[Ultrasound of the fetal urinary system during the first trimester of pregnancy]

The detection of abnormalities of the fetal urinary system in the first trimester of pregnancy is constantly improving, namely owing to the improved resolution of the image, the use of the endovaginal approach and thanks to sonographers' constant training. The pathological aspects, usually detected in the second trimester of pregnancy, can be suspected early in the first trimester and range from kidneys' cavity dilation to bilateral renal agenesis, polycystic kidney disease, multi-cystic dysplasia and bladder megavessia or bladder exstrophy. A poly-malformative syndrome is to be found out. The detection of an abnormality of the urinary tract requires a close ultrasound check. Very often, the pathological aspects tend to disappear spontaneously. In particular, the non-visualization of the bladder requires repeated examinations during the same session or even a little later in the pregnancy. We will carry out a review of the literature by pointing out the usual and unusual aspects of the fetal urinary system visible in the first trimester and we will as well propose an algorithm describing how to deal with abnormalities of the urinary tract that can be found out at first trimester ultrasound.

[Methods of induction of labor in termination of pregnancy after 22weeks: About 3procedures]

OBJECTIVES

To propose a protocol for induction of labor to terminate pregnancy after 22weeks of amenorrhea allowing to decrease the duration of labor and of hospitalization but also, allowing to reduce the number of emergency pretreatment-induced fetal death, to improve the experience of the patients and to limit the cost.

METHODS

We realized a retrospective single-center study including 269patients and comparing three protocols, with and without laminaria and with various intervals mifepristone-misoprostol (14 and 38hours). The outcome measures were the misoprostol-delivery interval, the delivery time and the number of emergency pretreatment-induced fetal death.

RESULTS

We showed that the misoprostol-delivery interval and the delivery time were comparable for the three periods of our study, even after decrease of 24hours of the mifepristone-misoprostol interval and in the absence of laminaria. The misoprostol-delivery interval was between 7h30 and 8h35 between protocols (P=0.055). The delivery time was between 5:18pm and 6:48pm between protocols (P=0.252). The early administration of misoprostol allowed the patients to give birth earlier (P=0.001). Finally, we showed that the increase of the size and the number of laminarias were risk factors of emergency pretreatment-induced fetal death (respectively P=0.013 and P=0.002).

CONCLUSION

The absence of laminaria and the reduction of the interval mifepristone-misoprostol of 24hours do not change the time to delivery and allow to reduce the duration of hospitalization, the number of emergency pretreatment-induced fetal death and the cost of the TOP.

[Evaluation of adherence to French guidelines concerning the information of the women having a scarred uterus on their mode of delivery]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate adherence of obstetricians from our maternity to French practice guidelines concerning information to give to pregnant patients with a history of scarred uterus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Observational retrospective study performed on medical files from June to August 2014 and concerning women with a scarred uterus that gave live-birth after 37weeks of gestation. Information of patients had to concern the risks of a history of caesarean, the benefits and risks of the various delivery modes.

RESULTS

On 758 deliveries, 77 cases were studied: 48 patients were followed up from the beginning of pregnancy, 23 from the 2nd trimester and 6 were not followed. Among patients followed from the beginning, no data was written on medical file concerning information that should to be given in immediate post-partum, in preconception counseling, and at the beginning of pregnancy about the risks of scarred uterus and the mode of delivery. In the 8th month, information about benefits and risks of the planned delivery mode was noticed in 45% of files.

CONCLUSION

The information that need in theory to be given to the patients with scarred uterus appeared little or insufficiently noticed on medical files; which can be due either to an inaccurate information, or to a lack of transcription of the information nevertheless given. A check-list in obstetrical file would help to systematize the information to provide in scarred uterus patients.

Development and internal validation of a nomogram to predict macrosomia

OBJECTIVE

To develop a nomogram to predict macrosomia with a combination of clinical and ultrasound variables.

METHODS

Data from 194 women who underwent sonographic fetal weight estimation were used to develop and calibrate a nomogram to predict fetal macrosomia. The nomogram was subjected to 200 bootstrap resamples for internal validation and to reduce overfit bias. An Internet-based tool was developed to facilitate use of the nomogram.

RESULTS

The macrosomia prediction nomogram, based on parity, ethnicity, body mass index and fetal weight estimated macrosomia, had good discrimination and calibration before and after bootstrapping (area under curve (AUC), 0.860 and 0.850, respectively). The predictive accuracy of our nomogram was significantly better than was sonographically estimated fetal weight using Hadlock's formula (AUC, 0.740; P<0.001). We have provided a web-based interface to predict the individual probability of macrosomia.

CONCLUSION

We have developed a nomogram to predict the individual probability of macrosomia based on clinical and ultrasound findings. Our web-based interface should help to guide patients and physicians in decision-making.

[Delivery of a macrosomic infant: factors predictive of failed labor]

OBJECTIVE

To determine risk factors of failed labor in case of fetal macrosomia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical charts of two hundred and forty six women who delivered macrosomic infants (>4,000g) between January 2004 and May 2005 were reviewed. Maternal and obstetrical data were analyzed by mode of delivery. Univariate and multivariate (logistic regression analysis) were performed to identify risk factors of failed labor.

RESULTS

Rate of cesarean delivery was 18.3%. Indications for cesarean were: failure to progress in 55.6%, arrest in fetal descent in 22.2%, fetal distress in 6.7%, and other in 8.9%. There was a higher risk of failed labor in nulliparous women (p<0.001), in case of a symphysio-fundal measurements>34cm (p=0.004), in nulliparity associated with symphysio-fundal measurements>34cm (p<0.001), in case of previous cesarean delivery (p=0.004), in cases of maternal height<1.65m (p=0.02), and with ocytocin use (p=0.05). In multivariate analysis, nulliparity associated with symphysio-fundal measurements>34cm (OR=5.2; CI 1.5-18.4), previous cesarean section (OR=3.7; CI 1.1-12.4) and maternal height<1.65m (OR=2.6; CI 1.2-5.5) were independent factors of failed labor.

CONCLUSION

Failure of labor in case of macrosomia can be predicted in the event of previous cesarean section, shorter maternal height, and association of nulliparity and symphysio-fundal measurements>34cm.

[Evaluation of controlled-release dinoprostone Propess for labor induction]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of cervix ripening with vaginal controlled-release Propess.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of all women who underwent cervical ripening with Propess during the study period from 1(st) January 2002 to 31(st) December 2004 was carried out. A total of 130 patients who experienced Propess was compared with the next following patient who delivered spontaneously matched on gestational age. Modes of delivery, failure of labor, maternal morbidity were recorded.

RESULTS

Indications for induction of labor were: post-term pregnancies in 18.5%, pre-eclampsia in 20.8%, oligohydroamnios in 18.5%, post-term pregnancy and oligohydramnios in 10.8%, intra-uterine fetal growth in 6.9%, premature rupture of membranes in 6.9%, diminution of fetal mobility in 6.1% and miscellaneous in 11.5%. Failure of cervical ripening was 21.2%. Patients in the Propess group had a 3.5 fold higher risk of Cesarean section [95% CI: 1.5-8.3; P < 0.04]. There was no case of maternal or fetal death. There was no difference in incidence of maternal complications, and post-partum haemorrhage.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Use of vaginal pessary Propess does not induce adverse maternal or fetal morbidity. However, it was associated with a higher incidence of Cesarean delivery.

Diagnosis and management of adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Cancer of the biliary tract has a poor prognosis and its association with pregnancy is uncommon. Early diagnosis allowing curative surgical resection offers the only hope of long-term survival.

CASE

This report describes the case of a young 26-week-pregnant woman admitted for cholestatis documented by clinical and laboratory examination. Ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) were indicative of common bile tract obstruction. Caesarian section was performed at 32 weeks of pregnancy and the tumor was promptly biopsied. Histology demonstrated carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. The patient underwent a Whipple procedure. Both mother and baby survived.

CONCLUSION

Pregnant patients with digestive cancer require careful management. Acute non-invasive assessment and radical surgery improve outcome for both the mother and fetus.

[Home delivery]

Home delivery, although unconventional, has not totally disappeared. It sometimes results from the desire to "demedicalise" an event deemed natural and is sometimes the consequence of government policy and hence approved by medical authorities. This is the unique situation of Holland, where a highly efficient home delivery system has been created, with the possibility of transfer of the mother at any time to rapidly available emergency medical teams. In fact the large majority of home deliveries are accidental, unprepared and take place in the absence of any medical or paramedical assistance. All available studies show that perinatal and maternal morbidity associated with these accidental deliveries is greater than that of hospital deliveries, and this despite the setting up of emergency services responding as soon as a distress call is received. Home delivery should remain the exception at present since it is unable to guarantee a birth as undangerous as possible.

[Chorionic villus needle sampling by the transabdominal route or by placental centesis. A series of 930 cases]

The authors report on a series of 930 chorion villus sampling diagnoses made with a needle by the transabdominal route, from January 1991 to October 1992 at the Prenatal Diagnosis Center in Marseille. Indications for prenatal diagnosis were: raised maternal age in 75% of cases (N:698); ultrasound findings in 11% (N:106), chromosome abnormalities in the family in 6% cases (N:53), raised human chorionic gonadotrophin in 4% cases (N:38), parental rearrangement in 2% cases (N:20), and sex linked disease in 1% (N:15). The success rate was 97% with 29 failures; the number of needle insertions was one in 97% cases and two in 3% cases. The average gestational age at sampling was related to the indications; 16 weeks of amenorrhoea for raised maternal age, and 22 weeks of amenorrhoea for ultrasound findings. Thirty one abnormalities were observed, four balanced translocations, and seven placental mosaicisms. Forty eight pregnancies terminated in abortion. The rate of fetal loss was 3.5% (7 cases) for the 200 first cases and 1% (8 cases) for the 730 following cases. Choriocentesis through the transabdominal route provides a diagnosis within a few days and the rate of fetal loss is close to that of amniocentesis. These arguments are in favour of an extension of this method of sampling.