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PLoS One 2020 10;15(7):e0236060. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

Background: There are concerns about the quality of medicines available in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) to manage hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia and sepsis. We aimed to identify, critically appraise, and synthesize the findings of studies on the quality of these three types of medicines available in LMIC.

Methods: This systematic review searched Medline, EMBASE and LILACS (from inception to 25 May 2020) for studies on the quality of selected medicines available in LMIC that provided at least the amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient. Read More

Obstet Gynecol 2020 Jul 9. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, the Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, and the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; and the University of Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine and the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Objective: To evaluate whether deviation from American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) safety guidelines for women who are gestational carriers is associated with increased risk of severe obstetric and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of births from gestational carrier pregnancies in Utah from 2009 to 2018 with data collected from birth certificates. Deviations from ASRM guidelines include women aged younger than 21 years or older than 45 years, nulliparity, prior stillbirth, tobacco or percutaneous drug use, more than five prior deliveries, more than three prior cesarean deliveries, major comorbidities, and mental health conditions. Read More

Rev Recent Clin Trials 2020 Jul 9. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef. Egypt.

Background: Pre-eclampsia poses a significant potential risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, a leading cause of maternal deaths. Hyperuricemia is associated with adverse effects on endothelial function, normal cellular metabolism, and platelet aggregation and adhesion. This study was designed to compare serum urate levels in normotensive pregnant women to those with pregnancy-induced hypertension, and to evaluate its value as a potential predictive marker of hypertension severity during pregnancy. Read More

Hum Reprod 2020 Jul 9. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Centre for Epidemiology and Statistics Sorbonne Paris Cité (CRESS), Université de Paris, Obstetrical Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Research Team, EPOPé, INSERM, INRA, Paris, France.

Study Question: Is there a difference in the risk of serious maternal complications during pregnancy and the postpartum in twin pregnancies according to mode of conception: natural conception, non-IVF fertility treatment, IVF, ICSI or oocyte donation?

Summary Answer: Women with twin pregnancies after medically assisted reproduction (MAR) had an overall risk of serious maternal complications 30% higher compared with women with natural twin pregnancies, and this association varied according to the MAR procedure; the risk was increased by 50% with IVF using autologous oocytes and by 270% with oocyte donation.

What Is Known Already: IVF has been reported as a risk factor for serious maternal complications in several concordant studies of singleton pregnancies. For twin pregnancies, this association is less well documented with imprecise categorisation of the mode of conception, and results are contradictory. Read More

Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2020 Jul 8. Epub 2020 Jul 8.

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

Objective: To evaluate use of second-trimester uterine artery Doppler velocimetry to predict adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal study among low-risk nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies attending Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, between July and December 2017. Uterine artery Doppler indices were measured at 22-26 gestational weeks. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2020 Jul 6;13(7). Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dubai Hospital, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

We encountered a 47-year-old woman, at 35 weeks of gestation, carrying triplets, who attended the hospital with severe pre-eclampsia and at admission had eclamptic fit followed by cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was started when she did not respond to initial measures; resuscitative hysterotomy was started on the site of collapse immediately, within 4 min postarrest, to deliver the triplets within 5 min postmaternal cardiac arrest. Timely decision of resuscitative hysterotomy done primarily to restore maternal cardiac output due to a grossly gravid uterus saved the mother and the triplets. Read More

HPB (Oxford) 2020 Jul 4. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and Transplant Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle University NHS Foundation Trust Hospitals, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.

Background: Despite increasing reports of pregnancy in liver transplant recipients, questions remain about the impact of transplantation in pregnancy.

Methods: This systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines and eligible studies were identified through a search of PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane CENTRAL databases up to 26th December 2019 for studies reporting pregnancy with liver transplant. A meta-analysis was conducted with the use of random-effects modelling and prospectively registered with the PROSPERO database. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020 Jul 7:1-13. Epub 2020 Jul 7.

Proteomics Research Center, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Objective: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy status characterized by high blood pressure. Although visfatin is usually associated with PE. Observational studies evaluating the relationship between circulating visfatin and pre-eclampsia have reported inconsistent results. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2020 Jul 4;21(13). Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna, del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, U.O.C. di Ostetricia e Patologia Ostetrica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.

The successful maternal tolerance of the semi-allogeneic fetus provides an apparent immunologic paradox. Indeed, deep invasion of placental trophoblast cells into maternal uterine tissue and the following growth of the fetus have to be tolerated by a pregnant woman's immune system. Among the various possible protective mechanisms that may be involved in human pregnancy, the expression of a non-classical pattern of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules and the complete lack of expression of HLA class II molecules in placental tissues seem to be the most relevant mechanisms of fetal escape from maternal immune recognition. Read More

Pregnancy Hypertens 2020 Jul 1;21:197-199. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

In Australia, Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy are one of the leading causes of maternal death. Additionally, mothers and babies can experience significant morbidity associated with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy. Currently, there is little understanding about the resources spent on this pregnancy complication in Australia. Read More

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020 Jul 6;20(1):392. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria.

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a common obstetric complication of pregnancy in Nigeria, and oxidative stress has been implicated in its aetiopathogenesis. Despite this fact, there is a paucity of information regarding the serum antioxidant micronutrient status of pre-eclamptic Nigerian women. The objective of the was to determine the mean serum levels of some antioxidant trace elements (copper, zinc, selenium, magnesium, manganese) in pre-eclamptic pregnant women and compare with that of healthy pregnant women in Enugu, South-Eastern, Nigeria. Read More

Pregnancy Hypertens 2020 Jun 1;21:191-196. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY, USA; Department of Business Management, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: Obesity and preeclampsia in pregnant women are each independently associated with poorer neonatal outcomes. We study obesity and preeclampsia alone and also in combination in pregnant women to determine their association with neonatal outcomes.

Study Design: This retrospective study (n = 664) compared four groups: 1) no preeclampsia/no obesity, 2) no preeclampsia/yes obesity, 3) yes preeclampsia/no obesity, and 4) yes preeclampsia/yes obesity. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020 Jul 6:1-6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Department of Neonatology, Guang Dong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Objective: To investigate histopathological placental lesions and adverse neonatal outcomes by Pre-eclampsia (PE) with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of pregnancies with PE delivered between 1 January 2012 to 1 January 2014. Pregnant women with PE were recruited, and divided into PE with GDM (PE + GDM) group ( = 278) and PE without GDM (PE - GDM) group ( = 586). Read More

Depress Anxiety 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

Background: Perinatal depression carries adverse effects on maternal health and child development, but genetic underpinnings remain unclear. We investigated the polygenic risk of perinatal depressive symptoms.

Methods: About 742 women from the prospective Prediction and Prevention of Pre-eclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction cohort were genotyped and completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale 14 times during the prenatal period and twice up to 12 months postpartum. Read More

J Dev Orig Health Dis 2020 Jun 18:1-8. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Department of Pharmacoepidemiology, Graduate School of Medicine and Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto606-8501, Japan.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) affect up to 10% of women during pregnancy and influence child neurodevelopment, including mental and motor function. We assessed whether HDP, including gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, superimposed preeclampsia, and eclampsia, correlate with motor and mental developmental abnormalities in 3-year-old children, using data obtained between April 2004 and March 2013 through a mandatory population-based health checkup of mothers and children in Kobe city, Japan. The primary outcome was motor and mental developmental abnormalities at 3 years of age; parental-reported questionnaires and physician's medical examinations were evaluated. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Division of Perinatology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a rare necrotizing autoimmune disease involving small vessel vasculitis. Pregnancies with GPA have increased rates of obstetric complications including pre-eclampsia. Differential diagnosis of GPA flares up and pre-eclampsia may be difficult and necessitates careful clinical practice. Read More

Nat Rev Endocrinol 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Maternal and Fetal Health Group, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.

Pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction arise from disorders of placental development and have some shared mechanistic features. Initiation is often rooted in the maldevelopment of a maternal-placental blood supply capable of providing for the growth requirements of the fetus in later pregnancy, without exerting undue stress on maternal body systems. Here, we review normal development of a placental bed with a safe and adequate blood supply and a villous placenta-blood interface from which nutrients and oxygen can be extracted for the growing fetus. Read More

J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2020 Jun 26:101846. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Laboratory of Immunological and Antitumor Analysis, Department of Antibiotics, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Electronic address:

Recently, in China, in 2019, a new type of disease has arisen caused by a new strain of coronavirus, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, considered extremely worrying due to its high infectivity power and the easy ability to spread geographically. For patients in general, the clinical features resulting from respiratory syndromes can trigger an asymptomatic condition. However, 25 % of patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 can progress to severity. Read More

Curr Vasc Pharmacol 2020 Jun 28. Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine. Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. Chile.

Obesity and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) are the most frequent pathologies affecting mothers and offspring during pregnancy. Both conditions have shown a sustained increase in their prevalence in recent years, and they worsen the outcome of pregnancy and the long-term health of mothers. Obesity increases the risk of GDM and preeclampsia during pregnancy and elevates the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in later life. Read More

BJOG 2020 Jun 28. Epub 2020 Jun 28.

Operational Research Unit, Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padua, Italy.

J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2020 Jun 25:101845. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

University Paris Est Créteil and CHI Créteil, Créteil, France; Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, University Paris Est Créteil, Centre Hospitalier Inter-Communal de Créteil, France. Electronic address:

Chronic hypertension affects 1 to 5% of women of childbearing age. During pregnancy, chronic hypertension is associated with an increased risk of vascular disease such as superimposed preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), placental abruption, and preterm delivery. These serious and frequent pathologies, specific to pregnancy, carry a particularly high risk of maternal complications (HELLP syndrome, eclampsia, maternal death) and perinatal complications (perinatal death, neurological disorders). Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 Jun;99(26):e20744

Department of Obstetrics, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou.

An association between circulating pentraxin-3 (PTX3) and the risk of preeclampsia (PE) remains to be established. We performed a meta-analysis of observational studies to evaluate their relationship.The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WanFang databases were searched for related observational studies evaluating PTX3 and PE risk. Read More

Cell Death Dis 2020 Jun 25;11(6):479. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, Guangdong, China.

Mounting evidence has revealed that impaired spiral artery remodeling, placental dysfunction, and inadequate trophoblast invasion are closely correlated with the etiology and pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia (PE). Moreover, defective trophoblast invasion may trigger poor maternal-fetal circulation and placental hypoxia, leading to PE. However, the detailed molecular pathology of PE remains unclear. Read More

Hepatol Res 2020 Jun 24. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Development of liver diseases during pregnancy is not uncommon. They are caused by either a disorder that is unique to pregnancy or an acute or chronic liver disease that already exists or coincidentally develops as a comorbidity of pregnancy. Liver diseases unique to pregnancy include hyperemesis gravidarum; hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia/eclampsia; hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome; intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy; and acute fatty liver of pregnancy. Read More

Diabet Med 2020 Jun 24. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Berlin Center for Diabetes and Pregnancy, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St. Joseph Hospital, Berlin, Germany.

Aim: Poor glucose control is associated with adverse outcomes in pregnancies with pre-existing diabetes. However, strict glucose control increases the risk of severe hypoglycaemia, particularly in the first trimester. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether less tight glucose control in the first trimester determines adverse outcomes or can be compensated for by good control in late pregnancy. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2020 Jun 20. Epub 2020 Jun 20.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Saint Thomas Maternity Hospital, Panama City, Panama.

Objective: This study sought to determine whether there is an association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and severe preeclampsia using a case-control study design.

Methods: A total of 147 patients with severe preeclampsia and 147 patients with normal pregnancies were evaluated for symptoms of RLS. In the first phase, before or immediately after delivery, participants were given a questionnaire on common complaints experienced during pregnancy. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020 Jun 23:1-6. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA.

It was reported that fetal gender was associated with gestational-age related incidence of preeclampsia. However, there is no study to date to evaluate the association of fetal gender differences with all hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The present study aimed to evaluate the association, if any, between fetal gender differences and the disposition to develop hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and the risk of developing severe features. Read More

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2020 Jun 23. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Center for Research on Reproduction and Women's Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

The risk of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome-associated coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) to maternal and newborn health has yet to be determined. Several reports suggest pregnancy does not typically increase the severity of disease, however, several cases of pre-eclampsia and preterm birth have been reported. Reports of placental infection and vertical transmission are rare. Read More

Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2020 Jun 23. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Fetal Medicine Research Institute, King's College Hospital, London, UK.

Background: The established method of identifying a group of women at high risk of delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonate, requiring increased surveillance, is use of risk scoring systems based on maternal demographic characteristics and medical history. Although this approach is relatively simple to perform, it does not provide patient-specific risks and has an uncertain performance in predicting SGA. Another approach to predict delivery of a SGA neonate is to use logistic regression models that combine maternal factors with first-trimester biomarkers. Read More

Pril (Makedon Akad Nauk Umet Odd Med Nauki) 2020 Jun;41(1):87-99

"Dr. Spasovski"Skopje, R.N. Macedonia.

Introduction: One of the most important types of microorganisms in the oral cavity in both healthy and non-healthy individuals is Fusobacterium nucleatum. Although present as a normal resident in the oral cavity, this Gram-negative pathogen is dominant in periodontal disease and it is involved in many invasive infections in the population, acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, as well as many adverse events with a fatal outcome.

Aim: To determine the role of F. Read More

Pregnancy Hypertens 2020 Jun 19;21:179. Epub 2020 Jun 19.

Department of Statistics, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India. Electronic address:

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc 2019 Sep 2;57(5):270-276. Epub 2019 Sep 2.

Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad Hospital de Gíneco-Pediatría No. 48, División de Ginecología y Obstetricia. León, Guanajuato, México.

Background: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in our country.

Objective: Evaluate if the administration of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) at a low dose reduces its presence.

Methods: Comparative, cohort study. Read More

J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2020 Jun 22:1-9. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Division of Public Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Stress-induced pregnancy complications are thought to represent a significant cause of maternal morbidity and mortality; little is known regarding types of stress most predictive of adverse outcomes. We used Utah PRAMs 2012-2014 data to evaluate links between preconception life stressors and prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and pre-term labor (PTB) (births <37 weeks gestational age, and very PTB <33 weeks). We categorized 12 specific stressful events into 4 groups: partner, traumatic, financial, and emotional. Read More

Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet 2020 Jun 19. Epub 2020 Jun 19.

Obstetrics & Gynecology Department, Senhora da Oliveira Hospital, Guimarães, Portugal.

Objective:  The present study aims to analyze adverse fetal or neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes, including fetal death, preterm deliveries, birthweight, neonatal morbidity and mortality, as well as the synergic effect of concomitant pregnancy risk factors and poor obstetric outcomes, as advanced maternal age, maternal obesity and pre-eclampsia in their worsening.

Methods:  The present cohort retrospective study included all pregnant women with gestational diabetes, with surveillance and childbirth at the Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira during the years of 2017 and 2018. The data were collected from the medical electronic records registered in health informatic programs Sclinico and Obscare, and statistical simple and multivariate analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics. Read More

Liver Int 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

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

Background & Aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in non-pregnant adults. Although the biological mechanisms underlying this association are not completely understood, metabolic factors, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction are likely all involved. The association between NAFLD and pregnancy-associated hypertension (HTN) has not been systematically examined. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Department of Obstetrics, Women's Hospital School of Medicine Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.

Aim: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is the usual complication during pregnancy. Long noncoding RNAs are essential regulatory factors in many diseases. Nevertheless, the role of LINC00511 in the development of PE has not been fully elucidated. Read More

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2020 Aug 3;251:254-257. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Women-Mother-Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne and University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Objective: This study aimed to describe intrapartum and postpartum exposures possibly associated with the risk of in-hospital maternal mortality in Guinea.

Study Design: Data were collected in the Western Sub-Saharan Africa setting at the university hospital in Conakry, Guinea, during 2016-2017. Case-control study design was applied. Read More

Pregnancy Hypertens 2020 May 19;21:166-175. Epub 2020 May 19.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Suite 930, 1125 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2K8, Canada; Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH, UK.

Objectives: Pregnancy hypertension is associated with 7.1% of maternal deaths in India. The objective of this trial was to assess whether task-sharing care might reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes related to delays in triage, transport, and treatment. Read More

Biol Reprod 2020 Jun 16. Epub 2020 Jun 16.

University of Geneva, Switzerland.

The interleukin (IL)-1 system plays a major role in immune responses and inflammation. The IL-1 system components include IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1 receptor type 1 and IL-1 receptor type 2 (decoy receptor), IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP), and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). These components have been shown to play a role in pregnancy, specifically in embryo-maternal communication for implantation, placenta development, and protection against infections. Read More

Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2020 Jun;52(3):470-478

Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University School of Public Health, Beijing 100191, China.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of hypertension disorders complicating pregnancy (HDCP) and vitamin E (VE) nutritional status among pregnant women in Beijing, and to determine the relationship between serum VE concentration in the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of developing HDCP.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed including 22 283 cases of pregnant women who underwent singleton deliveries in Tongzhou Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Beijing from January 2016 through December 2018 and received tests of serum VE concentrations in the first trimester of pregnancy. Nonconditional Logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between serum VE concentration levels and the risk of developing HDCP. Read More

Obstet Gynecol 2020 Jul;136(1):118-127

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between maternal body mass index (BMI) at delivery and rates of early-onset and late-onset hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Methods: We performed a population-based, retrospective cohort study using U.S. Read More

Lupus Sci Med 2020 Jun;7(1)

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, CHU and Univerisity of Lille, Lille, France.

Objective: To scope and summarise available literature on the outcomes of pregnancy and associated factors in sub-Saharan African women with SLE.

Methods: Electronic databases and reference lists of retrieved articles were searched to identify relevant studies published from 1 January 2000 to 28 October 2019. Data were combined through narrative synthesis. Read More

Med Hypotheses 2020 Jun 7;144:109971. Epub 2020 Jun 7.

Chattanooga Units of UT College of Medicine, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37403, 1751 Gunbarrel Road, Suite 200, Chattanooga, TN 37421, USA.

Maternal mortality rate has increased in the United States over the past 30 years from 16 deaths per 100,000 births to 28 deaths per 100,000 births while the rest of the world is experiencing declining rates. Increasing obesity and c-section rates in the US have been cited as contributing factors needing remediation, and because of the two to three fold difference in maternal mortality rates in non-Hispanic black women compared to white women, inequality and implicit racial bias has been targeted as well for remediation. Using an epidemiologic approach, a hypothesis here brought to bear is that US immigration policy changes over the past 50 years have brought changes in the gene pool that have caused increasing obstetric hemorrhage and other causes of maternal death. Read More

Clin Lab 2020 Jun;66(6)

Background: This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) level and the occurrence of pre-eclampsia (PE) and also the risk factors of developing early and late onset PE.

Methods: A total of 370 pregnant women were included between January 2015 and December 2016 at our hospital. PE was defined as the presence of maternal blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg and 24-hour proteinuria levels > 300 mg or 2 + in a random sample of urine after the 20th week of pregnancy. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2020 27;7:208. Epub 2020 May 27.

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospital Foch, Suresnes, France.

Maternal age has been increasing for several decades with many of these late pregnancies between 40 and 45 years old. The main objective of this study is to assess whether maternal age is an independent factor of obstetric, fetal, and neonatal complications. A monocentric, French study "exposed-unexposed" was conducted during 11 years in a maternity level IIB. Read More

Ann Endocrinol (Paris) 2020 Mar 5. Epub 2020 Mar 5.

CHU Lille, Institut Cœur Poumon, Médecine Vasculaire et HTA, 59000 Lille, France; Université Lille, EA 2694 - Santé Publique: Epidémiologie et Qualité des Soins, 59000 Lille, France. Electronic address:

Cardiovascular disease is now the leading cause of death in women, 16 times more frequent than breast cancer, and with more and more young women at risk. Young women are exposed to serial loss of chance, related to sex, with specific female hormonal cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF): contraception, pregnancy and menopause; and to gender: atypic symptoms, underestimation, poor risk-factor control, undertreatment and lack of follow-up, and specific atheromatous disease. Prevalence and impact of risk factors differ between males and females. Read More

J Hepatol 2020 Apr 15. Epub 2020 Apr 15.

University of California, San Francisco, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; University of Southern California, Division of GI/Hepatology. Electronic address:

Aims & Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising in young adults, with potential implications for reproductive-aged women. Whether NAFLD during pregnancy confers more serious risks for maternal or perinatal health is unclear.

Methods: Using weighted discharge data from the United States National Inpatient Sample, we evaluated temporal trends of NAFLD in pregnancies after 20 weeks gestation, and compared outcomes to pregnancies with other chronic liver diseases (CLD) or no CLD. Read More

Ceska Gynekol 2020 ;85(2):139-143

Objective: To informed about international surveillance network severe maternal morbidity and mortality - INOSS.

Design: Literature review.

Settings: 1st Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and University Hospital, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. Read More

Pregnancy Hypertens 2020 Apr 28;21:145-151. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China. Electronic address:

Objectives: Pre-eclampsia is a specific disease during gestation without a clear etiology. The lack of effective forecasting and prevention methods threatens the safety of maternal and infant lives.

Study Design: We prospectively evaluated 356 pregnancies in their first trimester at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University and followed up the whole gestation. Read More

Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2020 Jul;150(1):10-16

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.

Background: Preterm birth (PTB) and pre-eclampsia independently, and frequently concurrently, adversely affect the pregnancy outcomes of millions of mothers and infants worldwide each year.

Objectives: To fill the gap between PTB and pre-eclampsia, which continue to constitute the two most important current global challenges to maternal and perinatal health.

Methods: Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception until December 2019 using the terms spontaneous PTB (SPTB), indicated preterm delivery (IPTD), early-onset pre-eclampsia, and pre-eclampsia. Read More