Metabolic theory of preeclampsia: implications for maternal cardiovascular health.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystemic disorder of pregnancy that not only causes perinatal mortality and morbidity but also has a long-term toll on the maternal and fetal cardiovascular system. Women diagnosed with PE are at greater risk for the subsequent development of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, cerebral edema, seizures, and end-stage renal disease. Although PE is considered heterogeneous, inefficient extravillous trophoblast (EVT) migration leading to deficient spiral artery remodeling and increased uteroplacental vascular resistance is the likely initiation of the disease.

Prenatal Infection by Respiratory Viruses Is Associated with Immunoinflammatory Responses in the Fetus.

Respiratory viral infections can be transmitted from pregnant women to their offspring, but frequency, mechanisms, and postnatal outcomes remain unclear. The aims of this prospective cohort study were to compare the frequencies of transplacental transmission of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), analyze the concentrations of inflammatory mediators in maternal and fetal blood, and assess clinical consequences. We recruited pregnant women who developed upper respiratory infections or tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Towards Transabdominal Functional Photoacoustic Imaging of the Placenta: Improvement in Imaging Depth Through Optimization of Light Delivery.

Functional photoacoustic imaging of the placenta could provide an innovative tool to diagnose preeclampsia, monitor fetal growth restriction, and determine the developmental impacts of gestational diabetes. However, transabdominal photoacoustic imaging is limited in imaging depth due to the tissue's scattering and absorption of light. The aim of this paper was to investigate the impact of geometry and wavelength on transabdominal light delivery.