Experiences of cohabiting partners of women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy: a qualitative study.

Purpose: When a pregnant woman is diagnosed with cancer, she faces complex and unique challenges while navigating both obstetric and oncological care. Despite often being the primary support for women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy (CDP), little is known about the experiences of their partners. We undertook an in-depth exploration of the experiences of partners of women diagnosed with CDP in Australia.

An audit of the maternal medicine clinic: Cancer and pregnancy.

Aims: To explore the incidence and complexity of women presenting for maternity care who require concurrent cancer care, and to report the birth outcomes of these women.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective audit of women attending a 'high risk' maternal medicine clinic at an Australian tertiary maternity hospital between 1 October 2021 and 30 April 2023 was conducted. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of cancer and a concurrent pregnancy, or a diagnosis of cancer prior to the current pregnancy.

Three trajectories of gestational weight gain identified in an Australian twin study.

Objectives: Gestational weight gain (GWG) has been associated with maternal and child health outcomes, but knowledge of appropriate GWG for twin gestations is limited.

Study Design: The Peri/Postnatal Epigenetic Twins Study is a prospective twin cohort study of 250 women and their twin children in Melbourne, Australia. We modeled trajectories of GWG using group-based growth modeling and compared these trajectories to GWG categories (within, above, or below current GWG recommendations for twin pregnancy).

Experiences of health professionals treating women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy and proposals for service improvement.

Objective: To examine the experiences, needs, and perceptions of health professionals(HPs) treating women diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy(gestational cancer, GC).

Methods: Interviews were undertaken with Australian HPs who had treated women diagnosed with GC over the previous five years. HPs were recruited via social media, and professional and community networks.

Gestational weight gain is associated with childhood height, weight and BMI in the Peri/Postnatal Epigenetic Twins Study.

Multifetal pregnancies are at risk of adverse maternal, neonatal and long-term health outcomes, and gestational weight gain (GWG) is a potentially modifiable risk factor for several of these. However, studies assessing the associations of GWG with long-term health in twins are rare, and studies which do assess these associations in twins often do not account for gestational age. Since longer gestations are likely to lead to larger GWG lower risk of adverse outcomes, adjusting for gestational age is necessary to better understand the association of GWG with twin health outcomes.

Cancer during pregnancy: A qualitative study of healthcare experiences of Australian women.

Objectives: To identify features enhancing the quality of healthcare experiences for women with gestational cancer, and explore the impact of the heterogeneous Australian healthcare system on those experiences.

Methods: Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with women diagnosed with any cancer during pregnancy in the last five years. Recruitment occurred during 2018-2019 via social media and professional, clinical and community networks.

The Value of Twins for Health and Medical Research: A Third of a Century of Progress.

In 1984, Hrubec and Robinette published what was arguably the first review of the role of twins in medical research. The authors acknowledged a growing distinction between two categories of twin studies: those aimed at assessing genetic contributions to disease and those aimed at assessing environmental contributions while controlling for genetic variation. They concluded with a brief section on recently founded twin registries that had begun to provide unprecedented access to twins for medical research.

The Significance of Yolk Sac Number in Monoamniotic Twins.

Background: Detection of a single yolk sac on early first trimester ultrasound was previously thought to be a reliable diagnostic feature of monochorionic monoamniotic (MCMA) twin pregnancies.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of two yolk sacs in MCMA twin pregnancies and the association of yolk sac number with pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of MCMA twins managed at a tertiary obstetric centre from January 2003 until February 2017.

Does Gestational Diabetes Cause Additional Risk in Twin Pregnancy?

It has been suggested that the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in twin pregnancies is exacerbated by concomitant gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study aimed to assess the risk incurred by twin pregnancy and by a diagnosis of GDM, separately, on the development of poor perinatal outcomes. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on all pregnant women at a tertiary center between 2016 and 2017.

Single Intrauterine Death in Twins: The Importance of Fetal Order.

Perinatal mortality is higher in twins. Effects of twin order have not previously been studied in the context of single fetal demise. Our objective was to determine whether death of the fetus more proximal to the cervix will result in worse perinatal outcomes.

Pregnancy risk factors associated with birthweight of infants born to Australian Aboriginal women in an urban setting - a retrospective cohort study.

Background: A key focus of the Closing the Gap campaign is to reduce low birthweight in Aboriginal babies. Limited research exists on factors affecting Aboriginal birthweight in urban areas.

Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of 38,382 births (38,167 non-Aboriginal, 215 Aboriginal) at the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne from January 2010 to December 2015.

Neonatal outcomes among twins following assisted reproductive technology: an Australian population-based retrospective cohort study.

Background: While their incidence is on the rise, twin pregnancies are associated with risks to the mothers and their babies. This study aims to investigate the likelihood of adverse neonatal outcomes of twins following assisted reproductive technology (ART) compared to non-ART twins.

Methods: A retrospective population study using the Australian National Perinatal Data Collections (NPDC) which included 19,662 twins of ≥20 weeks gestational age or ≥ 400 g birthweight in Australia.

Outcome of Twin Pregnancies Complicated by a Neural Tube Defect.

Twin pregnancies discordant for neural tube defects (NTD) is a management dilemma. Risks of preterm delivery from polyhydramnios must be balanced with the risks of selective termination (ST) of the anomalous fetus. We investigated the prevalence of twin pregnancies discordant for NTD and the rate of pregnancy complications in our institution over a 10-year period.

The Outcome of Monochorionic Diamniotic Twins Discordant at 11 to 13+6 Weeks' Gestation.

Background: Monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies are associated with adverse perinatal outcome. Intertwin discordances at the time of nuchal translucency (NT) screening may have a value in the prediction of fetal loss or twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. We aimed to determine the ability of intertwin NT and crown rump length (CRL) discordances among MCDA twins to predict adverse outcomes.

The History of Treatment of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Historical suggestions of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) date back to the early 17th century. Placental anastomoses were first reported in 1687; however, it was Schatz who first identified their importance in 1875. He recognized 'the area of transfusion' within the 'villous district' of the placenta, which he named the 'third circulation'.

Editorial-Special Issue.

Monochorionic twin pregnancies are subject to unique complications that can threaten the life and well-being of both fetuses, resulting in a disproportionate increase in perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Should the spot albumin-to-creatinine ratio replace the spot protein-to-creatinine ratio as the primary screening tool for proteinuria in pregnancy?

Objectives: To determine the correlation between the spot albumin-to-creatinine (ACR) ratio and protein-to-creatinine ratio (PCR) in pregnancy and if either test is predictive of adverse pregnancy outcome.

Study Design: Prospective consecutive cohort study in a single tertiary centre examining 181 patients undergoing proteinuria screening after 20weeks of pregnancy. A spot PCR and ACR was performed on the first void of the day.

A review of the mechanisms and evidence for typical and atypical twinning.

The mechanisms responsible for twinning and disorders of twin gestations have been the subject of considerable interest by physicians and scientists, and cases of atypical twinning have called for a reexamination of the fundamental theories invoked to explain twin gestations. This article presents a review of the literature focusing on twinning and atypical twinning with an emphasis on the phenomena of chimeric twins, phenotypically discordant monozygotic twins, mirror-image twins, polar body twins, complete hydatidiform mole with a coexistent twin, vanishing twins, fetus papyraceus, fetus in fetu, superfetation, and superfecundation. The traditional models attributing monozygotic twinning to a fission event, and more recent models describing monozygotic twinning as a fusion event, are critically reviewed.

Australian national birthweight percentiles by sex and gestational age for twins, 2001-2010.

Background: Birthweight remains one of the strongest predictors of perinatal mortality and disability. Birthweight percentiles form a reference that allows the detection of neonates at higher risk of neonatal and postneonatal morbidity. The aim of the study is to present updated national birthweight percentiles by gestational age for male and female twins born in Australia.

The urologist's role in multidisciplinary management of placenta percreta.

Objective: To evaluate urological interventions in patients with placental adhesive disorders in our collaborative experience at a tertiary referral centre.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected data set, consisting of all women that presented with placental adhesive disorders at the Royal Women's Hospital from August 2009 to September 2013. Patients who required urological intervention were identified and perioperative details were retrieved.

Congenital Malformations Associated With a Single Umbilical Artery in Twin Pregnancies.

A single umbilical artery (SUA) was identified in 1.5% of twin pregnancies. The presence of a SUA in a twin pregnancy was associated with a 50% incidence of fetal anomalies, many of them complex and severe.

Management of postpartum haemorrhage with uterine balloon tamponade: The way forward.

Uterine balloon tamponade has rapidly gained popularity in the management of postpartum haemorrhage. It is a conservative method often utilised before embarking on advanced surgical interventions. The mechanism of action, complications and long-term outcomes are discussed.

Transabdominal Cervical Cerclage: Laparoscopy Versus Laparotomy.

Study Objective: To evaluate the obstetric outcome, surgical morbidity, and pre-abdominal cerclage characteristics of women undergoing transabdominal cerclage (TAC) via laparotomy or laparoscopy.

Design: Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: University hospital.