Fetal hypoxia secondary to severe maternal anemia as a causative link between blueberry muffin baby and erythroblastosis: a case report

Fetal monitoring technologies for the detection of intrapartum hypoxia - challenges and opportunities

Intrapartum fetal hypoxia is related to long-term morbidity and mortality of the fetus and the mother. Fetal surveillance is extremely important to minimize the adverse outcomes arising from fetal hypoxia during labour. Several methods have been used in current clinical practice to monitor fetal well-being. For instance, biophysical technologies including cardiotocography, ST-analysis adjunct to cardiotocography, and Doppler ultrasound are used for intrapartum fetal monitoring. However, these technologies result in a high false-positive rate and increased obstetric interventions during labour. Alternatively, biochemical-based technologies including fetal scalp blood sampling and fetal pulse oximetry are used to identify metabolic acidosis and oxygen deprivation resulting from fetal hypoxia. These technologies neither improve clinical outcomes nor reduce unnecessary interventions during labour. Also, there is a need to link the physiological changes during fetal hypoxia to fetal monitoring technologies. The objective of this article is to assess the clinical background of fetal hypoxia and to review existing monitoring technologies for the detection and monitoring of fetal hypoxia. A comprehensive review has been made to predict fetal hypoxia using computational and machine-learning algorithms. The detection of more specific biomarkers or new sensing technologies is also reviewed which may help in the enhancement of the reliability of continuous fetal monitoring and may result in the accurate detection of intrapartum fetal hypoxia.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis secondary to COVID-19: A first case report in a newborn

A 39 weeks newborn baby was born with blueberry muffin macules and papules on her back. Skin biopsy was performed and showed extramedullary hematopoiesis. The mother who was infected by COVID-19 infection at 35 weeks of pregnancy did not have any other risk factor for extramedullary hematopoiesis, thus making this viral infection the most likely cause of blueberry muffin rash.