Hyperemesis gravidarum (HEG), associated with pregnancy, is a severe form of nausea and vomiting causing decrease in nutrient antioxidants. Hence, we hypothesize that oxidation injury may be involved in the pathogenesis of HEG. Plasma levels of the ubiquitous antioxidant, reduced glutathione (GSH) may serve as a sensitive measure for systemic oxidative stress. Women with pregnancies complicated by HEG (study group) were compared with pregnant women without HEG (pregnant control group) and with healthy nonpregnant women (nonpregnant control group). Plasma GSH levels were determined in the study group at the time of admission to hospital, and when the vomiting had ceased, it was compared with those of the two control groups. Plasma GSH levels were significantly higher in the pregnant control group than in nonpregnant controls (6.13 +/- 2.9 microM vs. 1.01 +/- 0.3 microM p <0.01). In contrast, values in the HEG women at the time of admission were significantly lower than the pregnant controls (3.12 +/- 1.6 microM, p <0.01). At the second sampling, when the women had ceased vomiting, plasma GSH values were higher than at the acute stage of the illness and were no longer significantly different from the pregnant control group (4.43 +/- 1.6 microM). Low values of plasma GSH in HEG patients suggest that oxidative stress is associated with this condition.
This article describes the evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy of AL-SENSE panty-liner in detecting premature rupture of membranes (PROM). One hundred and three women attending the labor and delivery ward were enrolled into three groups: women presenting with a vaginal leak of fluid who had not yet been examined; women with overt PROM, and women with no fluid leak. The result of the AL-SENSE strip test was compared with the clinical diagnosis, which was based on direct visualization of the posterior vaginal fornix and cervix, crystallization, and nitrazine tests. AL-SENSE panty-liner test had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 75% in detecting PROM, with an overall agreement of 82.35% between the AL-SENSE test result and the clinical diagnosis. AL-SENSE may be used as a reliable test to rule out PROM and as an effective device to diagnose PROM and differentiate it from urine leak and vulvovaginal candidiasis.
Background. Offspring exposed to pre‐eclampsia in utero had higher systolic blood pressure, and were more obese during adolescence. We hypothesized that metabolic changes, a marker of cardiovascular disease, may be affected by intrauterine exposure to pre‐eclampsia. Methods. Blood samples were collected from cord blood of 36 newborns who were exposed to pre‐eclampsia in utero and their mothers, and of 35 newborns and their mothers with noncomplicated pregnancies. Serum levels of lipids, homocysteine, and fibrinogen were determined in all samples. Results. Fetuses exposed to pre‐eclampsia in utero had lower birth weight, smaller abdominal circumference (p<0.002; p<0.03 respectively) and higher levels of low‐density lipoprotein, homocysteine, and fibrinogen (p<0.01; p<0.001; p<0.001, respectively), compared with fetuses of normotensive, pregnancies. A significant correlation existed between maternal homocysteine concentration and that of newborn infants (r = 0.539; p<0.001) and between maternal low‐density lipoprotein and newborn homocysteine (r = 0.36; p<0.03). Significant negative correlations were found between abdominal circumference of newborns and cord blood concentration of fibrinogen (r = − 0.52; p<0.001) and low‐density lipoprotein (r = − 0.42; p<0.001). Maternal plasma homocysteine, low‐density lipoprotein, and triglyceride were significantly higher, while high‐density lipoprotein was significantly lower in pregnancies with pre‐eclampsia as compared with the uncomplicated pregnancy group (p<0.001 for all). Cord blood level of low‐density lipoprotein and fibrinogen were best predicted by abdominal circumference of newborn, though maternal level of homocysteine was the most powerful independent predictor of cord homocysteine. Conclusion. Intrauterine exposure to pre‐eclampsia was associated with untoward effects on biochemical risk factor markers for cardiovascular disease. Our findings suggest that the cardiovascular risk of newborns of pre‐eclamptic mothers may begin in utero.
Background and methods. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of labor induction by the double balloon device in women with previous cesarean section. Induction of labor was carried out in 37 women with previous cesarean section for various indications. All the inductions of labor were performed using the Atad double balloon device (ARD). Results. Cervical ripening (Bishop scores above 5) was achieved in 82.3% of the induced women with subsequent vaginal delivery in 78.6% and repeat cesarean section in 22.3%. An important observation of the results was the chances to achieve a vaginal delivery according to the second Bishop score that was recorded 12 hours following the insertion of the device. When the second was above 5 the chances for vaginal delivery were 79.4%. The mean time from removal of the device to delivery was 10.8 hours. No complications were noted using the device. Conclusions. The double balloon device appears to be a safe and effective method of inducing labor in women with a previous lower segment cesarean section. Wide scale studies and further use of the device for induction of labor in women who have had previous cesarean sections are warranted.
The increased PMNL count is probably a compensatory response to PMNL priming. The increased rate of superoxide release from primed PMNL may contribute to oxidative stress in early pregnancy.
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