Supplementary Feed Additives Can Improve Lamb Performance in Terms of Birth Weight, Body Size, and Survival Rate.

To evaluate the effects of supplementation of feed additives in the last trimester of pregnancy on placental characteristics and offspring performance, this study was conducted with 48 estrous-synchronized Ghezel ewes that had randomly been assigned to one of the following six groups (n = 8): ad libitum feeding (AL); feed restriction (RF; 60% of ad libitum intake); feed restriction + propylene glycol (PG); feed restriction + propylene glycol + monensin sodium (MS); feed restriction + propylene glycol + rumen-protected choline chloride (RPC); feed restriction + propylene glycol + monensin sodium + rumen-protected choline chloride (PMC). Birth weight, body size, and rectal temperature of lambs were determined within 24 h of birth. The presence of lambs at 87 days of age was used as an index of survival to weaning. The outcome of this study was that the average placental weight of ewes in the AL and MS groups was the highest and lowest, respectively, among the treatment groups (p < 0.01). RPC ewes presented higher placental efficiency compared to AL, RF, and MS ewes (p < 0.05). The largest and smallest crown-to-rump lengths (CRLs) were observed in PMC and RF lambs, respectively (p < 0.01). In addition, lambs born from PMC, RPC, and PG ewes had a longer curved crown-to-rump length (CCRL) than those born from AL and RF ewes (p < 0.01). The concurrent administration of propylene glycol and rumen-protected choline chloride resulted in the highest birth weight among treatment groups (p < 0.01). Lambs born to PMC and RPC ewes had a higher survival rate and rectal temperature than those born to RF ewes (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that although dietary restriction does not have adverse effects on lambs' performance compared with ad libitum intake, the combined administration of propylene glycol and rumen-protected choline chloride in the ewes' restricted diet can improve placental characteristics and subsequently amend lambs' birth weight and body size. Therefore, the combined administration of these additives can be practiced during feed restriction.

Impact of placental sharing and large bidirectional anastomoses on birthweight discordance in monochorionic twins: a retrospective cohort study in 449 cases.

BACKGROUND: In monochorionic twin pregnancies, the fetuses share a single placenta. When this placenta is unequally shared, a discordant antenatal growth pattern ensues resulting in high rates of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Understanding placental pathophysiology is paramount in devising feasible antenatal management strategies. Unequal placental sharing is not the sole determinant of birthweight discordance as there is no one-to-one relationship with placental share discordance. Placental angioarchitecture, especially the presence of large bidirectional anastomoses, is thought to affect this relationship by allowing for a compensatory intertwin blood flow. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess whether placental angioarchitecture can affect birthweight discordance in live-born monochorionic twins, the aim of our study was 2-fold: (1) to assess the relationship between birthweight discordance and placental share discordance and (2) to examine to what extent large bidirectional anastomoses can compensate for the effect of unequal placental sharing on birthweight discordance, with a subgroup analysis for umbilical artery Doppler flow patterns in cases with a birthweight discordance of ≥20%. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study that included monochorionic twin pregnancies observed in our center between March 2002 and June 2021, in which twins with a birthweight discordance of ≥20% were classified according to umbilical artery Doppler flow patterns of the smaller twin. We excluded cases with twin-twin transfusion syndrome and twin anemia polycythemia sequence. Monochorionic placentas of live-born twins were injected with dye, and images were saved for computer measurements of placental sharing and the diameter of anastomoses. Univariate linear regressions of the relationship between placental share discordance and birthweight discordance (both calculated as larger weight or share-smaller weight or share/larger weight or share×100%) and the relationship between arterioarterial and venovenous diameters and birthweight ratio/placental territory ratio were performed. RESULTS: A total of 449 placentas were included in the analysis. Placental share discordance was positively correlated with birthweight discordance (ß coefficient, 0.325; 95% confidence interval, 0.254-0.397; P<.0001). The arterioarterial diameter was negatively correlated with birthweight ratio/placental territory ratio (ß coefficient, -0.041; 95% confidence interval, -0.059 to -0.023; P<.0001), meaning that an increase in arterioarterial diameter leads to less birthweight discordance than expected for the amount of placental share discordance. There was no relationship between venovenous diameter and birthweight ratio/placental territory ratio (ß coefficient, -0.007; 95% confidence interval, -0.027 to 0.012; P=.473). CONCLUSION: Birthweight discordance in monochorionic twins was strongly associated with placental share discordance. Large arterioarterial anastomoses can mitigate the effect of unequal placental sharing.

Placental Characteristics Classification of Various Native Turkish Sheep Breeds.

The aim of this study was to classify placental characteristics of Akkaraman, Morkaraman, Karayaka, Awassi, Malya, and Bafra sheep breeds using the hierarchical clustering method. In total, 240 individual data records were used as experimental material. Placental characteristics such as total cotyledon surface area, small and large cotyledon length, small cotyledon depth, etc. were used as explanatory variables to classify the breeds' characteristics. Hierarchical clustering was used with the nearest neighbour method with Euclidean distance in order to classify the sheep breeds' variations. As a result, six breeds were separated into three clusters: the first cluster consisted of Bafra, Karayaka, and Awassi breeds; the second consisted of Akkaraman and Malya breeds; and the third cluster included only the Morkaraman breed. Bafra and Karayaka were pointed as the nearest breeds, with a similarity of 98.7% in terms of placental characteristics. The similarity rate of the Akkaraman and Malya breeds was at a level of 97.5%, whereas it was 96.8% for Bafra, Karayaka, and Awassi breeds. The similarity of Akkaraman, Karayaka, Awassi, Malya, and Bafra sheep breeds was estimated as 95.7%. The overall similarity was found to be at a level of 93.2% among sheep breeds. The outcomes of the study might be useful as a selection tool for reproductivity and can be used to select the breed to be reared.

Placental Growth Measures in Relation to Birth Weight in a Latin American Population / Medidas de crescimento placentário em relação ao peso de nascimento em uma população latino-americana

Abstract Introduction The placenta, translates how the fetus experiences the maternal environment and is a principal influence on birth weight (BW). Objective To explore the relationship between placental growth measures (PGMs) and BW in a public maternity hospital. Methods Observational retrospective study of 870 singleton live born infants at Hospital Maternidad Sardá, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, between January 2011 and August 2012 with complete data of PGMs. Details of history, clinical and obstetrical maternal data, labor and delivery and neonatal outcome data, including placental measures derived from the records, were evaluated. The following manual measurements of the placenta according to standard methods were performed: placental weight (PW, g), larger and smaller diameters (cm), eccentricity, width (cm), shape, area (cm2), BW/PW ratio (BPR) and PW/BW ratio (PBR), and efficiency. Associations between BW and PGMs were examined using multiple linear regression. Results Birth weight was correlated with placental weight (R2 =0.49, p < 0.001), whereas gestational age was moderately correlated with placental weight (R2 =0.64, p < 0.001). By gestational age, there was a positive trend for PW and BPR, but an inverse relationship with PBR (p < 0.001). Placental weight alone accounted for 49% of birth weight variability (p < 0,001), whereas all PGMs accounted for 52% (p < 0,001). Combined, PGMs, maternal characteristics (parity, pre-eclampsia, tobacco use), gestational age and gender explained 77.8% of BW variations (p < 0,001). Among preterm births, 59% of BW variances were accounted for by PGMs, compared with 44% at term. All placental measures except BPR were consistently higher in females than in males, which was also not significant. Indices of placental efficiency showed weakly clinical relevance. Conclusions Reliable measures of placental growth estimate 53.6% of BW variances and project this outcome to a greater degree in preterm births than at term. These findings would contribute to the understanding of the maternal-placental programming of chronic diseases.

Resumo Introdução Aplacenta traduz como o feto experimenta o ambientematerno, alémde ser a principal influência sobre o peso ao nascer (PN). Objetivo Explorar a relação entre medidas de crescimento da placenta (MCPs) e PN em uma maternidade pública. Métodos Estudo retrospectivo observacional de 870 recém-nascidos vivos únicos na Maternidade Sardá, Universidade de Buenos Aires, Argentina, entre janeiro de 2011 e agosto de 2012 com os dados completos das MCPs. Foram avaliados dados da história clínica e obstétricamaterna, trabalho de parto e resultados neonatais, incluindomedidas da placenta derivadas dos registrosmédicos. Foramrealizadas as seguintesmediçõesmanuais da placenta: peso da placenta (PP, g), diâmetros maior e menor (cm), excentricidade, espessura (cm), forma, área (cm2), razões PN/PP e PP/PN e eficiência. Associações entre PN e MCPs foram examinadas por meio de regressão linear múltipla. Resultados Peso ao nascer foi correlacionado com peso placentário (R2 = 0,49, p < 0,001), enquanto idade gestacional foi moderadamente correlacionada com peso placentário (R2 = 0,64, p < 0,001). Por idade gestacional, houve uma tendência positiva para a relação PP e PN/PP, mas uma relação inversa com a razão PP/PN (p < 0,001). Somente peso da placenta respondeu por 49% da variabilidade do peso ao nascer (p < 0,001), ao passo que todas as MCPs foram responsáveis por 52% (p < 0,001). Combinados, MCPs, características maternas (paridade, pré-eclâmpsia, fumo), idade gestacional e sexo explicaram 77,8% da variação do peso ao nascer (p < 0,001). Entre nascimentos pré-termo, 59% da variância do PN foi contabilizada pelas MCPs, emcomparação com44% a termo. Todas asmedidas placentárias, exceto a razão PN/PP, foram consistentemente maiores em mulheres do que em homens, mas não significativas. Índices de eficiência placentária mostraram fraca relevância clínica. Conclusões medidas confiáveis de crescimento placentário estimam 53,6% da variância do peso ao nascer, e projetamesse resultado a ummaior grau emnascimentos pré-termo do que a termo. Estes resultados contribuiriam para a compreensão da programação materno-placentária de doenças crónicas.