Estimation of fetal oxygen uptake in human term pregnancies.

Objective: Umbilical oxygen (O(2)) uptake is a parameter of basic physiologic interest. It has been extensively studied in chronically catheterized animals but very few data have been obtained acutely in humans. Recent developments in ultrasound technology allow the estimation of umbilical venous blood flow in utero.

First trimester PTX3 levels in women who subsequently develop preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction.

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured in the first trimester of pregnancy in women who subsequently developed preeclampsia (PE, n=16) and fetal growth restriction (FGR, n=12) requiring iatrogenic delivery before 37 weeks, and those who had uncomplicated pregnancies delivering at term (n=60). Mean PTX3 levels were significantly higher in women who subsequently developed PE (7.31 ng/ml, SD = 4.

Maternal and fetal fatty acid profile in normal and intrauterine growth restriction pregnancies with and without preeclampsia.

The aim of this study was to evaluate maternal and fetal lipid profile in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) pregnancies with and without preeclampsia (PE). Thirteen normal pregnancies studied during the third trimester (control M) and 29 at elective cesarean section (control CS) were compared with 18 pregnancies complicated by IUGR (IUGR only) and with seven pregnancies complicated by both IUGR and PE (IUGR-PE). Total plasma fatty acids, triglycerides, cholesterol, and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) were determined in maternal and fetal plasma.

Maternal and foetal resistin and adiponectin concentrations in normal and complicated pregnancies.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate how resistin and adiponectin (ApN) are involved in maternal energy metabolism and foetal growth.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Patients And Measurements: Resistin and ApN were measured in 30 healthy nonpregnant women, 73 pregnant women [10-41 weeks of gestation; 18 with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), five with pregnancy-induce hypertension (PIH), nine with pre-eclampsia (PE), eight with chronic hypertension (CH) and 33 normal] and 40 foetal samples (20-41 weeks of gestation; 18 from GDM mothers and 22 from normal mothers).

Intrauterine growth restriction is associated with alterations in placental lipoprotein receptors and maternal lipoprotein composition.

Among other factors, fetal growth requires maternal supply of cholesterol. Cellular cholesterol uptake is mainly mediated by the LDL receptor (LDL-R) and the scavenger receptor family. We hypothesized that expression levels of key receptors of these families were regulated differently in placentas from IUGR pregnancies with varying degrees of severity.

Elevated maternal levels of the long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) in preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction.

Objective: The prototypic long pentraxin pentraxin 3 is a new candidate marker for inflammatory conditions reflecting the involvement of the vascular bed. Endothelial dysfunction is a prominent feature of preeclampsia as a result of excessive maternal systemic inflammation. We investigated pentraxin 3 levels in preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, pregnancy conditions related to altered placentation.