Myasthenia Gravis in pregnancy: Systematic review and case series

Background Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease which can impact pregnancy. Methods Six databases were systematically searched for studies with at least five subjects reporting pregnancy outcomes for women with myasthenia gravis in pregnancy. Assessment of bias was performed for all included studies. Forty-eight cases from our own centre were also included in the analysis. Results In total, 32 publications met inclusion criteria for systematic review, for a total of 33 unique data sets including 48 cases from our institution. Outcome data was available for 824 pregnancies. Spontaneous vaginal delivery occurred in 56.3% of pregnancies. Overall risk of myasthenia gravis exacerbation was 33.8% with a 6.4% risk of myasthenic crisis in pregnancy and 8.2% postpartum. The incidence risk of transient neonatal myasthenia gravis was 13.0%. Conclusions The current systematic review provides the best estimates of risk currently available to aid in counselling women with myasthenia gravis in pregnancy.

Neuraxial analgesia interfered with the circadian rhythm of labor: a propensity score matched cohort study

Objectives To investigate whether neuraxial analgesia and other medical interventions have effects on the circadian rhythm of labor. Methods It was a retrospective propensity score matched cohort study. Parturients were recruited, who delivered term singletons in cephalic position, from seven hospitals in Harvard University Partners Healthcare Systems, 2016–2018. The parturients were divided into two groups, neuraxial analgesia delivery and spontaneous vaginal delivery, the stratification was performed according to labor induction, oxytocin, operative delivery. The parturients in each group were divided into 12 periods in every 2 h based on the birth time of babies. Cosine function fitting was used to verify whether the birth time had the characteristic of circadian rhythm. Results In spontaneous vaginal deliveries, the peak of birth time was at 2:00–4:00, and the nadir was at 14:00–16:00, this showed a circadian rhythm presented by a cosine curve fitting with the formula (y = 0.0847 + 0.01711 × cos(− 0.2138 × x + 0.4471). The labor rhythm of NAD (Neuraxial Analgesia Delivery) group changed completely, inconsistent with the cosine curve fitting of the circadian rhythm. The intervention of induction and oxytocin blurred the circadian rhythm of SVD (Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery) group and increased the amplitude of the fluctuation in NAD (Neuraxial Analgesia Delivery) group. The intervention of operative delivery had changed the distribution curve completely both in the SVD (Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery) group and the NAD (Neuraxial Analgesia Delivery) group. Conclusions Neuraxial analgesia did affect on circadian rhythm of labor, changed the cosine rhythm of labor with spontaneous vaginal delivery, and this trend was aggravated by the use of induction, oxytocin and operative delivery.

Prediction of labor outcome by measuring the angle of progression using two dimensional trans-perineal Ultrasound: A prospective cohort study

Background: Failure of descent due to fetal malposition is one of the most common indications for performing surgical deliveries. It has recently been suggested that trans-perineal intra-partum ultrasonography may be useful in assessing fetal head engagement, position and station as well as it’s reliable, cheap, painless and effective tool. Measuring the ‘angle of progression’ could assist in the obstetrician’s decision regarding mode of delivery. Objectives: The primary outcome is to use the AOP to develop a predictive model for the probability of successful vaginal delivery. Secondary outcomes including assessment of possibly successful VBAC in previous one CS women. Methods: We recruited 500 women in labor. For each woman, a (TPU) was performed to measure the AOP in late first and second stages of labor. We compared AOP between women who delivered fetuses through vaginal route to those who delivered by CS. Results: Through 467 women included in the study, AOP was significantly Higher in spontaneous vaginal delivery group (with cut off 123°±8.5°) as compared with women delivered by vacuum or by CS (113°±10.5°) (P=0.003). The VBAC as another secodary outcome seems to be insignificant. Conclusions: TPU is safe, non-invasive and easily preformed technique which is useful to predict labor outcomes.

Post-Partum Hamman’s Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review

Hereby, the case of a low obstetrical risk nulliparous 25-years-old woman, presenting with chest pain and subcutaneous emphysema on face, neck and sternum four hours after spontaneous vaginal delivery has been reported.

Birth-related retinal hemorrhages: The Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital universal newborn eye screening (SUCH-NES) study

Purpose To report the prevalence, related factors, and characteristics of birth-related retinal hemorrhages (RHs) according to their severity in healthy newborns using a telemedicine network and wide-field digital retinal imaging (WFDRI). Methods Newborns who underwent WFDRI at 61 obstetrics/gynecology hospitals between January 2017 and December 2019 were enrolled. Demographics and related factors were compared among newborns with and without RHs. The newborns’ eyes were divided into the minimal, mild, moderate, and severe groups according to the number of RHs, and characteristics like bilaterality, laterality, involved retinal layer, involved zone, macular and/or optic nerve (ON) involvement were compared. Results Among 56247 newborns, 13026 had birth-related RHs (23.2%). Normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (NSVD) showed the highest association with RHs (odds ratio, 19.774; 95% confidence interval, 18.277–21.393; P < 0.001) on multivariate analysis. Bilateral RHs (8414/13026; 64.59%) were more common than unilateral RHs (4612/13026; 35.41%); however, unilateral RHs (2383/4217; 56.51%) were more common than bilateral RHs (1834/4217; 43.49%) in the minimal group. RHs showed no laterality differences between the two eyes (P = 0.493). Most RHs were intraretinal (18678/21440; 87.12%), and 2328 (31.65%) eyes with preretinal hemorrhage were observed in the severe group. Zone I RHs were common in the minimal (7072/7090; 99.75%), mild (4953/4960; 99.86%), and moderate (2013/2035; 98.92%) groups; zone I and II RHs were common in the severe group (4843/7355; 65.85%); and RHs in zone III were rare (7/21440; 0.03%). Most RHs showed no macular and/or ON involvement in the minimal and mild group; however, this was common in the severe group (7111/7355; 96.68%). Conclusions Birth-related RHs were common in healthy newborns and were significantly associated with NSVD. RHs were usually bilateral, intraretinal, and distributed posterior to the retina, but severe RHs had unique characteristics. Future long-term and longitudinal studies are required to elucidate the prognosis of severe RHs.

Angle of progression with trans-perineal ultrasound and delivery type in labor’s second stage; a cross-sectional study in Isfahan, Iran

Introduction: Numerous studies have shown that clinical evaluation in labor is not very accurate, therefore ultrasound is one of the instruments that can give us a more objective assessment than the clinical evaluation. Objectives: In this study, we investigate the magnitude of the angle of progression (AoP) at the second stage of labor in fetuses with cephalic presentation and its relation to spontaneous vaginal delivery. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we measured the AoP using trans-perineal sonography in the 2nd stage of the labor and compared AoP in normal vaginal delivery (NVD), cesarean and NVD with vacuum groups on 80 pregnant women. We also investigated the correlation between AoP and induction time and duration of the second stage of labor. Results: In 80 study patients, 54 (67.5 %) had normal vaginal deliveries, 21 (26.2 %) had cesarean section and 5 (6.2%) had NVD with a vacuum. There was a statistically significant difference between NVD, cesarean section, and NVD with vacuum in terms of the AoP (P<0.01). There was a statistically significant correlation between AoP and induction time, duration of 2nd stage of labor and Apgar scores (P<0.05). Conclusion: Higher progression angle is associated with shorter induction time and 2nd stage of labor, higher neonatal Apgar scores and a higher chance of spontaneous vaginal delivery which makes it an appropriate index for predicting pregnancy outcomes.

Burns in pregnancy: Five-year experience in a tertiary hospital in southeastern Nigeria

BackgroundBurns in pregnancy is often associated with high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality especially when the total burn surface area (TBSA) involved is high. This study aims to review management outcome of cases of burns in pregnancy at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA).MethodsA five year retrospective study of all pregnant women that presented at AE-FUTHA with burn injury between April 2014 and March 2019. Information was collected from the medical records using a proforma and analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics version 20.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) using descriptive statistics.ResultsA total of 222 cases of burns were managed but only 8 were pregnant, giving an incidence of 3.6%. The commonest causes were flame (62.5%), scald (25%) and friction (12.5%) occurring mostly during the harmattan season. The median age of participants was 25-34 years. The burns affected 12.5% of the patients in the first trimester and 62.5% and 25% in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters respectively. Most patients (62.5%) had superficial burns while 25% had other associated injuries in addition to burns. About 87.5% had term spontaneous vaginal delivery. There was no maternal death but, there was an early neonatal death.ConclusionThe good outcome observed in this study with a 100% survival, could be explained by inter-disciplinary management approach given, even as most cases were minor degrees of burns. Early involvement of obstetricians in all burns affecting pregnant women is advised especially in burn centres where obstetricians are hardly in the employ.