Comparison of "growth promoted" and "normally grown" dichorionic-diamniotic twins: A population-based study.

Objectives: Macrosomia in singleton pregnancies and associated risks have been well characterized. Less is known about the outcomes of macrosomic newborns in twin pregnancy.Objective of this study was to compare maternal characteristics and perinatal outcomes of "growth promoted twins" (twin pairs with a total twin birth weight above 90th percentile) to "normally grown twins" (twin pairs with a total twin birth weight between 50th and 90th percentile).

Perinatal outcome of fertilization pregnancies in women with polycystic ovary syndrome by pregravid BMI.

Objectives: Given the adverse effects of either polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or overweight/obesity, one could speculate that patients with both would fare worse than others. We sought to evaluate the relationship between pregravid BMI and pregnancy complications in PCOS patients conceived by assisted reproductive techniques (ART).

Methods: Maternal and fetal/neonatal outcomes of singleton pregnancies after assisted reproduction in women with and without PCOS were compared by pregravid body mass index (BMI, <24.

Pregnancy Loss After Amniocentesis and Chorionic Villus Sampling: Cohort Study.

Introduction: Introduction: To estimate the procedure-related risks of pregnancy loss following chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis (AC) compared to pregnancies without procedure.

Methods: This cohort study enrolled all women who underwent CVS or AC at the Department of Perinatology, University Medical Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia (from January 2013 to June 2015). For each group we obtained a maternal age and gestational age (11-14 weeks for CVS and >15 weeks for AC) for a matched control group without invasive procedures from the national database.

Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms in spontaneous preterm birth: a case-control study.

Aim: To evaluate the association between the FokI (rs2228570), ApaI (rs7975232), Bsml (rs1544410), TaqI (rs 731236), and Cdx2 (rs11568820) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB), as well as their effect on clinical characteristics of women with SPTB and their newborns.

Methods: This case-control study enrolled women who gave birth at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Ljubljana between 2010 to 2019. Cases were 118 women with spontaneous initiation of PTB after natural conception and 119 controls with a term singleton delivery after an uncomplicated pregnancy.

DNMT3B rs1569686 and rs2424913 gene polymorphisms are associated with positive family history of preterm birth and smoking status.

Aim: To evaluate the association between spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) and DNA methyltransferase (DNMT)1, 3A, 3B, and 3L gene polymorphisms, and their contribution to the clinical characteristics of women with SPTB and their newborns.

Methods: This case-control study, conducted in 2018, enrolled 162 women with SPTB and 162 women with term delivery. DNMT1 rs2228611, DNMT3A rs1550117, DNMT3B rs1569686, DNMT3B rs2424913, and DNMT3L rs2070565 single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism methods.

The effect of antenatal corticosteroids on small-for-gestational age preterm neonates.

Objective: Treatment of preterm small-for-gestational age (SGA) neonates with antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) is not entirely straightforward. We sought to examine the effect of a full course of ACS on outcomes of SGA and non-SGA preterm singletons.

Patients And Methods: We compared maternal characteristics and outcomes of preterm births at <28 and 28 + 0-33 + 0 weeks' gestation that received a complete course of ACS within a week before birth.

Changes in perinatal outcomes after implementation of IADPSG criteria for screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus: A national survey.

Objective: To compare perinatal outcomes before and after implementation of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) criteria for testing of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: A national, perinatal, registry-based cohort study of prospectively collected data was conducted. Patients with diabetes type 1 or 2 were excluded.

Establishing a Differential Marker Profile for Pregnancy Complications Near Delivery.

Objective: The aim of this work was to define a differential marker profile for pregnancy complications near delivery.

Methods: We enrolled pregnant women who were referred to the outpatient pregnancy clinic of the University Medical Center, Ljubljana, Slovenia, due to symptoms of pregnancy complications and women with a history of pregnancy complications attending the high-risk hospital clinic for close surveillance. They were evaluated for prior risk and were tested for biophysical and biochemical markers at the time of enrolment.

Maternal characteristics of preterm singleton birth following assisted reproduction: a population-based study.

Objective: To identify pregestational maternal characteristics that are associated with an increased risk for preterm births (PTB) of assisted reproductive technology (ART) singleton pregnancies.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated the Slovenian National Perinatal Information System (NPIS). We included all ART singletons born during the period 2006-2015.

The frequency of CNVs in a cohort population of consecutive fetuses with congenital anomalies after the termination of pregnancy.

Background: The implementation of molecular karyotyping has resulted in an improved diagnostic yield in the genetic diagnostics of congenital anomalies, detected prenatally or after the termination of pregnancy. However, the systematic epidemiologic ascertainment of copy number variations in the etiology of congenital anomalies has not yet been sufficiently explored.

Methods: Consecutive fetuses, altogether 204, with major single or multiple congenital anomalies were ascertained by using the SLOCAT registry for the period from 2011 to 2015.

Identifying occult maternal malignancies from 1.93 million pregnant women undergoing noninvasive prenatal screening tests.

Purpose: Multiple chromosomal aneuploidies may be associated with maternal malignancies and can cause failure of noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) tests. However, multiple chromosomal aneuploidies show poor specificity and selectivity for diagnosing maternal malignancies.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective analysis evaluated 639 pregnant women who tested positive for multiple chromosomal aneuploidies on initial NIPS test between January 2016 and December 2017.

Maternal BMI and weight gain in singleton pregnancies: has something changed in the last decade?

To assess the trend of the pregravid body mass index (BMI), pregnancy weight gain, and BMI gain in singleton pregnancies delivered at ≥38 completed weeks during the last decade. We used data from a population-based dataset for the period of 2006-2015. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between BMI, pregnancy weight gain, and BMI change over time.

Gestational diabetes mellitus in underweight women.

To compare outcomes of pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in underweight women with those of normal pregravid BMI. We used a population-based dataset to identify singleton pregnancies complicated by GDM in underweight and normal weight women. Among women with GDM, we identified 301 and 6494 women with pregravid underweight and normal BMI.

Neonatal morbidity and mortality among growth-discordant dichorionic twins, classified according to birth weight of the smaller twin: a population-based cohort study.

To examine the outcomes among discordant dichorionic (DC) twins, where the smaller twin is small for gestational age (SGA) or non-SGA. We used the national perinatal registry to compare the relationship between selected maternal characteristics (age, parity, body mass index, gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and gestational age at delivery) and neonatal outcomes in discordant >25% DC twins. Chorionicity was established by standard ultrasound criteria and confirmed postpartum.

Optic nerve ultrasound for fluid status assessment in patients with severe preeclampsia.

Background There are no data on usefulness of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) as a marker of patient's fluid status in preeclampsia. The objective was to examine potential correlation between ONSD and lung ultrasound estimates of extravascular lung water in severe preeclampsia. Patients and methods Thirty patients with severe preeclampsia were included.

Stillbirths in women with pre-gravid obesity.

Objective To determine the association between pre-gravid obesity and stillbirth. Methods A retrospective study of a population-based dataset of births at ≥34 weeks' gestation. We excluded fetal deaths due to lethal anomalies and intrapartum fetal deaths.

Association between angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism and susceptibility to preterm birth: A case-control study and meta-analysis.

Background: Preterm birth is the largest contributor to newborn mortality, morbidity, and hospitalization in the first year of life worldwide. Previous studies have suggested the importance of genetic variation in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene, including the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism, in association with preterm birth. The angiotensin-converting enzyme is a key component of the renin-angiotensin system that is involved in blood pressure homeostasis during pregnancy and also affects risk factors of preterm birth, including the regulation of fibrinolytic system, uteroplacental circulation, vascularization of the placenta, and inflammation.

Peripheral arterial tonometry and angiogenic biomarkers in preeclampsia.

Objective: To evaluate changes in vascular function and serum biomarkers in women with and without preeclampsia (PE) to create a model for the easier and more precise diagnosis of PE in the future.

Methods: Endothelial function and arterial stiffness were evaluated using peripheral arterial tonometry and concentrations of placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble fms like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) and soluble endoglin (sEng) were determined by immunoassay.

Results: Arterial stiffness deteriorates and endothelial function is better in women with PE compared with a healthy pregnancy.

Quantitative and qualitative assessment of maternal sexuality during pregnancy.

Objective To investigate the quantitative and qualitative measures of the complex relationship between sexuality and the pregnant state. Methods An anonymous questionnaire [comprising the Female Sexual Function Index questionnaire, the Evaluation and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness (ENRICH) Marital Satisfaction Scale, scale of attitudes toward sexuality, the World Health Organization (WHO) Well-Being Index and the scale of body image] was given to 243 women during antenatal classes. Results We evaluated 200 primiparous women, with an average age of 30.

The effect of interaction between parity, gestational diabetes, and pregravid obesity on the incidence of preeclampsia.

To examine the effect of parity, prepregnancy obesity and gestational diabetes on the incidence of preeclampsia in singleton pregnancies using a population-based dataset. We used the national perinatal information system (NPIS) to identify singleton pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and analyzed dichotomous-independent variables: being obese or normal weight before pregnancy, being primiparous or multiparous, and being without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), with GDMA1, or GDMA2. We found a significantly higher incidence of pregravid obesity among primiparas with preeclampsia (OR 1.

Abuse of pregnant women in the healthcare system.

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of abuse in healthcare system during pregnancy and its impact on pregnancy outcomes. A validated screening Norvold Abuse Questionnaire for the identification of female victims of four kinds of abuse: emotional, physical, sexual, and the abuse in the healthcare system was anonymously offered to all women in the first 2 days postpartum. The study group consisted of 1018 women, 6.

Effect of pre-gravid body mass index on outcomes of pregnancies following in vitro fertilization.

Purpose: To examine the effect of pre-gravid body mass index (BMI) on perinatal outcomes in in vitro fertilization (IVF) singleton pregnancies.

Methods: Retrospective population-based cohort study. All singleton pregnancies delivered at ≥ 22 weeks' in Slovenia between 2002 and 2015 were included.

Is forty the new thirty? Population based study of advanced maternal age.

Objective: To compare perinatal outcomes in different advanced maternal age groups.

Patients And Methods: We used a population-based data set to compare perinatal outcomes in three maternal age groups: 30-34.9, 35-39.

A method to assess obstetric outcomes using the 10-Group Classification System: a quantitative descriptive study.

Objectives: Internationally, the 10-Group Classification System (TGCS) has been used to report caesarean section rates, but analysis of other outcomes is also recommended. We now aim to present the TGCS as a method to assess outcomes of labour and delivery using routine collection of perinatal information.

Design: This research is a methodological study to describe the use of the TGCS.

Impact of prenatal screening on the prevalence of Down syndrome in Slovenia.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of prenatal screening and genetic testing for trisomy 21 (T21) on the prevalence of T21 in Slovenia.

Design And Setting: Data about all prenatally and postnatally confirmed cases of T21 in Slovenia between 1981 and 2012 were collected retrospectively from all genetic laboratories in Slovenia. The expected number of babies with T21 according to maternal age was calculated.