Publications by authors named "Yasuyo Kasai"

Tokophobia is regarded as the intensive fear of childbirth that some pregnant women have. However, little is known about the psychopathological details of tokophobia (fear of childbirth). Between 2020 and 2021, a total of 10 pregnant women (nine nulliparae and one multipara) with a strong fear of childbirth were referred by obstetricians.

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A 28-year-old female was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) due to t (8;21) (q22;q22.1); RUNX1-RUNX1T1 at 21 weeks of gestation. Because no adverse prognostic genetic mutations were discovered, we decided to continue the pregnancy without chemotherapy for as long as possible.

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Intense fear of childbirth by expectant women is called tokophobia. Because there are no qualitative studies targeting women with an intense fear of childbirth in Japan, it is unknown whether there is any link between the type of fear of objects/situations among tokophobic women and their psychological/demographic background. Furthermore, there is no available summary of the lived experience of Japanese women with tokophobia.

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The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in twin pregnancies is not well-studied. In this retrospective study, we investigated the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in twin pregnancies and compared the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in dichorionic diamniotic (DD) and monochorionic diamniotic (MD) twins. We used data from 57 clinical facilities across Japan.

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Aim: We aimed to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in high-risk pregnant women.

Methods: Pregnant women who underwent GeneTech NIPT, the most commonly used NIPT in Japan, between January 2015 and March 2019, at Japan NIPT Consortium medical sites were recruited for this study. The exclusion criteria were as follows: pregnant women with missing survey items, multiple pregnancy/vanishing twins, chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus other than the NIPT target disease, and nonreportable NIPT results.

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Article Synopsis
  • A retrospective study analyzed maternal characteristics and neonatal outcomes related to false-positive and false-negative results from non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in a sample of over 56,000 women from 2013 to 2018.
  • Out of these women, there were 54 false-positive cases (0.095%) and 3 false-negative cases (0.006%), with some false positives linked to factors like vanishing twins and confined placental mosaicism.
  • The findings highlight that false results in NIPT are relatively rare and often have identifiable explanations, emphasizing the importance of genetic counseling for women considering the test.
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  • A study was conducted to understand why some noninvasive prenatal tests (NIPT) yield nonreportable results by looking at maternal characteristics and related details.
  • Out of 34,626 pregnant women tested, 110 (0.32%) had nonreportable cfDNA results, primarily due to low fetal fraction or altered genomic profiles.
  • The research highlights the importance of classifying nonreportable results to offer clearer information and lessen anxiety for expecting mothers.
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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to evaluate how fetal fractions in non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) can help predict pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and hypertension by comparing results from different gestational ages and maternal characteristics.
  • - Conducted as a multicenter cohort study, it analyzed data from 5,582 women with negative NIPT results to explore the links between fetal fractions and pregnancy outcomes such as miscarriages and complications.
  • - Results indicated that women who developed hypertensive disorders tended to have lower fetal fractions early in pregnancy, but using this marker to predict such conditions proved challenging.
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  • - The study focused on a 3-year nationwide project in Japan to implement non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for detecting aneuploidy in high-risk pregnant women, with proper genetic counseling provided.
  • - Out of 30,613 tests conducted, only 1.81% were positive for aneuploidy, with high true-positive rates for trisomies, and a very low false-negative rate (0.02%).
  • - The research emphasizes the need for a robust genetic counseling system and a supportive welfare framework to assist women who choose to have children with chromosomal conditions.
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The purpose of this study is to summarize the results from a survey on awareness of genetic counseling for pregnant women who wish to receive non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in Japan. As a component of a clinical study by the Japan NIPT Consortium, genetic counseling was conducted for women who wished to receive NIPT, and a questionnaire concerning both NIPT and genetic counseling was given twice: once after pre-test counseling and again when test results were reported. The responses of 7292 women were analyzed.

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Although cancer diagnoses during pregnancy are rare, they have been increasing with the rise in maternal age and are now a topic of international concern. In some cases, the administration of chemotherapy is unavoidable, though there is a relative paucity of evidence regarding the administration of anticancer drugs during pregnancy. As more cases have gradually accumulated and further research has been conducted, we are beginning to elucidate the appropriate timing for the administration of chemotherapy, the regimens that can be administered with relative safety, various drug options and the effects of these drugs on both the mother and fetus.

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