BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Rao et al in this issue of the British Journal reported that in a community in London UK, antenatal Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonisation is influenced by maternal race, being higher among women of black African origin (39.5%) and lowest in women of south Asian origin (23.3%), as compared to British women (27.4%) (BJOG, 2019 xxx). The finding of GBS carriage being influenced by maternal race in a multiracial community is similar to that in the Netherlands (Valkenburg-van den Berg et al, Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2006;124;178-83), and in fact mirrors the global situation, which is highest in Africa followed by the Americas and Europe, and lowest in Southeast Asia (Kwatra et al, Lancet Infect Dis 2016;16:1076-84)...

BACKGROUND: Vaginal probiotics claiming to cure and/or prevent bacterial and/or fungal vaginal dysbiosis are available on the market but did, until recently, not have to be approved as drugs for human use. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impact of vaginal probiotics on bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) cure and/or recurrence, as well as vaginal microbiota (VMB) composition and vaginal detection of probiotic strains. SEARCH STRATEGY: We performed a systematic literature search in MEDLINE and Embase up to 15 January 2019...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic performance of a novel circulating single molecule amplification and re-sequencing technology (cSMART) method for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) of Phenylketonuria (PKU). DESIGN: Blinded NIPT analysis of pregnancies at high-risk for PKU. SETTING: Shanghai Xinhua Hospital and Hunan Jiahui Genetics Hospital, China. POPULATION: Couples (n=33) with a child diagnosed with PKU. METHODS: Trio testing for pathogenic PAH mutations was performed by Sanger sequencing...

Since the discovery of lactic acid producing bacteria in the vagina by Albert Dodelein in 1892, multiple studies have explored the relationship between the vaginal microbiota and various physiological, infectious and malignant conditions (Łaniewski et al, Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):7593). Whether the vaginal microbiome influences the association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer is one example with several, albeit small studies assessing whether vaginal dysbiosis influences HPV acquisition, persistence and progression to cervical dysplasia and malignancy...

The first successful live birth after uterus transplantation occurred in 2014. Since then, successful live births have been replicated, offering hope to women with uterine factor infertility who want to carry a pregnancy. Due to the procedure's novelty, protocols guiding time from transplant to embryo transfer (ET) are based on the early uterus transplant experience and recommendations for other solid organ transplant recipients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

In May 2018, regulatory authorities released cautionary statements about the possible association between neural tube defects (NTDs) and dolutegravir (DTG)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) exposure at conception, based on data from the Tsepamo study in Botswana which reported 4 NTDs among 426 pregnancies exposed to DTG at conception, compared to 11 among 11,300 that were not exposed to DTG (Zash et al. NEJM 2019;379:979-81). Given the small number of events from a single study, more data are needed to confirm or refute this association...

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the risk of inducing RhD immunization in pregnancies of RhD negative mothers with an RhD positive fetus undergoing CVS or AC DESIGN, SETTING AND POPULATION: Registry based study in a Danish cohort which have not been given rhesus prophylaxis. METHODS: Data were retrieved from the Department of Clinical Immunology at Rigshospitalet. All RhD negative women carrying an RhD positive fetus with screen test results from week 8-12 and week 25-29 were linked to data from the Danish Fetal Medicine Database...

OBJECTIVE: To compare a couple-based cognitive behavioural intervention (CBI) for postnatal depression with comparison (CBI delivered to women alone) and control (standard perinatal care). DESIGN: Multisite randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Antenatal clinics at three regional public hospitals in Hong Kong. SAMPLE: Three hundred eighty eight low-risk childbearing couples. METHODS: Childbearing couples were randomly allocated to couple-based CBI (n = 134), women-alone CBI (n = 124) or control (n = 130)...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

One of the simultaneous joys and challenges of practicing medicine in the present day is the expedited trajectory of new technology and medical advancements. Before the era of the internet, medicine was practiced in relative silos throughout the world and shared by way of personal communication, print and conference. Now, in mere seconds, one can gain insight into the latest medical trend with a click of the mouse. Similar to the course of many other organ transplants, a few decades ago, uterine transplant was only a figment of imagination...

In November 2018, the Euro-Peristat collaboration published a new European Perinatal Health Report based on national-level indicators of mothers' and babies' health in 2015 in current EU member states and Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, a total of 31 countries with over five million births. Euro-Peristat's indicator set includes 10 core and 20 recommended indicators of fetal and newborn health, maternal health, characteristics of the childbearing population and healthcare services. This article is protected by copyright...

OBJECTIVE: To compare glycaemic profiles in women with mild gestational diabetes (GDM) and those with a healthy pregnancy. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Hospital-based. POPULATION: Healthy non-pregnant, healthy pregnant, and women with GDM, diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). METHODOLOGY: Nine nonpregnant women, 33 healthy pregnant women, 29 pregnant women with GDM between 24-36 weeks gestation, received ambulatory glucose profile (AGP) monitoring for a 2-week period...

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in the rates of perinatal mortality, birth asphyxia and Caesarean sections in relation to interventions implemented over the past 18 years, in a tertiary centre in South India. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Labour and maternity unit of a tertiary centre in South India. POPULATION OR SAMPLE: Women who gave birth between the years 2000 and 2018. METHODS: Information from perinatal audits, chart reviews and data retrieved from the electronic database were used...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the aetiology of stillbirth and their changing trends in a single tertiary care referral institute of northern India over a 10 year period (2007-2016). DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital in the north of India. SAMPLE: Medical records of all mothers who delivered a stillborn at the institute. METHODS: Data was collected from monthly and annual perinatal audits and causes of stillbirths were classified using Simplified CODAC classification...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a counselling intervention in antenatal care settings for pregnant women who report domestic violence. DESIGN: Pre-experimental study with pretest-posttest design. SETTINGS: Two public hospitals in Mumbai, India. SAMPLE: 2778 pregnant women accessing antenatal care (ANC) in the hospitals from February to November 2016 were approached for study participation; 2515 women consented...

OBJECTIVES: A diagnosis of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (HDPs) or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is highly predictive of women at increased risk of developing chronic hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This study investigates perceptions of women and healthcare providers in rural India regarding these long-term risks. DESIGN: Qualitative study using modified grounded theory. SETTING: Two states in rural India: Haryana and Andhra Pradesh...