[Cystic fibrosis and pregnancy]. / Mucoviscidose et grossesse.

The authors point out the problems that are raised when a patient with cystic fibrosis becomes pregnant. Pregnancy in a patient with cystic fibrosis is rare but these patients do not seem to have diminished fertility. So it is likely that in the future this combination will increase in frequency. The genetic risk is raised. Heterozygotic subjects are about 3 to 5% of the population and there is a risk of 1 in 4 that heterozygotic parents who already have one child with cystic fibrosis will have a second. The BM test and the sweat test are used to screen for the disease at birth. The pregnancy does not always progress well. The level of prematurity is more than 26% and perinatal mortality is 11%. Furthermore, the birthweight of these children is at the lower limits of normal. Finally, the pregnancy makes the mother's state worse with an increase in her lung signs and change in her respiratory function. On the other hand, diabetes seems to be easily controlled. In conclusion, pregnancy seems to be detrimental for these patients.

[Viral hepatitis and pregnancy]. / Hépatite virale et grossesse.

When nine cases of viral hepatitis had been analysed they showed that the normally held pessimism of this infectious pathological condition associated with pregnancy was ill-founded. The natural outcome for viral hepatitis in our country is not any worse in pregnancy than when the patients are not pregnant. The outlook for the fetus is above all determined by its prematurity, since we have not observed any cases of abortion, malformations or small-for-dates fetuses. On the other hand the neo-natal progress is slow with anaemia and jaundice frequent signs. Treatment of threatened early labour with beta-mimetic drug has been carried out carefully because of the risks for the fetuses.

[Cholestasis in pregnancy]. / Cholostase gravidique.

It has been possible by seeing twenty cases of cholestasis in pregnancy to define certain characteristics of the condition. This pathology of pregnancy is frequently associated with twin pregnancy. The prognosis for the fetus is especially affected by prematurity. There is no evidence of small-for-dates babies, but the neonate gains weight slowly. Anaemia and jaundice in the neonates are common. The treatment of threatened premature labour using beta-mimetic drug is useful and of no danger to the mother.

[The carotid piezogram in obstetrics]. / Le piézogramme carotidien en obstétrique

The carotid piezogram is a very simple test. The graph illustrates the elasticity of the arteries and the peripheral resistance. It is the best way of evaluating the vascular state of the pregnant woman when vascul-renal syndromes occur in pregnancy. The authors have studied three elements in the graph and their modifications resulting from the different types of vasculo-renal syndromes. The piezogram is a valuable test for fetal prognosis: the degree of hypotrophy and the risk of fetal death. Furthermore the piezogram sometimes may be the only alarm signal before the other clinical or paraclinical features for prognosis occur. In any case the piezogram give the best information. Furthermore, it can uncover the rise in peripheral resistance which is the cause of certain fetal hypotrophies when nothing else would point to the vascular system being affected. Often an abnormal piezogram is found for the first time in pregnancy and the graph becomes normal in the months after delivery. Pregnancy may be considered as a "test for vascular function" when vascular functional troubles will show up for a short time, not to declare themselves again for perhaps another ten to twenty years. The piezogram therefore is very valuable as a long-term prognostic tool for the mother.