Whole genome sequencing identifies etiology of recurrent male intrauterine fetal death.

Objective: To identify the underlying genetic cause for recurrent intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) of males.

Methods: Whole genome sequencing was performed on DNA from five healthy obligatory carrier females and an unaffected male offspring of a multigenerational pedigree with recurrent second-trimester IUFD of males (n = 19). When documented, all deaths occurred at ≤20 weeks of gestation.

Spiritual needs of couples facing pregnancy termination because of fetal anomalies.

The spiritual needs of couples (9 mothers and 5 fathers) who were planning to terminate wanted second trimester pregnancies because of serious fetal anomalies were surveyed. Their greatest needs were for a "guidance from a higher power" and for "someone to pray for them." Unlike other reported groups of patients, they did not want or expect their healthcare team to discuss their faith, or to pray with them.

Religiosity is an important part of coping with grief in pregnancy after a traumatic second trimester loss.

Women (n = 15) who were pregnant after a traumatic late pregnancy loss (termination because of fetal death or serious anomalies) completed psychometric screening tests and scales, including the Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS), the Impact of Event Scale (IES), the Duke Depression Inventory (DDI), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD), and the Hoge Scale for Intrinsic Religiosity (IR). Despite a mean elapsed time since the prior loss of 27 (range, 7-47) months, half (7/15, 47%) of the combined groups had high levels of grief on the PGS. Multiple positive scores on psychometric tests were frequent: Sixty percent (9/15) had high scores on the PGS Active Grief subscale or on the IES.

Religious beliefs affect grieving after pregnancy loss.

Religious beliefs and practices may aid in coping with bereavement and grief after pregnancy loss. Data from 103 women enrolled in the original Lehigh Valley Perinatal Loss Project, and who were followed-up for at least 1 year, were evaluated for the impact of initial religious practices and beliefs on the course and severity of grief. Religious practices corresponding to standard scales of religiosity and agreement with specific beliefs were rated by the women on a Likert scale of 1-5.

Placental pathology and antiphospholipid antibodies: a descriptive study.

We described placental pathology in antiphospholipid antibody (APL) syndrome, APL and no history of recurrent pregnancy loss, and in treated and untreated pregnancies of APL syndrome. Thirty-nine pregnancies of 28 patients were studied: 23 placentas delivered from 23 women with APL (13 with APL syndrome and 10 with serological APL); 8 untreated miscarriages before APL diagnosis from 6 of the 13 patients with APL syndrome and 1 of 10 with serological APL; and 8 miscarriages by 5 additional women before APL syndrome diagnosis. Histopathology was reviewed by a pathologist blinded except to gestational age.