Maternal anthropometric characteristics and adverse pregnancy outcomes in iranian women: A confirmation analysis

Background: Adverse pregnancy outcome are frequent in developing countries. Pregnancy outcomes are influenced by numerous factors. It seems that maternal anthropometric indices are among the most important factors in this era. The aim of this study was to determine any association between maternal anthropometric characteristics and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Iranian women and provide a predictive model by using factors affecting birth weight (BW) via the pathway analysis. Methods: This study was performed in Alborz province between September 2014 and December 2016. In this cross-sectional study, 1006 pregnant women who had the study criteria were selected from 1500 pregnant women. The data were collected in 2 phases: at their first prenatal visit and during the postpartum period. Demographic data, history of previous pregnancy, fundal height (FH), gestational weight gain (GWG), and abdominal circumference (AC) were recorded. Pathway (path) analysis was used to assess effective factors on pregnancy outcomes. Results: The mean and standard deviation of participant age at delivery was 25.97 ± 5.71 years. Overall, 4.6 of infants were low BW (LBW) and 5.8 had macrosomia. The final model, with a good fit accounting for 22 of BW variance, indicated that AC and FH (both P < 0.001), and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.01) had positive direct effect on BW, while pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG (both P < 0.001) affected BW indirectly through their effect on FH and AC. Conclusion: Based on the path analysis model, FH and AC of neonates with the greatest impact on BW, could be predicted by mother�s BMI before pregnancy and weight gain during pregnancy. Therefore, close observation during prenatal care can reduce the risk of abnormal BW. © 2018 The Author(s)

Infertility and Cryptorchidism

Cryptorchidism is a condition in which one or both of the testes become arrested somewhere along their path of migration from the posterior abdominal wall to the scrotum. It is one of the most frequent congenital birth defects in male children and represents an important risk factor for infertility and testicular cancer. Approximately 2–4% of full-term newborns are born with at least one cryptorchid testis. In preterm births, the rate increases to about 30%. Normal testicular descent is a process largely governed by a carefully orchestrated hormonal symphony. The transabdominal phase is characterized by the descent of the testes into the lower abdominal position, which is primarily governed by INSL3. The inguinoscrotal phase describes the passage of the testes through the inguinal canal and into the scrotum and is largely governed by androgens. By understanding the normal physiology of testicular descent, the location of the undescended testes can shed light on which processes were interrupted. There are a variety of genetic and environmental risk factors that can impact the precise timing and coordination of these processes, resulting in cryptorchidism. Understanding the pathophysiology is important because the main complications associated with cryptorchidism are infertility and cancer. Timely treatment can minimize the risk of developing these complications. Current treatment focuses on hormonal and surgical methods in order to direct the testes in the favorable environment of the scrotum