The pregnancy outcome in women with incidental diagnosis of septate uterus at first trimester scan.

Background: Septate uterus seems to be strongly associated with an adverse pregnancy outcome. However, the possible relationship between septate uterus and miscarriage has only been retrospectively ascertained. The aim of our study was to describe the reproductive outcome in women with incidental diagnosis of malformed uterus at first trimester scan.

Normal morphometry of fetal posterior fossa at midtrimester: brainstem-tentorium angle and brainstem-vermis angle.

Objective: To standardize the evaluation of normal tentorium insertion and normal rotation of the cerebellar vermis over the brainstem, using two novel measurements: the brainstem-tentorium angle (BT angle) and the brainstem-vermis angle (BV angle). We also aimed to test the reproducibility of these measurements.

Methods: Prospective observational study including normal fetuses at routine anomaly scan with confirmed normal follow-up.

Three-dimensional ultrasound is an accurate and reproducible technique for fetal crown-rump length measurement.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy and reproducibility of fetal crown-rump length (CRL) measurement using three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS).

Methods: We included a series of women with singleton pregnancy at 6-13 + 6 weeks. Following CRL measurement by the two-dimensional ultrasound (2DUS), a 3DUS volume was acquired.

Brainstem-vermis and brainstem-tentorium angles allow accurate categorization of fetal upward rotation of cerebellar vermis.

Objective: To evaluate the role of the brainstem-vermis (BV) and brainstem-tentorium (BT) angles in the differential diagnosis of upward rotation of the fetal cerebellar vermis.

Methods: The BV and BT angles were measured retrospectively on median sonographic views of the brain in 31 fetuses at 19-28 weeks' gestation with upward rotation of the cerebellar vermis due to Blake's pouch cyst (n = 12), Dandy-Walker malformation (n = 12) and cerebellar vermian hypoplasia (n = 7). Eighty normal fetuses at 20-24 weeks were included as controls.

Intrapartum sonography for fetal head asynclitism and transverse position: sonographic signs and comparison of diagnostic performance between transvaginal and digital examination.

Objective: The primary goal of this study was to determine the ultrasonographic signs of asynclitic and transverse head positioning. In addition, we compared the performance of intrapartum ultrasound to vaginal digital examination.

Material & Methods: 150 women were evaluated by 2D transabdominal and translabial ultrasound (US) to detect the asynclitic and deep transverse positions.

Prenatal diagnosis and outcome of fetal posterior fossa fluid collections.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of fetal imaging in differentiating between diagnoses involving posterior fossa fluid collections and to investigate the postnatal outcome of affected infants.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of fetuses with posterior fossa fluid collections, carried out between 2001 and 2010 in two referral centers for prenatal diagnosis. All fetuses underwent multiplanar neurosonography.

Prenatal and postnatal imaging of multiple intracranial lipomas: report of a case.

Objectives: To report the antenatal pictures of a fetus with multiple intracranial lipomas.

Methods: A 36-year-old primigravida, 33 weeks of gestation, was referred to our ultrasound laboratory due to sonographic suspicion of an intracranial hemorrhage.

Results: At 2D and 3D ultrasound imaging, three separated round-shaped hyperechoic intracranial masses compatible with multiple lipomas were documented.

Intrapartum sonography head transverse and asynclitic diagnosis with and without epidural analgesia initiated early during the first stage of labor.

Purpose: To investigate if early epidural analgesia can influence fetal head engagement into the pelvis and if it can increase the rate of transverse and asynclitic position during labour.

Materials And Methods: 195 women with combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSE) or without neuraxial analgesia were studied. CSE was performed using a mixture of ropivacaine 0.

Three-dimensional sonograph of a monochorionic diamniotic triplet pregnancy.

A monochorionic diamniotic triplet pregnancy was diagnosed by sonographic scan at 9 weeks of gestation. The three embryos appeared to share the same trophoblast, with two of them sharing the same amniotic sac. The two amniotic sacs were divided by a thin membrane, with no chorionic projection within it, and each amniotic sac presented a single yolk sac.

Intrapartum sonographic imaging of fetal head asynclitism.

Anterior asynclitism was suspected on digital examination of a laboring woman with late arrest of dilatation and no evidence of fetal head progression. Clinical examination revealed a fixed non-engaged fetal head (station −1), with a transverse posterior sagittal suture. A static three-dimensional volume was obtained by translabial ultrasound, offline analysis of which confirmed the clinical diagnosis of anterior asynclitism.

Increased uterine artery pulsatility index at 34 weeks and outcome of pregnancy.

Objectives: To evaluate pregnancy outcome in patients with increased uterine artery (UtA) pulsatility at 34 weeks' gestation as an isolated finding.

Methods: Normotensive women attending at 34 weeks' gestation for fetal growth assessment were enrolled in the study if fetal growth was appropriate for age and mean UtA pulsatility index (PI) was persistently above the 95(th) centile for gestational age. Patients were excluded with any of the following conditions: multiple pregnancy, sonographic suspicion of fetal anomaly or fetal growth restriction, history of chronic maternal disease, hypertensive disorder or diabetes in the current pregnancy or one or more adverse events in their past obstetric history.

Should the myometrial free margin still be considered a limiting factor for hysteroscopic resection of submucous fibroids? A possible answer to an old question.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of the hysteroscopic resection of type II submucous fibroids regardless of the myometrial free margin separating them from the serosa and to report the dynamic changes the margin undergoes after the various phases of resection.

Design: A prospective observational study.

Setting: A tertiary-level university hospital.

Maternal cardiac function in normal twin pregnancy: a longitudinal study.

Objective: To investigate maternal cardiac function in a cohort of uncomplicated twin gestations assessed longitudinally.

Methods: Women with twin pregnancies were enrolled prospectively and underwent serial maternal echocardiography at 20-23 weeks, 26-29 weeks and 30-33 weeks of gestation. Patients were excluded if any of these complications occurred after recruitment: delivery < 34 weeks; pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension; small-for-gestational age neonates (birth weight of one or both twins < 5(th) centile for gestational age).

Congenital cystic eye: from prenatal diagnosis to therapeutic management and surgical treatment.

Only 28 cases of congenital cystic eye have been reported in the literature. The main issue in such cases is differential diagnosis between this malformation and different cystic malformations and masses of the orbital cavity and eyeball, the most common of which is microphthalmia with cyst. Both malformations arise from incomplete closure of the fetal optic vesicle in different stages of embryonic development.

Maternal cardiac function in complicated twin pregnancy: a longitudinal study.

Objective: To evaluate longitudinally a cohort of twin pregnancies and to assess whether the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcome may be related to specific maternal cardiac findings.

Methods: Women with twin pregnancies were enrolled prospectively and underwent serial maternal echocardiography at 20-23 weeks, 26-29 weeks and 30-33 weeks of gestation. Patients were excluded if delivery took place prior to 34 weeks.

Accuracy of fetal gender determination in the first trimester using three-dimensional ultrasound.

Objectives: To evaluate the accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound in fetal gender assignment in the first trimester.

Methods: A series of pregnant women attending at 11 to 13 + 6 weeks for the nuchal translucency (NT) scan were enrolled into the study. An ultrasound volume of each fetus was obtained and stored for offline analysis.

Unilaterally increased uterine artery resistance, placental location and pregnancy outcome.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome of pregnancies with second trimester unilaterally increased uterine artery resistance.

Study Design: Between January 2007 and December 2009 all low-risk patients with unilateral increase of uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) but normal mean pulsatility at 20-22 weeks of gestation were included in the study group. Among these, cases with central placenta (group A) were distinguished from those with lateral placenta (group B).

Three-dimensional ultrasound in monitoring progression of labor: a reproducibility study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of measurements, obtained from stored ultrasound volumes, related to fetal head progression in the birth canal.

Methods: From January to September 2009, serial ultrasound volumes were obtained from women in labor, stored and separately evaluated by two different operators using the SonoVCAD™ labor software. Volumes were aligned using the pubic bone and the urethra as references.

Mode of delivery in the preterm gestation and maternal and neonatal outcome.

Objective: To determine if the mode of delivery in preterm gestations is associated with changes in maternal and neonatal outcome.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study that included all singleton deliveries occurring after spontaneous onset of labour between 25+0 and 32+6 weeks of gestation. Cases of early preterm delivery were identified from clinical records and classified according to the mode of delivery.

Persistence of increased uterine artery resistance in the third trimester and pregnancy outcome.

Objective: To evaluate whether the persistence of abnormal findings in the third trimester following increased uterine artery (UtA) resistance in the second trimester is related to adverse pregnancy outcome.

Methods: Low-risk nulliparous women with increased UtA mean pulsatility index (PI) at 20-22 weeks underwent repeat Doppler interrogation at 26-28 weeks and were divided into two groups: those with persistently abnormal Doppler and those with normalized UtA findings. Pregnancy outcome was noted for all patients and compared with that of 104 controls.