Comparison of effects of digital vaginal examination with transperineal ultrasound during labor on pain and anxiety levels: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether routine vaginal examination during labor is associated with increased levels of anxiety and pain compared with transperineal ultrasound assessment. METHODS: This was a single-blinded, parallel, randomized controlled trial conducted in a tertiary care facility. Parous pregnant women without a known psychiatric condition who were seen at the care facility between November 2015 and March 2016 were included in the trial. Participants had an uneventful pregnancy and were assigned randomly to routine digital vaginal examination or transperineal ultrasound assessment during labor. Psychological distress levels, measured by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, and anxiety levels, measured by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), were recorded before admission, and pain, measured using a visual analog scale, and anxiety were recorded during the latent phase of labor, the beginning of active labor and the postpartum period. A sample size of 45 women per group (n = 90) was planned to compare methods of assessment. RESULTS: Ninety women were randomized (1:1 allocation) to one or other of the interventions. Preadmission psychological distress and anxiety levels were similar between the two groups (P = 0.93 and 0.65, respectively). Most of the studied characteristics were similar in each group including duration of labor, number of examinations, analgesic administration during labor, episiotomy rate and interval between deliveries. Visual analog scale scores revealed that pain perception was reduced during latent (mean difference, -1.5 (95% CI, -2.51 to -0.57); P < 0.01) and active (mean difference, -1.2 (95% CI, -2.45 to -0.09); P = 0.03) stages of labor and during the postpartum period (mean difference, -0.5 (95% CI, -1.02 to -0.06); P = 0.02) in participants who had a transperineal ultrasound assessment compared with participants who had a digital vaginal examination. STAI scores revealed that anxiety levels were similar between the two groups during the latent and active phases of labor and during the postpartum period (P = 0.07, P = 0.38 and P = 0.13, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The perception of pain was significantly reduced with the use of a transperineal ultrasound assessment compared with routine digital vaginal examination. However, only during the latent stage of labor was the magnitude of the observed effect sufficiently great to be considered clinically significant. Our results indicate that transperineal ultrasound assessment could be preferred to digital examination for the evaluation of progression of labor during this phase. Digital examination has no clinically relevant effects on state anxiety levels, as measured by the STAI. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pregnancy After Kidney Transplantation: Outcomes, Tacrolimus Doses, and Trough Levels.

Although pregnancy after kidney transplantation has been considered as high risk for maternal and fetal complications, it can be successful in properly selected patients. It is well known that pregnancy can induce changes in the plasma concentrations of some drugs; however, there has been very limited information about tacrolimus pharmacokinetics during pregnancy. In this study, we evaluated the tacrolimus doses, blood levels, and the outcomes of pregnancies in kidney allograft recipients. From 2004 to 2014, we found 16 pregnancies in 12 kidney allograft recipients at our center. We reviewed the files and data reports including fetal outcomes, graft function, complications, tacrolimus trough levels, and doses. We analyzed the tacrolimus trough levels and doses before pregnancy, during pregnancy (monthly), and in the postpartum period. Throughout the pregnancy, we aimed to achieve tacrolimus trough levels between 4 and 7 ng/mL. All patients were on triple immunosuppression, including tacrolimus, azathioprine, and prednisolone. In total, 11 of 16 (68.7%) pregnancies were successful, with a mean weight gain of 12.5 ± 1.66 kg. One patient developed gestational diabetes mellitus and 2 had preeclampsia. Although 5 of 11 babies were found to have low birth weight, 4 of these were premature. Two patients lost their grafts, 1 due to acute rejection and the second due to progression of chronic allograft dysfunction. We have shown that tacrolimus doses need to be significantly increased to keep appropriate trough levels during pregnancy (the doses: before, 3.20 ± 0.9 mg/day; first trimester, 5.03 ± 1.5; second trimester, 6.50 ± 1.8; third trimester, 7.30 ± 2.3; post-partum, 3.5 ± 0.9). In conclusion, the dose of tacrolimus needs to be increased to provide safe and stable tacrolimus trough levels during pregnancy. Although pregnancy can be successful in most cases, it should be kept in mind that there is an increased risk of maternal and fetal complications, including allograft loss, low birth weight, spontaneous abortus, and preeclampsia.

Ruptured ipsilateral ectopic pregnancies: a rare emergency case series.

Ectopic pregnancy is one of the most important causes of maternal mortality in first trimester pregnancy. Several etiologic factors are suspected for ectopic pregnancy. Fertility-saving surgery in ectopic pregnancy is associated with recurrent ectopic pregnancy. Most common site of ectopic pregnancy is in the fallopian tube, especially in the ampullar region. Ipsilateral tube is rare site for ectopic pregnancy. Previous tubal surgery, especially partial salpingectomy, is an important factor in this disease.

Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy: do the time of diagnosis and delivery route affect pregnancy outcome in parturients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura?

The objective of this study was to investigate the determining effects of diagnosis time on pregnancy outcomes in a population of pregnant women with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Records of all the pregnant women with thrombocytopenia were evaluated. Those with a confirmed diagnosis of ITP were included in the study. Main outcome measures were antenatal thrombocyte count, postpartum haemorrhage rate, and route of delivery. Foetal outcomes such as foetal thrombocyte count, haemorrhage, and birth weight were also reported as secondary outcome measures. Time of diagnosis either antenatal or preconception did not significantly alter the investigated parameters. Delivery route had no impact on complication rates. Time of diagnosis also did not affect treatment modality. ITP is rare disorder accounting for less than 5 % of all pregnant thrombocytopenias. Time of diagnosis does not affect maternal-foetal outcomes or treatment modality unless diagnosis is made during labour. Compared to gestational thrombocytopenia, treatment rates may differ but treatment modalities remain the same and the effort put into making the differential should be weighed against maternal stress factors for lengthy laboratory evaluation as long as the thrombocytopenia is of pure nature without any systemic involvement.