Toxoplasmosis, Parvovirus, and Cytomegalovirus in Pregnancy.

There are several infections in adults that warrant special consideration in pregnant women given the potential fetal consequences. Among these are toxoplasmosis, parvovirus B19, and cytomegalovirus. These infections have an important impact on the developing fetus, depending on the timing of infection.

Ultrasound evaluation of the postpartum endometrial cavity.

Objective: To establish normal ultrasonographic findings for the postpartum uterus.

Study Design: We performed a prospective cohort study on women delivering during the study period. Ultrasounds were performed abdominally within 48 hours of delivery.

Fetal growth restriction: risk factors for unplanned primary cesarean delivery.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors before or during labor to predict primary cesarean delivery for non-reassuring fetal heart tracing in cases of fetal growth restriction (FGR) undergoing a trial of labor.

Study Design: We reviewed charts of all patients with singleton, non-anomalous fetuses found to have FGR and delivered from January 2008 to December 2012. Characteristics of patients delivered by cesarean were compared to those who had delivered vaginally.

Efficacy of the genetic sonogram in a stepwise sequential protocol for down syndrome screening.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the genetic sonogram in Down syndrome screening for women who have received the stepwise sequential test.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included women with singleton pregnancies who underwent stepwise sequential (first-trimester combined and second-trimester serum) screening and then had a genetic sonogram between March 2005 and January 2010. Stepwise sequential Down syndrome risks were multiplied by either a positive or negative likelihood ratio based on the second-trimester sonographic findings to determine the final Down syndrome risk.

Nuchal translucency and cardiac abnormalities in euploid singleton pregnancies.

Objective: To investigate different cut-off levels of nuchal translucency (NT) to predict abnormal cardiac findings (ACF) in second trimester ultrasound examination and confirmed postnatal congenital heart defects (CHD) in euploid pregnancies.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on singleton pregnancies examined in our ultrasound units from 2006 to 2011. Fetuses with an abnormal karyotype were excluded.

Use of oral hypoglycemic and insulin agents in pregnant patients.

Although insulin remains the standard medication for the treatment of all types of patients with diabetes during pregnancy, oral hypoglycemics may be considered as alternative medications in the treatment of some types of diabetes in pregnancy.

Increased neonatal morbidity despite pulmonary maturity for deliveries occurring before 39 weeks.

Objective: To compare neonatal outcomes following deliveries <39 weeks after confirmation of fetal lung maturity with scheduled deliveries ≥39 weeks.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study examining neonatal outcomes of women who were delivered following documented fetal pulmonary maturity at 36, 37, and 38 weeks compared to women undergoing a scheduled delivery at 39, 40, and 41 weeks. The χ(2)-test and Student's t-test were used to compare categorical and continuous data, respectively.

Full-term neonatal intenstive care unit admission in an urban community hospital: the role of respiratory morbidity.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of respiratory morbidity among full-term neonatal intenstive care unit (NICU) admissions and identify risk factors for such admissions.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of NICU admissions between 1/06 and 12/08. We included neonates between 37 and 40 weeks with a diagnosis of transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), pneumonia, pneumothorax, and meconium aspiration syndrome.

Toxoplasmosis, parvovirus, and cytomegalovirus in pregnancy.

Several infections in adults warrant special consideration in pregnant women given the potential fetal consequences. Among these are toxoplasmosis, parvovirus B19, and cytomegalovirus. These infections have an important effect on the developing fetus depending on the timing of infection.

Identifying relative cut-off scores with neural networks for interpretation of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire.

Background: Quality of life (QoL) is an important end point in heart failure (HF) studies. The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire (MLHFQ) is the instrument most widely used to evaluate QoL in Heart Failure (HF) patients. It is a questionnaire containing 21 questions with scores ranging from 0 to 105.

Prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus in an inner-city population with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance.

Objective: To compare the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) in patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) cytology in an inner-city clinic and a private office population to determine if HPV screening is useful in either group before colposcopy.

Methods: After an institutional review board approval at Hartford Hospital, we reviewed the charts of patients with ASCUS cytology and high-risk HPV DNA who were seen at the Community Health Services, Inc. in Hartford, CT (clinic patients), between January 1, 2000, and July 1, 2004, and at a private practice site in Hartford, CT (private patients), between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2004.

Betamethasone vs dexamethasone for the prevention of morbidity in very-low-birthweight neonates.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare neonatal outcomes in very-low-birthweight infants who were exposed to antenatal betamethasone vs dexamethasone.

Study Design: We reviewed all inborn very-low-birthweight infants from January 1997 through February 2006. Maternal medical records were reviewed to determine the type of antenatal steroids that each patient received; neonatal outcomes were compared using chi-square and Student t tests.

Resident education and training in urogynecology and pelvic reconstructive surgery: a survey.

The aim of the study is to assess satisfaction with urogynecology education among obstetrics and gynecology residents. An Internet-based survey was designed to obtain a cross-sectional sample of third- and fourth-year residents. Didactic and surgical training as well as perceived surgical competency were assessed.

A randomized comparison of two regimens of misoprostol for second-trimester pregnancy termination.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and side effects of two different misoprostol regimens for second-trimester pregnancy termination.

Study Design: We performed a randomized clinical trial in patients who were at 14 to 23 weeks of gestation and who were admitted for medical termination of pregnancy. All patients received 800 microg of vaginal misoprostol and were assigned randomly to 400 microg of oral misoprostol or 400 microg of vaginal misoprostol every 8 hours.