Aim: This randomized controlled trial assessed the impact of Lactobacillus reuteri on pregnancy gingivitis in healthy women. Materials and Methods: Forty-five healthy women (24 test/21 placebo) with pregnancy gingivitis in the third trimester of pregnancy were enrolled. At baseline Gingival Index (GI) and Plaque Index (PlI) were assessed at the Ramfjord teeth and venous blood taken for TNF-a analysis. Subsequently participants were randomly provided with lozenges to be consumed 2 9 daily until birth (approx. 7 weeks) containing ≥10 8 CFU L. reuteri ATCC PTA 5289 and ≥10 8 CFU L. reuteri DSM 17938 (test) or being devoid of L. reuteri (placebo). Within 2 days after birth recording of GI, PlI and blood sampling were repeated. Results: At baseline, mean GI and mean PlI did not differ significantly between both groups. In the test group mean TNF-a serum level was significantly (p < 0.02) lower than in the placebo group. At reevaluation, mean GI and mean PlI of the test group were both significantly (p < 0.0001) lower than in the placebo group. Mean TNF-a serum level did no longer differ significantly between the groups. Conclusions: The consumption of L. reuteri lozenges may be a useful adjunct in the control of pregnancy gingivitis. Ulrich

Our results indicate that in high-risk pregnancies with umbilical absent or reverse end-diastolic flow velocities, determination of blood flow velocities in the ductus venosus is a useful additional parameter for prediction of fetal outcome and for timing delivery.

Objective: The increasing prevalence of obesity is having an impact on morbidity worldwide. Since young mature women are equally affected by the general increase in weight, the aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of obesity together with associated maternal risk factors, complications during pregnancy, and fetal outcomes in a local cohort for the years 2006 and 2011. Study Design: Maternal and fetal records of women who delivered at the University of W?rzburg, with a 5-year interval (2006 and 2011) between investigations, were retrospectively analyzed. Descriptive statistics included prevalence of obesity, maternal weight gain, as well as several complications during pregnancy and fetal characteristics. The association between maternal or fetal complications and extent of maternal obesity was analyzed. Results: Our analysis included 2838 mothers with singleton pregnancies who delivered in 2006 (n?=?1293) or 2011 (n?=?1545) in our department. We found that neither pre-pregnancy body mass index (23.77???4.85 vs. 24.09???5.10?kg/m2, p?=?0.25) nor weight gain (14.41???5.77 vs. 14.78???5.65?kg; p?=?0.09) increased significantly over time. But the majority of all overweight (71?%) or obese (60.4?%) mothers gained more weight than generally recommended. The prevalence of gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia increased significantly and was associated with high pre-pregnancy body mass index, as was delivery by cesarean section. However, obesity was not associated with prolonged pregnancy and did not seem to negatively affect fetal outcome. Conclusion: There is a trend to increasing weight gain during pregnancy, and the majority of mothers, especially those with a high pre-pregnancy body mass index, exceeded the weight gain recommendations. Associated risk factors such as gestational diabetes, hypertension, and delivery by cesarean section are increasing.

No abstract

Current evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that neonatal SARS-coronavirus-2 infections usually have a mild course. Data on how maternal infection during pregnancy affects fetal development are scarce. We present the unique case of a moderate preterm infant with intracranial bleeding and periventricular leukomalacia as a potential consequence of post-COVID-19 hyperinflammation during pregnancy.

Late presentation and early gestational age at delivery are associated with poor prognosis in neonates with GS. Furthermore, early onset as well as long duration of bowel dilatation is associated with poor fetal outcome, while other ultrasound characteristics are not able to predict poor prognosis of GS.

Objective: To evaluate alterations of arterial and ductus venosus blood flow velocities during deterioration and their interdependence. Methods: 37 high-risk pregnancies complicated by umbilical absent or reverse end-diastolic flow velocities (AREDV) were monitored by measurement of the pulsatility index of the umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery and ductus venosus waveforms. Results: The mean observation period was 16.5 days. There was a significant change in the pulsatility of waveforms in all vessels over the observation period. Compared with the ductus venosus, pulsatility of waveforms in the middle cerebral artery diverged from the normal range 2.2 weeks earlier. Increase in pulsatility in the umbilical artery was concomitant with venous but not with cerebral flow alterations. In addition, there was a correlation between the increase of venous but not arterial pulsatility and perinatal acidemia. Variability of pulsatility index values of the umbilical artery and the ductus venosus but not of the middle cerebral artery increased towards delivery. Conclusions: Ductus venosus Doppler allows detection of further deterioration in centralized fetuses with umbilical AREDV. However, striking short-term variability has to be taken into account when considering this parameter.

Diffuse hemangioma of the pregnant uterus is a serious lesion. We report the first case of a successful cesarean section at term following expectant management of pregnancy in a patient with presumed isolated diffuse cavernous hemangioma of the uterus and protein S deficiency. The sonographic diagnosis and clinical management of this condition is described. The presented successful pregnancy underlines that, under close surveillance, consideration should be given to a conservative approach to this sonographic finding during pregnancy, as even an abdominal delivery does not imply hysterectomy inevitably.