Key Points Although the PMR has fallen steadily in the United States since 1965, the number of fetal deaths has not changed substantially in the past decade. Perinatal events play an important role in infant mortality and long-term disability of…
Key Points About 3% of liveborn infants have a major congenital anomaly due to a chromosome abnormality, single-gene mutation or multifactorial/polygenic inheritance, or exogenous factors (i.e., teratogens). Noninvasive screening tests for the common autosomal trisomies should be offered at any…
Key Points Sonographers should become familiar with the basic physics of ultrasound, equipment controls, and scanning techniques to optimize ultrasound images. All of the elements of the standard obstetric ultrasound exam are important for clinical management and should not be…
Key Points The critical period of organ development extends from day 31 to day 71 after the first day of the LMP. Infants of epileptic women taking certain anticonvulsants, such as valproic acid, have double the rate of malformations of…
Key Points Pregnant women may need as much as an additional 300 kcal/day for the entire pregnancy, but requirements may vary among individuals. The IOM recommendations for gestational weight gain for women are set by weight category: underweight (BMI <18.5;…
Key Points The breadth of prenatal care includes both preconception and postpartum care, which extends up to 1 year after the infant’s birth. Interconception care is defined as care provided between the end of a woman’s pregnancy to the beginning…
Key Points Maternal influences on the in utero environment (nutrition, hormonal, metabolic, stress, environmental toxins, and drugs) are critical determinants of fetal growth and influence a wide variety of metabolic, developmental, and pathologic processes in adulthood. Both ends of the…
Key Points The innate immune system uses fast, nonspecific methods of pathogen detection to prevent and control an initial infection and includes macrophages, NK cells, the complement system, and cytokines. Macrophages have critical scavenger functions that likely help to prevent…
Key Points The “healthy” amount of weight to gain during pregnancy is BMI specific. Maternal cardiac output increases 30% to 50% during pregnancy. Supine positioning and standing are both associated with a fall in cardiac output, which is highest during…
Key Points Mean amniotic fluid volume increases from 250 to 800 mL between 16 and 32 weeks and decreases to 500 mL at term. Fetal urine production ranges from 400 to 1200 mL/day and is the primary source of amniotic…