COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance During Pregnancy in Europe.

Pregnant women have been shown to have a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vaccination against the infection is the most effective strategy for preventing both severe disease and related complications. Nevertheless, vaccination hesitancy among pregnant women is an important issue affecting vaccine uptake and a major challenge for Public Health, as high rates of hesitancy can lead to complete refusal of vaccination, with health implications not only for the mother but also for the fetus.

Effect of acidic vaginal pH on the efficacy of dinoprostone (PGE) vaginal tablet for labor induction in full term pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: There is controversial evidence that acidification of vaginal pH may increase the efficacy of vaginal prostaglandins in labor induction, with research being mainly focused on misoprostol. This study aims to evaluate the impact of this intervention on the progress of labor induction with dinoprostone (PGE2) vaginal tablet.

Methods: This double-blind, parallel-group, randomized study was conducted between October 2021 and December 2022 at Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece.

Persistent Postpartum Urinary Retention: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

This case report describes persistent urinary retention lasting over 30 days postpartum in a 23-year-old primiparous female after an otherwise uncomplicated vaginal delivery at 37 weeks gestation. Notable risk factors present included epidural anesthesia, episiotomy, third-degree perineal laceration, and inability to void spontaneously before leaving the delivery room. Despite initial catheterization draining a large volume, the patient experienced recurrent failed voiding trials requiring ongoing intermittent catheterization during her admission.

Expression of Stemness Markers in the Cervical Smear of Patients with Cervical Insufficiency.

The presence of stem cells has been previously described in human precancerous and malignant cervical cultures. Previous studies have shown a direct interplay of the stem cell niche, which is present in practically every tissue with the extracellular matrix. In the present study, we sought to determine the expression of stemness markers in cytological specimens collected from the ectocervix among women with cervical insufficiency during the second trimester of pregnancy and women with normal cervical length.

Peripartum Ηysterectomy: A Four-Year Obstetric and Anesthetic Experience in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Greece.

Background Although peripartum hysterectomy (PH) is a life-saving procedure in cases of abnormal placentation and postpartum hemorrhage, it can be associated with major obstetric and anesthetic complications. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the incidence, etiology, perioperative anesthetic and obstetric management, complications, and fetal outcomes in women undergoing PH in a single tertiary referral hospital in Greece. Methodology This was a retrospective analysis of medical records of women who underwent emergency or elective PH in our hospital between January 2015 and December 2018.

Effectiveness of maternal vaccination with quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in pregnant women and their infants in 2019-2020.

Objectives: Influenza is associated with an increased risk for serious illness, hospitalization, and death in pregnant women and young infants. Our aim was to estimate the effectiveness of a quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (QIV) in pregnant women and their infants during 2019-2020.

Methods: A QIV vaccine was offered to pregnant women followed in a maternity hospital.

Cervical Twin Heterotopic Pregnancy: Overview of Ectopic Pregnancies and Scanning Detection Algorithm.

: Ectopic pregnancy is the leading cause of gestation-related deaths during the first trimester. Cervical twin heterotopic pregnancies, when ectopic, constitute a small and rare part of gynecological surgery. : A 30-year-old pregnant woman (gravida 3, para 2) presented with mild pain in the lower abdomen and traces of bleeding per vaginum for three days.

The Relevance of Notch Signaling in Cancer Progression.

The Notch signaling pathway controls normal embryonic development and tissue homeostasis of many cell types. It regulates cell proliferation, fate, differentiation, and cell death by short-range signaling between nearby cells that come in contact. The Notch pathway has also been critically involved in the pathobiology of a variety of malignancies, regulating cancer initiation and development, as well as early stages of cancer progression, by adjusting conserved cellular programs.

Placental Mesenchymal Dysplasia: Ultrasound Characteristics and Diagnostic Pitfalls.

Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) is a rare, benign developmental anomaly with a reported prevalence of 0.02% (Arizawa and Nakayama, 2002). It is characterized by placentomegaly with multiple cystic lesions of the stem villi and vascular anomalies (Pawoo and Heller, 2014).

Effect of dietary myo-inositol supplementation on the insulin resistance and the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as impaired glucose tolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy, which is characterized by an increased insulin resistance. Gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with pregnancy-related maternal and fetal morbidity (both antenatal and perinatal). Myo-inositol has been suggested to improve insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Effectiveness of quadrivalent influenza vaccine in pregnant women and infants, 2018-2019.

Influenza is associated with an increased risk for serious illness, hospitalization and/or death in pregnant women and young infants. We prospectively studied the effectiveness of a quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (QIV) in pregnant women and their infants during the 2018-2019 influenza season. A QIV was offered to pregnant women cared in a maternity hospital in Athens.

Routine immunizations during pregnancy, doctors' compliance and patient hesitancy: A two stage study on vaccination uptake.

Objective: To evaluate the compliance of healthcare professionals with national guidelines and the hesitancy of pregnant women to be immunized against influenza and pertussis.

Study Design: We conducted a two-stage study. The first stage of our study included all women (n = 197) who gave birth in Alexandra Maternity Hospital in Athens, Greece during a 3-month period (April-June) 2018.

Immunizations during pregnancy: How, when and why.

Maternal immunization during pregnancy provide protection for the mother and the fetus against certain pathogens. Immunizations during pregnancy are divided to routine immunizations recommended for all pregnant women, immunizations for certain medical indications and vaccines that are potentially harmful during pregnancy and should be avoided. We conducted a comprehensive review of the literature regarding immunizations during pregnancy.

Assessment of Uterocervical Angle Width as a Predictive Factor of Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background: Uterocervical angle (UCA) has been recently proposed as a potential marker that could accurately predict preterm birth (PTB). The purpose of the present systematic review is to accumulate current evidence and provide directions for future research.

Materials And Methods: We used the Medline (1966-2018), Scopus (2004-2018), Clinicaltrials.

3D vocal power Doppler sonography for the estimation of tumor volume and vascularization in stage IB1 cervical cancer.

Purpose: To evaluate the tumor's volume and intratumoral vascularization with 3D vocal power Doppler ultrasound in patients with stage 1B1 cervical cancer.

Methods: This was a prospective study on patients with cervical cancer and stage 1B1 disease, which took place between 2012 and 2015. All women had an initial 2D ultrasound examination for the estimation of the tumor volume.

Delayed interval delivery of the second twin in a woman with altered markers of inflammation.

Background: Delayed interval intertwin delivery rates are expected to rise during the next years as potent and targeted tocolytic agents are employed and antenatal surveillance methods become more sophisticated and specific in predicting the critical delivery timepoint of optimal perinatal outcome.

Case Presentation: We present a case of delayed intertwin delivery after delivery of the first twin due to premature prelabor rupture of the membranes. Maternal serum White Blood Cells and C-Reactive Protein levels remained high until delivery of the second twin (34 days after the first was delivered), although maternal temperature remained constant.

Prenatal diagnosis of sirenomelia with anencephaly and craniorachischisis totalis: A case report study.

Rationale: Sirenomelia and anencephaly are well-defined congenital malformations that usually occur independently.

Patient Concerns: We report a case of combined sirenomelia, anencephaly and complete rachischisis, diagnosed in the 16th week of gestation.

Diagnoses: To our knowledge, this is the 7th case in the literature and the first that is diagnosed so early in pregnancy.

Chorionic Villus Sampling in Assisted Versus Spontaneous Conception Twins.

 To compare the outcome of chorionic villus sampling (CVS) in twin pregnancies following assisted reproduction technology (ART) versus twins that have been conceived spontaneously.  Retrospective analysis of dichorionic twin pregnancies that underwent CVS between 1986 and 2013 at our department which is a tertiary center for fetal medicine. 32 twin pregnancies after ART and 130 spontaneously conceived twin pregnancies, which underwent CVS, were analyzed.