Clinical problems during pregnancy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fermented foods play an important role in establishing intestinal bacterial flora, and the composition of the intestinal bacterial flora might be associated with neurodevelopment. This study investigated the association between maternal intake of fermented foods during pregnancy and early neuro-development in offspring. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Data were analyzed for 73,522 pregnant women participating in the Japan Environment and Children's Study...

BACKGROUND: The objectives were to evaluate the descriptive features of newborns with a diagnosis of Rhesus (Rh) hemolytic disease, to determine the morbidity and mortality rates, to evaluate the treatment methods and the factors affecting treatment requirements and clinical outcomes during a ten-year period at a tertiary center. METHODS: Newborn infants who had a positive direct Coombs test and/or had a history of intrauterine transfusion (IUT) due to Rh hemolytic disease were included...

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the most common medical problems during pregnancy. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) increase the risk of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) 2- to 4-fold within 10 years after delivery. Early health behaviour modifications may prevent or manage several cardiovascular risk factors. Importantly, compared with women without HDP, fewer women with HDP achieve national dietary guidelines to prevent CVD. This highlights an opportunity for programs tailored for women post-HDP to support their nutritional behaviours as a key component of postpartum CVD preventive care...

BACKGROUND: Exposure to household air pollution during pregnancy has been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Improved stove was implemented in Ethiopia to reduce this exposure and related health problems. However, the effects of improved stove interventions on pregnancy outcomes remains uncertain. METHOD: Individually randomized stove replacement trial was conducted among 422 households in six low-income rural kebeles of Northwestern Ethiopia. Pregnant women without known health conditions were recruited at ≤ 24 weeks gestation and randomized to an intervention or control group with a 1:1 ratio...

BACKGROUND: We present a case of non-puerperal induced lactation in transgender woman. Medical literature on lactation induction for transgender women is scarce, and the majority of literature and protocols on lactation induction is based on research in cisgender women. Healthcare professionals may lack the precise knowledge about lactation induction and may therefore feel insecure when advice is requested. Subsequently, there is a rising demand for guidelines and support. METHODS: Patient medical record was consulted and a semi-structured interview was conducted to explore the motive for lactation induction, the experience of lactation induction, and to gather additional information about the timeline and course of events...

Venous thrombosis and thromboembolism (VTE) remain the leading cause of direct maternal deaths, occurring within 42 days of the end of pregnancy in the UK. Pregnancy is associated with an overall 10-fold higher incidence of VTE than in the non-pregnant state and has been reported to reach up to 30-fold higher in the puerperium. This increased risk is further exacerbated by maternal obesity in a relationship that appears to be proportional with increasing Body Mass Index (BMI). Maternal obesity is the most common health problem in women of reproductive age with clinically significant health risks to women during pregnancy and after delivery...

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE: Gestational macromastia is a rare disorder involving excessive breast tissue enlargement during pregnancy, potentially threatening the fetus and the mother. Our patient's previous pregnancies were more physiological, without any associated symptoms. ABSTRACT: Moderate bilateral enlargement of the breasts is a normal finding during pregnancy and lactation. Occasionally, there is a continuity from this physiological hypertrophy to massive breast hyperplasia or gigantomastia, causing complications that threaten the wellbeing of the fetus and the mother or raising alarm for a malignant disease...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pregnancy presents risks, particularly for women with pre-existing health problems. Pre-anaesthetic consultations can help anticipate these risks and establish a medical management strategy on the delivery day. While teleconsultations gained popularity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, research on pre-anaesthetic teleconsultations during pregnancy is limited. This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction and physician perception of teleconsultations for third-trimester pre-anaesthetic consultations...

INTRODUCTION: Prematurity is an urgent public health problem worldwide. Recent studies associate maternal hypovitaminosis D during pregnancy with an increased risk of prematurity. However, the evidence on this association remains inconclusive, and there is lack of consensus in the literature. The exact mechanism by which low vitamin D levels may increase the risk of preterm birth is not yet fully understood. Nevertheless, it is known that vitamin D may play a role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy by regulating inflammation and immunomodulation by acting on the maternal and fetal immune systems...

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the mental health of pregnant persons. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the impact of maternal mental health and antidepressant use on children's cognitive development. METHODS: We followed a cohort of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maternal mental health was self-reported during pregnancy (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, General Anxiety Disorder-7, stress levels, and antidepressant use)...

In the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART), empty follicle syndrome (EFS) is a known condition in which no oocytes are found despite adequate follicular development, which leads to a troublesome situation for patients seeking infertility treatment. In this case study, an EFS patient seeking treatment for infertility at an in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic was examined to determine the effects of employing a double human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) trigger. The final oocyte maturation and retrieval are induced by using the double hCG trigger, which includes giving two doses of hCG...

Prenatal and perinatal complications represent well-known risk factors for the future development of psychiatric disorders. Such influence might become manifested during childhood and adolescence, as key periods for brain and behavioral changes. Internalizing and externalizing behaviors in adolescence have been associated with the risk of psychiatric onset later in life. Both brain morphology and behavior seem to be affected by obstetric complications, but a clear link among these three aspects is missing. Here, we aimed at analyzing the association between prenatal and perinatal complications, behavioral issues, and brain volumes in a group of children and adolescents...

Pregnancy can be a time of joy and hope but, for birthing parents struggling with a substance use disorder (SUD), it can be challenging. Social stigma, shame, and the potential legal ramifications present barriers to individuals seeking the care they need. Marginalized groups, in particular, face challenges that put them at even greater risk for substance misuse. Substance use during pregnancy can further impair the individual's level of functioning, and it has also been associated with problems in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of their children...

BACKGROUND: Globally, the burden of maternal malnutrition remains an enormous public health problem; malnourished pregnant women are at increased risk of having low-birth-weight (LBW) infants. Several reports suggest a possible association between malnutrition among lactating mothers and the production of smaller quantities of breast milk. Many women have incorrect nutrition knowledge during pregnancy due to false beliefs derived from popular practices. Our study was conducted to assess nutritional knowledge, myths, and practices among Egyptian women during pregnancy and lactation...

Exposure to high levels of stress during pregnancy is a known risk factor for a wide range of offspring outcomes, but little is known about the biopsychosocial factors underlying resilience and recovery from stress during pregnancy. The current study investigated associations between emotional and instrumental support during pregnancy and resilience to stress during pregnancy, including perceived resilience (belief in ability to "bounce back" from adversity) and physiological resilience (ability to physiologically recover quickly after an acute stressor)...

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Unmet needs in perinatal mental healthcare are an important public health issue particularly in the context of a stressful life event such as the COVID-19 pandemic but data on the extent of this problem are needed. AIM: The aim of this study is to determine the (1) proportion of women with clinically significant symptoms of perinatal depression, anxiety or comorbid symptoms of depression and anxiety, receiving mental healthcare overall and by country and (2) factors associated with receiving mental healthcare...

Disinhibited attachment behavior (DAB) among infants is persistent and associated with behavioral and relational problems throughout childhood and adolescence. Little is known about risk factors for DAB among infants reared at home, although studies have linked DAB with maternal psychiatric hospitalization and maternal borderline personality disorder. The aim of the current study was to further assess the association between DAB, maternal severe mental illness (SMI; schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression), and maternal PD symptoms...

BACKGROUND: Postpartum quality of life (QoL) in women with heart disease has been neglected. AIM: To improve clinical communication and treatment, we integrated medical data and subjective characteristics to study postpartum QoL concerns. METHODS: The study assessed QoL 6 wk after birth using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire, European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale, and a self-designed questionnaire based on earlier research were also used to assess patient characteristics...

BACKGROUND: Syphilis and congenital syphilis rates have increased sharply in Colorado in the past 5 years. Congenital syphilis is passed during pregnancy in utero and can cause lifelong physical, developmental, and neurologic problems for the child, or can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or early infant death. Congenital syphilis is easily prevented if the mother receives timely testing, treatment, and prenatal care. Providers can play a key role in preventing congenital syphilis for women with social vulnerabilities, who have a higher likelihood of syphilis and/or congenital syphilis infection...

Facial paralysis occurs more frequently in pregnant individuals, affecting them two to four times more often than those who are not pregnant, making it the most frequent unilateral cranial nerve pathology in pregnancy. This case report describes a 29-year-old primigravida's presentation, examination, and treatment of left-sided (unilateral) facial nerve palsy during 32 weeks of gestation. Concerns regarding possible underlying reasons were raised when the patient suddenly developed left-side facial weakness...