Prenatal exposure to a mixture of different phthalates increases the risk of mammary carcinogenesis in F1 female offspring.

Phthalates metabolites have been detected in the urine of pregnant and breastfeeding women. Thus, this study evaluated the adverse effects of maternal exposure to a mixture of six phthalates (Pth mix) on the mammary gland development and carcinogenesis in F1 female offspring. Pregnant female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed daily to vehicle or Pth mix (35.22% diethyl-phthalate, 21.03% di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, 14.91% dibutyl-phthalate, 15.10% diisononyl-phthalate, 8.61% diisobutyl-phthalate, and 5.13% benzylbutyl-phthalate) by gavage at 20 µg/kg, 200 µg/kg or 200 mg/kg during gestational day 10 (GD 10) to postnatal day 21 (PND 21). After weaning (PND 22), some female offspring were euthanized for mammary gland analyses while other females received a single dose of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU, 50 mg/kg) or vehicle and then tumor incidence and multiplicity were recorded until PND 180. Maternal Pth mix exposure increased the number of Ki-67 and progesterone receptor-positive epithelial cells in the mammary gland from Pth mix 200 at µg/kg and 200 mg/kg groups. In addition, tumor incidence and mean number were higher only in Pth mix at 200 mg/kg when compared to the vehicle-treated group, and percentage of tumor-free animals was lower in Pth mix at 200 µg/kg and 200 mg/kg groups. The findings indicate that perinatal Pth mixture exposure increased susceptibility to MNU-induced mammary carcinogenesis in adult F1 female offspring.

Use of electrocautery for coagulation and wound complications in Caesarean sections.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety of electrocautery for coagulation during Caesarean sections. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized, controlled, clinical pilot study was performed at a university maternity hospital. After admission for delivery and decision to perform a C-section, volunteers were randomized to either the intervention group (use of electrocautery for coagulation) or nonintervention group. The women were examined at the time of postpartum discharge (day 3), at days 7 to 10, and again at days 30 to 40 for signs of infection, hematoma, seroma, or dehiscence. Data were analyzed using an intention-to-treat analysis, and risk ratios were calculated. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the two groups. Only 2.8% of patients in the intervention group developed surgical wound complications during hospitalization. However, 7 to 10 days following discharge, these rates reached 23.0% and 15.4% in the intervention and nonintervention groups, respectively (RR = 1.50, 95% CI = 0.84-2.60). CONCLUSION: Further studies should confirm whether the use of electrocautery for coagulation does not increase the risk of surgical wound complications in patients undergoing Caesarean sections.