Peripartum Morbidity after Cesarean Delivery for Arrest of Dilation at 4 to 5 cm Compared with 6 to 10 cm.

Objective: Given that recent consensus guidelines established to decrease cesarean delivery (CD) rates use 6 cm to define the onset of the active phase of labor, our objective was to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes after CD for the indication of arrest of dilation at 4 to 5 cm compared with ≥ 6 cm.

Study Design: We performed a secondary analysis using data from the Maternal Fetal-Medicine Units Network Cesarean Registry. We included nulliparous women with term, singleton, vertex gestations who underwent primary CD for arrest of dilation.

Uterine artery Doppler and prediction of preeclampsia.

Identifying patients at risk for preeclampsia would allow an increase in perinatal surveillance and possibly decrease the inherent maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality associated with severe preeclampsia and eclampsia. First and second trimester uterine artery Doppler velocimetry is a sensitive screening tool for the detection of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) requiring delivery before 34 weeks. The performance of uterine artery Doppler velocimetry as a screening test depends on the prevalence of the adverse outcome in the studied population and whether the adverse outcomes are assessed individually or collectively as a group.

Spontaneous methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidural abscess in pregnancy.

Background: Epidural abscess is a rare complication of regional anesthesia, and spontaneous formation is even more uncommon. Diabetes mellitus, concomitant infection, intravenous drug use, and immune suppression are risk factors for spontaneous epidural abscess.

Case: A 29-year-old white woman presented at 28 weeks of estimated gestational age reporting an intermittent headache.

Spontaneous severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in successive pregnancies with successful outcomes.

Background: Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is a known complication of ovarian stimulation, particularly with injectable gonadotropins. Spontaneous ovarian hyperstimulation is rare and often involves a conformational change in the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor, increasing its binding with human chorionic gonadotropin or thyroid-stimulating hormone. Few data are available regarding the management or outcomes of spontaneous ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Enhanced in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity of umbilical cord blood cells against human breast cancer following activation with IL-15 and colony stimulating factors.

Background: Cord blood mononuclear cells (MNC) are a rich source of precursor cytotoxic effector cells. Earlier we have shown that interleukin-2 (IL-2)-activated MNC from cord blood have significant cytotoxic activity against human leukemia and breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, compared to MNC from peripheral blood.

Materials And Methods: In order to further improve the antitumor cytotoxic ability of cord blood MNC, IL-2 was combined with IL-15 and colony stimulating factors GMCSF, G-CSF and M-CSF for the activation.

Comparison of phenotypic and functional dendritic cells derived from human umbilical cord blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Dendritic cells (DC) are important accessory cells that are capable of initiating an immune response. Generation of functional DC has potential clinical use in treating diseases such as cancer. In this report, we have demonstrated the generation of functional DC from mononuclear cells isolated from human umbilical cord blood cells (UCBC) and peripheral blood cells (PBC) using a defined medium Prime Complete Growth Medium (PCGM) (GenePrime LLC, Gaithersburg, MD).