A Wireless and Wearable Multimodal Sensor to Non-Invasively Monitor Transabdominal Placental Oxygen Saturation and Maternal Physiological Signals.

Poor placental development and placental defects can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and stillbirth. This study introduces two sensors, which use a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique to measure placental oxygen saturation transabdominally. The first one, an NIRS sensor, is a wearable device consisting of multiple NIRS channels.

Investigating the origin of the fetal gut and placenta microbiome in twins.

Objective: It is widely accepted that the microbiota is critical for human well-being; however, the origin of microbiota in the newborn is not well understood. In this study, we hypothesized that within a maternal-twin dyad (MTD) the meconium microbiome will be similar to the placenta microbiome and the meconium microbiome of within MTD will be similar to one another.

Methods: Prospectively, meconium (proxy for fetal gut), placenta and maternal buccal, skin, vaginal, stool samples were collected from a cohort of MTDs at time of delivery hospitalization.

Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Cataract: Sonographic Features and Perinatal Outcome in 41 Cases.

Purpose:  To describe the prenatal ultrasonographic characteristics and perinatal outcomes of congenital cataract.

Materials And Methods:  We analyzed congenital cataract diagnosed prenatally at four referral centers between August 2004 and February 2019. The diagnosis was confirmed by postnatal ophthalmologic evaluation of liveborn infants or autopsy for terminated cases.

Fetal Open and Closed Spina Bifida on a Routine Scan at 11 Weeks to 13 Weeks 6 Days.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the sensitivity of a first-trimester routine scan in detecting spina bifida (SB) and evaluating the first-trimester intracranial signs.

Methods: This retrospective study was a review of a prospectively collected database. All cases of SB diagnosed in a tertiary center from 2008 to 2015 were identified.

Congenital abnormalities of the aortic arch: revisiting the 1964 Stewart classification.

The traditional classification of congenital aortic arch abnormalities was described by James Stewart and colleagues in 1964. Since that time, advances in diagnostic imaging technology have led to better delineation of the vasculature anatomy and the identification of previously unrecognized and unclassified anomalies. In this manuscript, we review the existing literature and propose a series of modifications to the original Stewart classification of congenital aortic arch abnormalities to incorporate this new knowledge.

Progesterone Inhibits Apoptosis in Fetal Membranes by Altering Expression of Both Pro- and Antiapoptotic Proteins.

Objective: Progesterone supplementation prevents preterm birth (PTB) in some high-risk women, but its mechanism of action is unknown. One-third of PTB is associated with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROMs). We have previously shown that progesterone inhibits basal and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) α-induced apoptosis in an explant model of human fetal membranes.

Etiology and Perinatal Outcome of Nonimmune Hydrops Fetalis in Southern China.

 This study aims to analyze the etiology and perinatal outcome of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) in Southern China.  All cases with NIHF diagnosed antenatally from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2014 were identified and analyzed.  Total 482 cases of NIHF were identified during the study period.

Monochorionic-Triamniotic Triplet Pregnancy Complicated by Twin Reversed Arterial Perfusion Sequence: Case Report and Literature Review.

 Monochorionic-triamniotic pregnancies are rare and fraught with complications.  A case of monochorionic-triamniotic triplet pregnancy complicated by twin reversed arterial perfusion (TRAP) sequence is presented. The patient declined termination or selective fetal reduction.

Ultrasonographic Characteristics of Cortical Sulcus Development in the Human Fetus between 18 and 41 Weeks of Gestation.

Background: Fetal brain development is a complicated process that continues throughout pregnancy. Fetal sulcus development has typical morphological features. Assessment of fetal sulcus development to understand the cortical maturation and development by prenatal ultrasound has become widespread.

Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratios during Labor: A Prospective Observational Study.

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of urine protein/creatinine ratio (uPCR) measurements among healthy parturients at term we performed a prospective cohort study at a community teaching hospital.

Methods: Serial urine samples were collected. Ninety-three women contributed 284 urine samples.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphyloccocus aureus intracranial Epidural Abscess with Osteomyelitis During Pregnancy: A Case Report.

Background: The incidence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is increasing, and 0.5-4% of pregnant women are colonized.

Case: A 30-year-old pregnant woman at term presented with intractable headache 1 week after incision and drainage of a MRSA-positive axillary abscess.

First-Trimester Echocardiographic Features and Perinatal Outcomes in Fetuses With Congenital Absence of the Aortic Valve.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the echocardiographic features and perinatal outcomes of congenital absence of the aortic valve diagnosed by first-trimester echocardiography.

Methods: This retrospective study assessed the feasibility of first-trimester echocardiography in detecting absence of the aortic valve. All cases of absence of the aortic valve diagnosed by first-trimester fetal echocardiography from January 2010 to December 2014 were identified at a single referral center using an established perinatal database.

Routine screening for fetal limb abnormalities in the first trimester.

Objective: We aim to determine the accuracy of first-trimester ultrasonography in detecting fetal limb abnormalities.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of all women undergoing fetal nuchal translucency (NT) assessment and detailed fetal anatomic survey in the first trimester at a single tertiary-care referral center in China. Fetal anatomy scans were repeated in the second trimester.

The role of doppler waveforms in the fetal main pulmonary artery in the prediction of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Objective: To describe changes in the Doppler waveforms of the fetal main pulmonary artery (MPA) throughout gestation and to assess their predictive value of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

Study Design: In the first phase of this study, we performed Doppler measurement of MPA acceleration time (AT), ejection time (ET), peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, mean velocity, pulsatility index, and resistance index in 288 healthy fetuses. In the second phase, we carried out these measurements in a prospective cohort of 52 pregnant women with impending preterm birth.

Prenatal diagnosis of unilateral pulmonary dysplasia.

Pulmonary hypoplasia is a rare congenital disorder; most cases occur in association with other congenital abnormalities, including congenital diaphragmatic hernia, oligohydramnios, and/or skeletal deformities. The authors report a case of unilateral pulmonary hypoplasia diagnosed prenatally and confirmed at autopsy.

Prenatal diagnosis of diastematomyelia: a case report and review of the literature.

Diastematomyelia is a rare congenital disorder in which the spinal cord is divided longitudinally for part of its length. It can be accurately identified in the prenatal period by detailed sonographic examination of the spine. We report a case of diastematomyelia localized to spinal levels T6-T9 diagnosed prenatally at 31 weeks' gestation and review the existing literature on the diagnosis and management of this condition during pregnancy.

Intra-amniotic infection upregulates neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) expression at the maternal-fetal interface at term: implications for infection-related preterm birth.

Objective: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a ubiquitous lipocalin that serves as a critical component of innate immunity and a transport shuttle for numerous substances (retinoids, arachidonic acid, prostaglandins, fatty acids, steroids, iron, and MMPs). Despite the well-documented association between intra-amniotic infection/inflammation (IAI) and preterm birth, NGAL expression in the uterus has not previously been examined. This study investigates NGAL expression at the maternal-fetal interface in vivo and in vitro.

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital vascular rings and slings: sonographic features and perinatal outcome in 81 consecutive cases.

Objective: To describe the sonographic features and perinatal outcome of congenital vascular rings diagnosed prenatally at a single tertiary care institution.

Methods: All cases of congenital vascular rings diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound between July 2005 and December 2009 were identified at a single referral center using an established perinatal database. The diagnosis was confirmed by postnatal echocardiography for live-born infants or autopsy for terminated cases.

Spontaneous rupture of the spleen: a rare but serious case of acute abdominal pain in pregnancy.

Background: Spontaneous (non-traumatic) rupture of the spleen rarely occurs in the setting of a normal spleen, especially during pregnancy.

Objectives: We report a case of spontaneous rupture of a normal spleen at 33.7 weeks gestation and review the literature with the aim of exploring the etiology, diagnosis, and management of this condition during pregnancy.

Progesterone inhibits basal and TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in fetal membranes: a novel mechanism to explain progesterone-mediated prevention of preterm birth.

Objective: Progesterone supplementation prevents preterm birth (PTB) in some high-risk women, but its mechanism of action is not known. One third of PTB is associated with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). We hypothesize that progesterone may block proinflammatory cytokine-induced apoptosis of fetal membrane, thereby preventing PPROM and PTB.

Intra-amniotic infection upregulates decidual cell vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and neuropilin-1 and -2 expression: implications for infection-related preterm birth.

Intra-amniotic infection/inflammation (IAI) is a major cause of preterm birth, but the mechanisms responsible are not well understood. This study investigates the effects of IAI on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as well as VEGF receptor (Flt1, KDR2) and coreceptor (neuropilin-1 and -2) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression at the maternal-fetal interface, both in vitro and in vivo. Decidual stromal cells (DSCs) were isolated from term placentae, purified, and treated with 10(-8) mol/L estradiol (E(2)), 10( -7) mol/L medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), both, or vehicle for 7 days.

Fetal renal artery impedance as assessed by Doppler ultrasound in pregnancies complicated by intraamniotic inflammation and preterm birth.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the fetal renal artery impedance in the context of inflammation-associated preterm birth.

Study Design: We conducted a prospective Doppler assessment of the fetal renal artery impedance in 70 singleton fetuses. The study group consisted of 56 premature fetuses (median, 28.