Adam T. Sandlin

The effects of an increasing gradient of maternal obesity on pregnancy outcomes

Maternal obesity is becoming more prevalent in obstetrics and has been linked with pregnancy complications and perinatal outcomes. The gradient of association of increasing maternal obesity and pregnancy outcome is less well studied.

Amniotic fluid and the clinical relevance of the sonographically estimated amniotic fluid volume: oligohydramnios.

The amniotic fluid volume (AFV) is regulated by several systems, including the in‐tramembranous pathway, fetal production (fetal urine and lung fluid) and uptake (fetal swallowing), and the balance of fluid movement via osmotic gradients. The normal AFV across gestation has not been clearly defined; consequently, abnormal volumes are also poorly defined. Actual AFVs can be measured by dye dilution techniques and directly measured at cesarean delivery; however, these techniques are time‐consuming, are invasive, and require laboratory support, and direct measurement can only be done at cesarean delivery. As a result of these limitations, the AFV is estimated by the amniotic fluid index (AFI), the single deepest pocket, and subjective assessment of the AFV. Unfortunately, sonographic estimates of the AFV correlate poorly with dye‐determined or directly measured amniotic fluid. The recent use of color Doppler sonography has not improved the diagnostic accuracy of sonographic estimates of the AFV but instead has led to overdiagnosis of oligohydramnios. The relationship between the fixed cutoffs of an AFI of 5 cm or less and a single deepest pocket of 2 cm or less for identifying adverse pregnancy outcomes is uncertain. The use of the single deepest pocket compared to the AFI to identify oligohydramnios in at‐risk pregnancies seems to be a better choice because the use of the AFI leads to an increase in the diagnosis of oligohydramnios, resulting in more labor inductions and cesarean deliveries without any improvement in peripartum outcomes.

Prenatal detection of fetal growth restriction in newborns classified as small for gestational age: correlates and risk of neonatal morbidity.

We examined the rate of detecting small for gestational age (SGA; birth weight < 10%) as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) prenatally at four centers and determined risks of composite neonatal morbidity (CNM) and mortality among detected versus undetected (no antenatal diagnosis of IUGR). A multicenter cohort study of 11,487 nonanomalous, singleton live births with sonographic exam before 22 weeks was performed. Of 11,487 births, 8% (n = 929) were SGA that met the inclusion criteria, with 25% of them being prenatally detected. The CNM among SGA births that were prenatally detected as IUGR was higher (23.3%) than undetected SGA (9.7%), but this difference was no longer significant following adjustments for confounding factors. Among preterm births (< 37 weeks), undetected SGA had significantly higher CNM (risk ratio [RR] 10.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.3, 16.1) for deliveries at 24 to 33 weeks and RR 3.0, 95% CI 1.7, 5.4 for 34 to 36 weeks). In summary, only a quarter of SGA births were detected prenatally as IUGR and among preterm SGA, the CNM is significantly higher when SGA births are undetected as IUGR.

Clinical Relevance of Sonographically Estimated Amniotic Fluid Volume Polyhydramnios

Polyhydramnios is an excessive amount of amniotic fluid within the amniotic cavity. The etiology of polyhydramnios may be idiopathic, the consequence of fetal structural anomalies, or the consequence of various fetal and maternal conditions. The clinical importance of polyhydramnios is found in its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes and the risk of perinatal mortality. The antenatal management of polyhydramnios can be challenging as there are no formalized guidelines on the topic. The purpose of this review is to provide a literature-based overview on the subject of polyhydramnios in singleton pregnancies, demonstrate its clinical implications, and describe a practical approach to its management.

Childhood Respiratory Morbidity after Late Preterm and Early Term Delivery: a Study of Medicaid Patients in South Carolina

BACKGROUND There is a growing body of research documenting an increased risk of neonatal morbidity for late preterm infants (LPI, 34(0/7) weeks to 36(6/7) weeks) and early term infants (ETI, 37(0/7) weeks to 38(6/7) weeks) compared with term infants (TI, 39(0/7) to 41(6/7) ); however, there has been little research on outcomes beyond the first year of life. In this study, we examined respiratory outcomes of LPI and ETI in early childhood. METHODS South Carolina Medicaid claims data for maternal delivery and infant birth hospitalisations were linked to vital records data for the years 2000 through 2003. Medicaid claims for all infants were then followed until their fifth birthday or until a break in their eligibility. Infants born between 34(0/7) and 41(6/7) weeks were eligible. Infants with congenital anomaly, birthweight below 500 g or above 6000 g, and multiple births were excluded. We fit Cox proportional hazard models from which adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were derived. RESULTS A total of 3476 LPI, 12 398 ETI, and 25 975 term infants were included. Both LPI and ETI were associated with an increased risk for asthma (LPI: HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.10, 1.40; ETI: HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.06, 1.19), and bronchitis (LPI: HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.00, 1.34; ETI: HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.05, 1.2) at 3 to 5 years of age. CONCLUSIONS Late preterm infants and early term infants are at increased risk for asthma and bronchitis.

Pathologic examination of the placenta: recommended versus observed practice in a university hospital

Introduction The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of appropriate placental examinations in a university hospital. Methods A retrospective review of all deliveries and all placentas submitted for pathologic examination from live births. Placentas were reviewed by a perinatal pathologist to determine whether they met the College of American Pathologists (CAP)-recommended guidelines for examination. Results We used 1346 deliveries between July 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010 as the basis of this review. According to CAP guidelines, 703 placentas (52.2%) should have been sent for pathologic examination; 575/703 (81.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 78.9–84.7) were actually sent for examination. Of the 643 placentas that did not need to be examined per CAP guidelines, 568 (88.3%; 95% CI = 85.9–90.8) were appropriately not sent. In comparing the three categories of indications for examination (maternal, fetal/neonatal, placental), the only significant association was that women with fetal/neonatal indications were more likely to have their placenta sent than women with maternal indications (odds ratio, 2.63; 95% CI = 1.81–3.80). Conclusion In this university hospital, more than 80% of the time, placentas were appropriately sent to pathology, and more than 85% of the time, placentas that should not have been sent for evaluation were not sent.

Maternal response to high‐risk obstetric telemedicine consults when perinatal prognosis is poor

This is a qualitative descriptive study evaluating the maternal response after the woman has learned her pregnancy has a poor prognosis via telemedicine rather than in a traditional, face‐to‐face, consultation method. In general, telemedicine was positively viewed by the participants; however, the experience may be markedly improved by implementing several simple changes in the overall consultative process.

Reducing hemodynamic compromise with placental removal at 10 versus 15 minutes: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE To determine if hemodynamic compromise can be reduced with manual placental removal at 10 compared with 15 minutes. STUDY DESIGN Singleton pregnancies admitted for delivery with no contraindication to a vaginal delivery were randomized to a 10-minute group (placentas manually removed if not spontaneously delivered by 10 minutes) versus a 15-minute group. The primary outcome, hemodynamic compromise, was defined as: blood loss exceeding 1000 mL and/or circulatory instability (inability to maintain blood pressure/pulse secondary to acute blood loss) and/or drop in hematocrit of ≥10 percentage points. RESULTS From July 2006 to July 2010, 156 women were randomized into the 10-minute group and 156 in the 15-minute group. Women in the 15-minute group had a greater likelihood of hemodynamic compromise univariately (19.2% versus 6.4%, p = 0.001) and after adjustments for ethnicity, induction rate, duration of second stage of labor, and nulliparity (relative risk 3.03, 95% confidence interval 1.52 to 5.47, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION Hemodynamic compromise is decreased with manual placental removal within 10 minutes of delivery compared with 15 minutes.

Maternal mortality in the Mississippi Delta region.

Objective To compare the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the Mississippi Delta region of the United States with that of the non-Delta region states. Methods Analyzed data come from national birth certificate and death certificate data for 1999–2007. Data were aggregated for analysis by region, counties of the Delta Regional Authority, non-Delta regions of the eight Delta states, and the 42 non-Delta states. The MMR was calculated using birth data as the denominator and maternal mortality data as the numerator. Results During the 9 years of the study, there were more than 36 million births in the United States and 5002 reported maternal deaths. The national MMR was 13.5/100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.1–13.9/100,000). The MMR reported in the non-Delta states was 13.6/100,000 (95% CI 13.2–14.0/100,000); in the non-Delta counties of the Delta states, the MMR was 13.1/100,000 (95% CI 12.1–14.0/100,000); and the MMR was 18.5/100,000 (95% CI 16.1–20.9/100,000) in Delta counties. The odds of maternal death in Delta counties is 1.39 times (95% CI 1.22–1.59) higher compared with non-Delta counties or non-Delta states. There was no statistically significant difference between the MMR in non-Delta states and the MMR in non-Delta counties of Delta states. After controlling for maternal race/ethnicity, age, marital status, and education in a multivariable model, the MMR in the Delta counties compared with non-Delta counties and non-Delta states remains significantly increased (odds ratio 1.16, 95% CI 1.01–1.32). Conclusions Overall, maternal mortality is significantly greater in the Delta region of the United States compared with the non-Delta portion. After controlling for maternal race/ethnicity, age, marital status, and education, the odds of maternal death remains 16% higher in the Delta region of the United States compared with the non-Delta United States.

Teleultrasound: How Accurate Are We?

Ultrasound serves an important role in the prenatal diagnosis of fetal structural anomalies. Recently, there has been increased use of teleultrasound protocols. We aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and accuracy of teleultrasound.