Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Pulm Circ 2019 Feb 15:2045894019835649. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department III of Internal Medicine and Cologne Cardiovascular Research Center, Cologne University Heart Center.

Sante Publique 2018 September October;30(5):671-677

Objective: In the obstetric medicine movement and in response to requests for appointments in internal medicine by obstetricians and midwives, we created an internal medicine consultation within the maternity ward of our General Hospital, and provide feedback after 1 year.

Methods: This retrospective descriptive study took place at the Robert Ballanger Intercommunal Hospital Center in Aulnay-sous-Bois in Seine-Saint-Denis (France) between 3rd March 2016 and 9th March 2017, the first year of the internal medicine consultation, one afternoon every 15 days, in the maternity level 2b.

Results: Out of 121 appointments, 93 consultations were conducted for 63 patients. Read More

Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Endocrinology Department, Saint Antoine Hospital, Centre de Référence des Maladies Endocrines Rares de la Croissance, Filière FIRENDO, ENDO-ERN, Paris, France.

Pregnancy is a crucial issue in patients with Turner syndrome (TS). Although natural pregnancies have been reported in 4-7% of TS patients, most women will need assisted reproductive technologies (ART) with oocyte donation. The main issue is the maternal mortality rate that is higher than in the general population. Read More

Pharmacol Res Perspect 2019 Feb 6;7(1):e00452. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Department of Pharmacology College of Medicine Lagos State University Lagos Nigeria.

Birth defects are important causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. A good understanding of the etiology is a vital step toward developing improved treatment and preventive strategies. We conducted an audit of medical records of newborns with birth abnormalities in a tertiary hospital over a 10-year period, using a Pro forma designed to collect information on obstetric history, antenatal history, sociodemographics of parents, and the type of birth abnormality. Read More

Afr Health Sci 2018 Dec;18(4):1243-1254

Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah. University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Background: Calcium is a major nutrient implicated in pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Aside dietary sources, geophagia has been reported to provide calcium needed to prevent PIH. These soils are shown to contain significant amount of heavy metals which have been associated with hypertension. Read More

Afr Health Sci 2018 Dec;18(4):1204-1213

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Heath, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Ethiopia.

Background: Low birth weight is one of the public health problems in the globe and it is an indicator of the health of the newborn survival and the mother's nutrition and health status. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of low birth weight and its associated factors among mothers who gave birth at Bahir Dar Felege Hiwot referral hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional facility based study was conducted from March 18 to May 18 / 2015. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2019 Feb;8(4):e010647

1 Division of Nephrology & Hypertension Mayo Clinic Rochester MN.

Background The endothelial glycocalyx is a vasoprotective barrier between the blood and endothelium. We hypothesized that glycocalyx degradation is present in preeclampsia, a pregnancy-specific hypertensive disorder characterized by endothelial dysfunction and activation. Methods and Results We examined the sublingual glycocalyx noninvasively using sidestream dark field imaging in the third trimester among women with normotensive pregnancies (n=73), early (n=14) or late (n=29) onset preeclampsia, or gestational diabetes mellitus (n=21). Read More

Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Objective: To examine the predictive value of thromboelastography parameters during early pregnancy as potential markers of severe pre-eclampsia during late pregnancy.

Methods: An observational retrospective case-control study was conducted among pregnant women who attended a single hospital in Shanghai, China, between July 1, 2016, and February 31, 2018. Data were obtained from medical records and a structured questionnaire completed by the participants. Read More

Arch Womens Ment Health 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Forensic Psychiatry, Helsinki University and Helsinki University Hospital, Psykiatriakeskus, P.O. Box 590, 00029, HUS, Finland.

To assess psychosocial and somatic risk factors related to pregnancy, and pregnancy-related complications or disorders in women with schizophrenia compared to population controls. In this register-based cohort study, we identified all Finnish women who were born in 1965-1980 and diagnosed with schizophrenia in psychiatric care before 31 December 2013. For each case, five age- and place-of-birth matched controls were randomly selected. Read More

Adv Ther 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Surgery, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY, USA.

Risk factors for the development of progression chronic venous disease (CVD) and varicose veins are widespread and include advanced age, excess body weight, sedentary lifestyles and occupations, family history, and pregnancy. Varicose veins and CVD are associated with venous hypertension, venous reflux, dysfunctional venous valves, and vein wall inflammation, though the precise etiologies are unclear. Once venous pathology develops, it can progress through a vicious cycle of inflammation and leukocyte recruitment that leads to further deterioration of vein walls and valves, increased hypertension, and release of additional proinflammatory mediators. Read More

Ginekol Pol 2019 ;90(1):46-49

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yantai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yantai City, China.

Objectives: To determine the effects of nutritional nursing intervention based on glycemic load (GL) for patients with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Material And Methods: One hundred thirty-four patients diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus at our hospital were selected from March 2015 to March 2017 and randomly divided into the observation (n = 67) and control groups (n = 67). All of the patients in the observation and control groups received conventional nutritional nursing. Read More

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2018 28;5(8):000854. Epub 2018 Aug 28.

Pneumology Department, Centro Hospitalar do Baixo Vouga, Aveiro, Portugal.

Introduction: Isolated right pulmonary artery agenesis in an adult patient is an extremely rare condition that requires a high level of suspicion to make the diagnosis.

Case Description: A 32-year-old woman presented to the emergency room with a 4-month history of recurrent respiratory infections. Chest radiography and computerized tomography (CT) revealed alveolar opacities on the medium and inferior right lobes. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2019 Feb 13;2:CD007412. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, 24 D'Olier Street, Dublin, Ireland.

Background: Active management of the third stage of labour involves giving a prophylactic uterotonic, early cord clamping and controlled cord traction to deliver the placenta. With expectant management, signs of placental separation are awaited and the placenta is delivered spontaneously. Active management was introduced to try to reduce haemorrhage, a major contributor to maternal mortality in low-income countries. Read More

J Nutr 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Program in International and Community Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, Davis, CA.

Background: In the International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (iLiNS)-DYAD-Ghana trial, prenatal small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNSs) had a positive effect on birth weight. Birth weight may be inversely related to blood pressure (BP) later in life.

Objectives: We examined the effect of the intervention on BP at 4-6 y of age, and maternal and child factors related to BP. Read More

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019 Feb 8. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

New Haven CT, Yale School of Medicine.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the United States. (1) Identification of short-term indicators of cardiovascular morbidity has the potential to alter the course of this devastating disease among women. It has been established that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease 10-30 years after delivery; however, little is known about the association of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy with cardiovascular (CV) morbidity during the delivery hospitalization. Read More

Annu Rev Physiol 2019 Feb;81:89-111

Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende (CS), Italy.

Maternal cardiovascular changes during pregnancy include an expansion of plasma volume, increased cardiac output, decreased peripheral resistance, and increased uteroplacental blood flow. These adaptations facilitate the progressive increase in uteroplacental perfusion that is required for normal fetal growth and development, prevent the development of hypertension, and provide a reserve of blood in anticipation of the significant blood loss associated with parturition. Each woman's genotype and phenotype determine her ability to adapt in response to molecular signals that emanate from the fetoplacental unit. Read More

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Urology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

We explore the potential role of the endothelial lining of uteroplacental arteries in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, a severe pregnancy disorder characterized by incomplete invasion of the uterine vasculature by extravillous trophoblast and angiogenic imbalance. In normal pregnancy, the endothelium disappears progressively from the uteroplacental arteries and is replaced by trophoblast and deposition of fibro-fibrinoid structure, underpinning the so-called physiological transformation of uterine spiral arteries. We hypothesize that partial persistence of the endothelium, albeit injured, initiates a chain of events leading to the emergence of preeclampsia in three sequential stages. Read More

Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep 2019 Feb 7;2019. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

A 29-year-old G4A3 woman presented at 25 weeks of pregnancy with progressive signs of Cushing's syndrome (CS), gestational diabetes requiring insulin and hypertension. A 3.4 × 3. Read More

Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2019 Feb 8. Epub 2019 Feb 8.

Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway.

Introduction: In most pregnancies after a cesarean section, a trial of labor is an option. The objective of the study was to explore trial of labor and its failure in pregnancies with medical risk conditions, in a population with a high trial of labor rate.

Material And Methods: In a cohort study (n=57 109), using data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway 1989-2014, women with a second delivery after a first pregnancy cesarean section were included. Read More

BJOG 2019 Feb 7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA.

Case Rep Womens Health 2019 Jan 23;21:e00098. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, 620 John Paul Jones Circle, Portsmouth, VA 23704, United States.

Preeclampsia is a disease of pregnancy classically defined by the development of new-onset hypertension and proteinuria. Serous retinal detachment is a rare complication of severe preeclampsia that is associated with a high incidence of morbidity and mortality. We present the case of a 24-year-old primigravida who was diagnosed with preeclamptic serous retinal detachment at 30 weeks of gestation that occurred in the absence of hypertension. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Feb 7;9(1):1550. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Preeclampsia is one of the most serious complications during pregnancy, defined as development of hypertension during late pregnancy affecting other organ systems (proteinuria, thrombocytopenia, renal insufficiency, liver involvement, cerebral symptoms or pulmonary edema). Preeclampsia is known to be associated with significant dyslipidemia, but the cause or mechanism of this metabolic aberration is not clear. Quantitative analysis of cholesterol precursors and metabolites can reveal metabolic signatures of cholesterol, and provide insight into cholesterol biosynthetic and degradation pathways. Read More

J Hepatol 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Department of Obstetric Medicine, Mater Health, Australia. Electronic address:

J Hepatol 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Service d'Hépatologie, DHU Unity, Hôpital Beaujon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Clichy, France; INSERM, U970, Paris Cardiovascular Research Center - PARCC, Paris, France; Université Denis Diderot-Paris 7, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 75018 Paris, France. Electronic address:

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Feb;98(6):e14301

Central Laboratory of Medicine, Maternity and Child Health Hospital of Zhenjiang, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, P.R. China.

Rationale: Eclampsia is a life-threatening complication of pregnancy. Eclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality with most injury being associated with the seizures that mark the onset of the disease. It is vital that medical worker managing eclampsia have an understanding of the disease process. Read More

PLoS One 2019 7;14(2):e0211982. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Cardiovascular Center, Tazuke Kofukai Medical Research Institute, Kitano Hospital, Ogimachi, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan.

Background: We aimed to investigate the values and the changes of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cardiac troponin in pregnant women.

Methods And Results: We prospectively collected the data of 405 pregnant women who were treated at Japanese general hospital between 2012 and 2013. We analyzed their laboratory data and echocardiographic findings during the third trimester (28-30 weeks' gestation) and within 4 days of delivery. Read More

J Endocr Soc 2019 Feb 17;3(2):387-396. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Gene variants of , which encodes the enzyme 24-hydroxylase, are a most unusual cause of maternal hypercalcemia. Loss-of-function mutations in result in impaired dehydroxylation of active vitamin D (calcitriol). Secondary to this hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria and suppressed parathyroid hormone (P-PTH) can develop. Read More

Trop Med Health 2019 29;47:12. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

1Department of Community and Global Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Health systems in many countries do not adequately address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) during pregnancy, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Myanmar, most studies on NCDs have investigated risk factors and prevalence of NCDs in the general population. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge of common NCDs and nutritional need during pregnancy and to identify the factors associated with such knowledge, in three townships of Ayeyarwaddy region in Myanmar. Read More

Cardiovasc J Afr 2019 Jan 23;30:1-10. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.

Measurement of blood pressure is essential for clinical management of patients. To obtain an accurate blood pressure reading, the use of a validated device and an appropriate technique are required. This is of particular importance in pregnancy where the physiological changes affect vessel wall compliance. Read More

Mol Med Rep 2019 Jan 30. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Pathophysiology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.

Differential proteomic technology was used to identify urine proteomic profile of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Urine samples were collected from 10 patients with gestational hypertension, 10 patients with mild preeclampsia, 10 patients with severe preeclampsia and 10 normal pregnancies and analyzed by 2‑D difference gel electrophoresis, then matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry was used to identify differential proteins. Subsequently, ELISA was used to verify the content variation of the identified proteins in 200 urine samples. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Feb 4;9(1):1243. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology & Developmental Biology, Neonatal Research Center of the UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, MDCC B2-375, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) enhances risk for adult onset cardiovascular disease (CVD). The mechanisms underlying IUGR are poorly understood, though inadequate blood flow and oxygen/nutrient provision are considered common endpoints. Based on evidence in humans linking IUGR to adult CVD, we hypothesized that in murine pregnancy, maternal late gestational hypoxia (LG-H) exposure resulting in IUGR would result in (1) placental transcriptome changes linked to risk for later CVD, and 2) adult phenotypes of CVD in the IUGR offspring. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Feb 4;9(1):1205. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

MRC Integrated Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Rm OS11, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol, BS8 2BN, UK.

Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) regulate mineral metabolism and are required to maintain calcium levels. Vitamin D deficiency is common, particularly during pregnancy, and has been associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. We sought to determine whether maternal 25(OH)D, PTH and calcium concentrations at 26 weeks gestation are associated with adverse outcomes of pregnancy and establish whether these differ by ethnicity. Read More

Eur J Prev Cardiol 2019 Feb 4:2047487318825347. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Cardiology Department, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Int J Mol Sci 2019 Feb 2;20(3). Epub 2019 Feb 2.

Institute for the Care of the Mother and Child, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, 14700 Prague, Czech Republic.

Children descending from pregnancies complicated by gestational hypertension (GH), preeclampsia (PE) or fetal growth restriction (FGR) have a lifelong cardiovascular risk. The aim of the study was to verify if pregnancy complications induce postnatal alterations in gene expression of microRNAs associated with cardiovascular/cerebrovascular diseases. Twenty-nine microRNAs were assessed in peripheral blood, compared between groups, and analyzed in relation to both aspects, the current presence of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular complications and the previous occurrence of pregnancy complications with regard to the clinical signs, dates of delivery, and Doppler ultrasound examination. Read More

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University.

Background: A growing body of evidence supports improved or not worsened birth outcomes with non-medically indicated induction of labor at 39 weeks compared to expectant management. This evidence includes two recent randomized control trials. However, concern has been raised as to whether these studies are applicable to a broader US pregnant population. Read More

Physiol Genomics 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine, United States.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a devastating adverse outcome of pregnancy. Characterized by maternal hypertension, when left untreated PE can result in death of both mother and baby. The cause of PE remains unknown and there is no way to predict which women will develop PE during pregnancy. Read More

Cardiovasc Res 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta.

Aims: Perinatal iron deficiency alters developmental trajectories of offspring, predisposing them to cardiovascular dysfunction in later life. The mechanisms underlying this long-term programming of renal function have not been defined. We hypothesized perinatal iron deficiency causes hypertension and alters kidney metabolic function and morphology in a sex-dependent manner in adult offspring. Read More

Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2019 Feb 3. Epub 2019 Feb 3.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toyama, Graduate School of Medicine, Toyama, Japan.

Objective: To determine the cutoff of antithrombin activity for predicting the interval from diagnosis of early-onset pre-eclampsia to delivery.

Methods: At Hokkaido University Hospital, Japan, data were retrospectively assessed on antithrombin activity measured at both diagnosis of pre-eclampsia and delivery among women with singleton pregnancy and pre-eclampsia (defined by combined gestational hypertension and proteinuria) between 2009 and 2017. The timing of delivery was determined by maternal and fetal well-being. Read More

Pregnancy Hypertens 2019 Jan;15:134-140

Department of Paediatrics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, U.K.

Objectives: To investigate whether age at menarche is related to maternal blood pressure in pregnancy and, if so, whether obesity and insulin resistance can modify the associations.

Study Design: Analysis of data collected from 438 pregnant women from the longitudinal and prospective Cambridge Baby Growth Study.

Main Outcome: Testing associations between questionnaire-derived age at menarche and blood pressure measurements in pregnancy collected from hospital notes, and investigating whether any associations were altered by maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and insulin resistance. Read More

Climacteric 2019 Feb 4:1-7. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

a Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism , University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine , La Jolla , CA , USA.

Over the past decades, progress in efforts to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has been achieved, although a disturbing trend for stagnation of cardiovascular mortality rates among younger women compared with those in younger men has been identified. While the menopause transition has traditionally offered an unequivocal opportunity to assess cardiovascular risk and counsel women to adopt preventive strategies, the veritable 'window of opportunity', usually applied to the concept of timing the initiation of menopausal hormone therapy, must be opened much wider to encompass younger women including those who have experienced adverse events during pregnancy, treatment for breast cancer, and premature menopause. Collaborative efforts by a number of expert medical groups provide encouragement and justification for an aggressive approach to identify and modify cardiovascular risk earlier in younger women, starting at age 20 years. Read More

Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Medical Sciences (Physiology), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Phone: +603-4289 2400, Fax : +603-4289 2477.

Background Hypertension disorder in pregnancy (HDP) is the second most common contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Blood pressure variability (BPV), with the assistance of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), measures blood pressure readings in pregnant women and has the potential to predict the occurrence of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) or preeclampsia (PE) before any symptoms develop. Methodology Studies involving ABPM among pregnant women were identified using electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Medscape, Ovid and ProQuest. Read More

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2019 Jan 17;234:190-194. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, 2 Avenue Oscar Lambret, 59000, Lille, France; Université Lille2, CHRU Lille, EA 4489, Environnement Périnatal et Santé, F-59000, Lille, France.

Objective: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended a gestational weight gain for full-term twin pregnancies of 17-25 kg for normal Body mass Index patients', and characterize its guidelines on during twin pregnancies as "provisional". Indeed, they are exclusively based on observational epidemiological data. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the IOM's gestational weight gain guidelines are optimal for maternal and neonatal. Read More

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2019 Jan 30. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 459, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address:

The aim was to study if serum cortisol during pregnancy was associated with blood pressure and development of gestational hypertensive disorders. Additionally, associations between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and cortisol, including confounding effects and interactions in their relation to blood pressure were investigated. In total, 1413 pregnant women from the prospective Swedish GraviD cohort were included. Read More

Reprod Health 2019 Feb 1;16(1):12. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, 200 Berkeley St, Carlton, Vic, 3053, Australia.

Background: National and international guidelines for the management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are available in developing countries. However, more detailed clinical pathways for primary care settings are limited. This study focuses on Indonesia, where 72% of women who died from HDP and its complications had received less appropriate treatment according to international guidelines. Read More

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2019 Jan 22;234:165-170. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Department of Physiology, Basic Medical Science Institute, Karachi, Pakistan.

Introduction: Soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) is linked to endothelial dysfunction; a key factor in pre-eclamptic pathogenesis. This study aimed to compare sTWEAK levels during pregnancy to assess for its prognostic ability.

Materials And Methods: Sixty three high risk pregnant women were followed up from 12 weeks of gestation till term. Read More

Expert Opin Pharmacother 2019 Feb 1:1-12. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

a Ritchie Centre, Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologySchool of Clinical Sciences , Monash University , Clayton , Australia.

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a disease specific to pregnancy characterised by new onset hypertension with maternal organ dysfunction and/or fetal growth restriction. It remains a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. For fifty years, antihypertensives have been the mainstay of treating preeclampsia, reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. Read More

Int J Hyg Environ Health 2019 Jan 28. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Higher birth weight is an important adverse outcome associated with hyperglycemia in pregnancy. Recent studies suggest that phthalate exposure is associated with elevated glucose levels in pregnant women, with implications for higher birth weight in the offspring. No study to date has investigated the association between prenatal phthalate exposure on infant high birth weight accounting for the range of pregnancy glucose levels. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2019 Jan 31:1-7. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

a Optics and Imaging Center, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine , University of KwaZulu-Natal , Durban , South Africa.

Preeclampsia is a multisystemic disorder which accounts for the high prevalence of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, especially in middle and low-income countries. Currently, the primary intervention is the urgent delivery of the fetus, hence it would be advantageous to identify those who are likely to develop preeclampsia and the maternal and fetal outcomes. However, an array of risk factors makes these challenging. Read More

Am J Perinatol 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Pediatrics, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan.

To date, few studies have investigated whether perinatal factors affect coagulation parameters at birth in preterm and term neonates. We retrospectively investigated coagulation factors on day 1 in 609 consecutive neonates admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit between January 2010 and December 2017. We measured coagulation factors on day 1 using peripheral blood samples. Read More