Dataset Information

Holding a baby after stillbirth: the impact of fetal congenital and structural abnormalities.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Stillbirth can result in numerous adverse psychosocial sequelae. Recommendations vary with regard to holding the baby after a stillbirth. Few studies have addressed the impact of fetal abnormalities on these outcomes.

Study design

Analyses of singleton stillbirths within the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network were conducted. Patient and stillbirth characteristics were compared between those who did and did not hold their baby. Results from psychometric surveys were compared between cases with and without visible fetal anomalies.

Result

There were no significant differences between those who held and those who did not hold in any patient or stillborn characteristics. Visible fetal abnormalities were not associated with adverse psychological outcomes.

Conclusion

Fetal abnormalities, including congenital and post-demise changes, do not differ between those who held and did not hold their baby after stillbirth. This suggests that patients should not be discouraged from holding their stillborn infant in the presence of visible abnormalities.

SUBMITTER: Cersonsky TEK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9362406 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Holding a baby after stillbirth: the impact of fetal congenital and structural abnormalities.

Cersonsky Tess E K TEK Pinar Halit H Silver Robert M RM Goldenberg Robert L RL Dudley Donald J DJ Saade George R GR Reddy Uma M UM

Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association 20220805 6

<h4>Objective</h4>Stillbirth can result in numerous adverse psychosocial sequelae. Recommendations vary with regard to holding the baby after a stillbirth. Few studies have addressed the impact of fetal abnormalities on these outcomes.<h4>Study design</h4>Analyses of singleton stillbirths within the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network were conducted. Patient and stillbirth characteristics were compared between those who did and did not hold their baby. Results from psychometric surveys wer ...[more]

PMID: 35931797

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundWorldwide, stillbirth is one of the leading causes of death. Altered fetal growth and placental abnormalities are the strongest and most prevalent known risk factors for stillbirth. The aim of this study was to identify patterns of association between placental abnormalities, fetal growth, and stillbirth.Methods and findingsPopulation-based case-control study of all stillbirths and a representative sample of live births in 59 hospitals in 5 geographic areas in the U.S. Fetal growth abnormalities were categorized as small (<10th percentile) and large (>90th percentile) for gestational age at death (stillbirth) or delivery (live birth) using a published algorithm. Placental examination by perinatal pathologists was performed using a standardized protocol. Data were weighted to account for the sampling design. Among 319 singleton stillbirths and 1119 singleton live births at ≥24 weeks at death or delivery respectively, 25 placental findings were investigated. Fifteen findings were significantly associated with stillbirth. Ten of the 15 were also associated with fetal growth abnormalities (single umbilical artery; velamentous insertion; terminal villous immaturity; retroplacental hematoma; parenchymal infarction; intraparenchymal thrombus; avascular villi; placental edema; placental weight; ratio birth weight/placental weight) while 5 of the 15 associated with stillbirth were not associated with fetal growth abnormalities (acute chorioamnionitis of placental membranes; acute chorioamionitis of chorionic plate; chorionic plate vascular degenerative changes; perivillous, intervillous fibrin, fibrinoid deposition; fetal vascular thrombi in the chorionic plate). Five patterns were observed: placental findings associated with (1) stillbirth but not fetal growth abnormalities; (2) fetal growth abnormalities in stillbirths only; (3) fetal growth abnormalities in live births only; (4) fetal growth abnormalities in stillbirths and live births in a similar manner; (5) a different pattern of fetal growth abnormalities in stillbirths and live births.ConclusionsThe patterns of association between placental abnormalities, fetal growth, and stillbirth provide insights into the mechanism of impaired placental function and stillbirth. They also suggest implications for clinical care, especially for placental findings amenable to prenatal diagnosis using ultrasound that may be associated with term stillbirths.

Project description:ObjectiveUmbilical cord abnormalities are commonly cited as a cause of stillbirth, but details regarding these stillbirths are rare. Our objective was to characterize stillbirths associated with umbilical cord abnormalities using rigorous criteria and to examine associated risk factors.MethodsThe Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network conducted a case-control study of stillbirth and live births from 2006 to 2008. We analyzed stillbirths that underwent complete fetal and placental evaluations and cause of death analysis using the INCODE (Initial Causes of Fetal Death) classification system. Umbilical cord abnormality was defined as cord entrapment (defined as nuchal, body, shoulder cord accompanied by evidence of cord occlusion on pathologic examination); knots, torsions, or strictures with thrombi, or other obstruction by pathologic examination; cord prolapse; vasa previa; and compromised fetal microcirculation, which is defined as a histopathologic finding that represents objective evidence of vascular obstruction and can be used to indirectly confirm umbilical cord abnormalities when suspected as a cause for stillbirth. We compared demographic and clinical factors between women with stillbirths associated with umbilical cord abnormalities and those associated with other causes, as well as with live births. Secondarily, we analyzed the subset of pregnancies with a low umbilical cord index.ResultsOf 496 stillbirths with complete cause of death analysis by INCODE, 94 (19%, 95% CI 16-23%) were associated with umbilical cord abnormality. Forty-five (48%) had compromised fetal microcirculation, 27 (29%) had cord entrapment, 26 (27%) knots, torsions, or stricture, and five (5%) had cord prolapse. No cases of vasa previa occurred. With few exceptions, maternal characteristics were similar between umbilical cord abnormality stillbirths and non-umbilical cord abnormality stillbirths and between umbilical cord abnormality stillbirths and live births, including among a subanalysis of those with hypo-coiled umbilical cords.ConclusionUmbilical cord abnormalities are an important risk factor for stillbirth, accounting for 19% of cases, even when using rigorous criteria. Few specific maternal and clinical characteristics were associated with risk.

Project description:BackgroundTo explore the significance of multiple ultrasonic soft indexes such as Nuchal translucency (NT) in detection of cardiac structural malformations and chromosome abnormalities in fetal systematic screening in the first trimester, and to understand the value of combined transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) in congenital heart disease (CHD) screening.MethodsA total of 3,356 pregnant women who underwent early NT screening were screened by systematic ultrasound to monitor and evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of NT, tricuspid valve (TV), ductus venosus (DV) in the diagnosis of fetal CHD. According to the different intervals of NT thickening, the patients were divided into four groups, the detection rates of CHD and abnormal karyotypes in each group were compared, and the consistency of transabdominal and combined transvaginal ultrasonography was compared.ResultsA total of 3,356 cases of early pregnancy were examined by NT. A total of 66 cases of CHD were detected, and the detection rate was 1.97%. Among the 66 CHD cases, 14 cases underwent chromosome karyotype examination and 12 of those cases had abnormal results. With the increase of NT thickness, the detection rates of cardiac structural abnormalities and chromosomal abnormalities all showed a linear increasing trend. The sensitivity of the NT ≥2.5 mm group was as high as 63.64%, and the ductus venosus α wave (DVα) reverse specificity, and the positive likelihood ratio was 99.57% and 53.41%, respectively. The sensitivity of the 3 indicators combined was 66.67%, which was higher than that of any single index, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of these 3 indicators combined was the largest (AUC: 0.86). 4. Seventy patients in total were examined by combined TVUS. There is no statistical difference between the two.ConclusionsA positive linear correlation was found between NT thickness and the detection rate of fetal cardiac structural abnormality and chromosome abnormality. Early pregnancy NT screening combined with TV blood flow spectrum and DV blood spectrum screenings has high specificity and sensitivity in the diagnosis of CHD. Combined transabdominal and TVUS in early pregnancy can reduce the rates of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of fetal CHD.

Project description:BackgroundGenetic abnormalities have been associated with 6 to 13% of stillbirths, but the true prevalence may be higher. Unlike karyotype analysis, microarray analysis does not require live cells, and it detects small deletions and duplications called copy-number variants.MethodsThe Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network conducted a population-based study of stillbirth in five geographic catchment areas. Standardized postmortem examinations and karyotype analyses were performed. A single-nucleotide polymorphism array was used to detect copy-number variants of at least 500 kb in placental or fetal tissue. Variants that were not identified in any of three databases of apparently unaffected persons were then classified into three groups: probably benign, clinical significance unknown, or pathogenic. We compared the results of karyotype and microarray analyses of samples obtained after delivery.ResultsIn our analysis of samples from 532 stillbirths, microarray analysis yielded results more often than did karyotype analysis (87.4% vs. 70.5%, P<0.001) and provided better detection of genetic abnormalities (aneuploidy or pathogenic copy-number variants, 8.3% vs. 5.8%; P=0.007). Microarray analysis also identified more genetic abnormalities among 443 antepartum stillbirths (8.8% vs. 6.5%, P=0.02) and 67 stillbirths with congenital anomalies (29.9% vs. 19.4%, P=0.008). As compared with karyotype analysis, microarray analysis provided a relative increase in the diagnosis of genetic abnormalities of 41.9% in all stillbirths, 34.5% in antepartum stillbirths, and 53.8% in stillbirths with anomalies.ConclusionsMicroarray analysis is more likely than karyotype analysis to provide a genetic diagnosis, primarily because of its success with nonviable tissue, and is especially valuable in analyses of stillbirths with congenital anomalies or in cases in which karyotype results cannot be obtained. (Funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.).

Dataset Information

Holding a baby after stillbirth: the impact of fetal congenital and structural abnormalities.

Objective

Study design

Result

Conclusion

Publications

Holding a baby after stillbirth: the impact of fetal congenital and structural abnormalities.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets