Prevalence and factors associated with high-risk gastric contents in women admitted to the maternity unit for childbirth: a prospective multicentre cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This multicentre prospective observational study sought to determine the prevalence and the factors associated with high-risk gastric contents in women admitted to the maternity unit for childbirth, and to identify the clinical situations in which ultrasound assessment of gastric contents would be most helpful (i.e. when the prevalence of high-risk gastric contents is close to 50%). METHODS: Ultrasound assessments of gastric contents were performed within the first hour after admission to the maternity unit. The prevalence of high-risk gastric contents was calculated and variables associated with high-risk gastric contents were identified using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1003 parturients were analysed. The prevalence of high-risk gastric contents was 70% (379/544; 95% confidence interval: 66-74%) in women admitted in spontaneous labour and 65% (646/1003; 95% confidence interval: 61-67%) in the whole cohort. Lower gestational age, increased fasting duration for solids, and elective Caesarean delivery were independently associated with reduced likelihood of high-risk gastric contents. In women admitted in spontaneous labour and in the whole cohort, the prevalence of high-risk gastric contents ranged from 85% to 86% for fasting duration for solids <6 h, 63%-68% for fasting 6-8 h, 54%-55% for fasting 8-12 h, and 47%-51% for fasting ≥12 h. CONCLUSIONS: Around two-thirds of parturients had high-risk gastric contents within the first hour after admission to the maternity unit. Our results suggest that gastric emptying for solids continues in labouring women, and that gastric ultrasound would be most helpful when fasting duration is ≥8 h.

An observational study of gastric content in women scheduled for cesarean section or operative hysteroscopy.

BACKGROUND: The estimation of gastric content in third trimester pregnant women has already been studied, conclusions remain contradictory. The aim of this study was to compare gastric content in pregnant and non-pregnant women using gastric ultrasound. We performed an observational two-center study of women scheduled for a cesarean section (CS group) and of non-pregnant women scheduled for hysteroscopy (HS group). METHODS: Ultrasound evaluation was performed before surgery with measurement of antral cross-sectional area (CSA) in the semi-recumbent position (SRP), primary outcome, and in the right lateral position (RLD). Gastric fluid volume (GFV) was calculated. Results are expressed as medians (25th and 75th percentiles). Perlas Score was evaluated and expressed as number (percentage). RESULTS: Sixty patients in the CS group and 64 in the HS group were analyzed. Antral CSA (SRP) was greater in the CS group (350 mm2 [236-415] vs. 247 mm2 [180-318]; P=0.001). Antral CSA (RLD) was also significantly greater in the CS group (P=0.027). GFV was not different between groups whether expressed in absolute value (P=0.516) or relative to weight (P=0.946) mL.kg-1. Perlas Score repartition was similar in both groups (P=0.860). Kappa coefficients of concordance between CSA, GFV and Perlas Score were slight or at best fair. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed that antral CSA is increased among pregnant women and outlined that antral CSA should not be used alone in the decision-making process especially when the results of indicators (antral CSA, GFV, and Perlas Grading Score) are discordant.

Guidelines for the management of urgent obstetric situations in emergency medicine, 2022.

OBJECTIVE: To provide recommendations on the management of urgent obstetrical emergencies outside the maternity ward. DESIGN: A group of 24 experts from the French Society of Emergency Medicine (SFMU), the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (SFAR) and the French College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF) was convened. Potential conflicts of interest were formally declared at the outset of the guideline development process, which was conducted independently of industry funding. The authors followed the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) method to assess the level of evidence in the literature. The potential drawbacks of strong recommendations in the presence of low-level evidence were highlighted. Some recommendations with an insufficient level of evidence were not graded. METHODS: Eight areas were defined: imminent delivery, postpartum haemorrhage (prevention and management), threat of premature delivery, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, trauma, imaging, cardiopulmonary arrest, and emergency obstetric training. For each field, the expert panel formulated questions according to the PICO model (population, intervention, comparison, outcomes) and an extensive literature search was conducted. Analysis of the literature and formulation of recommendations were conducted according to the GRADE method. RESULTS: Fifteen recommendations on the management of obstetrical emergencies were issued by the SFMU/SFAR/CNGOF panel of experts, and 4 recommendations from formalised expert recommendations (RFE) established by the same societies were taken up to answer 4 PICO questions dealing with the pre-hospital context. After two rounds of voting and several amendments, strong agreement was reached for all the recommendations. For two questions (cardiopulmonary arrest and inter-hospital transfer), no recommendation could be made. CONCLUSIONS: There was significant agreement among the experts on strong recommendations to improve practice in the management of urgent obstetric complications in emergency medicine.

Guidelines for the management of women with severe pre-eclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To provide national guidelines for the management of women with severe pre-eclampsia. DESIGN: A consensus committee of 26 experts was formed. A formal conflict-of-interest (COI) policy was developed at the onset of the process and enforced throughout. The entire guidelines process was conducted independently of any industrial funding. The authors were advised to follow the principles of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE®) system to guide assessment of quality of evidence. The potential drawbacks of making strong recommendations in the presence of low-quality evidence were emphasised. METHODS: The last SFAR and CNGOF guidelines on the management of women with severe pre-eclampsia were published in 2009. The literature is now sufficient for an update. The aim of this expert panel guidelines is to evaluate the impact of different aspects of the management of women with severe preeclampsia on maternal and neonatal morbidities separately. The experts studied questions within 7 domains. Each question was formulated according to the PICO (Patients Intervention Comparison Outcome) model and the evidence profiles were produced. An extensive literature review and recommendations were carried out and analysed according to the GRADE® methodology. RESULTS: The SFAR/CNGOF experts panel provided 25 recommendations: 8 have a high level of evidence (GRADE 1+/-), 9 have a moderate level of evidence (GRADE 2+/-), and for 7 recommendations, the GRADE method could not be applied, resulting in expert opinions. No recommendation was provided for 3 questions. After one scoring round, strong agreement was reached between the experts for all the recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: There was strong agreement among experts who made 25 recommendations to improve practices for the management of women with severe pre-eclampsia.

Clinical, obstetrical and anaesthesia outcomes in pregnant women during the first COVID-19 surge in France: A prospective multicentre observational cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical outcomes and critical care utilisation associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in obstetric patients remain limited particularly in relation to severe cases. METHODS: A retrospective multicentre cohort study was conducted during the first wave of COVID-19 in France in 18 tertiary referral maternity units. Consecutive women with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 during pregnancy or the delivery hospitalisation were included between March and July 2020 (17-week period). We report clinical, obstetrical and anaesthetic outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 and report the prevalence of severe forms and risk factors for respiratory support in this cohort. RESULTS: There were 126 included cases; RT-PCR testing occurred in 82 cases, of which 64 (78%) had a positive test. The caesarean section rate was 52%, and preterm delivery (< 37 weeks) rate was 40%. Neuraxial anaesthesia was performed in 108 (86%) cases with an increasing proportion compared to general anaesthesia over time (p < 0.0002). Twenty-eight cases received oxygen supplementation (nasal oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation); the SOFAresp score was associated with gestational age at the time of COVID-19 presentation (p = 0.0036) and at delivery (p < 0.0001). Postpartum intensive care unit (ICU) admission occurred in 21 cases (17%) with 17 (13%) receiving invasive or non-invasive ventilation. Pre-delivery factors associated with postpartum ventilation were oxygen support, oxygen saturation and haemoglobin levels. CONCLUSION: In our cohort, COVID-19 was associated with significant maternal morbidity resulting in high ICU admission rates (17%) and invasive or non-invasive ventilation utilisation (10%).

Efficacy of Intra-Uterine Tamponade Balloon in Post-Partum Hemorrhage after Cesarean Delivery: An Impact Study.

Invasive therapies (surgery or radiological embolization) are used to control severe post-partum hemorrhage. The intra-uterine tamponade balloon is a potential alternative, well documented after vaginal delivery. However, available data on its use after cesarean delivery remain scarce. This study assessed the efficacy of the intra-uterine tamponade balloon during post-partum hemorrhage in a cesarean delivery setting. Using a retrospective impact design, post-partum hemorrhage-related outcomes before ("pre-balloon" period) versus after implementation of intra-uterine tamponade balloon ("post-balloon" period) were compared. All women with post-partum hemorrhage requiring potent uterotonic treatment with prostaglandins after cesarean delivery over a 9-year period were eligible. The primary outcome was the rate of invasive procedure (conservative surgery, radiological embolization and/or hysterectomy). p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 279 patients were included (140 vs. 139). Most baseline characteristics were comparable between the two studied periods. The success rate of the intra-uterine tamponade balloon was 82%, and no related complications occurred. Rates of invasive procedures and transfusion were significantly reduced (28.6% vs. 11.5%, p < 0.001 and 44.3% vs. 28.1%, p = 0.006 respectively) during the "post-balloon" period, and length of hospital stay was shorter (p < 0.001). Implementation of intra-uterine tamponade balloon during post-partum hemorrhage after cesarean delivery appears to be safe and effective, with a decrease in both invasive procedures and transfusion rates.

Retrospective Description of Pregnant Women Infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, France.

Fix data are available on the management of pregnant women infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We conducted a retrospective study of 100 pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection in 4 obstetric units in the Paris metropolitan area of France during March 12-April 13, 2020. Among patients, 52 (52%) were hospitalized, 10 (10%) in intensive care units (ICUs). Women with higher body mass indexes (BMIs; median 30.7 kg/m2) were more likely to be hospitalized in ICUs than other women (median BMI 26.2 kg/m2). Women hospitalized in ICUs had lower lymphocyte count at diagnosis (median 0.77 × 109 cells/L) than women not hospitalized in ICUs (median lymphocyte count 1.15 × 109 cells/L). All women requiring oxygen >5 L/min were intubated. Clinical and laboratory evaluation of SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnant women at the time of diagnosis can identify patients at risk for ICU hospitalization.

COVID-19 and acute coagulopathy in pregnancy.

We present a putative link between maternal COVID-19 infection in the peripartum period and rapid maternal deterioration with early organ dysfunction and coagulopathy. The current pandemic with SARS-CoV-2 has already resulted in high numbers of critically ill patients and deaths in the non-pregnant population, mainly due to respiratory failure. During viral outbreaks, pregnancy poses a uniquely increased risk to women due to changes to immune function, alongside physiological adaptive alterations, such as increased oxygen consumption and edema of the respiratory tract. The laboratory derangements may be reminiscent of HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count) syndrome, and thus knowledge of the COVID-19 relationship is paramount for appropriate diagnosis and management. In addition to routine measurements of D-dimers, prothrombin time, and platelet count in all patients presenting with COVID-19 as per International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) guidance, monitoring of activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and fibrinogen levels should be considered in pregnancy, as highlighted in this report. These investigations in SARS-CoV-2-positive pregnant women are vital, as their derangement may signal a more severe COVID-19 infection, and may warrant pre-emptive admission and consideration of delivery to achieve maternal stabilization.

Effective concentration of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine in 80% of patients receiving epidural analgesia (EC80) in the first stage of labour: A study using the Continual Reassessment Method.

BACKGROUND: A comparison of the effective dose in 50% of patients (ED50) has suggested that the potency of levobupivacaine lies between that of bupivacaine and ropivacaine. However, for clinical purposes, knowledge and use of doses close to the ED95 are more relevant. This study was designed to determine the EC80 (effective concentration) for both epidural levobupivacaine and ropivacaine using the Continual Reassessment Method (CRM) during obstetric analgesia. METHODS: In this double-blind randomised study, term parturients were included by cohorts of 6 if cervical dilatation was≤5cm and visual analogue pain score (VAPS)>30mm. Efficacy was defined by a decrease of VAPS to a value≤10, thirty minutes after epidural injection of 20mL of levobupivacaine or ropivacaine. The first cohort received the lowest dose. Every next cohort received a dose according to the response's probability calculated using a Bayesian method, incorporating data from all consecutive previous patients. In addition, a logistic equation was fitted a posteriori to the whole data set to determine the whole dose-probability curve. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were enrolled. Levobupivacaine 0.17% and ropivacaine 0.2% gave probabilities of success of 82% and 72% respectively. By fitting the logistic model to the data, the concentration leading to a probability of 0.8 (EC80) was 0.14% for levobupivacaine and 0.24% for ropivacaine while the EC50 were 0.09% for levobupivacaine and 0.17% for ropivacaine, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that epidural levobupivacaine used as the sole drug for labour analgesia has an EC80 lower than that of ropivacaine.

Fever and pregnancy.

Severe infections during pregnancy and postpartum are rare, despite a high frequency of bacteraemia, but remain on of the leading cause of maternal death. Therapeutic guidelines validated in general population should be applied to pregnant women, with regards to their specificities: insidious clinical signs and rapid onset, clinical presentation often as respiratory failure due to physiological changes during pregnancy; most frequent causes: pneumonia, pyelonephritis, genitary tract infections; sensibility to virus, Listeria, malaria, due to immunological changes during pregnancy; caesarean section is the single most important risk factor of postpartum infection; aggressive treatment should be started promptly, including fluid infusion and early administration of vasoactive agents (Norepinephrine); broad-spectrum intravenous empirical antibiotic therapy must be established immediately (within the first hour), and chosen according to frequent microorganisms involved in sepsis during pregnancy; infectious source, mostly pelvic, is often accessible to surgery; if foetal extraction does not improve maternal outcomes, it remains necessary for obstetrical or foetal reasons and mandatory if chorioamnionitis is confirmed; specific attention should be drawn to streptococcus A invasive infection which experiments a recent resurgence and is correlated to a high morbidity and mortality for both the mother and the foetus; protocols should be written in every maternity.

Optic nerve sheath diameter used as ultrasonographic assessment of the incidence of raised intracranial pressure in preeclampsia: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: In some cases of severe preeclampsia/eclampsia, brain imaging displays signs compatible with raised intracranial pressure. We aimed to estimate the incidence of raised intracranial pressure in preeclampsia using ocular ultrasonography. METHODS: Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurements were compared in 26 preeclamptic and 25 healthy pregnant women. For each optic nerve, two measurements were made (transverse plane and sagittal plane) using a 7.5 MHz ultrasound linear probe. Preeclamptic patients were followed-up until postpartum day 7. RESULTS: Median ONSD values were significantly greater in preeclamptic patients compared with healthy pregnant women at delivery (5.4 mm (95% CI: 5.2, 5.7) vs. 4.5 mm (95% CI: 4.3, 4.8), P < 0.0001). At delivery, 5/26 (19%) of preeclamptic patients had ONSD values above 5.8 mm (value associated in the literature with 95% risk of raised intracranial pressure) whereas none of the healthy pregnant group had such high ONSD values. In the preeclamptic group, ONSD decreased after the third postpartum day. ONSD values at day 7 were not significantly different from those obtained in the normal pregnancy group (P = 0.10). CONCLUSION: In about 20% of preeclamptic patients, ONSD reaches values compatible with intracranial pressure above 20 mmHg. Further work is needed to confirm this incidence and to better understand the diagnostic and therapeutic usefulness of this easy-to-do monitoring technique.