INTRODUCTION Diabetes in pregnancy threatens both maternal and neonatal health, with risks of lung immaturity, fetal macrosomia, dystocia and impaired maternal kidney function. Before insulin, diabetes resulted in maternal mortality rates of 30-50% and perinatal mortality rates of 50-60%. Global prevalence estimates vary by population, geographical area and diagnostic criteria. Diabetes account...

The spectrum of liver disease in pregnancy includes liver disease unrelated to pregnancy, liver diseases that occur with increased frequency or severity in pregnancy, and liver disease specific to pregnancy. Diseases of the liver unique to pregnancy reliably occur at specific points in the gestational spectrum. Thus, gestational age, a comprehensive history, and a clinically driven diagnostic e...

References 1. Negrato C, Gomes M: Historical facts of screening and diagnosing diabetes in pregnancy. Diabetol Metabol Syndr 2013, 5:22. 2. Mestman JH: Historical notes on diabetes in pregnancy. Endocrinologist 2002, 12:224–242. 3. Lynn PL, et al: Hyperglycaemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (HAPO) Study: An Overview. In Gestational Diabetes Before and After Pregnancy. Chapter 2nd edition. Edi...

INTRODUCTION The pregnancy complications preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, small for gestational age infants (SGA) and pre-term birth (PTB) affect approximately 21% of all pregnancies. The Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor family (VEGF) is implicated in the pathogenesis of these complications. We aimed to evaluate the placental mRNA expression of VEGFA, PGF, FLT1 and KDR in pregnancies c...

Although more than 50% of women gain weight above the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for weight gain in pregnancy and excessive weight gain is an independent risk factor for significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and offspring obesity, there is little consensus over the ideal weight gain during pregnancy. Surprisingly, the 2009 IOM guidelines varied minimally from the 1990 IOM guid...

Gestational diabetes mellitus is defined by new-onset glucose intolerance during pregnancy. About 2-5% of all pregnant women develop gestational diabetes during their pregnancies and the prevalence has increased considerably during the last decade. This metabolic condition is manifested when pancreatic β-cells lose their ability to compensate for increased insulin resistance during pregnancy, h...

OBJECTIVE Factors linked with insulin resistance were examined for their association with large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infant birth weight and gestational diabetes. STUDY DESIGN Data came from a longitudinal cohort study of 2,305 subjects without overt diabetes, analyzed using multinomial logistic and linear regression. RESULTS High maternal BMI (OR = 1.53 (1.11, 2.12)), height (1.98 (1....

BACKGROUND Intra-uterine pregnancy coexisting with cervical pregnancy (heterotopic pregnancy) is a rare condition and its management is challenging because of the massive bleeding associated with cervical pregnancy. Uterine artery embolization followed by hysteroscopic removal of cervical and intra-uterine products of conception can theoretically prevent massive bleeding and provide a direct vi...

Pregnancy induces progressive changes in maternal carbohydrate metabolism. As pregnancy advances insulin resistance and diabetogenic stress due to placental hormones necessitate compensatory increase in insulin secretion. When this compensation is inadequate gestational diabetes develops. Pregnancy that occurs in a woman who already has diabetes is termed ‘Pre-Gestational Diabetes Mellitus’. Bo...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the interrelationships between maternal serum leptin level and body mass index (BMI) at different gestational ages or during the whole pregnancy. METHODS A total of 374 blood samples were obtained from 114 pregnant women when they visited the prenatal clinic for registration, Down syndrome screening test, 50 g oral glucose challenge test, hepat...