Retrospective study 2005-2015 of all cases of fetal death occurred at ≥23 gestational weeks, in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy

Background

Intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) is a tragic event and, despite efforts to reduce rates, its incidence remains difficult to reduce. The objective of the present study was to examine the etiological factors that contribute to the main causes and conditions associated with IUFD, over an 11-year period in a region of North-East Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia) for which reliable data in available.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of all 278 IUFD cases occurred between 2005 and 2015 in pregnancies with gestational age ≥ 23 weeks.

Results

The incidence of IUFD was 2.8‰ live births. Of these, 30% were small for gestational age (SGA), with immigrant women being significantly over-represented. The share of SGA reached 35% in cases in which a maternal of fetal pathological condition was present, and dropped to 28% in the absence of associated pathology. In 78 pregnancies (28%) no pathology was recorded that could justify IUFD. Of all IUFDs, 11% occurred during labor, and 72% occurred at a gestational age above 30 weeks.

Conclusion

The percentage of IUFD cases for which no possible cause can be identified is quite high. Only the adoption of evidence-based diagnostic protocols, with integrated immunologic, genetic and pathologic examinations, can help reduce this diagnostic gap, contributing to the prevention of future IUFDs.

The application of the Ten Group classification system (TGCS) in caesarean delivery case mix adjustment. A multicenter prospective study

Background

Caesarean delivery (CD) rates are commonly used as an indicator of quality in obstetric care and risk adjustment evaluation is recommended to assess inter-institutional variations. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the Ten Group classification system (TGCS) can be used in case-mix adjustment.

Methods

Standardized data on 15,255 deliveries from 11 different regional centers were prospectively collected. Crude Risk Ratios of CDs were calculated for each center. Two multiple logistic regression models were herein considered by using: Model 1- maternal (age, Body Mass Index), obstetric variables (gestational age, fetal presentation, single or multiple, previous scar, parity, neonatal birth weight) and presence of risk factors; Model 2- TGCS either with or without maternal characteristics and presence of risk factors. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves of the multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the diagnostic accuracy of each model. The null hypothesis that Areas under ROC Curve (AUC) were not different from each other was verified with a Chi Square test and post hoc pairwise comparisons by using a Bonferroni correction.

Results

Crude evaluation of CD rates showed all centers had significantly higher Risk Ratios than the referent. Both multiple logistic regression models reduced these variations. However the two methods ranked institutions differently: model 1 and model 2 (adjusted for TGCS) identified respectively nine and eight centers with significantly higher CD rates than the referent with slightly different AUCs (0.8758 and 0.8929 respectively). In the adjusted model for TGCS and maternal characteristics/presence of risk factors, three centers had CD rates similar to the referent with the best AUC (0.9024).

Conclusions

The TGCS might be considered as a reliable variable to adjust CD rates. The addition of maternal characteristics and risk factors to TGCS substantially increase the predictive discrimination of the risk adjusted model.

[Pregnancy in HIV-positive women: 6 years of activity of the Regional Reference Center]

AIM

With this study, we wanted to evaluate HIV-positive pregnant mothers followed at the HIV Reference Center of Friuli Venezia Giulia and to describe obstetric treatment aimed at identifying vertical transmission factors and at undertaking a correct diagnostic-therapeutic approach to this patient group. The data include a large case series from the European Collaborative Study on HIV in Pregnancy, in which our facility is a collaborating center.

METHODS

The protocol includes the administration of personalized antiretroviral therapy to seropositive patients at the first visit. An elective caesarean section is performed at 38 weeks gestation. Antiretroviral therapy is continued in the neonate. Breastfeeding is prohibited.

RESULTS

From 1998 to 2002, 28 pregnant mothers with HIV infection were followed. Most patients came from out of region and had acquired the infection through heterosexual intercourse with a serodiscordant partner. In 1 in 3 patients, a diagnosis of seropositivity was made during pregnancy. One case of vertical transmission was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

When appropriate prevention measures are instituted, the percentage of vertical transmission of infection can be reduced to less than 1% in Europe today. An important part of this effort is early screening for HIV infection in pregnancy. Other fundamental measures are the institution of antiretroviral therapy starting from the first weeks of pregnancy, monitoring of pregnancy at a tertiary reference center, intravenous administration of therapies before caesarean section, possibly not during labor and with the membrane intact. Equally important factors are neonatal therapy, adequate pediatric monitoring after the infant is born and discontinuation of breastfeeding.