Ultrasonographic placental parameters at 11-13+6 weeks' gestation in the prediction of complications in pregnancy after assisted reproductive technology.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of maternal factors, biophysical and biochemical markers at 11-13 + 6 weeks' gestation in the prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus with or without large for gestational age (GDM ± LGA) fetus and great obstetrical syndromes (GOS) among singleton pregnancy following in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)/embryo transfer (ET).

Materials And Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted between December 2017 and January 2020 including patients who underwent IVF/ET. Maternal mean arterial pressure (MAP), ultrasound markers including placental volume, vascularisation index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularisation flow index (VFI), mean uterine artery pulsatility index (mUtPI) and biochemical markers including placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) were measured at 11-13 + 6 weeks' gestation.

Prediction of labour outcomes using prelabour computerised cardiotocogram and maternal and fetal Doppler indices: A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate the association and the potential value of prelabour fetal heart rate short-term variability (STV) determined by computerised cardiotocography (cCTG) and maternal and fetal Doppler in predicting labour outcomes.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: The Prince of Wales Hospital, a tertiary maternity unit, in Hong Kong SAR.

The Use of Somatex Shunt for Fetal Pleural Effusion: A Cohort of 8 Procedures.

Introduction: Fetal pleural effusion may require in utero shunting which is associated with procedure-related complications.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and complications of the newly designed Somatex shunt in treating fetal pleural effusion.

Methods: Consecutive cases with primary fetal pleural effusion who were treated with the Somatex shunt between 2018 and 2019 were evaluated.

Genome-wide detection of cytosine methylation by single molecule real-time sequencing.

5-Methylcytosine (5mC) is an important type of epigenetic modification. Bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) has limitations, such as severe DNA degradation. Using single molecule real-time sequencing, we developed a methodology to directly examine 5mC.

Comparison of uterine artery Doppler measurements at 6 weeks of pregnancy after IVF between pregnancies that resulted in miscarriage and ongoing pregnancies.

Objective: To compare uterine artery pulsatility index (UTPI) at 6 weeks of pregnancy following in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) between clinical pregnancies that resulted in a miscarriage and those that were ongoing beyond 12 weeks.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in an IVF unit at Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, between December 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019. UTPI was measured at 6 weeks of pregnancy among women who conceived following IVF/ET.

Detection and characterization of jagged ends of double-stranded DNA in plasma.

Cell-free DNA in plasma has been used for noninvasive prenatal testing and cancer liquid biopsy. The physical properties of cell-free DNA fragments in plasma, such as fragment sizes and ends, have attracted much recent interest, leading to the emerging field of cell-free DNA fragmentomics. However, one aspect of plasma DNA fragmentomics as to whether double-stranded plasma molecules might carry single-stranded ends, termed a jagged end in this study, remains underexplored.

Monochorionic twins with selective fetal growth restriction: insight from placental whole-transcriptome analysis.

Background: The underlying pathomechanism in placenta-related selective fetal growth restriction in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy is not known.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate any differences in placental transcriptomic profile between the selectively growth-restricted twins and the normally grown cotwins in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies.

Study Design: This was a prospective study of monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies complicated by selective fetal growth restriction.

Placental microRNA dataset of monochorionic twin pregnancies with and without selective fetal growth restriction.

To compare the whole genomic microRNA (miRNA) between the selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR) twin and the normally growing (control) co-twin in monochorionic (MC) twin pregnancies. MC twin pregnancies with or without sFGR were recruited, and their placental miRNAs were profiled by microarray. The ratio of the placental miRNA of the sFGR twin to that of the normally larger co-twin were calculated and compared to that of the control twin pairs.

Whole genome miRNA profiling revealed miR-199a as potential placental pathogenesis of selective fetal growth restriction in monochorionic twin pregnancies.

Introduction: Placental-related mechanism of fetal growth restriction (FGR) is still unknown. Here we aimed to profile whole-genome miRNA between selective FGR twin (sFGR-T) and normally larger co-twin (sL-T) in monochorionic (MC) twin pregnancies and to further investigate effect of the miRNA on placental pathogenesis, including angiogenesis and mitochondrial functions.

Methods: MC twin pregnancies with or without sFGR were recruited, and their placental miRNAs were profiled (n = 3 vs 5).

Inter-manufacturer comparison of automated immunoassays for the measurement of soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase-1 and placental growth factor.

Objective: To assess inter-manufacturer automated immunoassays for soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF).

Methods: sFlt-1 and PlGF levels were measured using the AutoDelfia PlGF1-2-3 (PerkinElmer Inc. Turku, Finland), BRAHMS Kryptor sFlt-1, PlGF plus and PlGF-2 (BRAHMS ThermoFisher, Germany) and Cobas e411 Elecsys® sFlt-1 and PLGF (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) in 965 asymptomatic pregnancies between 20 and 39 weeks of gestation and in in-vitro samples with predefined levels of glycosylated PlGF isomers (1, 2 and 3), sFlt-1 in human male serum.

Reproductive outcomes after surgical treatment of asherman syndrome: A systematic review.

In this systematic review, we analysed the reproductive outcomes of hysteroscopic adhesiolysis in women with Asherman syndrome (AS). We searched PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library (from database inception to April 2018) and selected studies that quantitatively described the reproductive outcomes. We assessed study quality and pooled rate data for each outcome.

Impact of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy on obstetrical practice.

Purpose Of Review: To provide updated information on preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), focusing on its implications on prenatal diagnostic approaches after transferal of mosaic aneuploid embryos.

Recent Findings: PGT-A is a technology to screen for chromosome aneuploidy or major chromosome structural rearrangement in embryos before implantation using different cytogenetic analyses. PGT-A has been shown to reduce the negative effect of increasing maternal age on in-vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes.

Body mass index at 11-13 weeks' gestation and pregnancy complications in a Southern Chinese population: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Materials And Methods: A multicentre retrospective cohort study was conducted in three hospitals in Hong Kong including 67,248 women with singleton pregnancy at 11-13 weeks between 2010 and 2016. The relationship between maternal BMI and (1) miscarriage or stillbirth, (2) development of preeclampsia (PE), (3) gestational hypertension (GH), (4) development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), (5) spontaneous preterm delivery (sPTD) <34 and <37 weeks, (6) delivery of a small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA) neonate, (7) caesarean section (CS), and (8) postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) were examined after adjusting for confounding factors.

Protocol for measurement of mean arterial pressure at 10-40weeks' gestation.

The study aimed to identify the simplest protocol for the measurement of mean arterial pressure (MAP) across 10-40weeks' gestation. 2726 women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancy attending for their routine hospital visit between 10 and 40weeks' gestation were recruited prospectively. The blood pressure (BP) was measured according to the National Heart Foundation of Australia (NHFA) protocol using automated devices.

Integrative single-cell and cell-free plasma RNA transcriptomics elucidates placental cellular dynamics.

The human placenta is a dynamic and heterogeneous organ critical in the establishment of the fetomaternal interface and the maintenance of gestational well-being. It is also the major source of cell-free fetal nucleic acids in the maternal circulation. Placental dysfunction contributes to significant complications, such as preeclampsia, a potentially lethal hypertensive disorder during pregnancy.

Prediction of labor outcome using serial transperineal ultrasound in the first stage of labor.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of predicting labor outcome using serial transperineal ultrasound (TPU) in the early active phase of labor.

Methods: This is a single center prospective observational study in a tertiary obstetrics unit in Hong Kong. Nulliparous women carrying singleton pregnancy at the onset of active phase of labor were recruited.

Contingent Screening for Small by Weight for Gestational Age Neonates.

Effective screening for small for gestational age neonates (SGA), in the absence of preeclampsia, can be accomplished using a contingent screening method. The basis for the contingent model is a combined assessment at 19-24 weeks gestation to stratify patients according to their risk. We can then identify prenatally over 90% of SGA neonates for a false positive rate of 10%.

The use of ultrasound and other markers for early detection of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystem disorder of pregnancy classically characterized with the onset of hypertension after 20 weeks gestation in the presence of proteinuria. PE typically affects 2-8% of pregnancies and is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. This article reviews the most effective biomarkers used in first trimester screening for PE.