Abnormal uterine bleeding: The well-known and the hidden face.

Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a bleeding from the uterine corpus that is abnormal in regularity, volume, frequency or duration. It encompasses heavy menstrual bleeding, irregular menstrual bleeding and intermenstrual bleeding, which are common symptoms among women of reproductive age, impacting their overall well-being. Menstruation involves interactions between endometrial epithelial and stromal cells, immune cell influx, and changes in endometrial vasculature.

Potential urinary biomarkers in preeclampsia: a narrative review.

Introduction: Preeclampsia (PE) is a highly relevant pregnancy-related disorder. An early and accurate diagnosis is crucial to prevent major maternal and neonatal complications and mortality. Due to the association of kidney dysfunction with the pathophysiology of the disease, urine samples have the potential to provide biomarkers for PE prediction, being minimally invasive and easy to perform.

Assisted Reproductive Technology in the Presence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Current Evidence and Knowledge Gaps.

Objective: In this narrative review, we discuss the current evidence as well as the knowledge gaps concerning assisted reproductive technology (ART) indications, protocols, and results in the presence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: An electronic literature search was performed for English-language publications in the last decade in databases such as PubMed, Medline, the Web of Sciences, Embase, and Scopus.

Results: We found evidence that ovarian steroidogenesis and folliculogenesis are deeply altered by PCOS; however, the oocyte quality and pregnancy rates after ART are not affected.

Comparison between Protocols for Management of Fetal Growth Restriction.

This comprehensive review compares clinical protocols of important entities regarding the management of fetal growth restriction (FGR), published since 2015. Five protocols were chosen for data extraction. There were no relevant differences regarding the diagnosis and classification of FGR between the protocols.

Tubular and glomerular biomarkers of renal tissue function in the urine of fetuses with posterior urethral valves.

Introduction: Posterior urethral valve (PUV) is a congenital malformation characterized by a membranous structure located in the prostatic portion of the male posterior urethra that obstructs the urinary flow. Efforts have been made to determine the degree of impairment of fetal kidney function in this condition.

Objective: This study aimed to measure the levels of urinary biomarkers of glomerular and tubular functions in fetuses with PUV and to compare with the levels of the same molecules in healthy male premature newborns.

Renin-angiotensin system in normal pregnancy and in preeclampsia: A comprehensive review.

The activation of the Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) is required during pregnancy and it seems that RAS dysfunction has some important effects on pathological pregnancy conditions, including preeclampsia (PE). The objective of this review is to summarize and to discuss the role of the RAS in normal pregnancy and in PE. We found evidence that the RAS is important for the evolution of pregnancy under physiological conditions and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of PE.

Neuropsychomotor development in children born preterm at 6 and 12 months of corrected gestational age.

Objective: To assess the incidence of neuropsychomotor developmental delay at 6 and 12 months of corrected gestational age in children born at 32 gestational weeks or less.

Methods: A descriptive and prospective study was carried out at two public maternity hospitals. Between April 2017 and January 2019, we assessed 133 children without any known risk factors for neuropsychomotor developmental delay.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Placental Pathology.

Placental pathophysiology in SARS-CoV-2 infection can help researchers understand more about the infection and its impact on the maternal/neonatal outcomes. This brief review provides an overview about some aspects of the placental pathology in SARS-CoV-2 infection. In total, 11 papers were included.

Is SARS-CoV-2 Vertically Transmitted?

At the end of 2019, in Wuhan (China), the onset of a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was observed. The disease, named COVID-19, has a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, ranging from asymptomatic or mild to critical, and for some patients the disease is even fatal. Apparently, being a child or being pregnant does not represent an additional risk for adverse outcomes.