Induced abortion and COVID-19 as contributing factors to declining fertility in Sardinia.

Objectives: Decreasing fertility implies considerable public health, societal, political, and international consequences. Induced abortion (IA) and the recent COVID-19 pandemic can be contributing factors to it but these have not been adequately studied so far. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relation of IA incidence and the COVID-19 pandemic to declining rates of delivery, as per our Sardinian experience.

From Prenatal to Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis of β-Thalassemia. Prevention Model in 8748 Cases: 40 Years of Single Center Experience.

The incidence of β-thalassemia in Sardinia is high and β-39 is the most common mutation. The prevention campaign started in 1977 and was performed in a single center (Microcitemico Hospital, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy). It was based on educational programs, population screening by hematological and molecular identification of the carriers.

How to perform transabdominal chorionic villus sampling: a practical guideline.

The spread of both first trimester screening for chromosomal abnormalities and the possibility to check for single gene disorders at DNA-analysis has increased the request for chorionic villus sampling (CVS) in the first trimester. In order to perform placental biopsy, two routes are possible: the transcervical (TC) and the transabdominal (TA). In early days, the trancervical technique was the most diffused, but since its introduction into clinical practice, the TA technique has become the approach of choice in detriment of the TC technique.

Pregnancy outcome and long-term follow-up of fetuses with isolated increased NT: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of associated findings, diagnosed either prior to or after birth, among fetuses with increased nuchal translucency (NT) and normal karyotype and to investigate the prevalence of children under therapy at school age, among cases confirmed to be isolated both prior to and after birth.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of all singleton pregnancies were referred for the 1st trimester screening for Down syndrome between January 2004 and December 2006. Cases with NT >95th percentiles who undertook fetal karyotype were analyzed.

A Case of Enlarged Intracranial Translucency in a Fetus with Blake's Pouch Cyst.

The intracranial translucency (IT) is a recently introduced marker of open spina bifida (OSB). In this study, we describe a case of a fetus affected by Blake's pouch cyst which showed alterations of BS/BSOB ratio at the first trimester screening.

Absence of fetal nasal bone and aneuploidies at first-trimester nuchal translucency screening in unselected pregnancies.

Objectives: The absence of nasal bone (NB) has been noted in trisomy 21 fetuses at first-trimester ultrasound, in high-risk pregnancies. In this study, the nasal bone was evaluated in relation to fetal karyotype, in unselected pregnancies.

Methods: From September 2001 to September 2002, the fetal facial profile was examined at the 11 to 14 weeks' scan for screening by nuchal translucency (NT).

Neural tube defects in the offspring of thalassemia carriers.

Objectives: The risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) is negatively correlated with maternal folate levels in early pregnancy. Thalassemia carriers often have reduced red cell folate contents. The aim of this study was to verify whether thalassemia carriers are at increased risk of having offspring with a NTD.