Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (RHS) (SLOS, OMIM 270400) is an autosomal recessive disorder of cholesterol biosynthesis caused by mutations of the 3beta-hydroxysterol Delta(7)-Delta(8)-reductase gene, DHCR7. We report a fetus with holoprosencephaly and multiple congenital anomalies who was homozygous for the IVS8-1G-->C mutation. Following termination of pregnancy, both the elevated amniotic fluid 7-dehydrocholesterol ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare direct intra-amniotic injection of betamethasone and thyroxine (T4) with maternal treatment and controls for accelerating pulmonary surfactant production. METHODS: Twelve pregnant monkeys (Macaca mulatta) on gestational day 125 (term 165 +/- 10 days) had surfactant protein A and B concentrations measured in amniotic fluid. In four controls, ...

A recent publication by the Canadian Early and Mid-Trimester Amniocentesis Trial Group reported an increase in orthopaedic foot deformities in infants whose mothers underwent an amniocentesis from 11 to 12 + 6 gestational weeks versus a group sampled between 15 to 16 + 6 gestational weeks. Because the sampling of ...

BACKGROUND: The goal of our work was to evaluate the activity of interleukin 1 beta, 6, 8, 12, and 18 in the amniotic fluid in preterm and term deliveries, and to specify the dependency between the amniotic fluid index (AFI) and the concentration of these interleukins. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Amniotic ...

OBJECTIVES: The fetal rabbit at midgestation is increasingly being used as a model in fetal diagnosis and therapy. In this study, we aimed to establish a reliable method for identification of the origin of sampled extra-embryonic fluids based on selected biochemical components. METHODS: In 6 pregnant does at 22 days ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the demographic, maternal, pregnancy-related and fetal risk factors for antepartum fetal death (APFD). STUDY DESIGN: From our perinatal database between the years 1990 and 1997, 68,870 singleton birth files were analyzed. Fetuses weighing < 1,000 g at birth and those with structural malformations and/or known chromosomal anomalies ...

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess changes in indications, technique, successful fluid aspiration, and pregnancy outcomes in a large cohort of genetic amniocenteses performed by a single physician. STUDY DESIGN: Records were reviewed regarding 4600 women who underwent genetic amniocentesis by a single physician between 1972 and 2000. Changes in indications, ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by isolated decreased amniotic fluid volume (AFI) after 30 weeks' gestation (AFI < or = 5 or > 5 cm but < 2.5th percentile). STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively studied 150 low-risk singleton pregnancies > 30 weeks' gestation with decreased AFI. We ...

OBJECTIVE: Fetal swallowing contributes importantly to amniotic fluid volume regulation and fetal gastrointestinal maturation. Near-term ovine fetal swallowing occurs in discrete bouts of activity (at approximately 30-min intervals) in association with fetal electrocortical voltage changes. Thus, swallowing rhythms have been hypothesized to be entrained to fetal neurobehavioral states. In the ...

Intrauterine parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) concentrations are reduced in association with growth restriction in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) compared to those of its normotensive control, the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat, implicating PTHrP as a pivotal fetal growth factor. The aim of this study was to examine, by embryo cross-transplanation ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine if concurrent use of color Doppler affects ultrasound estimates of amniotic fluid (AF) volume. METHODS: Study gravidas underwent ultrasound estimations of AF volume subjectively (visualization without measurements) and objectively (using amniotic fluid index [AFI]) and single-deepest pocket techniques, without and with concurrent color Doppler. Amniocentesis with the ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the fluid shift in a simulated microgravity experiment and to test the use of thigh cuffs to help alleviate the problem. METHODS: The change in skin thickness was assessed by a 20 MHz B-scan ultrasound device. This was performed on ...

OBJECTIVE: To establish whether an association between oligohydramnios and pregnancy outcome is present in the uncomplicated term pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Pregnancies with a singleton fetus in cephalic presentation at term (> or = 37 weeks), a reactive non-stress test and an antepartum amniotic fluid index performed within four days of ...

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the analytical performances of the Hitachi 911 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, F) for gamma-glutamyl-transferase, 5'nucleotidase, amylase, aspartate-amino-transferase and total-alkaline-phosphatase assay in amniotic fluid. To establish reference intervals for these five enzymes throughout gestation. To determine their antenatal diagnostic value. DESIGN AND METHODS: amniotic fluid samples were collected between ...

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is a potent inhibitor of human leukocyte elastase. SLPI is a protein found in various human fluids, including parotid secretions, cervical mucus, seminal plasma and ascites. Western blot analysis revealed that SLPI protein is detected as a 12 kDa band in both the amniotic fluid ...

We developed a mathematical model of monochorionic twin pregnancies and twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), combining both fetal fluid dynamics and fetoplacental growth and circulation alterations and assuming that transplacental fluid flow from mother to fetus accounts for normal fetal and amniotic fluid volumes. Ten coupled differential equations, describing fetal total ...

OBJECTIVE: At present, most of the methods for sonographic assessment of amniotic fluid volume are unreliable in the second trimester of pregnancy, or else they do not present nomograms related to gestational age. DESIGN: The aim of this prospective cross-sectional study was to construct normal reference ranges of four ultrasound ...

The aim of this study was to specify the sonographic, anatomical and morphological aspects of the fetal anal sphincter and to compare them with pathological and physiological findings. The sphincter was examined by serial sectioning and staining of embryo and fetal tissue and by real-time ultrasound. Its function was analysed ...

OBJECTIVE: In the ovine fetus subjected to 24 hours of hypoxia, urinary flow is normal within a few hours from the onset of hypoxia and there is a maintained inhibition of swallowing. We hypothesized that 4 days of fetal hypoxia would lead to polyhydramnios. STUDY DESIGN: Five late-gestation fetal sheep ...

This study was undertaken to compare subjective versus objective ultrasonic evaluation of amniotic fluid volume in pregnancies of less than 24 weeks' gestation. Amniotic fluid volume was subjectively (visualization without ultrasonic measurements) and objectively (visual interpretation with ultrasonic measurements) evaluated in 42 singleton pregnancies undergoing termination. The actual amniotic fluid ...

OBJECTIVE: To establish normal reference values of amniotic fluid index by week of gestation for normal pregnancies in our population. METHOD: A longitudinal prospective assessment of amniotic fluid index in healthy pregnant women carrying singleton pregnancies. The subjects were recruited at 20 or 22 weeks of gestation and concluded at ...

The aim of this work is to evaluate, by means of an alternative method, the fetal lung maturation by means of measurement of the electrical conductivity of the amniotic fluid correlated with the phospholipid content. In vitro measurements were made in some 100 amniotic fluid samples at different gestational stages. ...

The objectives of this study were to determine the technical viability of amniocentesis in sheep and to observe biochemical changes in the amniotic fluid components. Amniotic fluid samples were collected by puncture in the greatest curvature of the uterine horn at days 70, 100, and 145 of pregnancy. The surgical ...

Little is known about the effects on the fetus of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment for intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). Twenty ICP patients were given UDCA at 1.5 to 2 g/d, to our knowledge the highest dosage yet reported. Effects were evaluated on conjugated bile acids (BA) in amniotic fluid ...

We report a case of maternal exposure to the antihypertensive drug losartan during weeks 20-31 of pregnancy. We saw the fetal toxic effects of oligohydramnios (decreased amniotic fluid), fetal pulmonary hypoplasia, fetal hypoplastic skull bones, and subsequent fetal death. This pattern of abnormalities is similar to those seen in exposure ...

Amniotic band syndrome is an uncommon syndrome. The incidence is 1:1,200-1:15,000 live births. This syndrome is variable malformation. Amniotic band scar of the abdomen seen in adulthood is rare. We managed a case of a 23 year-old pregnant woman who had suspected amniotic band scar of the abdomen since birth. ...

Mechanisms to regulate closely fetal GC exposure are of considerable importance, as certain organs (kidney, brain) are adversely affected by excess GCs. 11beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11beta-HSD2) reduces transplacental passage of maternal GCs to the fetus. We hypothesized that 11beta-HSD2, if active in fetal kidney and colon, might allow local ...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine whether a reduced amniotic fluid volume was associated with the onset of preterm parturition in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes. STUDY DESIGN: An amniotic fluid index was determined before transabdominal amniocentesis in 129 patients with preterm premature rupture of ...

OBJECTIVE: [corrected] To determine the sources of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in amniotic fluid and to examine its relation to labor and clinically diagnosed intra-amniotic infection. METHODS: We assessed G-CSF and G-CSF receptor expression in placentas (n = 50) from 5-40 weeks' gestation, and G-CSF concentrations were measured in amniotic ...

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine whether obstetric factors affect the concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 in the amniotic fluid. STUDY DESIGN: We prospectively collected amniotic fluid samples from 109 women at various stages of pregnancy and labor and determined matrix metalloproteinase 9 ...

After at least 20 weeks gestation, the human fetus in utero is able to hear and respond to external and internal (maternal) sounds. The external sounds are attenuated by maternal tissues and fluids - higher frequencies by about 20 dB, and lower frequencies are only slightly reduced. The sounds in ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate placental transfer and amniotic fluid concentrations of lamivudine in human immunodeficiency virus-infected women who received the agent during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Mothers in the study were receiving antiretroviral therapy that included lamivudine in a clinical setting. Maternal blood, cord blood, and ...

We present a case of intrauterine fetal death at 18 weeks of gestation associated with a retained intrauterine contraceptive device and asymptomatic intraamniotic and fetal infection by Candida albicans. The infection was verified by histopathologic examination of the placenta and umbilical cord, growth of C. albicans in samples of amniotic ...

Mononuclear cells in umbilical-cord blood display allergen-specific reactivity, but how allergen exposure occurs in utero is unknown. We investigated the presence of a common inhalant allergen (Der p 1), to which mothers are exposed throughout pregnancy, by ELISA in matched maternal blood and amniotic fluid samples at 16-17 weeks of ...

Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1) is a recently described divergent member of the transforming growth factor-ss superfamily. MIC-1 transcription up-regulation is associated with macrophage activation, and this observation led to its cloning. Northern blots indicate that MIC-1 is also present in human placenta. A sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the ...

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy and the postpartum period are a time of increased risk for women to develop mood disorders. As such, the reproductive safety data on antidepressant use during pregnancy have rapidly expanded over the last decade; however, there is relatively sparse information on maternal/fetal exchange of these medications and no ...

Diclofenac is a commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in women of reproductive age. It has teratogenic effects in animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the placental transfer of diclofenac in the first trimester of human pregnancy. Thirty patients undergoing surgical termination of pregnancy between 8 and 12 ...

OBJECTIVE: Interleukin 18 is a proinflammatory pleiotropic cytokine that has been implicated in the host defense against infection. This study was undertaken to determine whether interleukin 18 concentrations change in the maternal, fetal, and amniotic fluid compartments with labor (term and preterm) and microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity. STUDY ...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the extent that associated findings aid in the differential diagnosis and/or prognosis of fetal echogenic bowel. METHODS: Medical history, obstetric records and outcome details were examined for 131 consecutive pregnancies with fetal hyperechogenic bowel. RESULTS: In 62 (47%) cases, there were no visible anomalies other than hyperechogenic ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether funisitis (inflammation of the umbilical cord detected by histologic examination of the placenta) is associated with changes in the umbilical cord plasma concentration of interleukin 6, microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, and neonatal sepsis. STUDY DESIGN: The relationship among ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare amniotic fluid index (AFI) with the single deepest pocket in the identification of actual abnormal amniotic fluid (AF) volumes. METHODS: One hundred seventy-nine women with singleton pregnancies at the University of Mississippi between March 1994 and June 1999 had ultrasound estimations of AF volume sequentially using the ...

OBJECTIVE: Rupture of membranes is thought to result from the effects of physical forces in localized areas of the membranes weakened by the degradation of structural collagens. Matrix metalloproteinases are enzymes that degrade extracellular matrix components and have been implicated in membrane rupture. The objective of this study was to ...

PROBLEM: The status of cytokines in amniotic fluid (AF) from chromosomally abnormal pregnancy is largely undefined. TGFbeta plays a key role in fetal growth and differentiation and is responsible for the immunoregulatory activity of AF in normal pregnancy, but its status in Down syndrome (DS) pregnancies is unknown. In addition ...

OBJECTIVE: Lactoferrin is an iron-binding protein with antimicrobial properties. This study was undertaken to determine whether amniotic fluid concentrations of this protein change with gestational age, infection, labor, and rupture of membranes. STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional study included women who underwent transabdominal amniocentesis (n = 268) in the following groups: ...

The biophysical profile (BPP) can be used as an initial test of fetal health and as a secondary back-up assessment of fetuses at risk of adverse outcomes when preliminary evaluations are not reassuring. The BPP evaluates five characteristics: fetal movement, tone, breathing, heart reactivity, and amniotic fluid (AF) volume estimation. ...

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine whether interleukin-6 concentrations in cervical fluid samples are of value in the identification of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, prediction of the duration of the latency period, and assessment of the risk of neonatal complications in preterm premature rupture of membranes. STUDY DESIGN: ...

PURPOSE: The incidence of an antenatally detected genitourinary abnormality is 0.5% of all pregnancies assessed, and rarely is antenatal intervention indicated. A survey of pediatric urologists was undertaken to evaluate current practice patterns and recommendations regarding the need to intervene in the antenatal period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey instrument ...

OBJECTIVE: Abnormalities of amniotic fluid (AF) volume are associated with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Although current ultrasound techniques provide a linear amniotic fluid index (AFI) or 2-D area of AF, these indices have limited correlation with actual AF volume. The bladder volume instrument (BVI) 2500 ultrasound (Diagnostic Ultrasound Corp., ...

The use of coelocentesis to study placental drug transfer in the first trimester has required the adaptation of existing pharmacologic models to the changing anatomical structures present before and after 12 weeks of gestation. The biochemical properties of the coelomic and amniotic fluids are important parameters in evaluating the pharmacokinetics ...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the meconium staining of amniotic fluid (AF) in term of fetal distress, meconium aspiration syndrome, and perinatal morbidity and mortality. In a prospective study at Princess Badeea Teaching Hospital from April to November 1999, women with a singleton cephalic pregnancy of completed ...