Carbon Monoxide Exposure During Pregnancy.

Importance: Carbon monoxide (CO) is the leading cause of poisoning in the United States and is associated with high maternal and fetal mortality rates. Given the nonspecific signs and symptoms of toxicity, cases may go unsuspected or attributed to other etiologies. As CO adversely affects both mother and fetus, it is important for practitioners to recognize and treat poisoning in a timely manner.

Maternal influenza vaccination: evaluation of a patient-centered pamphlet designed to increase uptake in pregnancy.

We developed and tested a theoretically-based pamphlet entitled 'Influenza in Pregnancy,' specifically designed to increase pregnant women's knowledge, reduce barriers to maternal vaccination, and subsequently improve vaccine uptake. A randomized control trial was conducted on pregnant women (n = 135) at three locations in Connecticut during the 2011-2012 season to evaluate the impact of the patient-centered pamphlet. The women were randomized to one of three groups: the pamphlet; pamphlet/benefit statement (vaccinating the pregnant woman also benefits the young infant); or control.

Hereditary persistence of alpha-fetoprotein: a rare cause for unexplained alpha-fetoprotein elevations in pregnancy.

Markedly elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) levels were found in a 26 year old healthy, nulliparous Polish woman during pregnancy. No fetal abnormalities were identified on targeted ultrasound and amniocentesis revealed normal amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) values. Maternal ultrasound screening for liver and ovarian germ cell malignancies were also negative.

Challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital syphilis.

Despite the advent of effective antibiotic treatment of Treponema pallidum, syphilis continues to be present in our population and recently has been increasing in frequency. The consequences can be especially dire in the setting of an untreated infection in pregnancy. This case report describes a case of congenital syphilis in a dichorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancy that resulted in a stillbirth of one twin and the characteristic findings of congenital syphilis in the surviving twin.

Reasons why women accept or reject the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) during pregnancy.

The aim of the study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the reasons why pregnant women accept or reject the seasonal influenza vaccine. The qualitative descriptive design used a face-to-face semi-structured interview format. Sixty pregnant and postpartum women at two hospitals in the Northeastern United States participated.

Cytomegalovirus infection in pregnancy: should all women be screened?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of congenital infection and complicates approximately 1% of all live births. Primary maternal CMV infection carries a 30% to 40% risk of vertical transmission to the fetus. In cases where maternal CMV infection is suspected, it is important to evaluate the risk to the fetus to provide appropriate counseling and guidance to parents.

Influenza vaccination during pregnancy and factors for lacking compliance with current CDC guidelines.

Background: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend influenza vaccination for all pregnant women during the influenza season. However, the actual rate of vaccination is substantially below the target levels. Given the recent emergence of novel influenza strains, there is an important need to address knowledge gaps in women and their healthcare providers to improve vaccination coverage for pregnant women during inter-pandemic and pandemic periods.

Prenatal diagnosis of an umbilical vein aneurysm: a case report.

Aneurysm of the umbilical vessels is a rare abnormality and has seldom been diagnosed prenatally. We report a case in which dilatation of the intra-amniotic umbilical cord was seen on prenatal ultrasound at 34-weeks gestation. This was believed to represent an umbilical vein aneurysm and was confirmed on subsequent pathological examination after delivery.

Antibiotic resistance and penicillin tolerance in ano-vaginal group B streptococci.

Objectives: We sought to determine the prevalence of group B streptococcus (GBS) colonisation and to characterise antibiotic resistance patterns.

Methods: Vaginal and ano-rectal cultures were evaluated for GBS colonisation, and antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined to 15 antibiotics according to the guidelines of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards.

Results: Our GBS prevalence was 30%.

Prenatal diagnosis of ectopic intrathoracic kidney in a fetus with a left diaphragmatic hernia.

Intrathoracic renal ectopia as a result of a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a rare congenital anomaly. We present a case in which the prenatal diagnosis of an ectopic intrathoracic kidney was made on routine anatomical survey at 28 weeks' gestation. Color doppler sonography imaging revealed the renal artery coursing into the infant's thorax and was consistent with CDH, but fetal MRI suggested an intact diaphragm.

Lutheran b blood group alloimmunization: case series and literature review.

The Lutheran b blood antigen is a high prevalence antigen occurring in 99.8% of Caucasians. Consequently, antibody formation against Lutheran b is very rare.

Late postpartum eclampsia as an obstetric complication seen in the ED.

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy associated with hypertension and proteinuria. Preeclampsia may be associated with grand mal seizures and is termed eclampsia. Historically, eclampsia occurring more than 48 hours after delivery, known as late postpartum eclampsia, was thought to be uncommon; however, recent evidence suggests that its incidence is increasing.

Group B streptococcal antibiotic resistance patterns in pregnant women.

Group B Streptococcal (GBS) antibiotic susceptibility studies were performed in 95 pregnant women in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Testing for penicillin, ampicillin, cefazolin, and clindamycin sensitivity was performed. Resistance to clindamycin was seen in 5% of isolates.