Estimating gestational age at birth from fundal height and additional anthropometrics: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Accurate assessment of gestational age (GA) is critical to paediatric care, but is limited in developing countries without access to ultrasound. Our objectives were to assess the accuracy of prediction of GA at birth and preterm birth classification using routinely collected anthropometry measures. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: United States. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: A total of 2334 non-obese and 468 obese pregnant women. METHODS: Enrolment GA was determined based on last menstrual period, confirmed by first-trimester ultrasound. Maternal anthropometry and fundal height (FH) were measured by a standardised protocol at study visits; FH alone was additionally abstracted from medical charts. Neonatal anthropometry measurements were obtained at birth. To estimate GA at delivery, we developed three predictor models using longitudinal FH alone and with maternal and neonatal anthropometry. For all predictors, we repeatedly sampled observations to construct training (60%) and test (40%) sets. Linear mixed models incorporated longitudinal maternal anthropometry and a shared parameter model incorporated neonatal anthropometry. We assessed models' accuracy under varied scenarios. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Estimated GA at delivery. RESULTS: Prediction error for various combinations of anthropometric measures ranged between 13.9 and 14.9 days. Longitudinal FH alone predicted GA within 14.9 days with relatively stable prediction errors across individual race/ethnicities [whites (13.9 days), blacks (15.1 days), Hispanics (15.5 days) and Asians (13.1 days)], and correctly identified 75% of preterm births. The model was robust to additional scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: In low-risk, non-obese women, longitudinal FH measures alone can provide a reasonably accurate assessment of GA when ultrasound measures are not available. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Longitudinal fundal height alone predicts gestational age at birth when ultrasound measures are unavailable.

Diabetes mellitus: an independent predictor of duration of prostaglandin labor induction.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to analyze the association of diabetes mellitus with progress and outcomes of prostaglandin (PG) labor induction using a retrievable vaginal insert. STUDY DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of data collected during the Misoprostol Vaginal Insert Trial (Miso-Obs-004), a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of women undergoing induction of labor with PGs. The duration, characteristics and outcomes of labor were compared in women with and without diabetes. Multivariable regression analysis was performed on all outcomes of interest, adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics. RESULTS: There were 122 women with diabetes within the sample of 1275 women who delivered during their first admission. The time to reach active labor was significantly prolonged among women with diabetes compared with those without (22.0±13.0 vs 18.5±11.1, P=0.008) as was the time to delivery (30.2±15.0 vs 26.0±12.6, P=0.004). Fewer women with diabetes delivered within 36 h (adjusted odds ratio: 0.41, 95% confidence interval: 0.26 to 0.66, P=0.0003) and 48 h (adjusted odds ratio: 0.36, 95% confidence interval: 0.19 to 0.71, P=0.004). These relationships were significant after a multivariate regression analysis of baseline characteristics that adjusted for age, race, parity, body mass index, baseline modified Bishop Score, gestational age at induction and treatment group allocation. CONCLUSION: After PG labor induction, women with diabetes took longer to reach active labor and to deliver. We emphasize that this result comes from a secondary analysis and needs confirmation with additional studies.

Induction of labour with retrievable prostaglandin vaginal inserts: outcomes following retrieval due to an intrapartum adverse event.

OBJECTIVE: To assess adverse event (AE) resolution, delivery mode and neonatal outcomes after misoprostol or dinoprostone vaginal insert (MVI or DVI) retrieval due to AE during induction of labour (IOL). DESIGN: Randomised, double-blind trial, EXPEDITE. SETTING: Thirty five obstetric departments, USA. POPULATION: Consisted of 1358 pregnant women with modified Bishop score ≤4 eligible for pharmacological IOL. METHODS: Post hoc analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: AEs prompting insert retrieval, times to AE resolution, delivery, delivery mode and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions. RESULTS: 77/678 (11.4%) and 27/680 (4.0%) women had MVI and DVI retrieved due to AE, respectively (P < 0.001). The most common AEs prompting retrieval were uterine tachysystole with fetal heart rate (FHR) involvement and category II/III FHR pattern. Time to AE resolution varied for both treatments depending on the type of AE. For uterine tachysystole with FHR involvement, median resolution times were 1 hour 34.5 minutes (n = 36) and 8.5 minutes (n = 8) for MVI and DVI, respectively. Caesarean delivery occurred in a high proportion of women with insert retrieved due to AE (MVI: 44/77 (57.1%); DVI: 19/27 (70.4%)); the majority of caesareans were performed at least several hours after insert retrieval. Median times from retrieval to any delivery were not increased for women with insert retrieved due to AE. NICU admissions were 8/77 (10.4%) and 1/27 (3.7%) for MVI and DVI, respectively (P = 0.440). CONCLUSIONS: AEs leading to insert retrieval were primarily uterine tachysystole with FHR involvement and category II/III FHR patterns. Insert retrieval due to an AE did not prolong time to delivery for either prostaglandin insert. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Induction with prostaglandin vaginal inserts: outcomes following retrieval due to intrapartum adverse event.

Antenatal glucocorticoid treatment is associated with diurnal cortisol regulation in term-born children.

Due to the rapid developmental changes that occur during the fetal period, prenatal influences can affect the developing central nervous system with lifelong consequences for physical and mental health. Glucocorticoids are one of the proposed mechanisms by which fetal programing occurs. Glucocorticoids pass through the blood-brain barrier and target receptors throughout the central nervous system. Unlike endogenous glucocorticoids, synthetic glucocorticoids readily pass through the placental barrier to reach the developing fetus. The synthetic glucocorticoid, betamethasone, is routinely given prenatally to mothers at risk for preterm delivery. Over 25% of the fetuses exposed to betamethasone will be born at term. Few studies have examined the lasting consequences of antenatal treatment of betamethasone on the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The purpose of this study is to examine whether antenatal exposure to betamethasone alters circadian cortisol regulation in children who were born full term. School-aged children prenatally treated with betamethasone and born at term (n=19, mean (SD)=8.1 (1.2) years old) were compared to children not treated with antenatal glucocorticoids (n=61, mean (SD)=8.2 (1.4) years old). To measure the circadian release of cortisol, saliva samples were collected at awakening; 30, 45, and 60min after awakening; and in the evening. Comparison children showed a typical diurnal cortisol pattern that peaked in the morning (the cortisol awakening response) and gradually decreased throughout the day. In contrast, children exposed to antenatal betamethasone lacked a cortisol awakening response and had a flatter diurnal slope (p's<0.01). These data suggest that antenatal glucocorticoid treatment may disrupt the circadian regulation of the HPA axis among children born at term. Because disrupted circadian regulation of cortisol has been linked to mental and somatic health problems, future research is needed to determine whether children exposed to antenatal synthetic glucocorticoids are at risk for poor mental and physical health.

Can the optimal cervical length for placing ultrasound-indicated cerclage be identified?

OBJECTIVE: To assess a continuum of cervical length (CL) cut-offs for the efficacy of ultrasound-indicated cerclage in women with previous spontaneous preterm birth (PTB). METHODS: This was a planned secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized clinical trial of ultrasound-indicated cerclage for the prevention of PTB in high-risk women. The efficacy of cerclage for preventing recurrent PTB < 35, < 32 and < 24 weeks' gestation was assessed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and CIs were estimated for a range of CL cut-offs using bootstrap regression. The 2.5(th) and 97.5(th) percentiles of bootstrapped ORs determined the CIs. Results were illustrated using smoothed curves superimposed on estimated ORs by CL cut-off. RESULTS: Of 301 women with a CL < 25 mm, 142 underwent ultrasound-indicated cerclage and 159 did not have cerclage placement. The few cases with CL < 10 mm limited the evaluation to CL cut-offs between < 10 mm and < 25 mm. For PTB < 35 weeks, ORs in women with a cerclage and CL < 25 mm were statistically significantly lower than in those without cerclage, and efficacy was maintained at smaller CL cut-offs. Results were similar for PTB < 32 weeks. For PTB < 24 weeks, results differed, with ORs increasing toward unity (no benefit), with wide CIs, for CL cut-offs between < 10 mm and < 15 mm, attributed to the small number of births < 24 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of ultrasound-indicated cerclage in women with previous spontaneous PTB varies by action point CL cut-off and by PTB gestational age of interest. Cerclage significantly reduces the risk of PTB < 35 and < 32 weeks, at CL cut-offs between < 10 mm and < 25 mm, with the greatest reduction at shorter CL, affirming that women with prior spontaneous PTB and a short CL are appropriate candidates for ultrasound-indicated cerclage. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Association between body mass index and pregnancy outcome in a randomized trial of cerclage for short cervix.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether increasing body mass index (BMI) alters the efficacy of ultrasound-directed cerclage in women with a history of preterm birth. METHODS: This was a planned secondary analysis of a multicenter trial in which women with a singleton gestation and prior spontaneous preterm birth (17 to 33 + 6 weeks' gestation) were screened for a short cervix by serial transvaginal ultrasound evaluations between 16 and 22 + 6 weeks. Women with a short cervix (cervical length < 25 mm) were randomly assigned to cerclage or not. Linear and logistic regression were used to assess the relationship between BMI and continuous and categorical variables, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, in the screened women (n = 986), BMI was not associated with cervical length (P = 0.68), gestational age at delivery (P = 0.12) or birth at < 35 weeks (P = 0.68). For the cerclage group (n = 148), BMI had no significant effect. For the no-cerclage group (n = 153), BMI was associated with a decrease in gestational age at delivery, with an estimated slope of - 0.14 weeks per kg/m(2) (P = 0.03; including adjustment for cervical length). This result was driven primarily by several women with BMI > 47 kg/m(2) . CONCLUSION: In women at high risk for recurrent preterm birth, BMI was not associated with cervical length or gestational age at birth. BMI did not appear to adversely affect ultrasound-indicated cerclage.

Gestational age at cervical length measurement and preterm birth in twins.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the risk of preterm delivery of twin pregnancies based upon sonographic cervical length measurement and gestational age at measurement. METHODS: Twin pregnancies that delivered between 1999 and 2005 and that underwent sonographic measurement of cervical length between 13 and 34 + 6 weeks' gestation were identified and a retrospective review performed. Women with anomalous pregnancies, multifetal reduction, cerclage placement or medically indicated deliveries before 35 weeks were excluded. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the risk of preterm delivery before 35 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 561 women underwent 2975 sonographic cervical length measurements during the study period. The rate of preterm delivery before 35 weeks was 19.4%. The risk of delivery before 35 weeks decreased by approximately 5% for each additional mm of cervical length (odds ratio (OR) 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93-0.97); P < 0.001) and by approximately 6% for each additional week at which the cervical length was measured (OR 0.94 (95% CI, 0.92-0.96); P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The gestational age at which cervical length is measured is an important consideration when estimating the risk of spontaneous preterm birth in twins. The risk of preterm delivery is increased at earlier gestational ages and as cervical length decreases.

Timing of mid-trimester cervical length shortening in high-risk women.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the natural history of cervical length shortening in women who had experienced at least one prior spontaneous preterm birth at between 17+0 and 33+6 weeks' gestation. METHODS: This was an analysis of prerandomization data from the multicenter Vaginal Ultrasound Cerclage Trial. Serial cervical length was measured by transvaginal sonography in 1014 high-risk women at 16+0 to 22+6 weeks. We performed survival analyses in which the outcome was cervical length shortening<25 mm and data were censored if this did not occur before 22+6 weeks' gestation. The incidence of cervical length shortening and the time to shortening were compared for women whose earliest prior preterm birth was in the mid-trimester, defined as <24 weeks, vs. those at weeks 24-33. Similar comparisons were performed based on each patient's most recent birth history. RESULTS: Time to cervical length shortening by survival analysis was significantly shorter (hazard ratio (HR)=2.2, P<0.0001) and the relative risk (RR) of shortening significantly higher (RR=1.8, P<0.0001) for women whose earliest prior spontaneous preterm birth was at <24 weeks. A larger effect was observed for women whose most recent birth was at <24 weeks (HR=2.8, P<0.0001; RR=2.1, P<0.0001). The observed hazard ratios remained significant after adjusting for confounders in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model. CONCLUSION: Women with a prior spontaneous preterm birth at <24 weeks are at a higher risk of cervical shortening, and do so at a higher rate and at an earlier gestational age, than do women with a later preterm birth history.

Role of patient education level in predicting macrosomia among women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of education level in predicting the risk of macrosomia among women with gestational diabetes mellitus. STUDY DESIGN: Women with gestational diabetes, who were referred to the California Diabetes and Pregnancy Sweet Success Program between June 2001 and December 2002, were included in the study. Multiple logistic regression was used estimate the risk of macrosomia, defined as a birth weight >4000 g. RESULTS: Compared to college-educated women, high school- and middle school-educated women were 21% (relative risk (RR), 1.21; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.01-1.44) and 35% (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.09-1.70) more likely to deliver a macrosomic infant, respectively. CONCLUSION: Gestational diabetics with a lower level of educational attainment appear to have an increased risk of macrosomia. Future studies are necessary to determine whether this finding reflects a variation in adherence to recommended treatments by education/literacy level, or if it is a surrogate marker for intrinsic, biological differences or differences in lifestyle.

Pyelonephritis in pregnancy: treatment options for optimal outcomes.

Acute pyelonephritis is one of the most common indications for antepartum hospitalisation. When acute pyelonephritis is diagnosed, conventional treatment includes intravenous fluid and parenteral antibacterial administration. There are limited data by which to assess the superiority of one antibacterial regimen over the other in terms of efficacy, patient acceptance and safety for the developing fetus. There is a small body of evidence to support the ambulatory treatment of pregnant women with pyelonephritis in the first and early second trimesters.

Rectal misoprostol versus intravenous oxytocin for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare rectally administered misoprostol to intravenously administered oxytocin for the management of third-stage labor. STUDY DESIGN: Subjects were randomized to receive two, 200-microg misoprostol tablets rectally (study medication) plus 2 mL saline in Ringer's lactate intravenously or two lactose tablets rectally plus 20 units oxytocin in Ringer's lactate intravenously (control medication). Blood loss was determined by estimation, measurement, and change in hematocrit values from admission to postpartum day 1. Subjects were excluded if cesarean delivery was required. RESULTS: A total of 325 women underwent analysis. By estimation, 21% of subjects and 15% of controls had postpartum hemorrhage (P =.17). By using measured blood loss, we determined that 70 of 154 (46%) study subjects and 61 of 161 (38%) control subjects had postpartum hemorrhage (P =.17). For 36 (23%) misoprostol subjects and 18 (11%) oxytocin subjects at least one additional agent was required to control bleeding (P =.004). CONCLUSION: Rectal misoprostol (400 microg) was no more effective than intravenous oxytocin in preventing postpartum hemorrhage.

Vaginally administered misoprostol for outpatient cervical ripening in pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the use of vaginally administered misoprostol to placebo for outpatient labor induction in patients with diabetes. STUDY DESIGN: In this double-masked, controlled clinical trial, pregnant women with diabetes and gestational age of >38(1/2) weeks were randomized to receive 25 microg misoprostol or placebo vaginally on days 1 and 4 of a 7-day outpatient cervical ripening period. If necessary, inpatient labor induction was managed by using a standard protocol. RESULTS: Of 120 women included in the study, 57 received misoprostol and 63 received placebo. Most of the women had been diagnosed with gestational (Class A) diabetes. Similar numbers of misoprostol and placebo-treated women delivered within 7 days of the first dose (31/57 [54%] vs 36/63 [57%], P =.63). The mean (+/-SEM) interval from induction to delivery was similar (8530.5 minutes +/-1439.7 minutes vs 6712.5 minutes +/-606.4 minutes, P =.23). CONCLUSION: Vaginally administered misoprostol was no more effective than placebo in reducing the need for inpatient labor induction or the induction-delivery interval. Outpatient cervical ripening with use of vaginally administered misoprostol was well tolerated.

Plasma progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and estriol levels during labor induction with a sustained-release prostaglandin E2 vaginal insert.

OBJECTIVE: To measure plasma progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and estriol levels in women induced for labor with a sustained-release vaginal polymer prostaglandin E2 insert, and to analyze the relationships between the changes in hormone levels and Bishop score. METHODS: Twelve primipara and 12 multipara were treated with a sustained-release polymer vaginal prostaglandin E2 insert (0.3 mg/h) for up to 24 h. The Bishop score was assessed at the start and end of therapy, and serum samples were collected at 4-h intervals. Plasma levels of progesterone, DHEAS and estriol were measured by specific radioimmunoassays. RESULTS: Exposure averaged 13.5 +/- 7.2 h. Progesterone levels decreased in the majority of patients (79.2%) after the start of therapy. Higher baseline DHEAS and estriol levels were observed among women who achieved an improvement in Bishop score of at least 4 during prostaglandin E2 treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Higher DHEAS and estriol levels prior to labor induction with prostaglandin E2 may be indicators of a favorable labor outcome. Additional studies are needed to substantiate the decrease in progesterone levels observed in this study and the importance of this phenomenon for the mechanism of labor induction with prostaglandin E2.

Plasma prostaglandin E(2) metabolite levels during labor induction with a sustained-release prostaglandin E(2) vaginal insert.

OBJECTIVE: To measure prostaglandin E(2) levels during labor induction with a sustained-release vaginal polymer insert (prostaglandin E(2) insert) and to determine whether Bishop score change correlated with tachysystole. METHODS: Twelve primiparas and 12 multiparas were treated with a 0.3 mg per hour sustained-release polymer vaginal prostaglandin E(2) insert for up to 24 hours. Bishop score was assessed at start and end of therapy, and serum samples were collected at 4-hour intervals. Prostaglandin E(2) metabolite (PGEM) levels were measured by specific enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Exposure averaged 13.5 +/- 7.2 hours. Four patients (16.7%, three nulliparas) had tachysystole. Mean PGEM levels increased from 187 +/- 42 pg/mL at baseline to 548 +/- 110 pg/mL at 12 hours (P <.05) and remained relatively stable thereafter. Nulliparas with Bishop score changes of four points or more had the highest increase, with average peak levels of 985 +/- 109 pg/mL, compared with 452 +/- 58 pg/mL for all others (P <.001). Patients with tachysystole had higher 4-hour (P <.01) and overall (P <.04) increases in PGEM level. Removal of the insert led to an average decrease of 335 pg/mL in PGEM levels (P <.01). The decrease correlated with the PGEM level measured before removal (r =.94, P <.0001) and the maximum PGEM increase from baseline (r =.94, P <.0001). The mean mixed venous cord PGEM level was 409 +/- 375 pg/mL. CONCLUSION: Administration of the prostaglandin E(2) insert led to a sustained increase in circulating PGEM levels in women who had labor induction. Peak PGEM levels correlated with Bishop score improvement. Rapid increases in prostaglandin E(2) levels might cause tachysystole.

Mifepristone for preinduction cervical ripening beyond 41 weeks' gestation: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of mifepristone with placebo on cervical ripening before labor induction in prolonged pregnancies. METHODS: One hundred eighty women with pregnancies beyond 41 weeks and undilated, uneffaced cervices were assigned randomly to receive mifepristone 200 mg or placebo and observed for 24 hours. We then gave intravaginal misoprostol 25 microg every 4 hours or intravenous oxytocin. We expected 60% of placebo-treated and 80% of mifepristone-treated women to deliver vaginally within 48 hours. RESULTS: Among 180 subjects, 97 received mifepristone and 83 received placebo. The mean interval (+/- standard deviation [SD]) from start of induction to delivery was 2209 +/- 698 minutes for mifepristone-treated subjects and 2671 +/- 884 minutes for placebo-treated subjects (P <.001, log-transformed data). Twelve (13. 6%) mifepristone-treated women and seven (10.8%) placebo-treated women delivered vaginally on day 1 (P =.60). After 24 hours, the median Bishop score for both groups was 3 (0-11) (P =.51). One hundred thirty-one subjects required misoprostol, 65 (67.0%) were mifepristone-treated women, and 66 (79.5%) placebo-treated women (P =.06). The median (range) oxytocin dose was 871.5 (0-22,174) mU for mifepristone-treated women and 2021.0 (0-24,750) mU for placebo-treated women (P =.02). Seventy-seven (87.5%) mifepristone-treated women and 46 (70.8%) placebo-treated women delivered vaginally 48 hours after the start of treatment (P =.01). There were nine cesareans in the mifepristone group and 18 in the placebo group (P =.02). More nonreassuring fetal heart rate patterns and uterine contractile abnormalities occurred in mifepristone-treated subjects. There were no statistically significant differences in neonatal outcomes between groups. CONCLUSION: Mifepristone had a modest effect on cervical ripening when given 24 hours before labor induction, appearing to reduce the need for misoprostol and oxytocin compared with placebo.

Nonobstetrical abdominal surgery during pregnancy in Women's Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if nonobstetrical abdominal surgery during pregnancy in Women's Hospital at the University of Southern California School of Medicine was associated with increased rates of preterm delivery or spontaneous loss. Preoperative diagnostic accuracy was also evaluated. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all cases of nonobstetrical abdominal surgery in our institution during a 7-year period from November 1991 to November 1998. RESULTS: One hundred-six cases of nonobstetrical abdominal surgery were identified. Eighty-eight women underwent laparotomy and 18 had laparoscopic abdominal surgery. Seventy-three women had emergent surgery and 31 had elective surgery. Seventy-six percent (80/106) of subjects had the same preoperative and postoperative diagnoses. We obtained delivery data for 62 of 106 (59%) subjects. Eleven of 62 (18%) subjects who had nonobstetrical abdominal surgery during pregnancy delivered preterm (<37 weeks' gestation). This was not significantly different from the institutional preterm delivery rate of Women's Hospital (8999/56305 [16%]) (P = 0.84). Two of 106 (2%) women experienced spontaneous pregnancy loss following surgery; both occurred in the second trimester. CONCLUSIONS: Nonobstetrical abdominal surgery during pregnancy in Women's Hospital was not associated with higher frequencies of preterm deliveries or spontaneous losses than our institutional rates.

Longitudinal evaluation of activated protein C resistance among normal pregnancies of Hispanic women.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to describe pregnancy-associated activated protein C resistance and the presence of the factor V Leiden mutation in a sample population of pregnant Hispanic women. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty healthy Hispanic women with single intrauterine pregnancies were randomly selected. Blood samples were taken before 8 weeks' gestation, every 4 weeks during pregnancy, and at 6 weeks post partum. Samples were collected, separated, and stored at -70 degrees C until assay. Standard and modified partial thromboplastin time-based assays were used to evaluate response to activated protein C. A sensitivity ratio < or =2 indicated resistance to activated protein C. Repeated measures analysis of variance and unpaired t tests were used as appropriate. P <.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Mean (+/-SEM) maternal age was 29 +/- 5 years, and most women were multiparous. Mean gestational age at delivery was 38 weeks' gestation, and the mean birth weight was 3000 g. According to the standard assay, 10 women (50%) acquired activated protein C resistance by 13 weeks' gestation, and this condition persisted through delivery and resolved post partum. Another two had preexisting activated protein C resistance. Results of the standard assay were significantly different for women with preexisting and pregnancy-associated activated protein C resistance (1.55 vs 2.18; P =.01). The modified assay distinguished between women with preexisting and pregnancy-associated activated protein C resistance at 8 weeks' gestation, 24 weeks' gestation, and post partum. The pregnancies of the women with preexisting activated protein C resistance were complicated by oligohydramnios at 34 weeks' gestation and required delivery at 36 weeks' gestation. One infant was small for gestational age. Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that both patients with preexisting activated protein C resistance carried one copy of the factor V Leiden mutation. CONCLUSION: The incidences of pregnancy-associated and factor V Leiden mutation-associated activated protein C resistances in our cohort of gravid Hispanic women was higher than previously reported. Factor V Leiden-associated activated protein C resistance in two patients was associated with adverse perinatal outcome.

Limited clinical utility of blood and urine cultures in the treatment of acute pyelonephritis during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of urine and blood cultures in the clinical management of pregnant women with acute pyelonephritis. STUDY DESIGN: Data were pooled from three randomized controlled trials that were conducted at two university-based tertiary care centers and included 391 pregnant women with pyelonephritis. The results of urine and blood cultures were correlated with clinical management decisions, outcome, length of hospital stay, and cost. RESULTS: Results of 98% of urine cultures (382/391) and 99% of blood cultures (388/391) were available for analysis. The most common pathogen isolated was Escherichia coli, which was found in 79% of the urine cultures (300/382) and in 77% of the blood cultures (27/35). Susceptibility testing revealed 46% resistance to ampicillin; 7%, 2%, and 0% resistances to first-, second-, and third-generation cephalosporins, respectively; and 1% resistance to gentamicin. Six percent of the participants (25/391) required changes in antibiotic therapy, most commonly for persistent fever (6/25, 25%). Positive blood culture results directly influenced management by prolonging the duration of hospitalization, with means of 4.6 +/- 2.6 hospital days for women with bacteremia and 2.6 +/- 1.5 hospital days for women without bacteremia (P <.001) despite similar durations of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Urine and blood cultures with sensitivity testing had limited utility in the clinical management of pregnant women with pyelonephritis. Decisions to change antibiotic treatment were affected more by clinical course than by culture results. We suggest that elimination of blood and urine cultures might simplify management and result in significant cost savings without compromising patient care.