Ultrasonographic imaging of the fetal hippocampus.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to identify the fetal hippocampus and fornix using 2D and to measure the C-shaped length of fornix and hippocampus. METHODS: This study was designed in cross-section. Healthy singleton and between 18 and 24 weeks of gestation pregnant women who applied to the perinatology outpatient clinic for second-level ultrasound scanning between December 2022 and February 2023 were included in the study. Patients were screened consecutively. Demographic information of the participants was obtained and an ultrasound scan was performed. The fetal fornix-hippocampus' length and hippocampal height were measured in the sagittal section. Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation, median (min, max), or number (percent). RESULTS: A total of 92 patients were included in the study. Fetal fornix and hippocampus measurements were taken in % 97.8 (90/92) patients. The mean of the fetal fornix-hippocampus length and fetal hippocampus height of 90 patients were measured as 35.6 ± 3.0 and 4.7 ± 3.9, respectively. CONCLUSION: Fetal fornix and hippocampus can be visualized in easily with two-dimensional ultrasound during anomaly scanning in the second trimester.

Ultrasonographic Imaging of the Fetal Pyloric Sphincter.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we hypothesized that the pyloric sphincter can be directly visualized by ultrasonography in the prenatal period. METHODS: This study was designed as a cross-section. Single, healthy pregnancies between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation who applied to the Perinatology outpatient clinic for second-level ultrasonography were included in the study. In addition to the demographic characteristics of the participants, fetal pyloric mucosa, fetal pyloric sphincter length, and fetal pyloric sphincter thickness were measured by ultrasonography. Intrarater variability was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 93 eligible patients were evaluated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 27.25 ± 6.23, and the gestational age was 21.18 ± 0.98. Pylorus imaging and measurements were possible in all fetuses that were in the optimal position. Mean pyloric sphincter length (mm) was 5.32 ± 0.93, pyloric sphincter thickness (mm) was 2.13 ± 0.44, and sphincter muscle thickness (mm) was 1.05 ± 0.24. CONCLUSIONS: The pyloric sphincter can be easily visualized on a second-trimester ultrasound scan when the appropriate technique is used. This may make an additional contribution to the diagnosis of fetal gastrointestinal tract pathologies.

The haemodynamic effects of umbilical cord milking in term infants: a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Umbilical cord milking (UCM) is a method that allows for postnatal placental transfusion. The benefits of UCM have been demonstrated in some studies, but knowledge about its haemodynamic effects in term infants is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the haemodynamic effects of UCM in term infants. Methods: In this prospective, randomised controlled study, 149 healthy term infants with a birth week of ≥37 weeks were randomly assigned to either the UCM or immediate cord clamping (ICC) group. Blinded echocardiographic evaluations were performed in all the neonates in the first 2-6 h. Results: Superior vena cava (SVC) flow measurements were higher in the UCM group compared to the ICC group (132.47 ± 37.0 vs. 126.62 ± 34.3 mL/kg/min), but this difference was not statistically significant. Left atrial diameter (12.23 ± 1.99 vs. 11.43 ± 1.78 mm) and left atrium-to-aorta diastolic diameter ratio (1.62 ± 0.24 vs. 1.51 ± 0.22) were significantly higher in the UCM group. There were no significant differences in other echocardiographic parameters between the two groups. Conclusion: We found no significant difference in the SVC flow measurements in term infants who underwent UCM versus those who underwent ICC. This lack of significant difference in SVC flow may be explained by the mature cerebral autoregulation mechanism in term neonates.

Ultrasonographic Imaging of the Fetal Duodenal Tract.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether fetal duodenal tract sections can be visualized in the prenatal ultrasonographic examination. METHODS: This study was designed in cross-section. Healthy singleton pregnant women who applied to the perinatology outpatient clinic for second-level ultrasound scanning between September 2020 and February 2021 were included in the study. Demographic information of the participants was obtained and an ultrasound scan was performed. The fetal duodenal tract was evaluated in three sections, including the pylorus. The fetal duodenal tract was differentiated from adjacent organs by its anatomical location, hyperechoic nature, and presence of fluid in the lumen. RESULTS: A total of 278 eligible participants between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation were evaluated. While the fetal pylorus was closed in 76.6% of the participants, it was open in 23.4%. Duodenum pars superior, pars descendens, and pars inferior imaging rates were 99.3%, 98.2%, and 95.7%, respectively. It was possible to distinguish these parts from neighboring organs by 99.6%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. While the first, second, and third parts of the duodenum were observed as solid in 42.0%, 58.2%, and 52.2%, respectively, 57.9%, 41.7%, and 47.7% had fluid in the lumen. CONCLUSION: The fetal duodenal tract can be viewed with prenatal ultrasonography in pregnant women who are not in a dorsoanterior position. This may make an additional contribution to the diagnosis of duodenal obstructions, which is the most common cause of intestinal atresia in prenatal screening.

The effect of mask use on maternal oxygen saturation in term pregnancies during the COVID-19 process.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to evaluate the effect of standard surgical and N-95 respiratory mask use on maternal oxygen saturation, vital signs and result on non-stress tests in term pregnancies. METHODS: It is a prospective observational study. The study included healthy, not in labor, singleton pregnant women of 370/7-410/7 weeks who were applied to our hospital for routine obstetric control examination between March 1, 2020, and August 31, 2020. Patients were randomised by coin toss method. Oxygen saturation, systolic, and diastolic arterial blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, and temperature of pregnant women using surgical masks and respiratory masks were measured before and after the non-stress test. The tolerance of the masks was also evaluated. Student's t-test was used for variables showing parametric distribution and the Mann Whitney U-test was used for non-parametric tests. The categorical variables between the groups was analyzed by using the Chi square test or Fisher Exact test. The statistical significance level was taken as p<0.05 in all tests. RESULTS: A total of 297 pregnant women using masks were included in the study. The effect of mask type on oxygen saturation before and after the non-stress test was found to be significant (97.1±1.8 corresponds to 95.3±2.6 for the surgical mask, p=0.0001; 97.8±1.7 corresponds to 93.7±2.0 for the respiratory mask, p=0.0001). Mask tolerance of patients using respiratory masks was significantly higher than those using surgical masks (mean 8, 1-10, p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical mask and respiratory mask usage decreased significantly in oxygen saturation in term pregnancies.

Effect of previous cesarean sections on second-trimester uterine artery Doppler.

AIM: In this study, we investigated the effects of previous cesarean sections on uterine artery Doppler indices. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 153 healthy pregnant women between 18 and 24 weeks of gestation. Seventy-three pregnant women without previous cesarean sections (control group) and 80 pregnant women with previous cesarean sections (study group) were compared in terms of uterine artery Doppler indices. RESULTS: The mean uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) MoM value was 1.18 ± 0.40 in the study group and 1.07 ± 0.35 in the control group (P = 0.046). The number of patients with uterine artery PI values above 95 percentile was 18 (22.5%) in the study group and 5(6.8%) in the control group (P = 0.007). The mean gestational age at birth was significantly lower in the study group (38.2 ± 1.3 vs. 39 ± 1.0, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the mean PI, resistance index (RI) and systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio values of the uterine artery (P = 0.16, 0.11, 0.08, respectively). When the comparison was made with the number of previous cesarean sections, all three index values of the patients who had had more than two cesarean sections were found to be significantly higher. CONCLUSION: The Doppler flow indices of the uterine artery significantly increased in patients with more than two previous cesarean sections. When evaluating uterine artery Doppler indices in pregnant women with a history of previous cesarean sections, these factors should be considered.

Prenatal Diagnosis and Intrapartum Management of Congenital Ranula.

A foetal sublingual cystic lesion was diagnosed by routine prenatal ultrasonography at 27 weeks of gestation. Foetal growth and amniotic fluid volume were normal. An ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure was performed, and the cyst was aspirated to allow breathing during planned Caesarean section. The cyst was totally excised when the newborn was 60 days old, and histopathological examination revealed a mucous cyst of the mouth floor.

The relationship between placental transfusion, and thymic size and neonatal morbidities in premature infants - A Randomized Control Trial

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of umbilical cord milking and early cord clamping on thymic size, and neonatal mortality and morbidity in preterm infants. METHODS: This single-center, prospective, double-blind, randomised controlled study was conducted at Baskent University, Konya Education and Research Centre, Konya, Turkey, between October 2015 and April 2016. Pregnant women who delivered before 32 weeks of gestation were randomised to receive umbilical cord milking (group 1) or early cord clamping (group 2). Ultrasonographic evaluation was performed in each newborn by an experienced radiologist within the first 24 hours of life. Thymic si ze was estimated in l ine with literatu re. SPSS 15 was u sed for a ll data analyses. RESULTS: There were 38 subjects in group 1 and 37 in group 2. There were as many infants in the two groups (p>0.05) The haemoglobin levels was higher in group 1, but not significantly (p=0.213). The absolute neutrophil count in group 1 was significantly lower (p= 0.017) than group 2. In terms of neonatal mortaility and morbidity, there were no significant differences between the groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Umbilical cord milking was not associated with thymic size during the the first 24h of life.

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio: A new inflammatory marker for the diagnosis of preterm premature rupture of membranes.

OBJECTIVE: Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is closely related with maternal and fetal complications. Therefore, early diagnosis is extremely important to provide maternal and fetal well-being. Many inflammatory markers have been evaluated for their ability to diagnose membrane rupture at early stages. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and preterm premature membrane rupture. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, 121 pregnant women with PPROM and 96 age-matched pregnant women with spontaneous preterm labor who were admitted to our hospital between January 2014 and December 2015 were enrolled. Demographic data, complete blood cell count results, and neonatal outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: The neutrophil and platelet counts were higher in the PPROM group (9948.4±3393.2 vs. 7466.1±1698.5/mm3 and 244.5±60 vs. 210.6±64.8/mm3, respectively, p<0.001). The PLR and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (NLR) were both significantly higher in the PPROM group (p<0.001). Correlation analysis revealed that the PLR was positively correlated with the NLR (r=0.10, p=0.031). The ability of the PLR to diagnose preterm premature rupture of membranes was evaluated using an ROC curve. The sensitivity and specificity of the PLR was 57.8% and 73.7%, respectively, at a threshold >117.14 (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The PLR might be a cost effective, easy to use, and practical marker for the early diagnosis of PPROM, which can help to determine the appropriate waiting time for delivery and provide maternal and fetal well-being.

Does the Presence of Endometrial Polyp Predict Colorectal Polyp?

INTRODUCTION: Endometrial polyps (EPs) and colorectal polyps (CPs) are common disorders and the incidence of both increase rapidly with aging. CPs are focal lesions and incidence increases with age. AIM: In this study, we aimed to analyze retrospectively the relationship between the EPs and CPs sharing similar clinical and genetic factors in their etiopathogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was retrospectively performed between 2010 and 2013 and it included patients diagnosed to have eEPs. The study group and the control group consisted of patients who were diagnosed with or without EPs and who underwent colonoscopy at the same period. RESULTS: The study group was formed by 57 patients with diagnosis of EP who underwent colonoscopy during the same period. The control group consisted of 71 patients without EP examined with colonoscopy. Among 128 patients assessed in this study, 24 were diagnosed with CPs, all of which were adenomatous polyps smaller than 1cm. No hyperplastic or inflammatory polyps were diagnosed. While 18 of 57 patients with EPs had CPs, 6 of 71 control subjects had CPs. Hence, the risk of having CP was 5 times greater in patients with EP compared to those without (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that the prevalence of CPs increased significantly in postmenopausal patients with EPs. Recommending colonoscopy to these patients irrespective of age may be beneficial for detecting more CPs and preventing colorectal cancer.

Impaired coronary microvascular function and increased intima-media thickness in preeclampsia.

There is an association between preeclampsia (PE) and excessive morbidity and mortality. Some recent studies have revealed the presence of endothelial dysfunction in PE patients with inflammatory activity. Moreover, it has been argued that the chronic inflammatory state involved in PE leads to an acceleration in atherosclerosis. Accordingly, our goal in this study is to determine whether there is any coronary microvascular dysfunction and increase in the intima-media thickness in patients who had mild PE 5 years before, without the presence of any traditional cardiovascular risk factors. The study included 33 mild PE patients (mild preeclampsia is classified as a blood pressure (BP) of 140/90 mm Hg or higher with proteinuria of 0.3 to 3 g/d) whose mean age was 33.7 years old, and 29 healthy women volunteers whose mean age was 36.1 years old. Each subject was examined using transthoracic echocardiography 5 years after their deliveries. During the echocardiographic examination, coronary flow reserve (CFR) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. There was a statistically lower CFR value in PE patients as compared with controls (2.39 ± 0.48 vs. 2.90 ± 0.49; P < .001). On the other hand, there was a significant increase in their IMT and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) values (respectively, 0.59 ± 0.15 vs. 0.46 ± 0.10; P < .001 and 3.80 ± 2.10 vs. 2.33 ± 1.79; P = .004). There was a negative correlation between the CFR values of the PE patients and hs-CRP (r = -0.568; P = .001) and IMT (r = -0.683, P < .001) results.We determined in the study that there was impaired CFR and increased carotid IMT in patients with PE, and, moreover, that these adverse effects were significantly correlated with hs-CRP.

Phenotypic subgroups of polycystic ovary syndrome have different intra-renal resistance symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is known to be related with increased metabolic and cardiovascular risks. Various phenotypic subgroups of PCOS have been proven to have metabolic and endocrine disorders with varying degrees of severity However, intra-renal vascular resistance, which is an indirect indication of atherosclerosis, remains unknown in PCOS subgroups. In this study we examined whether PCOS subgroups have different intra-renal resistance symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 98 PCOS patients (diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria) 30 controls were included in the study The diagnosis of PCOS was established in the presence of at least two of the following criteria: 1-oligo and/or amenorrhea (OM); 2-clinic and/or biochemical signs of hyperandrogenism (HA); 3-polycystic ovarian morphology (PCO) detected by transvaginal ultrasonography 37 patients (Group 1) met all three criteria (HA+OM+PCO), 29 patients (Group 2) met two of the criteria including hyperandrogenism (HA+OM or HA+PCO) and the remaining 32 patients (Group 3) had no hyperandrogenism but fulfilled the other two criteria; PCO+OM. Renal Doppler ultrasonography and hormonal/biochemical analyses were carried out. The first outcome measure was designated as the differences in the renal resistive index (RRI) values of the groups, and the second outcome measure was designated as the relation of RRI with the insulin resistance and lipid profile. RESULTS: In Group 1, the RRI and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values were significantly higher than in Group 3 and controls (P < 0.031, P < 0.001, respectively after adjusting for age and BMI). The RRI and HOMA-IR values in Group 3 were similar to those of the control group. It was determined that RRI has a positive correlation with HOMA-IR (r = 0.784, P < .0001) and BMI (r = 0.645, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study we demonstrated that PCOS subgroups have metabolic and endocrine disorders and cardiovascular risks of varying degrees of severity Moreover, we showed that there was no increase of metabolic and cardiovascular risks in PCOS patients without hyperandrogenism.

Effect of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation treatment on cardiac function.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) treatment on cardiac functions using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-one patients aged 22-35 years were enrolled to COH cycles. Each subject underwent a conventional transthoracic echocardiographic examination that included an assessment of cardiac function. Measurements were taken twice--the first on the second day of the cycle and the second on the day when human chorionic gonadotropin was administered. Twenty-one healthy women were chosen for the control group. RESULTS: The COH treatment did not cause favorable cardiac function changes. The parameters showing the left ventricular diastolic function such as early diastolic peak flow velocity (E), late diastolic peak flow velocity (A), mitral E/A ratios, mitral E wave, deceleration time (DT), lateral isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), and left ventricular myocardial performance index (LVMPI) were not changed. The COH treatment did not affect the right ventricular diastolic functions such as tricuspid valve E wave, DT, right ventricular (RV) IVRT, or right ventricular myocardial performance index (RVMPI). Concurrently, the COH treatment showed no effects on the right and left ventricular systolic functions. CONCLUSION: TDI findings reveal no effects of the COH treatment on cardiac function.