Fungi can be cultured from nasal mucus as soon as contact with the environmental air exists but they are not persistent in the 1st day of life. However, after 4 months, the situation is similar to the one in adults: fungal cultures can be obtained from almost everyone's nose. Therefore, fungi must be considered a normal content of nasal mucus.

Acknowledgment of women's concerns and precise information may improve treatment compliance and outcome.

Objectives: To describe the course of total and ionized magnesium and total calcium levels in maternal serum during low-risk pregnancies and to compare women who developed preterm labor and delivery with those who delivered at term. Methods: 209 women with low-risk pregnancies were enrolled in a prospective trial before the 18th week of gestation. No woman received oral magnesium supplementation. The ionized and total magnesium and total calcium levels in maternal serum were measured every 4–6 weeks. The data were grouped into 3 gestational periods (≤18, 19–27 and ≥28 weeks of gestation) for overall comparison and analyzed with the general linear model for repeated measurements and ANOVA. p values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: 145 gestations were available for analysis. 27 women were hospitalized for preterm labor and in 16 of these preterm delivery occurred. Ionized and total magnesium and calcium levels were significantly lower after the 18th week of gestation than before. The cation levels in women with preterm labor and delivery did not differ from those with term delivery. Conclusion: Ionized and total magnesium and calcium levels decrease with increasing gestational age. Preterm labor and delivery do not seem to be related to changes in serum cation levels.

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Misoprostol is an effective treatment for early pregnancy failure. Uterine position might impact the success of medical treatment for missed abortion.

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Newborns of women with gestational and type 1 diabetes and non-reassuring FHR tracing have significantly lower arterial cord blood pH values without consequences on neonatal postpartum adaptation. Special attention to pathological changes in FHR patterns and to the more rapid decline in foetal pH during periods of foetal distress may be warranted in women with gestational and pre-conceptional diabetes during active labour. More frequent foetal scalp pH testing to rule out clinically relevant foetal acidosis needs to be discussed.

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