Major risk factors of maternal adverse outcome in women with two or more previous cesarean sections.

Background/Aim: Maternal morbidity is defined as any condition that is attributed to or aggravated by pregnancy and childbirth that has a negative impact on the woman's wellbeing. In recent years, a growing trend of cesarean section rates can be seen throughout the world. The aim of this study was to assess factors that might have major impact on maternal adverse outcome in women with two or more previous cesarean sections. Methods: This retrospective study included women with single term pregnancy after two or more cesarean deliveries in a 10-year period (2004−2013) in the University Clinic "Narodni front" in Belgrade, Serbia. Medical records were reviewed for clinical data for maternal intraoperative and early postoperative complications regarding gestational age at delivery, the number of previous cesarean sections and mode of surgery (elective or emergency). Results: A total of 551 patients were included in the study. At 37 completed weeks delivered 14.1%, at 38 delivered 45.2% and at 39 completed weeks 40.7% patients. Women younger than 35 years more often delivered after 39 completed weeks compared with those over 35 years (69.2% vs 30.8%, p < 0.05). The overall rate of maternal complications in the study group was 16.5% with no statistical difference by gestational age at delivery. The overall rate of maternal adverse outcome was significantly less in the patients with three as compared with those with four or more cesareans (10.4% vs 66.7%, p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference between these groups of women regarding complications: scar dehiscence, the presence of adhesions, blood transfusion and admission in intensive care unit. Elective cesarean delivery was with less maternal complications compared with emergency cesarean deliveries (12.9% vs 27.3%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Termination of pregnancy before completed 39 weeks does not decrease maternal morbidity. The major impact on maternal complications has the number of previous cesarean deliveries (≥ 3), as well as emergency cesarean section. Patients should be informed about potential risks for maternal health with increasing number of cesarean deliveries, especially after the first cesarean section when counseling in elective repeat cesarean vs trial of labor.

Degree and rate of growth discordance in dichorionic twins conceived by in vitro fertilization.

Objective. Our objective was to estimate degree and rate of discordant growth and its impact on perinatal outcome in dichorionic twin pregnancies conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) compared to those conceived spontaneously. Study Design. Growth discordance was defined as 90th percentiles for the study population. Adverse perinatal outcome was defined as 5-minute Apgar score <7 and/or admission to neonatal intensive care unit. Results. In the total study population of dichorionic twins (176 conceived by IVF and 215 spontaneously), 30% discordant growth represented the 90th percentile. After adjusting for gestational age, discordant twins conceived by IVF or spontaneously were at higher risk for adverse perinatal outcome (hazard ratio 4.4; 95% CI 2.4-8.3, P < 0.0001; hazard ratio 2.5; 95% CI 1.5-4.4, P = 0.001, resp.). Similar rates of 5-minute Apgar score <7, admission to neonatal intensive care unit, and delivery <34 weeks were found between discordant twins conceived by IVF and those conceived spontaneously. Conclusion. Dichorionic twins conceived by IVF are at similar risk for the rate and degree of discordant growth and adverse perinatal outcome compared to dichorionic twins conceived spontaneously.

Screening for aneuploidies by maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency and maternal serum biochemistry at 11-13+6 gestational weeks.

INTRODUCTION: Aneuploidies are the major cause of perinatal death and early psychophysical disorders. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we analyzed detection and false-positive rates of screening for aneuploidies in the first trimester by the combination of maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and maternal serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-hCG), and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) at 11-13+6 weeks of gestation, using the appropriate software developed by the Fetal Medicine Foundation. METHODS: Our screening study for aneuploidies analyzed 4172 singleton pregnancies from January 2006 to December 2010. The sensitivities and false-positive rates using the combined aneuploidies determination for the risk cut-off of 1:275 were evaluated. RESULTS: In the trisomy 21 pregnancies, the fetal NT was higher than 95th centile, in 72.8%, serum free b-hCG concentration it was above the 95th centile in 55% and serum PAPP-A was below the 5th centile in 47% of the cases. In the trisomy 18 and 13, the fetal NT was above 95th centile in 66.6% and 44.4% of the cases, respectively.The serum free b-hCG concentration was above the 95th centile in 0 and 10%, but serum PAPP-A was below 5th centile in 80.9% and 88.8% of pregnancies. In the trisomy 21 pregnancies the median free beta-hCG was 2.3 MoM and the median PAPP-A was 0.45 MoM. Chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 169 fetuses: trisomy 21 (97), Turner syndrome (19), trisomy 18 (28), trisomy 13 (11) and others (14). Detection rate of combined screening for aneuploides were 86.0% with false positive rate of 5.3% (mean age 33 +/- 4.9 years, > 35 years in 35% of pregnancies). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the strategy of first-trimester combined screening of biochemical values and ultrasonographic parameters at 12 gestational weeks identifies higher percentage of aneuploidies with a lower false-positive rate than a single parameter strategy.