Case Series of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Late Pregnancy with Normal Glucose Tolerance.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is rare in pregnancy, especially in pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance examined in early pregnancy. Once DKA occurs in pregnancy, the disease progresses rapidly and can be life-threatening for both mother and fetus. We concluded three cases of DKA in late pregnancy.

Platelet aggregation in normal pregnancy.

It was recently shown that abnormal platelet aggregation (PA) had played a critical role in some adverse pregnancies. Till now reference range for PA in normal pregnancy has not been determined. Furthermore, few study has been conducted to explore the factors related to PA.

Paternal body mass index before conception associated with offspring's birth weight in Chinese population: a prospective study.

Whether paternal epigenetic changes resulting from nutrition might be inherited by their offspring remains unknown. This study evaluated the relationship between preconception paternal body weight and their offspring's birth weight in 1,810 Chinese mother-father-baby trios. Information on paternal and maternal preconception body weight and height was collected via a self-reported questionnaire.

BMAL1 facilitates trophoblast migration and invasion via SP1-DNMT1/DAB2IP pathway in recurrent spontaneous abortion.

The underlying mechanism about rhythms and epigenetics leading to aberrant trophoblast migration and invasion in recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) remains unknown. Brain and muscle ARNT-like protein 1 (BMAL1) is considered as a crucial role in fertility, and polymorphism of gene has been reported to be associated with risk of miscarriage. However, the functional role of BMAL1 in RSA is not fully understood.

Transcriptomic Profiling in Human Decidua of Severe Preeclampsia Detected by RNA Sequencing.

Maternal decidua plays a critical role in implantation and placentation. Impaired decidualization causes failed intravascular trophoblast invasion and inadequate placentation and then increases the risk of preeclampsia (PE). RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) has achieved great advances in the characterization and quantification of transcriptomes; is a powerful tool for new transcript discovery, genome annotation, and expression profiling.

Notch2 and Notch3 suppress the proliferation and mediate invasion of trophoblast cell lines.

Notch signaling pathways play important roles in cell fate and many diseases, including preeclampsia, the dysregulation of which may be the main cause of maternal mortality. This study aimed to investigate the roles of Notch2 and Notch3 in proliferation and invasion in trophoblast cell lines (BeWo and JAR). Small hairpin RNAs targeting Notch2/Notch3 and Notch2/Notch3-overexpression vectors were designed, constructed and transfected into BeWo and JAR cells.

Accuracy of sonographic fetal weight estimation prior to delivery in a Chinese han population.

Objective: To compare the sonographic-estimated fetal weights (EFW) calculated with the Hadlock formula and with the Woo formula in a group of Chinese pregnant women.

Methods: We prospectively recruited term pregnancies for sonographic biometric examination. EFWs were calculated according to two formulas and compared with the corresponding birth weight (BW).

Effects of Notch2 and Notch3 on Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis of Trophoblast Cell Lines.

Aims: To investigate the effect of Notch2 and Notch3 on cell proliferation and apoptosis of two trophoblast cell lines, BeWo and JAR.

Methods: Notch2 and Notch3 expression in BeWo and JAR cells was upregulated or downregulated using lentivirus-mediated overexpression or RNA interference. The effect of Notch2 and Notch3 on cell proliferation was assessed by the CCK-8 assay.

Expression of notch family proteins in placentas from patients with early-onset severe preeclampsia.

Objectives: This study is aimed to identify the expression of Notch family proteins in placentas from patients with early-onset severe preeclampsia.

Study Design: The expression of Notch family proteins in placentas was investigated by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results: The profile of distribution of all Notch family proteins in placentas from patients with early-onset severe preeclampsia is similar to that in normal placentas.

Pregnancy outcomes and relative risk factors among Chinese women with congenital heart disease.

Objective: To summarize pregnancy outcomes among a cohort of Chinese women with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to identify predictive risk factors for maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 529 women with CHD who gave birth at the Shanghai Obstetrical Cardiology Intensive Care Center, Shanghai, China, between January 1, 1993, and September 30, 2010. Maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications were evaluated for these women.

Notch signaling pathway and human placenta.

Notch signaling was evolutionarily conserved and critical for cell-fate determination, differentiation and many other biological processes. Growing evidences suggested that Notch signaling pathway played an important role in the mammalian placental development. All of the mammalian Notch family proteins had been identified in human placenta except Delta-like 3, which appeared to affect the axial skeletal system.

Pregnancy outcomes in women with Ebstein's anomaly.

Objectives: To evaluate whether women with Ebstein's anomaly can tolerate pregnancy and whether the perinatal outcomes are influenced by the severity of Ebstein's anomaly.

Methods: Data of four women with Ebstein's anomaly delivered in our unit were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

Results: (1) Two women with Ebstein's anomaly had uneventful pregnancies, cesarean section and puerperium.

[Perinatal management and pregnancy outcome in pregnant women with pulmonary hypertension complicating cardiac disease].

Objective: To evaluate the pregnancy outcome of women with pulmonary hypertension complicating cardiac disease.

Methods: Clinical data of 61 cases of pregnant women with pulmonary hypertension from Jan 1996 to Aug 2004 were analyzed and they were divided into three groups: 32 cases of slight group [pulmonary hypertension from 30 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) to 49 mm Hg], 23 cases of moderate group (pulmonary hypertension from 50 mm Hg to 79 mm Hg) and 6 cases of severe group (pulmonary hypertension equal to or higher than 80 mm Hg).