Decreased Fatty Acid Oxidation Gene Expression in Pre-Eclampsia According to the Onset and Presence of Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) is lower in placentas with pre-eclampsia. The aim of our study was to compare the placental mRNA expression of FAO enzymes in healthy pregnancies vs. different subgroups of pre-eclampsia according to the severity, time of onset, and the presence of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). By using real-time qPCR, we measured the mRNA levels of long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD), medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD), and carnitine palmitoyltransferases 1A and 2 (CPT1A, CPT2) on the maternal side (anchoring villi in the basal decidua) and on the fetal side (chorionic plate) of the placenta (n = 56). When compared to the controls, LCHAD, MCAD, and CPT2 mRNA had decreased in all pre-eclampsia subgroups globally and on the fetal side. On the maternal side, LCHAD mRNA was also lower in all pre-eclampsia subgroups; however, MCAD and CPT2 mRNA were only reduced in severe and early-onset disease, as well as CPT2 in IUGR (p < 0.05). There were no differences in CPT1A mRNA expression. We conclude that the FAO enzymes mRNA in the placenta was lower in pre-eclampsia, with higher reductions observed in severe, early-onset, and IUGR cases and more striking reductions on the fetal side.

The Relationship between Angiogenic Factors and Energy Metabolism in Preeclampsia.

Antiangiogenic factors are currently used for the prediction of preeclampsia. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between antiangiogenic factors and lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in maternal plasma and placenta. We analyzed 56 pregnant women, 30 healthy and 26 with preeclampsia (including early and late onset). We compared antiangiogenic factors soluble Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase-1 (sfLt-1), placental growth factor (PlGF), and soluble endoglin (sEng)), lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in maternal plasma, and lipid metabolism in the placenta from assays of fatty acid oxidation, fatty acid esterification, and triglyceride levels in all groups. Antiangiogenic factors sFlt-1, sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, and sEng showed a positive correlation with triglyceride, free fatty acid, and C-peptide maternal serum levels. However, there was no relationship between angiogenic factors and placental lipid metabolism parameters. Free fatty acids were predictive of elevated sFlt-1 and sEng, while C-peptide was predictive of an elevated sFlt1/PlGF ratio. The findings in this study generate a model to predict elevated antiangiogenic factor values and the relationship between them with different products of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in maternal serum and placenta in preeclampsia.

Critical Care in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Pregnant Women: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

Evidence suggests that pregnant women are at a higher risk of complications compared to the general population when infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the reasons that lead them to need intensive care are not clear. This is a prospective multicenter study of SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women, registered by the Spanish Obstetric Emergency Group, with the objective to define the characteristics of the mothers who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and to investigate the causes and risk factors for ICU admission. A total of 1347 infected pregnant women were registered and analyzed, of whom, 35 (2.6%) were admitted to the ICU. No differences in maternal characteristics or comorbidities were observed between ICU and non-ICU patients, except for in vitro fertilization and multiple pregnancies. The main causes of admission to the ICU were non-obstetric causes (worsening of the maternal condition and respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, 40%) and a combination of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms and obstetrical complications (31.4%). The multivariable logistic analysis confirmed a higher risk of ICU admission when pre-eclampsia or hemorrhagic events coexist with pneumonia. The incidence of thromboembolic events and disseminated intravascular coagulation were also significantly higher among patients admitted to the ICU. Therefore, surveillance and rapid intervention should be intensified in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnant women with the mentioned risk factors and complications. Emphasis should always be placed on anticoagulant therapy in these patients due to the increased thromboembolic risk, C-section surgery and immobilization in the ICU.

Association of ABO and Rh blood groups with obstetric outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnancies: A prospective study with a multivariate analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of ABO and Rh blood groups on morbidity among SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnancies. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: 78 centers of the Spanish Obstetric Emergency Group. POPULATION: Pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 tested with polymerase-chain-reaction between 26-February and 5-November 2020. A cohort of 1278 SARS-CoV-2(+) pregnant women was analyzed and a concurrent comparison group of 1453 SARS-COV-2(-) patients was established. METHODS: Data were collected from medical charts. SARS-COV-2(+) was compared with SARS-COV-2(-) for differences in distribution of blood groups. We performed multivariate analysis, controlling for maternal age and ethnicity, to evaluate association of ABO and Rh blood groups with maternal and perinatal outcomes in SARS-CoV-2(+) patients with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Medical morbidity: Symptomatic COVID-19 and medical complications. Obstetric outcomes: caesarean delivery, preterm deliveries, preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), hemorrhagic events, pre-eclampsia, maternal and neonatal mortality, stillbirth. RESULTS: Differences were noted between blood types and Rh for age and ethnicity comparing SARS-CoV-2(+) and SARS-CoV-2(-) groups (p < 0.05). Among the SARS-CoV-2(+) cohort, the odds of symptomatic COVID-19 and obstetric hemorrhagic event were higher in Rh+ vs Rh- mothers (aOR 1.48, 95% CI 1.02-2.14, p = 0.037, and aOR 8.72, 95% CI 1.20-63.57, p = 0.033, respectively), and PPROM were higher among blood type A vs non-A mothers (aOR 2.06, 95% CI 1.01-4.18, p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: In SARS-CoV-2(+) pregnant women, Rh- status was associated with a lower risk of symptomatic COVID-19, while Rh+ and blood group A were associated with obstetric hemorrhage and PPROM, respectively.

Maternal outcomes and risk factors for COVID-19 severity among pregnant women.

Pregnant women may be at higher risk of severe complications associated with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which may lead to obstetrical complications. We performed a case control study comparing pregnant women with severe coronavirus disease 19 (cases) to pregnant women with a milder form (controls) enrolled in the COVI-Preg international registry cohort between March 24 and July 26, 2020. Risk factors for severity, obstetrical and immediate neonatal outcomes were assessed. A total of 926 pregnant women with a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 were included, among which 92 (9.9%) presented with severe COVID-19 disease. Risk factors for severe maternal outcomes were pulmonary comorbidities [aOR 4.3, 95% CI 1.9-9.5], hypertensive disorders [aOR 2.7, 95% CI 1.0-7.0] and diabetes [aOR2.2, 95% CI 1.1-4.5]. Pregnant women with severe maternal outcomes were at higher risk of caesarean section [70.7% (n = 53/75)], preterm delivery [62.7% (n = 32/51)] and newborns requiring admission to the neonatal intensive care unit [41.3% (n = 31/75)]. In this study, several risk factors for developing severe complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection among pregnant women were identified including pulmonary comorbidities, hypertensive disorders and diabetes. Obstetrical and neonatal outcomes appear to be influenced by the severity of maternal disease.

Pregnancy Outcomes and SARS-CoV-2 Infection: The Spanish Obstetric Emergency Group Study.

Pregnant women who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 are at an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes. With this study, we aimed to better understand the relationship between maternal infection and perinatal outcomes, especially preterm births, and the underlying medical and interventionist factors. This was a prospective observational study carried out in 78 centers (Spanish Obstetric Emergency Group) with a cohort of 1347 SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive pregnant women registered consecutively between 26 February and 5 November 2020, and a concurrent sample of PCR-negative mothers. The patients' information was collected from their medical records, and the association of SARS-CoV-2 and perinatal outcomes was evaluated by univariable and multivariate analyses. The data from 1347 SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnancies were compared with those from 1607 SARS-CoV-2-negative pregnancies. Differences were observed between both groups in premature rupture of membranes (15.5% vs. 11.1%, p < 0.001); venous thrombotic events (1.5% vs. 0.2%, p < 0.001); and severe pre-eclampsia incidence (40.6 vs. 15.6%, p = 0.001), which could have been overestimated in the infected cohort due to the shared analytical signs between this hypertensive disorder and COVID-19. In addition, more preterm deliveries were observed in infected patients (11.1% vs. 5.8%, p < 0.001) mainly due to an increase in iatrogenic preterm births. The prematurity in SARS-CoV-2-affected pregnancies results from a predisposition to end the pregnancy because of maternal disease (pneumonia and pre-eclampsia, with or without COVID-19 symptoms).

Perinatal outcomes of pregnancies resulting from assisted reproduction technology in SARS-CoV-2-infected women: a prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perinatal and maternal outcomes of pregnancies in women infected with SARS-CoV-2, comparing spontaneous and in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancies (with either own or donor oocytes). DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective, observational study. SETTING: 78 centers participating in the Spanish COVID19 Registry. PATIENT(S): 1,347 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 positive results registered consecutively between February 26 and November 5, 2020. INTERVENTION(S): The patients' information was collected from their medical records, and multivariable regression analyses were performed, controlling for maternal age and the clinical presentation of the infection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Obstetrics and neonatal outcomes, pregnancy comorbidities, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation need, and medical conditions. RESULT(S): The IVF group included 74 (5.5%) women whereas the spontaneous pregnancy group included 1,275 (94.5%) women. The operative delivery rate was high in all patients, especially in the IVF group, where cesarean section became the most frequent method of delivery (55.4%, compared with 26.1% of the spontaneous pregnancy group). The reason for cesarean section was induction failure in 56.1% of the IVF patients. IVF women had more gestational hypertensive disorders (16.2% vs. 4.5% among spontaneous pregnancy women, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.45-10.93) irrespective of oocyte origin. The higher rate of intensive care unit admittance observed in the IVF group (8.1% vs. 2.4% in the spontaneous pregnancy group) was attributed to preeclampsia (aOR 11.82, 95% CI 5.25-25.87), not to the type of conception. CONCLUSION(S): A high rate of operative delivery was observed in pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, especially in those with IVF pregnancies; method of conception did not affect fetal or maternal outcomes, except for preeclampsia. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04558996.

Placental Compartmentalization of Lipid Metabolism: Implications for Singleton and Twin Pregnancies.

The study of placental lipid metabolism in uncomplicated pregnancies has not been developed in the literature to date. Its importance lies in expanding the knowledge of placental function to enable comparison with pathological pregnancies in future research. The aim of the present study was to compare the lipid metabolic activity and storage of the maternal and fetal sides of the placenta in healthy pregnancies. Moreover, we compare singleton vs. twin pregnancies to determine if placental metabolic needs differ. We analyzed placental explants from uncomplicated pregnancies, 20 from singleton and 8 from bichorial-biamniotic twin pregnancies (n = 28). Six cotyledon fragments were collected from each placenta at different distances from the umbilical cord, three close to the chorionic plate (hereinafter, we will refer to them as "fetal side") and another three close to the anchoring villi into the decidua basalis (referred to as "maternal side"). The samples were analyzed for quantitative assay placental fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and esterification (FAE) activities and triglyceride levels. The location of lipid storage in the chorionic villi was assessed by Oil red-O staining. Placental fatty acid oxidation did not show differences when comparing the maternal and fetal sides of the placenta or between single and twin pregnancies. When comparing placental sides, FAE was increased twofold in the maternal side compared to the fetal side of the placenta (P = 0.013). The tendency for lipogenesis in the placenta was exemplified by the FAE/FAO ratio, which was a 37.1% higher on the maternal side (P = 0.019). Despite this, triglyceride levels were five times higher in the fetal side than in the maternal one (P = 0.024). When analyzing singleton vs. twins, FAE was superior in the fetal side in multiple pregnancies (× 2.6, P = 0.007) and the FAE/FAO ratio was significantly higher in twins than in singleton pregnancies, on both sides of the placenta. Despite this finding, triglyceride levels were similar in twin and singleton pregnancies. Comparing the placentas of twins in the same pregnancy, there were no differences in lipid metabolism (FAO or FAE) or placental triglyceride levels between the two co-twins. Using Oil red-O staining, lipid storage in chorionic villi was found to be located on the syncytiotrophoblast cells and not in the connecting axis. The maternal side of the placenta is more active in the esterification of fatty acids, while the storage of neutral lipids concentrates on the fetal side. Moreover, multiple gestations have increased esterification without changes in the concentration of placental triglycerides, probably due to a higher transfer to the fetal circulation in response to the greater energy demand from twin fetuses.

Management of borderline ovarian tumours: a comprehensive review of the literature.

Borderline ovarian tumours differ from epithelial ovarian cancer by their low incidence, frequent association with infertility, low association with mutations in BCRA genes, different percentages of the most common histological types, early stage diagnosis, and high survival rate, even when associated with peritoneal involvement. They occur in younger women, which is why one of the objectives in these patients will be the preservation of fertility. The management of these tumours has been widely discussed and still continues to be controversial. The latest findings underscore the importance of full staging in both radical and conservative surgery, to choose the most comprehensive treatment and obtain an accurate prognosis. One of the objectives of this article shall be the in-depth review of the indications, benefits, and disadvantages of each type of surgery, as well as the usefulness of the medical treatment. In addition, the article aims to review follow-up guidelines and to clarify the main prognostic factors that affect recurrence and survival of these patients.

[Giant sacrococcygeal teratoma in twin pregnancy]. / Teratoma sacrococcígeo gigante en una gestación gemelar.

UNLABELLED: Sacrococcygeal teratoma tumors are more frequent in infants alive. It is characterized by its benign histology in the majority of the cases diagnosed prenatally; it is necessary to follow narrow to prevent neonatal complications that can lead to urinary tract complications and fecal, high-output heart failure, hydrops and, in extreme cases, the death of the fetus. CASE REPORT: Primigravidae 30 years old, with gestation twins, bicorial, biamniotic in the first trimester of pregnancy to one of the twins is diagnosed sacrococcygeus teratoma giant, with favorable monitoring in the maternal-fetal Medicine Unit of the University Hospital of La Paz in Madrid, and with postnatal resection surgery successful. We review the diagnostic procedures and treatment of this tumor in unique and twin gestations.