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Viruses May 2024Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection poses significant risks to fetal development, particularly affecting the nervous system. This study reports a fetal autopsy...
Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection poses significant risks to fetal development, particularly affecting the nervous system. This study reports a fetal autopsy case, examining cCMV infection and focusing on CMV DNA measurements in various fetal organs before formalin fixation, a novel approach for comprehensive CMV DNA evaluations in fetal organs affected by cCMV. A 20-week-old male fetus was diagnosed with cCMV following the detection of CMV DNA in ascites obtained via abdominocentesis in utero. After the termination of pregnancy, multiple organs of the fetus, including the cerebrum, thyroid gland, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, and adrenal glands, were extracted and examined for CMV DNA loads using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Histopathological examination involved hematoxylin-eosin and CMV-specific immunostaining. A correlation was found between CMV DNA loads and pathology, with higher CMV-infected cell numbers observed in organs positively identified with both staining methods, exhibiting CMV DNA levels of ≥1.0 × 10 copies/mL, compared to those detected solely by CMV-specific immunostaining, where CMV DNA levels ranged from 1.0 × 10 to 1.0 × 10 copies/mL. These results highlight a quantifiable relationship between the organ infection extent and CMV DNA concentration, providing insights into cCMV pathogenesis and potentially informing future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cCMV infection.
Topics: Cytomegalovirus Infections; Humans; Cytomegalovirus; DNA, Viral; Viral Load; Male; Female; Fetus; Pregnancy; Adult; Autopsy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
PubMed: 38932183
DOI: 10.3390/v16060891 -
Viruses May 2024Infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) in pregnancy are associated with the development of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction...
Infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) in pregnancy are associated with the development of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction (FGR). Recently, preeclampsia was linked to impaired maternal hemodynamic function. This retrospective study evaluated singleton pregnancies with COVID-19 during pregnancy and healthy pregnant controls matched for gestational age from November 2020 to March 2022. Non-invasive assessment of maternal hemodynamics by continuous wave Doppler ultrasound measurements (USCOM-1A Monitor) and oscillometric arterial stiffness (Arteriograph) was performed. Overall, 69 pregnant women were included-23 women after COVID-19 during pregnancy and 46 healthy controls. While two women (8.7%) were admitted to the hospital due to COVID-19-related symptoms, none required intensive care unit admission or non-invasive/invasive ventilation. There were no statistically significant differences in the majority of hemodynamic parameters between the two cohorts. The prevalence of FGR was significantly higher in the COVID-19 during pregnancy group (9.5% vs. healthy controls: 0.0%; = 0.036), especially in nulliparous women. No difference in angiogenic markers and neonatal outcomes were observed between pregnant women after COVID-19 and healthy controls. In conclusion, no significant differences in hemodynamic parameters or neonatal outcome were observed in women with COVID-19 during pregnancy. However, an increased prevalence of FGR could be described.
Topics: Humans; Pregnancy; Female; COVID-19; Adult; Hemodynamics; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Retrospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2; Fetal Growth Retardation; Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy Outcome; Pre-Eclampsia; Biomarkers
PubMed: 38932160
DOI: 10.3390/v16060868 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common problem in women and has a negative impact on their quality of life. The aim of this review was to provide a general overview of the... (Review)
Review
Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common problem in women and has a negative impact on their quality of life. The aim of this review was to provide a general overview of the current state of technology used to assess pelvic floor functionality. It also provides literature research of the physiological and anatomical factors that correlate with pelvic floor health. This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. The PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, and IEEE databases were searched for publications on sensor technology for the assessment of pelvic floor functionality. Anatomical and physiological parameters were identified through a manual search. In the systematic review, 114 publications were included. Twelve different sensor technologies were identified. Information on the obtained parameters, sensor position, test activities, and subject characteristics was prepared in tabular form from each publication. A total of 16 anatomical and physiological parameters influencing pelvic floor health were identified in 17 published studies and ranked for their statistical significance. Taken together, this review could serve as a basis for the development of novel sensors which could allow for quantifiable prevention and diagnosis, as well as particularized documentation of rehabilitation processes related to pelvic floor dysfunctions.
Topics: Humans; Pelvic Floor; Pelvic Floor Disorders; Female; Quality of Life
PubMed: 38931784
DOI: 10.3390/s24124001 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Postnatal depression is a common and severe complication of childbirth. It is an important public health problem with significant implications for both mothers and... (Review)
Review
Postnatal depression is a common and severe complication of childbirth. It is an important public health problem with significant implications for both mothers and children. The exact mechanisms underlying and the factors influencing the occurrence of postnatal depression remain unclear. The literature suggests that certain dietary deficiencies during pregnancy and the postnatal period may contribute to a greater risk of maternal depression. This review focuses on the role of selenium in postnatal depression. It collects evidence from published interventional and observational studies investigating the relationship between selenium intake during the antenatal and postnatal periods and the mental status of postpartum women and summarises information about biological mechanisms that may underlie the association between selenium status and postnatal depression. The review includes studies identified through electronic searches of Medline (via PubMed) and Google Scholar databases until December 2023. Despite the small number of relevant studies and their potential methodological limitations, the findings suggest that optimizing selenium status may support the prevention and treatment of postnatal depression. Further longitudinal and interventional studies are necessary to confirm the clinical significance of these effects.
Topics: Humans; Selenium; Depression, Postpartum; Female; Pregnancy; Nutritional Status; Postpartum Period; Dietary Supplements; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Adult
PubMed: 38931280
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121926 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in the plasma of pregnant women with hyperglycemia, potentially inducing oxidative stress and fetal developmental...
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in the plasma of pregnant women with hyperglycemia, potentially inducing oxidative stress and fetal developmental abnormalities. Although intrauterine hyperglycemia has been implicated in excessive fetal growth, the effects of maternal AGEs on fetal development remain unclear. We evaluated the differentiation regulators and cellular signaling in the skeletal muscles of infants born to control mothers (ICM), diabetic mothers (IDM), and diabetic mothers supplemented with either cis-palmitoleic acid (CPA) or trans-palmitoleic acid (TPA). Cell viability, reactive oxygen species levels, and myotube formation were assessed in AGE-exposed C2C12 cells to explore potential mitigation by CPA and TPA. Elevated receptors for AGE expression and decreased Akt and AMPK phosphorylation were evident in rat skeletal muscles in IDM. Maternal palmitoleic acid supplementation alleviated insulin resistance by downregulating RAGE expression and enhancing Akt phosphorylation. The exposure of the C2C12 cells to AGEs reduced cell viability and myotube formation and elevated reactive oxygen species levels, which were attenuated by CPA or TPA supplementation. This suggests that maternal hyperglycemia and plasma AGEs may contribute to skeletal muscle disorders in offspring, which are mitigated by palmitoleic acid supplementation. Hence, the maternal intake of palmitoleic acid during pregnancy may have implications for fetal health.
Topics: Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Glycation End Products, Advanced; Female; Animals; Pregnancy; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; Rats; Muscle, Skeletal; Reactive Oxygen Species; Cell Line; Cell Survival; Mice; Dietary Supplements; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Oxidative Stress; Insulin Resistance; Humans; Phosphorylation; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Pregnancy in Diabetics; Male; Fetal Development
PubMed: 38931253
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121898 -
Nutrients Jun 2024The objective was to investigate associations of serum vitamin D concentration with depressive symptoms and assess the impact that vitamin D concentration has on the...
Low Vitamin D Concentration Is Associated with Increased Depression Risk in Adults 20-44 Years Old, an NHANES 2007-2018 Data Analysis with a Focus on Perinatal and Breastfeeding Status.
The objective was to investigate associations of serum vitamin D concentration with depressive symptoms and assess the impact that vitamin D concentration has on the occurrence of depressive symptoms in 20-44-year-old pregnant women, postpartum women, non-pp women (non-pregnant/postpartum women), and men, including a separate subgroup analysis of postpartum breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women. The study populations were selected from the 2007-2018 NHANES public data. Subjective interview data and objective laboratory data including depressive symptoms, serum vitamin D concentration, nutrient intake, and demographic information were utilized. Two diet patterns were created using principal component analysis, and a Bayesian multinomial model was fit to predict the depression outcomes for each subpopulation. The estimates for the log vitamin D slope parameter were negative for all cohorts; as vitamin D increased, the probability of having no depression increased, while the probability of depression decreased. The pregnant cohort had the steepest vitamin D slope, followed by postpartum women, then non-pp women and men. Higher vitamin D concentration had more impact on decreasing depression risk in pregnant and postpartum women compared to non-pp women and men. Among postpartum women, higher vitamin D concentration had a greater influence on decreasing breastfeeding women's depression risk than non-breastfeeding women.
Topics: Humans; Female; Adult; Breast Feeding; Pregnancy; Vitamin D; Depression; Nutrition Surveys; Male; Young Adult; Postpartum Period; Vitamin D Deficiency; Risk Factors; Depression, Postpartum; Bayes Theorem
PubMed: 38931229
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121876 -
Nutrients Jun 2024The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to ascertain the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency (ID), and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) among Chinese... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to ascertain the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency (ID), and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) among Chinese pregnant women. A total of 722 articles on maternal anemia during pregnancy published between January 2010 and December 2020 were compiled, and a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on 57 eligible studies including 1,376,204 pregnant women to ascertain the prevalence of anemia and the prevalence in different subgroups. The results showed that the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA among pregnant women in China were 30.7% (95% CI: 26.6%, 34.7%), 45.6% (95% CI: 37.0%, 54.2%), and 17.3% (95% CI: 13.9%, 20.7%), respectively. All prevalence increased with the progression of the pregnancy. There were sizable regional variations in the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA. Generally, lower prevalence was observed in the economically more advanced eastern region of the country, while the prevalence of ID was higher in the eastern region than that in the western region. The prevalence of anemia and IDA in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas, but ID prevalence was higher in urban areas. In conclusion, the regional differences and urban-rural disparities in the prevalence of anemia indicate the need for more context-specific interventions to prevent and treat anemia. It was found that dietary factors were one of the major causes of anemia, and iron-containing supplements and nutrition counseling could be effective interventions to reduce the prevalence of anemia, ID, and IDA among Chinese pregnant women.
Topics: Humans; Female; Pregnancy; China; Prevalence; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency; Anemia; Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic; Adult; Rural Population; Urban Population; Pregnant Women
PubMed: 38931209
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121854 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Maternal obesity and/or Western diet (WD) is associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in offspring, driven,...
Maternal obesity and/or Western diet (WD) is associated with an increased risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in offspring, driven, in part, by the dysregulation of the early life microbiome. Here, using a mouse model of WD-induced maternal obesity, we demonstrate that exposure to a disordered microbiome from WD-fed dams suppressed circulating levels of endogenous ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR; indole, indole-3-acetate) and TMAO (a product of AHR-mediated transcription), as well as hepatic expression of (an AHR target), in offspring at 3 weeks of age. This signature was recapitulated by fecal microbial transfer from WD-fed pregnant dams to chow-fed germ-free (GF) lactating dams following parturition and was associated with a reduced abundance of in GF offspring. Further, the expression of was downregulated in liver myeloid cells and in LPS-stimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) in adult offspring, suggestive of a hypo-responsive, or tolerant, innate immune response. BMDMs from adult mice lacking AHR in macrophages exhibited a similar tolerogenic response, including diminished expression of . Overall, our study shows that exposure to maternal WD alters microbial metabolites in the offspring that affect AHR signaling, potentially contributing to innate immune hypo-responsiveness and progression of MASLD, highlighting the impact of early life gut dysbiosis on offspring metabolism. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the complex interplay between maternal diet, gut microbial function, and the development of neonatal innate immune tolerance and potential therapeutic interventions targeting these pathways.
Topics: Animals; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Female; Pregnancy; Diet, Western; Immunity, Innate; Tryptophan; Mice; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Interleukin-10; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Obesity, Maternal; Liver; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Male; Macrophages; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 38931163
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121808 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024This study is a Narrative Review that aims at investigating the implications of obesity, excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and gestational diabetes mellitus... (Review)
Review
Gestational Metabolic Risk: A Narrative Review of Pregnancy-Related Complications and of the Effectiveness of Dietary, Exercise and Lifestyle Interventions during Pregnancy on Reducing Gestational Weight Gain and Preventing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.
This study is a Narrative Review that aims at investigating the implications of obesity, excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Additionally, this Review seeks to explore the effectiveness of nutrition, and/or exercise interventions during pregnancy on reducing GWG and preventing GDM. The search in literature included studies that identified obesity, GWG, GDM and associated risks during pregnancy. Also, SR and MA focusing on interventions including diet, or physical activity (PA), or combined (i.e., lifestyle interventions) and their impact on metabolic risk during pregnancy, were identified through searches in PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSRs), and Scopus. The study findings suggest that lifestyle interventions during pregnancy may be effective in reducing excessive GWG. Regarding the prevention of GDM, results from studies evaluating lifestyle interventions vary. However, significant and less controversial results were reported from studies assessing the efficacy of exercise interventions, particularly in high-risk pregnant women. Lifestyle interventions during pregnancy may reduce excessive GWG. Exercise during pregnancy may prevent GDM, especially in high-risk pregnant women. Future research is warranted to tailor lifestyle interventions for optimal effectiveness during pregnancy.
PubMed: 38929991
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123462 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jun 2024Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that predominantly affects women of childbearing age. Pregnancy in SLE patients poses unique... (Review)
Review
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that predominantly affects women of childbearing age. Pregnancy in SLE patients poses unique challenges due to the potential impact on maternal and fetal outcomes. We provide an overview of the management of SLE during pregnancy, including preconception risk stratification and counseling, treatment, and disease activity monitoring. These assessments are critical to minimize maternal and fetal adverse events in pregnant patients with SLE. Disease flares, preeclampsia, antiphospholipid syndrome complications, and maternal mortality are the major risks for a woman with SLE during gestation. Timely treatment of SLE relapse, differentiation of preeclampsia from lupus nephritis, and tailored management for antiphospholipid syndrome are essential for a successful pregnancy. Fetal outcomes include neonatal lupus (NL), preterm birth, cesarean delivery, fetal growth restriction (FGR), and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. We focused on NL, linked to maternal anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies, which can lead to various manifestations, particularly cardiac abnormalities, in newborns. While there is a common consensus regarding the preventive effect of hydroxychloroquine, the role of echocardiographic monitoring and fluorinated steroid treatment is still debated. Finally, close postpartum monitoring and counseling for subsequent pregnancies are crucial aspects of care.
PubMed: 38929983
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123454