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Objective:To investigate the factors influencing the success of external cephalic version.Methods:Pregnant women who underwent an external cephalic version due to breech or transverse presentation by the same operator in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from July 2015 to July 2021 were selected as the study objects. Univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to explore the clinical factors influencing the success of the external cephalic version. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the best cut-off value of gestational week and amniotic fluid index at the time of operation and to evaluate the predictive value of the influencing factors on the success of the external cephalic version.Results:(1) A total of 118 cases finally entered this study. Among the 118 cases,77 cases (65.3%) succeeded in the external cephalic version, among which the success rate was 49.1% (27/55) for primipara and 79.4% (50/63) for multipara. The vaginal delivery rate was 56.8% (67/118). (2) Complications occurred in 19 (16.1%) of the 118 cases. The main complications were abnormal fetal heart rate (13 cases, 11.0%), umbilical cord presentation, and fetal position reversion (two cases and 1.7% in each), and the serious complications were intrauterine fetal death and placental abruption (one case and 0.8% in each).The complication rate of patients with successful external cephalic version was 7.8% (6/77), which was lower than that of those who failed the external cephalic version [31.7%(13/41)] ( χ 2=11.33, P=0.001). (3) Multivariate analysis showed that gestational week at surgery before 38, amniotic fluid index >11.10 cm, and multipara were the factors affecting the success of the external cephalic version [ OR(95% CI)=0.561(0.351-0.897), 1.173(1.018-1.351) and 4.201(1.547-11.404), all P<0.05]. (4) The area under the ROC curve of the combination of the gestational week at surgery, amniotic fluid index, and parity was 0.744 (95% CI: 0.640-0.848, P<0.001), and the Youden index was 0.518, with a sensitivity of 70.0% and a specificity of 81.8%. Conclusion:Gestational weeks, amniotic fluid index, and multipara are related to the success of the external cephalic version, and the combination of the three has certain predictive power for the success of the surgery.
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Objective:To evaluate the systolic function of 24 segments in dichorionic diamniotic (DCDA) twin pregnancy by fetal heart qualification (fetal HQ) analysis, and to compare the difference with singleton pregnancies.Methods:Thirty-one cases of DCDA twin pregnancy (observation group) and 100 cases of singleton pregnancy (control group) matched in gestational age were enrolled. They underwent perinatal health care in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from February 2022 to February 2023.Fetal HQ was applied to track endocardial motion trajectories and automatically calculate the global strain (GS), fractional area change (FAC) and fractional shortening (FS) of 24 segments of left and right ventricles in order to compare the difference between DCDA fetuses and singleton fetuses. One case of twins with growth discordance were selected to demonstrate the utility of this technique.Results:①There were no statistically significant differences in GS, FAC and 24-segments FS of left and right ventricles between the two fetuses in the observation group (all P>0.05). ②The LV-FS of segments 1-10 were higher in the observation group than the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in GS and FAC of left and right ventricles, LV-FS of segments 11-24 and RV-FS of segments 1-24 between the observation group and the control group (all P>0.05). The intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC) was greater than 0.75, indicating good repeatability. ③Two fetuses with discordant growth in dichorionic diamniotic twins had abnormal FS in some segments of the left and right ventricles. Conclusions:Fetal HQ technology could easily and reliably evaluate fetal heart function in DCDA pregnancy with good repeatability. The changes of fetal cardiac function in twin pregnancy did not always follow the same pattern as in singleton pregnancy. The related data of singleton pregnancy should not be blindly used in the clinical management and scientific research of twin pregnancy.
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Objective:To investigate the risk factors for cerebral injury in survivors of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) after fetoscopic laser occlusion of chorioangiopagous vessels(FLOC) and to analyze the neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months of corrected age.Methods:A total of 136 cases of TTTS receiving FLOC in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2018 to August 2021 were retrospectively selected as the FLOC group, and the survivors were followed up. Neurological development at 12 months of corrected age was assessed using the Griffiths mental development scales-Chinese (GDS-C) from five dimensions with locomotor, personal-social, hearing and language, hand-eye coordination and performance subscales. Eighty-eight fetuses of TTTS pregnancies receiving expectant treatment or amniotic fluid reduction were selected as the non-FLOC group. The perinatal mortality and the incidence of cerebral injury in the two groups were compared, as well as the incidence of cerebral injury between patients undergoing Solomon surgery and selective laser surgery in the FLOC group. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the risk factors for neonatal cerebral injury after FLOC and the factors influencing general developmental quotient score at the corrected age of 12 months. Chi-square test, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. Results:(1) The perinatal mortality rate in the FLOC group was lower than that in the non-FLOC group [14.7% (20/136) vs 26.1% (23/88), χ 2=4.50, P=0.034]. There was no statistical significance in the incidence of neonatal cerebral injury between the two groups [18.7% (23/123) vs 21.8% (17/78), χ 2=0.29, P=0.592], but the incidence of severe cerebral injury in the FLOC group was lower than that in the non-FLOC group [6.5% (8/123) vs 15.4% (12/78), χ 2=4.20, P=0.040]. (2) In the FLOC group, there was no significant difference in the incidence of cerebral injury between donors and recipients, or between Solomon surgery and selective laser surgery [16.4% (10/61) vs 21.0% (13/62), χ 2=0.42; 20.0% (9/45) vs 17.9% (14/78), χ 2=0.08; both P>0.05]. (3) Multivariate analysis showed that neonatal asphyxia ( OR=7.04, 95% CI: 1.45-34.20, P=0.016) and higher preoperative TTTS stage ( OR=2.05, 95% CI: 1.10-3.82, P=0.023) were risk factors for neonatal cerebral injury. (4) Fifty-two cases were successfully followed up at the corrected age of 12 months, and the incidence of developmental delay in at least one dimension was 34.6% (18/52). Developmental delay was mainly manifested in locomotor skills and language, accounting for 26.9% (14/52) and 11.5% (6/52). No significant difference in Z value was found between recipients and donors in each dimension (all P>0.05). Solomon surgery, larger gestational age at operation and low birth weight were related to low general developmental quotient score (95% CI:－11.71 to－0.23，－1.99 to－0.47，0.00-0.01，respectively，all P<0.05). Conclusions:The occurrence of cerebral injury in TTTS survivors after FLOC is related to preoperative TTTS staging and intrapartum neonatal asphyxia. Neurodevelopment of survivors is related to birth weight and gestational age at surgery, and there is a higher incidence of mild developmental delay at corrected age of 12 months.
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Objective:To explore the influence of selective fetoscopic laser occlusion of chorioangiopagous vessels (FLOC) versus Solomon surgery in the management of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) on procedure-related complications, fetal survival rate, and residual anastomoses.Methods:A total of 59 pregnant women with TTTS who underwent FLOC in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from May 2018 to March 2020 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into Solomon ( n=33) and selective FLOC groups ( n=26) based on the FLOC operation method. Placentae of 25 pregnant women (15 in the Solomon group, 10 in the selective FLOC group) with both survival twins were perfused to observe the type and diameter of the residual anastomoses. Fetal survival rate, procedure-related complications, and the type and diameter of residual anastomoses were analyzed and compared between the two groups using two independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test and Fisher's exact test. Results:(1) The operating time of Solomon was shorter than that of selective FLOC [74 min (60-90 min) vs 95 min (81-123 min), Z=2.906, P=0.004]. But no statistically significant differences in the gestational week at operation, time of pregnancy end, and the interval between operation and pregnancy end was observed between the two groups (all P>0.05). (2) There was no statistically significant difference in the survival rate of both twins, one fetus, at least one fetus, and the incidence of postoperative twin anemia-polycythemia sequence (TAPS) and recurrent TTTS in the Solomon group and selective FLOC group [64%(21/33) vs 50%(13/26), χ2=1.107; 15%(5/33) vs 35%(9/26), χ2=3.044; 79%(26/33) vs 85%(22/26), χ2=0.326; 3%(1/33) vs 12%(3/26), χ2=1.368; 0% (0/33) vs 4%(1/26), χ2=1.118; all P>0.05]. (3) There was no statistically significant difference in the number of placentae with residual anastomoses or the number of artery-to-vein, vein-to-artery, artery-to-artery, and vein-to-vein anastomoses between the two groups (7/15 vs 6/10, 2/8 vs 4/15, 3/8 vs 4/15, 2/8 vs 5/15, 1/8 vs 2/15; Fisher's exact test, all P>0.05), but the diameter of the residual anastomoses in the Solomon group was smaller than that in the selective FLOC group [(0.8±0.3) and (2.2±0.7) mm, t=0.764, P=0.034]. (4) Among the four pregnant women developed TAPS after operation, one patient had two residual artery-to-vein anastomoses in the placenta with diameter of 0.54 mm and 0.43 mm, respectively; one patient had one artery-to-vein anastomosis with a diameter of 0.64 mm; one had one artery-to-artery and one vein-to-vein anastomosis with diameter of 1.56 mm and 1.89 mm, respectively. Conclusions:Compared with selective FLOC, Solomon surgery can reduce the vessel diameter of residual anastomoses in women with TTTS, but does not reduce postoperative complications, nor improve the pregnancy outcomes.