Labour characteristics and neonatal Erb's palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors for Erb's palsy, with a focus on graphic labour patterns. DESIGN: A case-control study. SETTING: New York City. SAMPLE: A total of 45 consecutive cases of Erb's palsy and 90 controls. METHODS: Pregnancies and labours of neonatal Erb's palsy cases were compared with 90 controls using univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Erb's palsy and shoulder dystocia. RESULTS: Mothers of children with Erb's palsy had a higher term body mass index and more gestational diabetes than those of controls. Even cases without diabetes had higher blood glucose values after a 50-g glucose challenge than did controls. Cases had a higher birthweight and a lower ratio of head-to-thoracic circumference than controls. Shoulder dystocia occurred in 67% of cases and in 2% of controls (P = 0.001). Only 46% of labours had a completely normal dilatation pattern. In a multiple logistic regression model, variables independently associated with brachial plexus injury were long deceleration phase of labour, long second stage, high birthweight, black race, and high neonatal or maternal body mass. CONCLUSIONS: Erb's palsy was frequently preceded by abnormal labour and shoulder dystocia; however, a substantial proportion of cases occurred after normal labour and delivery. Predictive models will be necessary to determine to what extent careful monitoring of the terminal portion of dilatation and of fetal descent and incorporation of maternal body mass and race (all independent risk factors in this study) will help identify fetuses at risk for brachial plexus palsy.

Pharmacokinetic profile in late pregnancy and cord blood concentration of tipranavir and enfuvirtide.

The data on the use of tipranavir and enfuvirtide in pregnancy are very limited. We performed a pharmacokinetic profile in a pregnant woman with multidrug-resistant HIV-1 infection at 37 weeks gestation. Tipranavir levels were in the therapeutic range and the cord blood concentration at delivery was relatively high when compared with other protease inhibitors. No enfuvirtide was detected in the fetal compartment. Tipranavir and enfuvirtide were successfully used in pregnancy, but possible toxicities must be kept in mind.

Prone positioning for ARDS following blunt chest trauma in late pregnancy.

After a road traffic accident a pregnant patient at 34 weeks of gestation developed ARDS following blunt chest trauma, for which she required mechanical ventilation. Twenty-four hours after the accident, ongoing severe hypoxaemia with atelectasis mainly in the dorsal parts of the lung led to the decision to manage the patient in the prone position. Prone positioning over 8h resulted in a persistent improvement of oxygenation, which allowed extubation the following day. At term, however, our patient was admitted with dyspnoea, chest pain, haemodynamic instability and fetal bradycardia, for which she required emergency caesarean section followed by thoracotomy for haemothorax, from which she eventually made a full recovery. We have demonstrated that prone positioning can be used safely and effectively in a pregnant patient. It might be superior to other therapeutic options for improvement of oxygenation in pregnant patients. Careful positioning avoiding any external abdominal pressure and continuous fetal monitoring are mandatory.