Background: The severity of pulmonary hypoplasia is a main determinant of outcome for babies with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Antenatal administration of extracellular vesicles derived from amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSC-EVs) has been shown to rescue morphological features of lung development in the rat nitrofen model of CDH. Herein, we evaluated whether AFSC-EV administration to fetal rats with CDH is associated with neonatal improvement in lung function.
Methods: AFSC-EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation and characterized by size, morphology, and canonical marker expression. At embryonic (E) day 9.5, dams were gavaged with olive oil (control) or nitrofen to induce CDH. At E18.5, fetuses received an intra-amniotic injection of either saline or AFSC-EVs. At E21.5, rats were delivered and subjected to a tracheostomy for mechanical ventilation (flexiVent system). Groups were compared for lung compliance, resistance, Newtonian resistance, tissue damping and elastance. Lungs were evaluated for branching morphogenesis and collagen quantification.
Results: Compared to healthy control, saline-treated pups with CDH had fewer airspaces, more collagen deposition, and functionally exhibited reduced compliance and increased airway resistance, elastance, and tissue damping. Conversely, AFSC-EV administration resulted in improvement of lung mechanics (compliance, resistance, tissue damping, elastance) as well as lung branching morphogenesis and collagen deposition.
Conclusions: Our studies show that the rat nitrofen model reproduces lung function impairment similar to that of human babies with CDH. Antenatal administration of AFSC-EVs improves lung morphology and function in neonatal rats with CDH.
Level Of Evidence: N/A (animal and laboratory study).
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2024.02.029 | DOI Listing |
While maternal mortality decreased during the Millennium Development Goals era, it remains unacceptably high, with stagnation in reductions possible due to shocks such as COVID-19. Most women in low- and middle-income countries already receive antenatal care and over half give birth in health facilities. In cities, use of health facilities for childbirth is near universal (>90%).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInfant Ment Health J
January 2025
Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Although mother-to-infant attachment begins during pregnancy, few studies have explored correlates of prenatal attachment and associations with later measures of attachment representations. This study explored whether prenatal attachment is related to attachment representations during toddlerhood and whether associations between them reflect the broader quality of mothers' relationships. Young, ethnically/racially diverse, low-income American women (n = 160) were followed from pregnancy through 30 months postpartum.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFam Pract
January 2025
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Primary Care Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, United Kingdom.
Background: Iron deficiency during pregnancy poses a significant risk to both maternal and foetal health. Current international guidelines provide discrepant advice on antenatal iron supplementation for non-anaemic women.
Objective: We aimed to quantify the benefits and harms of routine antenatal supplementation in non-anaemic women.
Stem Cells Transl Med
January 2025
Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Program, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada M5G 0A4.
Disruption of developmental processes affecting the fetal lung leads to pulmonary hypoplasia. Pulmonary hypoplasia results from several conditions including congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and oligohydramnios. Both entities have high morbidity and mortality, and no effective therapy that fully restores normal lung development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAsian J Transfus Sci
May 2023
Department of Transfusion Medicine, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Hemolytic disease of foetus and newborn (HDFN) is a disease characterized by the destruction of fetal red cells by the maternal antibodies which occurs due to allo immunization in the mother by feto-maternal blood group incompatibility. The antibodies most frequently implicated in HDFN may vary depending on the demographic location under consideration. In areas where RhIg administration is available, ABO antibodies are more commonly implicated.
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