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A case report of bilateral exudative retinal detachment in severe pre-eclampsiaWe report a case of a 31-year-old gravida 2 para 1 female presenting to the optician with a two-week history of blurred vision and persistent headaches at 29 weeks gestation. Visual acuity on presentation was 6/100 in the right eye and 6/24 in the left eye. Fundoscopy of both eyes revealed serous retinal detachment in the absence of background retinal changes. On urgent admission to the maternity assessment unit, blood pressure was 189/126 mmHg and urine dipstick revealed 4+ proteinuria. Due to recurrent poor foetal heart rate variability on cardiotocography monitoring, an emergency caesarean was conducted. Sixteen hours following delivery, visual symptoms had improved, and clinical examination revealed normal blood pressure. An optical coherence tomography scan performed three months later was dry bilaterally with minor retinal pigment epithelium clumping. Serous retinal detachment involves the separation of the neurosensory retinal layer from the underlying retinal pigment epithelium. It is rare in pre-eclampsia but can be seen in patients with severe disease. The presentation of serous retinal detachment includes acute visual loss, reduced visual acuity, floaters, and flashing lights appearing in the vision. Although alarming on initial presentation, resolution is commonly seen within a couple of days postpartum. The pathogenic mechanism for serous retinal detachment development is widely discussed and thought to include changes to the choroidal circulation. Overall, although often self-resolving, a move to thorough antenatal care and vigilant monitoring in pre-eclamptic women is vital to prevent complications like this from occurring.
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A case report of bilateral exudative retinal detachment in severe pre-eclampsiaWe report a case of a 31-year-old gravida 2 para 1 female presenting to the optician with a two-week history of blurred vision and persistent headaches at 29 weeks gestation. Visual acuity on presentation was 6/100 in the right eye and 6/24 in the left eye. Fundoscopy of both eyes revealed serous retinal detachment in the absence of background retinal changes. On urgent admission to the maternity assessment unit, blood pressure was 189/126 mmHg and urine dipstick revealed 4+ proteinuria. Due to recurrent poor foetal heart rate variability on cardiotocography monitoring, an emergency caesarean was conducted. Sixteen hours following delivery, visual symptoms had improved, and clinical examination revealed normal blood pressure. An optical coherence tomography scan performed three months later was dry bilaterally with minor retinal pigment epithelium clumping. Serous retinal detachment involves the separation of the neurosensory retinal layer from the underlying retinal pigment epithelium. It is rare in pre-eclampsia but can be seen in patients with severe disease. The presentation of serous retinal detachment includes acute visual loss, reduced visual acuity, floaters, and flashing lights appearing in the vision. Although alarming on initial presentation, resolution is commonly seen within a couple of days postpartum. The pathogenic mechanism for serous retinal detachment development is widely discussed and thought to include changes to the choroidal circulation. Overall, although often self-resolving, a move to thorough antenatal care and vigilant monitoring in pre-eclamptic women is vital to prevent complications like this from occurring.
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Challenges of prenatal diagnosis in obese pregnant womenObesity rates are increasing world-wide with most of the increase in women of the reproductive age group. While recognised as an important contributor to non-communicable diseases, pregnant women with obesity are particularly at risk of not only maternal and pregnant complications but also have an increased risk of congenital malformations. Furthermore, pregnant obese women are more likely to be older and therefore at a greater risk of aneuploidy. Prenatal diagnosis in these women especially those who are morbidly obese is challenging due not only to their weight but the implications of the increase adiposity on biochemical markers of aneuploidy. In this review we discuss the current challenges in providing prenatal diagnosis for these women including those related to the ergonomics of ultrasound and those inherent in them because of their obesity. Appropriate counselling for these women should include the lower sensitivity of the tests, the difficulties in performing some of the procedures (imaging and invasive testing) as well as the increased risk of structural abnormalities related to their obesity.
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The paradox of haemodialysis: the lived experience of the clocked treatment of chronic illnessStudies exploring the relationship between time and chronic illness have generally focused on measurable aspects of time, also known as linear time. Linear time follows a predictable, sequential order of past, present and future; measured using a clock and predicated on normative assumptions. Sociological concepts addressing lifecourse disruption following diagnosis of chronic illness have served to enhance the understanding of lived experience. To understand the nuanced relationship between time and chronic illness, however, requires further exploration. Here, we show how the implicit assumptions of linear time meet in tension with the lived experience of chronic illness. We draw on interviews and photovoice work with people with end-stage kidney disease in receipt of in-centre-daytime haemodialysis to show how the clocked treatment of chronic illness disrupts experiences of time. Drawing on concepts of 'crip' and 'chronic' time we argue that clocked treatment and the lived experience of chronic illness converge at a paradox whereby clocked treatment allows for the continuation of linear time yet limits freedom. We use the concept of 'crip time' to challenge the normative assumptions implicit within linear concepts of time and argue that the understanding of chronic illness and its treatment would benefit from a 'cripped' starting point.
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Interventions to increase vaccination against COVID-19, influenza and pertussis during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysisBackground: Pregnant women and their babies face significant risks from three vaccine-preventable diseases: COVID-19, influenza and pertussis. However, despite these vaccines' proven safety and effectiveness, uptake during pregnancy remains low. Methods: We conducted a systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42023399488; January 2012-December 2022 following PRISMA guidelines) of interventions to increase COVID-19/influenza/pertussis vaccination in pregnancy. We searched nine databases, including grey literature. Two independent investigators extracted data; discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models to estimate pooled effect sizes. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistics. Results: From 2681 articles, we identified 39 relevant studies (n = 168 262 participants) across nine countries. Fifteen studies (39%) were randomized controlled trials (RCTs); the remainder were observational cohort, quality-improvement or cross-sectional studies. The quality of 18% (7/39) was strong. Pooled results of interventions to increase influenza vaccine uptake (18 effect estimates from 12 RCTs) showed the interventions were effective but had a small effect (risk ratio = 1.07, 95% CI 1.03, 1.13). However, pooled results of interventions to increase pertussis vaccine uptake (10 effect estimates from six RCTs) showed no clear benefit (risk ratio = 0.98, 95% CI 0.94, 1.03). There were no relevant RCTs for COVID-19. Interventions addressed the 'three Ps': patient-, provider- and policy-level strategies. At the patient level, clear recommendations from healthcare professionals backed by text reminders/written information were strongly associated with increased vaccine uptake, especially tailored face-to-face interventions, which addressed women's concerns, dispelled myths and highlighted benefits. Provider-level interventions included educating healthcare professionals about vaccines' safety and effectiveness and reminders to offer vaccinations routinely. Policy-level interventions included financial incentives, mandatory vaccination data fields in electronic health records and ensuring easy availability of vaccinations. Conclusions: Interventions had a small effect on increasing influenza vaccination. Training healthcare providers to promote vaccinations during pregnancy is crucial and could be enhanced by utilizing mobile health technologies.
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Early pregnancy complications including recurrent pregnancy loss and obesityThis review on early pregnancy complications and obesity will focus on the known pregnancy complications such as miscarriage (whether spontaneous or after fertility treatment), polycystic ovaries and risk of miscarriage, recurrent pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, hyperemesis gravidarum and birth defects. Evidence will be assessed and mechanistic pathways for the outcomes will be described. We know that obesity is now a pandemic and has an impact on early pregnancy complications. The evidence has been summarised to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview and advice for pregnant women with obesity in early pregnancy.
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Duration of type 2 diabetes and incidence of cancer: an observational study in EnglandObjective: To investigate the association between duration of type 2 diabetes and cancer incidence. Research design and methods: In the Clinical Practice Research Datalink database, we identified 130,764 individuals with type 2 diabetes aged ≥35 years at diagnosis who were linked to hospital and mortality records. We used sex-stratified Royston-Parmar models with two time scales to estimate incidence rates of all cancers, the four commonest cancers in the United Kingdom (colorectal, lung, prostate, breast), and the obesity-related cancers (e.g., liver, ovary) between 1 January 1998 and 14 January 2019, by age and diabetes duration. Results: During 1,089,923 person-years, 18,977 incident cancers occurred. At the same age, rates of all cancers in men and women did not vary across durations ranging from diagnosis to 20 years; conversely, for any duration, there was a strong, positive association between age and cancer rates. In men, the rate ratio (95% CI) comparing 20 with 5 years of duration was 1.18 (0.82-1.69) at 60 years of age and 0.90 (0.75-1.08) at 80 years; corresponding ratios in women were 1.07 (0.71-1.63) and 0.84 (0.66-1.05). This pattern was observed also for the four commonest cancers. For obesity-related cancers, although rates were generally higher in individuals with a higher BMI, there was no association with duration at any level of BMI. Conclusions: In this study, we did not find evidence of an association between duration of type 2 diabetes and risk of cancer, with the higher risk observed for longer durations related to ageing.
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Does treatment modality affect measures of arterial stiffness in women with gestational diabetes?Objectives: The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing and is associated with adverse maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes. Arterial stiffness (AS) is raised in pregnancies complicated by placental-mediated diseases such as pre-eclampsia. We investigated if AS is different between healthy pregnancies and women with GDM on different treatment modalities. Methods: We conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort study to assess and compare AS in pregnancies complicated by GDM with low-risk controls. AS, measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and brachial (BrAIx) and aortic (AoAIx) augmentation Index, was recorded using the Arteriograph® at four gestational windows: 24+0 to 27+6; 28+0 to 31+6; 32+0 to 35+6 and ≥36+0 weeks of gestation (windows W1-W4, respectively). Women with GDM were considered both as a single group, and as subgroups defined by treatment modality. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model on each AS variable (log-transformed) with group, gestational windows, maternal age, ethnicity, parity, body mass index, mean arterial pressure and heart rate as fixed effects and individual as a random effect. We compared the group means including relevant contrasts and adjusted the p-values using the Bonferroni correction. Results: The study population comprised 155 low-risk controls and 127 with GDM, of whom 59 were treated with dietary intervention, 47 with metformin alone and 21 with metformin plus insulin. The two-way interaction term of study group and gestational age was significant for BrAIx and AoAIx (p<0.001), though there was no evidence (p=0.729) that mean AoPWV was different between the study groups. Women in the control group demonstrated significantly lower BrAIx and AoAIX at gestational windows W1-3 compared to the combined GDM group, but not at W4. Mean (95% CI) difference in log adjusted BrAIx was -0.37 (-0.52, 0.22), -0.23 (-0.35, -0.12), and -0.29 (-0.40, -0.18) at W1, W2 and W3, respectively. Mean (95% CI) difference in log adjusted AoAIx was -0.49 (-0.69, -0.3), -0.32 (-0.47, -0.18) and -0.38 (-0.52, -0.24) at W1, W2 and W3, respectively. Similarly, women in the control group also demonstrated significantly lower BrAIx and AoAIx compared with each of the GDM treatment subgroups (diet, metformin and metformin plus insulin) at W1-3. The increase in mean BrAIx and AoAIx seen between W2 and W3 in the women with GDM treated with dietary management was attenuated in the metformin and metformin with insulin groups, however the mean differences in BrAIx and AoAIx between these treatment groups were not statistically significant at any gestational window. Conclusions: Pregnancies complicated by GDM demonstrate significantly higher AS compared to low-risk pregnancies regardless of treatment modality. Our data provides a basis for further investigation into the association of metformin therapy with changes in AS and risk of placental-mediated diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Nelson syndrome and perinatal challenges: A case report and systematic review of the literatureNelson syndrome is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication of treatment with total bilateral adrenalectomy for women with Cushing disease. A successful term pregnancy following fertility treatment in a patient with Nelson syndrome is presented. Our study provides guidance in the prenatal and intrapartum management of this condition. A case report and a systematic review of 14 papers describing 50 pregnancies are presented. An electronic database search included Medline (1946 to September 2022), Embase (1980 to September 2022), Cochrane Library, and UKOSS. A small number of pregnancies in women with Nelson syndrome are reported in literature, but there are no guidelines. Some authors detail the prenatal care provided to their patients. Four studies report prenatal monitoring with visual field checks and two report monitoring with X-rays. Five studies report the use of parenteral hydrocortisone at the time of delivery. Where described, women delivered appropriately grown newborns at term, with timing and mode of delivery dictated by obstetric indications. Preconception counseling and optimization of maternal health status improve pregnancy outcomes in women with Nelson syndrome. Multidisciplinary review in a combined obstetric-endocrine prenatal clinic is ideal. Awareness about potential complications during pregnancy and the postnatal period is crucial in providing optimal care to the mother and baby.
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Direct current cardioversion in pregnancy: a multicentre studyObjective: Direct current cardioversion (DCCV) in pregnancy is rarely required and typically only documented in single case reports or case series. A recent UK confidential enquiry reported on several maternal deaths where appropriate DCCV appeared to have been withheld. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Seventeen UK and Ireland specialist maternity centres. Sample: Twenty-seven pregnant women requiring DCCV in pregnancy. Main outcome measures: Maternal and fetal outcomes following DCCV. Results: Twenty-seven women had a total of 29 DCCVs in pregnancy. Of these, 19 (70%) initial presentations were to Emergency Departments and eight (30%) to maternity settings. There were no maternal deaths. Seventeen of the women (63%) had a prior history of heart disease. Median gestation at DCCV was 28 weeks, median gestation at delivery was 35 weeks, with a live birth in all cases. The abnormal heart rhythms documented at the first cardioversion were atrial fibrillation in 12/27 (44%) cases, atrial flutter in 8/27 (30%), supraventricular tachycardia in 5/27 (19%) and atrial tachycardia in 2/27 (7%). Fetal monitoring was undertaken following DCCV on 14/29 (48%) occasions (10 of 19 (53%) at ≥26 weeks) and on 2/29 (7%) occasions, urgent delivery was required post DCCV. Conclusions: Direct current cardioversion in pregnancy is rarely required but should be undertaken when clinically indicated according to standard algorithms to optimise maternal wellbeing. Once the woman is stable post DCCV, gestation-relevant fetal monitoring should be undertaken. Maternity units should develop multidisciplinary processes to ensure pregnant women receive the same standard of care as their non-pregnant counterparts.
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Blood biomarkers to predict the onset of pre-eclampsia: A systematic review and meta-analysisPre-eclampsia is one of the most common pregnancy complications, and a major cause of fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality globally. Diagnosis currently takes place in the third trimester based on clinical symptoms. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to determine the blood biomarkers that are associated with pre-eclampsia, and in particular, the biomarkers that could predict pre-eclampsia in early pregnancy. We searched the electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library) from inception up to March 2022. Prospective studies with 1000 or more participants that measured blood biomarkers to predict or diagnose pre-eclampsia have been included in this systematic review. Biomarkers' measurements were considered from the first up to the third trimester, but not during labor. Data concerning pre-eclampsia, biomarker measurements and study characteristics were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed when possible. We found a total of 43 studies (assessing 62 different biomarkers in 18,170 pregnancies, have been included in this systematic review, and a total of 6 studies (assessing 2 biomarkers have been included in the meta-analysis). Statistical analysis was performed for PlGF and sFlt-1. Mean difference in PlGF levels between pre-eclampsia and healthy pregnancies, appear to increase as the pregnancy progresses. Results of sFlt-1 meta-analysis were inconclusive. No significant publication bias was identified. This is the most comprehensive and up to date systematic review and meta-analysis on this important topic on blood biomarkers for the early prediction of pre-eclampsia. Further This research highlights the urgent needed for further discovery research to identify blood biomarkers that could predict the development of pre-eclampsia.
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Spontaneous coronary artery dissection associated with infertility treatmentAssisted conception involving hormonals is a risk factor for spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), and pregnant women with spontaneous coronary artery dissection are more likely to have had treatment for subfertility. Increasingly, there is a risk of maternal death in women after assisted conception, and so, the need to assess the cardiovascular sequelae after assisted conception is imperative. This is an illustrative case of spontaneous coronary artery dissection shortly after a repeat cycle of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The aetiology of spontaneous coronary artery dissection is believed to be multi-factorial, affecting mostly young women, a population similar to women requiring assisted conception. The oestrogen and progesterone used in in vitro fertilisation are believed to trigger structural weakening in the coronary blood vessels, leading to vascular rupture. Repeat in vitro fertilisation cycles and successful conception are thought to increase spontaneous coronary artery dissection risk by increasing hormonal exposure. The management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection is dependent on if pregnancy has been achieved or not, and a multi-disciplinary approach to its management is essential. More research is needed to identify women at higher risk of this life-threatening event.
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Control measurements of escherichia coli Biofilm: A reviewEscherichia coli (E. coli) is a common pathogen that causes diarrhea in humans and animals. In particular, E. coli can easily form biofilm on the surface of living or non-living carriers, which can lead to the cross-contamination of food. This review mainly summarizes the formation process of E. coli biofilm, the prevalence of biofilm in the food industry, and inhibition methods of E. coli biofilm, including chemical and physical methods, and inhibition by bioactive extracts from plants and animals. This review aims to provide a basis for the prevention and control of E. coli biofilm in the food industry.
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Haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets: Diagnosis and management in critical careA thirty-year-old pregnant woman was admitted to hospital with headache and gastrointestinal discomfort. She developed peripheral oedema and had an emergency caesarean section following an episode of tonic-clonic seizures. Her delivery was further complicated by postpartum haemorrhage and she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for further resuscitation and seizure control which required infusions of magnesium and multiple anticonvulsants. Despite haemodynamic optimisation she developed an acute kidney injury with evidence of liver damage, thrombocytopenia and haemolysis. Haemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome, a multisystem disease of advanced pregnancy which overlaps with pre-eclampsia, was diagnosed. HELLP syndrome is associated with a range of complications which may require critical care support, including placental abruption and foetal loss, acute kidney injury, microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, acute liver failure and liver capsule rupture. Definitive treatment of HELLP is delivery of the fetus and in its most severe forms requires admission to the ICU for multiorgan support. Therapeutic strategies in ICU are mainly supportive and include blood pressure control, meticulous fluid balance and possibly escalation to renal replacement therapy, mechanical ventilation, neuroprotection, seizure control, and management of liver failure-related complications. Multidisciplinary input is essential for optimal treatment.
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Building leadership capabilities in maternityBackground: Over recent years, there has been increasing recognition that effective leadership is critical to establishing positive organisational culture and improving patient outcomes. In maternity, there is a unique interplay between different specialties and disciplines in providing high-quality services. Methods: Review of literature pertaining to leadership and maternity. Results: Good leadership is the key determinant in ensuring that our multi-professional teams function effectively. The relational aspects of teamworking, linked to safer delivery of services, have been explored in great detail in maternity services. However, there has been less focus on the application of leadership theory in this environment and the impact of interventions used in developing leadership skills within maternity teams. Conclusions: In this paper, we discuss how leadership theory can be used to understand high profile maternity service failures and how effective team culture, clinical team building and individual leadership skill-development are strong contributors to this thinking. Specific examples are used to describe ongoing work in our drive for improvement and to highlight the current lack of evidence in this area.
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Screening for type 2 diabetes after a diagnosis of gestational diabetes by ethnicity: A retrospective cohort studyAims: To estimate rates and identify determinants of post-partum glucose screening attendance in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: Retrospective cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked to Hospital Episode Statistics, to identify women diagnosed with GDM between 01/01/2000 and 05/11/2018. Age adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: In 10,868 women with GDM, with an average follow-up of 5.38 years (95% CI 5.31,5.45), there was an average of 3.79 (95% CI 3.70,3.89) screening episodes per individual, with a mean time to first screening test of 1.22 (95% CI 1.18, 1.25) years. South Asian women had a significantly greater likelihood of being screened compared to White women within the first 5 years post-partum, aOR: 1.89 95% CI (1.20,2.98). A low proportion of women received at least one test per year of follow-up (23.87%). Older age at GDM diagnosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, prescribed medication for GDM, and living in England, were all associated with a greater likelihood of being screened. Conclusion: While the majority of women with previous GDM receive at least one glucose screening test within the first 5 years post-partum, fewer than a quarter of them receive on average one test per year of follow-up. Developing strategies to motivate more women to attend screening in primary care is essential.
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Effects of supervised exercise on the development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysisHypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are the most common medical complication in pregnancy, affecting approximately 10-15% of pregnancies worldwide. HDP are a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, and each year, worldwide, around 70,000 mothers and 500,000 babies die because of HDP. Up-to-date high-quality systematic reviews quantifying the role of exercise and the risks of developing HDP are currently lacking. Physical exercise is considered to be safe and beneficial to pregnant women. Supervised exercise has been shown to be safe and to be more beneficial than unsupervised exercise in the general population, as well as during pregnancy in women with obesity and diabetes. Therefore, we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effects of women performing supervised exercise during pregnancy compared to a control group (standard antenatal care or unsupervised exercise) on the development of HDP. We searched Medline, Embase, CINHAL, and the Cochrane Library, which were searched from inception to December 2021. We included only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the development of HDP compared to a control group (standard antenatal care or unsupervised exercise) in pregnant women performing supervised exercise. Two independent reviewers selected eligible trials for meta-analysis. Data collection and analyses were performed by two independent reviewers. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42020176814. Of 6332 articles retrieved, 16 RCTs met the eligibility criteria, comparing a total of 5939 pregnant women (2904 pregnant women in the intervention group and 3035 controls). The risk for pregnant women to develop HDP was significantly reduced in the intervention compared to the control groups, with an estimated pooled cumulative incidence of developing HDP of 3% in the intervention groups (95% CI: 3 to 4) and of 5% in the control groups (95% CI: 5 to 6), and a pooled odds ratio (OR) comparing intervention to control of 0.54 (95% CI:0.40 to 0.72, p < 0.001). A combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, or yoga alone, had a greater beneficial effect compared to performing aerobic exercise only (mixed-OR = 0.50, 95% CI:0.33 to 0.75, p = 0.001; yoga-OR = 0.28, 95% CI:0.13 to 0.58, p = 0.001); aerobic exercise only-OR = 0.87, 95% CI:0.55 to 1.37, p = 0.539). Pregnancy is an opportunity for healthcare providers to promote positive health activities, thus optimizing the health of pregnant women with potential short- and long-term benefits for both mother and child. This systematic review and meta-analysis support a beneficial effect of either structured exercise (combination of aerobic, strength, and flexibility workouts) or yoga for preventing the onset of HDP. Yoga, considered a low-impact physical activity, could be more acceptable and safer for women in pregnancy in reducing the risk of developing HDP.
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Pregnancies in women with Turner syndrome: a retrospective multicentre UK studyObjective: To determine the characteristics and outcomes of pregnancy in women with Turner syndrome. Design: Retrospective 20-year cohort study (2000-20). Setting: Sixteen tertiary referral maternity units in the UK. Population or sample: A total of 81 women with Turner syndrome who became pregnant. Methods: Retrospective chart analysis. Main outcome measures: Mode of conception, pregnancy outcomes. Results: We obtained data on 127 pregnancies in 81 women with a Turner phenotype. All non-spontaneous pregnancies (54/127; 42.5%) were by egg donation. Only 9/31 (29%) pregnancies in women with karyotype 45,X were spontaneous, compared with 53/66 (80.3%) pregnancies in women with mosaic karyotype 45,X/46,XX (P < 0.0001). Women with mosaic karyotype 45,X/46,XX were younger at first pregnancy by 5.5-8.5 years compared with other Turner syndrome karyotype groups (P < 0.001), and more likely to have a spontaneous menarche (75.8% versus 50% or less, P = 0.008). There were 17 miscarriages, three terminations of pregnancy, two stillbirths and 105 live births. Two women had aortic dissection (2.5%); both were 45,X karyotype with bicuspid aortic valves and ovum donation pregnancies, one died. Another woman had an aortic root replacement within 6 months of delivery. Ten of 106 (9.4%) births with gestational age data were preterm and 22/96 (22.9%) singleton infants with birthweight/gestational age data weighed less than the tenth centile. The caesarean section rate was 72/107 (67.3%). In only 73/127 (57.4%) pregnancies was there documentation of cardiovascular imaging within the 24 months before conceiving. Conclusions: Pregnancy in women with Turner syndrome is associated with major maternal cardiovascular risks; these women deserve thorough cardiovascular assessment and counselling before assisted or spontaneous pregnancy managed by a specialist team. Tweetable abstract: Pregnancy in women with Turner syndrome is associated with an increased risk of aortic dissection.
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Clinical aspects of oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer: tips and tricks for the novice and the expertOocyte retrieval (ovum pick-up) and embryo transfer (ET) are essential steps in in-vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection and over the years, the two procedures were developed in order to improve the clinical outcome. Many suggestions were proposed and applied before, during and after oocyte retrieval such as timing of HCG trigger, pre-operative pelvic scan, vaginal cleansing, type of anesthesia, type and gauge of aspiration needles, aspiration pressure, follicle flushing, and the need for prophylactic antibiotics. Similarly, many steps were suggested and implemented before, during and after ET including patient's position, type of anesthesia/analgesia, dummy (mock) ET, ultrasound-guidance, HCG injection in the uterine cavity, use of relaxing agents, full bladder, removal of the cervical mucus, flushing the cervix with culture medium, type of ET catheter, embryo loading techniques, site of embryo deposition, the use of adherence compounds, as well as bed rest after ET. Complications were also reported with oocyte retrieval and ET. The aim of this review is to evaluate the current practice of these two procedures in the light of available evidence.