The AKT1-FOXO4 axis reciprocally regulates hemochorial placentation.

Hemochorial placentation involves the differentiation of invasive trophoblast cells, specialized cells that possess the capacity to exit the placenta and invade into the uterus where they restructure the vasculature. Invasive trophoblast cells arise from a well-defined compartment within the placenta, referred to as the junctional zone in rat and the extravillous trophoblast cell column in human. In this study, we investigated roles for AKT1, a serine/threonine kinase, in placental development using a genome-edited/loss-of-function rat model.

The cerebroplacental ratio and prediction of fetal growth restriction in twin pregnancies.

Objectives: The cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) represents the relationship between blood flow in the placenta and blood flow in the fetal brain. A low CPR in the third trimester has been associated with poor perinatal outcomes in both singleton and twin gestations. This study aimed to evaluate whether low CPR defined or high CPR discordance at 20-24 weeks in twin pregnancies is associated with an increased risk of fetal growth restriction (FGR) in the third trimester.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Urine Drug Screening on Labor and Delivery.

Introduction: This study evaluates racial and ethnic differences in urine drug screening and patient consent to urine drug screening at a single tertiary care center.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all deliveries at a single tertiary care center from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019. Medical records were queried for demographic data, performance of urine drug screening, commonly used diagnoses that prompted screening, documentation of patient consent, and result of screen.

Second trimester cerebroplacental ratio versus umbilicocerebral ratio for the prediction of adverse perinatal outcomes.

Introduction: An abnormal third trimester cerebroplacental ratio has been previously associated with adverse perinatal outcome. The less studied inverse of the cerebroplacental ratio, the umbilicocerebral ratio, has been proposed as a better predictor of adverse perinatal outcome. However, little is known about the implication of either an abnormal cerebroplacental ratio or umbilicocerebral ratio in the second trimester.

Left ventricular assist device in pregnancy: Case report and review of the literature.

Left ventricular assist devices have emerged as a safe and effective therapy for end-stage heart failure patients. However, little is known about the safety of these devices during pregnancy. We describe a 23-year-old woman who received a left ventricular device for nonischemic cardiomyopathy of uncertain origin.

Eculizumab Maintenance and the Prevention of Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Relapse During Pregnancy: A Case Report.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome is a thrombotic microangiopathy that can cause life-threatening anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. When triggered during pregnancy or the acute postpartum period, the disease is referred to as pregnancy-associated atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (P-aHUS). Women who suffer P-aHUS may later want to consider future pregnancy.