Clinical application of midtrimester non-invasive fetal RHD genotyping and identification of RHD variants in a mixed-ethnic population.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the suitability of non-invasive prenatal RHD genotyping in non-immunized midtrimester pregnant women from a mixed ethnic population, to prevent unnecessary anti-D immunoglobulin prophylaxis and to identify RHD variants METHODS: Rhesus D-negative pregnant women were offered fetal RHD genotyping at 24 gestational weeks. A total of 284 samples were tested for RHD status using multiplex rt-PCR amplification of exons 5 and 7 of the RHD gene and exons 6 and 10 in selected cases. Women carrying RHD-negative fetuses were counseled about their option to avoid routine antenatal anti-D immunoglobulin administration. Diagnostic accuracy of RHD genotyping was compared with postnatal Rhesus D serotyping. RESULTS: A total of 184 positives (65%), 91 negatives (32%) and 7 cases (2.5%) compatibles with RHD variants were detected by RHD genotyping. No false negative results were found, and a single false positive was observed in a twin pregnancy. Genotyping was accepted when offered by 94% of women (284/302), and anti-D immunoglobulin was avoided in 95% (90/95) of RHD-negative fetuses. CONCLUSIONS: Non-invasive routine antenatal RHD genotyping at 24 weeks of pregnancy is a highly accurate method, resulting in the avoidance of 95% of unnecessary administrations of anti-D immunoglobulin, with no false negative results.

Maternal glucose tolerance status influences the risk of macrosomia in male but not in female fetuses.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate whether the risk of macrosomia, large for gestational age (LGA) and small for gestational age (SGA) is influenced by maternal body mass index and glucose tolerance differently in male and female fetuses. METHODS: A population study was conducted in 16 general hospitals from the Spanish National Health Service that included 9270 consecutive women with singleton pregnancies and without a former diagnosis of diabetes mellitus who delivered 4793 male and 4477 female newborns. Logistic regression analyses were performed to predict the effect of body mass index (BMI) category and glucose tolerance on macrosomia, large for gestational age newborns (LGA) and small for gestational age newborns (SGA) Separate analyses according to foetal sex were carried out for each outcome. The results were adjusted for maternal age, gestational age and pregnancy-induced hypertension. RESULTS: There were significant differences between males and females in the percentage of infants who had macrosomia, LGA or SGA. Maternal BMI category was positively associated with the risk of macrosomia and LGA in both male and female newborns. In addition, there was a negative association between maternal BMI and SGA that only reached significance in males. In contrast, gestational diabetes was only a predictor of macrosomia exclusively in male fetuses (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.49) CONCLUSIONS: There is sexual dimorphism in the risk of abnormal birth weight attributed to maternal glucose tolerance status. A closer surveillance of foetal growth might be warranted in pregnant women with abnormal glucose tolerance carrying a male fetus.

Outcome of pregnancy in women with type 1 diabetes intensively treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion or conventional therapy. A case-control study.

The aim was to evaluate and compare the outcome of pregnancies of women with type 1 diabetes (T1D) intensively treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) or multiple daily injections (MDI). Twenty-nine women with T1D receiving CSII during pregnancy as intensive insulin therapy (27 started CSII during pregnancy planning while 2 started CSII during the 1st month of gestation) were matched for age, duration of T1D, White's classification, BMI before gestation, parity and HbA1c before pregnancy with 29 women treated with MDI. Metabolic control and acute complications were registered including ketoacidosis and severe hypoglycaemic episodes, and the development of hypertension induced by pregnancy and pre-eclampsia. Perinatal mortality, stillbirth, minor and major congenital malformations, macrosomia, weeks at delivery, caesarean section and perinatal complications were also recorded. As expected, there were no differences between the two groups in terms of age, duration of the disease, White's classification, BMI before gestation, parity and HbA1c before pregnancy. The proportion of subjects who received preconceptional guidance and planned pregnancy did not differ between groups. No differences were observed in HbA1c, insulin dose and BMI throughout gestation in either group of patients. Maternal, foetal and perinatal outcome were similar in women treated with CSII or MDI. The use of CSII in pregestational T1D women is associated with similar results in metabolic control, maternal, foetal and perinatal outcome during pregnancy to those obtained using MDI.

Body mass index has a greater impact on pregnancy outcomes than gestational hyperglycaemia.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We evaluated diabetes-related pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of Spanish women in relation to their glucose tolerance status, prepregnancy BMI and other predictive variables. METHODS: The present paper is part of a prospective study to evaluate the impact of American Diabetes Association (2000) criteria in the Spanish population. A total of 9,270 pregnant women were studied and categorised as follows according to prepregnancy BMI quartiles and glucose tolerance status: (1) negative screenees; (2) false-positive screenees; (3) gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) according to American Diabetes Association criteria only; and (4) GDM according to National Diabetes Data Group criteria (NDDG). We evaluated fetal macrosomia, Caesarean section and seven secondary outcomes as diabetes-related pregnancy outcomes. The population-attributable and population-prevented fractions of predictor variables were calculated after binary logistic regression analysis with multiple predictors. RESULTS: Both prepregnancy BMI and abnormal glucose tolerance categories were independent predictors of pregnancy outcomes. The upper quartile of BMI accounted for 23% of macrosomia, 9.4% of Caesarean section, 50% of pregnancy-induced hypertension and 17.6% of large-for-gestational-age newborns. In contrast, NDDG GDM accounted for 3.8% of macrosomia, 9.1% of pregnancy-induced hypertension and 3.4% of preterm births. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: In terms of population impact, prepregnancy maternal BMI exhibits a much stronger influence than abnormal blood glucose tolerance on macrosomia, Caesarean section, pregnancy-induced hypertension and large-for-gestational-age newborns.

Potential impact of American Diabetes Association (2000) criteria for diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in Spain.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: This study was carried out to determine the impact of American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2000 criteria for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the Spanish population. METHODS: Pregnant women were assigned to one of four categories: negative screenees, false-positive screenees, ADA-only-GDM (untreated) and GDM according to National Diabetes Data Group (NDDG) criteria (treated). Fetal macrosomia and Caesarean section were defined as primary outcomes, with seven additional secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Of 9,270 pregnant women screened for GDM, 819 (8.8%) met NDDG criteria. If the threshold for defining GDM had been lowered to ADA criteria, an additional 2.8% of women would have been defined as having the condition (relative increase of 31.8%). Maternal characteristics of women with ADA-only-GDM were between those of false-positive screenees and women with NDDG-GDM. The risk of diabetes-associated complications was slightly elevated in the individuals who would have been classified as abnormal only after the adoption of ADA criteria. In addition, the ADA-only-GDM contribution to morbidity was lower than that of other variables, especially BMI. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Use of the ADA criteria to identify GDM would result in a 31.8% increase in prevalence compared with NDDG criteria. However, as the contribution of these additionally diagnosed cases to adverse GDM outcomes is not substantial, a change in diagnostic criteria is not warranted in our setting.

[Puerperal endometritis: study of 52 clinically and microbiologically diagnosed cases]. / Endometritis puerperal: estudio de 52 casos con diagnóstico clínico y microbiológico.

BACKGROUND: To know the epidemiologic features, clinical manifestations and etiology of puerperal endometritis in our environment in addition to the use of endometrial cultures in the microbiologic diagnosis of this infection. METHODS: A retrospective study of 52 cases of puerperal endometritis, clinically and microbiologically diagnosed over a 4-year period. RESULTS: Fifty percent of patients had undergone a cesarean, 36.5% presented puerperal anemia and 23% presented upper amniorrhexis at 12 hours. All the patients presented puerperal fever greater than 38 degrees C, 46% uterine subinvolution and 24% fetid lochia. The most frequently isolated microorganisms in the endometrial aspirate were Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae and Bacteroides spp. The association of ampicillin plus cefoxitine and clindamycin plus tobramycin presented in vitro efficacy in more than 85% of the isolates. CONCLUSIONS: The practice of endometrial aspirate and blood cultures in patients suspected of having puerperal endometritis effectively contributes to the diagnosis and treatment of this infection.