Women with endometriosis have a statistically significantly higher risk of preterm birth, miscarriage, placenta previa, small for gestational age infants, and cesarean delivery.
The higher rate of spontaneous preterm birth in IVF-conceived twin pregnancies is predicted by lower midtrimester TVU CL, as well as by the lower gestational age at birth per any given CL in the IVF-conceived compared to the spontaneously-conceived twin pregnancies.
We present the case of a stillbirth in a paucisymptomatic mother affected by SARS-CoV-2. At gross examination, the placenta showed a diffuse marbled appearance and a focal hemorrhagic area. Multiple areas of hemorrhagic/ischemic necrosis with central and peripheral villous infarctions and thrombosis of several maternal and fetal vessels with luminal fibrin and platelet deposition was observed. All the lesions appeared to be synchronous. Virus particles were identified by Electron Microscopy within the cytoplasm of endothelial cells whereas, by real time rRT-PCR assay, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in placental tissue.
In this case, fetal vascular malperfusion was likely casually associated with the infection; indeed, our EM images clearly showed that the marked SARS-CoV-2 endotheliotropism involved the intravillous fetal capillaries. We confirmed that syncytiotrophoblast is the major target cell type for SARS-CoV-2 infection of the placenta. In conclusion, the possible consequences of the action of the placentotropic SARS-CoV-2 include the occurrence of vertical transmission, as reported in literature, and/or stillbirth: this latter possibility may be triggered by a hampered maternal and/or fetal perfusion of the placenta. The diffuse thrombosis and subsequent ischemia of fetal capillaries induced by COVID-19 cannot be predicted by standard clinical surveillance.
The incidence of endometriosis in middle-aged women is not minimal compared to that in the reproductive age group. The treatment of affected women after childbearing age to the natural transition toward menopause has received considerably poor attention. Disease management is problematic for these women due to increased contraindications regarding hormonal treatment and the possibility for malignant transformation, considering the increased cancer risk in patients with a long-standing history of the disease. This state-of-the-art review aims for the first time to assess the benefits of the available therapies to help guide treatment decisions for the care of endometriosis in women approaching menopause. Progestins are proven effective in reducing pain and should be preferred in these women. According to the international guidelines that lack precise recommendations, hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy should be the definitive therapy in women who have completed their reproductive arc, if medical therapy has failed. Strict surveillance or surgery with removal of affected gonads should be considered in cases of long-standing or recurrent endometriomas, especially in the presence of modifications of ultrasonographic cyst patterns. Although rare, malignant transformation of various tissues in endometriosis patients has been described, and management is herein discussed.
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