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At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Pregnancy complicated by diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetes mellitus is a high risk complication of pregnancy and this is particularly true whenever long standing diabetes is complicated by diabetic nephropathy. Five cases are reported of diabetic pregnancy complicated by nephropathy. Four women delivered healthy babies, and one patient aborted spontaneously in the 9th week of gestation. It is suggested that first and foremost in complicated diabetic pregnancy strict normoglycemia should be adhered to prior and all through pregnancy. Our findings based on these cases also suggest that: Pregnancy does not adversely affect the renal status of a diabetic woman or vice versa. Creatinine clearance is not worsened by the course of pregnancy in the majority of these patients and proteinuria per se does not add additional risks to pregnancy or outcome. Hypertension is a separate risk factor affecting the pregnancy despite normoglycemia. Motivation of these patients to maintain normoglycemia as well as bed rest for prolonged periods, intensive use of fetal monitoring, evaluation of fetal lung maturity and improved neonatal care may contribute to improved perinatal outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Echogenic intracardiac focus: potential for misdiagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the potential rate of specular reflectors within the fetal heart producing reflections of sufficient amplitude to be mistaken for echogenic intracardiac foci. METHODS: Between July 1999 and December 2000, 200 patients were randomly selected from the University of California, San Francisco, perinatal database who met the following criteria: (1) had singleton pregnancy, (2) delivered at University of California, San Francisco, and (3) had obstetric sonography at University of California, San Francisco, between 18 and 22 weeks' gestation. Bright focal reflections within the heart were judged to be either "true" or "false" echogenic intracardiac foci. RESULTS: In this population of patients who underwent routine obstetric sonography at a tertiary care hospital, the rate of true echogenic intracardiac focus cases was 11 per 200 (5.5%). The rate of false echogenic intracardiac focus cases was 34 per 200 (17%). The most common locations for identification of a spurious echogenic intracardiac focus were the endocardial cushion, the moderator band, and the tricuspid valve annulus. CONCLUSIONS: A specular reflection from the moderator band was judged the false echogenic intracardiac focus most likely to fool examiners. The rate of specular reflection from the moderator band was 11 per 200 (5.5%). Because it is possible to generate a specular reflection from an interface in the fetal heart in virtually any patient, it is important to exercise caution before diagnosing an echogenic intracardiac focus.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Brain damage in preterm infants: etiological pathways.

Preterm newborns represent a high-risk population for brain damage, primarily affecting the white matter, and for related neurodevelopmental disabilities. Determinants of brain damage have been extensively investigated, but there are still many controversies on how these factors can influence the developing brain and provoke damage. The concept of etiological pathway, instead of a single determinant, appears to better explain pathogenetic mechanisms: the brain damage may represent the final outcome of exposure to several combinations of risk factors in the same pathway or in different pathways and can change according to the gestational age. The aim of this article is to review the current knowledge on the pathogenesis of brain damage in preterm infants, within the frame of two main theoretical models, the ischemic and the inflammatory pathway. The relationship between the two pathways and the contribution of genetic susceptibility to ischemic and/or inflammatory insult, in modulating the extent and severity of brain damage, is also discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Preeclampsia, trisomy 13, and the placental bed.

Genetic predisposition and abnormal trophoblastic function are thought to contribute to the development of preeclampsia. A multipara developed severe preeclampsia and subsequently delivered a live growth-retarded infant with trisomy 13. Biopsy of the placental bed taken immediately after delivery demonstrated inadequate trophoblastic remodeling of the maternal uterine vasculature, with an absence of normal physiologic changes in the spiral arteries. This case suggests that fetal trisomy 13 can be associated with preeclampsia in multiparous women and that abnormal trophoblastic invasion may contribute to the pathophysiology.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Pathology of the placenta. V. Circulatory disorders of the placenta. Fetal vascular system].

Discussed are circulatory disorders as well as pathologico-anatomic findings recordable from fetal vessels of the placenta. Thorough reference is first made to obliterative endoarteritis of the greater arteries. Its forms are described, with formal and causative pathogenesis being discussed. Conclusive coverage of causative pathogenesis has proved to be possible only for unambiguously determined inflammatory manifestations (rubella, lues). The second major complex covers alterations to greater and minor fetal vessels which are characterized by central parietal thrombosis (possibly associated with fetal asphyxia) and peripherally disseminated intravasal coagulation (associated with peripartal shock or other conditions). Included in the latter group of alterations are congenital pulmonary hyaline membranes (perhaps also some membranes of postnatal origin) which are, as well, considered as shock equivalent.

Asphyxia Neonatorum↗
PubMed1985

The stillborn fetus: placental histologic examination in determining a cause.

This investigation was undertaken to determine whether or not histologic examination of the placenta contributed to a better understanding of the cause for an intrauterine fetal death. The placentas of stillborn fetuses delivered after the 20th gestational week were examined during a 4.5-year period (January 1979 to June 1983). Adequate information about the clinical history, autopsy examination, and placental histological examination was available in 89 cases. Delivery was usually within the first week after the fetal death. Significant histologic aberrations in the placenta were found in 87 (98%) cases. The most frequent abnormalities were those of vascular insufficiency, hemorrhagic endovasculitis, retroplacental hematomata, acute chorioamnionitis with fetal involvement, and erythroblastosis/hydrops. Histologic abnormalities were supportive of prior impressions in 67 (77%) cases, contradictory to prior impressions in ten (11%) cases, or the sole contributors in explaining the cause of death in ten (11%) cases. Routine histologic examination of the placenta after a recent fetal death provides helpful information in counseling the parents and in planning any future childbearing.

Chorioamnionitis↗
PubMed1999

[Prenatal diagnosis of viral infections. A two year study in Strasbourg].

We report here the results of a 2-year study on the prenatal diagnosis of viral infections in Strasbourg. This screening was carried out by virus isolation, by PCR assay, or by detection of IgM fetal antibody for 98 pregnant women at risk of transmitting one of the viruses that causes fetal disease such as parvovirus B19 (B19), Herpesviruses [cytomegalovirus (CMV), varicella-zoster virus, herpes simplex virus] and rubella virus. A viral etiology was proven in 7 out 98 cases: PCR applied to B19 DNA detection was positive in 5 amniotic fluids (AF), 2 fetal serums and one ascitic liquid. The diagnosis of 2 cases of CMV infection was obtained by both PCR and virus isolation in AF from twins fetuses. The detection of specific IgM in maternal serum or fetal serum is useful to achieve the diagnosis but serological tests on other samples have no efficiency. No virus was found in any other specimen, but the genome of Toxoplasma gondii was detected by PCR in 1 of 17 AF samples analyzed at the Institut de Parasitologie. These findings show that PCR assay is a sensitive method for the positive diagnosis of intrauterine infection and promises to careful follow-up of the pregnancy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Invasive versus non-invasive testing in red-cell alloimmunized pregnancies.

Amniocentesis for amniotic fluid bilirubin levels is the most widely used test to predict the severity of fetal disease in red-cell alloimmunization. Many textbooks and guidelines recommend serial amniocentesis to monitor these pregnancies. However, the reliability of amniotic fluid bilirubin measurements has been questioned. Two strategies have been proposed by investigators. Some advocate liberal or primary use of fetal blood sampling, while others promote the use of non-invasive ultrasonography and Doppler. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the usefulness of amniocentesis, ultrasonography and Doppler to predict the degree of fetal hemolytic anemia. The evidence suggests that amniotic fluid bilirubin measurements are of limited value in the second trimester. Furthermore, critical appraisal of the very few prospective studies is hampered by limitations in design or insufficient data given by the authors. Many ultrasound and Doppler parameters have been proposed as useful indicators of fetal anemia. The most promising of these methods are Doppler assessment of umbilical venous and middle cerebral artery flow velocities. We speculate that the accuracy of these non-invasive tests may be good enough to incorporate them in management protocols, possibly replacing amniocentesis. Well-designed prospective studies are needed to prove this hypothesis.

Amniocentesis↗
PubMed1995

Infectious diseases.

Routine antenatal screening can detect some potentially serious infectious diseases or susceptibility to infection and allow intervention to prevent adverse outcomes. However, screening programmes can only be justified if appropriate criteria are met for the quality of laboratory tests and interventions. For many infections that are associated with adverse maternal or fetal effects, there are no suitable, cost-effective methods of screening or prevention. However, early diagnosis of infection in high-risk women or those with symptoms can allow preventive intervention. Acute febrile illness or other symptoms consistent with infection during pregnancy should be investigated more diligently than in a non-pregnant woman. Early diagnosis of an apparently trivial maternal infection may prevent serious fetal disease. When the diagnosis of maternal infection is made, appropriate action depends on the nature of infection and the stage of pregnancy at which it occurs. The results of serological test should be confirmed, preferably by a reference laboratory, by retesting the original specimen(s) and/or testing further specimens, as appropriate. Management decisions generally should be made in consultation with an infectious disease physician or clinical microbiologist with experience of infectious diseases in pregnancy.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hematologic values of fetal blood obtained by means of cordocentesis.

Fetal blood values were evaluated from 541 cordocenteses. Simple regressions were used to find a correlation between blood values and gestational age. We found a linear increase in hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit throughout gestation; a linear decrease of the mean corpuscular volume with the gestation was evidenced as a regular decrease in mean corpuscular hemoglobin. Lastly, the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was constant during the gestation; a linear increase of the platelet count and the nucleated cells was also evidenced. We suggest that each fetal medicine unit should have its own reference ranges. It will permit to accurately diagnose fetal infection, fetal anemia, or any fetal disease where alterations of hematopoiesis have been described.

Cordocentesis↗
PubMed1992

The epidemiological characteristics of unexplained antepartum stillbirths.

All antepartum stillbirths weighing 1000 g or more born in Western Australia from 1980 to 1983 were categorised as 'unexplained' or 'explained' based on information from Perinatal Death Certificates. Using data from hospital and doctors' antenatal records a number of variables in each stillbirth category were compared by unconditional logistic regression. Significant differences were observed between the two groups in medical disorders and abnormalities of pregnancy, thus confirming our classification system. Compared with mothers of 'explained' antepartum stillbirths, mothers of unexplained antepartum stillbirths tended to have younger ages at delivery and had associated lower parity, more antenatal visits to the medical practitioner, fewer hospital admissions, a greater chance of having received care by a general practitioner than by a specialist obstetrician and were of more advanced gestation at the time of diagnosis. The results of this study indicate that the epidemiological characteristics of pregnancies resulting in unexplained antepartum stillbirths differ from those resulting in explained antepartum stillbirths. This suggests that unexplained antepartum stillbirths are not merely the result of inadequate obstetrical management but consist of a series of fetal disease states which are not currently amenable to detection.

Case-Control Studies↗