New Insights into Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Diagnosis and Management

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2025) | Viewed by 1320

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: obstetrics; pregnancy; pregnancy complications; liver transplantation; organ transplantation; kidney transplantation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As maternal-fetal medicine remains a top public health priority globally, there is an urgent need to integrate and disseminate new research findings to inform clinical practice and improve outcomes.

The purpose of this special issue is to highlight cutting-edge research and innovative approaches in the field of maternal-fetal medicine that can enhance the quality of care for pregnant individuals, improve pregnancy outcomes, and support the health and well-being of both mothers and newborns. We hope to bridge the gap between research and clinical application by focusing on interdisciplinary research, including advances in prenatal screening, management of high-risk pregnancies, and the impact of maternal health on fetal development.

Dr. Monika Szpotanska-Sikorska
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • maternal medicine
  • fetal medicine
  • placenta
  • prenatal screening
  • pregnancy

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 942 KiB  
Article
Diagnostic Challenges and Perinatal Outcomes: A Case Series on a Retrospective Study
by Carmen Maria Moral-Moral, Lorena Porras-Caballero, Marta Blasco-Alonso, Celia Cuenca-Marín, Susana Monis-Rodriguez, Ernesto Gonzalez-Mesa, Isidoro Narbona-Arias and Jesus S. Jimenez-Lopez
Diagnostics 2025, 15(11), 1329; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15111329 - 26 May 2025
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Abstract
Succenturiate placenta is a rare anatomical variant characterized by one or more accessory lobes connected to the main placental mass by fetal vessels. While frequently asymptomatic, this condition can lead to serious maternal–fetal complications if not diagnosed prenatally. Early detection through advanced ultrasonographic [...] Read more.
Succenturiate placenta is a rare anatomical variant characterized by one or more accessory lobes connected to the main placental mass by fetal vessels. While frequently asymptomatic, this condition can lead to serious maternal–fetal complications if not diagnosed prenatally. Early detection through advanced ultrasonographic techniques plays a critical role in guiding obstetric management and reducing adverse outcomes. Objective: To describe and analyze the prenatal diagnosis, sonographic characteristics, clinical management, and maternal–fetal outcomes of succenturiate placenta cases diagnosed over a ten-year period at a tertiary care center. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of nine pregnancies diagnosed with succenturiate placenta between 2014 and 2024. Data collected included maternal demographics, ultrasound findings, type of cord insertion, presence of associated anomalies such as velamentous cord insertion or vasa previa, vaginal or cesarean delivery, complications, and neonatal outcomes. Ultrasound evaluation was scored based on a four-point checklist assessing key diagnostic steps. Results: Five of the nine cases (55.6%) presented isolated succenturiate placenta, while four (44.4%) were associated with velamentous cord insertion. No cases of vasa previa were identified. Obstetric outcomes included three vaginal deliveries (33.3%), two instrumental (22.2%), and four cesarean sections (44.4%), one of which was emergent due to fetal distress. Complications occurred in 44.4% of cases, with intrapartum bradycardia being the most common. One neonatal death was reported due to placental abruption. The quality of the ultrasound diagnosis was high in most cases, though transvaginal scanning was inconsistently applied. Conclusions: Prenatal identification of succenturiate placenta via detailed ultrasound, including color Doppler and targeted assessment of cord insertion, is essential to minimize risks associated with this condition. Standardized diagnostic protocols can improve detection rates and enable timely clinical decisions, ultimately improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Diagnosis and Management)
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12 pages, 679 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Role of miRNA-101a in the Circulatory System’s Adaptive Mechanisms in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
by Ewa Szczerba, Eliza Kozyra-Pydyś, Agnieszka Zajkowska, Katarzyna Pankiewicz, Grzegorz Szewczyk, Tomasz Maciejewski, Maciej Małecki and Anna Fijałkowska
Diagnostics 2025, 15(5), 535; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15050535 - 22 Feb 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy constitute one of the principal reasons for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Identification of molecular mechanisms causing placental dysfunction resulting in gestational hypertension is crucial in the development of new methods of prevention and treatment. The [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy constitute one of the principal reasons for maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Identification of molecular mechanisms causing placental dysfunction resulting in gestational hypertension is crucial in the development of new methods of prevention and treatment. The aim of this case-control study was to assess changes in miRNA expression, and biomarkers such as NT-proBNP and galectin-3, in women with uncomplicated pregnancies and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Methods: This was a case-control study. We included 61 women with uncomplicated pregnancies and 31 women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (21 women with gestational hypertension and 10 women with chronic hypertension). Blood sample collection was performed at 33 weeks of gestation. Expression and expression levels of 26 microRNAs, NTproBNP, and galectin-3 were measured. Results: Lower expression of microRNA 101a was observed in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The expression of microRNA 101a was significantly lower in the group of patients with gestational hypertension, but not with chronic hypertension. Not only was the expression of microRNA 101a lower in all women with gestational hypertension but also in XYZ% it reached undetectable levels. Other studied microRNAs were similar in expression and concentration levels among both groups. In all women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, statistically significant correlations were detected between NT-proBNP concentrations and microRNA 133a (r = −0.68; p = 0.030) and microRNA 195 (r = 0.67; p = 0.030), and between galectin-3 and microRNA 195 (r = 0.46; p = 0.010), microRNA 133a (r = 0.44; p = 0.020), microRNA 222-2276 (r = 0.39; p = 0.050). Conclusions: microRNA 101a, a molecule associated with placental dysfunction in preeclampsia and with inhibition of cardiac fibrosis, has lower expression and concentration levels in gestational hypertension but not in chronic hypertension. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Diagnosis and Management)
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