Obstetric Medicine

The Valsalva manoeuvre (VM) is a normal physiological event that occurs during the second active phase of labour. In women with medical conditions that may be exacerbated by the Valsalva, caesarean birth may be recommended. This carries with it its own potential for maternal morbidity, and thus it is important that women are appropriately counselled about the mode of delivery most suited to their individual situation. It is possible to avoid VM with spontaneous pushing rather than reverting to caesarean birth. Neuraxial analgesia and instrumental delivery may also be used to avoid prolonged VM. We outline the effect of VM on the various organ systems in pregnancy and summarise the available evidence on its implication.

Abnormalities of liver function are common during pregnancy. This retrospective study examined the incidence, aetiology and adequacy of investigation of pregnant women with markedly elevated aspartate aminotransferase and/or alanine transaminase levels (more than 10-fold of the upper limit of normal) over a ten-year period at a tertiary referral maternity hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Three hundred and twenty-three women were found to have markedly elevated liver enzymes, representing 0.56% of pregnancies with known delivery outcomes. Two hundred and sixty-four cases (82%) were due to pregnancy-specific causes. No cause was identified in 12 women (3.8%) despite investigation. No adverse maternal, fetal or neonatal outcome occurred in these pregnancies where no cause was identified for markedly elevated liver enzymes. A further six women (1.9%) did not have comprehensive investigation into underlying aetiologies of elevated liver enzymes.

The comorbid presentation of anti-NMDAR encephalitis with ovarian teratomas was first described in 2005. The incidence of anti-NMDAR encephalitis during pregnancy is rare, with 16 cases reported to date. We describe the case of a 31-year-old nulliparous woman who presented with status epilepticus in early pregnancy and was subsequently diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. The inter-hospital transfer was required for higher-level care and ventilation. A comprehensive work-up identified anti-NMDAR antibodies in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid. Pelvic imaging showed a unilateral ovarian cyst, proceeding to right salpingo-oophorectomy and cystectomy of a mature cystic teratoma. Post-operatively, she was admitted to the intensive care unit for two months. Immunotherapy was commenced, and clinical status improved. She recovered well and at 35 weeks and 2 days of gestation delivered a live male infant via uncomplicated caesarean section. We discuss the diagnostic steps and multi-disciplinary management to care for this pregnant patient.

Clinical infection with Janibacter species is an infrequently reported event. There are a small number of cases of patients with Janibacter bacteremia recognized to date. We report the first case of Janibacter bacteremia in a pregnant woman. The bacteremia was associated with pneumonia. Such cases can be difficult to manage due to the lack of antibiotic susceptibility data for these bacteria. We also report susceptibility data for the Janibacter hoylei that was isolated in our patient. This case demonstrates that J. hoylei can be a pathogen in otherwise immunocompetent pregnant women.

Despite widespread anecdotal evidence of an increase in tonsil stone formation during pregnancy, including messages on internet pregnancy forums, there is little published research on this topic. Here we present three patients who experienced new or worsening of existing tonsil stones during various points of their pregnancy. Additionally, common presentations of tonsil stones as well as the medical and surgical management options are discussed. Physiological changes during pregnancy could be a contributing factor to an increase in tonsil stones during this period. Since patients may voice complaints of tonsil stones to their obstetricians prior to establishing care with an otolaryngologist, it is important that obstetricians are aware of this disease process and its management.

Gestational gigantomastia or gravid macromastia is a rare condition presenting as incapacitating breast enlargement during pregnancy. It is physically and psychologically debilitating for the patient. Fewer than 100 cases have been published to date. The etiology of the condition is unknown, but various theories have been proposed. Here we report a case of a 27 year old woman in her second pregnancy, with an abnormal increase in the size of breasts. Her breast size increased from 34B to 52D brassiere size. Routine antenatal, hormone, and initial autoimmune investigations were within normal limits. The patient was managed conservatively with breast support and had a spontaneous resolution in the postpartum period. During follow up she was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus, making the association of the two conditions a possibility. Good knowledge about this rare condition is necessary for all doctors, especially obstetricians.

Pregnancy-onset inflammatory bowel disease (POIBD) is a rare diagnosis that has been associated with diagnostic delay and increased risk of hospitalization compared with inflammatory bowel disease diagnosed outside of pregnancy. There is a paucity of data on the clinical presentation and risk factors associated with maternal and fetal outcomes of POIBD. We present a 29-year-old patient who presented with acute severe ulcerative colitis at 24 weeks gestational age whose course was complicated by delayed diagnosis and therapy, colonic perforation, colectomy, prolonged hospitalization, and neonatal prematurity. The case illustrates the high index for suspicion required for making this diagnosis and the prevention of maternal and neonatal morbidity, together with a growing need to advocate for timely investigations and in-patient management in unwell pregnant patients.

The interplay of pregnancy, the immune system and its impact on autoimmune disease is an area of growing interest. Adult-onset Still's disease is a rare auto-inflammatory disorder characterised by fever, rash, arthralgia and leucocytosis. We describe a rare case of the disease presenting for the first time in the immediate postpartum period, highlighting pregnancy and birth as possible triggers for this condition.

A 38-year-old female who was found to have severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) secondary to HIV in the postpartum period. This case illustrates the treatment and challenges of postpartum PAH. It also demonstrates the need for expert guidance and additional research on the optimal management of PAH in pregnancy and postpartum.

Acute persistent vision loss in pregnancy is an emergent presentation with a broad differential and should prompt rapid assessment and treatment of the underlying etiology. In pregnancy, causes can include preeclampsia, severe gestational hypertension, and hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets (HELLP) syndrome. Nonobstetrically related etiologies that can exacerbate in pregnancy include optic neuritis, giant cell arteritis, central retinal artery occlusion, or retinal detachment. In this case report, we describe a case of acute vision loss due to Purtscher's-like retinopathy, a rare but serious complication of pancreatitis in pregnancy. To our knowledge, this is the first published case of Purtscher's-like retinopathy in pregnancy unrelated to preeclampsia. Given the impact of permanent visual loss associated with Purtscher's-like retinopathy, more research is needed to determine treatments to substantively improve outcomes.