COVID-19 in pregnancy—characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women admitted to hospital because of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Nordic countries

cited By 0Introduction Population-based studies about the consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) in pregnancy are few and have limited generalizability to the Nordic population and healthcare systems. Material and methods This study examines pregnant women with COVID-19 in the five Nordic countries. Pregnant women were included if they were admitted to hospital between 1 March and 30 June 2020 and had a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test Results In the study areas, 214 pregnant women with a positive test were admitted to hospital, of which 56 women required hospital care due to COVID-19. The risk of admission due to COVID-19 was 0.4/1000 deliveries in Denmark, Finland and Norway, and 3.8/1000 deliveries in the Swedish regions. Women hospitalized because of COVID-19 were more frequently obese (p < 0.001) and had a migrant background (p < 0.001) compared with the total population of women who delivered in 2018. Twelve women (21.4%) needed intensive care. Among the 56 women admitted due to COVID-19, 48 women delivered 51 infants. Preterm delivery (n = 12, 25%, p < 0.001) and cesarean delivery (n = 21, 43.8%, p < 0.001) were more frequent in women with COVID-19 compared with women who delivered in 2018. No maternal deaths, stillbirths or neonatal deaths were reported. Conclusions The risk of admission due to COVID-19 disease in pregnancy was low in the Nordic countries. A fifth of the women required intensive care and we observed higher rates of preterm and cesarean deliveries. National public health policies appear to have had an impact on the risk of admission due to severe COVID-19 disease in pregnancy. Nordic collaboration is important in collecting robust data and assessing rare outcomes.Peer reviewe

Nucleic acid-based fluorescent probes and their analytical potential

It is well known that nucleic acids play an essential role in living organisms because they store and transmit genetic information and use that information to direct the synthesis of proteins. However, less is known about the ability of nucleic acids to bind specific ligands and the application of oligonucleotides as molecular probes or biosensors. Oligonucleotide probes are single-stranded nucleic acid fragments that can be tailored to have high specificity and affinity for different targets including nucleic acids, proteins, small molecules, and ions. One can divide oligonucleotide-based probes into two main categories: hybridization probes that are based on the formation of complementary base-pairs, and aptamer probes that exploit selective recognition of nonnucleic acid analytes and may be compared with immunosensors. Design and construction of hybridization and aptamer probes are similar. Typically, oligonucleotide (DNA, RNA) with predefined base sequence and length is modified by covalent attachment of reporter groups (one or more fluorophores in fluorescence-based probes). The fluorescent labels act as transducers that transform biorecognition (hybridization, ligand binding) into a fluorescence signal. Fluorescent labels have several advantages, for example high sensitivity and multiple transduction approaches (fluorescence quenching or enhancement, fluorescence anisotropy, fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and excimer-monomer light switching). These multiple signaling options combined with the design flexibility of the recognition element (DNA, RNA, PNA, LNA) and various labeling strategies contribute to development of numerous selective and sensitive bioassays. This review covers fundamentals of the design and engineering of oligonucleotide probes, describes typical construction approaches, and discusses examples of probes used both in hybridization studies and in aptamer-based assays

Hydatid disease of the spine: Case report

A rare case of spinal hydatid disease presenting with paraparesis and sensory loss is reported. The patient was treated with albendazole resulting in significant improvement within eight weeks. Investigations and treatment modalities are discussed. (East African Medical Journal: 2002 79(3): 165-166

Lessons learnt from anonymized review of cases of peripartum hysterectomy by international experts: A qualitative pilot study

Severe obstetric complications are not extensively studied and individual cases are used too little and inappropriately in quality improvement activities, due to limited numbers and prioritization of quantitative research. Nordic and European experts performed a qualitative pilot study using anonymized cases of peripartum hysterectomy. It was feasible to anonymize narratives and we learned lessons in the form of themes for improved clinical care and future research. Therefore, we plan a Nordic anonymized review of the care of women who have undergone peripartum hysterectomy based on narratives. The qualitative outcomes of clinically relevant themes for quality improvement and research will add value to the quantitative analyses from the Nordic medical birth registries. In the longer term, we believe that qualitative audits should be essential part of the process of continuing improvement in maternity care. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Lessons learnt from anonymized review of cases of peripartum hysterectomy by international experts: A qualitative pilot study

Severe obstetric complications are not extensively studied and individual cases are used too little and inappropriately in quality improvement activities, due to limited numbers and prioritization of quantitative research. Nordic and European experts performed a qualitative pilot study using anonymized cases of peripartum hysterectomy. It was feasible to anonymize narratives and we learned lessons in the form of themes for improved clinical care and future research. Therefore, we plan a Nordic anonymized review of the care of women who have undergone peripartum hysterectomy based on narratives. The qualitative outcomes of clinically relevant themes for quality improvement and research will add value to the quantitative analyses from the Nordic medical birth registries. In the longer term, we believe that qualitative audits should be essential part of the process of continuing improvement in maternity care. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Lessons learnt from anonymized review of cases of peripartum hysterectomy by international experts: A qualitative pilot study

Severe obstetric complications are not extensively studied and individual cases are used too little and inappropriately in quality improvement activities, due to limited numbers and prioritization of quantitative research. Nordic and European experts performed a qualitative pilot study using anonymized cases of peripartum hysterectomy. It was feasible to anonymize narratives and we learned lessons in the form of themes for improved clinical care and future research. Therefore, we plan a Nordic anonymized review of the care of women who have undergone peripartum hysterectomy based on narratives. The qualitative outcomes of clinically relevant themes for quality improvement and research will add value to the quantitative analyses from the Nordic medical birth registries. In the longer term, we believe that qualitative audits should be essential part of the process of continuing improvement in maternity care. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved