Successful multidisciplinary team management of placenta accreta spectrum disorder: A referral center model in a middle-income country.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorder managed by a multidisciplinary care team (MCT) compared with a conventional care team (CCT) in a PAS referral center in Thailand. METHODS: This retrospective single-center cohort study analyzed PAS management outcomes in the PSU PAS Center between January 2010 and December 2022. The incidence of hemorrhage ≥3500 mL and the composite maternal and neonatal outcomes of PAS were compared before and after the introduction of an MCT in 2016. RESULTS: Of 227 PAS cases, 219 (96.5%) had pathological confirmation. There were 52 (22.9%) cases of placenta accreta, 119 (52.4%) cases of placenta increta, and 56 (24.7%) cases of placenta percreta. The incidence of estimated blood loss (EBL) ≥3500 mL decreased from 61.8% to 34.3% (P < 0.001) after the establishment of the MCT. The median EBL decreased from 4000 (IQR: 2600,7250) mL to 2250 (1300, 4750) mL (P < 0.001). EBL reduction was statistically significant in the accreta and increta groups (P < 0.001). Red blood cell transfusions decreased from five (3, 9) to two (1, 6) units (P < 0.001) per patient. The length of maternal hospital stays and ICU admissions were statistically shorter when PAS was managed by an MCT (P < 0.001). The length of newborn hospital and ICU stays decreased significantly (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The incidence of massive postpartum hemorrhage and a composite of maternal and neonatal morbidities in pregnant women with PAS disorder improved significantly after the establishment of an MCT to manage PAS in a middle-income country setting.

Reliability of the sonographic evaluation for cervical length and elastography with pelvic parameters in term pregnancy by experienced operators with varying levels of experience.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of sonographic measurements of six cervical and pelvic parameters by three sonographers with varying levels of experience. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in pregnant women with a gestational age of ≥39 weeks. Each pregnant woman was examined by two sonographers with different levels of experience. Six parameters were measured: cervical length (CL), cervical strain elastography (extrinsic type), posterior cervical angle (PCA), fetal head-to-perineum distance (FHPD), fetal head-to-pubic symphysis distance (FHSD), and angle of progression (AOP). Intra- and interobserver reliabilities were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient with a 95% confidence interval. Pearson pairwise correlation coefficients were used to analyze the correlation between the parameter values. RESULTS: In all, 66 pregnant women were enrolled in this study. We found excellent intraobserver reliability for measurements of CL, PCA, FHPD, FHSD, and AOP and good-to-excellent intraobserver reliability for cervical strain values in the cross-sectional view of the endocervix in the internal os area and cross-sectional view of the entire cervix in the internal os area. Interobserver reliability was excellent for all pelvic parameters, except for the FHPD. Strain values were moderate to excellent in the area of the internal os. A significant negative correlation between CL and strain values at the internal os was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic parameters, except for FHPD, have excellent intra- and interobserver reliabilities. The high reproducibility of CL and cervical strain elastography at the internal os level, with a negative correlation between these two parameters, may play an important role in predicting successful induction of labor.

Cerebral Lateral Ventricular Asymmetry: Normal Variant or an Indicator of Underlying Pathology.

INTRODUCTION: Isolated lateral ventricular asymmetry has been associated with a favorable prognosis; however, prenatal evaluations in existing studies have been conducted using ultrasonography (US). This study aimed to describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, progression of ventricular asymmetry, and perinatal outcomes in fetuses prenatally diagnosed with isolated ventricular asymmetry. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients who underwent MRI for isolated fetal ventricular asymmetry at a tertiary center between January 2012 and January 2020. Information, including pregnancy history, US, MRI findings, and perinatal outcomes, was obtained from medical records. RESULTS: The study cohort included 17 women with fetal ventricular asymmetry but without ventriculomegaly at the time of index US. Mild ventriculomegaly subsequently developed in 13 patients; 12 of them showed spontaneous resolution before delivery. MRI identified low-grade intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in 13 fetuses. Postnatally, 12 newborns underwent neonatal cranial US where two of them showed evidence of germinal matrix hemorrhage. Both newborns appeared normal at birth without neonatal complications. CONCLUSION: MRI identified low-grade IVH in most fetuses with isolated ventricular asymmetry. These fetuses were also likely to develop mild ventriculomegaly with spontaneous resolution. Although perinatal outcomes appeared good, careful follow-up in both prenatal and postnatal periods is warranted.

Preoperative sonographic sliding sign for prediction of intra-abdominal adhesions before repeat cesarean delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of the uterine sliding sign for predicting intra-abdominal adhesions in women undergoing repeat cesarean section (CS) and the association of the sliding sign with other operative and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted among pregnant women with at least one previous CS. Transabdominal ultrasonography was performed and classified as a positive or negative sliding sign. Surgeons blinded to the sonographic results assessed intra-abdominal adhesions. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated. Operative and neonatal outcomes of the positive and negative sliding sign groups were compared. Factors associated with intraoperative adhesions were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 380 women were recruited. The sensitivity and specificity of the uterine sliding sign to detect moderate-to-thick adhesions were 60.6% and 91.9%, respectively. A negative sliding sign was significantly associated with a higher incidence of adhesions, longer skin-to-delivery time, longer total operative time, and lower 5-min APGAR score in newborns. A negative sliding sign and history of two or more previous CS were significant predictors of moderate-to-thick adhesions. CONCLUSION: The uterine sliding sign is an independent predictor of intraoperative adhesions, with acceptable sensitivity and high specificity and negative predictive value.

Two-dimensional ultrasound signs as predictive markers of massive peri-operative blood loss in placenta previa suspicious for placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate certain two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound signs as predictors of massive peri-operative blood loss (PBL) in pregnant women with placenta previa suspicious of PAS disorder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single center retrospective study was done in pregnant women who had undergone prenatal diagnosis with 2D ultrasound grey scale and color Doppler using the EW-AIP (which has been changed to IS-PAS (International Society for the Placenta Accreta Spectrum)) criteria between January 2007 and May 2021. The patients were divided into 2 groups, non-massive hemorrhage with PBL ≤ 2500 mL and massive PBL >2500 mL. All PAS cases had pathological confirmation. Ultrasound signs and hemorrhagic outcomes were compared between the two groups. A PAS scoring system to predict massive PBL was constructed and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated to evaluate the efficacy of the scoring system. RESULTS: Of 534 women, 146 (28.3%) had PBL > 2500 mL and 388 (71.7%) had PBL ≤ 2500 mL. In the massive PBL group, 101 (69.2%) were diagnosed as PAS and 45 (30.8%) as placenta previa alone. From 10 evaluated 2D ultrasound signs, 3 had the highest odds ratios (ORs) associated with massive PBL, 'focal exophytic mass' OR 8.17 (p = 0.024), 'placental bulge' OR 2.47 (p = 0.011), and 'placental lacunae feeder vessels' OR 2.38 (p = 0.01). When using the PAS scoring system, the AUC to predict massive PBL was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76-0.85,). CONCLUSION: Our PAS scoring system based on 2-dimensional ultrasound signs combined with grey scale and color Doppler is useful to predict massive PBL and can help optimize pre-operative management in cases of previa suspicious of PAS.

Secondary postpartum hemorrhage: Incidence, etiologies, and clinical courses in the setting of a high cesarean delivery rate.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence, etiologies, and clinical outcomes of secondary postpartum hemorrhage in a hospital with a high cesarean section rate and to compare the etiologies of secondary postpartum hemorrhage following cesarean delivery versus vaginal delivery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 123 women with secondary postpartum hemorrhage who were treated at a tertiary-level hospital between January 2004 and June 2018. Descriptive statistics and the chi-square test were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The incidence of secondary postpartum hemorrhage was 0.21%. The median onset of bleeding was 12 days after delivery. Fifty-two percent of the deliveries were by cesarean section. The most common etiology of secondary postpartum hemorrhage was endometritis (67.5%), followed by retained placental tissue (21.1%). Women who delivered by cesarean section had a higher rate of endometritis (80.0% vs 53.4%) and a lower rate of retained placental tissue (10.8% vs. 32.8%) than those who delivered vaginally. Surgical intervention included uterine evacuation in 29.3% and hysterectomy in 8.1% of the patients. Five percent of women were treated by embolization. CONCLUSIONS: Endometritis was the most common cause of secondary postpartum hemorrhage. Women who delivered by cesarean section were less likely to have retained placental tissue but were at higher risk for endometritis and uterine pseudoaneurysm than those who delivered vaginally.

Ethnic-specific reference range affects the efficacy of quadruple test as a universal screening for Down syndrome in a developing country.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the quadruple test for potential use as a Thai national policy for Down syndrome (DS) screening and establish an accurate equation for risk estimation of Down syndrome based on gestational age, weight and the ethnic-specific reference range of our population. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on singleton pregnancies at 14 to 21 weeks of gestation to evaluate the efficacy of quadruple DS screening using the automatically calculated Western European descent factor (WF) in our population and the impact of screening using a specific Thai ethnic factor as well as to establish an equation for the risk estimation of DS based on gestational age, weight and a local Thai ethnic factor to correct for the impact of ethnic factor on the screening efficacy. RESULTS: Of a total of 5,515 women, 12 cases of DS and 8 cases of other aneuploidies were found. The detection rate, false positive rate and specificity were 75.0%, 9.1% and 90.9%, respectively, by automatic calculation with the widely used WF; the screening efficacy was lower when used in Asian populations than in other studies. The best-fitted regression equation of serum quadruple screening of AFP, free ß-hCG, uE3 and inhibin A was established by adjustment for gestational age (GA) in days, maternal weight and our Thai-specific ethnic reference range which was created for this study. Calculations with our Thai-specific ethnic model gave a better detection rate of 83.3%, a false positive rate of 9.6% and specificity of 90.4%. CONCLUSION: The serum quadruple test had a lower detection rate than expected when the risk estimation was based on the WF reference range. The serum quadruple test using WF had significantly different levels when corrected with our ethnic-specific factor. Using our local ethnic specific model could increase the detection rate of DS screening in Thailand with a minimal increase in false positive rates. Our findings indicate that DS screening should be adjusted with an appropriate individual ethnic factor when used for national screening.

Prevalence and risk factors of group B Streptococcus colonisation in intrapartum women: a cross-sectional study.

A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Thai university hospital between November 2016 and March 2017 to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonisation in pregnant women who were admitted to the labour room for delivery. Rectovaginal specimens were collected and processed for the identification of GBS. Univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate factors associated with GBS colonisation. Statistical significance was set at p < .05. Fifty-seven of 505 pregnant women (11.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.0-15.0%) were found to have GBS colonisation. Teenage pregnancy (odds ratio [OR] 3.83, 95% CI 1.13-13.02, p < .05), multi-parity (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.69-7.60, p < .01) and non-Buddhist religions (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.01-3.48, p < .05) were significantly associated with GBS colonisation. Intrapartum risk factors were not associated with GBS colonisation. Impact statement What is already known on this subject? The prevalence of GBS colonisation in pregnant women varies by geographic areas and ethnicities, ranging from 2.3 to 32.9%. Risk factors for GBS colonisation have been studied but the results were inconsistent. What do the results of this study add? This study reports the prevalence of GBS colonisation in intrapartum women in Southern Thailand to be 11.3%. We also identified some independent risk factors for GBS colonisation which were teenage pregnancy, multi-parity and non-Buddhist religions. To our knowledge, the relationship between religious belief and identification of GBS has never been reported before. We also found that intrapartum risk factors that have been used as the indication for intrapartum antibiotics administration have no correlation with GBS colonisation. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? This study adds to the literature the prevalence and risk factors of GBS colonisation in the setting of a developing country. It also shows that intrapartum risk identification alone is not an optimal strategy to reduce infection associated with GBS. Instead, prenatal GBS screening should be encouraged to identify women with GBS colonisation to reduce the risk of infection and unnecessary antibiotics exposure.

The relationship between intrapartum cerebroplacental ratio and adverse perinatal outcomes in term fetuses.

OBJECTIVES: The cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) Doppler has been proposed as an instrument for predicting adverse perinatal outcomes particularly during antepartum period. Abnormal CPR is associated with non-reassuring fetal status requiring operative delivery, low Apgar score and neonatal complications. The aim of this study was to assess the role of CPR Doppler in the labor triage suite, so as to identify fetuses at risk for non-reassuring status as well as other adverse perinatal outcomes. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of term pregnancies who attended the labor room during the latent phase of labor. Both fetal Middle Cerebral Artery Pulsatility Index (MCA-PI) and Umbilical Artery Pulsatility Index (UA-PI) were measured and these values were converted to CPR values. Non-reassuring fetal status requiring operative delivery and other adverse perinatal outcomes were compared between women with normal and abnormal CPR values. Accuracy of CPR for predicting non-reassuring fetal status and abnormal fetal heart rate patterns were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 384 women were recruited. Lower CPR values were observed in women who underwent operative delivery for non-reassuring fetal status. However, when dividing women into normal and abnormal CPR groups, using 3 different cut-off values, the rate of non-reassuring fetal status was not significantly different between the groups. There was a significantly higher rate of abnormal fetal heart rate monitoring in fetuses with CPR < 5th percentile and CPR < 1. CPR appeared to have a low positive predictive value (PPV) for predicting non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns, however, the negative predictive value (NPV) was high. CONCLUSIONS: In term fetuses, lower CPR is associated with non-reassuring fetal status. CPR measurement during the intrapartum period with currently available CPR cut-off values is not a good predictor for adverse perinatal outcomes, with the exception of abnormal fetal heart rate patterns. However, the high NPV may be used to stratify pregnant women who may benefit from continuous fetal heart rate monitoring.

Comparison of transabdominal and transvaginal sonography in the diagnosis of placenta previa.

PURPOSE: To compare the accuracies of transabdominal sonography (TAS) and transvaginal sonography (TVS) in the diagnosis of placenta previa. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at a university hospital. Both TAS and TVS were performed on 81 pregnant women with a suspicion of placenta previa in the third trimester. The final diagnosis was confirmed at delivery. The agreement between the two ultrasound methods and the parameters of each method were calculated. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of the women had a placenta previa. The sensitivities of TAS and TVS were 86% (95% CI 78-94%) and 95% (95% CI 91-100%), respectively (p= 0.2). The specificity of both methods was 93% (95 CI 88-99%), and the overall accuracies of TAS and TVS were 89% (95% CI 82-96%) and 94% (95% CI 89-100%), respectively. When TAS was followed by TVS, 23% of the previous diagnoses were changed. The agreement between both methods was good (Kappa value = 0.7, 95%CI 0.55-0.86). CONCLUSIONS: For the diagnosis of placenta previa, TAS showed a high sensitivity and specificity, which were comparable to those of TVS.

Agreement of three interpretation systems of intrapartum foetal heart rate monitoring by different levels of physicians.

A prospective study was conducted in centre in Southern Thailand, to evaluate agreement in EFM interpretation among various physicians in order to find out the most practical system for daily use. We found strong agreement of very normal FHR tracings among the FIGO, NICHD 3-tier and 5-tier systems. The NICHD 3-tier was more compatible with the FIGO system than 5-tier system. Overall inter-observer agreement was moderate for the NICHD 3-tier system while inter-observer agreement of 5-tier system was fair also the intra-observer agreement was higher in the NICHD 3-tier system. So the 3-tier systems are more suitable than the 5-tier system in general obstetric practice. Impact statement What is already known on this subject: The 3-tier and 5-tier systems were widely used in general obstetrics practice. What the results of this study add: The inter- and intra-observer agreement of NICHD 3-tier system was higher than the 5-tier system. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research: The 3-tier systems were more suitable than the 5-tier systems in general obstetrics practice.

Comparison of the efficacy of fixed-dose enoxaparin and adjusted-dose unfractionated heparin in patients with cerebral venous thrombosis.

OBJECTIVE: Anticoagulants are the standard treatment for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). Although low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is recommended in CVT, the specific type and dosage regimen of LMWH have never been specifically suggested. This study compared the clinical outcomes and adverse events in patients who received adjusted-dose unfractionated heparin (AD-UFH) versus fixed-dose enoxaparin (FD-E). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a university hospital in Thailand. Patients included in the study were those treated for CVT initially with either AD-UFH or FD-E followed by oral warfarin for 1year between January 2002 and December 2015. Electronic medical records were reviewed by the investigators. The baseline clinical characteristics, anticoagulant regimens, complications and outcomes at hospital discharge and 1-year follow-up were analyzed. Clinical outcomes (independency defined by modified Rankin score (mRS) 0-2 at hospital discharge and 1-year follow-up) and adverse events (gastrointestinal bleeding and intracranial hemorrhage) were compared between patients who received AD-UFH or FD-E. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-nine patients received AD-UFH and 36 patients received FD-E. The baseline demographic and clinical characteristics between the two groups were comparable. Independency at hospital discharge accounted for 51.28% in the AD-UFH group and 61.11% in the FD-E group (p=0.392). There were no significant differences in the incidence of expansion of preexisting intracerebral hematoma (14.29% vs 18.18%; p=0.773) or new symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (7.69% vs 8.33%; p=0.855). Independency at 1-year follow-up was also comparable between the two groups (71.78% vs 77.78%; p=0.552). CONCLUSION: This current study suggested a comparable efficacy and safety of FD-E and AD-UFH in patients with CVT.