Non-indicated use of prophylactic antibiotics in gynaecological surgery at an academic tertiary medical centre.

Surgical site infections (SSI) are the most common surgical complication. Perioperative antibiotics can reduce SSI when used properly. Despite guidelines from The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, non-indicated antibiotic use is widespread which exposes women to unnecessary risks. This study represents a quality improvement analysis assessing surgeon compliance with established guidelines regarding antibiotic use in gynaecological surgery. This is a single centre, retrospective study examining gynaecological procedures over two years. Cases were identified using Current Procedure Terminology codes. Perioperative antibiotics were used contrary to published guidelines in 199 of 1046 cases. Three variables were independently associated with inappropriate administration of perioperative antibiotics: entrance into abdominal cavity, higher EBL, and longer procedures. Impact statement Overuse of antibiotics has unintended consequences including allergic sequelae, extended length of hospital stay, increased healthcare costs, and the formation of antibiotic-resistant organisms. Antibiotic stewardship programmes have been shown to reduce the number of resistant pathogens, decrease incidence of Clostridium difficile colitis, and decrease length of hospital stay without increasing infection rates. Further outcomes-based research is needed regarding the use of antibiotic stewardship programmes in gynaecological surgery.

Immunologic challenges of human reproduction: an evolving story.

Characterization of the implanting human fetus as an allograft prompted a field of research in reproductive immunology that continues to fascinate and perplex scientists. Paternal- or partner-derived alloantigens are present in the maternal host at multiple times during the reproductive process. They begin with exposure to semen, continue through implantation and placentation, and may persist for decades in the form of fetal microchimerism. Changes in maternal immune responses that allow allogenic fertilization and survival of semiallogenic concepti to delivery must be balanced with a continued need to respond appropriately to pathogenic invaders, commensals, cell or tissue damage, and any tendency toward malignant transformation. This complex and sophisticated balancing act is essential for survival of mother, fetus, and the species itself. We will discuss concepts of alloimmune recognition, tolerance, and ignorance as they pertain to mammalian reproduction with a focus on human reproduction, maternal immune modulation, and the very earliest events in the reproductive process, fertilization and implantation.

Genetic considerations in recurrent pregnancy loss.

Human reproduction is remarkably inefficient; nearly 70% of human conceptions do not survive to live birth. Spontaneous fetal aneuploidy is the most common cause for spontaneous loss, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Although losses owing to de novo fetal aneuploidy occur at similar frequencies among women with sporadic and recurrent losses, some couples with recurrent pregnancy loss have additional associated genetic factors and some have nongenetic etiologies. Genetic testing of the products of conception from couples experiencing two or more losses may aid in defining the underlying etiology and in counseling patients about prognosis in a subsequent pregnancy. Parental karyotyping of couples who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) will detect some couples with an increased likelihood of recurrent fetal aneuploidy; this may direct interventions. The utility of preimplantation genetic analysis in couples with RPL is unproven, but new approaches to this testing show great promise.