Kim HS, et al. Obstet Gynecol Sci. 2016 Nov;59(6):454-462. https://doi.org/10.5468/ogs.2016.59.6.454

Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) is of public concern due to their persistent exposure and adverse health effects. Placental transfer of PFASs is an important excretion pathway of these chemicals in pregnant women and exposure route in fetuses. We measured PFAS concentrations in maternal, paternal, and umbilical cord serum collected from 62 pregnant Korean women and matched biological fathers of the fetuses. Placental transfer rates (cord to maternal serum ratio) of PFASs were also calculated. Demographics and pregnancy-related factors determining the placental transfer rates were identified using linear regression models. Maternal, paternal, and cord serum showed different PFASs compositions. Among the PFASs, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) showed the highest concentrations in maternal and paternal serum, while perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) showed the highest concentration in cord serum. There was a higher proportion of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) with 9–12 carbon chains than those with 13–14 carbon chains in maternal and paternal serum, but this proportion was in the opposite direction in cord serum. PFOA and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) had higher placental transfer rates (means of 0.32 and 0.36, respectively) than PFOS (mean of 0.12), which is in line with the results of previous studies. Gestational age and birth weight were positively associated with placental transfer rate of PFOA, PFHxS, and PFOS, while pre-pregnant BMI and weight were inversely associated with PFOS. This study showed that placental transfer of PFASs differs by compounds and is associated with pregnancy-related factors. Further studies on novel PFASs are warranted for Korean pregnant women.

A significant fraction of couples around the world suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a disease defined by the characteristics of enhanced androgen synthesis in ovarian theca cells, hyperandrogenemia, and ovarian dysfunction in women. Most of the clinically observable symptoms and altered blood biomarker levels in the patients indicate metabolic dysregulation and adaptive changes as the key underlying mechanisms. Since the liver is the metabolic hub of the body and is involved in steroid-hormonal detoxification, pathological changes in the liver may contribute to female endocrine disruption, potentially through the liver-to-ovary axis. Of particular interest are hyperglycemic challenges and the consequent changes in liver-secretory protein(s) and insulin sensitivity affecting the maturation of ovarian follicles, potentially leading to female infertility. The purpose of this review is to provide insight into emerging metabolic mechanisms underlying PCOS as the primary culprit, which promote its incidence and aggravation. Additionally, this review aims to summarize medications and new potential therapeutic approaches for the disease.

This study aimed to evaluate the placental weight, volume, and density, and investigate the significance of placental ratios in pregnancies complicated by small for gestational age (SGA), preeclampsia (PE), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Two hundred and fifty-four pregnant women were enrolled from August 2005 through July 2013. Participants were divided into four groups: control (n=82), SGA (n=37), PE (n=102), and GDM (n=33). The PE group was classified as PE without intrauterine growth restriction (n=65) and PE with intrauterine growth restriction (n=37). Birth weight, placental weight, placental volume, placental density, and placental ratios including birth weight/placental weight ratio (BPW) and birth weight/placental volume ratio (BPV) were compared between groups. Birth weight, placental weight, and placental volume were lower in the SGA group than in the control group. However, the BPW and BPV did not differ between the two groups. Birth weight, placental weight, placental volume, BPW, and BPV were all significantly lower in the PE group than in the control group. Compared with the control group, birth weight, BPW, and BPV were higher in the GDM group, whereas placental weight and volume did not differ in the two groups. Placental density was not significantly different among the four groups. Placental ratios based on placental weight, placental volume, placental density, and birth weight are helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of complicated pregnancies. Moreover, they can be used as predictors of pregnancy complications.

The objective of this study was to determine the value of uterocervical angle (UCA) in predicting successful induction of labor (IOL) in singleton pregnant women compared to the Bishop score and cervical length (CL). A total of 205 normal term, singleton labor-induction cases were analyzed. Successful IOL was defined as the onset of active labor of induction. A comparative analysis was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of UCA, Bishop score, and CL in predicting IOL. Compared to the non-successful IOL group, the women in the successful IOL group had significantly wider UCA (p = 0.012) and higher Bishop score (p = 0.001); however, the CL was not significantly different (p = 0.130). UCA alone did not perform better than the Bishop score when predicting successful IOL. However, UCA combined with the Bishop score showed higher performance in predicting IOL (combined UCA > 108.4° and favorable Bishop score as sensitivity of 44.6%, specificity of 96.0%, PPV of 96.2%, and NPV of 43.6; combined UCA > 108.4° or favorable Bishop score as sensitivity of 85.7%, specificity of 50.0%, PPV of 78.7%, and NPV of 61.9). In conclusion, UCA combined with Bishop score may be an effective sonographic method for predicting successful IOL.

Kim HS, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2022 Jun;37(25):e203. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e203