The Rule of 10: a simple 3D ultrasonographic method for the diagnosis of T-shaped uterus.

PURPOSE: To investigate and propose a new simple tridimensional (3D) ultrasonographic method to diagnose a T-shaped uterus (Class U1a). METHODS: A multicenter non-experimental case-control diagnostic accuracy study was conducted between January 2018 and December 2019, including 50 women (cases) diagnosed with T-shaped uterus (U1a class) and 50 women with a "normal uterus" (controls). All the enrolled women underwent 3D ultrasound, drawing four lines and recording the length of three of them as follow: draw and measure the interostial line (R0); draw from the midpoint of R0 a perpendicular line length 20 mm; draw and measure in the uterine cavity a line parallel to R0 at 10 mm below R0 (R10) and a second line parallel to R0 at 20 mm below R0 (R20). The diagnostic performance of all sonographic parameters statistically significantly different between T-shaped and normal uteri was estimated using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: R10 and R20 were statistically significantly shorter in the T-shaped than the normal uterus. R10 reported the highest diagnostic accuracy with an area under the ROC curve of 0.973 (95% CI 0.940-1.000). R10 length maximizing the Youden's J statistic was 10.5 mm. Assuming R10 length equal to or shorter than 10 mm as the cut off value for defining a woman as having a T-shaped uterus, the new ultrasonographic method following the proposed protocol (R0, R10, and R20) reported sensitivity for T-shaped uterus of 91.1% (95% CI 0.78-0.97%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI 0.89-100%). The positive likelihood ratio was higher than 30, and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.09 (95% CI 0.04-0.26). CONCLUSIONS: Measuring the length of the intracavitary line parallel to the interostial line at 10 mm from it and using a length ≤ of 10 mm as cut off value (the "Rule of 10") appears a simple and accurate 3D ultrasonographic method for the diagnosis of a T-shaped uterus.

Exercise during pregnancy protects against hypertension and macrosomia: randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of all pregnancies with some form of hypertension can be up to 10%, with the rates of diagnosis varying according to the country and population studied and the criteria used to establish the diagnosis. Prepregnancy obesity and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) of all body mass index (BMI) categories have been associated with maternal hypertensive disorders and linked to macrosomia (>4000 g) and low birthweight (<2500 g). No large randomized controlled trial with high adherence to an exercise program has examined pregnancy-induced hypertension and these associated issues. We investigated whether women adherent (≥80% attendance) to an exercise program initiated early showed a reduction in pregnancy-induced hypertension and excessive GWG in all prepregnancy BMI categories, and determined if maternal exercise protected against macrosomia and low birthweight. OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the impact of a program of supervised exercise throughout pregnancy on the incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was used. Women were randomized into an exercise group (N = 382) or a control group (N = 383) receiving standard care. The exercise group trained 3 d/wk (50-55 min/session) from gestational weeks 9-11 until weeks 38-39. The 85 training sessions involved aerobic exercise, muscular strength, and flexibility. RESULTS: High attendance to the exercise program regardless of BMI showed that pregnant women who did not exercise are 3 times more likely to develop hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 2.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-6.81, P = .01) and are 1.5 times more likely to gain excessive weight if they do not exercise (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.06-2.03, P = .02). Pregnant women who do not exercise are also 2.5 times more likely to give birth to a macrosomic infant (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.03-6.20, P = .04). CONCLUSION: Maternal exercise may be a preventative tool for hypertension and excessive GWG, and may control offspring size at birth while reducing comorbidities related to chronic disease risk.

Exercise during pregnancy and gestational diabetes-related adverse effects: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of regular moderate-intensity exercise (three training sessions/week) on the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM, primary outcome). We also examined if the exercise intervention modifies the association between GDM and birth weight and risk of macrosomia, gestational age, risk of caesarean delivery and maternal weight gain (secondary outcomes). METHODS: We randomly assigned 510 healthy gravida to either an exercise intervention or a usual care (control) group (n=255 each). The exercise programme focused on moderate-intensity resistance and aerobic exercises (three times/week, 50-55 min/session). GDM diabetes was diagnosed according to the WHO criteria and the International Association for Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG). RESULTS: The intervention did not reduce the risk of developing GDM (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.40) when using the WHO criteria. We observed that the intervention reduced by 58% the GDM-related risk (WHO criteria) of having a newborn with macrosomia (OR 1.76, 95% CI 0.04 to 78.90 vs 4.22, 95% CI 1.35 to 13.19) in exercise and control groups, respectively), and by 34% the GDM-related risk of having acute and elective caesarean delivery (OR 1.30, 95% CI 0.44 to 3.84 vs 1.99, 95% CI 0.98 to 4.06 in exercise and control groups, respectively). Gestational age was similar across the treatment groups (control, exercise) and GDM category (GDM or non-GDM), and maternal weight gain was ∼12% lower in the exercise group independent of whether women developed GDM. The results were similar when the IADPSG criteria were used instead. CONCLUSIONS: Regular moderate-intensity exercise performed over the second-third trimesters of pregnancy can be used to attenuate important GDM-related adverse outcomes.

Real-Life Diagnostic Accuracy of MRI in Prenatal Diagnosis.

There is some controversy about the value of fetal MRI in prenatal diagnosis, and most of the studies examine its accuracy in central nervous system (CNS) pathology. The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy and usefulness of fetal MRI in the prenatal diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) pathology and non-CNS pathology. Patients referred to the Radiology Department between 2007 and 2018 for a fetal MRI after detection of an anomaly in the fetal ultrasound, a high-risk pregnancy, or an inconclusive fetal ultrasound (n = 623) were included in the study. Postnatal diagnosis was used to assess the diagnostic accuracy of MRI. Fetal MRI was considered to provide additional information over fetal ultrasound when findings of the fetal MRI were not detected in the fetal ultrasound or when established a pathological condition that was not detected in the fetal ultrasound. Fetal MRI provided useful information for the perinatal management and prognosis over fetal ultrasound when findings of the fetal MRI changed the postnatal prognosis, leaded to the decision to legally terminate the pregnancy, changed prenatal or postnatal follow-up, or helped in the planning of prenatal or postnatal treatment. Fetal MRI offered an accurate diagnosis in 97% of cases (compared to 90.4% of fetal ultrasound; p < 0.001). Concordance between fetal ultrasound and fetal MRI was 92.1%. Fetal MRI provided additional information over fetal ultrasound in 23.1% of cases. In 11.6% of cases, the information was useful for the perinatal management and prognosis. In 45 cases (7.2%), fetal MRI was the only accurate diagnosis. In conclusion, fetal MRI has a superior diagnostic accuracy, especially in CNS pathology, and provides additional useful information in CNS, thoracic, and abdominal pathology.

Exercise during pregnancy is associated with a shorter duration of labor. A randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: to examine the influence of an exercise program throughout pregnancy on the duration of labor in healthy pregnant women. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized clinical trial was used (Identifier: NCT02109588). In all, 508 healthy pregnant women were randomly assigned between 9 and 11 weeks of gestation to either a Control Group (CG, N = 253) or an Exercise Group (EG, N = 255). A moderate aerobic exercise program throughout pregnancy (three weekly sessions) was used as the intervention. Mann-Whitney and Pearson χ2 tests were performed to analyze differences between groups. Survival techniques through the Kaplan-Meier method were used to estimate the median time to delivery of each group; and Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon tests were performed to compare survival distribution between the two arms. The primary outcome studied was the length of the stages of labor. Secondary outcomes included mode of delivery, gestational age, maternal weight gain, preterm delivery, use of epidural, birthweight, Apgar scores and arterial cord pH. RESULTS: Women randomized to the EG had shorter first stage of labor (409 vs 462 min, p = 0.01), total duration of labor (450 vs 507 min, p = 0.01) as well as combined duration of first and second stages of labor (442 vs 499 min, p = 0.01). The probabilities of a woman being delivered at 250 min and 500 min (median times) were 19.1% and 62.5% in the experimental group vs 13.7% and 50.8% in the control group (Z = -2.37, p = 0.018). Results also revealed that women in the intervention group were less likely to use an epidural; and that the prevalence of neonate macrosomia was higher in the control group. CONCLUSION: A supervised physical exercise program throughout pregnancy decreased the duration of the first phase of labor as well as total time of the first two phases together, leading to a decrease in total labor time.

Regular Exercise Throughout Pregnancy Is Associated With a Shorter First Stage of Labor.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of moderate physical exercise throughout pregnancy on the duration of labor stages. DESIGN: Study was a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The study took place at Hospital Puerta de Hierro and Hospital Severo Ochoa in Madrid, Spain. SUBJECTS: We examined 166 pregnant women (31.6 ± 3.8 years), and all had uncomplicated and singleton gestation. Of these 83 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 83 to the control group (CG). INTERVENTION: Women from the EG participated in a physical conditioning program throughout pregnancy, which included 55- to 60-minute sessions, 3 days per week. MEASURES: Pregnancy outcomes were measured: duration of labor stages, gestational age, weight gain, type of delivery, birth weight, birth size, head circumference, Apgar score, pH of umbilical cord. ANALYSIS: Student's unpaired t-tests and χ(2) tests were used; p values of < .05 indicated statistical significance. Cohen's d was used to determine the effect size. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the duration of the first stage of labor (EG = 389.6 ± 347.64 minutes vs. CG = 515.72 ± 353.36 minutes; p = .02, effect size Cohen's d = .36). The second and third stages did not differ between the study groups. CONCLUSION: A physical exercise program during pregnancy is associated with a shorter first stage of labor. These results may have important relevance to public health.

Supervised exercise-based intervention to prevent excessive gestational weight gain: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect on maternal weight gain of a supervised light- to moderate-intensity exercise-based intervention performed from the ninth week of pregnancy. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 962 healthy pregnant women were randomly assigned to a standard care or exercise intervention group conducted between September 1, 2007, and January 31, 2011. The intervention included light- to moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance exercises performed 3 days a week (50-55 minutes per session). Excessive gestational weight gain was calculated on the basis of the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations. Gestational body weight gain was calculated on the basis of the weight measured at the first prenatal visit (fifth to sixth weeks of gestation) and weight measured at the last visit to the clinic before delivery. Women were categorized into normal weight or overweight or obese. RESULTS: Women in the intervention group gained less weight (adjusted mean difference, 1.039 kg; 95% CI, 0.534-1.545 kg; P<.001) and were less likely to gain weight above the IOM recommendations (odds ratio, 0.625; 95% CI, 0.461-0.847) compared with those in the standard care group. The main treatment effects according to body mass index category were that normal weight women in the intervention group gained less weight (adjusted mean difference, 1.393 kg; 95% CI, 0.813-1.972 kg; P<.001) and were less likely to gain weight above the IOM recommendations (odds ratio, 0.508; 95% CI, 0.334-0.774) than normal weight women who received standard care. No significant treatment effect was observed in overweight or obese women. CONCLUSION: Supervised exercise of light to moderate intensity can be used to prevent excessive gestational weight gain, especially in normal weight women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01790347.

Exercise during pregnancy reduces the rate of cesarean and instrumental deliveries: results of a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the authors assessed the effects of a structured, moderate-intensity exercise program during the entire length of pregnancy on a woman's method of delivery. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 290 healthy pregnant Caucasian (Spanish) women with a singleton gestation who were randomly assigned to either an exercise (n = 138) or a control (n = 152) group. Pregnancy outcomes, including the type of delivery, were measured at the end of the pregnancy. RESULTS: The percentage of cesarean and instrumental deliveries in the exercise group were lower than in the control group (15.9%, n = 22; 11.6%, n = 16 vs. 23%, n = 35; 19.1%, n = 29, respectively; p = 0.03). The overall health status of the newborn as well as other pregnancy outcomes was unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, a supervised program of moderate-intensity exercise performed throughout pregnancy was associated with a reduction in the rate of cesarean, instrumental deliveries and can be recommended for healthy women in pregnancy.

RM fetal: patología torácica y abdómino-pélvica / Fetal MRI: thoracic, abdominal ana pelvic pathology

Aunque la ecografía (US) es el método de elección en la evaluación del feto, la resonancia magnética (RM) es una técnica complementaria a la US en el diagnóstico de las anomalías fetales. Entre las ventajas de la RM se destacan un excelente contraste tisular, un campo de visión grande y una relativa operador-independencia. La mayoría de los trabajos previos de RM fetal han estudiado el sistema nervioso central (SNC). Sin embargo, la RM es útil en la evaluación de las anomalías torácicas y abdominales. En este artículo se muestran los diferentes aspectos por RM de las anomalías fetales torácicas y abdominales y se discuten las indicaciones y ventajas de la RM fetal.(AU)

Ultrasonography (US) is the method of chotee in fetal examina³on. However, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a complementan/ technique that contributes to the aecurate diagnosis of fetal anomalies. The benefits of MR include excellent tissue contrast, large field of view and relative operator independence. Most previous reports on fetal MR have focused on central nervous system (CNS). However, MR is a useful tool for the examination of fetal thoracic and abdominal anomalies. This article illustrates the different features of fetal thoracic and abdominal anomalies on MR, and further discusses the indications and benefits of fetal MR.(AU)

RM fetal: patología torácica y abdómino-pélvica / Fetal MRI: thoracic, abdominal ana pelvic pathology

Aunque la ecografía (US) es el método de elección en la evaluación del feto, la resonancia magnética (RM) es una técnica complementaria a la US en el diagnóstico de las anomalías fetales. Entre las ventajas de la RM se destacan un excelente contraste tisular, un campo de visión grande y una relativa operador-independencia. La mayoría de los trabajos previos de RM fetal han estudiado el sistema nervioso central (SNC). Sin embargo, la RM es útil en la evaluación de las anomalías torácicas y abdominales. En este artículo se muestran los diferentes aspectos por RM de las anomalías fetales torácicas y abdominales y se discuten las indicaciones y ventajas de la RM fetal.(AU)

Ultrasonography (US) is the method of chotee in fetal examinaüon. However, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a complementan/ technique that contributes to the aecurate diagnosis of fetal anomalies. The benefits of MR include excellent tissue contrast, large field of view and relative operator independence. Most previous reports on fetal MR have focused on central nervous system (CNS). However, MR is a useful tool for the examination of fetal thoracic and abdominal anomalies. This article illustrates the different features of fetal thoracic and abdominal anomalies on MR, and further discusses the indications and benefits of fetal MR.(AU)

RM fetal: patología torácica y abdómino-pélvica / Fetal MRI: thoracic, abdominal and pelvic pathology

Aunque la ecografía (US) es el método de elección en la evaluación del feto, la resonancia magnética (RM) es una técnica complementaria a la US en el diagnóstico de las anomalías fetales. Entre las ventajas de la RM se destacan un excelente contraste tisular, un campo de visión grande y una relativa operador-independencia. La mayoría de los trabajos previos de RM fetal han estudiado el sistema nerviodo central (SNC). Sin embargo, la RM es útil en la evaluación de las anomalías torácicas y abdominales. En este artículo se muestran los diferentes aspectos por RM de las anomalías fetales torácicas y abdominales y se discuten las indicaciones y ventajas de la RM fetal...