ABSTRACT
OBJECT: This work stands as a pilot study in assessing the reliability of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) as a marker for intraamiotic infection and preterm birth already in early pregnancy. SUBJECT: 100 amniotic fluids taken at the Midwife Obstetrics and Gynaecological Clinic of the University of L'Aquila (Italy). RESULTS: Our results show that MMP-9 is a sensitive marker of intraamionic infection (an important risk factor for preterm delivery) already in early pregnancy, because only women with a significant elevation were subsequently exposed to preterm birth. CONCLUSIONS: Early identification of women at risk of preterm birth is of important clinical significance. Indeed exposing women to deep diagnostic and therapeutic protocols could possibly reduce the incidence of preterm birth in the near future and have a positive impact on fetal prognosis related to unknown intraamniotic infection.
Subject(s)
Amniotic Fluid/enzymology , Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/metabolism , Obstetric Labor, Premature , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/diagnosis , Amniotic Fluid/virology , Bacteriuria/diagnosis , Bacteriuria/epidemiology , Biomarkers/metabolism , Cytomegalovirus Infections/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Pilot Projects , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Trimester, Second , Reproducibility of Results , Risk , Vaginitis/diagnosis , Vaginitis/microbiologyABSTRACT
According to recent epidemiological studies on ovarian cysts during pregnancy one out of 600 are, in most cases, benign neoformations. The most frequent histological type reported is mature cystic teratoma (50% of the cases), followed by functional cysts (13%), benign cystadenomas (20%) and ovarian cancer (0.6%). Most adnexal masses are asymptomatic and spontaneously resolve before the 16th week of amenorrhoea. On the other hand, some cases are persistent forms which can cause complications for the mother and fetus. The objective of this work was to review the existing literature from an epidemiological point of view, with an emphasis on diagnostic and therapeutic management. We have paid particular attention in our review to the use of diagnostic techniques and non surgical therapies such as laparoscopy, which in expert hands and adopting particular skills, can be considered as on approach to ovarian cysts in pregnancy. We present the case of a patient with an ovarian cyst during pregnancy that was a successfully treated with laparoscopy.
