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Hepatol Commun 2022 Jun 24. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

Division of Liver Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.

Prior international studies have shown mixed results regarding the association of hepatitis B and hepatitis C with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We performed an updated evaluation of the prevalence of associated adverse pregnancy outcomes and evaluated trends over time of diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis C (HCV) in pregnant women in a national database. All pregnant women with HBV and HCV were identified from the National Inpatient Sample database 2012 to 2018. Read More

Pharmaceutics 2022 Jun 8;14(6). Epub 2022 Jun 8.

College of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea.

Ritodrine, a β2-adrenergic receptor agonist, is among most commonly prescribed tocolytic agents. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in , and with the risk of ritodrine-induced adverse events (AEs) and develop a risk scoring system to identify high-risk patients. This is the prospective cohort study conducted at the Ewha Woman's University Mokdong Hospital between January 2010 and October 2016. 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

J Clin Med 2022 Jun 8;11(12). Epub 2022 Jun 8.

Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Women and Children's Health, University of Padua, 35100 Padua, Italy.

Objective: we performed a systematic review/meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of septate uterus and hysteroscopic metroplasty on pregnancy rate-(PR), live birth rate-(LBR), spontaneous abortion-(SA) and preterm labor (PL) in infertile/recurrent miscarriage-(RM) patients.

Data Sources: a literature search of relevant papers was conducted using electronic bibliographic databases (Medline, Scopus, Embase, Science direct).

Study Eligibility Criteria: we included in this meta-analysis all types of observational studies that evaluated the clinical impact of the uterine septum and its resection (hysteroscopic metroplasty) on reproductive and obstetrics outcomes. 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

Biomolecules 2022 May 31;12(6). Epub 2022 May 31.

Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.

Nuclear-factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcription factor for the regulation of cellular responses to cellular stress and inflammation, and its expression is significantly lower after spontaneous term labor in human fetal membranes. Pathological induction of inflammation can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, preterm labor, and fetal death. As stretch forces are known to act upon the fetal membranes in utero, we aimed to ascertain the effect of stretch on Nrf2 to increase our understanding of the role of this stimulus on cells of the amnion at term. Read More

Obes Surg 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of General Surgery, Bariatric Surgery Program, Hospital Privado Universitario de Córdoba, Av. Naciones Unidas 346, Córdoba Capital, Argentina.

Purpose: Obesity has an especial implication for women of childbearing age because of a higher risk of adverse outcomes during pregnancy and labor. This report aimed to analyze complications of pregnancy after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) concerning the time after surgery.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive-analytical study was conducted including women of childbearing age who underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG) from 2006 to 2017. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 Jun 23;12(1):10705. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Midwifery, College of Health Science, Metu University, Metu, Ethiopia.

Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal deaths, which accounts for about 31.6% of all neonatal deaths in Ethiopia. Despite its being one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in newborns, its determinants were not investigated according to local context. Read More

In Vivo 2022 Jul-Aug;36(4):1777-1784

Department of Gynecology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.

Background/aim: We investigated the impact of the timing of antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) administration on the clinical outcome of preterm infants.

Patients And Methods: Two hundred and fifty-five preterm infants between 28+0 and 34+0 weeks of gestation were retrospectively assigned to one of two groups: In the first group, ACS was given within 7 days before birth; the second group, did not receive ACS during that period. The primary outcome parameter was respiratory failure (defined by need for continuous positive airway pressure or mechanical ventilation) due to grade 1-4 respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Read More

Surg Technol Int 2022 Jun 23;40. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery Unit of Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto, Porto, Portugal.

This review summarizes the evidence-based recommendations for how to approach and laparoscopically treat adnexal masses during pregnancy. We conducted a comprehensive review of studies related to the laparoscopic management of adnexal masses during pregnancy. Selected studies were independently reviewed by two authors. Read More

Am J Perinatol 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.

Objective:  This study aimed to examine whether severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during pregnancy is associated with increased odds of perinatal complications and viral transmission to the infant.

Study Design:  A retrospective cohort study of women who delivered at Kaiser Permanente Southern California hospitals (April 6, 2020-February 28, 2021) was performed using data extracted from electronic health records (EHRs). During this time polymerize chain reaction (PCR)-based tests for SARS-CoV-2 was universally offered to all pregnant women at labor and delivery admission, as well as earlier in the pregnancy, if they were displaying symptoms consistent with SARS-CoV-2 infection or a possible exposure to the virus. Read More

Acta Clin Croat 2021 Dec;60(4):641-650

1University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad, Serbia; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia; 3Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia; 4Institute of Pulmonary Diseases of Vojvodina, Sremska Kamenica, Serbia.

The study aimed to determine if the non-dipping pattern of blood pressure (BP) influences preterm delivery in gestational hypertension (GH), but also maternal clinical findings and birth weight. Sixty women with GH, i.e. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2022 6;13:831690. Epub 2022 Jun 6.

School of Post-baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.

Tocolytic treatment is beneficial to pregnant women with a risk of premature labor or miscarriage. However, previous reports have shown that progestogen might not be effective and ritodrine may increase the risk of maternal vascular-related diseases. Chinese herbal products (CHP) are used as alternative therapies for pregnant women. Read More

Front Glob Womens Health 2022 6;3:801092. Epub 2022 Jun 6.

Department of Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

Preterm birth is a global epidemic and a leading cause of neonatal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of preterm birth among women attending the labor ward for delivery at a tertiary hospital in Ghana. This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among a cohort of 209 pregnant women admitted to the labor ward of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022 6;13:850126. Epub 2022 Jun 6.

Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproductive outcome of patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) receiving fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

Methods: The reproductive outcome of 81 HH patients and 112 controls who underwent oocyte retrieval was evaluated retrospectively in the Center for Reproductive Medicine of Peking University Third Hospital from 2010 to 2019.

Results: The basic levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), androstenedione (A) and prolactin (PRL) were significantly lower in the HH group than the control group. Read More

Environ Health Perspect 2022 Jun 22;130(6):67006. Epub 2022 Jun 22.

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Background: Developmental exposure to air pollution is associated with diminished cognitive abilities in observational studies, but no randomized controlled trial has examined the effect of reducing air pollution on cognition in children.

Objectives: We sought to quantify the impact of reducing exposure to particulate matter (PM) during pregnancy on children's cognitive performance at 4 y of age.

Methods: In this single-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, we randomly assigned 540 nonsmoking pregnant women (268 intervention and 272 control) to receive 1-2 portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter air cleaners or no air cleaners. Read More

Reprod Sci 2022 Jun 17. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.

The intracellular signaling pathways that regulate myometrial contractions can be targeted by drugs for tocolysis. The agents, 2-APB, glycyl-H-1152, and HC-067047, have been identified as inhibitors of uterine contractility and may have tocolytic potential. However, the contraction-blocking potency of these novel tocolytics was yet to be comprehensively assessed and compared to agents that have seen greater scrutiny, such as the phosphodiesterase inhibitors, aminophylline and rolipram, or the clinically used tocolytics, nifedipine and indomethacin. 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

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022 Jun 20;22(1):501. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Fudan University, 400020, Shanghai, China.

Background: Reproductive tract infections can cause serious adverse outcomes for pregnant women such as spontaneous abortion and preterm birth. However, it is unclear whether maternal reproductive tract infection before pregnancy would also be related to any adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study aims to investigate the association of maternal preconception reproductive tract infections with subsequent adverse pregnancy outcomes. Read More

Int J Circumpolar Health 2022 Dec;81(1):2091214

Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.

Eastern Greenland is one of the most remote areas in the world. Approximately 3,500 people lives in two small towns and five villages. There is limited information on birth outcomes in Eastern Greenland. Read More

Indian J Radiol Imaging 2022 Mar 28;32(1):10-15. Epub 2022 Feb 28.

Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, IMS, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

 The aim of this article was to evaluate uterocervical angle (UCA) and cervical length (CL) measured at 16 to 24 weeks of gestation using transvaginal sonography (TVS) as predictors of spontaneous preterm birth.  In this prospective study, TVS was performed in 159 primigravidas with a singleton, uncomplicated pregnancy at 16 to 24 weeks of gestation to measure the anterior UCA and CL. All the cases were followed until labor to document gestational age at delivery. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022 3;13:889029. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Shandong Provincial Clinical Medicine Research Center for Reproductive Health, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) phenotypes and adverse perinatal outcomes, comparing the characteristics, ovarian response, and assisted reproductive outcomes in patients with various PCOS phenotypes after fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Methods: This study comprised 6,732 patients who underwent the first cycle of IVF/ICSI treatment in our outpatient department from January 2017 to July 2018. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used in PCOS and non-PCOS groups to balance the influence of intergroup confounding factors. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022 2;13:791229. Epub 2022 Jun 2.

Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.

Objective: To identify the influence of different infertility causes and assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment on perinatal outcomes and clarify the relationship between the maternal pathophysiological changes and artificial interventions.

Methods: A total of 1,629 fertile women and 27,112 infertile women with sole infertility causes were prospectively recruited from July 2014 to December 2017, and 9,894 singletons were finally enrolled into the study. Pregnancies with more than one cause of infertility and/or multiple births were excluded. Read More

Transl Psychiatry 2022 Jun 18;12(1):256. Epub 2022 Jun 18.

Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences, Amsterdam UMC (location Vrije University Amsterdam), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The stressful extrauterine environment following premature birth likely has far-reaching and persistent adverse consequences. The effects of early "third-trimester" ex utero stress on large-scale brain networks' covariance patterns may provide a potential avenue to understand how early-life stress following premature birth increases risk or resilience. We evaluated the impact of early-life stress exposure (e. Read More

Vaccine 2022 Jun 15. Epub 2022 Jun 15.

Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of prenatal tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination. This cohort study was conducted among pregnant members at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC). The exposed cohort consisted of women who received Tdap vaccine on or after the 27th week of pregnancy between January 2018 and January 2019. Read More

BMJ Open 2022 Jun 17;12(6):e052043. Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Biostatistics, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Introduction: Infertility is a common complication of endometriosis. While in vitro fertilisation-embryo transfer (IVF) successfully treats endometriosis-associated infertility, there is some evidence that pregnancy rates may be diminished in women seeing fertility treatment for endometriosis-associated infertility compared with other etiologies of infertility. The use of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist prior to IVF has been suggested to improve success, however studies have been small and rarely reported live birth rates. Read More

J Infect Public Health 2022 Jun 13;15(7):746-751. Epub 2022 Jun 13.

EA 3593, Faculty of Medicine, Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Guadeloupe; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne, Rue des flamboyants, BP 6006, 97306 Cedex Cayenne, French Guiana; Parasitology-Mycology, EA 3593, Faculty of Medicine, Université des Antilles et de la Guyane, Guadeloupe.

Background: This study aims to assess the neonatal outcomes related to maternal SARS-COV-2 infection.

Methods: In this study, we identified newborns born between May 14 and August 31, 2020, to mothers who were PCR-SRAS-CoV-2 positive at the time of delivery. From the cohort of 974 infants, we performed a nested case-control study. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 Jun 16;12(1):10148. Epub 2022 Jun 16.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Institute, Ewha Womans University, 1071, Anyangcheon-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 07985, Korea.

Ureaplasma and Prevotella infections are well-known bacteria associated with preterm birth. However, with the development of metagenome sequencing techniques, it has been found that not all Ureaplasma and Prevotella colonizations cause preterm birth. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between Ureaplasma and Prevotella colonization with the induction of preterm birth even in the presence of Lactobacillus. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 Jun 15;12(1):9989. Epub 2022 Jun 15.

Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL, USA.

Existing studies on pregnancy-related outcomes among cancer survivors are limited by sample size or specificity of the cancer type. This study estimated the burden of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes among pregnant cancer survivors using a national database. This study was a retrospective analysis of National Inpatient Sample collected during 2010-2014. Read More