Cervical assessment certification and its impact on performance quality in the context of universal cervical screening.

Objective: To assess the impact of the introduction of universal transvaginal cervical screening and certification on the quality of cervical length ultrasound images.

Methods: The present study included a retrospective cohort of singleton pregnancies that underwent transvaginal cervical length measurement at the anatomical scan (18 and 23 weeks) before (period A, 2015-2017) and after (period B, 2017-2019) the introduction of universal transvaginal cervical length screening. Independent observers blindly evaluated the images obtained for cervical length using a qualitative scoring method based on five criteria, according to the Fetal Medicine Foundation.

Unanticipated consequences of COVID-19 pandemic policies on pediatric acute appendicitis surgery.

Background: Global pandemics may limit access to specialized care, delaying diagnosis and treatment of common acute surgical diseases. We analyzed the impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on acute appendicitis at an urban tertiary care center. We hypothesize that pandemics are associated with delayed presentation and worsened clinical sequelae, specifically, higher incidences of perforation in children.

Comparison of sonographic fetal weight estimation formulas in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes.

Background: Estimation of fetal weight (EFW) by ultrasound is useful in clinical decision-making. Numerous formulas for EFW have been published but have not been validated in pregnancies complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). The purpose of this study is to compare the accuracy of EFW formulas in patients with PPROM, and to further evaluate the performance of the most commonly used formula - Hadlock IV.