Pregnant Serum Research Articles

Association between prenatal exposure to alkylphenols and intelligence quotient among preschool children: sex-specific effects

BackgroundWhile prenatal exposure to alkylphenols (APs) has been demonstrated to be associated with neurodevelopmental impairments in animals, the evidence from epidemiological studies remains limited and inconclusive. This study aimed to explore the link between AP exposure during pregnancy and the intelligence quotient (IQ) of preschool children.MethodsA total of 221 mother-child pairs from the Guangxi Zhuang Birth Cohort were recruited. Nonylphenol (NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-T-OP), 4-n-nonylphenol (4-N-NP), and 4-n-octylphenol were measured in maternal serum in early pregnancy. Childhood IQ was evaluated by the Fourth Edition of Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of the Intelligence at 3 to 6 years of age. The impact of APs on childhood IQ were evaluated by generalized linear models (GLMs), restricted cubic spline (RCS), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR).ResultsIn GLMs, prenatal exposure to NP and the second tertile of 4-T-OP exhibited an inverse association with full-scale IQ (FSIQ) (β = -2.38; 95% CI: -4.59, -0.16) and working memory index (WMI) (β = -5.24; 95% CI: -9.58, -0.89), respectively. Prenatal exposure to the third tertile of 4-N-NP showed a positive association with the fluid reasoning index (β = 4.95; 95% CI: 1.14, 8.77) in total children, as well as in girls when stratified by sex. A U-shaped relationship between maternal 4-T-OP and WMI was noted in total children and girls by RCS (all P nonlinear < 0.05). The combined effect primarily driven by NP, of maternal AP mixtures at concentrations above the 50th percentile exhibited an inverse trend on FSIQ in total children and girls in BKMR.ConclusionsPrenatal exposure to various APs affects IQ in preschool children, and there may be nonmonotonic and sex-specific effects. Further investigation across the population is required to elucidate the potential neurotoxic effects of APs.

Effects of glycated serum protein, homocysteine, and cystatin-C levels on pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus.

To explore the effects of serum glycated serum protein (GSP), homocysteine (Hcy) and cystatin-C (Cys-C) levels on pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Retrospective selection of 247 pregnant women who underwent normal prenatal examinations in The Yan'an People's Hospital from January 2020 to May 2022 were included in this retrospective study. Among them, 119 were pregnant women with diabetes (GDM-group) and 128 were pregnant women with normal blood glucose (Normal-group). The levels of serum GSP, HCY, CYS-C, and incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups. The clinical value of levels of serum GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. Compared with the Normal-group, the overall incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, serum GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C levels in the GDM-group were significantly higher (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the levels of GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C were independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in the GDM-group (p<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for diagnosing adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with GDM using serum GSP, Hcy, and CysC levels alone were 0.817, 0.843, and 0.775, respectively. The AUC of the three indicators combined was 0.921, indicating that this combination has a good predictive value for diagnosing adverse outcomes in GDM-complicated pregnancies. GDM is associated with a high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Levels of serum GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C are higher in patients with GDM. The higher the levels of GSP, Hcy, and Cys-C, the greater the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Combining these three indicators can effectively predict maternal pregnancy outcomes.

Periconceptional maternal homocysteine and birth weight outcomes in offspring: a prospective cohort study

Objective: To quantify the associations between periconceptional maternal homocysteine (HCY) and offspring's birth weight and risk of small for gestational age (SGA) infant. Methods: The 19 984 mother-child pairs in this prospective cohort study were recruited from the Shanghai preconception cohort; the infants were delivered from 1st September 2016 to 11th November 2022. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the mothers' demographic information, medical history, dietary supplement use, and maternal complications during pregnancy, and their serum samples were collected. Serum HCY, folate, and vitamin B12 were measured using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay based on serum sample drawn at enrollment. Birth weight data were obtained from medical records. Multiple imputation methods were applied to handle missing data in key variables. Multivariable linear regression and Poisson regression models were used to analyze the relationship between maternal HCY concentration during the periconceptional period and the birth weight and SGA risk of the offspring. Results: A total of 9 452 pairs were enrolled preconceptionally and the remaining 10 532 pairs were enrolled in early pregnancy. The proportion of mothers whose pregnancy age was greater than 35 years was 9.2% (1 832/19 984), the proportion of primiparous women was 76.5% (15 283/19 984), the proportion of pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity was 14.0% (2 804/19 984), the proportion of using folic acid supplements before pregnancy was 21.4% (4 272/19 984), and the proportion of those who supplemented with folic acid during early pregnancy was 85.2% (8 976/10 532); gestational diabetes mellitus was in 6.2% (1 245/19 984), gestational hypertensive syndrome in 3.6% (711/19 984). The birth weight of the offspring was (3 297±468) g, and there were 1 962 SGA children (9.8%). The HCY concentration in the overall population in appropriate for gestational age during the periconceptional period was (7.9±3.2) μmol/L, with (8.3±3.7) μmol/L in the preconception subgroup and (7.3±2.4) μmol/L in the early pregnancy subgroup. After adjustment for the covariates of perinatal demographic information, adverse pregnancy outcomes, serum folate and vitamin B12, increased maternal periconceptional HCY was significantly associated with lower offspring birth weight (β=-2.30, 95%CI -4.43--0.16, P=0.035). Only the early pregnancy subgroup was significantly associated with lower offspring birth weight (β=-7.39, 95%CI-11.50--3.21, P<0.001). No association was found between peripregnancy HCY and offspring SGA risk. However, elevated HCY in early pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of SGA in the offspring (RR=1.05, 95%CI 1.01-1.08, P=0.002). Periconceptional vitamin B12 was a mediator of the association between HCY and offspring birth weight, accounting for 16.5%, 41.2% and 5.4% of its total effect in the overall periconceptional population, the pre-pregnancy subgroup and the early pregnancy subgroup, respectively. Conclusions: Maternal periconceptional HCY level is associated with lower birth weight in offspring, but not with the risk of SGA. Elevated maternal HCY in early pregnancy subgroup may be associated with increased risk of SGA in offspring.

Targeted metabolomic analysis of early-trimester serum identifies potential mechanisms for late-onset preeclampsia

Objective Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific hypertensive disorder. Late-onset (Lo)-PE can cause serious complications in both the mother and child. This study aimed to explore biomarkers for elucidating the mechanisms underlying Lo-PE, via a metabolomic analysis of first-trimester maternal serum. Methods This study was conducted at Fukushima Regional Center as an adjunct to Japan Environment and Children Study and included 12 patients with Lo-PE matched to 12 women with healthy pregnancies. Capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry-based quantitative analyses of charged metabolites were performed on first-trimester maternal serum samples. Results Overall, 183 charged metabolites were identified. The peak area of glucosamine was significantly higher for the first-trimester sera of patients with Lo-PE than that for controls. Conversely, the peak area of serotonin was significantly decreased in the sera of patients with Lo-PE. Conclusions During early pregnancy, glucosamine and serotonin levels in maternal serum may serve as early biomarkers for Lo-PE. As part of preconception care, pre-pregnancy dietary habits and mental health could potentially prevent Lo-PE onset.

Correlation between lipid levels at different stages of pregnancy and pregnancy outcome and complications.

To explore correlation between lipid levels at different stages of pregnancy and outcomes and complications of pregnancy. The clinical data of 1000 parturients were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of perinatal complications was counted, and the blood lipid levels of pregnant women with and without complications during pregnancy were compared. Additionally, the pregnancy outcomes of women with different lipid levels were compared. There were statistically significant differences in total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels among early, mid, and late pregnancy (all P < 0.05). Single-factor analysis showed that TG in the complication group was higher than that of the non-complication group, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was lower (both P < 0.05). Dyslipidemia was detected in 932 (95.20%) of cases in the complication group and 19 (90.48%) cases in the non-complication group, with no significant difference between the groups (P=0.630). There was also no significant difference in the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome between the dyslipidemia and non-dyslipidemia groups (P=0.396). Multifactor analysis showed that TC, TG, HDL, and LDL-C in the first, second, or third trimesters were not risk factors for complications or adverse pregnancy outcome (P > 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that TC, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy had no significant correlation with the number of complications (First trimester: r=0.099, 0.146, -0.106, 0.137; Second trimester: r=0.027, 0.152, -0.102, 0.009; Third trimester: r=0.031, 0.191, -0.064, -0.056). The serum lipid levels of pregnant women increased significantly in the second and third trimesters. However, there was no correlation between these elevated serum lipid levels and pregnancy complications or adverse outcome.

Alteration in maternal serum uric acid levels in pre-eclampsia and associated perinatal outcomes: a cross-sectional study in Ghana.

pre-eclampsia (PE) is a multisystemic pregnancy-specific hypertensive disorder associated with significant adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Maternal serum uric acid level is hypothesized as a reliable marker for predicting the severity and adverse outcomes of pre-eclampsia and facilitating clinical decisions. This study explored the association between maternal serum uric acid and adverse pregnancy outcomes in pre-eclampsia. a cross-sectional study involving women diagnosed with pre-eclampsia was conducted at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), a tertiary hospital in Ghana. Descriptive analyses were performed and multivariable logistic regression model was used to explore the association between maternal serum uric acid levels and pregnancy outcomes using R software. we included 100 women with pre-eclampsia comprising 79% and 21% preterm and term pre-eclampsia respectively and with mean gestational age (GA) at diagnosis of 32.35±2.66 weeks and 35.96±1.94 weeks respectively. The mean maternal age of preterm and term pre-eclampsia groups was 29.81±5.29 years and 29.46±5.78 years respectively. Hyperuricemia (serum uric acid >375 µmol/L) occurred in 61% of the pre-eclamptic women. The mean gestational age (in weeks) at diagnosis was significantly lower in the pre-eclamptic women with hyperuricemia compared with those with normal levels of uric acid (33.51±3.03 versus 34.80±2.71). There was a significant negative association (moderate correlation) between maternal serum uric acid levels and birth weight (R= -0.34, p < 0.001) in pre-eclampsia; the statistical significance was limited to preterm only (Pearson R= -0.39, p-value <0.001) but not term pre-eclampsia. Hyperuricemia was significantly associated with low birth weight [aOR: 3.222 (95% CI: 1.098, 10.393)], caesarean section [aOR: 2.281 (95% CI: 1.084, 7.568)] and severe diastolic pressure at birth [aOR: 3.517 (95% CI: 1.123, 11.939)]. hyperuricemia in pre-eclampsia was significantly associated with both maternal (caesarean section and severe hypertension) and neonatal (low birth weight) adverse outcomes. Hyperuricemia seems clinically useful in predicting pregnancy outcomes, especially in preterm pre-eclampsia. Further longitudinal study is recommended in exploring the clinical significance of maternal uric acid levels and pregnancy outcomes in pre-eclampsia.

768 Mid-gestation pregnancy serum level of placenta-specific miR-519c is inversely associated with infection-related preterm birth risk

768 Mid-gestation pregnancy serum level of placenta-specific miR-519c is inversely associated with infection-related preterm birth risk

Appearance of small extracellular vesicles in the mouse pregnant serum and the localization in placentas.

Exosomes or small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are present in the blood of pregnant mice and considered to be involved in pregnancy physiology. Although sEVs in pregnant periods are proposed to be derived from placentas, sEVs-producing cells are not well known in mouse placentas. We studied the dynamics and localization of sEVs in pregnant serum and placentas, and examined gestational variation of microRNA (miRNA). Serums and placentas were collected from non-pregnant (NP) and pregnant mice throughout the entire gestational day (Gd). EVs were purified from serums and total RNA was isolated from EVs. Nanoparticle-tracking assay (NTA) revealed that the rates of sEVs in EVs are 53% at NP, and increased to 80.1% at Gd 14.5 and 97.5% at Gd 18.5. Western blotting on EVs showed positive reactivity to the tetraspanin markers and clarified that the results using anti-CD63 antibody were most consistent with the sEVs appearance detected by NTA. Serum EVs also showed a positive reaction to the syncytiotrophoblast marker, syncytin-1. Immunohistostaining using anti-CD63 antibody showed positive reactions in mouse placentas at the syncytiotrophoblasts and endothelial cells of the fetal capillaries. Quantitative PCR revealed that significantly higher amounts of miRNAs were included in the sEVs of Gd 18.5. Our results suggested that sEVs are produced in the mouse placenta and transferred to maternal or fetal bloodstreams. sEVs are expected to have a miRNA-mediated physiological effect and become useful biomarkers reflecting the pregnancy status.

The Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation in Pregnant Women with Overweight and Obesity: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

The impact of vitamin D supplementation on 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels, metabolic status, and pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with overweight and obesity (OW/OB) is uncertain. This study aimed to examine whether administrating 800 IU of vitamin D3 orally would improve maternal serum 25OHD levels, lipid profile, and pregnancy outcomes compared to 400 IU. This was a two-arm, parallel, non-blinded randomised controlled trial involving 274 pregnant women recruited from KK Women's and Children's Hospital, with a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 within 16 weeks gestation. The participants were randomly assigned to receive 800 IU/day (intervention group) or 400 IU/day (control group) of oral vitamin D3 supplements. The primary outcomes were maternal serum 25OHD and lipid levels at 24-28 weeks gestation. The secondary outcomes included maternal and birth outcomes. Compared with controls (n = 119), the intervention group (n = 112) exhibited higher 25OHD levels at 24-28 weeks gestation (adjusted mean difference 6.52 nmol/L; 95% confidence interval 2.74, 10.31). More women in the intervention group achieved sufficient 25OHD levels (77.7% vs. 55.5%; p < 0.001). No differences were observed in lipid profiles or maternal or birth outcomes between the groups. An additional 400 IU of oral vitamin D3 supplementation increased serum 25OHD levels but did not impact lipid profiles or pregnancy outcomes.

Preconception Stress and Pregnancy Serum Glucose Levels Among Women Attending a Fertility Center.

The association between women's stress and pregnancy glucose levels remain unclear, specifically when considering the preconception period as a sensitive window of exposure. We investigated whether preconception perceived stress was associated with glucose levels during pregnancy among women attending a fertility center (2004-2019). Before conception, women completed a psychological stress survey using the short version of the validated Perceived Stress Scale 4 (PSS-4), and blood glucose was measured using a 50-gram glucose load test during late pregnancy as a part of screening for gestational diabetes. Linear and log-binomial regression models were used to assess associations of total PSS-4 scores with mean glucose levels and abnormal glucose levels ( ≥ 140 mg/dL), adjusting for age, body mass index, race, smoking, education, physical activity, primary infertility diagnosis, number of babies, and mode of conception. Psychological stress was positively associated with mean abnormal glucose levels. The adjusted marginal means (95% CI) of mean glucose levels for women in the first, second, and third tertiles of psychological stress were 115 (110, 119), 119 (115, 123), and 124 (119, 128), and mg/dL, respectively (P for trend = .007). Also, women in the second and third tertiles of psychological stress had 4% and 13% higher probabilities of having abnormal glucose compared with women in the first tertile of psychological stress (P trend = .01). These results highlight the importance of considering preconception when evaluating the relationship between women's stress and pregnancy glucose levels.

Associations of early pregnancy serum uric acid levels with risk of gestational diabetes and birth outcomes: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundPrevious evidence suggests that higher blood uric acid (UA) levels are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes during pregnancy and subsequent birth outcomes. However, it has been relatively unclear whether these associations persist in normotensive pregnant women.MethodsThe study was based on a retrospective analysis of 18,250 mother-infant pairs in a large obstetric center in China. Serum UA concentrations in early pregnancy (median: 17.6, IQR: 16.3, 18.6 gestational weeks) were assessed. Hyperuricemia was defined as ≥ one standard deviation (SD) of the reference value for the corresponding gestational age. Outcomes of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preterm birth (PB), low birth weight (LBW), macrosomia, small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) were extracted from the medical records.ResultsThe mean maternal UA level was 0.22 ± 0.05 mmol/L, and 2,896 (15.9%) subjects had hyperuricemia. After adjustment for several covariates, UA was associated with several adverse outcomes. The ORs (95%CI) per one SD increase in serum UA concentration were 1.250 (1.136, 1.277) for GDM, 1.137 (1.060, 1.221) for PB, 1.134 (1.051, 1.223) for LBW, and 1.077 (1.020, 1.137) for SGA, respectively. Similar adverse associations were found between hyperuricemia and GDM, PB (ORs: 1.394 and 1.385, P < 0.001), but not for LBW, macrosomia, SGA, and LGA. Adverse associations tended to be more pronounced in subjects with higher BMI for outcomes including PB, LBW, and SGA (P interaction = 0.001–0.028).ConclusionHigher UA levels in early pregnancy were associated with higher risk of GDM, PB, LBW, and SGA in normotensive Chinese women.

A Comparative Study of Serum and Salivary Uric Acid Measurement in Pre-eclampsia and Normal Pregnancy in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Punjab: A Pilot Study

A Comparative Study of Serum and Salivary Uric Acid Measurement in Pre-eclampsia and Normal Pregnancy in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Punjab: A Pilot Study

High-Level Secretion of Pregnancy Zone Protein Is a Novel Biomarker of DNA Damage-Induced Senescence and Promotes Spontaneous Senescence.

Identification of unique and specific biomarkers to better detect and quantify senescent cells remains challenging. By a global proteomic profiling of senescent human skin BJ fibroblasts induced by ionizing radiation (IR), the cellular level of pregnancy zone protein (PZP), a presumable pan-protease inhibitor never been linked to cellular senescence before, was found to be decreased by more than 10-fold, while the level of PZP in the conditioned medium was increased concomitantly. This observation was confirmed in a variety of senescent cells induced by IR or DNA-damaging drugs, indicating that high-level secretion of PZP is a novel senescence-associated secretory phenotype. RT-PCR examination verified that the transcription of the PZP gene is enhanced in various cells at senescence or upregulated following DNA damage treatment in a p53-independent manner. Moreover, pretreatment with late pregnancy serum containing a high level of PZP led to inhibition of doxorubicin-induced senescence in A549 cells, and depletion of PZP in the pregnancy serum could enhance such inhibition. Finally, the addition of immuno-precipitated PZP complexes into tissue culture attenuated the growth of A549 cells and promoted the spontaneous senescence. Therefore, we revealed that high-level secretion of PZP is a novel and unique feature associated with DNA damage-induced senescence, and secreted PZP is a positive regulator of cellular senescence, particularly during the late stage of gestation.

A-167 Repeatedly Positive Serum and Urine Beta-HCG Results in Non-Pregnant Patients—Application of Clinical Decision Support

Abstract Background In January of 2020, a 48-year-old woman, status post bilateral tubal ligation was postponed colonoscopy due to a positive urine and serum pregnancy point of care (POC) test. The quantitative serum HCG levels were normal at 4.9 mIU/mL (reference range 0–8 mIU/mL). Follow-up showed that over the prior year there were other 6 similar incidents when nonpregnant patients showed positive qualitative pregnancy results with quantitative HCG levels within “nonpregnancy” normal range being brought to the attention of the laboratory. Methods We assessed the possibility of a detection/measurement error including possible interfering antibodies. The likelihood of interfering substances/antibodies that would interact with 2 different types of POC detection systems (urine qualitative—Clinitest HCG Pregnancy test from Siemens Medical Solutions USA, serum qualitative—Pregnancy HCG Rapid Test from Cardinal Health) and serum quantitative—is very low, especially given that both serum and urine specimens were affected, and interfering antibodies are not normally excreted into urine. Testing of the diluted sample showed results like the neat specimen which further excludes interferences in the quantitative reaction as well as a possible hook effect. Based on this we concluded that the results were accurate.Chart review showed that 6 months prior, she had another quantitative HCG test performed using the same instrumentation obtaining a value of 6.6 mIU/mL. At this time a transvaginal ultrasound excluded the presence of any masses or abnormal findings. FSH (47.8 mIU/ml) and LH (49.8 mIU/ml) were found to be within the perimenopausal range. Qualitative serum and urine test were found to be repeatedly positive, while the quantitative tests were within nonpregnancy range, over several months. Retrospective chart review of the other 6 cases revealed similar pattern. Pregnancy, certain tumors (gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, ovarian germ cell tumor), kidney failure and menopause will manifest with increased HCG production. In (peri)menopausal women the pituitary produces HCG up to 14 mIU/mL in association with increased levels of FSH. The qualitative tests were repeatedly positive over several months while the quantitative results remained unchanged, excluding the diagnosis of pregnancy or tumors, and supporting the conclusion that these results are menopause related. Results To avoid similar future incidents we added the following comment to the POC test results: “If the result does not fit the clinical picture, please repeat testing on a new sample collected 48–72 h later or order serum HCG quantitative” We also added for the quantitative HCG result, the following comment: “Peri- and postmenopausal patients may have increased HCG of pituitary origin up to 14 mIU/mL. If the result does not fit the clinical picture, FSH measurement can be used for additional information.” During the 12 months preceding the implementation of the comments we had 6 incidents of positive qualitative HCG results in non-pregnant (peri)menopausal patients brought for investigation, and none during the 24 months after that. Conclusion The addition of the interpretative comment as clinical decision support increased the efficiency of the medical service, staff engagement and most importantly, patient satisfaction and safety.

Adverse birth outcomes related to concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in maternal blood collected from pregnant women in 1960–1966

BackgroundPrior animal and epidemiological studies suggest that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure may be associated with reduced birth weight. However, results from prior studies evaluated a relatively small set of PFAS. ObjectivesDetermine associations of gestational PFAS concentrations in maternal serum samples banked for 60 years with birth outcomes. MethodsWe used data from 97 pregnant women from Boston and Providence that enrolled in the Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP) study (1960–1966). We quantified concentrations of 27 PFAS in maternal serum in pregnancy and measured infant weight, height and ponderal index at birth. Covariate-adjusted associations between 11 PFAS concentrations (>75% detection limits) and birth outcomes were estimated using linear regression methods. ResultsMedian concentrations of PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFOS were 6.189, 0.330, 14.432, and 38.170 ng/mL, respectively. We found that elevated PFAS concentrations during pregnancy were significantly associated with lower birth weight and ponderal index at birth, but no significant associations were found with birth length. Specifically, infants born to women with PFAS concentrations ≥ median levels had significantly lower birth weight (PFOS: β = −0.323, P = 0.006; PFHxS: β = −0.292, P = 0.015; PFOA: β = −0.233, P = 0.03; PFHpS: β = −0.239, P = 0.023; PFNA: β = −0.239, P = 0.017). Similarly, women with PFAS concentrations ≥ median levels had significantly lower ponderal index (PFHxS: β = −0.168, P = 0.020; PFHxA: β = −0.148, P = 0.018). ConclusionsUsing data from this US-based cohort study, we found that 1) maternal PFAS levels from the 1960s exceeded values in contemporaneous populations and 2) that gestational concentrations of certain PFAS were associated with lower birth weight and infant ponderal index. Additional studies with larger sample size are needed to further examine the associations of gestational exposure to individual PFAS and their mixtures with adverse birth outcomes.

Impact of two different rodent diets on maternal ethanol consumption, serum ethanol concentration and pregnancy outcome measures.

Recent studies report varying levels of ethanol consumption by rodents maintained on different commercially available laboratory diets. As varied ethanol consumption by dams may impact offspring outcome measures in prenatal ethanol exposure paradigms, we compared ethanol consumption by rats maintained on the Envigo 2920 diet, used in our vivarium, with an isocalorically equivalent PicoLab 5L0D diet used in some alcohol consumption studies. Compared to 5L0D diet, female rats maintained on 2920 diet consumed 14% less ethanol during daily 4-h drinking sessions prior to pregnancy and 28% less ethanol during gestation. Rat dams consuming 5L0D diet gained significantly less weight during pregnancy. However, their pup birth weights were significantly higher. A subsequent study revealed that hourly ethanol consumption was not different between diets during the first 2h, but was significantly lower on 2920 diet at the end of the third and fourth hours. The mean serum ethanol concentration in 5L0D dams after the first 2h of drinking was 46mg/dL compared to 25mg/dL in 2920dams. Further, ethanol consumption at the 2-h blood sampling time point was more variable in 2920dams compared to 5L0D dams. An invitro analysis mixing each powdered diet with 5% ethanol in acidified saline revealed that a 2920 diet suspension adsorbed more aqueous medium than the 5L0D diet suspension. The total ethanol remaining in aqueous supernatant of 5L0D mixtures was nearly twice the amount of ethanol in supernatants of the 2920 mixtures. These results suggest that the 2920 diet expands to a greater extent in aqueous medium than the 5L0D diet. We speculate that increasing adsorption of water and ethanol by the 2920 diet may reduce or delay the amount of ethanol absorbed and may decrease serum ethanol concentration to a greater extent than would be predicted from the amount of ethanol consumed.

Micro Rna 182-3-P, 519-D-5p, 378-3p As Non-Invasive Predictors Of Preeclampsia.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an emerging field of interest in many diseases. Some of the miRNAs have been reported to be expressed differentially in diseased states of pregnancy. The current study was designed to measure and compare the levels of microRNA 182-3-p, 519-d-5p, and 378-3p and it was hypothesized that the microRNA 182-3-p, 519-d-5p, and 378-3p can be used as a non-invasive predictor of preeclampsia. Expression level of the miRNAs 182-3-p, 519-d-5p, and 378-3p was measured in the serum of preeclamptic and normal pregnancies by real-time PCR. Data was entered and analysed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 22 (SPSS). Significantly high expression levels of MiRNA 182-3p, 519-d-5p and low levels of miR-378-3p were associated with preeclampsia (PE). The results revealed that miR-182-3p is a powerful predictor of PE with an Odds Ratio of 5.9 and can be used as a noninvasive, reliable predictor of PE to screen these patients at an early stage. Screening at early gestation with follow-up studies can emphasize the results.

Proximity hybridization regulated dual-mode ratiometric biosensor for estriol detection in pregnancy serum

Sensitive and accurate determination of estriol level is vastly significant for the fetal growth and development. Herein, we constructed a dual-mode ratiometric biosensor for estriol assay combining the competitive immunoreaction, proximity hybridization with a two-step resonance energy transfer (RET) strategy. Estriol antibody and goat anti-rabbit antibody labeled DNA probes (Ab1-DNA1-Pt NPs and Ab2-DNA2) both hybridized with silver nanoclusters labeled DNA strands (H1-Ag NCs). Thus, the formed proximity hybridization enabled the occurrence of fluorescence RET (FL-RET, as the primary RET) between Ag NCs (donor) and Pt NPs (acceptor), quenching FL intensity of Ag NCs (FL off). When target estriol existed, the competitive reaction of Ab1-DNA1-Pt NPs with estriol and Ab2-DNA2 avoided the proximity hybridization. Then, the estriol-dependent H1-Ag NCs quenched electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emission of CdS quantum dots (CdS QDs, ECL off), generating ECL-RET (as the second RET). Consequently, according to the reverse changes of FL and ECL responses, this sensor realized the quantification of estriol from 1 to 100 ng/mL. Moreover, satisfactory results were achieved while testing estriol in pregnancy serum specimens, suggesting that the system is promising for potential application in samples analysis.

Risk factors for low oocyte retrieval in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome undergoing in vitro fertilization

BackgroundThe number of oocytes retrieved does not always coincide with the number of follicles aspirated in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) treatment. Patients with high expectation of retrieval sometimes obtain few oocytes, which may be induced by improper operation or therapeutic factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution data of oocyte retrieval rate (ORR) and to explore the risk factors for low ORR in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing IVF/ICSI.MethodsA total of 2478 patients with PCOS undergoing IVF/ICSI were involved in this retrospective case-control study from March 2016 to October 2021. The oocyte retrieval rate was calculated as the ratio of the number of obtained oocytes to the number of follicles (≥ 12 mm) on the trigger day. Patients were divided into a low ORR and a normal ORR group with the boundary of one standard deviation from the mean value of ORR. The patient characteristics, treatment protocols, serum hormone levels, and embryonic and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed.ResultsThe ORR exhibited a non-normal distribution, with a median of 0.818. The incidence of complete empty follicle syndrome was 0.12% (3/2478). The proportion of patients in the low ORR group who received the progestin-primed protocol was significantly higher than that in the normal ORR group (30.30% vs. 17.69%). A logistic regression analysis showed that the serum estradiol level/follicle (≥ 12 mm) ratio (OR: 0.600 (0.545–0.661)) and progesterone level (OR: 0.783 (0.720–0.853)) on the trigger day were significant factors in the development of a low ORR, with optimal cutoff values of 172.85 pg/ml and 0.83 ng/ml, respectively, as determined by receiver operating curve. Fewer high-quality embryos (2 vs. 5) and more cycles with no available embryos (5.42% vs. 0.43%) were found in the low ORR group.ConclusionsFor patients with PCOS, low estradiol levels/follicles (≥ 12 mm) and progesterone levels on the trigger day and the use of the progestin-primed protocol could be risk factors for low ORR, which leads to a limited number of embryos and more cycle cancellations.

Serum IL-17 levels correlate with urinary albumin in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pregnant mice model

Women of reproductive age are more likely to have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which frequently results in health issues, particularly during pregnancy. A normal pregnancy's first trimester shows a marked increase in the percentage of Th17 cells, which then steadily declined in the second and third trimesters. Meanwhile, IL-17 level increases in SLE-affected pregnant women. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between serum IL-17 and pregnancy outcome (fetus weight, blood pressure, urinary albumin) in SLE pregnant animal models. Twenty mice were randomly divided into two groups, including the normal pregnant group and SLE-pregnant group. The SLE pregnant mice was made by intraperitoneally induction of 0.5 mL pristane. Serum IL-17 was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The serum IL-17 level, the blood pressure and urinary albumin were significantly higher in the SLE pregnant mice group than those of the normal pregnant group (p&lt; 0.05). The weight of fetus was significantly smaller in the group of SLE pregnant mice group than the normal pregnant group (p&lt; 0.05). There was a significantly positive correlation between the serum IL-17 level and urinary albumin (p = 0.042; r = 0.459). In conclusion, serum IL-17 levels correlate with urine albumin in SLE pregnant models, but do not correlate with fetus weight and blood pressure.