Background/Objectives: Iron is a fundamental micronutrient. Its deficiency could have a potentially harmful influence on maternal and fetal well-being. Methods: This review synthesizes current evidence on the epidemiology, consequences, and clinical meaning of iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in pregnant women. Results: Untreated ID in pregnancy is associated with a wide spectrum of adverse outcomes: maternal clinical symptoms, cardiovascular disturbances, preterm birth, low birth weight, and impaired fetal neurodevelopment. Furthermore, ID has been related to impaired implantation, miscarriage, congenital heart defects, and neurological complications in fetuses. Women with gastrointestinal disorders and low socioeconomic status constitute a high-risk group of developing IDA. ID remains underdiagnosed and suboptimally managed in some clinical practices. Conclusions: This review highlights the critical importance of early detection, individualized supplementation, and public health interventions aimed at reducing iron deficiency during pregnancy.

Introduction: The aim of our study was to assess fetal pancreas size of the in a population of well controlled mothers with gestational diabetes. Material and methods: A cross sectional, prospective observational study. Pregnant women at 19-38 weeks of gestation who received glycemic control...

Background: Aortic coarctation (CoA) is the fourth most common congenital heart defect (8–10%) which occurs at a frequency of about 20–60/100,000 births. Only 22.3% of all cases appears to be diagnosed during the second trimester of pregnancy. Since the detection of prenatal aortic coarctations is very low, every effort should be made to change this situation. According to the authors of this study, the CSAi (carotid to subclavian artery index) could serve as a reliable indicator. Material and Methods: Ninety-six fetuses from healthy, single, pregnancies, with good ultrasound visualization between 18 and 27.5 weeks of gestation, and twenty-three fetuses suspected of aortic coarctation (postnatally confirmed) were included in this study. Our first aim was to compare the current most common method of prenatal CoA diagnosis based on the measurement of the aortic z-score in the aortic isthmus using the method suggested by us-CSAi. Results: Logistic regression coefficients for z-score and CSAi were analyzed as predictors of coarctation occurrence. It appears that 39.4% of coarctation occurrence can be predicted on the basis of the z-score, and 93.5% on the basis of the CSAi. The cut-off value for CSAi in the study group was 0.81 (sensitivity: 95.7%, specificity 99%). Based on the ROC curve analysis, the cut-off value for the carotid to subclavian distance (mm) was determined; the risk of coarctation increased above this value. Based on the Gini index (0.867), this value was set at 2.55 (sensitivity 82.6%, specificity 93.7%). Conclusions: CSAi measurement is currently the most sensitive method for aortic coarctation detection. For the purpose of our study, this method was applied in diagnostics in the second trimester of pregnancy. This method is easy, reproducible and should be widely introduced into everyday echocardiographic diagnostics of coarctation to minimize the risk of error.

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are defects detected both prenatally and after birth. They are the most common congenital defects. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, CHD remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns, which has a great impact on economic aspects. It is crucial to provide a holistic approach to the care of children with CHD, including regular cardiac check-ups, appropriate drug treatment, surgical or cardiac interventions as needed, rehabilitation, psychological support, and education for patients and their families. Parents experience a variety of psychological problems. This article summarizes the influence of CHD in the psychological and economic areas.

Introduction: The fetal thymus may be visualized using ultrasonography (USG) and is typically located in the mediastinum. In the past years, the size of the fetal thymus has served not only as a marker of genetic or heart defects but also as a predictive factor for intrauterine growth restriction, premature birth, preeclampsia, chorioamnionitis or even neonatal sepsis.Material and methods: A total of 410 fetuses were qualified for the study. Fetuses with heart defects were excluded from the study. The fetal thymus was evaluated with ultrasonography between the 14th and 40th week of gestation. After obtaining a standard transverse view encompassing the three great vessels, thymus measurements were attempted, i.e. maximal transverse diameter, circumference and surface area. Linear regression was used for statistical analysis, yielding 3 models, each with a different dependent variable. The confidence interval for each model was set at 80% to aid the comparison with centile grid growth charts for neonates and children. The test was regarded as statistically significant when p < 0.05.Results: From a total of 410 fetuses the thymus transverse diameter, circumference and area were successfully measured in 410, 320 and 330 cases, respectively. The probabilities are lower than 0.0005 for each model, which means that each model is quite statistically significant.Conclusions: The coverage of healthy thymus nomograms in the fetal population may be the basis for the identification of fetuses at risk of hypoplasia or thymic hyperplasia, which seems particularly important from the point of view of the detection of potential inborn immunological disorders

A prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) and its subtypes, preterm PROM (pPROM) and term PROM (tPROM), are associated with disturbances in the hemostatic system and angiogenesis. This study was designed to demonstrate the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), localized in CSF2 (rs25881), FLT1 (rs722503), TFPI (C-399T) and TLR9 (rs352140) genes, in PROM. A population of 360 women with singleton pregnancy consisted of 180 PROM cases and 180 healthy controls. A single-SNP analysis showed a similar distribution of genotypes in the studied polymorphisms between the PROM or the pPROM women and the healthy controls. Double-SNP TT variants for CSF2 and FLT1 polymorphisms, CC variants for TLR9 and TFPI SNPs, TTC for CSF2, FLT1 and TLR9 polymorphisms, TTT for FLT1, TLR9 and TFPI SNPs and CCCC and TTTC complex variants for all tested SNPs correlated with an increased risk of PROM after adjusting for APTT, PLT parameters and/or pregnancy disorders. The TCT variants for the CSF2, FLT1 and TLR9 SNPs and the CCTC for the CSF2, FLT1, TLR9 and TFPI polymorphisms correlated with a reduced risk of PROM when corrected by PLT and APTT, respectively. We concluded that the polymorphisms of genes, involved in hemostasis and angiogenesis, contributed to PROM.