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Toxins (Basel) 2019 Feb 13;11(2). Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.

A teratogenic agent or teratogen can disturb the development of an embryo or a fetus. B₁ (FB₁), produced by and , is among the most commonly seen mycotoxins and contaminants from stale maize and other farm products. It may cause physical or functional defects in embryos or fetuses, if the pregnant animal is exposed to mycotoxin FB₁. Read More

J Intern Med 2019 Feb 17. Epub 2019 Feb 17.

Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife, College Station, TX, USA.

Our understanding of human evolution has improved rapidly over recent decades, facilitated by large-scale cataloguing of genomic variability amongst both modern and archaic humans. It seems clear that the evolution of the ancestors of chimpanzees and hominins separated 7-9 million years ago with some migration out of Africa by the earlier hominins; Homo sapiens slowly emerged as climate change resulted in drier, less forested African conditions. The African populations expanded and evolved in many different conditions with slow mutation and selection rates in the human genome, but with much more rapid mutation occurring in mitochondrial DNA. Read More

Reprod Toxicol 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Electronic address:

Autophagy is required for neurulation, and autophagy activators with minimal toxicity, such as the natural compound trehalose, a nonreducing disaccharide, possess high therapeutic value. To determine whether trehalose directly induces autophagy, FITC-labeled trehalose was used for tracing its presence in autophagosome complexes. Trehalose was as potent as rapamycin and starvation in inducing de novo autophagosome formation and increasing autophagosome flux in GFP-LC3 reporter cells and C17. Read More

Neural Regen Res 2019 Jun;14(6):1079-1084

Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences; Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.

Nerve regeneration after delayed nerve repair is often unsuccessful. Indeed, the expression of genes associated with regeneration, including neurotrophic and gliotrophic factors, is drastically reduced in the distal stump of chronically transected nerves; moreover, Schwann cells undergo atrophy, losing their ability to sustain regeneration. In the present study, to provide a three-dimensional environment and trophic factors supporting Schwann cell activity and axon re-growth, we combined the use of an effective conduit (a chitosan tube) with a promising intraluminal structure (fresh longitudinal skeletal muscle fibers). Read More

Ann Pharmacother 2019 Feb 10:1060028019830788. Epub 2019 Feb 10.

3 University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.

Objective: To synthesize data on the pharmacokinetics and safety of dolutegravir and elvitegravir in pregnant women living with HIV.

Data Sources: A PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar literature search (January 2010 to December 2018) was performed using the search terms dolutegravir, elvitegravir, women, pregnant*, and HIV. Additional reports were identified from conference abstracts and review of reference lists. Read More

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2019 Feb 7:1-18. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

a Radiobiology Unit , Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN , Mol , Belgium.

Folic acid (FA) is often consumed as a food supplement and can be found in fortified staple foods in various western countries. Even though FA supplementation during pregnancy is known to prevent severe congenital anomalies in the developing child (e.g. Read More

Nature 2019 02;566(7742):39

Clin Epigenetics 2019 Feb 1;11(1):17. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Key Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China.

Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are complex abnormalities associated with gene-environment interactions. The underlying cause has not been determined.

Methods: Spinal cord tissues from cases with NTDs and healthy controls were collected. Read More

Birth Defects Res 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Pediatrics, Selçuk University, Selçuklu Medical Faculty, Konya, Turkey.

Background: Additional congenital anomalies have often been found in patients with neural tube defect (NTD). We aimed to find out the clinical features, short term prognosis, treatment approaches, and systemic anomalies of NTD patients in the Konya region.

Method: A total of 186 newborn babies with NTD were retrospectively included in the study and all were assessed in detail for congenital anomalies and clinical features. Read More

Nature 2019 01;565(7741):535-536

J Surg Res 2019 Mar 31;235:227-236. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Department of Bioengineering, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado; Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado. Electronic address:

Background: Myelomeningocele (MMC) results in lifelong neurologic and functional deficits. Currently, prenatal repair of MMC closes the defect, resulting in a 50% reduction in postnatal ventriculoperitoneal shunting. However, this invasive fetal surgery is associated with significant morbidities to mother and baby. Read More

J Nutr 2019 Jan 24. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Departments of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences.

Background: The risk of neural tube defect (NTD)-affected pregnancies is reduced with adequate folic acid intake during early pregnancy. However, NTDs have been observed among offspring of women with adequate folic acid intake. Some of these women are possibly not absorbing enough folic acid. Read More

Int Health 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Emory University, Department of Anthropology, 1557 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Background: Although folate deficiency is linked to adverse health effects, limited data exist characterizing the problem in rural settings. This study determined the prevalence of folate deficiency and anemia in rural adults in the Haitian Central Plateau using combined laboratory methods.

Methods: Dried blood spots (DBSs) and hemoglobin measurements were collected from adult men and women selected by cluster random sampling in Haiti's Central Plateau. Read More

Hum Mol Genet 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Mutations in IRF6, TFAP2A and GRHL3 cause orofacial clefting syndromes in humans. However, Tfap2a and Grhl3 are also required for neurulation in mice. Here, we found that homeostasis of Irf6 is also required for development of the neural tube and associated structures. Read More

Mol Genet Genomic Med 2019 Jan 28:e584. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Nutritional Sciences, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas.

Background: Variants in planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway genes have been repeatedly implicated in the pathogenesis of NTDs in both mouse models and in human cohorts. Mouse models indicate that the homogenous disruption of the Ptk7 gene, a PCP regulator, results in craniorachischisis; while embryos that are doubly heterozygous for Ptk7 and Vangl2 mutations present with spina bifida.

Methods: In this study, we initially sequenced exons of the human PTK7 gene in 192 spina bifida patients and 190 controls from a California population. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Jan;98(4):e14232

College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.

Rationale: Hydrocele of the canal of Nuck is a rare developmental disorder and represents of a homolog of hydrocele of spermatic cord in males. Hydrocele of the canal of Nuck is a very rare cause of inguinal swelling in female infants and children. It results from the failure of obliteration of the distal portion of evaginated parietal peritoneum within the inguinal canal, which forms a sac containing fluid. Read More

Birth Defects Res 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.

Background: A recent study observed women's restricted carbohydrate diet in the year before conception was associated with increased risk of neural tube defect (NTD)-affected pregnancies. That study corresponded to the era of postfortification of folic acid. Because folic acid and carbohydrate measures would derive from similar foods, investigators of that study could not determine whether the increased risk with restricted carbohydrate intake was a consequence of lower folate intake. Read More

J Inherit Metab Dis 2018 Dec 27. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

University Childrens Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.

In humans, the important water soluble, vitamin-like nutrient choline, is taken up with the diet or recycled in the liver. Deficiencies of choline have only been reported in experimental situations or total parenteral nutrition. Currently, no recommended dietary allowances are published; only an adequate daily intake is defined. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Jan 24;9(1):597. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Institut für Molekulare Zellbiologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.

We investigated the physiological functions of Myo10 (myosin X) using Myo10 reporter knockout (Myo10) mice. Full-length (motorized) Myo10 protein was deleted, but the brain-specific headless (Hdl) isoform (Hdl-Myo10) was still expressed in homozygous mutants. In vitro, we confirmed that Hdl-Myo10 does not induce filopodia, but it strongly localized to the plasma membrane independent of the MyTH4-FERM domain. Read More

J Craniofac Surg 2019 Jan 19. Epub 2019 Jan 19.

Division of Plastic Surgery.

Myelomeningocele (MMC) is a type of open neural tube defect characterized by exposure of the spinal cord through a defect in the skin and posterior hindbrain herniation through the foramen magnum. Outcomes vary but common morbidities include paraplegia, hydrocephalus, neurogenic bladder, scoliosis, and tethered cord. Fetal surgery, although not a cure, has been shown to decrease the risk of associated morbidity. Read More

Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2018 Dec 31;64(15):90-93. Epub 2018 Dec 31.

Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Selçuk University, Konya, Türkiye.

Prevalence of neural tube defect (NTD) has reduced after folic acid intake. However; which mechanisms are effective in NTD are not known exactly. In this study; due to the possible effects on hypoxic pathway and embryonic development, particularly on extracellular matrix components, Hif-1α Pro582Ser and TGF-β3 IVS5+104 A/G SfaN1 polymorphisms were studied by PCR-RFLP method both on children with NTDs and mothers. Read More

Biol Open 2019 Jan 22;8(1). Epub 2019 Jan 22.

The Ohio State University, College of Optometry, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

Folic acid supplementation can prevent neural tube defects, but the specific molecular mechanisms by which it does have not been elucidated. During neural plate morphogenesis, epithelial cell apical constriction cooperates with other events to drive tissue-bending, and when defective, can result in neural tube defects. A Rho-kinase deficient binding mutant of the apical constriction regulating protein, Shroom3 (Shroom3), is one of only a handful of mouse mutant lines with neural tube defects that can be rescued by folic acid supplementation. Read More

Clin Epigenetics 2019 Jan 21;11(1):13. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.

Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are common and severe congenital malformations. Pax3 is an essential gene for neural tube closure in mice but it is unknown whether altered expression or methylation of PAX3 contributes to human NTDs. We examined the potential role of hypermethylation of Pax3 in the development of NTDs by analyzing human NTD cases and a mouse model in which NTDs were induced by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a widely studied polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Read More

Neuron 2019 Feb 17;101(4):635-647.e4. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Laboratory of Brain Development and Repair, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address:

An important model for axon pathfinding is provided by guidance of embryonic commissural axons from dorsal spinal cord to ventral midline floor plate (FP). FP cells produce a chemoattractive activity, comprised largely of netrin1 (FP-netrin1) and Sonic hedgehog (Shh), that can attract the axons at a distance in vitro. netrin1 is also produced by ventricular zone (VZ) progenitors along the axons' route (VZ-netrin1). Read More

Postepy Biochem 2018 12;64(4):338-350

Pracownia Białek Wiążących Wapń, Instytut Biologii Doświadczalnej im. M. Nenckiego PAN, Warszawa.

Ciliopathies are a group of genetic diseases caused by defects in the function of cilia, that are cellular processes composed of a microtubule-based core. Ciliopathies present with pathological changes in one or many organs at the same time. Symptoms of ciliopathies depend on the type of damaged tissues and organs. Read More

Nat Commun 2019 01 17;10(1):282. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21201, MD, USA.

Failure of neural tube closure results in severe birth defects and can be induced by high glucose levels resulting from maternal diabetes. MARCKS is required for neural tube closure, but the regulation and of its biological activity and function have remained elusive. Here, we show that high maternal glucose induced MARCKS acetylation at lysine 165 by the acetyltransferase Tip60, which is a prerequisite for its phosphorylation, whereas Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) deacetylated MARCKS. Read More

Br J Neurosurg 2019 Jan 17:1-3. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

a Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery , Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine , Sivas , Turkey.

Background: Early closure of the meningocele, meningomyelocele, is essential to prevent complications such as hypothermia, infection in the postnatal period. But for some reasons, it is not always possible to repair early. The possibility of malign transformation should be considered in long-term due to nonhealing ulcers and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula and frequent infections in an adult patient with meningomyelocele. Read More

Brain Dev 2019 Jan 14. Epub 2019 Jan 14.

Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.

Background: Nutritional deficiency in pregnant women is a confirmed cause of neural tube defects (NTDs). Alongside to this background, We sought to determine the nutritional status and level of awareness on the issue of the NTDs as well as folic acid (FA) utilization among women who born infants with NTDs in Tigray region of Ethiopia.

Method: A standard interviewer and a food frequency questionnaire was used to obtain information from mothers of cases with neural tube defects (n = 205) and their controls (n = 412). Read More

Turk Neurosurg 2018 Sep 14. Epub 2018 Sep 14.

izmir katip çelebi university.

Aim: Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been known to cause congenital malformations, including neural tube defects. However, inadequate data are available regarding the effects of recently developed AEDs, such as pregabalin. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of pregabalin on neural tube development using early chick embryos. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Jan;98(2):e13998

Center for Reproductive Medicine and prenatal diagnosis, First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.

Rationale: Hereditary hyperhomocysteinemia results from a polymorphism in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene that reduces folate metabolism. Mutations in the MTHFR gene are common in parents who have given birth to children with neural tube defects (NTDs). Most research has focused on the risk for fetal NTDs in women with hyperhomocysteinemia and MTHFR gene mutations. Read More

Stem Cells 2019 Jan 10. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

Tumorigenic and non-neoplastic tissue injury occurs via the ischemic microenvironment defined by low oxygen, pH, and nutrients due to blood supply malfunction. Ischemic conditions exist within regions of pseudopalisading necrosis, a pathological hallmark of glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults. To recapitulate the physiologic microenvironment found in GBM tumors and tissue injury, we developed an in vitro ischemic model and identified chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 7 (CHD7) as a novel ischemia-regulated gene. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2019 Jan;15(N° 632-633):92-95

Service de pharmacologie clinique, Département des laboratoires, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne.

The main pharmacovigilance updates in 2018 are reviewed. Quinolones : no longer recommended for mild or moderately severe infections. Denosumab in cancer patients: increased risk of new primary malignancies. Read More

Birth Defects Res 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sherbrooke University Hospital Research Centre, Sherbrooke, Canada.

Background: The relationship between childhood asthma and central nervous system defects in offspring is poorly understood. We assessed if childhood asthma was associated with the risk of having an infant with neural tube or other nervous system defects compared with asthma during pregnancy.

Methods: We analyzed a longitudinal cohort of 128,060 women who were 5 years or less at study entry and later delivered an infant in Quebec, Canada (1989-2014). Read More

Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine & Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, United States.

Objectives: To determine if fetal brain imaging in fetuses that underwent prenatal repair of neural tube defect (NTD) can predict the need for postnatal hydrocephalus treatment (HT) in the first year postpartum.

Methods: This was a prospective study of fetuses diagnosed with open neural tube defect that had in-utero myelomeningocele repair between April 2014 and April 2016. Independent variables were collected from four chronological sets of fetal images: pre-surgery ultrasound, pre-surgery MRI, 6-week post-surgery MRI and pre-delivery ultrasound. Read More

J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2019 Jan 8;28(1):37-45. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

2 National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

Background: Women of reproductive age can consume 0.4 milligrams of folic acid daily to reduce the risk of a neural tube defect (NTD)-affected pregnancy. Multivitamins (MVs) are one source of folic acid. Read More

Appl Health Econ Health Policy 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia.

Background: In 2009, mandatory folic acid fortification of bread-making flour was introduced in Australia to reduce the birth prevalence of preventable neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida. Before the introduction of the policy, modelling predicted a reduction of 14-49 NTDs each year.

Objective: Using real-world data, this study provides the first ex-post evaluation of the cost effectiveness of mandatory folic acid fortification of bread-making flour in Australia. Read More

Fertil Steril 2019 Jan;111(1):32-42

American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, D.C.

The goal of prepregnancy care is to reduce the risk of adverse health effects for the woman, fetus, and neonate by working with the woman to optimize health, address modifiable risk factors, and provide education about healthy pregnancy. All those planning to initiate a pregnancy should be counseled, including heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and gender nonconforming individuals. Counseling can begin with the following question: "Would you like to become pregnant in the next year?" Prepregnancy counseling is appropriate whether the reproductive-aged patient is currently using contraception or planning pregnancy. Read More

Nutrients 2019 Jan 2;11(1). Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Division of Congenital and Developmental Disorders, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA.

The threshold for population-level optimal red blood cell (RBC) folate concentration among women of reproductive age for the prevention of neural tube defects has been estimated at 906 nmol/L; however, the dose-response relationship between folic acid intake and blood folate concentrations is uncharacterized. To estimate the magnitude of blood folate concentration increase in response to specific dosages of folic acid under steady-state conditions (as could be achieved with food fortification), a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis was conducted. Of the 14,002 records we identified, 533 were selected for full-text review, and data were extracted from 108 articles. Read More

Surg Neurol Int 2018 4;9:246. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Department of Neurosurgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.

Background: Schizencephaly is a rare defect which is identified as clefts that are lined with grey matter extending from the ependyma of the cerebral ventricles to the pia mater. An encephalocele occurs due to failure of neural tube closure resulting in a gap through which cerebrospinal fluid and meninges can bulge into a pouch. There have been rare instances when these two defects have presented simultaneously. Read More

Zhongguo Xiu Fu Chong Jian Wai Ke Za Zhi 2018 Oct;32(10):1255-1260

Department of Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation Hospital of the National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, 100176, P.R.China;Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability, Beijing, 100176, P.R.China;Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Aids Technology and System of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Beijing, 100176, P.R.China.

Objective: To summarize the main methods and comprehensive effects of limited surgery combined with external fixation for the treatment of flail foot with sensory disorder of spina bifida sequela in adult.

Method: The clinical data of 22 cases (30 feet) of the adult spina bifida sequela who suffered from flail foot with sensory disorder and treated by limited surgery combined with external fixation were retrospectively analysed between January 2005 and December 2015. There were 14 males and 8 females with an age of 8-38 years (mean, 21. Read More

J Family Med Prim Care 2018 Sep-Oct;7(5):957-962

Family Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Context: Women should consume folic acid (FA) during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in their children. Awareness of FA use, dosage, and administration can affect the risk of child malformations and other pregnancy complications.

Aims: The primary objective of this study was to assess knowledge about the role of FA intake among Saudi women of reproductive age. Read More

FASEB J 2018 Dec 28:fj201801536R. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Child Development and Nutriomics, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.

Folate deficiency in early development leads to disturbance in multiple processes, including neurogenesis during which fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathway is one of the crucial pathways. Whether folic acid (FA) directly affects FGF pathways to influence neurodevelopment and the possible mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we presented evidence that in human FA-insufficient encephalocele, the FGF pathway was interfered. Read More

Am J Nurs 2019 Jan;119(1):27

Diane S. Aschenbrenner is an assistant professor at Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore. She also coordinates Drug Watch:

Proc Nutr Soc 2018 Dec 26:1-13. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health,School of Biomedical Sciences,Ulster University,Coleraine,Northern Ireland BT52 1SA.

Periconceptional folic acid (FA) is known to have a protective effect in the prevention of neural tube defects (NTD), leading to global recommendations for FA supplementation before and in early pregnancy. Maternal folate throughout pregnancy may have other roles in offspring health, including neurodevelopment and cognitive performance in childhood. Folate is essential for C1 metabolism, a network of pathways involved in several biological processes including nucleotide synthesis, DNA repair and methylation reactions. Read More

Dev Biol 2019 Feb 21;446(2):159-167. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, 78712, USA.

Oscillatory flows of actomyosin play a key role in the migration of single cells in culture and in collective cell movements in Drosophila embryos. In vertebrate embryos undergoing convergent extension (CE), the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) pathway drives the elongation of the body axis and shapes the central nervous system, and mutations of the PCP genes predispose humans to various malformations including neural tube defects. However, the spatiotemporal patterns of oscillatory actomyosin contractions during vertebrate CE and how they are controlled by the PCP signaling remain unknown. Read More

Obstet Gynecol 2019 Jan;133(1):e78-e89

The goal of prepregnancy care is to reduce the risk of adverse health effects for the woman, fetus, and neonate by working with the woman to optimize health, address modifiable risk factors, and provide education about healthy pregnancy. All those planning to initiate a pregnancy should be counseled, including heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and gender nonconforming individuals. Counseling can begin with the following question: "Would you like to become pregnant in the next year?" Prepregnancy counseling is appropriate whether the reproductive-aged patient is currently using contraception or planning pregnancy. Read More

Obstet Gynecol 2019 Jan;133(1):228-230

The goal of prepregnancy care is to reduce the risk of adverse health effects for the woman, fetus, and neonate by working with the woman to optimize health, address modifiable risk factors, and provide education about healthy pregnancy. All those planning to initiate a pregnancy should be counseled, including heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and gender nonconforming individuals. Counseling can begin with the following question: "Would you like to become pregnant in the next year?" Prepregnancy counseling is appropriate whether the reproductive-aged patient is currently using contraception or planning pregnancy. Read More

EJIFCC 2018 Dec 5;29(4):280-284. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Syrian Clinical Laboratories Association, Damascus, Syria.

Pregnancy produces profound physiological changes that increase in significance as it progresses. These changes include hormonal changes, metabolic changes, increases of plasma volume up to 50%, alterations to the balance of the coagulation system in favour of clotting, and GFR increases to a peak 50% above prepregnancy levels. Since healthy physiological changes occur during pregnancy, different reference intervals may be needed. Read More