Maternal non-compliance with recommended folic acid supplement use alters global DNA methylation in cord blood of newborns: A cohort study.

Background & Aims: Prenatal folate exposure may alter epigenetic marks in the offspring. We aimed to evaluate associations between prenatal exposure to folic acid (FA) in preconception and in utero with cord blood DNA methylation in long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1) and Alu short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) as markers of global DNA methylation levels.

Methods: Data come from 325 mother-child pairs participating in the Nutrition in Early Life and Asthma (NELA) birth cohort (2015-2018).

The female upper reproductive tract harbors endogenous microbial profiles.

Introduction: The female reproductive tract harbours unique microbial communities (known as microbiota) which have been associated with reproductive functions in health and disease. While endometrial microbiome studies have shown that the uterus possesses higher bacterial diversity and richness compared to the vagina, the knowledge regarding the composition of the Fallopian tubes (FT) is lacking, especially in fertile women without any underlying conditions.

Methods: To address this gap, our study included 19 patients who underwent abdominal hysterectomy for benign uterine pathology, and 5 women who underwent tubal ligation as a permanent contraceptive method at Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HCUVA).

Prediction of the mode of delivery using artificial intelligence algorithms.

Background And Objective: Mode of delivery is one of the issues that most concerns obstetricians. The caesarean section rate has increased progressively in recent years, exceeding the limit recommended by health institutions. Obstetricians generally lack the necessary technology to help them decide whether a caesarean delivery is appropriate based on antepartum and intrapartum conditions.

The Nutrition in Early Life and Asthma (NELA) birth cohort study: Rationale, design, and methods.

Background: Primary prevention strategies for asthma are lacking. Its inception probably starts in utero and/or during the early postnatal period as the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) paradigm suggests.

Objectives: The main objective of Nutrition in Early Life and Asthma (NELA) cohort study is to unravel whether the following factors contribute causally to the developmental origins of asthma: (1) maternal obesity/adiposity and foetal growth; (2) maternal and child nutrition; (3) outdoor air pollution; (4) endocrine disruptors; and (5) maternal psychological stress.

Fat intake pattern in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Research Question: Do women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a different fat intake pattern to women without PCOS?

Design: Case-control study of 276 women between 20 and 35 years old from the Murcia region of Spain. Cases (n = 121) attended the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the University Clinical Hospital and were diagnosed with PCOS using Rotterdam criteria. Controls (n = 155) were women without PCOS attending the gynaecological outpatient clinic for routine gynaecological examinations.

Physicochemical and Functional Characterization of Female Reproductive Fluids: A Report of the First Two Infants Born Following Addition of Their Mother's Fluids to the Embryo Culture Media.

Culture media supplemented with reproductive fluids (RF) have been used in livestock species, improving the efficiency and quality of produced embryos. However, usefulness in humans is still unknown. In this study, we collected human reproductive fluids (HRFs) (from 25 patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy plus bilateral salpingectomy) and (from 31 oocyte donors).

Health-Related Quality of Life in Adult Spanish Women with Endometriomas or Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis: A Case-Control Study.

Endometriosis is a disabling disease that may significantly compromise a woman's social relationships, sexuality, and mental health. Considering the impact of endometriomas and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) on quality of life and the limited number of papers on this topic, the objective of this study was to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult Spanish women with the condition. A case-control study was conducted on a group of 99 patients with ovarian endometriomas or DIE and 157 controls.

Associations between maternal circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and birth outcomes-Mode of delivery and episiotomy rate: A prospective cohort study.

Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between maternal concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OHD)) and birth outcomes: mode of delivery and episiotomy rate.

Design And Methods: One hundred and seventeen pregnant women were enrolled in an observational, longitudinal, prospective cohort study. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to assess relationships between maternal 25(OHD) concentrations and mode of delivery.

Self-Reported DHA Supplementation during Pregnancy and Its Association with Obesity or Gestational Diabetes in Relation to DHA Concentration in Cord and Maternal Plasma: Results from NELA, a Prospective Mother-Offspring Cohort.

Maternal supplementation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during pregnancy has been recommended due to its role in infant development, but its effect on materno-fetal DHA status is not well established. We evaluated the associations between DHA supplementation in pregnant women with obesity or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and maternal and neonatal DHA status. Serum fatty acids (FA) were analyzed in 641 pregnant women (24 weeks of gestation) and in 345 venous and 166 arterial cord blood samples of participants of the NELA cohort.

Assessment of Optimism in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Case Control-Study.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a chronic endocrinopathy characterized by hyperandrogenism and anovulation that may pervade psychological dimensions such as dispositional optimism. Considering how PCOS influences mental health and the lack of studies on this matter, this research was aimed at assessing optimism and associated factors in PCOS. A case-control study of 156 patients with PCOS and 117 controls was conducted.

Anogenital distance and anti-Müllerian hormone combined improves the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome.

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of the combination of anogenital distance (AGD) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The study included women diagnosed with PCOS and a control group who attended the Clinical University Hospital 'Virgen de la Arrixaca' in Murcia (Spain). Serum concentrations of AMH were measured and two AGD measurements were obtained: (i) from the anterior clitoral surface to the upper verge of the anus (AGD); and (ii) from the posterior fourchette to the upper verge of the anus (AGD).

Does the anogenital distance change across pregnancy?

Research Question: Does the length of the anogenital distance (AGD), an anthropometric biomarker of fetal androgen exposure, change across pregnancy? It has been suggested that AGD remains stable during adulthood with no changes across the menstrual cycle. No studies, however, have been carried out during pregnancy, during which women are exposed to important hormonal and anthropometric variations.

Design: A cohort study of 186 singleton pregnant women recruited in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Child Head Circumference and Placental MFSD2a Expression Are Associated to the Level of MFSD2a in Maternal Blood During Pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a world-wide health challenge, which prevalence is expected to increase in parallel to the epidemic of obesity. Children born from GDM mothers have lower levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in cord blood, which might influence their neurodevelopment. Recently, the membrane transporter Major Family Super Domain 2a (MFSD2a) was associated with the selective transportation of DHA as lysophospholipids.

Short Femur in the Second Trimester Scan Is Related to Maternal Preeclampsia and Small for Gestational Age Newborns.

Objective: To determine the contribution of short femur diaphysis length (FDL) at 19-22 weeks of gestation in the prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: The study included singleton pregnant women who underwent a routine anomaly scan at 19-22 weeks of gestation at the Virgen de la Arrixaca University Clinical Hospital (Murcia, Spain) between August 2011 and August 2012. Fetal biometry and Doppler ultrasound of uterine arteries were assessed as part of the anomaly scan, and the mean pulsatility index of both uterine arteries was recorded.

Increased Alkaline Phosphatase in Cord Blood of Obese Diabetic Mothers Is Associated to Polyunstaurated Fatty Acid Levels.

Introduction: Recent studies indicate that alkaline phosphatase (ALP) may affect expression and activity of fatty acid (FA) transport proteins in placenta and other tissues.

Objective: To evaluate if disturbed FA profile in offspring of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with different maternal pregestational weight could be related to maternal or neonatal ALP.

Methods: Prospective observational study of pregnant women recruited in the third trimester (25 controls, 23 lean-GDM, 20 obese-GDM).

Which Low-Abundance Proteins are Present in the Human Milieu of Gamete/Embryo Maternal Interaction?

The improvement of the embryo culture media is of high relevance due to its influence on successful implantation rates, pregnancy, neonatal outcomes, and potential effects in adult life. The ideal conditions for embryo development are those naturally occurring in the female reproductive tract, i.e.

A decision support system for predicting the treatment of ectopic pregnancies.

Background And Objective: Ectopic pregnancy is an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. An early diagnosis, as well as the choice of the most suitable treatment for the patient is crucial to avoid possible complications. According to different factors an ectopic pregnancy must be treated from surgery, using a pharmacological treatment or following a conservative treatment.