Placental Mesenchymal Dysplasia: Ultrasound Characteristics and Diagnostic Pitfalls.

Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) is a rare, benign developmental anomaly with a reported prevalence of 0.02% (Arizawa and Nakayama, 2002). It is characterized by placentomegaly with multiple cystic lesions of the stem villi and vascular anomalies (Pawoo and Heller, 2014).

Fetal plasma cortisol and beta-endorphin response to intrauterine needling.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the fetus mounts a hormonal stress response to a potentially painful procedure, intrauterine needling. Cortisol and beta-endorphin concentrations in fetal plasma obtained during uncomplicated fetal blood sampling or intrauterine transfusions by needling the fetal intra-abdominal portion of the umbilical vein (intrahepatic vein) were compared to hormone concentrations in fetal plasma obtained by the conventional technique of needling the placental cord insertion, which is not innervated. Cortisol and beta-endorphin concentrations did not increase within 10 minutes of fetal abdominal needling (n = 15).

The influence of operator transducer pressure on ultrasonographic measurements of amniotic fluid volume.

Objective: Our purpose was to study the effect of operator transducer pressure on amniotic fluid index and single deepest pool measurements and their intraobserver and interobserver variability.

Study Design: Forty subjects in the third trimester with intact membranes were studied by two observers at three predetermined operator pressures. Pressure was measured by interfacing a flexible water-filled reservoir connected to a manometer between the maternal abdomen and the ultrasonography transducer.