We present a case of a vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM), a rare congenital arteriovenous malformation, in one fetus of a monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancy. The diagnosis was made with color Doppler ultrasonography at 28 weeks and the affected fetus was found to have worsening cardiomegaly on subsequent fetal echocardiograms. She was emergently delivered at 32 weeks for abnormal fetal heart rate tracing of the affected twin. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain findings after delivery demonstrated severe neurological injury; therefore, postnatal embolization was not performed. The neonate died on day of life 9. The cotwin survived without neurological complications. This is the first case in the literature of a VGAM diagnosed prenatally in a monochorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancy and demonstrates the challenge of delivery timing with prenatal diagnosis in a twin pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: When a pregnant mother finds out she has a fetus with a congenital defect, the parents feel profound worry, anxiety, and melancholy. Anomalies can happen in singleton or twin pregnancies, though they are more common in twin pregnancies. In twins, several congenital defects are typically discordant. We present a rare case of concordant fatal anomaly in twin pregnancy in a 22-year-old African patient primigravida mother from Western Ethiopia who presented for routine antenatal care. An obstetric ultrasound scan showed anencephaly, meningomyelocele, and severe ventriculomegaly. After receiving the counseling, the patient was admitted to the ward, and the pregnancy was terminated with the medical option. Following a successful in-patient stay, she was given folic acid supplements and instructed to get preconception counseling before getting pregnant again.
CONCLUSIONS: The case demonstrates the importance of early obstetric ultrasound examination and detailed anatomic scanning, in twin pregnancies in particular. This case also calls for routine preconceptional care.

A 38-year-old Japanese woman with a history of abnormal thyroid function of non-autoimmune origin, pituitary endocrine tumor, and untreated diabetes mellitus was referred to our outpatient clinic when she became pregnant with twins. Physical findings consistent with Cushing\'s syndrome (CS) were absent at the time of presentation. Although baseline plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone, serum cortisol, and 24-hour urinary free cortisol excretion levels were above the upper limits of normal non-pregnant reference ranges, we could not exclude a physiological increase associated with pregnancy. No medical or surgical intervention for hypercortisolism was performed during pregnancy. Spontaneous vaginal delivery resulted in the normal delivery of live twins. A diagnosis of Cushing\'s disease (CD) was established when papery skin developed postpartum. Transsphenoidal surgery was performed and the hypercortisolism partially resolved post-operatively. The patient\'s abnormal thyroid function also resolved. Pregnancy in women with endogenous CS is rare, with less than 300 cases reported. Most reported cases of CS during pregnancy are of adrenal origin. Only two cases of twin pregnancies with CD have been reported. Therefore, we reported the third case of CD in a twin pregnancy and reviewed the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges associated with CD during pregnancy.

COVID-19 in pregnancy is associated with increased maternal morbidity and mortality as well as higher risk for hospitalization in intensive care unit and mechanical ventilation. We present a 38-year-old 21+5week pregnant unvaccinated woman with twins and critical COVID-19 pneumonia caused by Delta SARS-CoV-2 strain. Because of rapid worsening of respiratory condition despite standard of care treatment with steroids, she received a combination of casirivimab/imdevimab and tocilizumab. After therapy we noticed respiratory improvement and after 10 days she was extubated. Due to selective fetal growth restriction of one of the twins, a planned caesarean section was performed at 34+6 weeks. Presented case indicates favorable outcome and safe use of casirivimab/imdevimab and tocilizumab in critical COVID-19, as no severe or minor signs or symptoms in the case presentation were observed neither in the mother nor in infants during the time of observation.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), often referred to as kala-azar, is quite rare in developed countries during pregnancy. Only few studies have evaluated its impact on perinatal outcome. It is caused primarily by Leishmania donovani or Leishmania infantum and presents with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations from cutaneous ulcers to multisystem disease. Differential diagnosis is challenging as symptoms and signs are insidious, mimicking other diseases. Misdiagnosis can result in severe adverse perinatal outcomes, even maternal/neonatal death. Early treatment with liposomal amphotericin-B (LAmB) is currently the first choice with adequate effectiveness. We report a rare case of VL in a twin pregnancy with onset at the second trimester, presenting with periodic fever with rigors, right flank pain, and gradual dysregulation of all three cell lines. The positive rK39 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test confirmed the diagnosis. Treatment with LAmB resulted in clinical improvement within 48 h and in the delivery of two late-preterm healthy neonates with no symptoms or signs of vertical transmission. The one-year follow-up, of the mother and the neonates, was negative for recurrence. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of VL in a twin pregnancy, and consequently treatment and perinatal outcome are of great importance.

There has been a notable rise in instances of multiple-fetus pregnancies over the last decade, attributed to the widespread adoption of assisted reproductive technologies. Moreover, these pregnancies have been associated with the use of drugs to induce ovulation. While some cases involve the loss of one twin with minimal consequences for the surviving twin, the demise of a fetus after the first trimester, especially beyond three months into the pregnancy, can significantly impact the health of both the mother and the surviving fetus. Unfavorable outcomes linked to the loss of one twin after the first trimester include impaired physical growth of the surviving fetus, preterm delivery, neurological abnormalities, and, in certain instances, the death of the surviving twin. This report provides a detailed account of a specific case involving twin pregnancies where a single fetal death occurred at the 24th week of gestation, leading to severe pregnancy-induced hypertension and pulmonary edema. Upon reviewing peer-reviewed articles related to similar cases in online databases, no exact matches were identified for cases with a comparable presentation. The scarcity of literature on the development of pre-eclampsia following the death of a single fetus suggests a gap in obstetric research in this area. Consequently, the uniqueness of this case report arises from its distinctive circumstances and the limited existing literature on the subject within the obstetric community.

Acute myocarditis (AM) in early pregnancy is a rare disease. Its clinical presentation varies from asymptomatic disease to cardiogenic shock and death. A 28-year-old woman, 12 weeks primigravida of a dichorionic and diamniotic pregnancy, was admitted for hyperemesis gravidarum, associated with a common cold-like condition. During hospitalization, she developed new-onset sinus tachycardia and dyspnea. An electrocardiogram revealed sinus tachycardia and diffuse ST-segment elevation. Laboratory tests showed elevated levels of troponin and pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. Pelvic obstetric ultrasound and chest X-ray were normal. Speckle-tracking echocardiography showed mild apical hypokinesia with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. In view of these findings, AM was suspected, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was highly suggestive of AM. The patient had a favorable recovery without cardiovascular or obstetric complications.

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BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in pregnancy is one of the major obstetric complications and is considered a contraindication to pregnancy as it is classified as a class IV risk in the revised risk classification of pregnancy by the World Health Organisation. Pregnancy, with its adaptive and expectant mechanical and hormonal changes, negatively affects the cardiopulmonary circulation in pregnant women. Do patients with repaired simple congenital heart disease (CHD) develop other pulmonary and cardiac complications during pregnancy? Can pregnant women with sudden pulmonary hypertension be treated and managed in time? In this paper, we present a case of a 39-year-old woman who underwent cesarean section at 33 wk\' gestation and developed PAH secondary to repaired simple CHD. Our research began by a PubMed search for \"pulmonary hypertension\" and \"pregnancy\" and \"CHD\" case reports. Three cases were selected to review PAH in pregnancy after correction of CHD defects. These studies were reviewed, coupled with our own clinical experience.
METHODS: Herein, a case involving a woman who underwent atrial septal defect repair at the age of 34, became pregnant five years later, and had a sudden onset of PAH and right heart failure secondary to symptoms of acute peripheral edema in the third trimester of her pregnancy. As a result, the patient underwent a cesarean section and gave birth to healthy twins. Within three days after cesarean delivery, her cardiac function deteriorated as the pulmonary artery pressure increased. Effective postpartum management, including diuresis, significant oxygen uptake, vasodilators, capacity and anticoagulants management, led to improvements in cardiac function and oxygenation. The patient was discharged from hospital with a stable recovery and transferred to local hospitals for further PAH treatment.
CONCLUSIONS: This case served as a reminder to obstetricians of the importance of pregnancy after repair of CHD. It is crucial for patients with CHD to receive early correction. It suggests doctors should not ignore edema of twin pregnancy. Also, it provides a reference for the further standardization of antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum management for patients with CHD worldwide.

Anticoagulant therapy is essential for the prevention or treatment of peripartum venous thromboembolism (VTE). Administration of a therapeutic dose of anticoagulant immediately after cesarean section may result in the formation of a rectus sheath hematoma. A 32-year-old Japanese woman delivered twin neonates by cesarean section at 37+5 weeks of gestation. After the removal of the placenta, the patient suddenly complained of left anterior chest pain and dyspnea with hypotension and desaturation, requiring the administration of oxygen and vasopressors. Postoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed pulmonary embolism and massive right ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT). An inferior vena cava filter was placed and continuous intravenous heparin was started. A rectus sheath hematoma was noted on postoperative day 2 (POD 2). On POD 5, heparin administration was temporarily discontinued because of an enlarged rectus sheath hematoma. Approximately 24 hours later, the hemoglobin level recovered, and heparin administration was resumed. No further expansion of the hematoma was observed. When a rectus sheath hematoma is formed due to treatment with a therapeutic dose of anticoagulant immediately after cesarean section for peripartum VTE, temporary suspension of anticoagulant administration is reasonable to prevent further expansion of the hematoma without fatal complication.