Volume 46, Issue 4 - Highlight: Maternal Medicine

The onset of individual human life has fascinated thinkers of all cultures and epochs, and the history of their ideas may enlighten an unsettled debate. Aristotle attributed three different souls to the subsequent developmental stages. The last, the rational soul, was associated with the formed fetus, and entailed fetal movements. With some modifications, the concept of delayed ensoulment – at 30, 42, 60, or 90 days after conception – was adopted by several Christian Church Fathers and remained valid throughout the Middle Ages. The concept of immediate ensoulment at fertilization originated in the 15 th century and became Catholic dogma in 1869. During the Enlightenment, philosophers began to replace the rational soul with the term personhood, basing the latter on self-consciousness. Biological reality suggests that personhood accrues slowly, not at a specific date during gestation. Requirements for personhood are present in the embryo, but not in the preembryo before implantation: anatomic substrate; no more totipotent cells; decreased rate of spontaneous loss. However, biological facts alone cannot determine the embryo’s moral status. Societies must negotiate and decide the degree of protection of unborn humans. In the 21 st century, fertilization, implantation, extrauterine viability and birth have become the most widely accepted landmarks of change in ontological status.

Aim: The purpose of this review is to systematically review all the reported cases and case series of caesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) managed expectantly without any intervention in order to understand the outcomes of pregnancy which will guide clinicians and patients in making treatment choices. Methods: An electronic search on PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases and a manual search from references of the articles were performed. Studies were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted for various outcomes of pregnancy and the quality of the reports was assessed using a modified Delphi technique. Results: A total of 56 cases of CSP from 11 reports were included in the review, including 44 cases with foetal cardiac activity. Live births were achieved in 73% of cases with a quarter of them born before 34 weeks. Hysterectomy rates were 70%. In 12/44 (27%) of cases pregnancies were lost due to complications before 24 weeks. Most (67%) of the CSPs with no foetal cardiac activities resolved on expectant management and the remaining required intervention for bleeding. Conclusions: Caution should be exercised when choosing expectant management in cases of viable CSPs, and if chosen, the patient should be counselled adequately for possible outcomes including loss of pregnancy and hysterectomy. Expectant management is acceptable in CSPs with no foetal cardiac activity. There is a need for prospective research on this topic with adequate reporting on possible prognostic markers, as well as a need to improve on the techniques to prevent loss of fertility during delivery.

Aims: To evaluate maternal complications of first trimester and second trimester termination of pregnancy (TOP) performed after first or second trimester positive prenatal diagnosis (PD). Results: We performed a retrospective study from January 2007 to December 2011, on 844 patients, who underwent a TOP after positive amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) for foetal aneuploidies, performed for maternal age ≥35 years of age, positive prenatal screening (PS) or for genetic reasons. Exclusions criteria were gestational age >22+0 weeks, twin pregnancy and co-existing maternal pathologies. We compared maternal complications of first trimester and second trimester TOP and we established which risk factors were correlated to higher maternal complications (haemorrhages, transfusion, repeated uterine curettage and infections). Maternal complications were significantly higher in second trimester TOP. Previous uterine surgery is a significant risk factor for maternal complications in second trimester TOP, but not in first trimester TOP. Six uterine ruptures and three hysterectomies occurred, all in multiparous women with second trimester TOP. All uterine ruptures occurred in women with previous caesarean sections. Conclusions: First trimester TOP in women with risks factors for maternal complications guarantees better maternal outcomes and less health costs. Thus, in these women we should prefer a first trimester PS and PD.

Aim: To compare smooth muscle cells, type I collagen, and apoptosis of the lower uterine segment of women who had/without a prior cesarean delivery. Methods: Alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), type I collagen, and nuclear apoptosis were compared between the groups from lower uterine segment. Twenty-eight controls and 82 with one prior cesarean delivery were included. The women with a prior cesarean section were classified by time since the surgery: ≤3 years, >3 and ≤5 years, >5 and ≤7 years, >7 and ≤9 years, and >9 years. Results: Smooth muscle volume density (VD) % was significantly lower in women who had cesarean sections in first three groups than in the controls (all, P<0.01). Type I collagen VD% was similar among all groups and the controls. The number of apoptotic nuclei in the lower uterine segment of the scarred group was greater up to 3 years after surgery and less than in the control at 7–9 years. The number of non-apoptotic nuclei in the scarred group was greater than controls up to 7 years after surgery. Conclusion: The lower uterine segment scar becomes stable at 3 years after cesarean delivery, and by 9 years, the scar is mature.

Background: Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is an uncommon, often fatal, variant of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) that results in a widespread coagulopathy and high titres of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and affects predominantly small vessels supplying organs with the development of multiorgan failure. It remains unclear why some patients develop the typical clinical picture of APS (thrombosis of large vessels), whereas others show the development of progressive microthrombosis, which the authors called “thrombotic storm” and multiple organ failure, that is, CAPS. Materials and methods: Since 2001–2016, we discovered 17 patients with CAPS development. Conclusion: CAPS is life-threatening condition, but optimal treatment for CAPS is not developed yet and the mortality rate is as high as 30%–40%.

Objective: To compare healthcare utilization and outcomes using the Carpenter-Coustan (CC) criteria vs. the National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Prior to 8/21/2013, patients were classified as “GDM by CC” if they met criteria. After 8/21/2013, patients were classified as “GDM by NDDG” if they met criteria and “Meeting CC non-GDM” if they met CC, but failed to reach NDDG criteria. “Non-GDM” women did not meet any criteria for GDM. Records were reviewed after delivery. Results: There was a 41% reduction in GDM diagnosed using NDDG compared to CC (P=0.01). There was no significant difference in triage visits, ultrasounds for growth or hospital admissions. Women classified as “Meeting CC non-GDM” were more likely to have preeclampsia than “GDM by CC” women [OR 11.11 (2.7, 50.0), P=0.0006]. Newborns of mothers “Meeting CC non-GDM” were more likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care units than “GDM by CC” [OR 6.25 (1.7, 33.3), P=0.006], “GDM by NDDG” [OR 5.56 (1.3, 33.3), P=0.018] and “Non-GDM” newborns [OR 6.47 (2.6, 14.8), P=0.0003]. Conclusion: Using the NDDG criteria may increase healthcare costs because while it decreases the number of patients being diagnosed with GDM, it may also increase maternal and neonatal complications without changing maternal healthcare utilization.

Aim: (1) To evaluate the prevalence of inherited thrombophilia in pregnant women with adverse pregnancy outcomes: intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), preeclampsia (PE) and placental abruption. (2) To assess the impact of inherited thrombophilia on the nature of obstetric complications. (3) To assess levels of protein S, protein C, antithrombin III and homocysteine in pregnant women with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Subjects and methods: The study comprised 162 pregnant women. The patients were divided into three test groups and one control group. In all 162 patients the following tests were completed: activated protein C resistance (APC-R), the level of free protein S, activity of protein C, antithrombin III and the level of homocysteine. The data were statistically analyzed via χ 2 of independence or homogeneity test. Results: In 32 of 162 patients participating in clinical research thrombophilia was diagnosed (10 patients with APC-R, 21 patients with protein S deficiency, one patient with hyperhomocysteinemia): seven patients belonged to the control group and 25 patients had diagnosed adverse pregnancy outcomes (P=0.04). In 32 patients with diagnosed thrombophilia, level of protein S was decreased (P=0.04). Protein S deficiency was diagnosed, when level of protein S was lower than 30% in the second trimester and lower than 24% in the third trimester. The incidence of activated protein C resistance caused by the mutation of factor V Leiden was in six patients (5.9%) with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and in four patients (6.6%) from the control group. Results were not statistically significant. No protein C deficiency was diagnosed (diagnosis: level<60%), but in 50% of patients with thrombophilia level of protein C was over the norm (P=0.02). The level of antithrombin III was often decreased in patients with preeclampsia – (32.4%), then in the other patients – (17.2%) (P=0.04), but no patient was diagnosed with antithrombin III deficiency (diagnosis: level<60%). Conclusions: Tests for thrombophilia should be carried out in women with adverse pregnancy outcomes in their history, who are planning pregnancy, to start anticoagulant prophylaxis. Our study supports the thesis that tests for thrombophilia should be carried out in women with a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes and who are planning a pregnancy to start anticoagulant prophylaxis.

Aim: To examine the effect of the degree of female genital cutting (FGC) performed by health-care professionals on perineal scarring; delivery mode; duration of second stage of labor; incidence of perineal tears and episiotomy in a cohort of uncircumcised versus circumcised (types I and II) women. Methods: A prospective cohort study included 450 primigravida women in active labor attending the Faculty of Medicine Cairo University Hospital between January 2013 and August 2014. Women were divided into three groups based on medical examination upon admission. Group I (Control) included 150 uncut women, Group II included 150 women with type I FGC and Group III included 150 women with type II FGC. A structured questionnaire elicited the information on women’s socio-demographic characteristics including age, residence, occupation, educational level, age of marriage and FGC circumstances. Association between FGC and labor complications was examined. Main outcomes: risk of perineal scarring; delivery mode; duration of second stage of labor; incidence of perineal tears and episiotomy. Results: Family history of genitally cut mother/sister was the most significant socio-demographic factor associated with FGC. FGC especially type II was associated with significantly higher incidence of vulvar scar (P<0.0002), perineal tears (P<0.0001) and increased likelihood of additional vaginal and perineal trauma [odds ratio (OR): 1.85, 95% CI: 0.60–5.65. P≤0.001]. There was insignificant difference in risks of cesarean section (CS), instrumental delivery, episiotomy and short-term neonatal outcomes. Conclusion: The study strengthens the evidence that FGC increases the risk of tears in spite of medicalization of the practice.

Human lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 (hLPCAT1) is a protein which helps produce surfactant in the fetal lung. We previously reported that levels of cell-free fetal mRNA for hLPCAT1 in amniotic fluid are correlated with lamellar body count (LBC) (r 2 =0.93). This short communication demonstrates that fetal hLPCAT1 mRNA is also present in maternal blood. Its quantity also correlates with amniotic fluid LBC (r 2 =0.81). Research in maternal plasma hLPCAT1 may assist in understanding fetal and placental maturational processes.

Neonatal hypoxia ischemia (HI) is the main cause of mortality and morbidity in newborns. The mechanisms involved in its progression start immediately and persist for several days. Oxidative stress and inflammation are determinant factors of the severity of the final lesion. The spleen plays a major part in the inflammatory response to HI. This study assessed the temporal progression of HI-induced alterations in oxidative stress parameters in the hippocampus, the most affected brain structure, and in the spleen. HI was induced in Wistar rat pups in post-natal day 7. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the activity of the anti oxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase and catalase were assessed 24 h, 96 h and 38 days post-HI. Interestingly, both structures showed a similar pattern, with few alterations in the production of ROS species up to 96 h often combined with an increased activity of the anti oxidant enzymes. However, 38 days after the injury, ROS were at the highest in both structures, coupled with a decrease in the activity of the enzymes. Altogether, present results suggest that HI causes long lasting alterations in the hippocampus as well as in the spleen, suggesting a possible target for delayed treatments for HI.

Background: The adaptive immune system of neonates is relatively underdeveloped. The thymus is an essential organ for adaptive T cell development and might be affected during the natural course of oxygen induced lung injury. The effect of prolonged hyperoxia on the thymus, thymocyte and T cell development, and its proliferation has not been studied extensively. Methods: Neonatal mice were exposed to 85% oxygen (hyperoxia) or room air (normoxia) up to 28 days. Flow cytometry using surface markers were used to assay for thymocyte development and proliferation. Results: Mice exposed to prolonged hyperoxia had evidence of lung injury associated alveolar simplification, a significantly lower mean weight, smaller thymic size, lower mean thymocyte count and higher percentage of apoptotic thymocytes. T cells subpopulation in the thymus showed a significant reduction in the count and proliferation of double positive and double negative T cells. There was a significant reduction in the count and proliferation of single positive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Conclusions: Prolonged hyperoxia in neonatal mice adversely affected thymic size, thymocyte count and altered the distribution of T cells sub-populations. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that prolonged hyperoxia causes defective development of T cells in the thymus.