Nitric Oxide, Oxidative Stress and and Bacterial Loads in Saliva during the Different Stages of Pregnancy: A Longitudinal Study.

Hormonal changes associated with pregnancy promote oral bacterial growth, which may affect salivary nitric oxide (NO) levels, oxidative stress (OS), and antioxidant capacity (AC). We hypothesized that caries-related bacterial load, NO level, and OS in the saliva change with advancing gestation. The aim of this study was to investigate longitudinal changes in salivary NO, OS, and AC during pregnancy and correlate them with () and () colonization at different stages of pregnancy.

Maternal plasma pro-atrial and C-type natriuretic peptide levels and their associations with cardiovascular and renal function in the second half of normal pregnancy: a longitudinal study.

Background: Physiological adaptation in pregnancy is characterized by remodeling of endocrine, cardiovascular and renal functions leading to fluid retention, volume expansion, altered cardiac loading conditions and hyperdynamic circulation. Natriuretic peptides have been used as biomarkers of cardiovascular function, but their associations with gestational age-related changes in maternal cardiac, endothelial and renal function have not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to establish longitudinal reference values for maternal plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (proANP) and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and investigate their temporal association with cardiovascular and renal function in the second half of pregnancy.

Agreement between anatomical M-mode and tissue Doppler imaging in the assessment of fetal atrioventricular annular plane displacement in uncomplicated pregnancies: A prospective longitudinal study.

Aim: To evaluate the level of agreement between M-mode and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler imaging (PW-TDI) techniques in assessing fetal mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and septal annular plane systolic excursion (SAPSE) in a low-risk population.

Methods: This prospective longitudinal study included healthy fetuses assessed from 18 to 40 weeks of gestation. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, MAPSE and SAPSE were measured using anatomical M-mode and PW-TDI.

Maternal cardiac function, uterine artery hemodynamics and natriuretic peptides at 22-24 weeks of gestation and subsequent development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Introduction: Maternal cardiac dysfunction as well as abnormal uterine artery (UtA) Doppler are associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), but their relation is unclear. We investigated the correlation between maternal cardiac function, UtA hemodynamics and natriuretic peptides, and explored differences between women who subsequently developed HDP and those who did not.

Material And Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional cohort study of 347 pregnant women at 22-24 weeks.

Agreement between preload reserve measured by impedance cardiography and echocardiography during pregnancy.

Purpose: Accurate assessment of cardiac function is important during pregnancy. Echocardiography and impedance cardiography (ICG) are commonly used noninvasive methods to measure stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO). The difference in stroke volume (ΔSV) or cardiac output (ΔCO) measured at baseline and after passive leg raising (PLR) is a measure of preload reserve that predicts volume responsiveness.

Longitudinal reference ranges for maternal plasma laeverin, and its role as a potential biomarker of preeclampsia.

Background: Laeverin is a placenta-specific membrane-bound aminopeptidase. In this study we wanted to: 1) serially measure plasma levels of laeverin in healthy women during the second half of pregnancy and postpartum, 2) determine whether laeverin is differently expressed at 22-24 weeks in women who later develop preeclampsia compared to controls, 3) compare laeverin protein expression in placenta and umbilical vein serum in healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies at birth.

Methods: Plasma was obtained serially, approximately every 4-weeks, from 53 healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies during 22 to 39 weeks of gestation, and at 22-24 weeks from 15 women who later developed preeclampsia.

Ovarian reserve in women with a previous history of severe pre-eclampsia.

Purpose: Severe pre-eclampsia affects maternal health with long-term consequences. It is postulated that during the process of implantation and cell differentiation, embryos resulting from the fertilization of ageing oocytes produce malfunctioning trophoectoderm leading to placental dysfunction. Therefore, severe pre-eclampsia may be associated with a decreased ovarian reserve.

Static and Functional Hemodynamic Profiles of Women with Abnormal Uterine Artery Doppler at 22-24 Weeks of Gestation.

Objective: To compare cardiac function, systemic hemodynamics and preload reserve of women with increased (cases) and normal (controls) uterine artery (UtA) pulsatility index (PI) at 22-24 weeks of gestation.

Materials And Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study of 620 pregnant women. UtA blood flow velocities were measured using Doppler ultrasonography, and PI was calculated.

A longitudinal study of maternal endothelial function, inflammatory response and uterine artery blood flow during the second half of pregnancy.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to investigate serial changes in maternal endothelial function, inflammatory response and uterine artery blood flow in normal pregnancy, and to explore their inter-relation.

Material And Methods: In this prospective longitudinal observational study, 53 women with uncomplicated pregnancies were examined at 4-weekly intervals (248 observations) during 22-40 weeks of gestation. Uterine artery blood flow was measured using Doppler ultrasonography.

Maternal functional hemodynamics in the second half of pregnancy: a longitudinal study.

Objective: Cardiovascular response to passive leg raising (PLR) is useful in assessing preload reserve, but it has not been studied longitudinally during pregnancy. We aimed to investigate gestational age associated serial changes in maternal functional hemodynamics and establish longitudinal reference ranges for the second half of pregnancy.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal study on 98 healthy pregnant women who were examined 3-5 times during 20-40 weeks of gestation (a total of 441 observations).

Effect of passive leg raising on systemic hemodynamics of pregnant women: a dynamic assessment of maternal cardiovascular function at 22-24 weeks of gestation.

Objective: To investigate functional hemodynamic response to passive leg raising in healthy pregnant women and compare it with non-pregnant controls.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study with a case-control design. A total of 108 healthy pregnant women at 22-24 weeks of gestation and 54 non-pregnant women were included.

PP079. Ovarian reserve and function is preserved following severe preeclampsia.

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a multi-organ disorder that predominantly affects renal, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems with long-term consequences for the women's health. As advanced age and history of subfertility increase the risk of developing preeclampsia, reduced ovarian reserve may be associated with preeclampsia. However, long-term effect of preeclampsia on the ovarian function and reserve is not known.

PP055. Uric acid correlates with uterine artery vascular resistance, but not with uterine artery pulsatility index.

Introduction: Studies indicate that uric acid is involved in the development of hypertensive diseases of pregnancy, and that uric acid might influence the remodeling of the spiral arteries.

Objective: To investigate the relationship with uric acid and utero-placental hemodynamics in the second half of pregnancy.

Methods: 53 women with uncomplicated pregnancies were examined longitudinally at 4-weekly intervals from 22 to 40 weeks of gestation.

OP001. A longitudinal study of maternal vascular reactivity, circulating endothelial progenitor cells and inflammatory response during the second half of pregnancy.

Introduction: Maternal endothelial dysfunction and inflammation are associated with hypertensive pregnancy disorders.

Objectives: To investigate maternal endothelial function in normal pregnancy using two different methods and explore their association with markers of inflammatory response.

Methods: 53 women with uncomplicated pregnancies were examined at four-weekly intervals during 22-40weeks gestation.

Differences in gene expression between first and third trimester human placenta: a microarray study.

Background: The human placenta is a rapidly developing organ that undergoes structural and functional changes throughout the pregnancy. Our objectives were to investigate the differences in global gene expression profile, the expression of imprinted genes and the effect of smoking in first and third trimester normal human placentas.

Materials And Methods: Placental samples were collected from 21 women with uncomplicated pregnancies delivered at term and 16 healthy women undergoing termination of pregnancy at 9-12 weeks gestation.

Placental gene expression profile in intrauterine growth restriction due to placental insufficiency.

We evaluated global placental gene expression in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR; n = 8) compared to normal pregnancies (n = 8) and studied possible additional effect of preeclampsia. Placental samples were collected from IUGR pregnancies due to placental insufficiency ascertained by hemodynamic studies. Four IUGR pregnancies were associated with preeclampsia.