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International Urogynecology Journal Jun 2017We describe changes in sexual activity and function among pregnant nulliparous women.
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS
We describe changes in sexual activity and function among pregnant nulliparous women.
METHODS
This secondary analysis evaluated sexual activity and function with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) at baseline in the first (T1), second (T2) and early third (T3) trimester. Evaluation was repeated in T3 after 36 completed weeks of gestation. Data were assigned to the trimester in which they were collected and compared across trimesters. FSFI items were dichotomized into favorable and unfavorable responses. ANOVA and logistic regression models were used to compare values across trimesters, taking into account repeated measurements. Pair-wise comparisons of trimesters were done when there were significant overall differences. Significance was set at p < 0.05. We adjusted for baseline differences.
RESULTS
Of 627 women, four did not give sexual function data. Baseline data were collected in 124 women in T1, 403 in T2, and 96 in early T3. Of these 623 women, 496 (80 %) gave data again in T3. The participants' mean age was 24.2 ± 5.1 years and 44.5 % were Hispanic. Rates of sexual activity (T1 94 %, T2 90 %, T3 77 %; p < 0.001) and mean FSFI scores decreased as pregnancy progressed (T1 26.5 ± 7.7, T2 25.6 ± 9.0, T3 21.5 ± 10.3; T1/T2 vs. T3, p < 0.001). Using the FSFI cut-off score for sexual dysfunction of 26.55, women in T3 were more likely to report dysfunction than women in T2 (57 % vs. 37 %, p < 0.001). For specific FSFI questions, the proportions of women reporting favorable responses did not change between T1 and T2 (all p > 0.05) and the proportions of women with a favorable response decreased for all questions between T2 and T3.
CONCLUSIONS
As pregnancy progresses, women report poorer sexual function.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Trimesters; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
PubMed: 27889829
DOI: 10.1007/s00192-016-3200-8 -
Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and... Jun 2021Couvade Syndrome is best characterized as a somatic symptom disorder where the partner experiences somatic symptoms during their partner's pregnancy most often during...
BACKGROUND
Couvade Syndrome is best characterized as a somatic symptom disorder where the partner experiences somatic symptoms during their partner's pregnancy most often during the first and third trimesters. Several psychoanalytical theories have been proposed for this disorder. There are well studied mood changes that correspond to hormonal shifts that occur in response to anticipated parenthood which serve as a physiologic mechanism for this pathology.
CASE
The following is a case of Couvade syndrome in the setting of a high risk pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia with severe features necessitating a preterm delivery.
CONCLUSION
Expectant fathers should be screened for symptoms of Couvade Syndrome throughout the pregnancy in order to better support the familial unit.
Topics: Fathers; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Mental Disorders; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Third; Syndrome; Toothache
PubMed: 31769327
DOI: 10.1080/0167482X.2019.1693539 -
European Journal of Ophthalmology Mar 2021To evaluate the changes of corneal biomechanics and the intraocular pressure during pregnancy in a Chinese healthy female population.
PURPOSE
To evaluate the changes of corneal biomechanics and the intraocular pressure during pregnancy in a Chinese healthy female population.
METHODS
A total of 222 unrelated Chinese females were recruited: 52 non-pregnant, 15 pregnant in the first trimester, 68 pregnant in the second trimester, and 87 pregnant in the third trimester. The intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanical parameters, including corneal-compensated intraocular pressure, Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure, corneal hysteresis, and corneal resistance factor, were measured by an Ocular Response Analyzer G3. Central corneal thickness was measured by Lenstar (LS900).
RESULTS
Corneal hysteresis and corneal resistance factor were significantly higher in pregnant women at the second and third trimesters. Corneal-compensated intraocular pressure was lower in women at the third trimester of pregnancy ( = 0.023), but the difference became insignificant after adjustment for corneal hysteresis. Central corneal thickness was marginally higher in pregnant women than non-pregnant women ( = 0.032). There was a negative correlation between corneal-compensated intraocular pressure and corneal hysteresis ( = -0.337, < 0.001) and a positive correlation between central corneal thickness and corneal hysteresis ( = 0.711, < 0.0001). After adjustment for corneal-compensated intraocular pressure, corneal hysteresis remained significantly higher in the second and third trimesters of pregnant women than non-pregnant women ( = 0.031, = 0.005).
CONCLUSION
This study revealed a significant increase in corneal hysteresis and corneal resistance factor in the second and third trimesters. The increase of corneal hysteresis was independent of corneal-compensated intraocular pressure, indicating pregnant females have unique characteristics in corneal-compensated intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanical properties that may be related to glaucoma and corneal ectatic diseases in pregnancy.
Topics: Adult; Asian People; Biomechanical Phenomena; China; Cornea; Elasticity; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Intraocular Pressure; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimesters; Tonometry, Ocular; Young Adult
PubMed: 31983220
DOI: 10.1177/1120672120902034 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2020Adverse maternal outcomes and perinatal complications are associated with overt and subclinical maternal hypothyroidism. It is not clear whether these complications...
Adverse maternal outcomes and perinatal complications are associated with overt and subclinical maternal hypothyroidism. It is not clear whether these complications also occur in women with isolated hypothyroxinemia during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of isolated hypothyroxinemia on maternal and perinatal outcomes during pregnancy. This study included data from 2,864 pregnant women in the first trimester (67 women with isolated hypothyroxinemia, 784 euthyroid women) and the second trimester (70 women with isolated hypothyroxinemia, 1,943 euthyroid women) of pregnancy. Maternal serum samples were collected in the first and second trimesters to examine thyroid hormone concentration. Hypothyroxinemia was defined as a normal maternal thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration with a low maternal free thyroxine concentration and negative thyroid autoantibodies. The following maternal outcomes were recorded: gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, placenta previa, placental abruption, prelabor rupture of membranes, and premature delivery. Perinatal outcomes, including fetal growth restriction, fetal distress, low birth weight, intrauterine fetal death, and malformation. The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and perinatal complications was compared between women in the first trimester and second trimester with isolated hypothyroxinemia. There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of adverse maternal outcomes and perinatal complications between patients in the first and second trimesters with isolated hypothyroxinemia. The results of this study indicate that isolated hypothyroidism does not increase the incidence of adverse maternal outcomes and perinatal complications.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Hypothyroidism; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Pregnancy Trimester, Second; Thyroid Function Tests; Thyroxine; Young Adult
PubMed: 33178133
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2020.528146 -
The Journal of Obstetrics and... Dec 2021To investigate the clinical and the sonographic characteristics of adnexal torsion (AT) during pregnancy and to underline differences in AT manifestation between...
AIM
To investigate the clinical and the sonographic characteristics of adnexal torsion (AT) during pregnancy and to underline differences in AT manifestation between pregnancy trimesters.
METHODS
This is a retrospective cohort study in a tertiary medical center. The study included all pregnant women with surgically confirmed AT between March 2011 and April 2020. The patients were divided into three groups according to pregnancy trimesters, and the clinical and sonographic characteristics were compared between the groups.
RESULTS
The study cohort included 140 cases of AT. Ninety-nine (70.7%) of the cases occurred during the 1st trimester, and 31 (22.1%) and 10 (7.1%) occurred during the 2nd and the 3rd trimesters, respectively. Conception by assisted-reproductive technologies (ART), nausea, and finding of enlarged ovary on ultrasound scan were all more common among patients in the 1st trimester group as compared to the 3rd trimester group (p = 0.001, 0.015, and 0.024, respectively). The mean time from admission to surgery was significantly shorter in the 1st trimester group as compared to late pregnancy (p = 0.001). The majority of cases were right-sided. There was a significant difference in the organs involved in every trimester of pregnancy-ovary only, ovary and fallopian tube, and fallopian tube only (p = 0.023).
CONCLUSIONS
Most AT cases during pregnancy occurred during the 1st trimester. Conception by ART and enlarged ovary on ultrasound scan were also more common in AT cases during early pregnancy. Time from admission to surgery was longer as pregnancy progressed and organs involved differed between trimesters. Understanding the difference in manifestation of AT in every trimester might improve the preoperative evaluation of AT in pregnancy.
Topics: Adnexal Diseases; Female; Humans; Ovarian Torsion; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Third; Pregnancy Trimesters; Retrospective Studies; Torsion Abnormality
PubMed: 34605118
DOI: 10.1111/jog.15048 -
Biology of Reproduction Mar 2022Maternal and fetal pregnancy outcomes related to placental function vary based on fetal sex, which may be due to sexually dimorphic epigenetic regulation of RNA...
Maternal and fetal pregnancy outcomes related to placental function vary based on fetal sex, which may be due to sexually dimorphic epigenetic regulation of RNA expression. We identified sexually dimorphic miRNA expression throughout gestation in human placentae. Next-generation sequencing identified miRNA expression profiles in first and third trimester uncomplicated pregnancies using tissue obtained at chorionic villous sampling (n = 113) and parturition (n = 47). Sequencing analysis identified 986 expressed mature miRNAs from female and male placentae at first and third trimester (baseMean>10). Of these, 11 sexually dimorphic (FDR < 0.05) miRNAs were identified in the first and 4 in the third trimester, all upregulated in females, including miR-361-5p, significant in both trimesters. Sex-specific analyses across gestation identified 677 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs at FDR < 0.05 and baseMean>10, with 508 DE miRNAs in common between female-specific and male-specific analysis (269 upregulated in first trimester, 239 upregulated in third trimester). Of those, miR-4483 had the highest fold changes across gestation. There were 62.5% more female exclusive differences with fold change>2 across gestation than male exclusive (52 miRNAs vs 32 miRNAs), indicating miRNA expression across human gestation is sexually dimorphic. Pathway enrichment analysis identified significant pathways that were differentially regulated in first and third trimester as well as across gestation. This work provides the normative sex dimorphic miRNA atlas in first and third trimester, as well as the sex-independent and sex-specific placenta miRNA atlas across gestation, which may be used to identify biomarkers of placental function and direct functional studies investigating placental sex differences.
Topics: Epigenesis, Genetic; Female; Humans; Male; MicroRNAs; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Pregnancy Trimester, Third; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 35040930
DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab221 -
Journal of Clinical Pharmacology May 2016This study sought to assess the pharmacokinetic (PK) changes of caffeine and its CYP1A2 metabolites across the 3 trimesters of pregnancy. A prospective, multicenter PK... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial
This study sought to assess the pharmacokinetic (PK) changes of caffeine and its CYP1A2 metabolites across the 3 trimesters of pregnancy. A prospective, multicenter PK study was conducted among 59 pregnant women (93.2% white) who were studied once during a trimester. One beverage with 30-95 mg caffeine was consumed, and a blood/urine sample was collected within 1 hour postingestion. Concentrations of caffeine and its primary metabolites were quantified from serum and urine by LC-MS/MS. There was a significant increase in dose-normalized caffeine serum and urine concentrations between the first and third trimesters (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively). Normalized theophylline concentrations also increased significantly in the third trimester in serum (P < .001) and in urine (P < .05). The caffeine urine/serum concentration ratio also increased in the last trimester (P < .05). No significant difference was found in normalized paraxanthine or theobromine concentrations. This study identified decreased caffeine metabolism and an increase in the active metabolite theophylline concentrations during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, revealing evidence of the large role that pregnancy plays in influencing caffeine metabolism.
Topics: Adult; Caffeine; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimesters; Theobromine; Theophylline; Young Adult
PubMed: 26358647
DOI: 10.1002/jcph.632 -
Journal of Affective Disorders Apr 2019Up to 10-15% of women experience high levels of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Since these levels of symptoms can vary greatly over time, the current study...
BACKGROUND
Up to 10-15% of women experience high levels of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Since these levels of symptoms can vary greatly over time, the current study investigated the existence of possible longitudinal trajectories of depressive symptoms during pregnancy, and aimed to identify factors associated with these trajectories.
METHODS
Depressive symptoms were assessed prospectively at each trimester in 1832 women, using the Edinburgh (Postnatal) Depression Scale (E(P)DS). Growth mixture modeling was used to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms during pregnancy.
RESULTS
Three trajectories of depressive symptoms (E(P)DS scores) were identified: low stable (class 1, reference group, 83%), decreasing (class 2, 7%), and increasing (class 3, 10%). Classes 2 and 3 had significantly higher mean E(P)DS scores (7-13 throughout pregnancy) compared to the reference group (stable; E(P)DS <4). Factors associated with trajectories 2 and 3 included previous depressive episodes, life events during pregnancy, and unplanned pregnancy. Notably, the only factor distinguishing classes 2 and 3 was the perception of partner involvement experienced by women during their pregnancies. Class 2 (with decreasing E(P)DS scores) reported high partner involvement, while class 3 (with increasing E(P)DS scores) reported poor partner involvement throughout pregnancy.
LIMITATIONS
Depressive symptoms were assessed by self-report rather than a diagnostic interview. The participants were more often both highly educated and of Caucasian ethnicity compared to the general Dutch population.
CONCLUSIONS
Poor partner involvement was associated with increasing depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Health professionals should focus on partner involvement during pregnancy in order to identify women who are potentially vulnerable for perinatal depression.
Topics: Adult; Depression; Female; Humans; Life Change Events; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Trimesters; Pregnancy, Unplanned; Prospective Studies; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Risk Factors; Self Report; Sexual Partners; Young Adult
PubMed: 30731281
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.01.021 -
American Journal of Perinatology Jan 2019We aimed to evaluate the relationship between hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG-H) and placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) in the second and third...
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to evaluate the relationship between hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG-H) and placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
STUDY DESIGN
This was a case-control study of PAS and controls. hCG-H was measured in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy in women with pathologically confirmed cases of PAS and in gestational age-matched controls without PAS. We compared serum hCG-H levels in cases and controls, calculated summary statistics for diagnostic accuracy, and used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to define an optimal cut-point for diagnosis of PAS using hCG-H.
RESULTS
Thirty case samples and 30 control samples were evaluated for hCG-H. Mean hCG-H was lower in the case compared with control group (7.8 ± 5.9 μg/L vs. 11.8 ± 8.8 μg/L, = 0.03). At an optimal cut-point for hCG-H of ≤7.6 μg/L, the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratios, negative likelihood ratios, and area under the ROC curve were 66.7%, 69.7%, 2.20%, 0.48%, and 0.68%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Hyperglycosylated hCG levels in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were lower in patients with PAS than in controls, but hCG-H showed only modest capability as a diagnostic test for PAS.
Topics: Adult; Case-Control Studies; Chorionic Gonadotropin; Correlation of Data; Female; Glycosylation; Humans; Placenta Accreta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Pregnancy Trimester, Second; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 29490399
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1636501 -
Nutrients Sep 2022Optimal Vitamin D (VitD) status and thyroid function are essential for pregnant women. This study aimed to explore associations between dynamic VitD status and thyroid...
Optimal Vitamin D (VitD) status and thyroid function are essential for pregnant women. This study aimed to explore associations between dynamic VitD status and thyroid function parameters in each trimester and throughout the pregnancy period. Information on all 8828 eligible participants was extracted from the Peking University Retrospective Birth Cohort in Tongzhou. Dynamic VitD status was represented as a combination of deficiency/sufficiency in the first and second trimesters. Thyroid function was assessed in three trimesters. The associations between VitD and thyroid function were assessed by multiple linear regression and generalized estimating equation models in each trimester and throughout the pregnancy period, respectively. The results indicated that both free thyroxine (fT4; β = 0.004; 95%CI: 0.003, 0.006; p < 0.001) and free triiodothyronine (fT3; β = 0.009; 95%CI: 0.004, 0.015; p = 0.001) had positive associations with VitD status in the first trimester. A VitD status that was sufficient in the first trimester and deficient in the second trimester had a lower TSH (β = −0.370; 95%CI: −0.710, −0.031; p = 0.033) compared with the group with sufficient VitD for both first and second trimesters. In conclusion, the associations between VitD and thyroid parameters existed throughout the pregnancy. Maintaining an adequate concentration of VitD is critical to support optimal thyroid function during pregnancy.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, First; Pregnancy Trimesters; Retrospective Studies; Thyroid Function Tests; Thyroid Gland; Thyrotropin; Thyroxine; Triiodothyronine; Vitamin D; Vitamins
PubMed: 36145156
DOI: 10.3390/nu14183780