FERN: is it possible to conduct a randomised controlled trial of intervention or expectant management for early-onset selective fetal growth restriction in monochorionic twin pregnancy - protocol for a prospective multicentre mixed-methods feasibility study.

Introduction: Selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR) in monochorionic twin pregnancy, defined as an estimated fetal weight (EFW) of one twin <10th centile and EFW discordance ≥25%, is associated with stillbirth and neurodisability for both twins. The condition poses unique management difficulties: on the one hand, continuation of the pregnancy carries a risk of death of the smaller twin, with a high risk of co-twin demise (40%) or co-twin neurological sequelae (30%). On the other, early delivery to prevent the death of the smaller twin may expose the larger twin to prematurity, with the associated risks of long-term physical, emotional and financial costs from neurodisability, such as cerebral palsy.

Placental vessel segmentation and registration in fetoscopy: Literature review and MICCAI FetReg2021 challenge findings.

Fetoscopy laser photocoagulation is a widely adopted procedure for treating Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). The procedure involves photocoagulation pathological anastomoses to restore a physiological blood exchange among twins. The procedure is particularly challenging, from the surgeon's side, due to the limited field of view, poor manoeuvrability of the fetoscope, poor visibility due to amniotic fluid turbidity, and variability in illumination.

Use of super resolution reconstruction MRI for surgical planning in Placenta accreta spectrum disorder: Case series.

Introduction: Comprehensive imaging using ultrasound and MRI of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) aims to prevent catastrophic haemorrhage and maternal death. Standard MRI of the placenta is limited by between-slice motion which can be mitigated by super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) MRI. We applied SRR in suspected PAS cases to determine its ability to enhance anatomical placental assessment and predict adverse maternal outcome.

A systematic review of brachial plexus injuries after caesarean birth: challenging delivery?

Background: Caesarean section (CS) is widely perceived as protective against obstetric brachial plexus injury (BPI), but few studies acknowledge the factors associated with such injury. The objectives of this study were therefore to aggregate cases of BPI after CS, and to illuminate risk factors for BPI.

Methods: Pubmed Central, EMBASE and MEDLINE databases were searched using free text: ("brachial plexus injury" or "brachial plexus injuries" or "brachial plexus palsy" or "brachial plexus palsies" or "Erb's palsy" or "Erb's palsies" or "brachial plexus birth injury" or "brachial plexus birth palsy") and ("caesarean" or "cesarean" or "Zavanelli" or "cesarian" or "caesarian" or "shoulder dystocia").

The impact of ultrasound-based antenatal screening strategies to detect vasa praevia in the United Kingdom: An exploratory study using decision analytic modelling methods.

The objective of this exploratory modelling study was to estimate the effects of second-trimester, ultrasound-based antenatal detection strategies for vasa praevia (VP) in a hypothetical cohort of pregnant women. For this, a decision-analytic tree model was developed covering four discrete detection pathways/strategies: no screening; screening targeted at women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF); screening targeted at women with low-lying placentas (LLP); screening targeted at women with velamentous cord insertion (VCI) or a bilobed or succenturiate (BL/S) placenta. Main outcome measures were the number of referrals to transvaginal sonography (TVS), diagnosed and undiagnosed cases of VP, overdetected cases of VCI, and VP-associated perinatal mortality.

Magnetic resonance imaging in late pregnancy to improve labour and delivery outcomes - a systematic literature review.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides excellent soft tissue visualisation which may be useful in late pregnancy to predict labour outcome and maternal/neonatal birth trauma.

Objective: To study if MRI in late pregnancy can predict maternal and neonatal outcomes of labour and birth.

Methods: Systematic review of studies that performed MRI in late pregnancy or immediately postpartum.

Foetal loss after chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis in twin pregnancies: A multicentre retrospective cohort study.

Objective: We aimed to determine foetal losses for DCDA and MCDA twins following transabdominal CVS or amniocentesis performed <22+  weeks.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study conducted in the UK and Belgium 01/01/00-01/06/20. Cases with unknown chorionicity, monochorionic complications or complex procedures were excluded.

A push for evidence: An effective training in operative birth.

Effective training in operative birth should be the only type of operative birth that trains the junior obstetricians who are exposed to it. Although it remains difficult to fully characterise, effective training in operative birth is likely to include (i) realistic, local, integrated simulation training and (ii) hands-on senior support for an extended period of time. To further improve skills training in operative birth, an evaluation of the real-world effectiveness of current training should take place, a core outcome set for clinical trials should be developed, and real-time reporting and tracking of practitioner-specific outcome measures should be implemented.

Ursodeoxycholic acid in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: Ursodeoxycholic acid is commonly used to treat intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, yet its largest trial detected minimal benefit for a composite outcome (stillbirth, preterm birth, and neonatal unit admission). We aimed to examine whether ursodeoxycholic acid affects specific adverse perinatal outcomes.

Methods: In this systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Global Health, MIDIRS, and Cochrane without language restrictions for relevant articles published between database inception, and Jan 1, 2020, using search terms referencing intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, ursodeoxycholic acid, and perinatal outcomes.

Monochorionic twins discordant for trisomy 13: A case report, systematic literature search and synthesis of available evidence.

This article presents the tenth reported case of monochorionic twins discordant for trisomy 13. Discordant aneuploidies in monochorionic twins are rare. Aetiologies include mitotic error in early cell division and "rescue" chromosome loss in an initially trisomic zygote.

Velamentous cord insertion: results from a rapid review of incidence, risk factors, adverse outcomes and screening.

Background: Velamentous cord insertion (VCI) is an umbilical cord attachment to the membranes surrounding the placenta instead of the central mass. VCI is strongly associated with vasa praevia (VP), where umbilical vessels lie in close proximity to the internal cervical os. VP leaves the vessels vulnerable to rupture, which can lead to fatal fetal exsanguination.

Fetal surgery for open spina bifida.

Key Content: Spina bifida is a congenital neurological condition with lifelong physical and mental effects.Open fetal repair of the spinal lesion has been shown to improve hindbrain herniation, ventriculoperitoneal shunting, independent mobility and bladder outcomes for the child and, despite an increased risk of prematurity, does not seem to increase the risk of neurodevelopmental impairment.Open fetal surgery is associated with maternal morbidity.

Retrieval and registration of long-range overlapping frames for scalable mosaicking of in vivo fetoscopy.

Purpose: The standard clinical treatment of Twin-to-Twin transfusion syndrome consists in the photo-coagulation of undesired anastomoses located on the placenta which are responsible to a blood transfer between the two twins. While being the standard of care procedure, fetoscopy suffers from a limited field-of-view of the placenta resulting in missed anastomoses. To facilitate the task of the clinician, building a global map of the placenta providing a larger overview of the vascular network is highly desired.

Current and future antenatal management of isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is surgically correctable, yet the poor lung development determines mortality and morbidity. In isolated cases the outcome may be predicted prenatally by medical imaging. Cases with a poor prognosis could be treated before birth.

Quantification of free fetal DNA in multiple pregnancies and relationship with chorionicity.

Objective: Free fetal DNA (ffDNA) in the maternal plasma appears to originate mainly from the trophoblast. We tested the hypothesis that ffDNA concentration is increased in multiple pregnancies where trophoblastic mass has been shown to be increased.

Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the plasma concentration of DYS14 in singleton and twin pregnancies with one or two male fetuses.

Amniotic fluid index in low-risk, post-dates pregnancies.

Objective: To determine normal values for amniotic fluid index (AFI) in uncomplicated post-dates singleton pregnancies and compare it to current reference ranges.

Population: Four hundred and forty-eight women with singleton, uncomplicated pregnancies, presenting for post-dates assessment (gestation 40+0 to 42+0 weeks) between January 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005.

Methods: Ultrasound assessment of liquor to calculate the AFI.

The SAFE project: towards non-invasive prenatal diagnosis.

After the revolutionary detection of ffDNA (free fetal DNA) in maternal circulation by real-time PCR in 1997 and advances in molecular techniques, NIPD (non-invasive prenatal diagnosis) is now a clinical reality. Non-invasive diagnosis using ffDNA has been implemented, allowing the detection of paternally inherited alleles, sex-linked conditions and some single-gene disorders and is a viable indicator of predisposition to certain obstetric complications [e.g.