Maternal perception of fetal movements: onset and associated factors.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the onset of fetal movements' perception and to identify parameters that affect this timing. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study including singleton pregnancies that attended routine prenatal care, in a tertiary care center, in northern Greece, between January 2020 and July 2021. We collected data on medical and obstetric history, and invited women to record the time that they perceived the fetal movements for the first time, that being the primary outcome of the study. Furthermore, we studied the associations between this timing and several obstetric and sociodemographic parameters. RESULTS: In total, 2,009 women participated in the study. The mean gestational age at first perception of fetal movements was 19 weeks (±1.5). This ranged from as early as 14+0-14+6 weeks (0.1%) to 24+0-24+6 weeks (0.1%). The majority of women (73.3%) reported initial perception of fetal movements between 18+0 and 20+6 weeks. Following multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found that nulliparity (OR: 2.607; 95% CI: 1.876-3.622; p<0.001), anterior placental position (OR: 1.918; 95% CI: 1.575-2.336; p<0.001), increasing body mass index (OR: 1.063; 95% CI: 1.040-1.088; p=0.001) and advancing maternal age (OR: 1.062; 95% CI: 1.040-1.084; p<0.001) were associated with a delayed perception of fetal movements. Multiparous women reported the onset of fetal movements almost one week earlier on average (18.6±1.4 weeks) compared to nulliparous (19.4±1.4 weeks; MD: 0.843; 95% CI: 0.718-0.968; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The onset of maternal perception of fetal movements is around 19 weeks and this timing may be delayed by higher maternal age, higher body mass index, nulliparity and anterior placental position.

Depression in pregnant women hospitalized due to intrauterine growth restriction: Prevalence and associated factors.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancies complicated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) may require hospitalization in a high-risk pregnancy unit (HRPU). A complicated pregnancy and hospital admission may negatively affect the pregnant woman's mental health. Several factors have been identified as possible risk factors for depression, which is proven to lead to several adverse perinatal outcomes. The purpose of this study was to screen for depression in women admitted to an HRPU due to IUGR pregnancy and also to identify associated risk factors. STUDY DESIGN: All pregnant women admitted at ≥ 24 gestational weeks with the diagnosis of IUGR were eligible for the study. The Greek version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used as screening tool on admission. A cut-off score ≥ 13 was used to identify depression, while possible risk factors were also investigated. RESULTS: Overall, 73 women were eligible for the study and agreed to complete the questionnaire. The mean age of the pregnant women was 31.4 ±â€¯6.7 years and the mean gestational week at admission was 33.6 ±â€¯2.9 weeks. The prevalence of depressive symptoms (score ≥ 13) was 32.9% (24/73). In the multivariable model, depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with lower gestational age (OR: 3.459 95%CI: 1.124-10.648) and smoking during pregnancy (OR: 3.926 95% CI: 1.141-13.507). CONCLUSIONS: About one third of pregnant women hospitalized in the HRPU with IUGR pregnancies showed signs of depression at the time of admission. Early-IUGR and smoking were found to be associated with antenatal depressive symptoms.

Prenatal diagnosis of 1p34.3 interstitial microdeletion by aCGH in a fetus with jaw bone abnormalities.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial microdeletions in 1p are extremely rare, as very few cases have been reported postnatally and only one prenatally, yet. There is a variability of phenotypic findings such as hypotonia, facial dysmorphisms, mild microcephaly, with being most common developmental delay. CASE PRESENTATION: The present case involved a female fetus with an interstitial deletion on 1p, presenting with micrognathia in the 2nd trimester routine ultrasound examination. Array-based comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) revealed a 2,7 Mb deletion located on 1p34.3 which could not be detected by standard karyotyping. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first prenatal case of an interstitial deletion in 1p34.3 with facial dysmorphism detected by a-CGH. Due to the use of a-CGH techniques submicroscopic imbalances could be detected, and a refined genotype-phenotype correlation could be achieved.