Background and Aims: Women with severe intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) are at higher risks of fetal complications and without effective treatments. Changes in gut microbiota in pregnancy were found to be related to the altered intestinal bile acid composition, so we aimed to explore the alterations of microbiota in the gut of ICP patients.Methods: A total of 90 women were recruited, including 45 ICP patients and 45 healthy controls. The gut microbiota communities of ICP group were compared to control group through 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. The results were then confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and generalized linear model (GLM). Furthermore, we analyzed the relationships between microbiota and the severity of ICP.Results: A total of seven genera and nine taxa with differential abundances between the ICP patients and the controls were identified. All of the seven genera were verified through real-time PCR, and three key genera Parabacteroides, Flavonifractor, and Megamonas were confirmed by using the GLM model. Further analysis found that the genera Escherichia_Shigella, Olsenella, and Turicibacter were enriched in the severe ICP group, the microbial gene function related to biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and propanoate metabolism were also increased in them.Conclusions: Overall, our study was the first in Asia to demonstrate an association between gut microbiota and ICP. Our findings would contribute to a better understanding of the occurrence of ICP.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication which is normally diagnosed in the second trimester of gestation. With an increasing incidence, GDM poses a significant threat to maternal and offspring health. Therefore, we need a deeper understanding of GDM pathophysiology and novel investigation on the diagnosis and treatment for GDM. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of endogenic small noncoding RNAs with a length of approximately 19-24 nucleotides, have been reported to exert their function in gene expression by binding to proteins or being enclosed in membranous vesicles, such as exosomes. Studies have investigated the roles of miRNAs in the pathophysiological mechanism of GDM and their potential as noninvasive biological candidates for the management of GDM, including diagnosis and treatment. This review is aimed at summarizing the pathophysiological significance of miRNAs in GDM development and their potential function in GDM clinical diagnosis and therapeutic approach. In this review, we summarized an integrated expressional profile and the pathophysiological significance of placental exosomes and associated miRNAs, as well as other plasma miRNAs such as exo-AT. Furthermore, we also discussed the practical application of exosomes in GDM postpartum outcomes and the potential function of several miRNAs as therapeutic target in the GDM pathological pathway, thus providing a novel clinical insight of these biological signatures into GDM therapeutic approach.

Dyslipidemia in pregnancy are associated with risk of adverse outcomes. As an adverse pregnancy outcome, small-for-gestational-age has been extensively studied in Western countries. However, similar studies have rarely been conducted in Asian countries. Data were derived from 5695 pairs of non-diabetic mothers and neonates between 1 Jan 2014 and 31 Dec 2014. 5.6% neonates in our study were SGA. Serum samples were collected during second and third trimesters for evaluation on fasting lipids levels. The present study intended to explore the associations between maternal lipid profile and small-for-gestational-age neonates. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and adjusted via logistic regression analysis. After adjustments for confounders, third-trimester total cholesterol levels were associated with a decreased risk for small-for-gestational-age (aOR = 0.622, 95% CI 0.458–0.848, P = 0.002), and third-trimester high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were associated with an increased risk for small-for-gestational-age (aOR = 1.955, 95% CI 1.465–2.578, P < 0.001; aOR = 1.403, 95% CI 1.014–1.944, P = 0.041).In the highest gestational weight gain strata, especially the third-trimester, the effect of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels on the risk for small-for-gestational-age is larger. High high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level during third trimester could be considered as indicators of a high-risk of small-for-gestational-age, regardless of gestational weight gain.

Aims/Introduction: To determine whether maternal serum markers in the early second trimester are useful for prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Materials and methods: A total of 876 singleton pregnancies were recruited in the present study. Blood samples were collected during 16–20 gestational weeks. GDM women were diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test during 24–28 gestational weeks. A total of 56 women with GDM and 73 healthy pregnant women were selected. Maternal serum concentrations of placental protein 13 (PP13), pentraxin 3 (PTX3), soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase‐1 (sFlt‐1), myostatin and follistatin (FST) were detected at 16–20 weeks’ gestation. All of these markers concentrations were expressed as multiples of the medians. The Mann–Whitney U‐test was used for comparison of the multiples of the medians of different concentrations of these five serum markers between the GDM group and the control group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was applied to assess the sensitivity and specificity of significant serum markers from a Mann–Whitney U‐test comparison.Results: Compared with healthy pregnancies, the serum levels of PP13, PTX3, sFlt‐1, myostatin and FST in the early second trimester were significantly increased in patients who had developed GDM late. In screening for GDM by PP13, PTX3, sFlt‐1, myostatin and FST, the detection rates were 92.3, 94.9, 94.9, 92.5 and 92.3%, respectively at 80% specificity. PTX3 and sFlt‐1 were the most sensitive markers.Conclusions: Maternal serum markers including PP13, PTX3, sFlt‐1, myostatin and FST increase in the early second trimester of women with GDM. These five markers, especially PTX3 and sFlt‐1, could have the value of prediction for those patients who would develop GDM in the late second trimester.

Background: Pelvic dimensions are crucial variables in the labour process. We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pelvimetry to predict the probability of vaginal delivery and distinguish the cephalopelvic disproportion risk in women with prolonged active labour. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled term nulliparous women willing to undergo MRI pelvimetry and a trial of labour. A nomogram, with vaginal birth as the outcome, was developed and evaluated by calibration curve and decision curve analyses. The pairwise association between maternal and fetal parameters and a prolonged first stage of labour was quantified. Results: Head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), intertuberous distance (ITD), interspinous diameter (ISD), and body mass index (BMI) were introduced to develop a nomogram with good diagnostic performance (area under the curve = 0.799, sensitivity = 83%, and specificity = 73%). The cephalopelvic index of diameter (CID) in 54 women with a prolonged first stage of labour was much smaller in those who delivered via cesarean section compared with those who delivered vaginally (18.09 ± 1.14 vs. 21.29 ± 1.06; p = 0.046). Conclusions: An MRI pelvimetry-based nomogram may predict the probability of vaginal delivery. Practitioners should reassess the pelvimetry parameters to decide whether the trial of labour should be continued if it is prolonged.