Clinical and dental predictors of preterm birth using machine learning methods: the MOHEPI study.

Preterm birth (PTB) is one of the most common and serious complications of pregnancy, leading to mortality and severe morbidities that can impact lifelong health. PTB could be associated with various maternal medical condition and dental status including periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to identify major predictors of PTB among clinical and dental variables using machine learning methods.

Lupus activity and pregnancy outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus patients undergoing assisted reproductive therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease primarily impacting women of childbearing age. While pregnancy and hormonal stress can trigger SLE flare-ups, the effects of assisted reproductive therapies (ARTs) on SLE patients are not well defined. We conducted a search of PubMed/Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL until March 20, 2024, to find observational studies assessing the prevalence of SLE flares and pregnancy outcomes following ARTs.

Double umbilical artery converging into a single umbilical artery: A case report.

Rationale: The normal structure and Doppler parameters of the umbilical cord are closely related to many diseases, including fetal infection, chromosomal abnormalities, hypoxia, and growth and development restrictions. We report a case of bilateral umbilical artery confluence resulting in the formation of a single umbilical artery in the free segment of the fetal umbilical cord, diagnosed at 24 weeks and 4 days gestation. The fetus was born prematurely after premature membrane rupture at 31 weeks and 3 days gestation.

Dysbiosis of the initial stool microbiota increases the risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis or feeding intolerance in newborns.

Several perinatal factors influence the intestinal microbiome of newborns during the first days of life, whether during delivery or even in utero. These factors may increase the risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) by causing dysbiosis linked to a NEC-associated microbiota, which may also be associated with other gastrointestinal problems. The objective of our study was to evaluate the potential risks associated with microbial shifts in newborns with gastrointestinal symptoms and identify the intestinal microbiota of neonates at risk for NEC.

Placental pathology in SARS-CoV-2 infected pregnancies: A single-institution retrospective cohort analysis.

Background: Our objectives were to determine 1) the prevalence and description of placental pathologic lesions in pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to healthy controls and 2) whether the prevalence and/ or pattern of placental pathologic lesions differed in the few neonates who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the first 48 hours of life at a busy urban county hospital.

Methods: This study included all pregnant mothers who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and delivered at our institution from March 2020 to June 2021, while control placentas were collected from term pregnancies without complications.

Results: Approximately 90% (n = 380/425) of placentas from pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infections had placental pathologic lesions, compared to 32% (n = 16/50) of controls.

Predicting Admission to Neonatal Care Unit at Mid-Pregnancy and Delivery Using Data from a General Obstetric Population.

Objectives: Development and validation of risk prediction models at mid-pregnancy and delivery to predict admission to the neonatal care unit.

Methods: We used data from all singleton deliveries at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), Ireland during 2019. Admission to the neonatal care unit was assumed if length of stay in the unit was > 24 h.

Quantitative Modeling to Characterize Maternal Inflammatory Response of Histologic Chorioamnionitis in Placental Membranes.

Problem: The placental membranes are a key barrier to fetal and uterine infection. Inflammation of the membranes, diagnosed as maternal inflammatory response (MIR) or alternatively as acute chorioamnionitis, is associated with adverse maternal-fetal outcomes. MIR is staged 1-3, with higher stages indicating more hazardous inflammation.

Artificial Sweetener and the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

The relationship between the intake of artificial sweetener (AS) and adverse pregnancy outcomes is under-researched, and existing studies yield inconsistent conclusions. A Mendelian randomization (MR) approach was employed to investigate the causal relationship between the intake of AS and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Instrumental variables related to the exposure phenotype were selected for analysis.

Prenatal Surgery for Open Fetal Spina Bifida in Patients with Obesity: A Review of Current Evidence and Future Directions.

Obesity rates have significantly increased globally, affecting up to 40% of women of childbearing age in the United States. While prenatal repair of open fetal spina bifida has shown improved outcomes, most fetal surgery centers exclude patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 35 kg/m based on criteria from the Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) trial. This exclusion raises concerns about healthcare equity and highlights a significant knowledge gap regarding the safety and efficacy of fetal spina bifida repair in patients with obesity.

Neonatal Survival and Outcomes following Periviable Rupture of Membranes.

Objective:  To clarify survival for infants affected by periviable prolonged preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) in the military health system (MHS). To add to current literature on outcomes following expectant management, including long-term neurodevelopment outcomes.

Study Design:  Retrospective matched cohort review of six level 3 military neonatal intensive care units (NICUs; 2010-2020).

Molecular evidence that GBS early neonatal sepsis results from ascending infection: comparative hybrid genomics analyses show that microorganisms in the vaginal ecosystem, amniotic fluid, chorioamniotic membranes, and neonatal blood are the same.

Objectives: , or Group B (GBS), is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis. Materno-fetal transmission of the microorganisms present in the lower genital tract/perineum is considered to be the most frequent mode for acquisition of infection. It has also been proposed that, in a subset of cases, GBS causes acute chorioamnionitis, intraamniotic infection, and fetal/neonatal sepsis.

Vaginal Microflora in High Vaginal Swab in Prelabour Rupture of Membrane: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Introduction: Premature rupture of membrane (PROM) refers to the disruption of the fetal membrane before the beginning of labor, resulting in spontaneous leakage of amniotic fluid. Cervicovaginal infection is an important risk factor of PROM and can lead to complications to mother and the child. This study aimed to delineate the bacterial patterns found in PROM so that the ideal appropriate responsive antibiotics can be chosen.

Escherichia coli induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and type IV collagen degradation is regulated by progesterone in human maternal decidual.

Background: Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of the main bacteria associated with preterm premature rupture of membranes by increasing pro-matrix metalloproteinase 9 (proMMP-9) and degradation of type IV collagen in human feto-maternal interface (HFMi). proMMP-9 is regulated by progesterone (P4) but it is unclear whether P4 inhibits proMMP in human maternal decidual (MDec).

Glutamine Attenuates Inflammation and Stimulates Amniotic Cell Proliferation in Premature Rupture of Membranes-related in vitro Models.

Premature rupture of membranes (PROM), with a prevalence of 15.3% in China, frequently results in adverse pregnancy outcomes. In this study, we aimed to identify amino acid metabolites that were differentially expressed in PROM versus healthy controls (HC) using targeted metabolomics and further explored their mechanisms of action with in vitro models.

Construction and validation of a risk prediction model for extrauterine growth restriction in preterm infants born at gestational age less than 34 weeks.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a model for predicting extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) in preterm infants born ≤34 weeks gestation.

Methods: Preterm infants from Guangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital (2019-2021) were randomly divided into training (80%) and testing (20%) sets. Collinear clinical variables were excluded using Pearson correlation coefficients.

Laparoscopic Transabdominal Needle-free Emergency Cerclage in the Early Second Trimester of Pregnancy after Failed Transvaginal Cerclage: Two Case Reports and a Review of the Literature.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to describe the preventive option and safety of laparoscopic transabdominal emergency cerclage in pregnant women with advanced cervical shortening after failed vaginal cerclage or in whom vaginal cerclage is no longer possible.

Method: Laparoscopic isthmo-cervical emergency cerclage was carried out in two patients at 13+0 and 15+5 weeks of gestation (GW) respectively. Both patients had cervical shortening and it was no longer possible to expose the cervix after conization or re-conization.