Live birth from ovarian grafted tissue after pelvic radiation for rectal cancer.

Objective: To study the management of a woman who returned to conceive after high-dose radiation treatment, with documentation of uterine dosimetry, and the efficacy of ovarian tissue grafted into an irradiated pelvis. Design: Case report. Setting: Private and public In Vitro Fertilization units. Patient: A 26-year-old woman underwent radiation treatment for rectal cancer, with half of the uterus and the fundus being exposed to radiation doses of 50 and 25 Gy, respectively. We report the details of the uterine assessment, determining suitability of conception with her own uterus, pregnancy surveillance, and reproductive outcome. Interventions: In Vitro Fertilization stimulation grafted ovarian tissue to assist with pregnancy. Main Outcome Measures: Successful conception and live birth, pregnancy complications and management of high risk pregnancy. Results: The results of magnetic resonance imaging and pelvic ultrasound showed a small uterus with preserved junctional zone anatomy, and although the endometrium was initially thin after high-dose estrogen administration, endometrial thickness increased with time. Twelve grafted ovarian tissue stimulation cycles led to 4 embryo transfers, the last of which resulted in a live birth. She had 2 cervical cerclage procedures because of cervical shortening and delivered a 3.3-kg healthy female neonate at 38 weeks of gestation via lower-segment cesarean section. Conclusions: Successful pregnancy is possible from ovarian tissue grafted into an irradiated pelvis, with high-dose uterine exposure. Careful uterine assessment needs to be undertaken to determine suitability of conception attempt with a patient's own uterus, in consultation with the medical team. Further studies are needed to correlate imaging and biopsy findings with reproductive outcomes.

An audit of the maternal medicine clinic: Cancer and pregnancy.

AIMS: To explore the incidence and complexity of women presenting for maternity care who require concurrent cancer care, and to report the birth outcomes of these women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective audit of women attending a 'high risk' maternal medicine clinic at an Australian tertiary maternity hospital between 1 October 2021 and 30 April 2023 was conducted. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of cancer and a concurrent pregnancy, or a diagnosis of cancer prior to the current pregnancy. Clinic lists and coding data were screened via the electronic medical record to identify potential subjects. Data were collected from the individual maternity and neonatal records. RESULTS: Forty of 705 (5.7%) women attending the maternal medicine clinic met the inclusion criteria, of which ten had a new diagnosis of cancer in pregnancy and 30 presented for maternity care after a previous diagnosis of cancer. Cancer therapy during pregnancy included surgery and chemotherapy. Most pregnancies (92.5%) resulted in term deliveries (≥37 weeks gestation). Four neonates were preterm, and one was small-for-gestational-age. Caesarean section delivery and post-partum haemorrhage were more common than expected, but the rate of other adverse pregnancy outcomes was consistent with the background population. Over half of neonates required neonatal intensive care unit / special care nursery admission but the indications for admission were common, self-limiting conditions, and the length of stay was short (mean <5.0 days). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 6% of women attending the maternal medicine clinic had a current or previous diagnosis of cancer. Most pregnancies resulted in term deliveries and neonatal outcomes were excellent.

Neonatal outcomes following antenatal corticosteroid administration prior to elective caesarean delivery in women with pre-gestational diabetes: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) administration for the prevention of neonatal morbidity and mortality has been well described for preterm infants. Some studies have demonstrated a benefit for infants born by elective caesarean section (CS) at late preterm or term gestations. However, the neonatal benefits of ACS are not well described when given to pregnant women with diabetes. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the neonatal outcomes following ACS administration in women with pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) when administered prior to elective CS after 36 weeks gestation. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included all women with PGDM who gave birth by elective CS between 36+0 and 38+6 weeks gestation. Neonatal outcomes for exposed participants were compared to outcomes for non-exposed participants. RESULTS: Of the 306 women identified, 65 (21.2%) were exposed to ACS within seven days prior to birth and 241 (78.8%) were not. Although not statistically significant, ACS-exposed infants born prior to 38+0 weeks were less likely to require respiratory support or neonatal nursery admission compared to those who were not exposed; however, exposed infants born after 37+0 weeks were more likely to require parenteral treatment for neonatal hypoglycaemia. CONCLUSION: This study did not demonstrate any statistically significant beneficial or harmful effects of ACS in neonates of women with PGDM who are born by elective CS. While it is plausible that ACS could reduce neonatal respiratory morbidity in this population, further prospective studies evaluating the benefits and harms are required before recommending this practice.

Evaluation and management of rectal bleeding in pregnancy.

Rectal bleeding occurs in about 40% of pregnant women, and is predominantly attributed to benign perianal pathology (haemorrhoids or anal fissures). More sinister causes of rectal bleeding may be heralded by key red flag clinical and biochemical features. These features should be evaluated in all women with rectal bleeding. Imaging investigations or flexible sigmoidoscopy may be warranted. The latter can be performed safely by experienced operators in pregnant women. Women with evidence of haemodynamic compromise, elevated inflammatory markers, significant anaemia, signs of intestinal obstruction or compromise to the fetus should be evaluated urgently. Providers must be mindful of the changes in normal ranges for common haematological and biochemical parameters in pregnancy compared with the non-pregnant state. Faecal calprotectin is an established tool for identification of intestinal inflammation and is valid in pregnancy. An elevated faecal calprotectin level (≥ 50 µg/g) signifies a need for further diagnostic evaluation. Inflammatory bowel disease may present initially, or with worsening disease activity, in pregnancy. Expedient diagnosis with the use of faecal calprotectin, sigmoidoscopy with or without intestinal ultrasound, exclusion of alternative or compounding infective aetiologies, and institution of appropriate therapy are critical. Medical therapies for management of inflammatory bowel disease can be safely instituted in pregnancy. Colorectal cancer incidence is increasing in younger age groups, but fortunately remains rare. When diagnosed in pregnancy, colorectal cancer can be successfully and safely managed with a collaborative multidisciplinary team approach. Early diagnosis is key to optimising outcomes.

Controversies in antenatal corticosteroid treatment.

Antenatal corticosteroids are now established as one of the cornerstones of therapy in the prevention of neonatal morbidity and mortality prior to preterm birth. Although this practice is widely accepted, a significant number of controversies exist. This review explores the knowledge gaps regarding the use of antenatal corticosteroids in the preterm, late preterm and term populations. Furthermore, the role of antenatal corticosteroids in special populations, such as diabetes, multiple pregnancies and periviable gestations, where high-quality data from randomized controlled trials are lacking, is also considered.