Pregnancy and birth outcomes of multiple gestations with PPROM occurred within 24 h after fetal reduction: A case series.

Objective: The study aims to analyze the pregnancy outcomes of multiple gestations with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) that occurred within 24 h after fetal reduction with potassium chloride (KCL).

Materials And Methods: We identified and evaluated the outcomes of 16 retrospectively recorded multigestational pregnancies that met the inclusion criteria between 2006 and 2016, from the Obstetrics Department of Shandong Provincial Hospital. A total of 16 patients carrying twins or higher order multiple gestations experienced PPROM within 24 h after fetal reduction, and all of them received expectant management after understanding the relevant risks.

Safety and Efficacy of Higher Order Multifetal Pregnancy Reduction: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

 This research was aimed to study the safety and efficacy of higher order multifetal pregnancy reduction (MFPR).  This was a retrospective study of patients from an academic maternity center between 2005 and 2015. We evaluated outcomes of 131 consecutive patients who underwent higher order MFPR (quadruplets and greater).

Comparisons between two methods of multifetal pregnancy reduction in women with a dichorionic triamniotic triplet pregnancy.

Objective: To compare the different pregnancy outcomes of women with a reduced dichorionic triamniotic (DCTA) triplet managed with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or potassium chloride (KCL).

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. We studied 30 women of DCTA triplets managed with RFA as well as 85 managed with KCL.

LRP6 regulates Rab7-mediated autophagy through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway to modulate trophoblast cell migration and invasion.

Pre-eclampsia is a common complication during pregnancy; however, the underlying mechanisms of the crosstalk between low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) and autophagy in trophoblast cells are still not fully explored. Messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of LRP6, beclin 1, Unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1), p62, vimentin, matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9), β-catenin, c-Myc, and Rab7, as well as the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I, were analysed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot analysis, respectively. An MTT assay was used to measure cell growth, and transwell and wound healing assays were carried out to evaluate the invasion and migration abilities of the trophoblasts used.

Association study between variants in and with preeclampsia risk in Han Chinese populations.

To evaluate the association between preeclampsia and three single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs13405728 in gene; rs13429458 in gene, and rs2479106 in gene) which were identified to be genetic variants of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) by genome-wide association study in Han Chinese populations. A total of 784 northern Han Chinese women (378 controls and 406 cases) were genotyped for the three genetic variants by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing. Unconditional logistic regression analysis was used to adjust the impact of prepregnancy body mass index, primiparas, and maternal age.

Dydrogesterone has no effect on uterine fibroids when used to prevent miscarriage in pregnant women with uterine fibroids.

Objectives: To analyse the effect of dydrogesterone use during pregnancy on uterine fibroids, pregnancy complications, and pregnancy outcome.

Material And Methods: In all, 372 pregnant women with uterine fibroids who were treated at the Affiliated Provincial Hospital of Shandong University were included in this study. Thirty-three of these women received dydrogesterone and constituted the treatment group, and the 27 women who were found to have uterine fibroids during the first trimester but did not receive intervention to prevent miscarriage composed the control group.

Radiofrequency ablation for selective reduction in complex monochorionic multiple pregnancies: A case series.

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for selective fetal reduction in complex monochorionic multiple pregnancies.

Materials And Methods: From July 2011 to January 2015, data on all cases treated with RFA were collected prospectively in our hospital. Indications, procedure details, cause of fetal demise and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed.

Noninvasive Swansea criteria are valuable alternatives for diagnosing acute fatty liver of pregnancy in a Chinese population.

Background: This study aims to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of Swansea criteria in diagnosing acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) in a Chinese population.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 52 Chinese women diagnosed with AFLP. All selected cases were reassessed using the Swansea criteria with special focus on the noninvasive criteria, since performing a liver biopsy for this indication is rare in a Chinese population.

Role of UMOD Promoter Polymorphism in the Etiology of Preeclampsia.

Aims: To evaluate the association between preeclampsia (PE) and the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs13333226, located in the promoter region of the UMOD gene.

Methods: A total of 1248 pregnant Han Chinese women (716 controls and 532 patients with PE) were included in this study. Genotyping of the rs13333226 polymorphism was performed by real-time PCR using a TaqMan-minor groove binder (MGB) probe assay.

Recurrent miscarriage is associated with a decline of decidual natural killer cells expressing killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors specific for human leukocyte antigen C.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between natural killer (NK) cell phenotype and recurrent miscarriage (RM).

Methods: We studied killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) expression on decidual NK cells in women with RM.

Results: The expression of KIR2DL1/S1 on CD56(+) CD16(-) NK cells in the deciduas of these women was significantly lower than in that of control subjects (P = 0.

The common variant rs11646213 is associated with preeclampsia in Han Chinese women.

Background: Preeclampsia, characterized by hypertension and proteinuria, is a multifactorial disease caused by complex interactions between environmental and genetic factors. A recent genome-wide association study of blood pressure reported an association between hypertension and rs11646213. This study evaluated the association between preeclampsia and rs11646213.

[Safety and efficiency of radiofrequency fetal ablation in the treatment of complicated multiple gestations].

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficiency of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of complicated multifetal gestations.

Methods: There were 6 multifetal pregnant women (gestational age ranged from 14(+6) to 27(+2) weeks) diagnosed in the Department of Obstetrics, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University: two with twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) stage IV, one with reversed arterial perfusion sequence, one with dichorionic triamniotic triplets, one with absence of a lower limb, one with severe intrauterine growth restriction. All of them accepted ultrasound-guided selective fetocide by RFA.

[Comparative study of pregnancy outcomes between spontaneous twin pregnancies and twin pregnancies after fetal reduction in the second trimester].

Objective: To compare the outcomes of multifetal pregnancy reduced to twins with initial twin pregnancy.

Methods: This study included all patients who had high-order multiple pregnancies from August 2007 to September 2010 (n = 567) in outpatient or inpatient of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University. There were 478 initial twin pregnancy (non-reduced group) and 89 multifetal pregnancy reduced to twins (reduced group).

Successful pregnancies with uterine leiomyomas and myomectomy at the time of caesarean section.

OBJECTIVE To ascertain the impact of uterine leiomyomas on pregnancy outcome, and to determine the effectiveness of myomectomy at the time of caesarean delivery. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on pregnant women with uterine leiomyomas. Clinical information including the course of the pregnancy, mode of delivery, pathology findings, and postpartum course were extracted from medical records and analysed for statistical significance.

[Correlation of free fetal DNA with beta-human chorionin gonadotropin in circulation in pregnant women with high risk of Down's syndrome].

Objective: To investigate significance and correlation of free fetal DNA (fDNA) and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) in circulation in pregnant women with high-risk of Down's syndrome (DS).

Methods: Pregnant women with a male fetus at second trimester screening for Down's syndrome were chosen, including 5 women with a trisomy 21 fetus (DS group), 21 women with DS high-risk pregnant women (DS high-risk group) matched with 22 normal pregnant women as control group. Free fDNA in maternal plasma were extracted.

[Effects of heparin and anticardiolipin antibodies positive serum from patients with recurrent pregnancy loss on proliferation of BeWo cells].

Objective: To investigate the effects of anticardiolipin antibodies positive serum from patients with recurrent pregnancy loss on the proliferation of BeWo cells as well as the modulation of heparin on the growth of BeWo cell.

Methods: Thirty patients with recurrent pregnancy loss whose anticardiolipin antibodies were positive and thirty healthy women with a history of term delivery were selected. Their sera were separately added to BeWo cell culture systems which contained either heparin or not.

Use of maternal plasma for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of fetal ABO genotypes.

Background: Measurement of free fetal DNA in maternal plasma opened a door for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. Prenatal diagnosis of fetal ABO genotypes can provide a basis for the prevention and therapy of maternal-fetal incompatibility. We identified fetal ABO genotypes using fetal DNA in plasma from pregnant women with blood group O.

Detection of genomic imbalances by comparative genomic hybridization in Chinese fetuses with malformations.

Aim: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) in the detection of genomic imbalances in Chinese malformed fetuses.

Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from umbilical cord blood or fresh amniotic fluid of 9 malformed fetuses and labeled with SpectrumGreen dUTP or SpectrumRed dUTP. A pair of CGH analyses in which the fluorochromes were exchanged was carried out for each sample.

[Clinical study of selective multifetal pregnancy reduction in second trimester].

Objective: To investigate the operative indication, timing, method, selective standards of feticided fetus and the number of reduced fetuses of selective multifetal pregnancy reduction in second trimester, and the pregnancy outcome of multifetal pregnancy by this operation.

Methods: Trans-abdominal selective multifetal pregnancy reductions in 37 cases of multiple pregnancy (twins 6 cases, triplets 21 cases, quadruplets 8 cases, and quintuplets 2 cases) during 12(+1) - 25 weeks were performed under ultrasound guidance. The fetus to be reduced was injected potassium chloride (KCl) intracardiacally until the fetal heartbeat stopped gradually.