Comparison between trans-vaginal and trans-abdominal ultrasound examination of the cervix in the second trimester of pregnancy: a prospective study.

Objectives: To compare transvaginal (TV) and trans-abdominal (TA) ultrasound assessment of cervical length (CL) at the time of the second-trimester scan for fetal anomalies.

Methods: This was a prospective study including consecutive pregnant women attending the low-risk ultrasound clinic of two fetal medicine centres in Italy. The inclusion criteria were women between 19 + 0 and 22 + 0 weeks of gestation, attending the prenatal ultrasound clinic for the routine second trimester screening for fetal anomalies.

Prevalence and burden of nausea and vomiting in pregnant women: Interim analysis of the PURITY survey.

Objectives: Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is a common and invalidating condition in early pregnancy. However, no data are available on its prevalence in Italy. This survey aims to evaluate the prevalence and impact of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy on the quality of life of Italian women.

Extracellular vesicles during the three trimesters of pregnancy.

Objectives: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived particles released during different pathophysiological processes and emerging as relevant players in inter-cellular crosstalk. Previous studies have highlighted the role of EVs as potential biomarkers for several pregnancy complications, including miscarriage, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. Despite that, the actual distribution of EVs through gestation has not been reported yet.

Whole exome sequencing in fetuses with isolated increased nuchal translucency: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To estimate the incremental yield of detecting pathogenic or likely pathogenic diagnostic genetic variants (DGV) by whole exome sequencing (WES) over standard karyotype and chromosomal microarray (CMA) analyses in fetuses with isolated increased nuchal translucency (NT) and normal fetal anatomy at the time of 11-14 weeks scan.

Materials And Methods: Medline and Embase databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were fetuses with NT >95 percentile, normal karyotype and CMA and no associated structural anomalies at the time of the 11-14 weeks scan.

A systematic review and critical evaluation of quality of clinical practice guidelines on fetal growth restriction.

Introduction: To systematically identify and critically assess the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on management fetal growth restriction (FGR).

Content: Medline, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus and ISI Web of Science databases were searched to identify all relevant CPGs on FGR.

Summary: Diagnostic criteria of FGR, recommended growth charts, recommendation for detailed anatomical assessment and invasive testing, frequency of fetal growth scans, fetal monitoring, hospital admission, drugs administrations, timing at delivery, induction of labor, postnatal assessment and placental histopathological were assessed.

Placenta accreta spectrum disorders clinical practice guidelines: A systematic review.

Objectives: To objectively assess the quality of the published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on the management of pregnancies complicated by placenta accreta spectrum (PAS)disorders.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases were searched. The following aspects related to the management of pregnancies with suspected PAS disorders were evaluated: risk factors for PAS, prenatal diagnosis, role of interventional radiology and ureteral stenting, and optimal surgical management.

Extracellular Vesicles in pregnancy: Their potential role as a liquid biopsy.

Objective: Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived particles released during different pathophysiological processes, circulating in many body fluids and mediating the inter-cellular crosstalk. We have analyzed, for the first time, different EV phenotypes and concentrations in the peripheral blood of uncomplicated pregnant women.

Study Design: In this prospective case-control study, uncomplicated singleton pregnant women at term (N = 59) and aged matched non-pregnant women (N = 21) were enrolled.

The Obesogenic Environment: Epigenetic Modifications in Placental Melanocortin 4 Receptor Gene Connected to Gestational Diabetes and Smoking.

Background: Maternal metabolic insults as well as Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) influence the fetal health and may affect 'offspring's susceptibility to chronic diseases epigenetic modifications. GDM, the most common metabolic disorder in pregnancy, can be considered the result of complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. A critical point in this view is the identification of genes which are epigenetically modified under the influence of GDM.

Reproductive and pregnancy outcomes of fertility-sparing treatments for early-stage endometrial cancer or atypical hyperplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To report the pregnancy outcomes of women with prior endometrial cancer and endometrial hyperplasia managed with fertility-sparing treatments.

Methods: Medline and Embase databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were studies reporting the pregnancy outcomes of women who had undergone fertility-sparing treatments for endometrial hyperplasia or early endometrioid endometrial cancer.

Systematic review and critical evaluation of quality of clinical practice guidelines on the management of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy.

Objective: To systematically identify and critically assess the quality of clinical practice guidelines for the management of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy.

Data Sources: Medline, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases were searched until February 15, 2022.

Study Eligibility Criteria: Inclusion criteria were clinical practice guidelines on the management of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy.

Methodological Quality of Fetal Brain Structure Charts for Screening Examination and Targeted Neurosonography: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Several fetal brain charts have been published in the literature and are commonly used in the daily clinical practice. However, the methodological quality of these charts has not been critically appraised.

Material And Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Web of Science databases were searched electronically up to December 31, 2020.

Role of lactoferrin in preventing preterm birth and pregnancy complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The aim of this systematic review was to report the role of lactoferrin supplementation for the prevention of preterm birth (PTB) in women at risk.

Evidence Acquisition: PubMed and Embase databases were searched. Inclusion criteria were studies exploring maternal and perinatal outcomes in women at high-risk for preterm birth receiving compared to those not receiving lactoferrin during pregnancy.

Assessment of pericallosal artery at 11-14 weeks of gestation: Cohort study and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To report the rate of visualization of the pericallosal artery (PCA) in the first trimester of pregnancy (11-14 weeks).

Methods: Prospective observational study of consecutive fetuses undergoing first trimester risk assessment for chromosomal anomalies. The presence of PCA was assessed in a midsagittal view of fetal brain using high-definition power Color Doppler.

Levothyroxine Supplementation in Euthyroid Pregnant Women With Positive Autoantibodies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: To explore the role of levothyroxine (LT4) supplementation in affecting the outcome of pregnant euthyroid women with thyroperoxidase (TPO) antibodies.

Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science databases were searched. The primary outcome was pre-term birth (PTB), defined as live birth before 37 weeks of gestation; secondary outcomes were gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia (PE), placental abruption, miscarriage, intra-uterine death (IUD), and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Role of balloon tamponade during cesarean section in women with placenta previa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: To explore the role of balloon tamponade insertion in pregnancies complicated by placenta previa.

Evidence Acquisition: Medline, Embase and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched electronically on October 17.

Role of prenatal magnetic resonance imaging in fetuses with isolated severe ventriculomegaly at neurosonography: A multicenter study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the rate of additional anomalies detected exclusively at prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in fetuses with isolated severe ventriculomegaly undergoing neurosonography.

Method: Multicenter, retrospective, cohort study involving 20 referral fetal medicine centers in Italy, United Kingdom, Spain and Denmark. Inclusion criteria were fetuses affected by isolated severe ventriculomegaly (≥15 mm), defined as ventriculomegaly with normal karyotype and no other additional central nervous system (CNS) and extra-CNS anomalies on ultrasound.

Placental histopathology after SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to report the spectrum of placental pathology findings in pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science databases were searched up to August 11, 2021.

Study Eligibility Criteria: Histopathologic anomalies included maternal vascular malperfusion, fetal vascular malperfusion, acute inflammatory pathology, chronic inflammatory pathology, increased perivillous fibrin, and intervillous thrombosis.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on placenta accreta spectrum disorders in twin pregnancies: risk factors, detection rate and histopathology.

Introduction: The occurrence of PAS has been recently associated with the presence of twin pregnancy. Aim of this review is to report the risk factors, histopathological correlation, diagnostic accuracy of prenatal ultrasound and clinical outcome of twin pregnancies complicated by placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders.

Evidence Acquisition: PubMed, Embase, Cinahl, Clinical Trial.

Comparison between Cerebroplacental Ratio and Umbilicocerebral Ratio in Predicting Adverse Perinatal Outcome in Pregnancies Complicated by Late Fetal Growth Restriction: A Multicenter, Retrospective Study.

Introduction: The role of cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) or umbilicocerebral ratio (UCR) to predict adverse intrapartum and perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by late fetal growth restriction (FGR) remains controversial.

Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study involving 5 referral centers in Italy and Spain, including singleton pregnancies complicated by late FGR, as defined by Delphi consensus criteria, with a scan 1 week prior to delivery. The primary objective was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the CPR and UCR for the prediction of a composite adverse outcome, defined as the presence of either an adverse intrapartum outcome (need for operative delivery/cesarean section for suspected fetal distress) or an adverse perinatal outcome (intrauterine death, Apgar score <7 at 5 min, arterial pH <7.

Outcomes of second stage cesarean section following the use of a fetal head elevation device: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To explore maternal and perinatal outcomes of women undergoing full dilatation cesarean section (CS) who had compared to those who did not have application of fetal head elevation device (FHED).

Material And Methods: Pubmed, Embase, Cinahl, Clinical Trial.Gov and Google Scholar databases were searched.

Induction of labor in late FGR.

Late-onset FGR is a peculiar condition characterized by the inability for the fetus to reach its growth potential diagnosed from 32 weeks of gestation. Placental insufficiency is among the leading causes of late FGR and is commonly due to a primary maternal cardiovascular non-adaptation potentially leading to fetal decompensation during labor especially once exposed to uterine hyperstimulation. Abnormalities that usually characterize late FGR include reduced fetal growth, decreased Amniotic Fluid Index, and loss of fetal heart rate variability at CTG.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and adverse pregnancy outcome.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and adverse pregnancy outcome.

Evidence Acquisition: Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched. The primary outcome was a composite score of adverse maternal outcome including either preterm birth (PTB), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), pre-eclampsia (PE) or pregnancy induced hypertension, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, thromboembolic events or need for caesarean section (CS).