Polymerase-chain-reaction-based detection of fetal rhesus D and Y-chromosome-specific DNA in the whole blood of pregnant women during different trimesters of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether or not a noninvasive procedure utilizing maternal peripheral blood as the source of DNA and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) could be used to detect fetal rhesus D (RhD) status as well as fetal gender during different gestational stages of pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Maternal blood samples were obtained from 54 RhD-negative pregnant women during the first trimester (6-13 weeks, n = 14), second trimester (14-26 weeks, n = 26) and third trimester (27-40 weeks, n = 14). Genomic DNA was extracted from the whole blood and analyzed by seminested and nested PCR for detection of DNA sequences corresponding to RhD (n = 54) and Y chromosome (n = 48) using RhD and Y-chromosome-specific oligonucleotide primers, respectively. The seminested/nested PCR results were compared with the RhD status and gender of the babies after delivery. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of seminested PCR for detection of fetal RhD positivity in whole blood of pregnant women were 81 and 100%, respectively, while the sensitivity and specificity of nested PCR for detection of male fetuses, using Y-chromosome-specific DNA as a marker, were 96 and 91%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the PCR results with samples obtained from women at different gestational stages of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Seminested and nested PCRs for detection of fetal RhD and gender status, respectively, by using the blood of pregnant women during different gestational stages of pregnancy, are reliable noninvasive procedures with high sensitivity and specificity.

Hormone profile of Kuwaiti women with hyperemesis gravidarum.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum among pregnant women in Kuwait and the status of HCG, TSH, Total T4 and Free T4 in the serum of patients with hyperemesis gravidarum compared with a control group of women. METHODOLOGY: During a 6-month period all patients admitted to Maternity Hospital with features of hyperemesis gravidarum (excessive vomiting and ketonuria) were enlisted into the study. In fifty of these patients and their fifty normal controls, the status of serum total (beta)hCG, TSH, total T4 and freeT4 were evaluated with AXSYM micro particle enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: The incidence of hyperemesis in the maternity population was 45 per 1000 deliveries. Total (beta)hCG and Total T4 and FreeT4 were significantly higher in the hyperemesis patients than in the normal controls (p<0.0001, p=0.004 and p=0.01 respectively). TSH levels were significantly lower in hyperemesis patients than in their normal controls (p<0.0001). There was a strong positive correlation between the total (beta)hCG and the gestational age (r=0.8). CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum in the Kuwaiti population. Total (beta)hCG, Total T4 and Free T4 titers were significantly higher in patients with hyperemesis gravidarum, but none of the patients showed signs of hyperthyroidism.

The prevalence of antibody to human parvovirus B19 in pregnant women in Kuwait.

Infection with parvovirus B19 during pregnancy is known to be associated with various fetal damage, such as aplastic anemia and hydrops fetalis. Our objective was to study the seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 in the obstetric population in Kuwait and to compare this with that in the adult population in other regions. Blood samples from 1047 pregnant women were used in this prospective study. Information regarding patient's age, parity, nationality and symptoms was obtained at the time of collection of the sample. Blood was tested for IgG and IgM antibodies specific for parvovirus B19 using the ELISA technique. The overall prevalence for IgG and IgM was 53.3 and 2.2%, respectively. IgG seropositivity was higher in non-Kuwaiti women, while IgM antibodies was more frequent in Kuwaiti women. A total of 17.4% of the acutely infected patients were symptomatic. Prevalence of parvovirus B19 infection in Kuwait is comparable with that in the other countries.

Influence of seasonal variation on pregnancy-induced hypertension and/or preeclampsia.

Seasonal variation of temperature and humidity are said to influence the incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to determine if temperature and humidity exert any influence on the incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia in Kuwait. This is a retrospective study performed in the Maternity Hospital, Kuwait (MHK) in the years 1992-1994. Monthly distribution of all deliveries and those in which the patients had pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia were recorded. There are some studies including ours which do not show any significant correlation between meteorological factors and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. We found that the incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension per 1,000 deliveries was high in June when the temperature was very high and the humidity at its lowest. The reverse was true for the incidence of preeclampsia per 1,000 deliveries, which was high in November when the temperature was low and the humidity high.