Vaginal Sensors.

The development and market emergence of vaginal sensors have begun to demonstrate their impact on women's healthcare. Until recently, in limited cases, these sensors have exhibited their capabilities in diagnosing and monitoring disorders of the vaginal tract during different stages of women's lives. This Perspective is a compilation of what has been accomplished so far in the landscape of vaginal sensors.

What women want if they were to have another baby: the Australian Birth Experience Study (BESt) cross-sectional national survey.

Objectives: To explore if Australian women would do anything differently if they were to have another baby.

Design And Setting: The Birth Experience Study (BESt) online survey explored pregnancy, birth and postnatal experiences for women who had given birth during 2016-2021 in Australia.

Participants: In 2021, 8804 women responded to the BESt survey and 6101 responses to the open text responses to the survey question 'Would you do anything different if you were to have another baby?' were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Relationship between Diet Quality and Maternal Stool Microbiota in the MUMS Australian Pregnancy Cohort.

Dietary intake during pregnancy may influence the antenatal microbiome, which is proposed to impact maternal and infant health during the pregnancy and beyond. The aim of this sub-study was to examine associations between dietary intake and microbiota diversity during pregnancy using whole metagenomic sequencing and examine associations in low-risk versus high-risk pregnancies, as well as complicated versus uncomplicated pregnancies. Pregnancy data were analysed from women participating in the MUMS cohort study in Sydney, Australia (women followed from trimester 1 of pregnancy to 1-year postpartum), who had dietary intake data at either trimester 1 or 3, assessed using the Australian Eating Survey, and a matched stool sample ( = 86).

Corrigendum: The P4 Study: Postpartum Maternal and Infant Faecal Microbiome 6 Months After Hypertensive Versus Normotensive Pregnancy.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.

The P4 Study: Postpartum Maternal and Infant Faecal Microbiome 6 Months After Hypertensive Versus Normotensive Pregnancy.

Objective/hypothesis: To explore potential differences in faecal microbiome between women, and their infants, who had normotensive pregnancies (NP) and those who had a hypertensive pregnancy (HP), either gestational hypertension (GH) or preeclampsia (PE).

Methods: This is a sub study of P4 (Postpartum Physiology, Psychology, and Paediatrics Study) and includes 18 mother-infant pairs: 10 NP and 8 HP (HP as defined by blood pressure > 140/90mmHg; of which 6 had PE, and 2 GH), six months postpartum. The participating mothers collected stool samples from themselves and their infants.

J-Edited DIffusional Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Measurement of Glycoprotein and Supramolecular Phospholipid Biomarkers of Inflammation in Human Serum.

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) -acetyl signals (Glyc) from glycoproteins and supramolecular phospholipids composite peak (SPC) from phospholipid quaternary nitrogen methyls in subcompartments of lipoprotein particles) can give important systemic metabolic information, but their absolute quantification is compromised by overlap with interfering resonances from lipoprotein lipids themselves. We present a J-Edited DIffusional (JEDI) proton NMR spectroscopic approach to selectively augment signals from the inflammatory marker peaks Glyc and SPCs in blood serum NMR spectra, which enables direct integration of peaks associated with molecules found in specific compartments. We explore a range of pulse sequences that allow editing based on peak J-modulation, translational diffusion, and relaxation time and validate them for untreated blood serum samples from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients ( = 116) as well as samples from healthy controls and pregnant women with physiological inflammation and hyperlipidemia ( = 631).

Reproducibility of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Pregnancy and the Association of Body Composition with the Risk of Gestational Diabetes: A Substudy of MUMS Cohort.

Introduction: Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a rapid and noninvasive method of body composition analysis; however, reproducibility between BIA instruments in pregnancy is uncertain. Adverse maternal body composition has been linked to pregnancy complications including gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study aimed to evaluate the reproducibility of three BIA instruments in pregnancy and analyse the relationship between the body composition and the GDM risk.

Microbiome Understanding in Maternity Study (MUMS), an Australian prospective longitudinal cohort study of maternal and infant microbiota: study protocol.

Introduction: Pregnancy induces significant physiological and cardiometabolic changes, and is associated with alterations in the maternal microbiota. Increasing rates of prepregnancy obesity, metabolic abnormalities and reduced physical activity, all impact negatively on the microbiota causing an imbalance between the commensal microorganisms (termed dysbiosis), which may drive complications, such as gestational diabetes or hypertensive disorders. Considerable work is needed to define the inter-relationships between the microbiome, nutrition, physical activity and pregnancy outcomes.

Cost-effectiveness of term induction of labour using inpatient prostaglandin gel versus outpatient Foley catheter.

Objective: Evaluating cost-effectiveness of induction of labour (IOL) using outpatient mechanical cervical ripening using a Foley catheter (OFC) compared to inpatient chemical ripening using prostin gel (IPG).

Study Design: Cost-effectiveness analysis from a hospital perspective alongside a RCT. Women in a metropolitan Australian maternity hospital with an unfavourable cervix requiring IOL at term were randomised to IPG (n = 51) or OFC (n = 50).

GnRH agonist triggers and their use in assisted reproductive technology: the past, the present and the future.

Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist triggers are very effective in eliminating early-onset ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). However, in most studies they result in inferior pregnancy rates compared to hCG triggers in fresh autologous transfers. This is not due to an effect on embryo quality but rather due to inadequate corpus luteum formation and a defective luteal phase causing poor implantation.

The ethics of obtaining consent in labour for research.

Background:   It is widely acknowledged that the pregnant population is a vulnerable and potentially disadvantaged one with regard to research. We sought to evaluate compliance with this concept by examining current Australian practices of obtaining consent for research during labour through the published literature and from Australian Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) as well as reviewing the relevant literature.

Methods:   We surveyed Australian HRECs requesting information about their opinions and/or practices surrounding the ethics of research consent during labour or birth.