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Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutic Advances in Pregnancy Complications

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Theresa Reischer

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Guest Editor

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Feto-Maternal Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Interests: obstetric delivery; prenatal diagnosis; genetics; fetal medicine; gestational diabetes mellitus; pregnancy complications; endometriosis; laparoscopic surgery

Dr. Gülen Yerlikaya-Schatten

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Guest Editor

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Feto-Maternal Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
Interests: prenatal diagnosis; risk prediction; fetal medicine; gestational diabetes mellitus; pregnant; obesity during pregnancy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The landscape of pregnancy complications is rapidly evolving through advancements in diagnostics and therapeutics. Maternal and fetal health remains a priority in obstetrics, and ongoing research is making it possible to detect risks earlier and with greater accuracy and to implement more effective treatment plans for conditions such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, and fetal growth restriction.

Advances in non-invasive testing and biomarkers have made the early detection of complications more feasible and accurate. Techniques such as ultrasound imaging, Doppler flow studies, and the development of blood and urine tests allow healthcare providers to monitor both maternal and fetal well-being with greater precision. Moreover, the application of advanced genetic screening and sequencing technologies is making it easier to identify genetic anomalies, particularly in fetuses with structural malformations.

In both prevention and treatment, low-dose aspirin use to prevent pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension stands out as one of the most significant breakthroughs in recent obstetric care. Furthermore, ongoing research into the microbiome’s role in pregnancy health may open up new avenues in preventing and treating complications.

For this Special Issue, we invite authors to submit papers that explore the latest clinical advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy complications, contributing to the ongoing progress in the critical field of obstetrics.

Dr. Theresa Reischer
Dr. Gülen Yerlikaya-Schatten
Guest Editors

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10 pages, 229 KB

Open AccessArticle

Adverse Effects of Oxytocin Are More Prevalent than Those Associated with Carbetocin Administration During Cesarean Section

by Edyta Zagrodnik, Małgorzata Szczuko, Agnieszka Kordek, Anna Surówka, Iwona Szydłowska, Beata Rzewuska, Lili Steblovnik and Maciej Ziętek

J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(20), 7211; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14207211 - 13 Oct 2025

Viewed by 386

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyze the frequency and type of subjective adverse events reported after the use of oxytocin and carbetocin in women giving birth by cesarean section. Methods: A total of 70 pregnant women, previously scheduled for elective cesarean section, were enrolled in this study and divided into two groups. One group (OXY) received intrapartum oxytocin at a dose of 5 IU intravenously, and the other group (CARBE) received intrapartum carbetocin at a dose of 100 μg intravenously. Both drugs were used alternately to contract the uterus immediately after the expulsion of baby during the cesarean section. Results: An analysis of reported subjective adverse symptoms associated with the administration of uterotonic drugs showed a higher incidence of adverse effects in the group of women receiving oxytocin compared to those receiving carbetocin. Statistical significance was observed for all of the following reported symptoms: headache, chest pain, burning sensation and heaviness in the chest, and palpitations. Conclusions: Although chest pain, burning and heaviness in the chest, palpitations, and headaches are more common in women giving birth by cesarean section after administration of oxytocin than after administration of carbetocin, this fact appears to be of limited clinical significance from a clinical point of view. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutic Advances in Pregnancy Complications)

13 pages, 975 KB

Open AccessArticle

Association of Early Pregnancy Inflammatory Indices with Preterm Birth and Perinatal Outcomes in Pregnancies with Pregestational Diabetes

by Serenat Eris Yalcin, Mustafa Rasit Ozler, Yakup Yalcin, Erkan Saglam, Ebubekir Sıddık Yilmaz and Nuray Nerez

J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(19), 6834; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14196834 - 26 Sep 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 547

Abstract

Background/Objectives: We aimed to investigate the relationship between early pregnancy inflammatory indices and adverse perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by pregestational diabetes mellitus (PREGDM) and to evaluate their predictive value, particularly for preterm birth and composite adverse perinatal outcome (CAPO). Methods: This retrospective study included 140 women with PREGDM and 140 age-matched controls. Early pregnancy (8–14 weeks) inflammatory indices [the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), systemic immune–inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI)], and C-reactive protein (CRP) were calculated from complete blood counts. Associations with preterm birth and CAPO were analyzed using correlation, ROC analysis, and multivariate logistic regression adjusted for maternal age, BMI, HbA1c, and parity. Results: All inflammatory indices were significantly higher in the PREGDM group compared to controls (p < 0.05). Preterm birth, macrosomia, cesarean delivery, NICU admission, and CAPO were more frequent in PREGDM pregnancies (all p < 0.001). On univariate analysis, NLR, PLR, MLR, SII, and SIRI were significantly higher in women with preterm birth (p < 0.05), but not in those with CAPO. ROC curves showed modest discriminative ability of NLR, PLR, and SII for preterm birth (AUC 0.64–0.66), while AUCs for CAPO prediction were close to 0.5. In multivariate analysis, inflammatory indices were not independent predictors of either outcome. Only HbA1c (OR: 1.71, 95% CI 1.20–2.43, p = 0.003) and parity (OR: 1.62, 95% CI 1.08–2.45, p = 0.021) independently predicted preterm birth, and similarly HbA1c (OR: 1.68, 95% CI 1.14–2.46, p = 0.008) and parity (OR: 1.49, 95% CI 1.02–2.15, p = 0.037) predicted CAPO. Conclusions: Early pregnancy inflammatory indices were associated with preterm birth in univariate analyses but lost significance after adjustment for maternal and metabolic risk factors. HbA1c and parity remained the only independent predictors of adverse outcomes in PREGDM pregnancies. Inflammatory indices may provide supplementary information but should not be used as stand-alone predictors; they may instead be incorporated into multiparametric models with established clinical and metabolic markers to improve risk stratification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutic Advances in Pregnancy Complications)

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