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Purpose: In the United States (US), deaths during pregnancy and childbirth have increased over the past 2 decades compared to other high-income countries, and there have been reports that racial disparities in maternal mortality have widened. The study objective was to examine recent trends in maternal mortality in the US by race. Methods: Our population-based cross-sectional study used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2000–2019 "Birth Data" and "Mortality Multiple Cause" data files from the US to calculate maternal mortality during pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium across race. Logistic regression models estimated the effects of race on the risk of maternal mortality and examined temporal changes in risk across race. Results: A total of 21,241 women died during pregnancy and childbirth, with 65.5% caused by obstetrical complications and 34.5% by non-obstetrical causes. Black women, compared with White women, had greater risk of maternal mortality (OR 2.13, 95% CI 2.06–2.20), as did American Indian women (2.02, 1.83–2.24). Overall maternal mortality risk increased during the 20-year study period, with an annual increase of 2.4 and 4.7/100,000 among Black and American Indian women, respectively. Conclusions: Between 2000 and 2019, maternal mortality in the US increased, overall and especially in American Indian and Black women. Targeted public health interventions to improve maternal health outcomes should become a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Vulvodynia and vaginismus are common chronic vulvar pain disorders for which there is a paucity of literature on pregnancy outcomes of affected women. The study objective was to evaluate the associations between vulvodynia and vaginismus and obstetric outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study including all birth-related admissions from 1999 to October 2015 extracted from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample from the United States. Women with vulvodynia or vaginismus were identified using the appropriate ICD-9 codes. Multivariate logistic regression models, adjusted for baseline maternal characteristics, were performed to evaluate the effect of vulvodynia and vaginismus on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. Results: A total of 879 obstetrical patients with vulvodynia or vaginismus were identified in our cohort of 13,792,544 patients admitted for delivery in US hospitals between 1999 and 2015, leading to an overall prevalence of 6 cases per 100,000 births. Between 1999 and 2015, the annual prevalence of vulvodynia or vaginismus rose from 2 to 16 cases per 100,000. Vulvodynia and vaginismus were associated with increased risks of eclampsia, chorioamnionitis, post-term pregnancy, cesarean delivery, instrumental vaginal delivery, blood transfusions, prolonged hospital stays, congenital anomalies and intrauterine growth restriction. Conclusion: Vulvodynia and vaginismus in pregnancy appears underreported in pregnancy compared to reported population rates. Prevalence of reporting seems to have increased in the last decades and is associated with increased risks of maternal and newborn morbidities. Obstetrical caregivers should be aware of the underreporting of these conditions and the associated adverse effects when counseling obstetrical patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With improvement in cancer care and fertility preservation, increasing numbers of cancer survivors are requiring obstetrical care. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of history of chemotherapy exposure on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Methods: A retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) to obtain data on maternal and newborn outcomes in a cohort of births occurring between the years 2006 and 2015. The annual and overall prevalence of chemotherapy exposure was calculated among pregnant women, and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect of history of exposure to chemotherapy on the risk of adverse maternal and newborn outcomes. Results: Of 7,907,139 birth admissions, 613 had a history of chemotherapy exposure for an overall incidence of 7.75 per 100,000 admissions. The prevalence of chemotherapy exposure in pregnancy increased during the study period (P < 0.001). Women with a history of chemotherapy were more likely to suffer from obstetric and medical complications including pre-eclampsia, chorioamnionitis, postpartum hemorrhage, and venous thromboembolism as well as an increased risk in overall mortality (OR 9.39, 95% CI 1.31–67.32). No differences were observed in the incidence of adverse neonatal outcomes, including stillbirth, intra-uterine growth restriction, or preterm birth. Conclusion: Women with history of chemotherapy have higher incidence of pregnancy complications and maternal death, with no differences in fetal or newborn outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. We conducted a cohort study comparing prepregnant BMI categories with obstetrical and neonatal outcomes using the McGill Obstetrical and Neonatal Database on all deliveries in 10 year period (1987–1997). Prepregnant BMI was categorized into underweight (<20), normal (20–24.9), overweight (25–29.9), obese (30–39.9), and morbidly obese (40+). Logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for age, smoking, parity, and preexisting diabetes using normal BMI as the reference. The population consisted of underweight 4,312 (23.1%), normal weight 10,021 (53.8%), overweight 3,069 (16.5%), obese 1,137 (6.1%), and morbidly obese 104 (0.6%). As compared to women with normal BMIs, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese women had an increased risk of preeclampsia 2.28 (1.88–2.77), 4.65 (3.71–5.83), 6.26 (3.48–11.26); gestational hypertension 1.56 (1.35–1.81), 2.01 (1.64–2.45), 2.77 (1.60–4.78); gestational diabetes 1.89 (1.63–2.19), 3.22 (2.68–3.87), 4.71 (2.89–7.67); preterm birth 1.20 (1.04–1.38), 1.60 (1.32–1.94), 2.43 (1.46–4.05); cesarean section 1.48 (1.35–1.62), 1.85 (1.62–2.11), 2.92 (1.97–4.34); and macrosomia 1.66 (1.23–2.24), 2.32 (1.58–3.41), 2.10 (0.64–6.86). Underweight women were less likely to have: preeclampsia 0.67 (0.52–0.86), gestational hypertension 0.71 (0.60–0.83), gestational diabetes 0.82 (0.69–0.97), cesarean section 0.89 (0.81–0.97), shoulder dystocia 0.88 (0.80–0.96), birth injuries 0.40 (0.21–0.77), and macrosomia 0.43 (0.28–0.68) but more likely to have small for gestational age infants 1.54 (1.37–1.72) and intrauterine growth restricted infants 1.33 (1.07–1.67). In a large Canadian teaching hospital, increasing prepregnancy BMI category was associated with an increasing risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Underweight prepregnancy BMI was associated with a reduced risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), particularly those with suspected chorioamnionitis, the benefit of tocolysis on neonatal outcome remains unclear. Our purpose was to evaluate the effect of tocolysis on neonatal septic death in women with PPROM with and without chorioamnionitis.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was used to address our study objective. We created a cohort consisting of all live births between 24 and 32 weeks' gestation that were registered in the Linked Birth and Infant Death data files (2009-2013) from the United States. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of tocolysis on neonatal septic death at 7 and 28 days in births with and without chorioamnionitis.Results: Of the 46,968 births that met our inclusion criteria, tocolysis was administered to 6264 (13.3%). Tocolysis was more commonly prescribed to Caucasians, smokers, in multiple birth pregnancies, and to women with a history of preterm births. Tocolysis was not significantly associated with neonatal septic death at 7 days (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.39-1.13) or at 28 days (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.60-1.19). This was consistent in pregnancies with and without chorioamnionitis. Furthermore, tocolysis was associated with a reduced risk of neonatal septic death at 7 days when administered between 24 and 27 weeks' gestation (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22-0.88).Conclusions: In the setting of PPROM, tocolysis does not appear to increase the risk of neonatal septic death at 7 and 28 days. Therefore, consideration should be given to its administration if clinically indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify risk factors associated with bladder injury during cesarean delivery, and to determine the frequency of associated morbidities. Methods: Data obtained from the United States' Health Care Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample were used to conduct a retrospective population-wide cohort study. ICD-9 codes were used to identify women who underwent a cesarean delivery between 1999 and 2015. Subsequently, women were classified based on whether or not they experienced a bladder injury during delivery. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of bladder injury in cesarean deliveries and to examine the associated morbidities while adjusting for baseline maternal demographics and clinical characteristics. Results: Of 4,169,681 cesarean deliveries identified, there were 7,627 (0.2%) bladder injuries for an overall incidence of 18 per 10,000. Women ≥ 35 years were at greater risk of bladder injury 1.5 (1.4–1.6), as were women with endometriosis 2.0 (1.5–2.7) and Crohn's disease 2.7 (1.7–4.2). Risk of bladder injury increased if the cesarean delivery was associated with placenta previa 2.2 (1.9–2.4), previous cesarean delivery 4.3 (4.1–4.6), failed instrumental delivery 4.1 (3.5–4.8), fetal distress 1.7 (1.6–1.8), failed trial of labor after cesarean delivery 1.3 (1.2–1.4), and labor dystocia 1.7 (1.6–1.8). Cesarean hysterectomies presented the greatest risk for bladder injury 37.0 (33.7–40.6). Bladder injury was associated with an increased frequency of sepsis, venous thromboembolism, peritonitis, blood transfusions and longer hospital stays. Conclusion: Bladder injury during cesarean deliveries is a rare outcome but it is more common among women with certain demographic and clinical characteristics. Among these cases, strategies to prevent sepsis and venous thromboembolism should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare patient characteristics and obstetrical/neonatal outcomes of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and spontaneously conceived pregnancies.Methods: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we conducted a retrospective cohort study from 2008 to 2011 comparing IVF conceptions to spontaneous ones. Patient characteristics were descriptively compared, and after adjusting for baseline characteristics with logistic regression, obstetrical/neonatal outcomes were also compared.Results: Among 3,315,764 pregnancies, 5773 (0.17%) were a result of IVF. These patients were more often older, wealthier, Caucasian, non-smokers, and more likely to carry a higher order pregnancy. IVF was strongly associated with pre-eclampsia (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.32-1.62), gestational diabetes (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.17-1.38), antepartum hemorrhage (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.79-2.32), placenta previa (OR 3.14, 95% CI 2.71-3.64), pre-term premature rupture of membranes (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.30-1.70), chorioamnionitis (OR 1.52, 1.29-1.79), and cesarean section (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.51-1.70). There was a significantly increased risk of post-partum hemorrhage (OR 2.95, 95% CI 2.29-3.80) and hysterectomy (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.12-2.69), as well as disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.24-3.99), transfusion (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.53-2.07), prolonged hospitalization (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.80-2.14), intrauterine growth restriction (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.63-2.02), and pre-term birth (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.22-1.41).Conclusion: IVF is still primarily used by only a subset of the population, and is associated with increased obstetrical and perinatal morbidity and mortality. These patients may benefit from more vigilant antenatal surveillance and delivery in a tertiary care center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the United States, an estimated 8500 HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) positive women gave birth in 2014. This rate appears to be increasing annually. Our objective is to examine obstetrical outcomes of pregnancy among HIV-positive women.Methods: A population-based cohort study was conducted using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (2003-2011) from the United States. Pregnant HIV-positive women were identified and compared to pregnant women without HIV. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted effect of HIV status on obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.Results: Among 7,772,999 births over the study period, 1997 were in HIV-positive women (an incidence of 25.7/100,000 births). HIV-infected patients had greater frequency of pre-existing diabetes and chronic hypertension, and use of cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol during pregnancy (p < 0.001). Upon adjustment for baseline characteristics, HIV-infected women had greater likelihood of antenatal complications: preterm premature rupture of membranes (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.14-1.60) and urinary tract infections (OR 3.02, 95% CI 2.40-3.81). Delivery and postpartum complications were also increased among HIV-infected women: cesarean delivery (OR 3.06, 95% CI 2.79-3.36), postpartum sepsis (OR 8.05, 95% CI 5.44-11.90), venous thromboembolism (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.46-3.33), blood transfusions (OR 3.67, 95% CI 3.01-4.49), postpartum infection (OR 3.00, 95% CI 2.37-3.80), and maternal mortality (OR 21.52, 95% CI 12.96-35.72). Neonates born to these mothers were at higher risk of prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction.Conclusion: Pregnancy in HIV-infected women is associated with adverse maternal and newborn complications. Pregnant HIV-positive women should be followed in high-risk healthcare centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of our study is to estimate the incidence of adnexal mass and ovarian cancers during pregnancy and to evaluate their effects on obstetrical and fetal outcomes.Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using data from The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Cases of ovarian mass during delivery were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM). Women were categorized into subgroups of malignant and benign masses. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate maternal and fetal outcomes.Results: There were 7,785,583 deliveries between 2003 and 2011, of which 19,591 were diagnosed with ovarian masses during delivery, representing 0.25 % of all deliveries. Among these, 1:200 were malignant. The overall malignancy rate was 0.12/10,000 deliveries. Apart from the increased rate of cesarean section, OR 5.92 (95 % CI 4.12-8.40), and the risk of thrombosis, OR 5.52 (95 % CI 1.96-15.53), there was no significant increase in maternal morbidity or mortality. Prematurity, OR 2.24 (95 % CI 1.48-3.40), was the only significant newborn risk in women with malignant ovarian tumors. Newborns of women with an ovarian mass had comparable risks of intrauterine growth restriction, preterm rupture of membrane and intrauterine death.Conclusion: The diagnosis of ovarian mass is rare during pregnancy and it is associated with an extremely low malignancy rate. Pregnant woman with a confirmed malignant ovarian tumor should be counseled regarding risks of prematurity, thrombosis and hysterectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to evaluate obstetrical and fetal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by acute appendicitis, and to specifically evaluate the impact of peritonitis. Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2003 to 2010 to evaluate perinatal outcomes in pregnant patients with appendicitis and delivery in the same admission compared to women delivering without appendicitis. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for variables and outcomes of interest. Results: Among seven million maternities, there were 1,203 women with appendicitis who delivered in the same admission. Pregnant women with appendicitis were more likely to deliver preterm OR 2.68 (95 % CI 2.31-3.11) and had an increased risk in abruptio. Among the 27 % of patients with peritonitis, the rate of preterm birth was fourfold higher, and the caesarean section rate was almost doubled. Conclusions: Although rare, appendicitis in pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal outcomes and worsened in cases of peritonitis. Measures to decrease risk of peritonitis should be taken in order to limit associated morbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We sought to describe temporal trends in hospital admissions for threatened preterm labor (TPTL) and to examine hospital admission duration among women delivered or discharged undelivered. Methods: We carried out a cohort study on all TPTL admissions among pregnancies with a live singleton fetus and intact membranes between 1999 and 2015 using the United States' Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample. ICD-9 codes were used to identify women with TPTL. Duration of antenatal admission length of stay was calculated in days following admission to hospital until delivery ("Delivery Admission") or undelivered discharge ("Observation Admission"). Analyses included evaluating trends of birth admissions over total admissions, identifying predictors of delivery using logistic regression, and measuring risk for delivery with increasing duration of antepartum hospitalization. Results: Of 15,335,288 pregnancy admissions, 1,089,987 admissions were for TPTL, with 61.8% being 'Delivery Admissions". During the 16-year study period, overall rates of TPTL admissions declined with a rising proportion of admissions being "Delivery Admissions". "Delivery Admissions" were more common among patients who were older, non-Caucasian, obese, or who had placental abruption. "Observation Admissions" were more common among admissions for antepartum hemorrhage or antepartum spotting. Among all "Delivery Admissions" for TPTL, 89% had delivered within 2 days, 7% delivered within 3–6 days, and 5% delivered beyond 6 days. Conclusion: Overall admissions for TPTL declined over the study period with increasing proportions being "Delivery Admissions". Protocols taking into consideration declining risk of preterm birth among patients undelivered after 2 days may be helpful in reducing unnecessary prolonged observation admissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the incidence and outcomes of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer in pregnancy. Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using the United States Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1999 to 2008. The incidence of CIN and cervical cancer was measured and logistic regression analysis used to estimate the adjusted effect of CIN and cervical cancer on obstetrical outcomes. Results: There were 8,826,137 births over a 10-year period of which 11,755 were among women with CIN and 294 among women with cervical cancer. Compared with controls, women with CIN were younger, had lower annual incomes, and more likely to be on Medicaid while women with cancer were more likely to be older. Women with CIN had lower rates of cesarean delivery but higher rates of transfusions and cesarean hysterectomies, while women with cancer had higher rates of cesarean deliveries, transfusions and cesarean hysterectomies. There were no significant increase of thrombosis; maternal death, instrumental delivery, IUGR, PPROM or intrauterine death was found. Conclusion: CIN and cervical cancer are rare in pregnancy. Although there is a greater risk of transfusion/hysterectomy, overall major maternal and neonatal morbidity does not appear to be increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is little information on the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in pregnant women. Our objectives are to estimate the use of ECMO in pregnant patients, identify clinical conditions associated with ECMO use, and assess survival rates by the associated condition.Methods: Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we carried out a retrospective cohort study of all delivery admissions in the United States from January 1, 1999, to October 1, 2015. Within the cohort, women who received ECMO therapy were identified using ICD-9 codes and then survival rates among these women were calculated.Results: There were 83 women who underwent ECMO therapy in our cohort of 15,335,205 births, for an overall ECMO use rate of 0.54/100,000 pregnancies. The incidence of ECMO use increased from 0.23/100,000 in 1999 to 2.57/100,000 in 2015. Patients on ECMO were more likely to be older, have a lower income, and have pre-existing medical conditions when compared with the patients not on ECMO. The overall survival rate for the ECMO group was 62.7%. The most common reason for ECMO use was acute respiratory failure. Etiologies associated with the highest survival in those on ECMO were pneumonia and venous thromboembolism, which were found to have survival rates of 75.0% and 81.0%, respectively.Conclusion: The incidence of ECMO use in the obstetric population increased over the last decade and a half. Although it carries a limited survival rate within this population, it has proven life-saving for many suffering from complications of pregnancy and delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our study objective is to examine the association between births conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) and birth defects using a large database from the United States.Methods: Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Period-linked birth-infant death data files and fetal death database for 2011-2013, we conducted a retrospective cohort study comprised of live births that occurred in the USA during that time. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the association between ART and birth defects, both overall and by specific defects.Results: There were 11,862,780 live births between 2011 and 2013. Of these births, 11,791,730 were spontaneous pregnancies and 71,050 were conceived by ART, with an increasing trend in incidence of ART during the study period and an overall increasing trend of birth defects. Overall, infants conceived by ART had a greater risk of having birth defects than did infants conceived spontaneously (77/10,000 vs 25/10,000, respectively, OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.94-2.35). The malformations most commonly associated with ART were cyanotic heart defects (OR 2.74, 95% CI 2.42-3.09), cleft lip and/or palate (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.14-1.89), and hypospadias (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.42-2.19). There were no differences in risk of omphalocele or neural tube defects between the two groups.Conclusions: There is an overall and type-specific increased risk of birth defects in the ART population. Appropriate counseling and specialized ultrasound evaluations should be considered in pregnancies conceived by ART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is amongst the main causes of maternal death in the developed world. The objective of this study is to elucidate risk factors of VTE and specifically, predictors of fatal thromboembolic disease during the delivery. Study design: We conducted a population-based cohort study on 8 million birth records using the Healthcare Cost and Utilisation Project-Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 1999 to 2008 to estimate the incidence and case fatality of VTE's during labour admission. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) of demographic and obstetrical determinants of VTEs and fatal VTEs. Results: The overall incidence of VTE was 167.7/100,000 births, increasing over the 10-year period, with an average case fatality rate of 0.41 %. VTE was associated with maternal age above 25, elderly primigravida, multigravida, black race, smoking, thrombophilia, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, postpartum haemorrhage and blood transfusion. Predictors of VTE fatalities included black race, hypertension, caesarean section and transfusion. Conclusion: VTE is a rare but serious condition that is increasing in incidence and is associated with a significant degree of maternal morbidity and mortality. Further research targeting prevention among high-risk groups is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]