Probiotics in the Prophylaxis of Premature Rupture of Membranes and Cervical Incompetence.

Unlabelled: Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and cervical incompetence (CI) are major contributors to preterm birth, a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Background/objectives: Disorders of the vaginal microbiota, such as bacterial vaginosis, have been associated with an increased risk of PROM, CI, and subsequent preterm birth. Probiotics, particularly Lactobacillus strains, have been proposed as a preventive strategy to restore and maintain a healthy vaginal microbiome.

Confirmation of Heart Malformations in Fetuses in the First Trimester Using Three-Dimensional Histologic Autopsy.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of histology slides to confirm congenital heart disease (CHD) detected by first-trimester fetal cardiac ultrasonography. Conventional autopsy is hindered by the small size of the first-trimester fetal heart, and current CHD confirmation studies employ the use of highly specialized and expensive methods.

Technique: An extended first-trimester ultrasound examination protocol was used to diagnose fetal heart anomalies.

Educational Potential of Three-Dimensional Volumes Based on Seriate Histological Slices of First Trimester Fetal Hearts.

The advantages of earlier diagnosis give the family more time to adjust to the fetal cardiac and related extracardiac diagnoses and to make informed pregnancy decisions. If a severe fetal CHD is detected in the first trimester and pregnancy termination is selected, the intervention may have a lower risk for the mother's physical and mental health. Training medical staff is a crucial part of implementing obstetric ultrasonography services well, since effective patient care depends on their ability to use the equipment skillfully and interpret results properly.

Postmortem Evaluation of First Trimester Fetal Heart.

Due to rapid technology advancement and increasing diagnostic expertise, fetal medicine is rapidly improving. Prenatal diagnostic advancements made it possible to identify structural abnormalities in fetuses as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. However, to validate the echocardiographic diagnosis that led to the pregnancy termination, the termination of pregnancy owing to severe fetal deformities should be audited in accordance with a correct anatomic diagnosis.