Preventive home therapy for symptomatic patients affected by COVID-19 and followed by teleconsultations.

In this paper we present our experience on the treatment at home of Covid+ symptomatic patients. One hundred and eighty-two subjects (111 men and 71 women) aged from 32 to 71 years have been consecutively followed at home in telemedicine from 1 September to 24 December 2020. We were informed almost twice daily in morning and evening about body temperature, symptoms (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle of body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea), oxygen saturation measured by digital pulse oximetry and blood pressure.

[Routine health statistics are unknown].

Caesarean section is a topic of particular attention and interest both for woman and newborn health, and for its economic implications. Unfortunately, there is inadequate information arising from Certificates of Attendance at Birth and Nosological Cards Discharge Hospital, in order to enable possible measures for reducing the excess of caesarean section as an alternative method to vaginal delivery. Moreover, the existing current health surveys do not distinguish properly between the various reasons of performing caesarean section, and do not provide a correct and exhaustive framework of the collateral aspects of this practice and the dramatic consequences which may result from maneuvers, such as manual fundal pressures, performed during delivery.

An inflatable ergonomic 3-chamber fundal pressure belt to assist vaginal delivery.

Objective: To evaluate whether Baby-guard-a new medical device with an ergonomic 3-chamber inflatable abdominal belt-can reduce complications associated with vaginal delivery.

Methods: A randomized controlled single-blind prospective study of 80 pregnant women delivering at term was conducted at San Giuseppe Hospital, Empoli, Italy. In the study group (n=40), the abdominal belt was inflated to optimal therapeutic pressures.

Role of ultrasound evaluation of nuchal translucency in prenatal diagnosis.

Background: Nuchal translucency (NT) is the ultrasonographic pattern of the accumulation of subcutaneous fluid (> or = 3 mm) behind the fetal neck. The measurement of NT thickness by ultrasound examination at 11-14 weeks of gestation has been associated with maternal age and to be an effective screening tool for trisomy 21; with an invasive method rate of 5%, about 75% of trisomical pregnancies can be identified. With the association of some biochemical markers like maternal serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) to ultrasonography at 11-14 weeks, it is possible to identify about 90% of chromosomal abnormalities.