Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Pregnancy Neonatal Med 2021 ;5(4)

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA.

Objectives: Preterm birth is a major cause of adverse perinatal outcomes, including intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). IVH has been shown to contribute to lasting neurological disability, however the role of maternal characteristics and potentially modifiable risk factors that contribute to these outcomes have not been well defined. We sought to determine predictors of IVH in pregnancies complicated by early preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). Read More

Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2022 Jun 25. Epub 2022 Jun 25.

Division of Oncology, Department of Pediatric Surgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 37 Guo-Xue-Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, China.

Introduction: Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most common benign tumor in infancy, but information about its pathogenesis is limited. The aim of this study was to determine maternal and perinatal risk factors for IH.

Methods: A total of 1033 IH patients were enrolled in the study between 2017 and 2020. Read More

Pathogens 2022 Jun 9;11(6). Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Curaçao Medical Center, Willemstad, Curacao.

Sexually transmitted infections are one of the important risk factors for preterm delivery, which is among the important contributors to perinatal morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of and infections in women with imminent preterm delivery in Curaçao, an island of the Dutch Caribbean. All women from Curaçao with either preterm premature rupture of the membranes or preterm labor, common indications of imminent preterm delivery, and presenting at the Curaçao Medical Center between 15 November 2019 and 31 December 2020, were included in this single cohort study. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 Jun 16;19(12). Epub 2022 Jun 16.

2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-809 Warsaw, Poland.

Placental syndromes include pregnancy loss, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, preterm delivery, premature rupture of membranes, placental abruption and intrauterine fetal demise. This paper discusses the common etiopathogenesis of those syndromes and the role of angiogenic biomarkers in their development. Pregnancy implantation, placental development and maternal adaptation are complex processes in which fetal and maternal cells interact. Read More

Diagnostics (Basel) 2022 Jun 15;12(6). Epub 2022 Jun 15.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of General Medicine, Elias University Hospital, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 011461 Bucharest, Romania.

Background: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) represents the most prevalent genital infection in young women of reproductive age.

Objective: This systematic review aims to estimate the effect of HPV infection during pregnancy and assess the correlation between HPV and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Materials And Methods: The search strategy has been developed based on the PICOS framework: Population (pregnant women infected with HPV), Intervention (HPV infection confirmed by molecular tests), Comparator (pregnant women without HPV infection), Outcomes (adverse pregnancy outcomes) and Study design (observational studies). Read More

Diagnostics (Basel) 2022 May 27;12(6). Epub 2022 May 27.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.

Preterm birth is the principal contributor to neonatal death and morbidity worldwide. We previously described a plasma cell-free RNA panel that between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy had potential to predict spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) ≤ 32 weeks caused by preterm labor (PTL) or preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). The present study had three objectives: estimate the RNA panel prognostic accuracy for PTL/PPROM ≤ 32 weeks in a larger series; improve accuracy by adding clinical characteristics to the predictive model; and examine the association of the RNA panel with preeclampsia. Read More

Open Med (Wars) 2022 31;17(1):1007-1018. Epub 2022 May 31.

Department of Nutrition, Hebei Key Laboratory of Nutrition and Health, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050031, China.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to smog pollution than the general population. This study focused on the association between smog and birth outcomes, considering both pregnant mothers and their offspring. In this retrospective study, conducted in Baoding between 2013 and 2016, we enrolled 842 participants. Read More

Cureus 2022 May 18;14(5):e25096. Epub 2022 May 18.

Internal Medicine, BronxCare Health System, Bronx, USA.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a rare but severe form of thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) that affects both children and adults. The clinical presentation is usually nonspecific, including a broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from abdominal pain, confusion, diarrhea, fatigue, irritability, hypertension, and lethargy. We present a case of a 36-year-old woman with medical comorbidities of asthma and pulmonary embolism who presented to our hospital in the 36th week of her pregnancy for preterm premature rupture of the membranes. Read More

Gynecol Obstet Invest 2022 Jun 22. Epub 2022 Jun 22.

Objectives: to evaluate the possible relationship between cultural specimens and preterm birth in women admitted for threatened preterm labour. Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and antenatal hospitalization: several risk factors including intrauterine infections have been identified but its real causes remain poorly understood.

Design: retrospective, multicentre, cohort study including 250 women admitted for threatened preterm labour. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2022 Jun 20;22(1):562. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 111 Bang Pla, Bang Phli, Samut Prakan, 10540, Thailand.

Background: Intra-amniotic infection has a strong causal association with spontaneous preterm birth and preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM). The most common route of intra-amniotic infection is the ascending pathway in which microorganisms from the vagina gain access to the amniotic cavity. Distant microorganisms such as those from the oral cavity have been reported in intra-amniotic infection through hematogenous spreading. Read More

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022 Jun 20;22(1):503. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892, and Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.

Background: One of every four preterm neonates is born to a woman with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (inflammatory process induced by alarmins); yet, this clinical condition still lacks treatment. Herein, we utilized an established murine model of sterile intra-amniotic inflammation induced by the alarmin high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) to evaluate whether treatment with clarithromycin prevents preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes by dampening maternal and fetal inflammatory responses.

Methods: Pregnant mice were intra-amniotically injected with HMGB1 under ultrasound guidance and treated with clarithromycin or vehicle control, and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were recorded (n = 15 dams each). Read More

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2022 8;2022:4417790. Epub 2022 Jun 8.

Maternity Ward of Jiangsu Hai'an County People's Hospital, No. 17 Zhongba Middle Road, Hai'an City 226600, Jiangsu Province, China.

Objective: To study the effect of nifedipine combined with systematic nursing on pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational hypertension.

Methods: According to the random number table method, 120 patients with gestational hypertension treated in our hospital were divided into the control group (60 cases) and observation group (60 cases). The control group was given magnesium sulfate treatment, the observation group was given magnesium sulfate combined with nifedipine, and the two groups of patients were given systematic nursing. Read More

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2022 May;47(10):2811-2818

Department of Nutrition and Toxicology, School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou 311121, China Center for Uterine Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy Research, the Affiliated Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University Hangzhou 310006, China.

The present study evaluated the effect of Shenqi Jiangtang Granules(SJG) combined with western medicine on the adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM). PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP were searched for clinical randomized controlled trials(RCTs) of SJG combined with western medicine against GDM. The included RCTs were assessed for risks using the assessment criteria recommended by the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. Read More

Breast Cancer Res Treat 2022 Jun 17. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: Guidelines support comparable treatment for women diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy (PrBC) and nonpregnant women with limited case-specific modifications to ensure maternal-fetal safety. Experience during pregnancy with modern agents, such as taxanes or granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (GCSF), is limited.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively identified a multi-institutional cohort of PrBC between 1996 and 2020. Read More

J Pediatr 2022 Jun 14. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA.

Objective: To determine the rate and trend of active treatment in a population-based cohort of 22-25 weeks' gestation infants and to examine factors associated with active treatment.

Study Design: This observational study from 2011 to 2018 of hospitals in the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative evaluated 8247 infants born at 22-25 weeks' gestation. Multivariable logistic regression related maternal demographic and prenatal factors, fetal characteristics, and hospital level of care to the primary outcome of active treatment. Read More

Ital J Pediatr 2022 Jun 16;48(1):101. Epub 2022 Jun 16.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Mother-Infant and Adult Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Policlinico di Modena, Via del Pozzo 71, 41125, Modena, Italy.

Background: Multiple gestations represent a considerable proportion of pregnancies delivering in the late preterm (LP) period. Only 30% of LP twins are due to spontaneous preterm labor and 70% are medically indicated; among this literature described that 16-50% of indicated LP twin deliveries are non-evidence based. As non-evidence-based delivery indications account for iatrogenic morbidity that could be prevented, the objective of our observational study is to investigate first neonatal outcomes of LP twin pregnancies according to gestational age at delivery, chorionicity and delivery indication, then non evidence-based delivery indications. Read More

Am J Perinatol 2022 Jun 16. Epub 2022 Jun 16.

Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, United States.

Objective: Physical exam-indicated cerclage for cervical insufficiency prolongs gestation, but evidence on the addition of adjuncts to further prolong latency is limited. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare gestational latency between those who did and did not receive adjunct antibiotic or tocolytic therapy at the time of exam-indicated cerclage.

Study Design: Electronic databases (1966 to 2020) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCT) and cohort studies comparing adjunct antibiotic or tocolytic use versus non-use at time of exam-indicated cerclage, defined as placement for cervical dilation ≥ 1 cm, in a current singleton pregnancy. Read More

Adv Clin Exp Med 2022 Jun 14. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Department of Hematology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.

Background: Eculizumab is an antibody targeting the C5 complement protein. Clinical trials suggest that eculizumab significantly reduces transfusion requirements and prevents disease complications in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH).

Objectives: To analyze the outcome of pregnancies among Polish women with PNH treated with eculizumab as a part of the Polish National Health Fund program. Read More

Infez Med 2022 1;30(2):247-253. Epub 2022 Jun 1.

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.

Bacterial vaginosis is a condition caused by changes in the vaginal microbial ecosystem and increases the risk of preterm delivery, premature rupture of membranes, endometritis, and weight loss of the baby. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of gonococcal and non-gonococcal genital infections in women referred to clinics in Ilam, Iran. Two swab samples were taken from each patient using a sterile swab, one swab was placed in a THB medium for the culture of and the other in PBS buffer for PCR. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 May 27;19(11). Epub 2022 May 27.

International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China.

Chloramine and chloroform are widespread in tap water due to water disinfection processes. This study was designed to explore the associations between trimester-specific exposure to chloramine and chloroform in tap water and adverse outcomes. This retrospective cohort study included 109,182 mother-infant singleton pairs in Shanghai. Read More

Saudi Med J 2022 Jun;43(6):599-609

From the Department of Neonatology (Zhang, Zhu Y, Zhu L, Chen, Yuan), Children's Hospital of Fudan University, from the Division of Neonatology (Lu), Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital of Fudan University; and from the Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases (Chen), National Health Commission, Shanghai, China.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of preterm birth (PTB) and the risk factors for different gestational age subgroups of preterm birth in China.

Methods: We carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study encompassing all singleton live births (24 to 41 weeks) with completed data in 23 provinces in China from 2010 to 2017 during investigation period. We compared both the preterm group (24 to 36 weeks) and preterm subgroups (<32 weeks, 32 to 33 weeks, and 34 t0 36 weeks) with the term group (37 to 41 weeks). Read More

J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2022 Jun 8. Epub 2022 Jun 8.

Department of Healthcare Administration and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Racial/ethnic disparities are evident in adverse maternal health outcomes, but they are shifting due to interventions, initiatives, changing demographics, and the prevalence of preexisting conditions. This study examined the current racial/ethnic disparities in adverse maternal outcomes. In a cross-sectional study, the International Classification of Diseases-10 codes for the principal diagnosis and secondary diagnoses were retrieved from the National Inpatient Sample database (2016-2018). Read More

Obstet Gynecol 2022 Jun 2;139(6):1027-1042. Epub 2022 May 2.

Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences and the Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas; the Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital Colorado/Colorado Fetal Care Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; the Department of Pediatrics & Bioethics, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York; the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Division of Pediatric, General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery, Department of Surgery, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California; the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California; the Department of Surgery, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence; Rhode Island; the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Clinical Pediatrics, and the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; the Department of Pediatric Surgery, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; the Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; the Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; the Department of Surgery, Centre for Surgical Research, BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; the Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Yale University School of Nursing, Orange, Connecticut; and the Ontario Fetal Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Fetal therapies undertaken to improve fetal outcome or to optimize transition to neonate life often entail some level of maternal, fetal, or neonatal risk. A fetal therapy center needs access to resources to carry out such therapies and to manage maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications that might arise, either related to the therapy per se or as part of the underlying fetal or maternal condition. Accordingly, a fetal therapy center requires a dedicated operational infrastructure and necessary resources to allow for appropriate oversight and monitoring of clinical performance and to facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration between the relevant specialties. Read More

Comput Math Methods Med 2022 27;2022:2617075. Epub 2022 May 27.

Department of Obstetrics, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, 317000 Zhejiang, China.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of phloroglucinol in combination with oxytocin in the induction of labor in women who had experienced term premature rupture of membranes (PROM).

Methods: Data from 100 women who experienced PROM between December 2020 and December 2021 were retrospectively evaluated in this study. The puerperae were categorized into observation and control groups based on their uterine contraction regimens. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol 2022 Jun 2:1-5. Epub 2022 Jun 2.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea.

We compared the mean interleukin-6 (IL-6) level in the amniotic fluid after rupture of membranes during labour at term pregnancy according to the delivery methods through prospective cohort study. Cases with premature rupture of membranes, multifetal pregnancy, and major congenital anomalies were excluded. Amniotic fluid was obtained from vaginal canal immediately after spontaneous rupture of membranes. Read More

Lancet Reg Health Eur 2022 Jul 29;18:100410. Epub 2022 May 29.

Materno-fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department "Femme-Mère-Enfant", University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Background: Pregnant individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at increased risk of severe disease, prematurity, and stillbirth. In March 2021, vaccination for at risk pregnant women was recommended in Switzerland, expanding this to all pregnant women in May 2021. Our aim was to assess the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy. Read More

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022 Jun 1;22(1):459. Epub 2022 Jun 1.

Department of Obstetrics, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.

Background: The association between maternal obesity and preterm birth remains controversial and inconclusive, and the effects of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and preeclampsia (PE) on the relationship between obesity and preterm birth have not been studied. We aimed to clarify the relationship between prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and the phenotypes of preterm birth and evaluate the mediation effects of GDM and PE on the relationship between prepregnancy BMI and preterm birth.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 43,056 women with live singleton births from 2017 through 2019. Read More

Int J Surg Case Rep 2022 Jun 21;95:107234. Epub 2022 May 21.

Department of Surgery, Hospital Carlos Roberto Huembes, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua, Managua, Nicaragua. Electronic address:

Introduction And Importance: The papyraceous fetus is the product of the intrauterine fetal death of a twin in early pregnancy, with retention of the fetus for a minimum of 10 weeks, resulting in mechanical compression of the small fetus. It is a finding that can be found early by ultrasound to avoid increased obstetric risk, but in low- to middle-income countries it is not always available.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 22-year-old multipara patient was remitted to the emergency department due to a one-hour history of premature rupture of the membranes. Read More

Front Pediatr 2022 12;10:820308. Epub 2022 May 12.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.

Background: Stillbirth, which accounts for half of all the perinatal mortality, is not counted on policy, program, and investment agendas around the globe. It has been underestimated public health burden, particularly in developing countries. Ethiopia is among the top countries with a large prevalence of stillbirth in the world. Read More

Medicina (Kaunas) 2022 Apr 29;58(5). Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Grigore T. Popa' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania.

: Minimally invasive procedures, such as double-J ureteric stenting, could be a promising therapeutic alternative to conservative management of obstructive urinary tract pathology. We aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of double-J ureteric stenting in pregnant women with ureterohydronephrosis or urolithiasis, along with their infectious complications, and to assess the pregnancy outcomes of this cohort of patients in comparison with a control group. : This observational retrospective study included 52 pregnant patients who underwent double-J ureteric stenting for urologic disorders in the Urology Department of 'C. Read More