A Pilot Study of Ultrasound Assessment of Umbilical Cord and Placental Vascular Flow for Cord Accident Stillbirth Prevention.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the feasibility and interobserver reliability of umbilical cord and placental arteriolar flow assessment in low-risk pregnancies near term. METHODS: This was a prospective pilot study in low-risk pregnancies at 36 weeks with anterior placentas. We excluded any with an indication for antenatal testing or delivery before 39 weeks. Each participant underwent two ultrasounds by different examiners, which included arterial and venous velocimetry at three cord sites (fetal, free loop, and placental) in addition to maternal and fetal placental arterioles. The interobserver reliability was quantified using the Pearson correlation coefficient with that of standard clinical parameters serving as a benchmark for interpretation. RESULTS: Among 53 participants scanned at 356/7-371/7 weeks, the mean examination duration was 20.5 ± 4.2 minutes. Ascertainment success was high for measures at the free loop, placental cord insertion, and fetal placental arterioles (range 90.6%-99.1%) and was lower at the fetal cord insertion and maternal spiral arterioles (range 47.2%-87.7%). Interobserver reliability estimates for free-loop systolic/diastolic and pulsatility index ranged from 0.38 to 0.44. Interobserver reliability for experimental parameters varied by measurement site, and all were poor at the fetal insertion and in placental arterioles. Parameters had significant variation across cord sites (range 4.3%-21.7%). CONCLUSION: In our cohort, flow assessments of the free loop, placental insertion, and placental arterioles are feasible, but interrater reliability varies by measurement type and cord site. Future studies are needed to establish feasibility and reliability in nonanterior placentation and to assess clinical relevance.

Differentiating Hemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzymes, and Low Platelet Count Syndrome and Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in the Postpartum Period.

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Mild Thrombocytopenia and Postpartum Hemorrhage in Nulliparous Women With Term, Singleton, Vertex Deliveries.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether mild thrombocytopenia (platelet count 100-149 k/microliter) is associated with an increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage. METHODS: Nulliparous women with term, singleton, vertex pregnancies undergoing labor at our institution between August 2016 and September 2017 were included. The primary exposure was mild thrombocytopenia, defined as platelet count 100-149 k/microliter, and the comparator was normal platelet count (150 k/microliter or greater). Those with severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 100 k/microliter) were excluded from analysis. The primary outcome was postpartum hemorrhage, determined by International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes and the hospital discharge problem list. Secondary outcomes included use of uterotonic agents (methylergonovine maleate or carboprost tromethamine), total blood loss 1,000 mL or greater, and blood transfusion. Data were analyzed by t test, χ or Fisher exact test, and multivariable logistic regression, with significance at α <0.05. RESULTS: We evaluated 2,845 eligible women, of whom 2,579 (90.2%) had normal platelet count 150 k/microliter or greater, 266 (9.3%) had platelet count 100-149 k/microliter (mild thrombocytopenia), and 13 (0.5%) had platelet count less than 100 k/microliter (severe thrombocytopenia). Compared with women with normal platelet count, those with mild thrombocytopenia had a higher rate of postpartum hemorrhage (16.9% vs 8.5%, P<.001) and were more likely to have total blood loss 1,000 mL or greater (4.5% vs 1.7%, P=.002) and receive methylergonovine maleate (10.5% vs 5.9%, P=.003) or carboprost tromethamine (6.0% vs 1.6%, P<.001) or both (3.8% vs 1.0%, P<.001), but rates of blood transfusion were no different (1.9% vs 1.5%, P=.59). The association between mild thrombocytopenia and postpartum hemorrhage persisted after multivariable adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio 2.2, 95% CI 1.5-3.2, P<.001). CONCLUSION: Among nulliparous women with term, singleton, vertex pregnancies undergoing labor, those with mild thrombocytopenia (platelet count 100-149 k/microliter) had a twofold greater likelihood of postpartum hemorrhage compared with those with normal platelet count.