Successful management of pregnancy-associated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura by monitoring ADAMTS13 activity.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) during pregnancy is very rare and is caused by an absent or severely depleted ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin-like and metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif, 13). A 37-year-old multigravida woman developed TTP with severe anemia and thrombocytopenia at 22 weeks' gestation. ADAMTS13 activity was markedly decreased to 3% and ADAMTS13 inhibitor was positive, leading to a definitive diagnosis of TTP.

Maternal risk factors for small-for-gestational age newborns in Japanese dichorionic twins.

Aim: To investigate the maternal risk factors for small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns in Japanese dichorionic (DC) twins.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from 2003 to 2008 on 340 DC twin pregnancies resulting in two live births. Newborns were classified as SGA if their birth weight was below the 10th percentile according to Japanese singleton norms.

Clinical significance of singleton pregnancies complicated by placental abruption associated with histological chorioamnionitis.

The aim of this study was to determine the perinatal outcomes of placental abruption associated with the presence of histological chorioamnionitis. We reviewed the obstetric records of 96 singleton deliveries complicated by placental abruption after 22 weeks' gestation. Of these 96 cases, 37 cases (39%) were diagnosed as having histological chorioamnionitis in the placenta.

Increased rate of elective cesarean delivery and neonatal respiratory disorders in twin pregnancies.

We examined whether the incidence of neonatal respiratory disorders has increased with the increased rate of elective cesarean delivery in twin pregnancies. We reviewed the obstetric records of 292 twin deliveries with vertex presentation of the first twin after 37 weeks' gestation at our hospital from 2000 through 2008. The study period was divided into 3 parts as follows: period 1: 2000 through 2002 (n=76); period 2: 2003 through 2005 (n=104); and period 3: 2006 through 2008 (n=112).

Ptyalism gravidarum.

Context: Ptyalism gravidarum is of unknown origin and is usually defined as an excessive secretion of saliva, common in women with nausea and vomiting who might have difficulty in swallowing their saliva.

Case Report: We present here 2 cases complicated by ptyalism gravidarum during all trimesters of pregnancy. In one case, ptyalism recovered spontaneously at 35-36 weeks' gestation, and in the other case, it recovered after delivery.

Developmental transition of EEG spectra to alpha band in a sample of children with developmental disabilities.

Developmental transition of EEG spectra to alpha band of 14 children with developmental disabilities (from 7 yr. and 3 mo. to 16 yr.