Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Egyptian patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Background Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy can cause severe maternal and fetal acute morbidity and mortality. Women with pre-eclampsia have been found to have alterations in calcium and vitamin D metabolism. There are conflicting results regarding the role of vitamin D deficiency in the development of pre-eclampsia.

Fetal heart examination at the time of 13 weeks scan: a 5 years' prospective study.

Objective To evaluate our ability in classifying the fetal heart as normal or abnormal during the 1st trimester scan through fetal cardiac examination and determining the best time for this examination. Methods This was a prospective study performed on 3240 pregnant women to examine the fetal heart. Four chambers view and ventricular outflow tracts were mainly examined during the scan.

Fetal magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been increasingly adopted in obstetrics practice in the past three decades. MRI aids prenatal ultrasound and improves diagnostic accuracy for selected maternal and fetal conditions. However, it should be considered only when high-quality ultrasound cannot provide certain information that affects the counseling, prenatal intervention, pregnancy course, and delivery plan.

Controversial ultrasound findings in mid trimester pregnancy. Evidence based approach.

Mid trimester fetal anatomy scan is a fundamental part of routine antenatal care. Some U/S soft markers or controversial U/S signs are seen during the scan and create some confusion regarding their relation to fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Example of these signs: echogenic focus in the heart, echogenic bowel, renal pyelectasis, ventriculomegaly, polydactely, club foot, choroid plexus cyst, single umbilical artery.

Ultrasound in Africa: what can really be done?

Today we are living in a globalized world in which information on what is happening in one part of the world is easily communicated to other parts of the world. This happens thanks to advancement in science and technology. One area where technology has made the greatest impact is heath care provision.

3D/4D sonography - any safety problem.

Gray-scale image data are processed in 3D ultrasound by repeated scans of multiple planes within a few seconds to achieve one surface rendering image and three perpendicular plane images. The 4D image is achieved by repeating 3D images in short intervals, i.e.

Is intrauterine surgery justified? Report from the working group on ultrasound in obstetrics of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine (WAPM).

Fetal surgery involves a large number of heterogeneous interventions that vary from simple and settled procedures to very sophisticated or still-in-development approaches. The overarching goal of fetal interventions is clear: to improve the health of children by intervening before birth to correct or treat prenatally diagnosed abnormalities. This article provides an overview of fetal interventions, ethical approaches in fetal surgery, and benefits obtained from antenatal surgeries.

Early administration of low-dose aspirin for the prevention of preterm and term preeclampsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To compare the effect of early administration of aspirin on the risk of preterm and term preeclampsia.

Method: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were performed. Women who were randomized to low-dose aspirin or placebo/no treatment at or before 16 weeks of gestation were included.

Usefulness of aspirin therapy in high-risk pregnant women with abnormal uterine artery Doppler ultrasound at 14-16 weeks pregnancy: randomized controlled clinical trial.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of low-dose aspirin in the prevention of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in high-risk pregnant women with abnormal findings at uterine artery Doppler velocimetry performed at 14-16 weeks.

Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial.

Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

Middle cerebral/umbilical artery resistance index ratio as sensitive parameter for fetal well-being and neonatal outcome in patients with preeclampsia: case-control study.

Aim: To evaluate the accuracy of middle cerebral/umbilical artery resistance index (C/U RI) ratio in predicting acidemia and low Apgar score at 5 minutes after birth in the infants of women with preeclampsia.

Methods: This prospective case-control study performed at Kasr El Aini University Hospital included 50 pregnant women with preeclampsia with or without intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Thirty women with uneventful pregnancies, matched for age, parity, and gestational age, served as controls.