[THE USE OF VAGINAL RINGS FOR THE TREATMENT OF GENITAL ORGAN PROLAPSE].

INTRODUCTION: The rise in women's age globally, as well as lifetime hard physical work and high parity rate in the third world countries, is a substantial cause for female genital organ prolapse of variable degrees of severity. This, in turn, has a negative effect on the function of the affected women. The definitive treatment for this condition is surgery of various types in accordance with the anatomic injury, although it is not easily available throughout the world. Hence the use of vaginal pessaries, which is quite prevalent among the affected women, mainly in third world countries. These contraptions enable fixation of the prolapsed female pelvic organs in the pelvis and prevent their descent to the vagina and beyond. The most prevalent vaginal ring is the pessary ring, although a large variety of vaginal rings are available. In this article the authors review some of the aspects regarding the use of vaginal rings for pelvic organ prolapse. Generally, the use of these rings was found safe and effective - both by physicians as well as users, however, reports of some negative complications related to the use of these devices have been published. Another clinical experimental aspect of the use of these rings is to try to prevent premature delivery in pregnant women. Currently, this treatment option is still regarded as being controversial in terms of its effectiveness for this purpose.

The association between chronic liver diseases and preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder characterized by an abnormal vascular response to placentation associated with increased systemic vascular resistance. As liver involvement is one of the main clinical features of preeclampsia, we sought to determine if there is an association between chronic liver diseases and preeclampsia. METHODS: A retrospective matched case-control analysis was conducted in a tertiary medical center. Three hundred eleven (311) pregnant women with preexisting chronic liver disease (study group), including viral and autoimmune hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver, Wilson disease, and cirrhosis, were match for age, parity, and number of fetuses to 933 healthy pregnant women (control group). The primary outcome measure was the incidence of preeclampsia in each group. Secondary outcome measures were obstetrical and neonatal complications. Confounders found to be significant on univariate analysis were evaluated using logistic regression models, and odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: Preeclampsia was diagnosed in 28 women (9.0%) in the study group and 33 women (3.54%) in the control group (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis adjusted for maternal age, parity, previous preeclampsia, chronic hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, pregestational diabetes mellitus, antiphospholipid syndrome, and mode of conception, chronic liver disease was found to be an independent risk factor for preeclampsia (aOR 2.631, 95% CI 1.518-4.561). Although there was no difference in the gestational week at delivery between the groups (38.6 ± 2.13 vs. 38.8 ± 2.17 for study and control group, respectively, p = 0.410), the study group had a lower mean neonatal birthweight (3088 ± 551 vs. 3182 ± 566 g, p = 0.011). There were no between-group differences in the other parameters evaluated. CONCLUSION: In our study, preexisting chronic liver disease was associated with a 2.6-fold increased risk of preeclampsia.

Amniocentesis in twin gestation: the association between gestational age at procedure and complications.

PURPOSE: Third trimester amniocentesis is often performed when indications arise after 24 weeks of gestation-typically to investigate new sonographic findings, and might be related to pre-term birth. Scarcity of data exists concerning the risks of third-trimester amniocentesis in twin pregnancies. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of all twin gestations that underwent amniocentesis in a tertiary hospital between 2007 and 2016. Outcomes and procedure-related complications were compared between third-trimester (≥ 24 weeks) and mid-trimester amniocentesis (16-23 weeks). Primary outcome was defined as membrane rupture within four weeks of procedure. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to adjust results to potential confounders. RESULTS: Overall, 185 eligible women were included, of them, 28 (15.1%) underwent third-trimester amniocentesis and 157 (84.9%) underwent mid-trimester amniocentesis. Women in the third-trimester amniocentesis group were younger and presented higher frequencies of intra-uterine growth restriction (31.5 vs. 35.3, p < 0.001, and 28% vs. 10% p = 0.015, respectively). The prevalence of membrane rupture within 4 weeks of the procedure was significantly higher in the third-trimester amniocentesis group (31% vs. 1%, p < 0.001). Delivery rates after third-trimester amniocentesis within 1, 2 and 4 weeks of the procedure were 11%, 14.8% and 52%, respectively, versus 0% following mid-trimester amniocentesis (p < 0.001). Gestational age at delivery was similar between the groups (35.7 vs. 36.4 gestational weeks, p = 0.34). In multivariate analysis, gestational age at amniocentesis was found to be an independent risk factor for premature rupture of membranes within 4 weeks of the procedure. CONCLUSION: Third trimester amniocentesis in twin pregnancies is associated with significantly higher rates of procedure-related membrane rupture compared to mid-trimester amniocentesis.

The effect of stillbirth and late termination of pregnancy on the emergence of post-traumatic symptoms among attending medical personnel.

The purpose of this paper was to assess the impact and the post-traumatic potential of late termination of pregnancy (TOP) and stillbirth on medical staff and characterise personal attributes that modulate these possible outcomes. Fifty-one participants involved in the treatment of women undergoing late TOPs and stillbirths answered questionnaires including demographics, Neuroticism subscale of the Big Five Inventory (BFI), Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) and questions regarding exposure to stillbirths and late TOPs. None of the participants met the full post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) criteria. A correlation with a marginal significance was found between the number of TOP's/stillbirths attended during the past year and traumatic symptoms. Neuroticism moderated the association between presence in TOP's/stillbirths and post-traumatic symptoms among those who attended this event over the past month. According to our results, medical personnel do not appear to develop long-term and lingering posttraumatic symptoms following attending TOP's/stillbirths. Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? There is a very little research on the ways in which medical personnel respond to Stillbirths, late miscarriages and terminations of pregnancy (TOP) of their patients and on the possible effect of their personality traits in this response.What do the results of this study add? According to our results, medical personnel do not appear to develop long-term and lingering posttraumatic symptoms following attending TOP's/stillbirths.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Further studies are warranted to better assess the impact of exposure to traumatic events in general and on the effect of late TOP and stillbirths in particular, on medical personnel and to identify interventions that may prevent posttraumatic symptoms among staff members when they happen.

[PERI- AND POST-MORTEM CESAREAN SECTION].

INTRODUCTION: Cesarean section has been practiced since the 2nd millennium BC. It received its name due to the manner of the birth of Julius Caesar, who allegedly yet incorrectly, was born in this way. The main indications for Cesarean section were "king's law" for the implementation of inheritance rights and later because of the doctrine of the Catholic Church that mandated separate burial of the fetus for the purpose of his soul to reach heaven after being baptized. As of the late 19th Century, Cesarean section became safer, hence it gained popularity and nowadays it is quite prevalent as a mode of delivery worldwide. Furthermore, the massive rise in law suit claims against obstetricians also plays its role in the popularity of cesarean section as a mode of delivery. In this review article, the issue of special and rare types of Cesareans, i.e. peri- and post-mortem Cesarean sections is discussed.

Long-term psychological and physical outcomes of women after postdural puncture headache: A retrospective, cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Postdural puncture headache after accidental dural puncture during labour may lead to chronic sequalae. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to measure the incidence of postpartum depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, chronic headache, backache and breastfeeding rates after a postdural puncture headache. DESIGN: A retrospective, case-matched cohort study. SETTING: A review of documented cases of dural puncture and matched case controls occurring at Rabin Medical Center and Shamir Medical Center from 01 January 2012 to 30 September 2018. PATIENTS: The study cohort consisted of women with a documented postdural puncture headache and the controls were women with uneventful labour epidurals in the same 24-h period. Women were interviewed by telephone. PRIMARY OUTCOMES MEASURE: The primary outcome measure was the incidence of postpartum depression after a postdural puncture headache. RESULTS: Women with postdural puncture headache (n = 132) and controls (n = 276) had similar demographic data. The incidence of postpartum depression was 67/128 (52.3%) versus 31/276 (11.2%) for controls, P < 0.0001, 95% confidence intervals of the difference 31.5 to 50.2. Posttraumatic stress disorder was more frequent among women with postdural puncture headache, 17/132 (12.8%) versus controls 1/276 (0.4%), P < 0.0001, 95% confidence intervals of the difference 7.6 to 19.5. Women with postdural puncture headache breastfed less, 74/126 (54.5%) versus controls 212/276 (76.8%), P < 0.0001, 95% confidence intervals of the difference 33.1 to 55.2. Current headache and backache were significantly more frequent among women with postdural puncture headache [current headache 42/129 (32.6%) versus controls 42/276 (15.2%) P < 0.00001, 95% confidence intervals 0.085 to 0.266; current backache 58/129 (43.9%) versus controls 58/275 (21%) P < 0.0001, 95% confidence intervals 14.1 to 33.5]. CONCLUSION: We report an increased incidence of postpartum depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, chronic headache and backache and decreased breastfeeding following a postdural puncture headache. Our findings emphasise the need for postpartum follow-up for women with postdural puncture headache. TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER: Clinical trial registry number: NCT03550586.

Epidural/spinal anesthesia during delivery in women with factor XI deficiency, a single center experience.

INTRODUCTION: The safety of neuro-axial anaesthesia (epidural/spinal) at labour of women with partial factor XI (FXI) deficiency is uncertain. Although FXI deficiency is frequent in Ashkenazi Jews, it is not routinely measured before labour. Our institute serves a large Ashkenazi population. We assumed that 10% of them have undiagnosed FXI deficiency. AIM: Assess the incidence, bleeding tendency and coagulation status among Jewish Ashkenazi women with FXI deficiency that underwent neuro-axial anaesthesia at delivery. METHODS: Jewish Ashkenazi women who underwent neuro-axial anaesthesia at labour completed the SSC ISTH bleeding assessment tool (BAT) and had blood drawn for coagulation tests, FXI and thrombin generation after labour. Estimation for 10 years was calculated from the 1-year sample. RESULTS: We recruited 261 women during 12 months. Among them, 39 (15%) had FXI deficiency (<70%) with median FXI levels of 63% (range: 33%-70%). Around 50% of them underwent amniocentesis in the current pregnancy and prior neuro-axial anaesthesia with no bleeding complications. BAT score and thrombin generation did not differ between women regardless of FXI status. aPTT was longer in women with partial FXI deficiency (median - 28.6 sec vs 26.3 sec, P < .001, Table 2), although within the normal range in all women. No bleeding complications after neuro-axial anaesthesia at delivery were reported in our centre in the last decade though, and according to our estimation, at least 2150 women had partial FXI deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of Jewish Ashkenazi women with undiagnosed partial FXI deficiency undergo neuro-axial anaesthesia at labour without bleeding complications.

Periventricular pseudocysts of noninfectious origin: Prenatal associated findings and prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to establish prognostic factors in fetuses diagnosed with periventricular pseudocysts (PVPCs) without known congenital infection, between 28 and 37 weeks of gestation. METHODS: This retrospective study included cases of fetal PVPC from 2008 to 2018. PVPCs were classified according to location, number, extension, morphology, and size. Additional findings, MRI and genetic studies were recorded. Pregnancy outcome, postnatal, or postmortem results were obtained. Images from patients with normal (Group 1) and abnormal postnatal development (Group 2) were compared for analysis of factors predictive of outcome. RESULTS: One-hundred and fifteen pseudocysts were observed in 59 patients. In 34 fetuses (57%), the PVPC was an isolated finding. Thirty-nine patients delivered live newborns, 27% opted for termination of pregnancy, and 4 patients were lost to follow-up. Eighty-four percent of the liveborns had normal development. When assessing for the influence of pseudocyst characteristics, a wide CSP, or large head circumference, neither of these affected the outcome. The presence of additional anomalies was the only positive predictor for abnormal development regradless of specific PVPC characteristics (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: In fetuses with PVPCs, the presence of additional anomalies was the only predictor for adverse postnatal outcome. No association between cystic characteristics and adverse outcome was observed.

Risk factors and maternal outcomes following preterm premature rupture of membrane in the second trimester of gestation.

PURPOSE: To characterize the population of women who underwent mid-trimester preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM) in a country where mid-trimester abortions are legal and available. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional cohort study was conducted at a tertiary referral hospital, during 2013-2016. Mid-trimester defined as gestational age 13 + 0 to 23 + 6 weeks. Rupture of membrane was defined by documentation of fluid passing through the cervix on sterile speculum examination, and a positive Nitrazine (Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ) or erning test. All records were evaluated for medical history, laboratory data, postnatal examination, and autopsy findings, and a database was constructed. RESULTS: A total of 61 women were hospitalized for mid-trimester PPROM during the study period. Mean maternal age was 32 ± 5.98, range 20-45 years old. The majority (50, 82%) of patients decided to terminate their pregnancy before reaching the limit of viability at 24 weeks gestation. The overall prognosis of pregnancies reaching term was better than expected, with six (9.8%) patients delivering live babies and four of them born at term (36 ± 5 to 40 ± 6 weeks gestation), all after PPROM following amniocentesis or selective fetal reduction. A total of 60% of women with hypothyroidism had unbalanced TSH levels above 4.0 mIU/L prior to their pregnancy. A notable number of women (15, 24.6%) had PPROM following a pregnancy achieved by assisted reproductive technology (ART). CONCLUSIONS: Most women with diagnosed mid-trimester PPROM opted for pregnancy termination before the limit of viability when granted the choice. Possible risk factors for early PPROM are unbalanced hypothyroidism and ART. PPROM following amniocentesis can in some cases reseal and reach term, suggesting conservative treatment is a reasonable management for those cases.

[ACTIVE AND SECONDHAND (PASSIVE) SMOKING DURING PREGNANCY].

INTRODUCTION: Quite a few people of both genders are still smoking today, although their number is decreasing in the developed countries. In Israel, people who smoke constitute 22% of the adult population and the ratio between male and female smokers is 4:1. Jewish women smoke 1.8 times more in comparison with Arab women. Smoking is known to constrict small blood vessels and hence there exists a more prevalent outcome of prematurity and small-for-gestational-age fetus in pregnant women who are exposed to secondhand (passive) smoking during their pregnancy. In the relevant literature, it is claimed that secondhand smoking is responsible for delivery at early stages, as well as low birth weight of newborns for women who were exposed to it. However, these findings were not found as such in a number of studies in which the question of a relation between passive smoking and adverse pregnancy outcomes was not proven. Moreover, exposure to passive smoking by other smokers is considered only one of the many pollutants that exist in our industrial and overcrowded world, hence focusing on that one variable only ignores the effect of many other pollutants that may possibly do harm to the fetus as well as to the pregnant woman. The relation between passive smoking and adverse effects on the fetus leads to the restriction of smoking in public places with no evident proof of its benefit on pregnant women.

[SURROGACY - ITS MEDICAL, LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS].

INTRODUCTION: During July 2018, Israel went through a social turmoil due to the completion of the legislation of the surrogacy act which exclude gay men from the option of having their own children through surrogate pregnancy. Gay men were outraged also because this denial of the state means that such treatment will not be subsidize since these treatments are quite expensive. In light of the public and media mayhem following the above mentioned law, we revise the relevant literature regarding surrogate pregnancies, mainly for the social aspect of this issue. It seems that most women, who experience surrogate pregnancy, are not affected physically or mentally. However, these finding may not be relevant to surrogate women in underdeveloped countries who, sometimes, are doing it for the financial benefit. More specifically, this review deals with the new Israeli legislation, which incorporates in it religious elements, hence it prevents certain populations (such as gay men) from the only feasible possibility to become fathers. We emphasize that we describe the situation as it is presented in the current literature as spectators but not as judges.

Neonatal outcomes in term pregnancies treated with antenatal corticosteroids for suspected pre-term labor.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between antenatal corticosteroid treatment and neonatal outcome when delivery occurs at term. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of all women with singleton gestations who delivered at term (37 + 0 to 41 + 6 weeks) in a tertiary medical center (2012-2015). Women with diabetes, suspected fetal growth restriction, antepartum fetal death, and fetal structural or chromosomal anomalies were excluded. The cohort was divided according to prior preterm (24 + 0 to 33 + 6 weeks) antenatal corticosteroids treatment due to threatened preterm labor (study group), vs. no such treatment (control group). Primary outcome was birthweight at delivery. Secondary outcomes were composites neonatal adverse outcomes. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to adjust results for potential confounders. RESULTS: Of 25,872 women who were included in the study, 722 (3%) were treated with antenatal corticosteroids. Women in the treatment group had higher rates of nulliparity compared to controls (43% vs. 38%, p = 0.002). Birth weight was significantly lower in the corticosteroid treatment group (3077 g vs. 3264 g, p = 0.001), with higher rates of small for gestational age (11% vs. 6%, p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis adjusting for parity and gestational age demonstrated that corticosteroid treatment was associated with lower birth weight (B = - 93 g, 95% CI - 123 to - 66, p = 0.001). Treatment was not found to be associated with adverse neonatal outcomes composites. CONCLUSION: Antenatal corticosteroid treatment is associated with lower birth weight and higher rates of small for gestational age neonates among women who eventually deliver at term. However, it is not associated with short-term adverse neonatal outcomes.

[BLUNT AND PENETRATING ABDOMINAL INJURIES DURING PREGNANCY].

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal trauma, especially blunt trauma, is a prevalent complaint during all the stages of pregnancy, which mostly ends without any severe complications to the pregnant mother or the fetus. However, this kind of injury may carry a significant risk to the pregnant mother, to the fetus or to both in case of misdiagnosis regarding the severity of the damage - hence delaying the treatment. Diagnostic modalities are peritoneal lavage, ultrasonography and CT scans. Nevertheless, the high index of suspicion in any case of abdominal trauma during pregnancy remains the responsibility of the attending physician because there is not always a correlation between the complaints of the pregnant woman and the severity of her condition. Today, the main causes for abdominal trauma during pregnancy are car accidents, falls and assaults of pregnant women. In the present article the physiologic mechanisms that cause damage in cases of abdominal trauma during pregnancy, as well as the methods of diagnosis and treatment, are reviewed. It should be remembered that abdominal trauma during pregnancy may be a penetrating one - hence the rate, as well as the severity of the risk to both mother and fetus are significantly raised.

Neonatal outcome in gestational-diabetic mothers treated with antenatal corticosteroids delivering at the late preterm and term.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between antenatal corticosteroid treatment and neonatal complications in diabetic mothers delivering after 34 weeks of gestation. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of women with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with gestational diabetes who delivered after 34 weeks of gestation in a university-affiliated medical center (2012-2016). Mothers treated with corticosteroids prior to 34 + 0 weeks of gestation were divided according to gestational age at delivery: late-preterm (34 + 0 to 36 + 6) and term (37 + 0 to 41 + 6). Each group was compared to women delivering at the same gestational age who were not treated with corticosteroids. Primary outcome was defined as a neonatal adverse composite outcome. Birth weight was amongst secondary outcomes measured. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to adjust results to potential confounders. RESULTS: During the study period, 161 diabetic mothers delivered at late-preterm. Amongst them, 47 (30%) were treated with corticosteroids. 2101 diabetic mothers delivered at term, amongst them 82 (4%) were treated with corticosteroids. Primary outcome did not differ between groups. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that corticosteroid treatment was not associated with neonatal adverse composite outcome when delivery occurred at the late preterm, nor at term (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.708, 95% CI 0.2-2.3, p = 0.572, and aOR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.2-12.7, p = 0.635, respectively). Birth weight was significantly lower in women treated with corticosteroids (2486 vs. 2675 g, p = 0.02 at late-preterm, and 3160 vs. 3319 g, p < 0.001 at term). CONCLUSION: Corticosteroid treatment for diabetic mothers was not associated with neonatal adverse outcomes, but was found associated with a lower birth weight, when delivery occurs after 34 weeks of gestation.

Can we predict successful cervical ripening with prostaglandin E2 vaginal inserts?

PURPOSE: Previous studies have suggested that a variety of maternal and obstetrical characteristics may predict successful prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) cervical ripening. However, in most studies women were administered vaginal tablets or gel so scarce is known regarding potential predictors in women administrated slow-release vaginal inserts. We aimed to characterize the response of cervical ripening for labor induction using slow-release PGE2 vaginal insert and to identify predictors for success. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study in a single center (2013-2015). The association between maternal characteristics at admission and cervical ripening success/failure were explored. Cervical ripening failure was defined as a Bishop's score <7 following 24 h from cervical ripening or the need for cesarean delivery (CS) due to arrest of dilatation at cervical dilatation ≤5 cm. Cases with major fetal anomalies, multiple gestations, non-vertex presentation or any contraindication for vaginal delivery were excluded. RESULTS: Of 15,564 deliveries during the study period, 986 (6.3%) women met inclusion criteria, of them, 774 (78.56%) succeeded and 212 (21.5%) failed cervical ripening. Cervical ripening success was associated with (OR, 95% CI): nulliparity (0.42, 0.22-0.81, p = 0.009, i.e., nulliparity was negatively associated with successful ripening), gestational age (GA) at delivery (1.29, 1.02-1.61, p < 0.03), and cervical dilation at admission (4.58, 2.57-8.17, p < 0.001). The indications for labor induction were not associated with cervical ripening success. A prediction model which included the abovementioned characteristics had an AUC of 0.792 (95% CI 0.743-0.840). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, basic parameters, such as parity, cervical dilatation at admission and gestational age can predict successful cervical ripening PGE2 vaginal inserts.

Generation of vascular chimerism within donor organs.

Whole organ perfusion decellularization has been proposed as a promising method to generate non-immunogenic organs from allogeneic and xenogeneic donors. However, the ability to recellularize organ scaffolds with multiple patient-specific cells in a spatially controlled manner remains challenging. Here, we propose that replacing donor endothelial cells alone, while keeping the rest of the organ viable and functional, is more technically feasible, and may offer a significant shortcut in the efforts to engineer transplantable organs. Vascular decellularization was achieved ex vivo, under controlled machine perfusion conditions, in various rat and porcine organs, including the kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, aorta, hind limbs, and pancreas. In addition, vascular decellularization of selected organs was performed in situ, within the donor body, achieving better control over the perfusion process. Human placenta-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were used as immunologically-acceptable human cells to repopulate the luminal surface of de-endothelialized aorta (in vitro), kidneys, lungs and hind limbs (ex vivo). This study provides evidence that artificially generating vascular chimerism is feasible and could potentially pave the way for crossing the immunological barrier to xenotransplantation, as well as reducing the immunological burden of allogeneic grafts.

Gestational weight gain among nutritionally treated GDM patients.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate pregnancy outcome in diet-treated gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) patients according to the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines concerning gestational weight gain (GWG). DESIGN AND PATIENTS: This was a retrospective cohort study, limited to women with singleton pregnancies and diet-treated GDM. Women with preexisting diabetes or women with pharmaceutical treatment were excluded. We compared patients with adequate GWG with patients with excess GWG according to the 2009 IOM guidelines. RESULTS: Overall, 142 women were evaluated, of which 99 (69.7%) had adequate GWG and 43 (30.3%) had excess GWG. All demonstrated good glycemic control. Patients in the excess GWG group had higher mean pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI). No other obstetrical or perinatal statistically significant differences were demonstrated, although there was a trend for higher birth weight percentile and higher rate of respiratory distress among the excess GWG group. CONCLUSIONS: Higher pre-pregnancy BMI is a risk factor for failing to comply with the 2009 IOM GWG guidelines. However, it seems that in pregnancies complicated by diet-treated GDM, GWG is not a reliable marker for adverse pregnancy outcome if glycemic control is adequate.

The impact of first trimester fasting glucose level on adverse perinatal outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of first trimester fasting glucose (FTFG) level on perinatal outcome. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of singleton deliveries. Maternal and neonatal outcome were compared between two groups-women with FTFG < 95 mg/dl and FTFG ≥ 95 mg/dl. Women with pre-gestational diabetes were excluded. RESULTS: Five thousand and thirty women met inclusion criteria. Of whom, 4644 (92.3%) had FTFG < 95 mg/dl and 386 (7.7%) had FTFG ≥ 95 mg/dl. Women with FTFG ≥ 95 mg/dl had higher rates of gestational hypertension (2.33 vs. 0.7%) and gestational diabetes (9.07 vs. 2.86%), p < 0.05 for both. Moreover, they had higher rates of cesarean delivery and arrest of descent, p < 0.05. Composite diabetes outcome was significantly higher among women with FTFG ≥ 95 mg/dl (8 vs. 3%, p = 0.002). After adjusting for potential confounders, composite diabetes outcome (aOR = 1.942 95% CI 1.265-2.981, p = 0.002) and gestational hypertension (aOR = 2.827 95% CI 1.295-6.175, p = 0.009) remained significantly higher in the FTFG ≥ 95 mg/dl group. CONCLUSION: FTFG ≥ 95 mg/dl is an independent risk factor for adverse perinatal outcome including gestational hypertension and diabetes-related complications.

The history of primary snoring in children: the effect of adenotonsillectomy.

UNLABELLED: Primary snoring (PS) is considered as the most benign form of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), and treatment is usually not prescribed. Studies suggest that PS may not be as benign as had formerly been considered. We aimed to investigate the natural history of PS in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy, and compare those who underwent adenotonsillectomy (AT) with those who did not. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Children diagnosed with PS based on polysomnographic findings were included in the study. Information retrieved from their medical records, including medical history, physical examination, anthropometric measures, and polysomnography (PSG) results, was reviewed. A telephone interview was conducted 4-6 years following the PSG evaluation. The interview included the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire Sleep-related Breathing Disorder (PSQ-SRBD) scale, demographics, anthropometric measures, and history of AT. RESULTS: A total of 248 children (56% males) were studied (mean age: 5.4 ± 3.4 years). Telephone interviews were conducted 5.3 ± 1.1 years following PSG. Sixty-four children (26%) underwent AT/adenoidectomy (A) following PSG. Of the 184 children who did not undergo surgery, 62 (34%) had positive PSQ-SRBD scores five years after diagnosis. Children with PS who underwent AT had better PSQ-SRBD scores at five years post diagnosis than the nonoperated children. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of children with PS persist with SDB symptoms even five years following the diagnosis. In our cohort, a considerable percentage of children with a PSG diagnosis of PS underwent AT despite non-supportive sleep study results. Surgical intervention may have beneficial effects on some children with PS. Further studies using objective measures of sleep and incorporating the effect of SDB duration are required.