简介：AbstractObjective:The role of Vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) in preeclampsia (PE) pathogenesis is unknown. In this study, we compared the expression of DBP in the placentas of PE patients with the placentas of normotensive pregnant women with placenta previa controls, and aimed to explore the effect of DBP on endothelial cells (ECs) and the underlying mechanism.Methods:DBP expression in placental tissues collected from PE patients and controls was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The downregulation and upregulation of DBP expression in HTR-8/SVneo cells were examined using DBP-targeting small interfering RNA (siRNA) and DBP-expression vector, respectively. The conditioned media of these DBP-overexpressing and DBP-siRNA HTR-8/SVneo cells were collected and added to human umbilical vein EC (HUVEC) cultures. Angiogenic effects on HUVECs were assessed by tube formation assays, and the proliferation and migration of HUVECs were examined using the Real-Time Cell Analyzer. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-2, as well as the phosphorylation of different residues of VEGFR-2 in HUVECs, were determined by western blotting.Results:DBP expression was significantly increased in the placental tissues collected from PE patients. The conditioned medium of DBP-overexpressing HTR-8/SVneo cells potently inhibited tube formation by HUVECs, in addition to their proliferation and migration. Furthermore, treatment of HUVECs with the conditioned medium of DBP-overexpressing HTR-8/SVneo cells decreased the phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 at tyrosine 996, whereas the treatment of these cells with the conditioned medium of DBP-siRNA HTR-8/SVneo cells increased the phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 at tyrosine 951, 996, and 1,175.Conclusions:The expression of DBP is increased in the placentas of PE patients. DBP plays potential roles in endothelial dysfunction, which contributes to PE development, by inhibiting tyrosine phosphorylation of VEGFR-2 in ECs.

简介：AbstractObjective:To characterize and compare the microbiome signature in the maternal, intrauterine, and fetal environments and the associated bacterial species in women who experienced preterm birth and term birth.Methods:A total of 140 women with singleton pregnancies were enrolled in this study. Among them, 31 experienced spontaneous preterm delivery (gestational age < 37 weeks), and 28 of them experienced vaginal delivery at term. Maternal peripheral blood, saliva, and vaginal discharge samples and fetal membrane, amniotic fluid, and cord blood samples were collected immediately after delivery under sterile conditions. DNA was isolated from the fetal membrane and umbilical cord blood samples, and the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was sequenced. The sequence data were quality-filtered, chimera-checked, and organized into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on phylogeny. Principal coordinate analysis of beta diversity measures was used for visualization. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) algorithm and Wilcoxon test were used to differentiate the microbiomes found in the fetal membranes and cord blood in the cases of preterm birth.Results:OTU analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed similar microbiomes in the maternal peripheral blood, amniotic fluid, fetal membranes, and cord blood. However, the LEfSe algorithm revealed significantly different bacterial compositions in the fetal environment between the preterm and term groups, with some of the bacterial species originating from the maternal peripheral blood or saliva.Conclusions:The bacteria in the intrauterine and fetal environments may originate from other body sites through hematogenous transmission, and may cause the occurrence of preterm birth.

简介：AbstractObjective:The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between antenatal depression and adverse perinatal outcomes.Methods:This prospective cohort study enrolled pregnant women between gestational ages of 12-20 weeks to complete the Chinese version of the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and followed them for delivery from September 2015 to September 2016. Participants were classified into mild, moderate, and severe depression groups according to the SDS scores. Logistic regression was performed to assess the association between antenatal depression and perinatal outcomes including preterm birth (PTB), cesarean section use, hypertension disorders, gestational diabetes, and thyroid diseases during pregnancy. An age-stratified analysis was performed.Results:A total of 4,663 pregnant women were analyzed. As a result, 13.8%, 1.7%, and 0.2% of women were classified as mild, moderate, and severe depression, respectively. Severely depressed mothers were at higher risk for PTB (adjusted odds ratio [OR] =11.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.13-60.03), especially spontaneous PTB. Moderate-depressed women were at higher risk for hyperthyroidism during pregnancy (adjusted OR = 3.67, 95% CI 1.10-12.27), while women with mild depression tended to choose cesarean sections (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.04-1.49). Age-stratified analysis indicated an elevated risk of adverse outcomes associated with depression in women aged <25 years, but the association was not significant.Conclusions:Antenatal depression was associated with PTB, hyperthyroidism, and cesarean use. Studies with large sample sizes should verify the relationship between PTB and antenatal depression to avoid casual events.

简介：AbstractObjective:To assess the clinical features of fetal growth restriction (FGR) in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in China.Methods:This is a retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of 4 451 women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were retrospectively collected from 11 tertiary hospitals across ten provinces in China during January 2015 to December 2015. The mean maternal age was (31.0±5.4) years old. Participants were divided into FGR group (n= 670) and non-FGR group (n= 3 781). The incidence and clinical features of FGR, and its correlation with gestational age, previous FGR history, 24-hour urinary protein excretion, and hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome were analyzed. Student’s t-test and Chi-square test were used when comparing clinical features between FGR and non-FGR groups.Results:The overall incidence of FGR was 15.1% (670/4 451). The FGR incidence was 22.4% (433/1 937) in women with severe preeclampsia and 18.6% (68/365) in women with chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia, respectively. FGR was more prevalent in women who had preterm births than those who had term births (22.8% (432/1 898) vs. 9.3% (238/2 553), P < 0.001). It was also more prevalent in women with early-onset preeclampsia than those with late-onset preeclampsia (18.4% (189/1 025) vs. 14.0% (481/3 426), P= 0.001). Women with a previous FGR history had a significantly higher FGR incidence than those without an FGR history (66.7% (4/6) vs. 15.7% (250/1 596), P= 0.007). The presence of abnormal results of the umbilical artery Doppler (13% (87/670) vs. 2.4% (89/3 781), P < 0.001) and the middle cerebral artery Doppler (3.3% (22/670) vs. 0.4% (15/3 781), P < 0.001) was higher in the FGR group compared with the non-FGR group, while the presence of increased uterine artery resistance was not statistically different (1.5% (10/670) vs. 0.8% (29/3 781), P= 0.072). The FGR group delivered earlier than the non-FGR group ((35.3±3.0) weeks vs. (36.4±4.3) weeks, P < 0.001) with lower birth weight (1 731.0±574.5) g vs. (2 753.9±902.1) g, P < 0.001, higher fetal or neonatal death (9.4% (63/670) vs. 4.2% (157/3 781), P < 0.001), and higher cesarean section rate (82.5% (553/670) vs. 70.2% (2 656/3 781), P < 0.001). In the FGR group, more neonates had 5-minute Apgar score ≤7 (7.9% (53/670) vs. 3.9% (149/3 780), P < 0.001), with higher neonatal intensive care unit admission rate (48.1 % (322/670) vs. 23.3% (881/3 781), P < 0.001). More cases of HELLP syndrome occurred in the FGR group (6.9% (46/670) vs. 3.2% (122/3 781), P < 0.001). Women with FGR had heavier 24-hour urinary protein excretion than those without FGR ((3.9±3.7) g vs. (3.1±4.2) g, P= 0.005).Conclusion:In pregnancies with hypertensive disorders, increased risks of FGR are associated with preterm birth, birth before 34 weeks, and a previous FGR history. FGR is related to higher occurrence of abnormal uterine artery Doppler and umbilical artery Doppler. When hypertensive disorders is complicated by FGR, there appears to be higher maternal morbidity including higher rate of HELLP syndrome, cesarean section, and heavier proteinuria, as well as worse neonatal outcomes.

简介：AbstractObjective:Ultrasound determination of chorionicity is poor in early pregnancy in China. In an effort to increase the accuracy rate of prompt chorionicity determination, clinical training was provided to primary care physicians. This study assesses the effects of implementing clinical guidelines on chorionicity determination.Methods:A multi-centered cohort study was conducted between January 2014 and June 2017 in 12 hospitals without fetal medicine centers. In 2014, the obstetricians and ultrasound physicians were trained in clinical practice and ultrasound examination relating to chorionicity determination. Linear and binary regression analyses were conducted to identify the effects of introducing the new protocols, including the diagnosis rate of chorionicty and perinatal outcomes, taking the data from 2014 as a baseline. Pregnancy outcomes were additionally adjusted for maternal age.Results:During the period of this study, 3,599 twin pregnancies from 12 centers were enrolled, and a total of 2,998 twin pregnancies were extracted. The rate of overall chorionicity determination, including antenatal and postpartum diagnosis, increased successively from 49.5% in 2014 to 93.5% in 2017 (P < 0.0001). The rate of ultrasonic chorionicity diagnosis before 14 weeks increased from 25.2% in 2014 to 65.0% in 2017 (P < 0.0001). These changes were associated with decreasing incidence of preterm birth, a lower risk of stillbirth, whether for one (P = 0.0456 in 2016) or two fetuses (P = 0.0470 in 2016; P = 0.0042 in 2017) and a decreased rate of admission to neonatal intensive care unit (43.0% in 2014, 37.4% in 2017; P = 0.0032).Conclusions:The implementation of a clinical practice guideline improved both overall and early chorionicity determinations. Regular training workshops of antenatal care are recommended to further promote capability in clinical diagnosis and treatment.

简介：AbstractBackground:China’s two-child policy has led to a trend of aging in pregnancy which was associated with adverse outcomes. This study aimed to identify the clinically cutoff maternal age for adverse obstetric outcomes in China.Methods:This secondary analysis of a multicenter retrospective cohort study included data of childbearing women from 39 hospitals collected in urban China during 2011 to 2012. Logistic regression was used to assess the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of adverse outcomes in different age groups in comparison to women aged 20 to 24 years. The adjustments included the location of the hospital, educational level, and residence status. Clinically cutoff age was defined as the age above which the aOR continuously become both statistically (P < 0.05) and clinically (aOR > 2) significant.Results:Overall, 108,059 women were recruited. In primiparae, clinically cutoff maternal ages for gestational diabetes (aOR: 2.136, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.856-2.458, P < 0.001), placenta previa (aOR: 2.400, 95% CI: 1.863-3.090, P < 0.001), cesarean section (aOR: 2.511, 95% CI: 2.341-2.694, P < 0.001), hypertensive disorder (aOR: 2.122, 95% CI: 1.753-2.569, P < 0.001), post-partum hemorrhage (aOR: 2.129, 95% CI: 1.334-3.397, P < 0.001), and low birth weight (aOR: 2.174, 95% CI: 1.615-2.927, P < 0.001) were 27, 31, 33, 37, 41, and 41 years, respectively. In multiparae, clinically cutoff ages for gestational diabetes (aOR: 2.977, 95%CI: 1.808-4.904, P < 0.001), hypertensive disorder (aOR: 2.555, 95% CI: 1.836-3.554, P < 0.001), cesarean section (aOR: 2.224, 95% CI: 1.952-2.534, P < 0.001), post-partum hemorrhage (aOR: 2.140, 95% CI: 1.472-3.110, P < 0.001), placenta previa (aOR: 2.272, 95% CI: 1.375-3.756, P < 0.001), macrosomia (aOR: 2.215, 95% CI: 1.552-3.161, P < 0.001), and neonatal asphyxia (aOR: 2.132, 95% CI: 1.461-3.110, P < 0.001) were 29, 31, 33, 35, 35, 41, and 41 years, respectively.Conclusions:Early cutoff ages for gestational diabetes and cesarean section highlight a reasonable childbearing age in urban China. The various optimized cutoff ages for different adverse pregnancy outcomes should be carefully considered in childbearing women.