Amniocentesis for PPROM Management: A Feasibility Study

Oxidative stress - Related spontaneous preterm delivery challenges in causality determination, prevention and novel strategies in reduction of the sequelae

Spontaneous preterm birth (PTB) is one of the major complications of pregnancy and the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Despite the efforts devoted to the understanding of this obstetrical syndrome and improved medical care, there has been a tendency for the PTB rate to increase in the last decades globally. The costs of the screening for spontaneous PTB, its management, and treatment of the sequelae represent a major burden to the health service economy of high-income countries. In this scenario, it has been widely acknowledged that oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in the pathogenicity of human disease in wide range of areas of medicine. There is an emerging evidence that an imbalance between pro-and-antioxidants may be associated with spontaneous PTB. However, there are still many controversies on the mechanisms by which OS are involved in the pathogenesis of prematurity. Moreover, the crucial question whether the OS is the cause or consequence of the disease is yet to be answered. The purpose of this article is to briefly summarize the current knowledge and controversies on oxidative stress-related spontaneous PTB and to give a critical approach on future perspectives on this topic as a classical example of translational medicine. Placenta-mediated pregnancy adverse outcome associated with OS leading to iatrogenic PTB (e.g. pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, gestational diabetes) will not be discussed.

Intentional early delivery versus expectant management for preterm premature rupture of membranes at 28-32 weeks' gestation: A multicentre randomized controlled trial (MICADO STUDY)

OBJECTIVES

Preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes (PPROM) exposes the fetus to preterm birth, and optimal timing for delivery is controversial. The aim of this study was to compare intentional early delivery ("active management") with expectant management in very preterm birth (28-32 weeks).

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial with intent-to-treat analysis, at 19 tertiary-care hospitals in France and 1 in Geneva, Switzerland. Inclusion criteria were women age ≥18 years, PPROM at 28^0/7 to 31^6/7 weeks' gestation, singleton pregnancy. Exclusion criteria were maternal/fetal indications for immediate delivery. All participants received prophylactic antibiotics (amoxicillin + gentamicin) and two doses of corticosteroids. Women in expectant management delivered at 34 weeks, sooner if medically indicated. Women in active management delivered 24 h after the second steroid dose. The primary outcome measure was a composite of neonatal death/severe adverse events: periventricular leukomalacia, intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, oxygen requirement at 36 weeks, and necrotizing enterocolitis. The secondary outcome was clinical chorioamnionitis.

RESULTS

The trial was stopped prematurely, due to recruitment difficulties. Of 360 women assessed, 139 (40% of calculated sample size) were randomized: 70 to expectant management, 69 to active management. Mean gestational age at PPROM was similar in both groups (30 ± 1.3 vs. 30.2 ± 1.2 weeks, respectively). There were 35 cases of medical/suspected complications requiring delivery in expectant management vs. 4 in active management. Mean latency between PPROM and delivery was 11.7 ± 9.8 vs. 2.8 ± 0.6 days, respectively; P < 0.0001 (median 8.4 (1.8-44.2) vs. 2.7 (1.9-4.3)). There were more caesarean deliveries in active than expectant management (80% vs. 60%, respectively; P < 0.01). There were 2 chorioamnionitis cases, both in expectant management. One baby died in expectant management; 2 in active management (one with heart defect). There was no significant difference in sepsis rates. The combined neonatal death/severe adverse events measure was 12.9% for expectant management and 13.0% for active management (OR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.33-2.93, P = 0.97).

CONCLUSION

For PPROM at 28-32 weeks, and with antenatal antibiotic and steroid therapy, there were no observed differences in neonatal health when comparing expectant management to early delivery. As expected, expectant management resulted in higher gestational age and birth weight. However, our study was underpowered to draw firm and reliable conclusions.

Facilitators and barriers to pregnant women's participation in research: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Although there is consensus among many that exclusion of pregnant women from clinical research should be justified, there is uncertainty as to whether and why pregnant women themselves would be willing to participate even if they were found to be eligible. The objective was to identify the reasons why pregnant women participate in clinical research and thereby to distinguish between facilitators and barriers.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of articles regarding pregnant women's reasons for participation in clinical research. We used the PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases and retrieved additional articles through manually searching the reference lists. We included all articles that reported on pregnant women's reasons for participation in clinical research. We accumulated all reasons that were mentioned in the total of articles and collated them to themes, classifying these themes as a facilitator or a barrier.

RESULTS

The search identified thirty articles that met the inclusion criteria. Themes classified as facilitators: aspirational benefits, collateral benefits, direct benefits, third party influence and lack of inconvenience. Themes classified as barriers: inconveniences, risks, randomisation, lack of trust in research enterprise, medical reasons and third party influence.

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women report mostly altruistic and personal reasons for their willingness to participate in clinical research, while barriers primarily relate to inconveniences. It appears that pregnant women's described reasoning is similar to the described reasoning of non-pregnant research subjects. Enhancing the facilitators and overcoming the barriers is the next step to increase the evidence-base underlying maternal and foetal health.

Chorioamnionitis Occurring in Women With Preterm Rupture of the Fetal Membranes Is Associated With a Dynamic Increase in mRNAs Coding Cytokines in the Maternal Circulation

BACKGROUND

Preterm prelabor rupture of the fetal membranes (PPROM) is a significant contributor to the morbidity and mortality of preterm birth, particularly in the setting of chorioamnionitis. No sensitive or specific diagnostic or predictive test currently exists for the accurate diagnosis of chorioamnionitis. Our aim was to measure messenger RNA (mRNA) coding cytokines in the maternal blood and examine whether they were increased in association with chorioamnionitis at delivery.

METHODS/RESULTS

We performed a prospective cohort study of women recruited with PPROM at a mean gestational age of 28.9 weeks at risk of developing chorioamnionitis. Blood was sampled from participants, and the expression of mRNA coding for proinflammatory genes was measured in women with and without chorioamnionitis at the time of delivery as well as gestation-matched healthy controls. Expression was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and also digital PCR. Interleukin 1β (IL1B) mRNA expression in maternal blood was elevated in women with chorioamnionitis compared to gestation-matched controls. Importantly, among women admitted with PPROM, digital PCR confirmed a significant increase in IL1B expression in maternal blood in women with chorioamnionitis compared to women without chorioamnionitis. Polymerase chain reaction array revealed that CD14, nuclear factor of κ light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells 1 (NFKB1), and tumor necrosis factor receptor super family-interacting serine-threonine kinase 1 mRNA were significantly increased in women with chorioamnionitis compared to controls. Digital PCR confirmed that NFKB1 mRNA was significantly increased in patients with chorioamnionitis compared to controls and that CD14 levels increased over time in patients with PPROM having chorioamnionitis.

CONCLUSION

Measuring circulating proinflammatory mRNA in women with PPROM may distinguish those with chorioamnionitis from those without, in turn providing better targeted therapies and appropriate timing of delivery.

PRE-TERM PRE-LABOUR RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES AND THE ROLE OF AMNIOCENTESIS

Pre-labour premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is defined as rupture of membranes more than 1 hour prior to the onset of labour at <37 weeks gestation. PPROM occurs in approximately 3% of pregnancies and is responsible for a third of all preterm births. Once membranes are ruptured prolonging the pregnancy has no maternal physical advantage but fetal morbidity and mortality are improved daily at early gestations: 19% of those infants born <25 weeks develop cerebral palsy (CP) and 28% have severe motor disability. Those infants born extremely pre term (<28 weeks) cost the public sector £75835 (95% CI £27906–145508) per live birth not to mention the emotional cost to the family. To prolong gestation is therefore the suggested goal: however how and why might we delay birth in those at risk?