Pregnancy and Birth

The current treatment of mild gestational diabetes mellitus results in fewer cases of preeclampsia, shoulder dystocia, and macrosomia but seems to have no effect on neonatal hypoglycemia or future poor metabolic outcomes, concluded a systematic review and meta-analysis.

After rising steadily for nearly a decade, the rate of cesarean deliveries appears to have stabilized, according to a new report (www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db124.pdf) from the National Center for Health Statistics. New guidelines and policies encouraging longer gestations have led to a trend of cesarean deliveries occurring more frequently at 39 weeks than at 38 weeks.

While long-acting beta2-agonists (LABAs) and low to moderate doses of inhaled corticosteroids for asthma in pregnancy were not associated with an increased prevalence of adverse perinatal outcomes in a recent cohort study, there was a slight trend toward increased prevalence of low birthweight, premature birth, and small for gestational age infants when mothers were exposed to inhaled corticosteroids at high doses.

There is good evidence that iron supplementation during pregnancy can increase maternal hemoglobin levels, decrease the risk of maternal anemia during late pregnancy, and increase birth weight, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A 34-year-old woman came for routine sonographic examination at 28-weeks gestational age, and a shocking fetal anomaly was discovered. Can you identify it?

Pregnancy after bariatric surgery is associated with a reduced risk of having a large-for-gestational-age infant and an increased risk of having a small-for-gestational-age infant, concluded a matched cohort study of singleton deliveries in Denmark.

This is the case of a third trimester pregnancy for which sonography was done. What is your diagnosis based on these images?

Medical treatment and expectant care are acceptable alternatives to routine surgery after a miscarriage, concluded an intervention review conducted by the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group.

Compared with vaginal deliveries, cesarean sections may be associated with an increased risk of endometriosis, according to the findings of a large prospective cohort study conducted in Sweden.

Many choose to discontinue antidepressant treatment during attempts to conceive or during pregnancy, in spite of the risks of untreated perinatal depression. Safety profiles of antidepressant use during pregnancy are increasingly being studied, and many women seek alternatives during pregnancy. This article will review several complementary and alternative (CAM) treatments for prenatal unipolar depression: omega-3 fatty acids, folate, St John’s Wort, bright light therapy, massage therapy, and exercise.

What is your diagnosis in this woman who underwent a routine pelvic sonography for non specific complaints?

Pregnant women who are overweight or obese are at increased risk for preterm delivery, according to a population-based cohort study of women in Sweden.

One incision is associated with better outcomes and potential cost savings.

Exposure to pollution in early life may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorders, according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The increased availability of emergency contraception to women and girls irrespective of age is victory for all of us.

A noninvasive test that analyzes fetal cell-free (cf) DNA in a pregnant woman’s blood can accurately detect trisomy 21 and other genetic fetal abnormalities in the first trimester, according to the results of a new study.

The FDA has changed the Pregnancy Category of magnesium sulfate from ‘A’ to ‘D,’ indicating that there is “positive evidence of human fetal risk” when the drug is used during pregnancy.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism, especially during the first trimester.

Doing nothing is no longer an option, say the authors. Cervical length assessment should be provided to a larger population of women to identify and treat those with cervical shortening.

Three major Ohio universities and 4 hospitals have joined with the March of Dimes Foundation to establish a new collaborative research program aimed exclusively at finding the unknown causes of premature birth.

Women with a history of preeclampsia or other hypertensive pregnancy diseases are more likely to experience vasomotor menopausal symptoms.

The teratogenic potential of nitrofurantoin is low, according to the results of a large, population-based study conducted in Norway.

Outcomes of pregnancies in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension have improved substantially in those with well-controlled disease.