Background: Exposure to air pollution has been associated with higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, suggesting an inflammatory response. Not much is known about this association in pregnancy. Objectives: We investigated the associations of air pollution exposure during pregnancy with maternal and fetal CRP levels in a population-based cohort study in ...

BACKGROUNDRecently, over-the-counter mild analgesic use during pregnancy has been suggested to influence the risk of reproductive disorders in the offspring. We examined the influence of maternal exposure to mild analgesics during pregnancy on the occurrence of cryptorchidism and hypospadia in their offspring.METHODSAssociations between maternal exposure to mild analgesics during pregnancy ...

Domoic acid (DA) is a potent neurotoxin that has both marine wildlife and human health impacts, including developmental effects during prenatal exposure in rodent models. However, little is known regarding DA toxicokinetics in the fetal unit during maternal-fetal transfer. Tissue distribution and toxicokinetics of DA were investigated in pregnant rats ...

Stress during pregnancy is known to have a significant impact on animal's behavior and offspring development. The effects of gestational hypoxia on maternal behavior have not been studied. In the present study, we investigated the effects of gestational hypoxia exposure on dam's maternal behavior, offspring's growth and plasma corticosterone levels ...

The deleterious effects exerted by prenatal ethanol exposure include physical, mental, behavioural and/or learning disabilities that are included in the term fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Objective assessment of exposure to ethanol at both prenatal and postnatal stages is essential for early prevention and intervention. Since pregnant women tend to ...

Zidovudine (3'-Azido-2', 3'-dideoxythymidine, AZT, ZDV) is routinely used as one of the component of antiretroviral therapy to prevent transmission of the HIV infection from mother to child. The drug, when given during pregnancy can give rise to myriad toxicities as reported in previous studies on human, animal and in-vitro experiments. ...

Summary This is a retrospective cohort study to establish the effect of induction of labour (IOL) on the mode of delivery for term pregnancy. Studied population included 11,660 deliveries and out of these, 8,314 were normal vaginal deliveries; 1,775 instrumental deliveries and 1,571 emergency caesarean sections. The frequency of IOL ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To describe the recent advances in labor epidural analgesia, which may have an impact on maternal ambulation during labor. RECENT FINDINGS: With the advent of new epidural adjuvant drugs and new epidural delivery systems, we are now able to use very low concentration local anesthetic solutions with ...

There is little prospectively gathered data on the course of headaches during pregnancy and postpartum, and the influence of breastfeeding is unclear. This is a large, prospective study, which invited all pregnant women in the catchment area during a defined period. All participants (n = 2,126) filled in questionnaires concerning headache. Among ...

BACKGROUND 'Pregnancies of unknown location' (PULs) include viable and failing intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of novel biochemical markers in the prediction of spontaneous resolution of PULs. METHODS Serum samples were taken at the first visit to the pregnancy unit for ...

We describe a case of congenital meconium peritonitis with progressive fetal ascites and polyhydramnios. Fetal ascites could be only partially reduced on paracentesis at 29 weeks' gestation, and it subsequently increased. Urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI), a physiological anti-inflammatory substance, was administered into the fetal abdominal cavity at a second paracentesis ...

The question of malaria in the postpartum period is controversial. Malaria was investigated during a randomized trial of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy in Benin. Women infected at delivery were tested for parasitemia in the early postpartum period; they had not received treatment unless they were symptomatic. Among the 35 ...

THIS PAPER BRINGS A SYNTHESIS OF SOME OF THE MAIN RESULTS PROVIDED BY GRAVAD SURVEY (TEENAGE PREGNANCY: multicentric study about youth, sexuality and reproduction in Brazil). GRAVAD is a study about sexual and reproductive behavior among Brazilian youth that interviewed 4,634 individuals in a population survey with a random sample. ...

This study was designed to establish whether motile spermatozoa are released with pre-ejaculatory fluid and whether this fluid therefore poses a risk for unintended pregnancy. Forty samples of pre-ejaculatory fluid were examined from 27 volunteer men. Samples were obtained by masturbation and by touching the end of the penis with ...

Bacterial meningitis is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Few cases of pneumococcal meningitis during pregnancy and the postpartum period have been reported. We describe a case of postpartum pneumococcal meningitis complicated by endocarditis. A 26-year-old para-2 woman who had had a normal vaginal delivery at 38 weeks at a ...

The aim was to investigate the prevalence of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and the related risk factors as well as to assess its influence on the quality of life. Although urinary incontinence is common during pregnancy and can have a substantial impact on quality of life, women rarely seek help ...

This article focuses on the prevention, identification, and management of urinary and fecal incontinence in the perinatal period. Both urinary and fecal incontinence are common concerns affecting women throughout pregnancy, intrapartum, and postpartum. These are the problems that are not approached by healthcare providers during the initial antepartal assessment, nor ...

urinary tract infection is a common problem during pregnancy. Asymptomatic bacteriuria can cause the development of serious complications affecting both the mother and foetus. Urine culture, the traditional screening test is relatively expensive, time consuming and requires a microbiology laboratory and trained staff. However simpler, less expensive tests which include ...

We evaluated the effect of environmental, low-level exposure to heavy metals during pregnancy, as estimated by urine analysis, on birth size of the newborns. Spot urine samples were collected from unexposed 78 pregnant women in Tokyo during 2007 and 2008. The urinary concentrations of beryllium (Be), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), ...

the aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of antenatal pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) in the prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and postpartum period. three hundred women were randomly assigned to the PFME group and control group. Urinary symptoms were measured by Urogenital Distress ...

OBJECTIVE: Fetal lower urinary tract obstruction occurs in approximately 1:3000 pregnancies. Standard vesicoamniotic shunting is fraught with malfunctioning in upto 60% of cases. We hereby report the development and application of a novel and reliable shunt. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with lower urinary tract obstruction were offered the novel shunt ...

OBJECTIVE: To identify women who had urinary incontinence (UI) before, during, and after pregnancy, and to determine whether women with symptoms of UI during pregnancy were the same women who had urinary incontinence postpartum. METHODS: All primigravid women who delivered within 1 year (1999) at the Charité Hospital in Berlin ...

It is important to predict the development of pre-eclampsia (PE) during early pregnancy to prevent its occurrence later on. In this study, we studied urinary biochemical parameters and blood pressure (BP) during and after pregnancy to find useful parameters for predicting PE. A case-control study was performed in 25 PE ...

The male to female (M/F) fetal death ratio in Japan from the mid 1970s to 2005s has consistently increased while total fetal deaths have declined. Public health records and other evidence were reviewed to assess the recent trends in infant renal failure, the congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary ...

Urological conditions in pregnancy represent a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. During pregnancy the urinary tract undergoes some anatomical and physiological changes that may result in many symptoms and pathological conditions affecting both the mother and fetus. With prompt evaluation and expeditious treatment, the prognosis is good. Fear of causing ...

Pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia are serious clinical manifestations during late pregnancy and the cause for increased maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis is unknown but experience from treatment schemes suggests that minerals may be of importance. Mineral homeostasis is influenced by acid-base conditions. The aim of the study ...

This review and opinion article focuses on the definitions and meanings of abnormal protein excretion in pregnancy, asking the following questions: Are our tests to determine abnormal proteinuria adequately performed? Are current guidelines for diagnosis of excessive proteinuria, especially when used to identify preeclampsia, supported by adequate data? Can the ...

We report the use of Patient-Controlled Intravenous Analgesia (PCIA) with remifentanil in two parturients with twin pregnancies in whom epidural analgesia was contraindicated. Two patients with a twin pregnancy were admitted to the labor ward at 36 weeks of gestation. Epidural analgesia was contraindicated because of anticoagulation therapy or because ...

OBJECTIVE: To report the experience with fetal cystoscopy and laser fulguration of posterior urethral values (PUV) for severe lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO). METHODS: Between July 2006 and December 2008, fetal cystoscopy was offered to 23 patients whose fetuses presented with severe LUTO, favorable urinary analysis and gestational age <26 ...

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The diagnostic evaluation, patient stratification, and prenatal counseling for congenital obstructive uropathy remain sub-optimal. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression profiles are emerging as a valuable diagnostic tool in assorted disease processes. We sought to determine whether congenital obstructive uropathy impacts MMP expression in fetal urine. METHODS: Fetal lambs (n = ...

Hypertensive disorders represent the most common complications of human pregnancy with substantial impact on fetal and maternal outcomes. Inositol phosphoglycan P-type has recently been identified as a novel marker of preeclampsia, the most severe form of hypertension during pregnancy, with a significant increase in urinary excretion preceding the clinical diagnosis. ...

In mammals, uterine and placental prostaglandin F(2alpha) is involved in the regulation of reproduction-related processes such as embryonic development, initiation of parturition, and resumption of ovarian activity. Prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)) is rapidly metabolized to its plasma metabolite PGFM (13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF(2alpha)), which has also been detected in urine. Therefore, the current study ...

PURPOSE: Medical ethicists consider the right to bear children one of the most basic of all human rights. As reconstructive surgeons we should recognize that virtually all of our younger patients will eventually desire to become sexually active and, in most cases, have children. We review that ability in female ...

A 26-year-old G3P2 Hispanic female presented with acute urinary retention and profound hypokalemia (serum potassium 1.6 mEq/L) during her 13th week of pregnancy. Placement of an indwelling bladder catheter resulted in immediate urine output of 1700 mL. Potassium was administered aggressively and urinary retention resolved. She reported the use of ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of proteinuria estimated using the 24-hour urinary protein test and the spot urinary microalbumin to creatinine ratio on the outcomes of pregnancy in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. METHODS: A total of 163 hypertensive women were recruited. Maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with ...

The Iberian Lynx Ex-Situ Conservation Programme is an essential part of a co-ordinated action plan to conserve the most endangered felid species of the world. Successful captive breeding demands reliable methods for reproduction monitoring including reliable non-invasive pregnancy diagnosis. During a 3-year study, urine samples from six captive Iberian lynx ...

Urolithiasis is the most common cause of urological-related abdominal pain in pregnant women after urinary tract infection. The disease is not uncommon during pregnancy occurring in 1/200 to 1/2,000 women, which is not different from the incidence reported in the nonpregnant female population of reproductive age. During pregnancy, the frequency ...

This study has shown that the mouse has a great increase in steroid production during pregnancy in similar fashion to the human. Many steroids were provisionally identified in maternal urine of the wild-type mouse. The major progesterone metabolites appear to be hydroxylated pregnanolones, particularly with hydroxyl groups in the 16alpha ...

Buprenorphine (BUP) is under investigation as a medication therapy for opioid-dependent pregnant women. We investigated BUP and metabolite disposition in urine from women maintained on BUP during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and postpartum. We measured BUP, norbuprenorphine (NBUP), buprenorphine glucuronide (BUP-Gluc), and NBUP-Gluc concentrations in 515 urine ...

BACKGROUND: Fetal urinary ascites is a condition that is rarely encountered. A review of previous reports suggests that the clinical course of the affected fetuses is highly variable. METHODS: In this report, we describe a case in which urinary ascites was observed after vesicocentesis in a fetus with megacystis caused ...

BACKGROUND: Familial juvenile hyperuricemic nephropathy (FJHN) is a rare autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the uromodulin gene (UMOD) and leading to gout, tubulointerstitial nephropathy and end-stage renal disease. CASE REPORTS AND RESULTS: A Latvian family suffering from FJHN is described. The father of the family developed ESRD at ...

We report herein a case of resolution of severe megacystis, possibly caused by spontaneous rupture of posterior urethral valves during follow-up on a prenatal ultrasound. A 32-year-old woman presented at gestational week 15 for evaluation of fetal bladder enlargement. Prenatal ultrasonography revealed megacystis and posterior urethral dilatation. The longitudinal diameter ...

OBJECTIVE: To find out the prevalence of various urological symptoms in pregnant women, the status before pregnancy, and their perceived impact. METHODS: A questionnaire incorporating various urological problems was prepared and used over 240 pregnant women to know their prevalence in different trimesters of pregnancy and compare them with prevalence ...

Fetal swallowing and renal metabolism contribute importantly to amniotic and body fluid homeostasis. To determine central cholinergic modulation of swallowing activity and renal excretion associated with neural activity, we examined the effects of intracerebroventricular injection of carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, in ovine fetuses at 0.9 gestation. Fetuses were chronically prepared ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine whether fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides additional information that might affect the obstetric management of pregnancies complicated by sonographically diagnosed fetal urinary tract anomalies. METHODS: Fetal MRI and sonography were used to study 39 women with suspected fetal urinary tract ...

The aim of this study was to determine the development, location, and size of the urinary bladder during the fetal period. The study was performed on 149 human fetuses between 9 and 40 weeks of gestation. The location of the urinary bladder with respect to transverse plane between the highest ...

Isoprostanes are a family of prostaglandin isomers produced from oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids through a non-enzymatic free radical-catalyzed mechanism. Quantification of F(2)-isoprostanes (F(2)-IsoPs) provides a good index of oxidative stress and allows non-invasive assessment of lipid peroxidation in vivo. Since "interferences peaks" at m/z 573 co-elute with d(4)-15-F(2t)-IsoP preferentially ...

INTRODUCTION: Stress urinary incontinence is a common and costly condition amongst community dwelling women. It can have a significant negative impact on the quality of life and yet less than half of women with urinary incontinence seek medical attention. It is important for primary care physicians to have a clear ...

PURPOSE: We estimated the incidence and remission of lower urinary tract symptoms during the 12 years following the first pregnancy and delivery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cohort study 242 primiparae were questioned about lower urinary tract symptoms 3 months, 5 years and 12 years after the first delivery. RESULTS: ...

Impact of pregnancy on pelvic symptom-related quality of life and body image has not been previously documented. We hypothesize that pregnancy will have a negative impact on pelvic symptoms and body image. Pregnant subjects completed questionnaires in the first (S1) and third trimester (S2) and 6 months postpartum (S3) including: ...