Obstetrical and neonatal outcomes in women with gestational Lyme disease.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of Lyme disease (LD) infections has risen in recent decades. Gestational LD has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes; however, the results have been contradictory. The study objective was to examine the effects of gestational LD on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: Using the Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample from the United States, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients admitted to the hospital between 2016 and 2019. The exposed group consisted of pregnant patients with gestational LD infection (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision [ICD-10] code A692x), while the comparison group consisted of pregnant patients without gestational LD. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for baseline maternal characteristics, were used to determine the associations between gestational LD and obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: The cohort included 2 943 575 women, 226 of whom were diagnosed with LD during pregnancy. The incidence of LD was 7.67 per 100 000 pregnancy admissions. The incidence of gestational LD was stable over the study period. Pregnant patients with LD were more likely white, older, to have private health insurance, and to belong to a higher income quartile. Gestational LD was associated with an increased risk of placental abruption (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.45 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.53-7.80]) and preterm birth (aOR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.03-2.42]). CONCLUSION: Gestational LD is associated with a higher risk of placental abruption and preterm birth. Pregnancies complicated by LD, while associated with a higher risk of certain adverse outcomes, can be followed in most healthcare settings.

Racial disparities in national maternal mortality trends in the United States from 2000 to 2019: a population-based study on 80 million live births.

PURPOSE: In the United States (US), deaths during pregnancy and childbirth have increased over the past 2 decades compared to other high-income countries, and there have been reports that racial disparities in maternal mortality have widened. The study objective was to examine recent trends in maternal mortality in the US by race. METHODS: Our population-based cross-sectional study used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2000-2019 "Birth Data" and "Mortality Multiple Cause" data files from the US to calculate maternal mortality during pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium across race. Logistic regression models estimated the effects of race on the risk of maternal mortality and examined temporal changes in risk across race. RESULTS: A total of 21,241 women died during pregnancy and childbirth, with 65.5% caused by obstetrical complications and 34.5% by non-obstetrical causes. Black women, compared with White women, had greater risk of maternal mortality (OR 2.13, 95% CI 2.06-2.20), as did American Indian women (2.02, 1.83-2.24). Overall maternal mortality risk increased during the 20-year study period, with an annual increase of 2.4 and 4.7/100,000 among Black and American Indian women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Between 2000 and 2019, maternal mortality in the US increased, overall and especially in American Indian and Black women. Targeted public health interventions to improve maternal health outcomes should become a priority.

Male-Pattern Vertex Baldness Trajectories, Chest Hair Patterns, and Odds of Overall and Aggressive Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The link between hormones and hair growth is well established. Inconsistent associations have been found between hair patterns and cancer of the prostate, a hormone-dependent organ. We assessed vertex baldness trajectories, chest hair amount, and their relationships with the odds of developing prostate cancer in a large case-control study in Montreal, Canada. METHODS: In-person interviews were conducted with 1,931 incident prostate cancer cases and 1,994 population-based age-matched (±5 years) controls. Participants reported their hair patterns using the validated Hamilton-Norwood scale of baldness for 10-year increments starting at age 30, and their current amount of chest hair. Group-based trajectories were used to identify men sharing similar patterns of vertex baldness severity over adulthood. Multivariable logistic regression assessed associations between indicators of baldness (frontal, vertex, age at onset, severity, and trajectories), chest hair, and odds of prostate cancer. RESULTS: Vertex balding onset at age 30 was associated with increased odds of overall prostate cancer [Odds ratio (OR), 1.30; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-1.64]. Men in the trajectory characterized by early moderate vertex baldness and developing severe baldness had increased odds of overall (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.03-1.96) and especially aggressive prostate cancer (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.21-3.22) compared with men without baldness. Men with little chest hair had higher odds of aggressive tumors than those with a moderate amount/a lot of chest hair. CONCLUSIONS: Early-onset moderate vertex baldness that progresses and having little chest hair may be useful biomarkers of aggressive prostate cancer. IMPACT: Integration of early-onset vertex balding patterns into risk prediction models of aggressive prostate cancer should be envisaged.

Non-Obstetric Maternal Mortality Trends by Race in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: Public health interventions to reduce maternal mortality have largely focused on obstetric causes of death. However, previous studies have noted that non-obstetrics factors, such as motor vehicle accidents, substance overdoses, homicides, and suicides, may account for a large proportion of maternal deaths. The study objective was to examine trends in maternal deaths from non-obstetric causes across races in the United States (US). METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 80,710,348 live births using data from the "Birth Data" and "Mortality Multiple Cause" files compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2000 to 2019. The annual incidence of maternal deaths attributed to non-obstetric causes (/100,000 live-births) during pregnancy and up to 42 days postpartum were calculated across racial groups. Then the effects of race on the risk of non-obstetric maternal mortality and temporal changes over the study period were examined using logistic regression models. RESULTS: From 2000 to 2019, a total 7,334 women died during pregnancy, childbirth, and within 42 days postpartum from non-obstetric causes, representing 34.5% (7,334/21,241) of all maternal mortality. Of non-obstetric deaths, 31.3% were caused by transport accidents and 27.3% by accidental poisoning. American Indian women were found to have the highest risk of non-obstetric maternal mortality (OR 2.20,95% CI 1.90-2.56), and 46.1% (176/382) of all deaths among pregnant American Indian women were caused by non-obstetric complications. Risk of non-obstetric maternal mortality increased overall during the 20-year study period, with a greater increase among Black (1.15, 1.13-1.17) and American Indian women (1.17, 1.13-1.21). CONCLUSION: Non-obstetric causes of death have become increasingly prevalent in the US, especially in American Indian women. Novel interventions to address these non-obstetric factors should especially target American Indian women to improve maternal outcomes.

National SIDS Trends in the United States From 2000 to 2019: A Population-Based Study on 80 Million Live Births.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the most common cause of death for infants between 1 month and 1 year of age in the United States. The objective was to examine recent trends in SIDS in the United States, over time and by sex and race. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 80 710 348 live births using data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) "Birth Data" and "Mortality Multiple Cause" files from 2000 to 2019. Logistic regression examined the effects of sex and race on the risk of SIDS and examined temporal changes in risk across sex and race over the study period. Incidence of SIDS decreased from 6.3 to 3.4/10 000 births from 2000 to 2019, with an overall incidence of 4.9/10 000 births (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.4-5.3). Male infants were at the greatest risk of SIDS as were black and American Indian infants. Although SIDS incidence decreased by sex and race over time, the decline was smaller among Hispanic and American Indian infants.

Incidence and risk factors of bladder injury during cesarean delivery: a cohort study.

PURPOSE: To identify risk factors associated with bladder injury during cesarean delivery, and to determine the frequency of associated morbidities. METHODS: Data obtained from the United States' Health Care Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to conduct a retrospective population-wide cohort study. ICD-9 codes were used to identify women who underwent a cesarean delivery between 1999 and 2015. Subsequently, women were classified based on whether or not they experienced a bladder injury during delivery. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of bladder injury in cesarean deliveries and to examine the associated morbidities while adjusting for baseline maternal demographics and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Of 4,169,681 cesarean deliveries identified, there were 7,627 (0.2%) bladder injuries for an overall incidence of 18 per 10,000. Women ≥ 35 years were at greater risk of bladder injury 1.5 (1.4-1.6), as were women with endometriosis 2.0 (1.5-2.7) and Crohn's disease 2.7 (1.7-4.2). Risk of bladder injury increased if the cesarean delivery was associated with placenta previa 2.2 (1.9-2.4), previous cesarean delivery 4.3 (4.1-4.6), failed instrumental delivery 4.1 (3.5-4.8), fetal distress 1.7 (1.6-1.8), failed trial of labor after cesarean delivery 1.3 (1.2-1.4), and labor dystocia 1.7 (1.6-1.8). Cesarean hysterectomies presented the greatest risk for bladder injury 37.0 (33.7-40.6). Bladder injury was associated with an increased frequency of sepsis, venous thromboembolism, peritonitis, blood transfusions and longer hospital stays. CONCLUSION: Bladder injury during cesarean deliveries is a rare outcome but it is more common among women with certain demographic and clinical characteristics. Among these cases, strategies to prevent sepsis and venous thromboembolism should be considered.

Menopausal Hormone Therapy Formulation and Breast Cancer Risk.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the increased risk of breast cancer is dependent on the formulation of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) used. METHODS: We performed a population-based case-control study of women aged 50 years or older using data from the U.K. Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Women with incident cases of breast cancer were age-matched (1:10) with a control group of women with comparable follow-up time with no history of breast cancer. Exposures were classified as ever or never for the following menopausal HT formulations: bioidentical estrogens, animal-derived estrogens, micronized progesterone, and synthetic progestin. Logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the adjusted effect of menopausal HT formulation on breast cancer risk. RESULTS: Between 1995 and 2014, 43,183 cases of breast cancer were identified and matched to 431,830 women in a control group. In adjusted analyses, compared with women who never used menopausal HT, its use was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer (odds ratio [OR] 1.12, 95% CI 1.09-1.15). Compared with never users, estrogens were not associated with breast cancer (bioidentical estrogens: OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.09; animal-derived estrogens: OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.96-1.06; both: OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.89-1.03). Progestogens appeared to be differentially associated with breast cancer (micronized progesterone: OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.55-1.79; synthetic progestin: OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.22-1.35; both OR 1.31, 0.30-5.73). CONCLUSION: Although menopausal HT use appears to be associated with an overall increased risk of breast cancer, this risk appears predominantly mediated through formulations containing synthetic progestins. When prescribing menopausal HT, micronized progesterone may be the safer progestogen to be used.

Effect of hidradenitis suppurativa on obstetric and neonatal outcomes.

PURPOSE: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a debilitating chronic inflammatory skin disease with an often-unsatisfactory response to treatment. The objective was to evaluate the association between HS and pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: The United States' Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was used to conduct a retrospective cohort study among all women who delivered between 1999 and 2015. ICD-9 code 705.83 identified those with HS, with the remaining deliveries composing the comparison group. Multivariate logistic regression compared maternal and neonatal outcomes between these two groups, while adjusting for baseline maternal variables. RESULTS: The study included 13,792,544 deliveries, of which 1021 were associated with an HS diagnosis (7.4/100,000 deliveries). During the observation period, there was an upward trend in the prevalence of HS among pregnant women (<0.0001). Pregnant women with HS were more likely to be African-American, to belong to a lower income quartile, and to be insured by Medicaid. They were also more likely to smoke, to be morbidly obese, and to be hypertensive. Compared with women without HS, those with HS had a greater likelihood of developing preeclampsia (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.08-1.71), delivering by cesarean section (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.56-2.02), and having a baby with congenital anomalies (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.10-3.62). CONCLUSIONS: Although HS is a complex skin disorder, pregnancies complicated by HS had comparable outcomes to non-HS pregnancies, with the exception of a greater risk of preeclampsia, cesarean sections, and congenital anomalies. Health-care providers and women should be aware of these HS associated risks.

Hospital antenatal admissions for threatened preterm labor: how long should we be "observing"?

PURPOSE: We sought to describe temporal trends in hospital admissions for threatened preterm labor (TPTL) and to examine hospital admission duration among women delivered or discharged undelivered. METHODS: We carried out a cohort study on all TPTL admissions among pregnancies with a live singleton fetus and intact membranes between 1999 and 2015 using the United States' Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample. ICD-9 codes were used to identify women with TPTL. Duration of antenatal admission length of stay was calculated in days following admission to hospital until delivery ("Delivery Admission") or undelivered discharge ("Observation Admission"). Analyses included evaluating trends of birth admissions over total admissions, identifying predictors of delivery using logistic regression, and measuring risk for delivery with increasing duration of antepartum hospitalization. RESULTS: Of 15,335,288 pregnancy admissions, 1,089,987 admissions were for TPTL, with 61.8% being 'Delivery Admissions". During the 16-year study period, overall rates of TPTL admissions declined with a rising proportion of admissions being "Delivery Admissions". "Delivery Admissions" were more common among patients who were older, non-Caucasian, obese, or who had placental abruption. "Observation Admissions" were more common among admissions for antepartum hemorrhage or antepartum spotting. Among all "Delivery Admissions" for TPTL, 89% had delivered within 2 days, 7% delivered within 3-6 days, and 5% delivered beyond 6 days. CONCLUSION: Overall admissions for TPTL declined over the study period with increasing proportions being "Delivery Admissions". Protocols taking into consideration declining risk of preterm birth among patients undelivered after 2 days may be helpful in reducing unnecessary prolonged observation admissions.

Characteristics and outcomes among pregnant women with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.

PURPOSE: Pregnancy among women with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has risen in frequency, which may be attributed to improvements in hemodialysis care. Our objective was to describe baseline characteristics and pregnancy outcomes among women with ESRD on hemodialysis. METHODS: Using the United States' Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we created a cohort of women with ESRD on hemodialysis who gave birth between 2005 and 2015. We determined the proportion of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes among this cohort. Then, we created a composite measure of vascular-mediated adverse pregnancy outcomes. Women who experienced at least one of either preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, or intrauterine fetal death were categorized as having the composite measure. Then, multivariate regression models were used to estimate the associations between maternal baseline demographic and clinical characteristics and the composite measure. RESULTS: Among 8,765,973 deliveries between 2005 and 2015, 307 were to women with ESRD on hemodialysis. Over the study period, the incidence of pregnancies to women with ESRD increased from 0.47 to 5.76/100,000 births. An estimated 28% of pregnancies were complicated by preeclampsia, 8% by placental abruption, 58% delivered by cesarean, and in the postpartum, 28% required blood transfusions and 6% experienced sepsis. About 45% of babies were born preterm and 14% had IUGR. The composite measure of adverse events was not found to be associated with any baseline maternal characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of pregnant women with ESRD on hemodialysis has risen, with adverse pregnancy complications for both mother and fetus. Transfer to high-risk centers is suggested for women with ESRD.

Clinical presentation and management of urolithiasis in the obstetric patient: a matched cohort study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of pregnancy on the clinical presentation, inpatient procedure rates, and length of hospital stay, on women with urolithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a matched cohort study using the United States' Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 1999 to 2015. Pregnant women with urolithiasis were compared to age-matched non-pregnant women (1:1) with urolithiasis. Baseline clinical characteristics were compared between the two cohorts and the effect of pregnancy on select inpatient procedural and clinical outcomes was evaluated using conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: There were 42,113 pregnant patients diagnosed with urolithiasis during the study period. It was observed that pregnant patients were less likely to present with classic clinical symptoms of urinary tract stones, such as flank pain, OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.56-0.70, and fever, 0.22 (0.16-0.30), but tended to have longer hospital stays. The pregnant patients were less commonly affected by infectious conditions, namely urinary tract infections, 0.56 (0.53-0.59), sepsis, 0.17 (0.14-0.20), and pyelonephritis, 0.34 (0.36-0.44). Invasive and surgical procedures were less commonly performed in pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women admitted with urolithiasis appear to be less symptomatic with fewer interventions and complications than non-pregnant women with urolithiasis.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in pregnant and postpartum patients: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Information on the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in obstetric patients is scarce. The objective was to conduct a systematic review examining ECMO use in pregnant and postpartum patients in order to identify indications leading to ECMO use and to assess mortality rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and SCOPUS were searched using the terms "extracorporeal membrane oxygenation" and "pregnancy" up to 1 November 2020. Case reports and case series reporting the use of ECMO in pregnancy were eligible. Data about maternal age, gestational age, diagnosis, type of ECMO, time on ECMO, pregnancy outcomes, and maternal survival were extracted from studies. RESULTS: The search yielded 1696 citations, of which 125 were included. There were 213 obstetric patients treated with ECMO over a 30-year period. The frequency of reports increased considerably over the last decade. The majority of patients were treated in their third trimester (28.2%) or postpartum (32.9%). Most common etiologies included influenza-induced ARDS (27.7%), pulmonary embolism (13.6%), peripartum cardiomyopathy (11.7%), and infection (11.7%). Pregnancy outcomes ended with live births, either on ECMO (15.5%, 95% CI 10.6-20.4) or not on ECMO (58.3%, 95% CI 51.7-64.9), in fetal demise (8.9%, 95% CI 5.1-12.7), or in spontaneous or induced abortion on ECMO (4.2%, 95% CI 1.5-6.9) or not on ECMO (4.2%, 95% CI 1.5-6.9). Maternal survival was 79.3%. CONCLUSION: Although women placed on ECMO had a high mortality rate, this is likely an indication of the severity of illness. Overall, ECMO appears to be a valid therapy for the temporary support of vital organs in severely ill pregnant women.

Association of placental pathology and gross morphology with autism spectrum disorders.

This study evaluated the association between placental pathology and gross morphology and the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We conducted a matched case-control study of children with confirmed ASD who were born between 2000 and 2017 at one of three university-affiliated hospitals in Montreal, Quebec. Cases, who were identified through the Montreal Children's Hospital Autism Spectrum Disorders Program, were matched to babies (1:5) born at the same hospital and on the same day. Multi-fetal births were excluded. Maternal demographics, pregnancy characteristics and placental pathologies were collected from hospital charts by abstractors blind to autism diagnoses. This current study consisted of data from a single-site that had pathology reports available. Pearson chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to estimate p-values. Our study consisted of 107 ASD cases and 526 matched controls. Mothers of cases and controls were similar in terms of parity, gravidity, smoking status, BMI, rates of clinical chorioamnionitis, chronic hypertension, and gestational diabetes. Age at delivery of <25 years was more common among mothers of controls. Compared with controls, cases were more likely born male, <32 weeks of gestation, and weighing <1500 g. Cases and controls had similar rates of placental inflammation, vasculitis, and other placental pathologies. There were no differences in placental weight, placental thickness, umbilical cord length, and umbilical cord insertion between the two groups. In conclusion, placental pathology and gross morphology do not appear to be associated with ASD, suggesting that any perinatal determinants of autism are not likely to be mediated through placental pathology. LAY SUMMARY: Data from a matched case-control study consisting of neonates born between 2000 and 2017 at one of three McGill-affiliated hospitals were used to examine the relationship between placental pathology and morphology and the development of autism. No differences in placental pathology and gross morphology were found between those with and without autism, which suggests that placental abnormalities are unlikely to either cause or mediate the development of autism.

Maternal and fetal outcomes of urolithiasis: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Although urolithiasis is relatively common in the general population, there is limited information on this condition available in the pregnant population. The objectives of this study are to identify the incidence of urolithiasis in pregnancy, as well as to compare maternal and fetal outcomes associated with urolithiasis in pregnancy. METHODS: Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from the United States, a population-based retrospective cohort study consisting of pregnant women who delivered between 1999 and 2015 was conducted. ICD-9-CM code 592.X was used to identify pregnant women with urolithiasis within the cohort, with pregnant women without urolithiasis forming the comparison group. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between urolithiasis in pregnancy and maternal and neonatal outcomes, while adjusting for baseline maternal characteristics. RESULTS: A cohort of 13,792,544 pregnant women was identified, of which 11,528 had a urolithiasis-related admission during pregnancy, for an overall incidence of 8.3 per 10,000 pregnancies. Women with urolithiasis had a greater risk of developing preeclampsia/eclampsia, OR 1.35(95% CI 1.24-1.47), gestational diabetes, 1.29(1.20-1.30), abruptio placenta, 1.41(1.22-1.64), placenta previa, 1.55(1.27-1.90), pyelonephritis, 88.87(81.69-96.69), venous thromboembolism, 1.65(1.23-2.22), and more likely to deliver by cesarean, 1.20(1.15-1.25). As well, maternal death was more common among these women, 2.85(1.07-7.60). Congenital anomalies, 2.84(2.43-3.31) and prematurity, 1.92(1.82-2.03) were more commonly found among babies born to women with urolithiasis. CONCLUSION: Although the mechanism is unclear, women with urolithiasis in pregnancy have an increased risk of adverse pregnancy and newborn outcomes.

Effect of celiac disease on maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancy.

PURPOSE: Celiac disease (CD) is a permanent immune reaction to gluten that is likely related to genetic factors. Some studies have linked CD to adverse maternal and/or neonatal outcomes but the data has been contradictory. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of CD on pregnancy outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) of the USA to conduct a population-based retrospective cohort study of women who delivered between 1999 and 2014. Pregnancies were categorized as having CD if corresponding ICD-9 code was present. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the adjusted effect on maternal and fetal outcomes. RESULTS: There were 14,513,587 births during the study period of which 2755 were to women with CD, for an overall prevalence of 1.9 cases/10,000 births and with rates increasing over the study period. Women with CD tended to be older, Caucasian and to have pre-existing comorbidities, especially other autoimmune diseases. Women with CD were at greater risk of hyperemesis gravidarum, 4.52 (3.68-5.57), Clostridium difficile colitis, 7.56 (3.14-18.20), and venous thromboembolic events, 2.93 (2.07-4.15), as well as, hospital stays >3 d, 2.06 (1.75-2.43). Infants of women with CD were more likely to be growth restricted, 1.80 (1.46-2.21) and have congenital malformations, 3.51 (2.68-4.58). CONCLUSIONS: CD in pregnancy is associated with increased adverse maternal and newborn complications. These pregnancies should be considered high risk and may benefit from increased surveillance.

Association Between First-Trimester Bleeding and Retained Placenta Requiring Dilatation and Curettage.

OBJECTIVE: Early subchorionic hemorrhage may lead to a disruption in the placental-uterine matrix, which may result in an adherence of the placenta to the endometrium. We evaluated the effect of a first-trimester bleed on the need for a post-vaginal delivery dilatation and curettage (D&C) for removal of retained placenta. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study at a tertiary care centre between 2012 and 2016. Patients identified through medical records as having required a post-vaginal delivery D&C for retained placenta were considered cases and were matched 1:5 with patients delivering vaginally within 1 week who did not require a D&C. History of first-trimester bleeding and subchorionic hemorrhage were identified through chart review. Conditional logistic regression analyses estimated the effect of a first-trimester bleed on the requirement for D&C for retained placenta. Models were adjusted for maternal age and previous uterine surgery. RESULTS: There were 68 cases of retained placenta requiring D&C, for an estimated 3 in 1000 deliveries. Patients requiring D&C were slightly older than controls but were otherwise comparable with respect to baseline demographic characteristics. In adjusted analyses, patients who required a postpartum D&C were more likely than controls to have had a first-trimester bleed at 11.8% and 0.6%, respectively (OR 25.3; 95% CI 4.7-135.4, P < 0.001). Postpartum D&C for retained placenta was associated with postpartum hemorrhage, need for blood transfusion, and manual removal of placenta. CONCLUSION: First-trimester bleeding should be considered a high-risk determinant for post-vaginal delivery D&C for retained placenta and for severe postpartum hemorrhage.

Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in obstetric patients: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: There is little information on the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in pregnant women. Our objectives are to estimate the use of ECMO in pregnant patients, identify clinical conditions associated with ECMO use, and assess survival rates by the associated condition. METHODS: Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we carried out a retrospective cohort study of all delivery admissions in the United States from January 1, 1999, to October 1, 2015. Within the cohort, women who received ECMO therapy were identified using ICD-9 codes and then survival rates among these women were calculated. RESULTS: There were 83 women who underwent ECMO therapy in our cohort of 15,335,205 births, for an overall ECMO use rate of 0.54/100,000 pregnancies. The incidence of ECMO use increased from 0.23/100,000 in 1999 to 2.57/100,000 in 2015. Patients on ECMO were more likely to be older, have a lower income, and have pre-existing medical conditions when compared with the patients not on ECMO. The overall survival rate for the ECMO group was 62.7%. The most common reason for ECMO use was acute respiratory failure. Etiologies associated with the highest survival in those on ECMO were pneumonia and venous thromboembolism, which were found to have survival rates of 75.0% and 81.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ECMO use in the obstetric population increased over the last decade and a half. Although it carries a limited survival rate within this population, it has proven life-saving for many suffering from complications of pregnancy and delivery.

Pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatoid arthritis: a retrospective population-based cohort study.

Purpose: To assess if pregnancies in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at a higher risk for adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.Materials and methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project - National Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) from the USA. All births that took place from 2004 to 2013 were identified and women were classified as having RA or not on the basis of ICD-9 coding. Unconditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the adjusted effect of RA on maternal and neonatal outcomes.Results: Of the total 8,417,607 births in our cohort, 6068 were among women with RA for an overall prevalence of 72 per 100,000 births. There was a steady increase in reported RA in pregnancy from 47 to 100 per 100,000 over the 10-year study period. Compared with women without RA, women with RA were more likely to develop pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, gestational diabetes, to present with preterm premature rupture of membranes(PPROM), to experience placental abruption and placenta previa, and to deliver by caesarean section. Postpartum, RA-complicated pregnancies were associated with wound complications and thromboembolisms. Congenital anomalies, small for gestational age and preterm birth were more common in neonates of women with RA.Conclusion: RA in pregnancy is associated with a greater likelihood of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Women with RA should be made aware of these risks and be followed as a high risk pregnancy.

Pregnancy outcomes after thyroid cancer.

Background Thyroid cancer is one of the most common cancers in women of reproductive age. Our purpose was to evaluate the association between thyroid cancer and maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancy. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) database from the US. A cohort consisting of women who delivered between 1999 and 2014 was created. Multivariate logistic regression, controlling for baseline maternal characteristics, was used to compare pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with thyroid cancer [International Classification of Diseases, ninth edition (ICD-9) code 193] diagnosed before or during pregnancy with those of the obstetric population without thyroid cancer. Results The study included 14,513,587 pregnant women, of which 581 women had a diagnosis of thyroid cancer (4/100,000). During the observation period, there was an upward trend in the prevalence of thyroid cancer among pregnant women, though not statistically significant (P = 0.147). Women with thyroid cancer were more likely to be Caucasian, belong to a higher income quartile, have private insurance, to be discharged from an urban teaching hospital and to have pre-gestational hypertension. Women with thyroid cancer had a greater chance of delivering vaginally, requiring transfusion of blood and developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). Neonates of mothers with thyroid cancer were not found to be at increased risk for the adverse neonatal outcomes examined, specifically, congenital malformations, intrauterine growth restriction, fetal death and preterm labor. Conclusion Pregnancies complicated by thyroid cancer have higher incidences of VTE and need for transfusions, with comparable overall newborn outcomes.

Effect of Sjögren's syndrome on maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnancy.

Background Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease affecting the body's moisture-producing glands. Some studies have linked SS to adverse maternal/neonatal outcomes, but sample sizes have tended to be small, with few outcomes examined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of SS on pregnancy outcomes for mother and neonate using a large dataset. Methods We carried out a retrospective cohort study of women who delivered between 1999 and 2014 using data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from the United States. SS categorization is based on ICD-9 coding. Baseline characteristics were compared in both groups and multivariate logistic regression was used to compare maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnancies in women with and without SS. Results The prevalence of SS in our population was 1.34 cases/10,000 births, with the rate increasing over the study period. Women with SS tended to be older, Caucasian and to have pre-existing comorbidities. Births to women with SS were at greater risk of pre-eclampsia [odds ratio (OR) 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-1.99]; premature rupture of membranes (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.04-1.57); preterm delivery (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.34-1.81); cesarean delivery (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.17-1.41); and venous thromboembolic events (OR 3.71, 95% CI 2.57-5.35). Infants of women with SS were more likely to have intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (OR 3.00, 95% CI 2.46-3.65); and congenital malformations (OR 3.26, 95% CI 2.30-4.62). Conclusion SS is a high-risk pregnancy condition associated with significant comorbidities and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Women with SS may benefit from increased surveillance during their pregnancies.