Assessment of pregnancy dietary intake and association with maternal and neonatal outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Maternal dietary habits are contributors of maternal and fetal health; however, available data are heterogeneous and not conclusive. METHODS: Nutrient intake during pregnancy was assessed in 503 women with uncomplicated pregnancies, using the validated Food Frequency Questionnaire developed by the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-FFQ). RESULTS: In all, 68% of women had a normal body mass index at the beginning of pregnancy, and 83% of newborns had an appropriate weight for gestational age. Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and placental weight were independently correlated with birth weight. GWG was not related to the pre-pregnancy BMI. EPIC-FFQ evaluation showed that 30% of women adhered to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ranges for macronutrient intake. In most pregnant women (98.1%), consumption of water was below recommendations. Comparing women with intakes within EFSA ranges for macronutrients with those who did not, no differences were found in BMI, GWG, and neonatal or placental weight. Neither maternal nor neonatal parameters were associated with the maternal dietary profiles. CONCLUSIONS: In our population, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, GWG, and placental weight are determinants of birth weight percentile, while no association was found with maternal nutrition. Future studies should explore associations through all infancy. IMPACT: Maternal anthropometrics and nutrition status may affect offspring birth weight. In 503 healthy women, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and placental weight were independently correlated to neonatal birth weight. GWG was not related to the pre-pregnancy BMI. In all, 30% of women respected the EFSA ranges for macronutrients. Neither maternal nor neonatal parameters were associated with maternal dietary profiles considered in this study. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, GWG, and placental weight are determinants of neonatal birth weight percentile, while a connection with maternal nutrition profiles was not found.

Conservative Treatment for Cervical Adenocarcinoma In Situ: Long-Term Results.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of conservative treatment for cervical adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study on women with histologically confirmed AIS on cervical loop electrosurgical excision procedure specimen, treated conservatively between 2008 and 2020 in our center, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan. The main outcome investigated was the risk of recurrence defined as a subsequent finding of recurrent AIS or invasive adenocarcinoma in a long-term follow-up. The disease-free survival curve was computed using the Kaplan-Meyer method. All patients underwent colposcopy with endocervical curettage and cytology every 6 months for the first 2 years after initial surgery and then annual cytology. RESULTS: Thirty women, aged 26 to 51 years, with histologically proven AIS on excisional specimen with negative margins, negative apex, and negative endocervical curettage were included. The median follow-up was 5.4 years. One woman had a recurrence of AIS after 8 years of follow-up and underwent total hysterectomy. No invasive cervical disease was detected during surveillance. CONCLUSIONS: Women with cervical AIS can be managed conservatively by an excisional procedure, provided that the margins are free and a close and long-term follow-up is guaranteed.

Clinical significance of atypical glandular cells on cytology: 10 years' experience of a colposcopic referral center.

INTRODUCTION: 'Atypical glandular cells' (AGC) is an uncommon cytological result of cervical Pap smears which includes a wide of histopathological diagnoses, from benign to premalignant and malignant cervical disorders, endometrial cancer and, occasionally, other genital malignancies. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of AGC, assessing risk factors and clinical and histological features in affected patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 239 women diagnosed with AGC between 2012 and 2022 at the 'Regional Referral Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of HPV-related Genital Disorders', Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. Following AGC detection, patients underwent colposcopy with endocervical sampling and endometrial assessment via pelvic ultrasound. Selective cases also received endometrial biopsies. RESULTS: Among a total of 190 women who underwent both colposcopy and endometrial assessment, 116 (61%) had negative clinical and histopathological findings. The remainder displayed various abnormalities: 36 women (18.9%) were found to have endometrial or cervical polyps, 23 (12.1%) were diagnosed with preinvasive cervical neoplasia, and 21 (10.9%) with invasive cervical or endometrial disease. Menopause, multiparity, and older age were all significantly associated with endometrial cancer, but none of the abovementioned variables were significantly associated with cervical neoplasia. CONCLUSION: Our data confirm that AGC may reveal the presence of a wide range of histopathological conditions. Patients diagnosed with AGC should undergo a careful evaluation including both colposcopy with endocervical sampling and an endometrial assessment.

Correlation Between Colposcopic Patterns and Histological Grade of Vaginal Intraepithelial Neoplasia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN) is a rare human papillomavirus (HPV)- related premalignant condition. VaIN lesions are diagnosed histologically through colposcopy-guided biopsies of suspicious areas, conduced by gynecologists with expertise in lower genital tract diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of colposcopy in the diagnosis of VaIN of any grade. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis on a cohort of 149 women diagnosed with low grade (LG)-VaIN (VaIN1) and high grade (HG)-VaIN (VaIN2-3) between 2010 and 2022 at the "Regional Referral Center for Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of HPV-related Genital Disorders", Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. All women had been referred to our center for an abnormal Pap smear or as part of routine follow-up of other HPV-related diseases and had undergone a vaginal biopsy under colposcopic guidance. RESULTS: The distribution of the histological grades of VaIN lesions was the following: 62 women (41.6%) were diagnosed with VaIN1, 51 (34.2%) with VaIN2, and 36 (24.2%) with VaIN3. Grade II (major) abnormal colposcopic patterns were recorded in 71 cases (47.7%) and were more commonly observed in women with VaIN3 (80.6%). However, we found a poor and not statistically significant association between colposcopic and histological grade of VaIN. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of colposcopy for histologically confirmed VaIN were 56.3%, 64.5%, 69% and 51.2%, respectively. The overall diagnostic accuracy of colposcopy was 59.7%. CONCLUSION: Colposcopy-guided biopsy plays an important role in the diagnosis of VaIN and in the distinction between low and high-grade lesions. Our data show that major colposcopic abnormalities moderately correlate with HG-VaIN and that grade I colposcopic findings do not exclude HG-VaIN, especially VaIN2. Targeted biopsies of suspicious vaginal areas must be performed in all women with an abnormal Pap smear.

Prevalence of high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia in immunocompetent women treated for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN2-3) among immunocompetent women treated for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2-3). Such knowledge is strongly needed to establish whether a screening program should be recommended in this group of patients. METHODS: This prospective study included a cohort of consecutive women with no known causes of immunosuppression treated with LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure) for a histopathological diagnosis of CIN2-3 in our center between 2019 and 2021. Following the procedure, all patients were invited to undergo anal cytology and anal high-risk HPV-DNA testing (aHPV-DNA). In cases in which one or both tests resulted positive, a high-resolution anoscopy with a biopsy of suspicious lesions was performed. All women also completed a questionnaire on sexual habits. RESULTS: At total of 100 women were enrolled in the study. Among these, eight patients had a concomitant or past diagnosis of anogenital warts, while one patient had received a previous diagnosis of high-grade vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia. Anal Pap smears were positive for low-grade lesions in three patients, while 73 women tested positive for aHPV-DNA. Histological examinations revealed the presence of AIN2-3 lesions in four patients (6.5%; 95% C.I., 1.8 to 15.7%), who subsequently underwent excisional treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Women with a history of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia have an intermediate risk of developing high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia. Future studies are needed in order to assess an ideal screening approach for this condition.

Adnexal masses in pregnancy: fetomaternal blood flow indices during laparoscopic surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in uterine and umbilical arteries during laparoscopy in human pregnancy. DESIGN: Case series (Canadian Task Force classification III). SETTING: University tertiary care referral center for high-risk pregnancy and minimally invasive surgery. PATIENTS: Nine pregnant women who underwent first- and second-trimester laparoscopic surgery because of an adnexal mass. INTERVENTION: Laparoscopic cyst enucleation or annessiectomy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: No maternal complications and no miscarriages or adverse pregnancy outcome occurred. Mean (SD) gestational age at delivery was 39.1 (0.7) weeks, birth weight was 3390 (298) g, and Apgar score at 5 minutes was 9.6 (0.5). Mean uterine resistance index, umbilical artery pulsatility index, and fetal heart rate were measured using transvaginal ultrasonography at various times during surgery. Mean uterine resistance index and umbilical artery pulsatility index values remained constant during laparoscopy. Fetal heart rate was maintained in the normal range (120-160 bpm) but progressively decreased during the surgical procedure. CONCLUSION: In human pregnancy, laparoscopic techniques do not seem to modify uteroplacental perfusion evaluated using noninvasive ultrasonography.

Adaptation of lung, chest wall, and respiratory muscles during pregnancy: preparing for birth.

A plethora of physiological and biochemical changes occur during normal pregnancy. The changes in the respiratory system have not been as well elucidated, in part because radioimaging is usually avoided during pregnancy. We aimed to use several noninvasive methods to characterize the adaptation of the respiratory system during the full course of pregnancy in preparation for childbirth. Eighteen otherwise healthy women (32.3 ± 2.8 yr) were recruited during early pregnancy. Spirometry, optoelectronic plethysmography, and ultrasonography were used to study changes in chest wall geometry, breathing pattern, lung and thoraco-abdominal volume variations, and diaphragmatic thickness in the first, second, and third trimesters. A group of nonpregnant women were used as control subjects. During the course of pregnancy, we observed a reorganization of rib cage geometry, in shape but not in volume. Despite the growing uterus, there was no lung restriction (forced vital capacity: 101 ± 15% predicted), but we did observe reduced rib cage expansion. Breathing frequency and diaphragmatic contribution to tidal volume and inspiratory capacity increased. Diaphragm thickness was maintained (1st trimester: 2.7 ± 0.8 mm, 3rd trimester: 2.5 ± 0.9 mm; P = 0.187), possibly indicating a conditioning effect to compensate for the effects of the growing uterus. We conclude that pregnancy preserved lung volumes, abdominal muscles, and the diaphragm at the expense of rib cage muscles.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Noninvasive analysis of the kinematics of the chest wall and the diaphragm during resting conditions in pregnant women revealed significant changes in the pattern of thoracoabdominal breathing across the trimesters. That is, concomitant with the progressive changes of chest wall shape, the diaphragm increased its contribution to both spontaneous and maximal breathing, maintaining its thickness despite its lengthening due to the growing uterus. These results suggest that during pregnancy the diaphragm is conditioned to optimize its active role provided during parturition.

Potential benefits of pregnancy on endometriosis symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential benefits of pregnancy on endometriosis symptoms. This is a retrospective study that has been conducted at Academic department and referral center for endometriosis. STUDY DESIGN: We included all conservative women who had a live birth after at least one surgery for endometriosis and who reported pre-pregnancy moderate to severe pelvic pain symptoms (at least one among dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, non menstrual pelvic pain and dyschezia). Data were collected before pregnancy and two years after delivery. The main aim of the study was comparing endometriosis-related pain symptoms before and after pregnancy. Mental health and quality of life were also assessed to investigate the possible psychological benefits of pregnancy. RESULTS: One-hundred thirty- one women were identified. Forty- nine women (37%, 95% CI: 29-47%) had a clinically relevant recurrence of symptoms requiring medical or surgical treatment. Two years after delivery, 84% of women (95% CI 77-90%) reported at least one moderate-severe pain symptom. A statistically significant improvement was observed for HADS and SF-12 scores but not for FSFI. CONCLUSION: Women with endometriosis experiencesymptoms relief during and immediately after pregnancy. However, as for hormonal medical therapy, symptoms rapidly recur in the vast majority of cases.

Vaginal rejuvenation: current perspectives.

Female genital cosmetic surgery includes several procedures aimed at reaching better female genital appearance and/or improved sexual functioning. Among these procedures, vaginal rejuvenation is considered as one of the most controversial genital cosmetic surgical interventions and involves a range of surgical procedures performed by gynecologists or plastic surgeons to decrease the average diameter of the vagina, mainly for sexual reasons. In this narrative review, vaginal rejuvenation outcomes are examined in order to clarify the current scenario of the different vaginal rejuvenation techniques, as well as their effectiveness and associated complications. Psychological and ethical issues linked to these procedures are also addressed.

Norethindrone acetate or dienogest for the treatment of symptomatic endometriosis: a before and after study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the proportion of patients satisfied with their treatment before and after a systematic change from norethindrone acetate to dienogest as the first-line progestin for symptomatic endometriosis. DESIGN: Before and after study. SETTING: Academic department. PATIENT(S): The last 90 new consecutive endometriosis patients in whom norethindrone acetate was used, and the first 90 new consecutive endometriosis patients in whom dienogest was used. INTERVENTION(S): Norethindrone acetate at the oral dose of 2.5 mg once a day until June 6, 2013, then dienogest at the oral dose of 2 mg once a day thereafter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Degree of satisfaction with treatment after 6 months of progestin therapy and assessment of any variations in pain symptoms, psychological status, sexual function, or health-related quality of life associated with the introduction of dienogest. RESULT(S): The proportion of satisfied plus very satisfied women after 6 months of treatment was 71% in the "before" period (norethindrone acetate) and 72% in the "after" period (dienogest). The implementation of dienogest was not associated with statistically significant ameliorations in overall pain relief, psychological status, sexual functioning, or health-related quality of life. Treatment was well tolerated by 58% of norethindrone acetate users compared with 80% of dienogest users. After dienogest implementation, the absolute risk reduction in the occurrence of any side effect was 13.9% (95% confidence interval, 0.8%-28.6%). CONCLUSION(S): Considering the large difference in the cost of the two drugs, dienogest should be suggested selectively in women who do not tolerate norethindrone acetate.

Exploring the relationship between endometriomas and infertility.

Several clinical and epidemiological studies demonstrated an association between endometriosis and infertility. A role in the genesis of infertility may be played by endometriomas, which may interfere with ovulation or damage ovarian tissue. Unlike peritoneal implants, the availability of an accurate noninvasive sonographic diagnosis facilitates the investigation of endometrioma associated infertility. The laparoscopic excision of an endometrioma relieves the ovary from the damage caused by the cyst itself, which may be progressive over time, but at the same time is associated with a detrimental effect on ovarian reserve and with high rates of postoperative endometrioma recurrence. Therefore, the management of endometrioma-related infertility should not be based upon surgery alone, but upon a combination of surgery, with a refinement of the operating technique, long-term oral contraceptive, in vitro fertilization and oocyte cryopreservation.