A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Intimacy Problems, Stress Levels, and Couple Satisfaction among Women with Thrombophilia Affected by Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is one of the most challenging and difficult areas of reproductive treatment due to the immense emotional suffering inflicted on families and couples affected by RPL. As a result, it is predicted that couples experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss would have an increase in marital problems, stress levels, and anxiety, preventing them from achieving their family goals. The current cross-sectional study aimed to target pregnant women with thrombophilia with a history of RPL to observe their intimacy problems, stress levels, and couple satisfaction by completing a series of digital questionnaires. These patients were considered as the reference group, while the control group was formed by other women with thrombophilia and a history of RPL who eventually achieved pregnancy and gave birth. A total of 238 complete questionnaires were recorded (157 in the reference group and 81 in the control group). It was observed that women in the reference group who did not give birth had a significantly higher proportion of three or more pregnancy attempts (54.1% vs. 39.5%) and a significantly higher proportion of three more pregnancy losses (68.8% vs. 55.6%). It was observed that patients in the reference group were more likely to be emotion-oriented (42.7% vs. 27.2%). Also, women in the reference group had higher levels of dissatisfaction and lower levels of self-acceptance, pleasure, and marital quality scores. The total SII and DSCS scores were significantly lower than women with thrombophilia with a history of RPL who eventually gave birth. Women from the reference group had significantly greater intimacy problems and stress levels while having lower openness scores and self-esteem scores than women in the control group. It is possible that women with thrombophilia and recurrent pregnancy loss are more dissatisfied with their marriages than those who subsequently had one child. Since the financial status of those who achieved pregnancy was observed to be higher, it is likely that they achieved pregnancy by ART interventions, as they reported in questionnaires. It is important to target families afflicted by thrombophilia and other reasons for infertility to ease their access to ART therapies. By achieving their objectives, affected families will minimize dissatisfaction, divorce rates, and stress.

Assessing SARS-CoV-2 Vertical Transmission and Neonatal Complications.

We designed and implemented a prospective study to analyze the maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with COVID-19 and determine the likelihood of viral transmission to the fetus and newborn by collecting samples from amniotic fluid, placenta, umbilical cord blood, and breast milk. The study followed a prospective observational design, starting in July 2020 and lasting for one year. A total of 889 pregnant women were routinely tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection in an outpatient setting at our clinic, using nasal swabs for PCR testing. A total of 76 women were diagnosed with COVID-19. The positive patients who accepted study enrollment were systematically analyzed by collecting weekly nasal, urine, fecal, and serum samples, including amniotic fluid, placenta, umbilical cord, and breast milk at hospital admission and postpartum. Mothers with COVID-19 were at a significantly higher risk of developing gestational hypertension and giving birth prematurely by c-section than the general pregnant population. Moreover, their mortality rates were substantially higher. Their newborns did not have negative outcomes, except for prematurity, and an insignificant number of newborns were infected with SARS-CoV-2 (5.4%). No amniotic fluid samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2, and only 1.01% of PCR tests from breast milk were confirmed positive. Based on these results, we support the idea that SARS-CoV-2 positive pregnant women do not expose their infants to an additional risk of infection via breastfeeding, close contact, or in-utero. Consequently, we do not support maternal-newborn separation at delivery since they do not seem to be at an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.