Patient Counseling and Preferences for Elective Repeat Cesarean Delivery.

Objective We sought to identify factors influencing a woman's decision to have an elective repeat cesarean delivery (ERCD) versus vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Methods and Materials A prospective study at two academic medical centers of women with one prior cesarean, and no contraindication to a trial of labor, delivered by ERCD from October 2013 to June 2014. Participants completed anonymous surveys during their delivery hospitalization. Counseling was considered adequate if women reported being counseled, recalled being quoted a VBAC success probability, and this probability was within 20% of that derived from an established VBAC success prediction model. Participants were also asked why they chose ERCD. Results Of 68 participants, only 8 (11.8%) had adequate counseling. Of those with inadequate counseling, 21.7% did not recall being counseled, 63.3% were not quoted a chance of success, and 60.0% had more than a 20% discrepancy between their recalled and predicted success rates. Eighteen women were calculated to have more than 70% chance of successful VBAC. Of these, 16 (88.9%) were not adequately counseled. Conclusion Most women were inadequately counseled about delivery options. The most important factors influencing the choice of ERCD over VBAC were patient preferences, risk for fetal injury, and perceived physician preference.

Pharmacogenomics of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate for recurrent preterm birth prevention.

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that genetic variation affects responsiveness to 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P) for recurrent preterm birth prevention. STUDY DESIGN: Women of European ancestry with ≥1 spontaneous singleton preterm birth at <34 weeks' gestation who received 17P were recruited prospectively and classified as a 17P responder or nonresponder by the difference in delivery gestational age between 17P-treated and -untreated pregnancies. Samples underwent whole exome sequencing. Coding variants were compared between responders and nonresponders with the use of the Variant Annotation, Analysis, and Search Tool (VAAST), which is a probabilistic search tool for the identification of disease-causing variants, and were compared with a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway candidate gene list. Genes with the highest VAAST scores were then classified by the online Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) system into known gene ontology molecular functions and biologic processes. Gene distributions within these classifications were compared with an online reference population to identify over- and under- represented gene sets. RESULTS: Fifty women (9 nonresponders) were included. Responders delivered 9.2 weeks longer with 17P vs 1.3 weeks' gestation for nonresponders (P < .001). A genome-wide search for genetic differences implicated the NOS1 gene to be the most likely associated gene from among genes on the KEGG candidate gene list (P < .00095). PANTHER analysis revealed several over-represented gene ontology categories that included cell adhesion, cell communication, signal transduction, nitric oxide signal transduction, and receptor activity (all with significant Bonferroni-corrected probability values). CONCLUSION: We identified sets of over-represented genes in key processes among responders to 17P, which is the first step in the application of pharmacogenomics to preterm birth prevention.

Tachysystole in term labor: incidence, risk factors, outcomes, and effect on fetal heart tracings.

OBJECTIVE: Recent recommendations called for obstetricians to abandon the terms of "hyperstimulation" and "hypercontractility" in favor of the more rigidly defined term, "tachysystole" (TS). The aim of the current study is to describe incidence of and risk factors for TS, describe fetal heart rate (FHR) changes associated with TS, and investigate maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with TS. STUDY DESIGN: For this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed and analyzed the intrapartum FHR and tocometric characteristics of all patients with a singleton, nonanomalous fetus in term labor in a single hospital system over a 28-month period. Univariate association testing was done using χ(2) and t tests, comparing demographics, pregnancy characteristics, outcomes, and TS events. Multivariable association testing between risk factors and TS events were tested using generalized estimating equations, adjusting for multiple pregnancies during the study period for the same woman. RESULTS: There were a total of 50,335 deliveries from 48,529 women during the 28-month period. Of these, there were a total of 7567 TS events in 5363 deliveries among 5332 women. Use of oxytocin or misoprostol, an epidural, hypertension, and induction of labor were associated with an increased risk of TS. We found a doubling of TS events with any oxytocin, a dose-response correlation between oxytocin and TS, FHR changes occurring in a quarter of TS events and, finally, that presence of TS increases the chance of composite neonatal morbidity. CONCLUSION: TS is associated with specific risk factors and impacts FHR and neonatal morbidity.

Pregnancy outcomes in women who have undergone an atrial switch repair for congenital d-transposition of the great arteries.

OBJECTIVE: Women who underwent an atrial switch procedure (Senning or Mustard) for repair of d-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) are now of reproductive age. We sought to assess their ability for a successful pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical data were reviewed for all women of reproductive age who carried a diagnosis of d-TGA and atrial switch procedure who were observed at 2 tertiary care centers over 10 years. RESULTS: Among 25 women who were identified, there were 21 pregnancies that resulted in 14 live births. The preterm birth rate was 50%. Pregnancy complications occurred in 5 women. There were no deaths. Serial echocardiographic data demonstrated a fall in right ventricular function during pregnancy, with some improvement postpartum. Intracardiac baffle obstruction that required postpartum stenting occurred in 36% of the completed pregnancies. CONCLUSION: Women who have undergone an atrial switch procedure for d-TGA have high rates of pregnancy and cardiac complications and should be counseled accordingly.

Pregnancy outcomes in a recurrent preterm birth prevention clinic.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare rates of recurrent spontaneous preterm birth (PTB) and neonatal morbidity between women enrolled in a recurrent PTB prevention clinic compared to those receiving usual care. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of women with a single, nonanomalous fetus and ≥1 spontaneous PTB <35 weeks. Women enrolled in a recurrent PTB prevention clinic were compared to those receiving usual care. The recurrent PTB prevention clinic was consultative and included 3 standardized visits. Usual-care patients were treated by their primary provider. The primary outcome was recurrent spontaneous PTB <37 weeks. RESULTS: Seventy recurrent PTB prevention clinic and 153 usual-care patients were included. Both groups had similar pregnancy histories. Recurrent PTB prevention clinic patients had increased utilization of resources, had lower rates of recurrent spontaneous PTB (48.6% vs 63.4%, P = .04), delivered later (mean 36.1 vs 34.9 weeks, P = .02), and had lower rates of composite major neonatal morbidity (5.7% vs 16.3%, P = .03). CONCLUSION: Women referred to a consultative recurrent PTB prevention clinic had reduced rates of recurrent spontaneous prematurity and major neonatal morbidity.

Placement of a temporary vena cava filter during labor.

Placement of a vena cava filter for the prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism in select patients is a well established procedure in critical care medicine. We describe a case of placement and removal of a new removable vena cava filter in a pregnant patient, in this case during early labor. Vaginal delivery was accomplished without incident.

Ultrasonographic measurement of the abdominal circumference in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ultrasonographic measurements of the abdominal circumference are smaller in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and whether this is reflected as an underestimation of the estimated fetal weight. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of 225 abdominal circumference measurements made between 24 and 41 weeks of gestation in 85 fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia was performed. The individual and mean abdominal circumference value at each week of gestation versus gestational age was plotted and compared with normative data. Comparisons between abdominal circumference measurements and hernia variables were made with the chi(2) test. The Pearson correlation was used to examine the accuracy of ultrasonographic determination of the estimated fetal weight. RESULTS: The mean measurements of abdominal circumference were not found to differ significantly from normative data until term, although fetuses with liver herniation were less likely to have measurements more than 2 standard deviations below the mean. Calculation of estimated fetal weight was similar in accuracy to that in normal fetuses. CONCLUSION: Small abdominal circumference measurements should not be expected in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Abnormalities of the abdominal circumference or an abdominal circumference-dependent estimated fetal weight should not be attributed to the anatomic defect without considering other etiologies.