Meruka Gupta

First trimester prediction of growth discordance in twin gestations

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether first trimester ultrasound scanning can identify twin gestations that are at risk for subsequent growth discordance. STUDY DESIGN Ultrasound examinations of dichorionic twin pregnancies between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation were evaluated for growth discordance with crown-rump length. Pregnancies that were complicated by fetal death or anomalies were excluded from the analysis. Birth weight discordance was defined as >or=20% difference in birth weight, relative to the larger twin. Fishers exact, Mann Whitney U, and Spearman rho tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Of 130 twin pregnancies, 16 pregnancies (12.3%) had discordant birth weight. Crown-rump length disparity was correlated positively with birth weight discordance (r=0.31; P<.001). Of pregnancies with a discrepancy of <or=3 days in estimated gestational age, only 9.2% were discordant at birth compared with 45.5% of pregnancies with >3 days discrepancy (P=.004), which resulted in a likelihood ratio of 5.9 for having discordant birth weight. CONCLUSION Twins who are ultimately discordant at birth may exhibit differences in growth as early as 11 to 14 weeks of gestation.

Intrapartum elective cesarean delivery: A previously unrecognized clinical entity

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the incidence of intrapartum patient choice cesarean delivery—patients’ requesting cesarean delivery and physicians’ offering it during labor—and factors possibly influencing these requests and offers. METHODS: For a 6-month period from May 1, 2002, to October 31, 2002, obstetricians were asked to complete a questionnaire after all intrapartum cesarean deliveries regarding whether cesarean delivery was offered by the obstetrician or requested by the patient before being medically indicated. Patient medical records and physician demographic information were reviewed. RESULTS: There were 422 cases that met inclusion criteria. Questionnaires were completed in 100% of cases. Cesarean delivery was offered in 13% before a clear medical indication and requested in 8.8%. Older obstetricians, maternal–fetal medicine specialists, and full-time faculty were significantly more likely to offer cesarean delivery (P = .009, P < .001, and P = .015, respectively). Patients who were unmarried or undergoing labor induction were less likely to request cesarean delivery (P = .029 and P = .035, respectively). Maternal age, parity, stage or length of labor, epidural use, gestational age, insurance status, day of week, and time of delivery did not affect whether patients requested or were offered cesarean delivery. CONCLUSION: This study documents a heretofore unrecognized clinical entity: intrapartum elective cesarean delivery. Physician characteristics, as opposed to patient characteristics or intrapartum factors, are a major determinant of whether laboring patients are being offered cesarean delivery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene polymorphism and multifetal pregnancy outcome.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and/or interleukin-1beta gene polymorphisms influence multifetal pregnancy outcome. STUDY DESIGN Maternal and neonatal buccal swabs from 51 multifetal gestations were analyzed for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and interleukin-1beta alleles. Outcome data were obtained subsequently. RESULTS Fetal carriage of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist allele 1 was more than twice as prevalent as the carriage of allele 2. Preterm premature rupture of membranes was observed in 12 of 24 pregnancies (50.0%) in which 2 fetuses tested positive for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist allele 2, as opposed to only 3 of 27 pregnancies (11.1%) in which 1 or neither fetus tested positive for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist allele 2 (P=.005). Similarly, 20 of 26 neonates (76.9%) with documented morbidity tested positive for interleukin-1 receptor antagonist allele 2, as compared with 36 of 78 neonates (46.2%) without morbidity (P=.007). Fetal or maternal interleukin-1beta polymorphisms or maternal interleukin-1 receptor antagonist polymorphisms were unrelated to pregnancy outcome. CONCLUSION Fetal carriage of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist allele 2 was associated with both preterm premature rupture of membranes and neonatal morbidity in women with multifetal pregnancies.