Ectopia cordis: prenatal diagnosis, perinatal outcomes, and postnatal follow-up of an international multicenter cohort case series.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze prenatal diagnosis, perinatal outcomes, and postnatal follow-up in fetuses with ectopia cordis (EC).

Methods: This retrospective analysis accessed 31 patients with EC who were either diagnosed or referred to a tertiary Fetal Medicine centers for EC diagnosis in Brazil, Germany, Italy, and Poland. We analyzed prenatal diagnosis, perinatal outcomes, and follow-up in these patients.

Sonographic measurement of the fetal pancreas in women with gestational diabetes.

Introduction: Maternal glycemic state is positively correlated with fetal insulin secretion. Randomized control studies have shown that treatment during pregnancy inhibits to some degree this glycemic effect. Our study aimed to assess fetal pancreas size in a population of treated mothers with gestational diabetes.

Nomograms of the fetal thymus for clinical practice.

Introduction: The fetal thymus may be visualized using ultrasonography (USG) and is typically located in the mediastinum. In the past years, the size of the fetal thymus has served not only as a marker of genetic or heart defects but also as a predictive factor for intrauterine growth restriction, premature birth, preeclampsia, chorioamnionitis or even neonatal sepsis.

Material And Methods: A total of 410 fetuses were qualified for the study.

The effect of repeated cadmium oral exposure on the level of sex hormones, estrous cyclicity, and endometrium morphometry in female rats.

Cadmium (Cd) is regarded as a potential endocrine disruptor. However, the exact mechanism by which this metal may interfere with the reproductive system has not yet been elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of subacute Cd oral administration at daily doses of 0.

Increased TGF-β: a drawback of tracheal occlusion in human and experimental congenital diaphragmatic hernia?

Survivors of severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) present significant respiratory morbidity despite lung growth induced by fetal tracheal occlusion (TO). We hypothesized that the underlying mechanisms would involve changes in lung extracellular matrix and dysregulated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β pathway, a key player in lung development and repair. Pulmonary expression of TGF-β signaling components, downstream effectors, and extracellular matrix targets were evaluated in CDH neonates who died between birth and the first few weeks of life after prenatal conservative management or TO, and in rabbit pups that were prenatally randomized for surgical CDH and TO vs.

Segmental congenital defect of the intestinal musculature.

Congenital defect of the small intestine muscular layer is rare cause of spontaneous bowel perforation or obstruction in premature infants. Etiology is still unknown. The authors report one case of segmental absence of small bowel muscular layer in preterm born infant.

Clinical challenges in the management of a prenatally diagnosed cloacal malformation.

Cloacal dysgenesis sequence is a severe malformation of the primitive cloaca and is characterized by a phallus-like structure, smooth perineum and the absence of genitourinary and anal orifices. It is usually accompanied by oligohydramnios, kidney dysplasia, and pulmonary hypoplasia. We present a case of a 29-year-old woman who was referred at 26 weeks of gestation due to an enlarged fetal abdominal circumference.

Massive fetal intracranial teratoma with hydrocephalus detected at 33 weeks of gestation.

Fetal intracranial teratomas are rare neoplasms that can be readily detected via USG and MRI. While early discovery of such a condition may be helpful, the prognosis remains poor. We present a case of a massive intracranial teratoma and hydrocephalus initially detected via USG at 33 weeks of gestation.

Evaluation of lectin pathway activity and mannan-binding lectin levels in the course of pregnancy complicated by diabetes type 1, based on the genetic background.

Introduction: There are numerous indications that either mannan-binding lectin (MBL) deficiency or its excessive activity are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. High MBL concentrations and corresponding MBL2 genotypes were shown to be associated with microvascular complications in type 1 diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate levels of MBL and MBL-dependent activity of the lectin pathway (LP) of complement in the course of pregnancy in diabetic mothers, based on genetic background.

Glycation endproducts, soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproducts and cytokines in diabetic and non-diabetic pregnancies.

Problem: Cytokines, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and their receptor RAGE have been recently suggested to play a role in human pregnancy. In this study, we sought to determine the alterations of plasma AGEs, soluble RAGE (sRAGE), and proinflammatory cytokines in normal pregnancies and those complicated with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Method Of Study: These parameters were measured in samples from healthy non-pregnant (C), diabetic non-pregnant (D), healthy pregnant (HP), and pregnant diabetic (DP) women.

Search for the pathogenic fungi in amniotic fluid.

Intra-amniotic infection with Candida is rare but considers an etiological factor for preterm rupture of membranes (PROM). The aim of the study was the investigation of the mycotic invasion of the amniotic cavity in pregnant women with PROM and with intact fetal memranes. 170 women were included in two groups: I (n = 150)--women with intact membranes; II (n = 20)--women with PROM.

Too late prenatal diagnosis of fetal toxoplasmosis: a case report.

Objective: We describe a case of severe fetal hydrocephalus due to toxoplasmosis which could not be diagnosed until late gestational age due to the lack of a serologic surveillance program during pregnancy; moreover, this case points to the usefulness of molecular biology tools in the diagnostic process. Abnormal ultrasound in the 2nd trimester was noticed and Toxoplasma gondii was demonstrated in amniotic fluid at the 28th week of gestation both by PCR and by mice inoculation. Fansidar and folinic acid were administered.

Activity of hydrolytic enzymes in fungi isolated from diabetic pregnant women: is there any relationship between fungal alkaline and acid phosphatase activity and glycemic control?

Ability to respond to environmental changes and secretion of hydrolases are considered to be important for Candida virulence. In this study we determined and compared the activities of 19 different hydrolases of the fungal strains isolated from diabetic and non-diabetic pregnant women. We also looked for the presence of a relationship between hydrolase activities and glycemic control, and, furthermore, evaluated the influence of gestational age on the activity of hydrolases.

Prevalence of fungi in the vagina, rectum and oral cavity in pregnant diabetic women: relation to gestational age and symptoms.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of fungi in the vagina, rectum and oral cavity in pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (DM) type I or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and in healthy controls; to assess the influence of gestational age on the prevalence of fungi; to compare the vaginal symptoms within the groups; and to analyze the multifocality of fungal invasions.

Methods: A total of 251 women were examined: 47 with DM, 72 with GDM and 132 controls. Samples were collected from the vagina, rectum and oral cavity of all women and cultured on Sabouraud media.

Psychomotor development in the children of mothers with type 1 diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes mellitus.

The purpose of this study was to examine psychomotor development in children born to mothers with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The influence of metabolic control in pregnant diabetic mothers and complications during labor on their children's psychological and physical development was evaluated. The analysis included 59 children, 20 of mothers with GDM, 19 of mothers with DM1, and 20 children of healthy mothers.

Levels of mannose binding lectin in early pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus type 1--preliminary report.

The complement system plays an important role as a product of innate and acquired immune reaction. It can be activated via three different routes: the classical pathway, the alternative pathway and the lectin pathway. MBL (mannose-binding lectin) is considered to be a pathogen recognising receptor (PRR), an important factor in recognising pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP).

Polyamine system in developing rat eye and an animal model of retinopathy of prematurity.

Background: In experimental models of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a vasoproliferative disorder of the retina, retinal lesions are usually assessed by morphological examination. However, studies suggest that the polyamine system may be useful in monitoring proliferation processes. For this reason, polyamine concentrations in rat erythrocytes (RBC) and the regulation of polyamine system in rat eyes under the conditions relevant to ROP were investigated.