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Aim: A new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which is a worldwide pandemic virus, has caused numerous casualties. Studies are carried out on newborn babies of pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, and studies are in progress investigating vertical transmission. In our study, we planed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory results of newborn babies born from pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study was carried out at Konya Training and ResearchHospital, between April 2020 and August 2020. Newborn babies born from pregnant women, who were found to have SARS-CoV-2 infection with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), were included in the study. Complete blood count, biochemical profile, acute phase reactants, D-Dimer and ferritin values of pregnant women while they were infected with the SARSCoV-2 were recorded. Complete blood count, biochemical values and acute phase reactants of newborn babies as well as two SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test results, conducted 24-hours apart, were noted. Fourteen pregnant women and their newborns, who satisfy the requirements, were included in the study to the study group. As the control group, pregnant and newborns who did not have COVID-19 at the time of delivery. Results: Fourteen mothers and babies were included in the study group. Both SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR results of all newborn babies came back negative. Lymphocyte percentage and values of newborns were statistically higher compared to their mothers (p<0.05). At the time of hospitalization, the most common symptom was respiratory distress with 7 (50%) patients (There were no babies with respiratory distress in the control group). Looking at the diagnosis at the time of hospitalizations, 6 (42.9%) patients had transient tachypnea of neonates, 1 (7.1%) had early onset neonatal sepsis and 1 (7.1%) had hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Six healthy babies were hospitalized in the NICU due to their mothers' condition. The patient, who was followed up with a diagnosis of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, died due to her primary disease. Conclusion: In our study, we observed the absence of transplacental transmission from pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2 to their newborn babies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common cause of congenital infections in the newborn. CMV infection is a multisystem disease, which symptomatic infants generally present with intrauterine growth restriction, hepatosplenomegaly, cholestasis, rash, thrombocytopenia, and microcephaly. Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed for newborns who were diagnosed with congenital CMV infection at tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Turkey, between October 2012 and January 2015. Results: We identified eight cases with congenital CMV infection with an incidence of 0.15% among admitted neonates. Mean gestational age and birth weight of cases were 32.6 (±4.2) weeks and 1591 (±681) g respectively. Six (75%) cases were premature. The symptoms at presentation were as follows; thrombocytopenia, cholestatic hepatitis, blue-berry muffin rash, intracranial calcification, microcephaly, pneumonia, and bilateral cataract. Five cases were treated with ganciclovir. Three of them died in follow-up. Conclusion: Congenital CMV infection is an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Physicians should be aware of the preventive measures and postnatal interventions of congenital CMV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kavurt S, Özcan B, Aydemir Ö, Baş AY, Demirel N. (Department of Neonatology, Etlik Zubeyde Hanım Women's Health Teaching and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey). Fraser syndrome: a case report. Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Dergisi 2013; 56: 20-23. Fraser syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive malformation syndrome characterized by cryptophthalmos, syndactyly, and laryngeal and urogenital defects. The diagnosis of this syndrome can be made on clinical examination and occasionally on prenatal ultrasound. We report a newborn who presented with respiratory failure in the neonatal intensive care unit and was diagnosed as Fraser syndrome with clinical findings such as cryptophthalmos, syndactyly, anal atresia, and laryngeal atresia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate one-year structural outcomes of bedside diode laser photocoagulation with remifentanil analgesia for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and discuss clinical and demographic characteristics of infants and other possible risk factors that may affect the outcome. Materials and Methods: The medical records of premature infants who were treated with bedside transpupillary diode laser photocoagulation under remifentanil analgesia for ROP were evaluated for clinical and demographic characteristics, accompanying systemic risk factors, laser parameters, complications of treatment, retreatment rate and one-year structural outcomes. Results: One-hundred and ninety-five eyes of 99 infants (59 males, 40 females) were recruited for the study. The mean gestational age and birth weight were 27.4±2.3 weeks (23-34) and 1003.3±297.8 g (570-2250), respectively. Laser therapy was performed for high-risk prethreshold ROP in 66.2% of eyes, aggressive posterior ROP (APROP) in 15.4% and threshold ROP in 18.4%. The mean number of laser spots was 1510.4±842.1 per laser session. No adverse effects of laser photocoagulation were observed except small lens opacities in two eyes and corneal opacity in one eye. Retreatment was needed in only three eyes, and vitreoretinal surgery was needed in six eyes of six patients despite laser treatment. Anatomic outcome was favorable in 189 eyes (96.9%) at the end of a 1-year follow-up. Presence of dilated and tortuous iris vessels (p=0.002) and tunica vasculosa lentis (p=0.009) along with type of ROP (APROP and stage 4a ROP at initial presentation) (p = 0.001) were associated with poor anatomical outcome. Conclusion: Accurate and timely bedside transpupillary diode-laser photocoagulation under remifentanil analgesia is an effective and safe treatment modality for ROP, and may prevent vision-threatening retinal detachment and reduce the need for vitreoretinal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) is associated with abnormal fluid collections in fetal soft tissues and serous cavities due to nonimmunologic causes, it should be considered as a symptom, rather than a disorder. We aimed to investigate etiology and pathophysiology in cases with NIHF during a four-year time period. Methods: Eleven live-born infants with NIHF were evaluated retrospectively. Demographic data, laboratory values, and results of specified tests were recorded. Etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms were established. Results: The mean gestational age at birth was 32.8±2.6 weeks and the mean birth weight was 25451809 grams. All cases presented with edema and ascites. Chromosomal disorders (5/11) were the leading etiology. Pathophysiological mechanisms were observed as fetal hypotonia, fetal hypoxia, lymphatic disorders, hypoalbuminemia, early closure of ductus arteriosus, anemia, and right-sided heart failure. Mortality was 72%. Conclusion: In the presented study NIHF occurred as a symptom which was presented in various conditions based on different mechanisms. Evaluations made in infants with NIHF should aim both diagnosis of the condition as well as finding out the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Mortality rate in infants with NIHF is high even though the improvements in neonatal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Recent studies have suggested a direct contribution of nicotine − the addictive component of tobacco and tobacco smoke − to human carcinogenesis, and it remains the most common harmful substance to which pregnant women are exposed. Also, it has deleterious effects on the fetus. The sperm of smoking fathers and newborns of smoking mothers have elevated frequencies of chromosome translocations and DNA strand breaks. Objective: We tried to understand the genotoxic effect of nicotine in pregnancies of active or passive smoking mothers. For this reason, we provide the evidence that nicotine exposure in vitro has detrimental effects on fetal cells. Materials and methods: We examined the effect of nicotine sulphate on amniotic cells by designing an experimental setting consisting fetal cells grown in nicotine containing medium (25 ng/mL) in study group and fetal cells grown in control medium, which did not contain nicotine. Results: According to our findings, there is a significant difference of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) between nicotine containing medium grown cells and control medium grown cells, determined by the χ2 test ( P <0.001). We found CAs in 21.5% of cells analyzed. The 19.4% of the all cells had numerical aberrations. Chromosomes 21, 22, 8, 15 and 20 related numerical abnormalities were found to be the most frequent numerical abnormalities. Conclusion: Results of this study confirm that the nicotine leads to significant direct genotoxic effects in human fetal cells in vitro. We speculate that there is an association between prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke and in utero aneuploidies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]