The practice of maternal–fetal medicine (MFM) in the Philippines originated within the broader scope of obstetrics and gynecology. The specialty started to emerge to address the need for specialized care for high‑risk pregnancies and the management of fetal complications. Over the years, the development of MFM as a distinct subspecialty has evolved through advancements in medical technology, training programs, and the increasing complexity of pregnancy management. The Philippine Society of MFM (PSMFM), established in 1996, is the primary organization representing MFM specialists in the country. It is dedicated to advancing the field through education, training, service, and research. PSMFM provides its members a platform to enhance their knowledge, improve their skills, foster collaboration, and share expertise.
Perinatology ; Pregnancy, High-Risk

Humans ; Perinatology ; Delivery of Health Care

Most of perinatological phenomenona and diseases are closely related with immune reaction. Most of initial immune responses occur through innate immunity and most causes, such as mechanical damage, hypoxia, and hyperoxia, are self and microorganisms are non-self, all of which are related with immune reaction concept. However, researches on perinatology are mainly focused on specific one or two causes of perinatal diseases, so often there is limitation to understand the basic concepts and phenomenona of the perinatal diseases. Through understanding of immune reaction concept, we can apply immune reaction theory to researches in perinatology and we can understand phenomenona in perinatology through knowledge of immune reaction. Therefore it is essential to understand historical development of immunology and concept of immune reaction for researches and treatment of perinatology.
Allergy and Immunology ; Anoxia ; Hyperoxia ; Immunity, Innate ; Perinatology*

Background: The RxBox 2 Model 2 is a portable device developed by the National TeleHealth Center capable of measuring various physiologic signals including fetal heart beat and uterine contractions, making it able to act as a cardiotocogram. The first model of the RxBox 2 was used in an observational cross-sectional study and was noted to have a low accuracy compared with the standard cardiotocogram. An adjustment was made with the objective of improving the sensitivity and specificity. Objective: The objective of this diagnostic cross-sectional study is to validate the RxBox 2 Model 2 by comparing its sensitivity and specificity with that of the standard cardiotocogram in detecting Category II traces. Results: The results of this study exhibited an improvement in the sensitivity (77% versus 60%) and specificity (71% versus 61%). In terms of accuracy, there is no significant difference between the high risk and non-high risk groups. These contribute to the validity of RxBox 2 Model 2 as an acceptable screening tool. Recommendation Further studies may still be done to improve the correlation of each component of the trace to that of the standard cardiotocogram. Detailed analysis of the interpretations with corresponding interventions and perinatal outcomes may aid in validating the device.
Telemedicine ; Perinatology ; Perinatal Care ; Maternal Health

OBJECTIVE: Macrosomia is one of the important problems in obstetrics and perinatology. This study was to investigate the changing trend in incidence, area distribution, and other relavant factors of macrosomia. METHODS: We studied 2,206 cases of large babies weighing 4,000 g or more among 72,084 deliveries at Catholic Medical College Hospital from Jan. 1, 1993 to Dec. 31, 2003. The cases were divided into two group, one group from 1993 to 1998 (group I), the other group from 1998 to 2003 (group II). RESULTS: The incidence of large babies weighing 4,000 g or more was 3.06%. The incidence of macrosomia in group I was 3.02%, and that from group II was 3.14% (P=0.149). The incidence of macrosomia throughout the country was 2.5-3.3%. The average body weight of macrosomia was raised by 30 g from 4,218 +/- 224 g in group I to 4,248 +/- 246 g. in group II (P=0.003). The average of maternal body weight was raised by 246 g from 73.12 +/- 9.08 kg in group I to 75.56 +/- 9.64 kg in group II (P<0.001). According to gestational age, the percentage of macrosomia less than 38 weeks was 5.0%, that during 38 weeks and 40 weeks was 39.4%, that during 40 weeks and 42 weeks was 53.4%, more than 42 weeks was 2.2% in group I, and that in group II was 6.2%, 46.1%, 44.1%, and 3.6%, respectively. Male fetuses were 927 cases (64.69%), and female fetuses were 506 cases (35.31) in group I, and those in group II were 520 cases (67.27%), and 253 cases (32.73%), respectively. CONCLUSION: There is no change in the incidence of macrosomia past 11 years. There is no significant difference in the incidence of macrosomia throughout the country. Maternal body weight may associated with fetal body weight. Gestational weeks in group II were earlier, that in group II. Sex ratio was similar in the two groups, and male was predominant.
Body Weight ; Female ; Fetal Weight ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Obstetrics ; Perinatology ; Sex Ratio

PURPOSE: Recently, the trend of multi-cultural families is rising in number due to increasing marriage-based immigrants in Korea. We evaluated statistic changes of characteristics in international marriage, births, and off-springs for the past 20 years in Korea. METHODS: The annual report of national population from Statistics Korea, the survey results about the present status of resident foreigners from Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare, Korea Ministry of Public Administration and Security, and editorials from Health and Welfare Forum and other related reports of Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs and Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare were used. RESULTS: There were 35,098 (10.8%) international marriages among total 326,104 marriages in 2010 in Korea. The regional distribution of the international marriage was the highest in Gyeonggi (18.5%), and the lowest in Jeju (1.1%). The metropolitan area Seoul (15.4%), Incheon (4.5%) and Gyeonggi (18.3%) comprised one third of the entire international marriage. The number of childbirths was 13,443 (2.9%) in 2008, 19,024 (4.3%) in 2009, and 20,312 (4.3%) in 2010 with increasing trend. The number of off-springs was 44,258 in 2007, 58,007 in 2008, 99,684 in 2009 and 105,502 in 2010. Children less than 18 years old was 93.1%. We expected 1.5 times of increase over the next coming 10 years in the number of multi-cultural international marriage and off-springs compared with 2011. CONCLUSION: When we evaluated the characteristics of multi-cultural marriages, childbirths, and off-springs, systemic nationwide care seemed to be necessary in the aspect of health problems such as perinatology, obstetrics, neonatology, and pediatrics. We expect our results to be utilized for the basic health data.
Birth Rate ; Child ; Emigrants and Immigrants ; Epidemiologic Methods ; Humans ; Korea ; Marriage ; Neonatology ; Obstetrics ; Parturition ; Pediatrics ; Perinatology

OBJECTIVE: Preterm labor and delivery is probably the largest problem in modern perinatology. The early diagnosis of preterm labor is crucial for prevention of preterm birth. To predict the onset of preterm labor, we examined the diagnostic performance of serial cervical assessment by transvaginal sonography. METHODS: In this prospective study, we performed transvaginal sonography at approximately 30 and 34 weeks of gestation in women with singleton pregnancies. Cervical parameters evaluated included endocervical length, the presence of funneling, funnel length and funnel width. We then assessed the relation between cervical parameters and the risk of spontaneous preterm labor. RESULTS: We examined 258 women at approximately 30 weeks of gestation and 247 of these women again at approximately 34 weeks. Spontaneous preterm labor occurred in 9 of women examined at 30 weeks(Group 1) and in 13 at 34 weeks(Group 2). The endocervical length was normally distributed at 30 and 34 weeks(mean +/-SD, 38.26+/-6.82mm and 35.63+/-7.35mm, respectively). The endocervical length decreased significantly from 30weeks to 34 weeks(p=0.0001). Both groups showed significantly shorter endocervical length(p <0.05) and groupl more presence of funneling than group of term pregnancy(p<0.05). Receiver-operator characteristic curve and multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that endocervical length <-30mm at 30 weeks and <-25mm at 34 showed highest diagnostic index in predicting the onset of preterm labor(p=0.0001). Conclusions: Serial transvaginal ultrasound assessment of endocervical length during early third trimester is a useful predictor of preterm labor and delivery in low-risk patients.
Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Obstetric Labor, Premature* ; Perinatology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Premature Birth ; Prospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

Cervical cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy diagnosed in pregnancy. Pregnancy represents an opportunity for early diagnosis of cervical cancer, because cervical cytology is considered to be a part of routine antenatal care. An abnormal cervical cytology should generally be managed as in the non-pregnant state. Therefore, colposcopy and directed biopsies, when indicated, should be considered for pregnant patients with abnormal cytology and/or suspicious clinical findings. The only absolute indication for conization in pregnancy is to rule out microinvasive disease or make the diagnosis of invasive carcinoma when such a diagnosis will alter the timing or mode of delivery. Overall, earlier stages of cervical cancer are encountered during pregnancy compared with the general population. In early stage disease, delay in definitive treatment for fetal maturity would be feasible and safe if there is no evidence of disease progression. Treatment of invasive cervical cancer is similar to the non-pregnant state, and should be individualized and undertaken by stage, gestational age and patient's desire to continue the pregnancy. In counseling patients, a multidisciplinary approach coordinated by experts in gynecologic oncology and perinatology is mandatory. After stratifying for stage, the outcome is similar to the non-pregnant state.
Biopsy ; Colposcopy ; Conization ; Counseling ; Diagnosis ; Disease Progression ; Early Diagnosis ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Perinatology ; Pregnancy* ; Prognosis ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Perinatal period, which is a series of consecutive periods of pregnancy, delivery, birth and neonatal life, gives many important information about national public health statistics and data. It is fundamental and important in the epidemiological statistics to understand clearly the definitions of terminology in perinatal epidemiology, and to group diseases and its characteristics, prognosis and mortality according to the definitions. Therefore, the present review article should be helpful in understanding the terms of perinatal epidemiology based on the international criteria and also to understand the uniformity of the international criteria in the grouping the periods when making the statistic products. By reviewing and presenting the perinatalogic definitions based on criteria of 10th revision of International Statistical Classification of Disease (ICD) and Related Health Problems (WHO), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Statistics Korea, and Statistics of Japan Ministry of Health Labour, and Welfare. And also by understanding the grouping in statistics, we intended to propose the uniformity of the statistics in the perinatal epidemiologic papers in Korea.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Japan ; Korea ; National Center for Health Statistics (U.S.) ; Parturition ; Perinatology ; Pregnancy ; Prognosis ; Public Health ; Vital Statistics

Data of Korea National Statistical Office is showing that the birth rate in Korea is decreasing but high risk pregnancy is increasing; the old age mother, prematurity and low birth weight newborns and multiple twins are increasing. These facts are requiring the Korean government to establish an integrated perinatal management system "High-Risk Maternal and Newborn Centers (HMNC)". However, the reality is reduction of number of obstetrician, neonatal physician and their related physicians. The lack of beds for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and bed for pregnancy are other problems to be solved by Korean government. More than 20% of all neonatal deaths were related to neonatal surgical diseases. The understanding of perinatal surgical disease and its professional surgical care are necessary to eliminate the maternal anxiety, maintain the pregnancy and improve the treatment outcomes of HMNC. Thus, it is ideal that HMNC would have board certified pediatric surgeon. At the same time, HMNC should have surgical facilities and personnel who support the pediatric surgeon's activity. If HNMC could not hire full time surgical specialist due to any reasons, it should have legal medical system to support pediatric surgeons to help the newborn with surgical diseases in HN.
Anxiety ; Birth Rate ; Humans ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn* ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Korea ; Mothers ; Perinatology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, High-Risk ; Specialization