Preeclampsia is a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The incidence of preeclampsia has increased in the past decade, which has been attributed to various predisposing factors. Despite decades of research into the condition, the ability of clinicians to predict it prior to the onset of symptoms has not improved significantly. No single screening test has gained widespread acceptance into clinical practice. Combinations of biochemical and ultrasonographic markers improve the performance of early prediction of preeclampsia. Screening with a combination of maternal risk factors, uterine artery Doppler, mean arterial pressure, maternal serum pregnancy associated plasma protein-A, and placental growth factor can identify about 95% of cases of early onset preeclampsia. Interestingly, intense research has unveiled the names of some important biomolecules which play an inf...

Pregnancy is a challenge to the maternal vascular system, requiring systemic adaptation and pronounced local changes in the uterus. The maternal cardiovascular adaptation to pregnancy involves a complex physiologic response to the presence of the growing fetus, including alterations in maternal vascular endothelial cells that contribute to a profound fall in total systemic vascular resistance. The discovery of endothelial progenitor cells has generated considerable interest in the field of vascular biology. These cells can be mobilized into the circulation by growth factors and can then support the health of the vascular endothelium by several mechanisms. These cells arise from a population of circulating mononuclear cells and have the capacity to form new blood vessels and contribute to vascular repair. Diseases of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, increase the risk of complications and ...

Multiple pregnancies, most of which are twins, have a substantially increased risk of fetal morbidity and mortality compared to single pregnancies. The fetal death of one of the twins in monochorionic twin pregnancies is more frequent than in twin dichorionic pregnancies. Intrauterine fetal death occurs in 1-7% of all twin pregnancies and greatly increases the rate of complications of the surviving twin including fetal loss, preterm birth, and end organ damage. The gestational age at which intrauterine fetal death occurs and the chorionicity of the multiple pregnancy are the two most important factors when considering the risks of the surviving twin. The morbidity and mortality of these pregnancies may decrease with risk identification and intensive prenatal surveillance. Monochorionic pregnancies are more difficult to manage, and often pregnancies are interrupted at 34-36 weeks. Dichori...

Pregnancy is a favorable condition for the formation and growth of thyroid cancer, since the iodine balance can be negative in addition to increasing the production of hormones with thyroid stimulating activity. Most of the cancers found during pregnancy are differentiated thyroid cancers with an excellent prognosis. Those cases diagnosed during the first trimester can be removed by surgery. Thyroidectomy can be safely performed in the second trimester of pregnancy or delayed to the postpartum period, depending on gestational age. The patient should receive levothyroxine at a dose sufficient to keep serum thyroid-stimulating hormone levels low. Serum thyroglobulin is a valuable noninvasive method for evaluating the effects of this treatment. The purpose of this review is to establish the management of thyroid cancer during pregnancy.

Objective: To compare the uterocervical angle with the cervical length in the prediction of impending preterm delivery in symptomatic patients. Design: Case-control study. Institution: Central Hospital “Dr. Urquinaona”, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Participants: Patients with preterm delivery within 7 days (group A) and pregnant women with preterm delivery beyond 7 days (group B). Methods: At the time of diagnosis, the patients were evaluated using transvaginal ultrasound and were followed until delivery. Main outcome measures: General characteristics, uterocervical angle, cervical length, impending preterm delivery, and prognostic efficacy. Results: 326 patients were included, 75 women presented impending preterm delivery (group A) and 251 patients were considered as controls (group B). The patients in group A had significantly higher values of the uterocervical angle and lower cervical le...

Combination of postpartum spontaneous pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema is a very rare event that mainly occurs during the second stage of labor. Symptoms usually appear during the immediate postpartum period and include acute chest pain, shortness of breath, neck swelling and subcutaneous emphysema. These symptoms may mimic fatal conditions. It is a benign clinical situation and the symptoms generally resolve spontaneously without long-term consequences. Chest X-ray is the most important diagnostic test although normal results do not rule out the diagnosis. We present the case of a 20-year-old primiparous pregnant woman with pleuritic chest pain and swelling in neck and face during the immediate puerperium. She had subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum without significant cardiorespiratory compromise. Chest X-ray and computed tomography scan confirmed the findings. The...

Cancer during pregnancy occurs in 0.07% to 0.1% of all pregnancies. Due to the marked increase in maternal age at delivery, the incidence of malignant tumors diagnosed during pregnancy has increased. Although it is a rare condition, it must be identified and treated immediately, since pregnancy can produce conflicts for maternal treatment and optimal fetal development. The most common cancers during pregnancy are breast, cervical, melanoma, leukemia and lymphoma. However, there are less frequently reported cases of the pancreas, kidney, adrenal glands, bladder, lung, hepatobiliary, vulva, and central nervous system. Lack of experience and knowledge could lead to late diagnosis, imprecise treatment, and maternal-fetal complications. Cancer treatment strategies during pregnancy should not differ significantly from treatment regimens in non-pregnant women. The decision about the initiation ...

Cervical cancer is a frequent malignancy of women that spreads to lungs, supraclavicular lymph nodes, liver, and bones as distant metastasis. Prognosis is poor and survival varies from 3 to 6 months. We report the case of a 67-yearold woman with history of squamous cell carcinoma of cervix stage IIB 5 years ago treated with surgery plus radio-chemotherapy who presented walking impairment, headache and vomiting. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple lesions with increasing perilesional edema, T1-hypointense and T2-hyperintense. The patient died one week after the diagnosis. Necropsy findings showed poorly differentiated carcinoma of cervical origin.

Hyperreactio luteinalis is a rare entity of pregnancy characterized by bilateral and functional enlargement of the ovaries that present thin-walled cysts. Several hypotheses suggest it is caused by increased concentrations or ovarian sensitivity to chorionic gonadotropin. Many cases do not present symptoms or complications during pregnancy, and diagnosis is done accidentally by routine ultrasound. This rare benign condition is usually self-limited and resolves spontaneously following delivery. However, some have to be differentiated from malignant ovarian tumors by histological examination. Surgery is indicated when there are complications such as ovarian torsion or peritonitis due to hemorrhage or rupture. We present a case of hyperreactio luteinalis during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is a rare, benign chronic disease. Its etiology is not clear; however, the disease has been associated with breastfeeding, use of oral contraceptives, and an autoimmune component. The characteristic presentation is an inflammatory reaction with non-caseating granulomas. Histological features include signs of chronic granulomatous inflammation with giant cells, leukocytes, epithelioid cells, and macrophages, as well as microabscesses. In the differential diagnosis, all causes of granulomatous changes should be excluded. Due to its low frequency, the treatment is difficult to standardize and optimize. We present the case of a 36-year-old woman with a painful nodule in the right breast. Clinical presentation and imaging raised suspicion of carcinoma. Histopathology revealed acute and chronic inflammation, infiltration of macrophages and giant perivascular h...

Cancer during pregnancy has increased due to delayed motherhood and the known occurrence of age-dependent malignant tumors. With the increase in colorectal cancer diagnosed in young adults, the number of cases during pregnancy is likely to increase. Colorectal cancer is one of the 3 most common types of cancer in women, but the occurrence during pregnancy is rare and is associated with a large number of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges since the diagnosis is usually made in advanced stages. Besides, early diagnosis is difficult because the signs/symptoms (vomiting, constipation, anemia, rectorrhagia, pain and bloating) can simulate those observed during pregnancy. After diagnosis, the therapeutic plan must be established immediately, according to gestational age, by a multidisciplinary medical team. Doctors who care for pregnant women with colorectal cancer face two problems: the ne...

Atrial myxomas may cause serious disability in pregnant women. Clinical features depend on location, size and mobility. Embolism, intracardiac obstruction and constitutional symptoms may be the initial presentation. Surgical excision is the definitive treatment. Only twenty cases have been previously published. We report a case of a cardiac myxoma in a pregnant patient who attended the cardiology service at 29 weeks of gestation where the echocardiogram revealed a mass in the left atrium. Elective caesarean section was performed at 34 weeks. Five days later, cardiopulmonary bypass surgery and excision of myxoma five days later. This potentially life-threatening condition highlights the importance of considering of rare medical problems presenting during pregnancy.

Paraganglioma is an extra-adrenal neuroendocrine neoplasia derived from neural crest precursors that arise in association with autonomic ganglia. Also called extraadrenal pheochromocytomas, these tumors are defined by their anatomical site and whether they are hormonally functional. Paragangliomas are rare neoplasms of the female genital tract and may be located in the ovaries, uterus or cervix. Those that appear in the vulvovaginal region are extremely rare. Clinical manifestations depend on unregulated catecholamine secretion and location. Diagnosis is based on morphological and immunohistochemical findings. Surgical resection is the primary treatment for this tumor as it does not respond to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Due to its low frequency and nonspecific symptomatology, diagnosis may be difficult. We present a case of primary vulvovaginal paraganglioma.

Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor of the skin that usually appears in the head and neck region. Its clinical course is aggressive and local recurrences - distant metastases are common. Some cases of sebaceous carcinoma of the female genital tract have been reported. Although sebaceous glands are prominent in the vulva, sebaceous carcinomas rarely occur in this location. Little is known about the behavior and prognosis of this type of cancer. We present a case of a 69-year-old patient with a history of a 3 x 2-centimeter tumor for 9 months in the left labium majus. She had no medical or family history of malignant neoplasms. Increases in size was observed during this period, but otherwise, she was asymptomatic. Lesion was completely excised. The tumor was composed of lobes of tumor cells with sebaceous differentiation. Histopathological report revealed vulvar sebaceous carcino...

Objective: To compare serum brain natriuretic peptide concentrations in preeclamptic patients and healthy normotensive pregnant women. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Hospital Central “Dr. Urquinaona”, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Participants: A total of 180 patients were selected. Ninety preeclamptic patients were selected as the study group (group A) and 90 healthy normotensive pregnant women with the same age and body mass index as the study group were selected as controls (group B). Methods: Blood samples were extracted from all patients before labor and immediately after diagnosis in group A to determine serum cerebral natriuretic peptide concentrations. Main outcome results: General characteristics, serum brain natriuretic peptide concentrations and diagnostic efficacy. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in serum brain natriuretic peptide concentrations be...

The success of pregnancy is associated with a correct placentation that is essential for the growth and development of the fetus. In a normal pregnancy, the syncytiotrophoblast produces and secretes a variety of elements necessary to achieve this goal, among them placental exosomes. These carry cytoplasmic and membrane-bound proteins and nucleic acids that can reprogram the receptor cells. Depending on their interactions with the immune system, they can be divided into immunostimulants or immunosuppressants. The production and secretion of immunosuppressive placental exosomes causes a protective effect on the fetalplacental unit. Those isolated from maternal plasma are active in vitro and are incorporated into the target cells by endocytosis. Their effect, regulated by factors that include oxygen tension, correlates with placental perfusion. Preeclampsia is a syndrome characterized by a ...

Müllerianosis is an embryonal disease of the müllerian or paramesonephric ducts, consists in the mixture of two or more types of tissues and results in the formation of adenomyosis, endometriosis, endosalpingiosis, and endocervicosis. It most often affects the urinary bladder in women of childbearing age. Müllerianosis of the cervix is a very rare benign condition, with few reported cases. The exact pathogenesis remains a matter of debate. There are several theories on its etiology; the main two are the implantation and metaplastic theories. Symptoms range from absent to pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea. It generally appears as a cystic tumor with glands of different sizes lined by endometrial, endocervical, or tubal epithelium. This lesion could be confused with other benign, premalignant, or even malignant lesions, and histopathological confirmation is necessary. Because it is a benign ...

Ovarian steroid cell tumors are classified into stromal luteoma, Leydig cell tumor and steroid cell tumor not otherwise specified, according to their embryonal origin. Ovarian steroid cell tumor not otherwise specified is a rare benign tumor, but with malignant potential; it accounts for less than 0.1% of all ovarian tumors. They should be considered as a cause of virilization in adult women due to testosterone production. Only a female fetus is at risk of virilization. Like other ovarian stromal tumors, the tumors must be treated surgically. Surgery is indicated in cases of solid unilateral ovarian enlargement, due to a 50% chance of malignancy. In pregnancy, ovarian steroid cell tumors not otherwise specified are exceptionally rare and should be differentiated from luteoma of pregnancy and other malignant ovarian neoplasms. More frequently they may be complicated by rupture and/or tors...

Pelvic fractures, either traumatic or atraumatic, are relatively rare and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of low back pain in women. Pelvic stress fractures related to pregnancy are even rarer and poorly understood phenomena that pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. These fractures are caused by insufficiency or fatigue. Those that result from bone insufficiency occur when normal stress is placed upon bone with decreased mineralization and elastic resistance. Those caused by fatigue occur when abnormal forces are applied to normal bone. Pregnancy and lactation are risk factors for pelvic stress fracture. Most cases occur postpartum and few cases during the third trimester. Pelvic fracture should be considered in pregnant women with severe back pain of insidious onset before or after delivery, usually in the absence of trauma. Plain films of the pelvis are often ...

Postpartum hemorrhage can be a life-threatening condition. Successful approaches have been described using uterine compression sutures to control postpartum hemorrhage, in some cases by a combination of techniques. Procedures to reduce blood loss consist of uterine massage, medical treatment, uterine tamponade and hysterectomy. The uterine compression suture, or B-Lynch technique, has been proposed to control postpartum hemorrhage in such cases of uterine atony, preserving fertility. Although report of complications of this procedure is scarce, the appearance of necrosis, pyometra, uterine rupture and, more recently, exaggerated and abnormal invasion of the placenta (placenta accreta) in a subsequent pregnancy has been described. It is necessary to inform patients on potential complications of the procedure and the need of postoperative follow-up to confirm their absence. We present a ca...