Is Assisted Reproductive Technology Linked to Fetal Asphyxia? A Retrospective Italian Case-Control Study.

Several risk factors are associated with fetal asphyxia. The main aim of this retrospective, analytical, case-control study was to determine whether assisted reproductive technologies (ART) could be considered one of these factors. In total, 162 cases of fetal asphyxia were compared to 361 controls where this event did not occur.

Cardiotocography pattern: not always a true friend.

Fetal well-being in labor could be assessed trough cardiotocography (CTG). Some doubts have been raised about its unequivocal applicability. Pathological CTG is in most cases connected to fetal acidosis at birth, but other potential causes must be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Intrapartum cardiotocography: an exploratory analysis of interpretational variation.

Our aim was to evaluate the intra- and inter-operator agreement in cardiotocography (CTG) traces analysis using the 2015 FIGO classification guidelines, and whether the educational background and the knowledge of anamnestic data can influence the interpretation of CTG traces. A retrospective interpretation of 73 intrapartum CTGs at time 0 (T0) for a first blind interpretation and at time 1 (T1) two months later with additional anamnestic pregnancy information was made by eight different operators (four obstetricians and four midwives with different years of work experience). The intra-observer agreement demonstrates that midwifes are more concordant than obstetricians with a mean of 77.

The Application of Intrauterine Resuscitation Maneuvers in Delivery Room: actual and expected Use.

Background: In case of suspicious CTG in labor a conservative attitude is recommended, when possible, through intrauterine resuscitation maneuvers.

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the use of intrauterine resuscitation maneuvers (IRM) at two Italian hospitals; the secondary outcome is the assessment of the agreement in their application.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on the data of 80 deliveries (40 vs 40) from two different Italian hospitals, located in Novara (group 1) and in Borgomanero (group 2).

The perception of Italian pregnant women and new mothers about their psychological wellbeing, lifestyle, delivery, and neonatal management experience during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: a web-based survey.

Background: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, drastic measures for social distancing have been introduced also in Italy, likely with a substantial impact in delicate conditions like pregnancy and puerperium. The study aimed to investigate the changes in lifestyle, access to health services, and mental wellbeing during the first Italian lockdown in a sample of Italian pregnant women and new mothers.

Methods: We carried out a web-based survey to evaluate how pregnant women and new mothers were coping with the lockdown.

What may happen if you are pregnant during COVID-19 lockdown? A retrospective study about peripartum outcomes.

Background: One of the provisions implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections in Italy was the lockdown. Effects of the lockdown on childbirth outcomes and on the well-being of both the mother and the child have not yet been defined. An inadequate diet during pregnancy and a reduced physical activity can predispose women to become overweight or obese and trigger the development of various complications and maternal-fetal adverse outcomes.

Preventing the human factor: organizational aspects linked to fetal asphyxia.

Background: Perinatal asphyxia can cause cerebral palsy and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. They are public health problems because they cause permanent disability.

Methods: This is a retrospective, analytical, observational study.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis in pregnancy: A review of the literature.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is an uncommon and heterogeneous disease characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract. There are very few reports in literature describing pregnancies in EGE patients, and no review has ever been published. We found a total of 12 cases including one that occurred in our clinic.

The role of antenatal education for the prevention of excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

Background: Excessive weight gain (EWG) during pregnancy is associated to adverse maternal-fetal outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze the situation in a single high intensity care center in Eastern Piedmont, north of Italy.

Methods: This is a cohort study including 715 patients classified into four classes corresponding to pregestational BMI values.

The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among Italian children: A cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To examine prevalence and modalities of CAM use in children living in Novara, a northern Italian city, and to estimate the prescription rate from paediatricians.

Method: We administered a phone questionnaire to the parents of a sample of 147 children, asking questions about CAM use, children's health profile, parental socio-economic status, use modalities, effectiveness perceptions, and motivations. A parallel survey was conducted by e-mail by investigating family paediatricians attitudes about CAM.

MMR vaccine in the postpartum does not expose seronegative women to untoward effects.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess whether rubella vaccination immediately after delivery could expose seronegative women to specific untoward effects.

Methods: 163 rubella-seronegative women received Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine in the immediate postpartum period; they were evaluated at one month and at three months thereafter through telephone interviews. As controls, we matched 163 rubella-seropositive women, who might experience similar symptoms for any reason in the same timeframe.