Background: Cadmium is an extremely toxic metal with ubiquitous environmental distribution. Cadmium is a potent reproductive and developmental toxic agent, and intensive environmental exposure to this substance has been reported among the residents of Tehran. In this study, we investigated the correlation between amniotic fluid cadmium levels and the risk of preeclampsia, prematurity and low bi...

OBJECTIVE Neonates born to mothers with clinical chorioamnionitis at term are at an increased risk of infection. Acute subchorionitis, chorioamnionitis, and funisitis are considered placental histologic features consistent with acute inflammation according to the Society for Pediatric Pathology. The objectives of this study were to examine the performance of placental histologic features in the...

BACKGROUND Intra-amniotic infection has long been recognized as the leading cause of preterm delivery. Microbial culture is the gold standard for the detection of intra-amniotic infection, but several days are required, and many bacterial species in the amniotic fluid are difficult to cultivate. METHODS We developed a novel nested-PCR-based assay for detecting Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma, other ba...

CONTEXT No molecular biological tests are available to monitor the ongoing development of human fetuses in vivo. OBJECTIVE To determine whether cell-free fetal messenger RNA (mRNA) in amniotic fluid can be detected using oligonucleotide microarrays to study large-scale gene expression in living human fetuses, with analysis of sex, gestational age, and fetal pathology as variables. DESIGN, S...

Studies using in vitro analysis have shown that the interaction between pulmonary surfactant and vernix caseosa could explain the appearance of amniotic fluid turbidity. That phenomenon is interpreted based on the "roll-up" hypothesis. We tested the roll-up hypothesis by examining the presence of micelles of pulmonary surfactant in human amniotic fluid at term. Amniotic fluid samples were colle...

Chorioamnionitis is associated with preterm delivery and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), characterized by impaired alveolar and pulmonary vascular development and vascular dysfunction. To study the vascular effects in a model of chorioamnionitis, preterm lambs were exposed to 20 mg of intra-amniotic endotoxin or saline for 1, 2, 4, or 7 days and delivered at 122 days gestational age (term = 1...

BACKGROUND Green-stained amniotic fluid does not always indicate that meconium was passed in utero. CASE PRESENTATION We report the case of a 2280-g Hispanic preterm female born at 32 weeks of gestation with congenital jejunal atresia. The amniotic fluid was greenish stained; the initial impression was meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Postnatal findings revealed no meconium in her rectum. The...

OBJECTIVE The diagnosis of clinical chorioamnionitis is based on a combination of signs [fever, maternal or fetal tachycardia, foul-smelling amniotic fluid (AF), uterine tenderness and maternal leukocytosis]. Bacterial infections within the amniotic cavity are considered the most frequent cause of clinical chorioamnionitis and an indication for antibiotic administration to reduce maternal and n...

BACKGROUND Standard compression therapy for venous ulcers of the legs does not promote healing. Although autografting accelerates tissue repair, it is difficult to use in patients with concomitant diseases or when multiple grafts are required. The amniotic membrane has been used as a covering material and promotes epithelialization, making it a good potential treatment option when autografts ar...

Abstract Amniotic band syndrome (ABS) is not a commonly seen birth defect; however, it may have the potential to be severe and life-threatening requiring adequate attention. We present case of amniotic which encircled head neonate tightly causing deformity. In this report, bilateral Tessier 7 cleft. To our knowledge, most type ABS reported in literature thus far. Level evidence: V, risk / thera...