Pregnancy in women with a cardiomyopathy: Outcomes and predictors from a retrospective cohort.

Background: Pregnancies in women with pre-existing cardiomyopathies are considered at high risk for complications. However, few data are available to characterize their natural history and predict the outcome.

Aims: Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence and predictors of acute cardiac and obstetric events in women with a cardiomyopathy during pregnancy, excluding peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Is a therapeutic anticoagulation window needed for delivery when using prophylactic low molecular weight heparin during pregnancy? A retrospective monocentric study.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of therapeutic window for delivery for patients under prophylactic anticoagulation by low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) by comparing those who had a planned delivery versus those who delivered spontaneously.

Study Design: This retrospective monocentric study included pregnant patients with prophylactic anticoagulation (one injection per day of enoxaparin 4000UI), who delivered after 24 weeks of gestation. We collected data on pregnancy characteristics and on the delivery.

Multidisciplinary care allowing uneventful vaginal delivery in a woman with Pompe disease.

Pregnancy and delivery are challenging in women affected by Pompe disease with respiratory involvement. We describe a 28-year-old woman, who continued to receive enzyme replacement therapy during pregnancy and had an uneventful vaginal birth. Before pregnancy the patient's vital capacity was 52% in sitting position and 51% in supine position.

Reversible Severe Eosinophilic Endomyocardial Fibrosis During Pregnancy: A Case Report.

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a condition of unknown origin characterized by clinical manifestations attributable to eosinophilia and eosinophilic infiltration of tissues. Cardiac involvement is rare and threatening accounting for 33% to 43% of death in HES. Management of pregnant patients with HES is challenging and have rarely been reported, particularly in the setting of heart failure.

Behçet's disease and pregnancy.

Objective: To describe the interplay between Behçet's disease (BD) and pregnancy.

Methods: This retrospective study included 76 pregnancies in 46 patients fulfilling the international criteria for BD. The median age of the patients at the time of entry into the study was 28.

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome and pregnancy: an experience of 13 cases.

Objective: Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a life-threatening disease caused by the onset of rapidly progressive and widespread small-vessel thromboses in the presence of aPLs. The aim of this study was to examine pregnancy-related CAPS.

Methods: Retrospective series of 13 patients with pregnancy-related CAPS with special focus on the follow-up.

Prenatal ultrasound screening: false positive soft markers may alter maternal representations and mother-infant interaction.

Background: In up to 5% of pregnancies, ultrasound screening detects a "soft marker" (SM) that places the foetus at risk for a severe abnormality. In most cases, prenatal diagnostic work-up rules out a severe defect. We aimed to study the effects of false positive SM on maternal emotional status, maternal representations of the infant, and mother-infant interaction.

Impact of antiphospholipid biology in maternal Down syndrome screening.

Objective: Women with antiphospholipid (aPL) biology present obstetric complications. The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) serum levels of these patients are higher than in general population. Because AFP is involved in the calculation of the risk of trisomy 21 (T21), we studied the effect of AFP variations in the presence of aPL during T21 screening.

Detection of HIV-1 RNA in seminal plasma samples from treated patients with undetectable HIV-1 RNA in blood plasma.

Five percent of 145 HIV-1 infected men enrolled in an assisted reproductive technology (ART) program harbored detectable HIV-1 RNA in semen, although they had no other sexually transmitted disease and their blood viral load was undetectable for at least 6 months under antiretroviral treatment. This result justifies measuring HIV-1 RNA in semen before the ART process and suggests that a residual risk of transmission has to be mentioned to the patients who would like to have unprotected sexual intercourse.

Importance of planning ovulation induction therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome: a single center retrospective study of 21 cases and 114 cycles.

Objective: To analyze the results and complications of ovulation induction therapy (OIT) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and/or the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods: A retrospective study of 21 women followed in a single tertiary-referral French center who underwent 114 OIT cycles with or without in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVFET).

Results: Before OIT, SLE was present in 6 women, APS in 3, SLE-related APS in 3, and discoid lupus in 1.