Preeclampsia (PE) is a common complication of pregnancy that carries significant risks for both the mother and the fetus, and is frequently accompanied by hyperuricemia, yet the exact source of elevated uric acid (UA) levels remains partially elucidated. Several potential origins for increased UA levels include abnormal renal function, increased tissue breakdown, and increased activity of the enzyme Xanthine Oxidase (XO). The aim of the study was to determine serum levels of UA and XO not only in maternal serum, but also in umbilical vein (UV) and umbilical artery (UA) and explore their possible role in PE development. A prospective case-control pilot study was conducted in women who were found positive for PE with severe features, and had elevated UA levels above 6 mg/dL, with normotensive pregnant women serving as controls. Renal function, UA and XO levels were measured in maternal, UV and UA serums immediately after delivery. They were then compared between PE (n = 21) and control (n = 18) groups, as well as across all mediums (maternal, UV and UA) among the total study sample (N = 39). Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was also measured immediately following delivery. The mean serum maternal creatinine levels did not differ significantly between groups (0.65 ± 0.03 vs 0.6 ± 0.07, p = 0.13). Both mean maternal serum UA and XO concentrations were higher in PE group than in control (7.3 ± 1.2 vs 4.2 ± 0.9, p < 0.01 and 3.6 ± 3.5 Vs 1.7 ± 0.8, p < 0.01, respectively). The mean UV and UA serum XO concentrations were significantly higher in PE group compared to control (4.2 ± 3.6 vs 2.2 ± 1.4, p < 0.01 and 4.2 ± 3.6 vs 2.1 ± 1.5, p < 0.01, respectively). Polynomial fit correlation test demonstrated a significant association between maternal DBP and UV XO concentration for all the total study participants (p = 0.03). Despite preserved renal functions, UA and XO levels were elevated in women with PE. Importantly, this pattern was found to be applied to the feto-placental unit as well, which may indicate an active involvement of the fetus in the hypoxic process. Further study is needed to clarify the possible role of the feto-placental unit in pregnancies complicated by PE.

Huge uterine fibroids represent a rare but clinically significant complication of pregnancy. This study aimed to evaluate their impact on major obstetric outcomes and to determine whether fibroid type and anatomical location modify these risks. This retrospective observational study (2010–2023) compared 64 singleton pregnancies complicated by a single huge uterine fibroid (maximal diameter ≥ 10 cm) with 128 matched fibroid-free controls. Fibroids were classified sonographically by type and location. Outcomes included mode of delivery, gestational age (GA) at birth, preterm birth (PTB), neonatal birthweight, 5 min Apgar and maternal hemoglobin decline. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of cesarean delivery (CS). Among 57,200 pregnancies, huge uterine fibroid was identified in approximately 1 in 670 pregnancies (0.15%). These pregnancies were associated with higher rates of CS compared with controls (39.1% vs. 8.6%, P < 0.01), earlier GA (median 38.0 vs. 39.6 weeks, P < 0.01), a markedly increased rate of PTB (29.7% vs. 4.7%, P < 0.01), and greater maternal hemoglobin decline. Within the fibroid cohort, fibroid size relative to the median diameter was not associated with adverse outcomes. In contrast, intramural fibroids were strongly associated with both earlier GA and an increased risk of CS compared with subserosal lesions (adjusted OR 23.79, 95% CI 3.67–534.32, P < 0.01). Fibroids located in the lower uterine segment or cervix were also associated with elevated CS rates. Obstetric risk of pregnancies complicated by a huge solitary fibroid is driven primarily by fibroid type and anatomical location rather than size alone, supporting individualized counseling and delivery planning.

Intense pulsed light (IPL) is used for aesthetic and therapeutic purposes. According to recent literature, utilizing IPL may boost upregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Concerns have been raised about potential thermal damage to the soft and hard tissues in the oral cavity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the safety of using IPL of various intensities in the tissues of the oral cavity. Methods: Three adult pigs were included in the trial. The oral cavity was divided into four quadrants and projected with a wide range of IPL settings. Alveolar bone, buccal mucosa, and gingival tissue samples were taken immediately and after 24 h. In each animal, one quadrant of the jaw was left untreated and served as a control. All samples were processed and stained with H&E. Results: Clinical examination showed no evidence of changes in the integrity of the examined tissues. Histological examination of the different tissues did not demonstrate significant thermal damage or changes in the characterization of the cells compared to the control tissues. Conclusions: The use of IPL in the oral cavity is safe and does not negatively affect the tissues.

Background/Objectives: Iodine deficiency disorders remain a global public health concern, as acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO). Adequate maternal iodine intake during pregnancy is essential for normal fetal development, yet the relationship between maternal iodine status and fetal growth remains controversial. Urinary Iodine Concentration (UIC) is a commonly used marker for assessing iodine status. This study evaluates the association between maternal UIC and neonatal anthropometric parameters. Methods: This prospective single-center cohort study included 202 pregnant women without known or reported thyroid disease, recruited between 2018 and 2021. Maternal iodine status was assessed by UIC from spot urine samples collected at the time of recruitment. Correlations were analyzed between maternal UIC and neonatal anthropometric measures, including birth weight (g), length (cm), and head circumference (cm). Analyses stratified by fetal sex were also performed. Results: No statistically significant association was found between UIC and neonatal anthropometric measures. Analysis of these correlations, stratified by fetal sex, did not reveal any statistically significant associations either. Conclusions: Maternal UIC showed no association with neonatal anthropometric outcomes in this study, regardless of fetal sex. Further research is needed to investigate the additional effects of maternal iodine status in healthy, euthyroid pregnant women on neonatal outcomes.

Background/Objectives: Preterm birth remains a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, and risk stratification in pregnancies with uterine fibroids is limited. This study evaluated whether detailed phenotyping of huge uterine fibroids provides predictive information. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 192 singleton pregnancies: 64 with a huge uterine fibroid (maximum diameter ≥ 10 cm) and 128 fibroid-free controls. We analyzed the full and fibroid-only cohorts. Machine learning (ML) models were compared across full fibroid-feature, alternative fibroid-feature, non-fibroid, and clinical benchmark configurations. Results: In validation analyses, the alternative fibroid-feature configuration was selected as the best-performing configuration in both cohorts. The best validation models were Random Forest for the full cohort and Logistic Regression for the fibroid-only cohort, achieving F1-scores of 0.67 and 0.80 and areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) of 0.94 and 0.90, respectively. On the held-out test set, models achieved F1-scores of 0.50 and 0.57, with AUCs of 0.82 and 1.00, respectively; uncertainty and calibration remained limited by the very small number of positive events. SHapley Additive exPlanations analysis showed that fibroid-related variables contributed to model output. Conclusions: Detailed fibroid phenotyping may add predictive information beyond clinical variables, but these exploratory findings require further validation in larger cohorts.