and inconvenience), physical, mental, and situational barriers (unable to complete tasks), and low perceived benefit (lack of understanding of the value of personal DHTs). More population-specific tailoring of personal DHT designs is needed so that these new tools can be perceived as personally valuable to the end user.

AC092100.1 promotes angiogenesis in pre-eclampsia through YTHDC2/VEGFA signaling.

Aberrant long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression has been shown to be involved in the pathological process of pre-eclampsia (PE), yet only a small portion of lncRNAs has been characterized concerning the function and molecular mechanisms involved in PE. This study aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of the lncRNA AC092100.1 (AC092100.1) in angiogenesis in PE. In our study, bioinformatics analysis was performed to screen for differentially expressed lncRNAs between normal subjects and PE patients. The levels of AC092100.1 in placental tissues of patients with or without PE were validated using qRT-PCR. The effect of AC092100.1 overexpression on the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was investigated. The binding of AC092100.1 and YT521-B homology domain-containing 2 (YTHDC2) was predicted and verified. The effect of AC092100.1/YTHDC2 on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) in HUVECs was determined. Finally, a PE mice model was conducted. Fetal mouse growth, the abundance of mesenchymal morphology markers, including hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), soluble endoglin (sEng), Slug, and Vimentin, and endothelial markers, including placental growth factor (PLGF), CD31, and vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, in placental tissues were assessed. Here, we found that AC092100.1 was abnormally downregulated in placental tissues from PE patients. We established that AC092100.1 overexpression promoted HUVEC proliferation, migration, and tube formation in vitro. Mechanistically, AC092100.1 induced the accumulation of YTHDC2 and VEGFA through binding to YTHDC2 in HUVECs. Inhibition of YTHDC2 or VEGFA reversed AC092100.1-promoted tube formation. AC092100.1 overexpression contributed to alleviating fetal growth disorder, decreased levels of sEng, HIF-1α, sFlt-1, Slug, and Vimentin, and increased levels of VEGFA, PLGF, CD31, and VE-cadherin in PE mice. Our findings provided evidence supporting the role of the AC092100.1/YTHDC2/VEGFA axis in regulating angiogenesis, which demonstrated a therapeutic pathway for PE targeting angiogenesis.

Detecting and Dating Early Non-live Pregnancy Outcomes: Generation of a Novel Pregnancy Algorithm From Norwegian Linked Health Registries.

PURPOSE: Pregnancies ending before gestational week 12 are common but not notified to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Our goal was to develop an algorithm that more completely detects and dates all possible pregnancy outcomes (i.e., miscarriages, elective terminations, ectopic pregnancies, molar pregnancies, stillbirths, and live births) by using diagnostic codes from primary and secondary care registries to complement information from the birth registry. METHODS: We used nationwide linked registry data between 2008 and 2018 in a hierarchical manner: We developed the UiO pregnancy algorithm to arrive at unique pregnancy outcomes, considering codes within 56 days as the same event. To estimate the gestational age of pregnancy outcomes identified in the primary and secondary care registries, we inferred the median gestational age of pregnancy markers (45 ICD-10 codes and 9 ICPC-2 codes) from pregnancies registered in the medical birth registry. When no pregnancy markers were available, we assigned outcome-specific gestational age estimates. The performance of the algorithm was assessed by blinded clinicians. RESULTS: Using only the medical birth registry, we identified 649 703 pregnancies, including 1369 (0.2%) miscarriages and 3058 (0.5%) elective terminations. With the new algorithm, we detected 859 449 pregnancies, including 642 712 live-births (74.8%), 112 257 miscarriages (13.1%), 94 664 elective terminations (11.0%), 6429 ectopic pregnancies (0.7%), 2564 stillbirths (0.3%), and 823 molar pregnancies (0.1%). The median gestational age was 10+1 weeks (IQR 10+0-12+2) for miscarriages and 8+0 weeks (IQR 8+0-9+6) for elective terminations. Gestational age could be inferred using pregnancy markers for 66.3% of miscarriages and 47.2% of elective terminations. CONCLUSION: The UiO pregnancy algorithm improved the detection and dating of early non-live pregnancy outcomes that would have gone unnoticed if relying solely on the medical birth registry information.

Investigation of serum spexin concentrations in pregnant women diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the serum concentration of the spexin, which has been shown to have an anorexic effect in animal models, in pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). METHODS: This case-control study was conducted with 80 pregnant women who applied to the Umraniye Training and Research Hospital Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic between April 2022 and September 2022. The HG group consisted of 40 pregnant women who were diagnosed with HG in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, and the control group consisted of 40 healthy pregnant women matched with the HG group in terms of age, BMI, and gestational week. RESULTS: Both groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics and gestational age at blood sampling for spexin (p > 0.05). While maternal serum spexin concentration was 342.4 pg/ml in the HG group, it was 272.8 pg/ml in the control group (p = 0.003). ROC analysis was performed to determine the value of maternal serum spexin concentration in terms of predicting HG. AUC analysis of maternal serum spexin for HG estimation was 0.693 (p = 0.003, 95% CI =0.577 - 0.809). The optimal cutoff value for maternal serum spexin concentration was determined as 305.90 pg/ml with 65% sensitivity and 65% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: High serum spexin concentration is thought to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of HG, and this should be supported by demonstrating changes in serum spexin concentrations in pregnant women with HG whose symptoms alleviated and weight regain started after treatment.