The role of endocannabinoids in pregnancy

2021 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 349-354
Author(s):  
Zdeněk Laštůvka ◽  
◽  
Josef Suchopár ◽  
Simona Mašková ◽  
Miroslava Alblová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Enzymatic Activity ◽  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Unborn Child ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
In Pregnancy

Objective: In this paper, we summarize the role of the endocannabinoid system in relation to pregnancy and childbirth and its potential for dia gnosis of preterm birth. Methods: Review of articles in peer-reviewed journals using the PubMed database. Results: Endocannabinoid system plays a signifi cant role in embryo development, transport and implantation as well as in placentation. It consists of numerous endogenous ligands; however, in relation to pregnancy there are mainly two studied representatives: anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. There is increasing evidence, in addition to early pregnancy events, that anandamide plays a regulatory role in pregnancy maintenance and the timing of labour. The activity of anandamide depends on its metabolic pathway and the enzymatic activity that ensures its conversion. Ultimately, changes in anandamide concentration lead to increased production of prostaglandins or prostamides, with inverse eff ects on pregnancy. The abuse of exogenous cannabinoids in pregnancy has substantial impact on the unborn child in many ways and may result in detrimental eff ects including preterm birth. Conclusion: Measuring anandamide concentration and the prostaglandin to prostamide ratio could be a useful tool in assessing the risk of preterm birth. Key words: endocannabinoid system – pregnancy – labour

scholarly journals Endocannabinoid System in Pregnancy Maintenance and Labor: A Mini-Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa L. Kozakiewicz ◽  
Chad A. Grotegut ◽  
Allyn C. Howlett
Keyword(s):  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Endocannabinoid System ◽  
Current Theory ◽  
Multiple Organ ◽  
Late Gestation ◽  
Signaling System ◽  
Organ Systems ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Term Labor ◽  
In Pregnancy

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a cell-signaling system present in multiple organ systems and is an integral part of sustaining the microenvironment necessary for early pregnancy success and maintenance. It plays a significant role in embryo development, transport and implantation as well as placentation. The current theory behind the initiation of term labor is that it is a complex, multifactorial process involving sex steroid hormones, prostaglandin production and interplay at the maternal-fetal interface resulting in increased expression of receptors and gap junctions that promote uterine activation. There is increasing evidence that, in addition to early pregnancy events, the ECS plays a regulatory role in pregnancy maintenance and the timing of labor. This review presents an overview of the ECS in pregnancy that focuses on late gestation and parturition.

Women, Health, and Medical Technology

1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inger Stauning
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Medical Technology ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
Women Health ◽  
Medical Technologies ◽  
In Pregnancy

AbstractNew medical technologies are often developed and diffused in health care without societal assessments or setting of priorities. This article discusses the driving forces behind the development of new technologies and asks how women as users and providers of health services can gain influence on the process. Technologies used in pregnancy and childbirth are discussed to reveal different interests in their development and use and to discuss the role of industry in the development of new medical technologies in general.

scholarly journals Vitamin D, the placenta and early pregnancy: effects on trophoblast function

2018 ◽  
Vol 236 (2) ◽  
pp. R93-R103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankana Ganguly ◽  
Jennifer A Tamblyn ◽  
Sarah Finn-Sell ◽  
Shiao-Y Chan ◽  
Melissa Westwood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Maternal Serum ◽  
Trophoblast Invasion ◽  
Vitamin D Metabolism ◽  
Current Review ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
In Pregnancy

Pregnancy is associated with significant changes in vitamin D metabolism, notably increased maternal serum levels of active vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin (1,25(OH)2D). This appears to be due primarily to increased renal activity of the enzyme 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1) that catalyzes synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D, but CYP27B1 expression is also prominent in both the maternal decidua and fetal trophoblast components of the placenta. The precise function of placental synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D remains unclear, but is likely to involve localized tissue-specific responses with both decidua and trophoblast also expressing the vitamin D receptor (VDR) for 1,25(OH)2D. We have previously described immunomodulatory responses to 1,25(OH)2D by diverse populations of VDR-expressing cells within the decidua. The aim of the current review is to detail the role of vitamin D in pregnancy from a trophoblast perspective, with particular emphasis on the potential role of 1,25(OH)2D as a regulator of trophoblast invasion in early pregnancy. Vitamin D deficiency is common in pregnant women, and a wide range of studies have linked low vitamin D status to adverse events in pregnancy. To date, most of these studies have focused on adverse events later in pregnancy, but the current review will explore the potential impact of vitamin D on early pregnancy, and how this may influence implantation and miscarriage.

The role of the endocannabinoid system in gametogenesis, implantation and early pregnancy

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 501-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.H. Taylor ◽  
C. Ang ◽  
S.C. Bell ◽  
J.C. Konje
Keyword(s):  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Endocannabinoid System

Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnancy and Preterm Birth: Evidence from the Literature

1996 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Colli ◽  
C Bertulessi ◽  
M Landoni ◽  
F Parazzini
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Bacterial Vaginosis ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trials ◽  
Premature Rupture Of Membranes ◽  
Premature Rupture ◽  
Membrane Rupture ◽  
In Pregnancy

We review below the evidence from the literature about the relationships between bacterial vaginosis, its treatment and pregnancy outcome. The literature indicates that there is a well-defined association between the presence of bacterial vaginosis during pregnancy and the risk of premature membrane rupture and preterm birth. Less definite is the role of the treatment of such pathology in reducing the frequency of preterm birth and/or premature rupture of membranes. The results of the controlled clinical trials are not entirely consistent. Of the most studied therapies, clindamycin seems to have shown favourable results most consistently but the published data are limited to trials including just a few hundred subjects. Only the availability of further data from controlled clinical trials will clarify the role of such treatment for bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy.

scholarly journals THE CONTROVERSIAL ROLE OF PLACENTAL MICROBIOME IN PRETERM BIRTH

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-82
Author(s):  
Valentin Varlas ◽  
◽  
Ovidiu Peneș ◽  
Ioanina Părlătescu ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Dna Sequencing ◽  
Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Premature Birth ◽  
Human Microbiome ◽  
The Body ◽  
Microbial Colonization ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
In Pregnancy

The correlation between the maternal and neonatal microbiome helps to understand the mechanisms that govern the metabolic and immune processes of the newborn. The literature of recent years brings pros and cons regarding the role of the placenta as a microbial residence and its involvement secondary to microbial colonization in premature birth. Additional multi-omics research will be needed to establish the role of this transient organ in elucidating the processes that govern premature birth. DNA sequencing has made it possible to identify microbial species in the human microbiome. Thus, the role of the maternal microbiome in pregnancy and related complications are partially elucidated. This article aimed to identify the diversity of species in the maternal placental microbiome, the possible association with the newborn microbiome, and the influence of dysbiosis in spontaneous premature birth (PTB). In pregnancy, the changes in the microbiome are multifactorial, and the analysis performed demonstrating the continuous intervention of the body in order to adapt the intestinal microbiota to have a positive maternal-fetal result.

scholarly journals The Efficacy of Low-dose Aspirin in Pregnancy Among Women in Malaria-endemic Countries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Bauserman ◽  
Sequoia Leuba ◽  
Jennifer Hemingway-Foday ◽  
Tracy L. Nolen ◽  
Janet Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Birth ◽  
Perinatal Mortality ◽  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Dose Aspirin ◽  
Effect Measure ◽  
Low Dose Aspirin ◽  
Effect Measure Modification ◽  
In Pregnancy

Abstract BackgroundLow dose aspirin (LDA) is an effective strategy to reduce preterm birth. However, LDA might have differential effects globally, based on the etiology of preterm birth. In some regions, malaria in pregnancy could be an important modifier of LDA on birth outcomes and anemia. MethodsThis is a sub-study of the ASPIRIN trial, a multi-national, randomized, placebo controlled trial evaluating LDA effect on preterm birth. We enrolled a convenience sample of women in the ASPIRIN trial from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya and Zambia. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect malaria. We calculated crude prevalence proportion ratios (PRs) for LDA by malaria for outcomes, and regression modelling to evaluate effect measure modification. We evaluated hemoglobin in late pregnancy based on malaria infection in early pregnancy.Results1,446 women were analyzed, with a malaria prevalence of 63% in the DRC site, 38% in the Kenya site, and 6% in the Zambia site. Preterm birth occurred in 83 (LDA) and 90 (placebo) women, (PR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70, 1.22), without interaction between LDA and malaria (p=0.75). Perinatal mortality occurred in 41 (LDA) and 43 (placebo) pregnancies, (PR 0.95, 95% CI 0.63, 1.44), with an interaction between malaria and LDA (p=0.014). Hemoglobin was similar by malaria and LDA status.ConclusionsMalaria in early pregnancy did not modify the effects of LDA on preterm birth, but modified the effect of LDA on perinatal mortality. This effect measure modification deserves continued study as LDA is used in malaria endemic regions.

Haematological disorders in pregnancy

2020 ◽  
pp. 186-205
Author(s):  
Amanda Ali ◽  
Hassan Shehata
Keyword(s):  
Diagnosis And Management ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
Individualized Care ◽  
Fetal Complications ◽  
Intravascular Coagulopathy ◽  
Haematological Disorders ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Anaemia In Pregnancy ◽  
In Pregnancy

During the last four decades, there have been major advances in the understanding and management of the haematological disorders associated with pregnancy. This chapter aims to help update the management and knowledge of some of these conditions. The section on anaemia in pregnancy addresses its prevention, diagnosis, and management. Sickle cell disease is discussed, with its associated complications and the role of preconception and antenatal care in the appropriate set-up. The section on thalassemia highlights the advances in antenatal screening and the management of the different types in pregnancy. A concise updated review on antiphospholipid syndrome in pregnancy is included, addressing its diagnosis and management. Early pregnancy loss is the most common pregnancy complication and its occurrence in association with a thrombophilia is discussed in detail. Women with inherited bleeding disorders and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy may face several haemostatic challenges during pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnancy in these women requires specialized and individualized care. This section covers the management of maternal and fetal complications as well as prenatal diagnosis including new advances for haemophilia carriers. The section on thrombocytopenia outlines the management of low platelets in pregnancy, and the association with severe pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome. There is a section devoted to management of haematological malignancies in pregnancy, which is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. An attempt has been made to cover as many subjects in a way that will be of interest and value to both obstetricians and haematologists involved in the care of pregnant women.

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