Obstetrics

Protocol 5 - In this protocol, Norton reviews the pathophysiology of fetal aneuploidy and the wide range of tests for it. Included are perspectives on cell-free DNA testing, first-trimester combined screening, nuchal translucency (NT) sonography, and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), as well as quad marker screening in the second trimester in appropriate cases, and combined first- and second-trimester screening.

These results suggest that maternal diet during pregnancy can significantly affect obesity risk in children.

Eating disorders carry many risks. An investigation looks into whether they can increase the risk of certain neurodevelopmental conditions in the children of mothers with a history of eating disorders.

Scientific advances have led to more extremely preterm infants surviving delivery. What are the outcomes for these infants?

Additionally, the study showed a 15-fold increase in maternal mortality rates associated with chronic hypertension over the 40-year study period.

These mothers are approximately 17% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, 14% less likely to develop coronary heart disease, and 12% less likely to suffer a stroke, the data show.

Because many groups have a stake in newborn screening, “Who will take responsibility for integrating varying perspectives to modernize newborn screening?” Bailey pondered. “Funding and auspice will be critical decisions.”

Often based on racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and age-based assumptions

Recommendations for maternity care professionals based on MiPATH.

“The results suggested that weight maintenance or weight loss should not be used as routine guidelines,” The authors concluded.

Together, the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecologists (ACOG) and the University of Michigan developed MiPATH recommendations (Michigan Plan for Appropriate Tailored Healthcare) to create comprehensive, tailored prenatal care plans for patients.

An experimental blood test uses plasma cell-free RNA (cfRNA) to accurately predict preeclampsia as early as 16 weeks

A cross-sectional analysis of the Boston Birth Cohort (BBC) from 1998 to 2016 has found that maternal nativity and duration of United States residence were linked to preeclampsia among non-Hispanic Black women, but not among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White women, after adjusting for sociodemographic and cardiovascular risk factors.

The use of hair dyes, bleach, relaxers, and mousse was associated with lower levels of sex steroid hormones in pregnant women, according to a new Rutgers study.

A new national survey reveals the pressing need for better maternal mental health planning.

Vice President Kamala Harris hosted the White House’s first-ever Maternal Health Day of Action Summit on Dec. 7. During the Summit, Harris outlined the administration’s new initiatives and issued a nationwide call to action for public and private sectors to help improve maternal health outcomes.

Curbside Consults delivers expert perspectives from physicians outside the ob-gyn specialty to provide insight into various health issues affecting pregnant women. In this installment, we learn more about the diagnosis and management of headaches in postpartum patients.

Low progesterone levels have been associated with an increased rate of miscarriage.

Investigators added that this risk might possibly be through intrauterine effects, while associations with wheezing might be confounded by familial clustering factors.

SMFM Consult Series #56: Hepatitis C in pregnancy: updated screening, treatment, and management guidelines.

Download a visual summary of SMFM Consult Series #56: Hepatitis C in pregnancy: updated guidelines

Patient sues obstetrician, claiming ultrasounds were misread following intrauterine fetal demise because of undetected cord and growth restriction.

Put your knowledge to the test in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month.

Prenatal exposure to inorganic arsenic and coexposure to inorganic arsenic and cadmium was found to increase risk of atopic dermatitis by up to 2.42-fold in young Taiwanese children.

An abstract presented at CHEST 2021 showed that women who entered pregnancy with sleep-disordered breathing were associated with higher levels of insulin resistance and potential risk of gestational diabetes.

Socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities among women in England were responsible for adverse pregnancy outcomes such as stillbirths, preterm births, and births with fetal growth restriction, with the largest inequalities among Black and South Asian women.

A recent study indicates that when born prematurely, twins may have some gains over singleton babies.

The study examines the impact of antirheumatic treatment on pregnancy outcomes in women with psoriatic arthritis.

Seqirus’s FLUCELVAX® cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine has been approved to expand the age indication to children as young as 6 months of age by the US Food and Drug Administration.

With growing public endorsement of the potential benefits of marijuana, it is important for health care providers to effectively counsel patients regarding its effects on fertility and future offspring.