OBJECTIVE: To examine the pattern of gestational weight gain using maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: We used maternal weight data from 1,825 women who had noncomplicated pregnancy between Jan. 2002 and Aug. 2009. The rate of maternal weight gain in each trimester, the associations between gestational weight gain per trimester and maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes, and the relationship between maternal characteristics and trimester weight gain were analyzed. RESULTS: The average rate of weight gain (kg/week) was lowest during the first trimester (0.06+/-0.30), peaked during the second trimester (0.52+/-0.23), and slowed slightly in the third trimester (0.47+/-0.23). With the exception of infant sex, all six maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes included in the multivariate analyses (parity, maternal age, height, BMI, preeclampsia, gestational DM) were associated significantly with maternal weight gain in at least one trimester. The important maternal predictors of weight gain per trimester were prepregnancy BMI, height and age in the first trimester; prepregnacy BMI, parity and height in the second; and height, age and parity in the third. CONCLUSION: The pattern of gestational weight gain is associated with a number of maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes, and these relationships vary according to which trimester is being examined.
Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Maternal Age ; Multivariate Analysis ; Parity ; Pre-Eclampsia ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Weight Gain

BACKGROUND: There is a recent trend of increased use of the gel test for detecting unexpected antibodies because of its simplicity and the ease with which a definitive interpretation can be made. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of newly developed DG Gel microtube column agglutination system as compared with the tube method and other two microtube column agglutination systems (DiaMed-ID, Ortho BioVue). METHODS: We collected 305 patients who were screened for unexpected antibody from February to July 2007. These samples were screened and we identified the unexpected antibody with the tube method and three microtube column agglutination systems. RESULTS: The highest estimated sensitivity of the screening test was 97.4% for DiaMed-ID. The highest estimated specificity of the screening test was 100% for DG Gel. The least number of discordant identification results was seven for the DG Gel. CONCLUSION: DG Gel has good diagnostic efficacy and accuracy for identifying unexpected antibody. DG Gel might be used as a replacement or supplement for the previous tests.
Agglutination ; Antibodies ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: To establish the biweekly standard values of pregnancy weight gains for primiparas and multiparas, and to investigate the influence of prepregnancy body mass index on biweekly weight gain during pregnancy. METHODS: We analyzed the biweekly weight gain data from 536 primiparas and 114 multiparas who had noncomplicated singleton term pregnancy. Data was categorized according to parity and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Biweekly weight gain was significantly different among prepregnancy BMI groups from the 15th week but was not different between primiparas and multiparas. CONCLUSION: To prevent a lot of complications which may be associated with abnormal weight gain during pregnancy, more careful prenatal care according to the prepregnancy BMI groups is needed. To establish the Korean standard value for antenatal weight gain, a nationwide multicenter study is needed.
Body Mass Index ; Female ; Parity ; Pregnancy* ; Prenatal Care ; Weight Gain*

BACKGROUND: RhC/c blood group antigens are of clinical importance and molecular genotyping for them can be useful when serological typing is difficult. A method to determine the RhC/c genotype, by targeting exon 1 nt48 and exon 2 nt307, has been used. However, this approach is not accurate for the RHc(cyt48) variant allele. We applied a more accurate genotyping method, using the intron 2 109 bp insert of the RHCE gene, and evaluated its performance in comparison with the standard method. METHODS: RhD and RhC/c serotypes of 236 subjects were determined. We compared two genotype results with the serological phenotype. One method examined the allele-specific exon 1 nt48 and exon 2 nt307 polymorphism area (Method 1), while the other method detected the intron 2 insert instead of the exon 1 nt48 (Method 2) by polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP). RESULTS: The predicted phenotypes by Method 1 were not matched with the true phenotypes in 24 cases (24/236, 10.2%). By contrast, the predicted results by Method 2 matched with true phenotypes in all cases except one. The RHc(cyt48) variant was suspected in 22 cases (23.7%) of the 93 Rhc cases. CONCLUSION: For the determination of the RhC/c genotype in Koreans, the method that analyzes exon 1 nt48 is inaccurate. Instead, intron 2 insert analysis with exon 2 nt307 by PCR-SSP appears to be a more accurate alternative.
Alleles ; Blood Group Antigens ; Exons ; Genotype ; Introns* ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

OBJECTIVE: To establish the standard values for proper antenatal weight gain, biweekly mean weight gains, standard deviations were calculated from the 5th to the 42nd gestational week and their percentiles were determined. And the influence of prepregnancy body mass index and/or parity on biweekly weight gain was investigated. METHODS: We analyzed the biweekly weight gain data from 910 women who had noncomplicated singleton term pregnancy. Data was categorized in three groups according to body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: The biweekly weight gain table has been determined and 'Sigmoid(S) shaped' weight gain curves were presented. Primipara and multipara have significantly less weight gain than nullipara beyond the 25th weeks. Biweekly weight gain was significantly different among prepregnancy BMI groups from the 13th week. CONCLUSION: More careful prenatal care according to the biweekly weight gain-gestational week tables is needed to prevent a lot of complications which may be associated with abnormal weight gain during pregnancy. To establish Korean standard value for antenatal weight gain, a nationwide multicenter study is needed.
Body Mass Index ; Female ; Humans ; Parity ; Pregnancy* ; Prenatal Care ; Weight Gain*

BACKGROUND: ABO genotyping is a useful tool in case of ABO discrepancies and in legal medicine. Recent knowledge of various alleles in the ABO gene has led to the need of a different method that can cover numerous polymorphisms. We performed a polymerase chain reaction using sequencespecific priming (PCR-SSP) with 12 primer sets and evaluated its value in the detection of 8 ABO alleles. METHODS: Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood of 222 unrelated Koreans. Sequencespecific primer sets for the nucleotides 261, 297, 467, 802, 803, and 1059 were selected, and 12 PCR reactions were performed for each sample. Direct sequencing was performed to evaluate the accuracy of discrimination between A1(Pro) and A1(Leu) and between O1 and O1v. RESULTS: All the ABO genotype patterns were in an exact match with the ABO phenotypes. The results from sequencing and PCR-SSP were equivalent. The allele frequencies of A1, B, O1, and O1v were 27.25%, 19.82%, 27.25%, and 25.68% respectively. Out of total 121 A1 alleles, 6 (4.96%) were A1(Pro) alleles and 115 (95.04%) were A1(Leu) alleles. No A2, O2, or CisAB alleles were found in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of O1v allele was similar to that of O1 allele. This was an unexpected result. We developed a method for detecting 8 ABO alleles by PCR-SSP; the method was accurate and was able to discriminate between A1(Pro) and A1(Leu) and between O1 and O1v.
Alleles* ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; DNA ; Forensic Medicine ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Nucleotides ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVE: To calculate monthly weight gains during pregnancy among 20s, early and late 30s, and to investigate the influence of age groups on monthly weight gains. METHODS: We analyzed the monthly weight gain data from 892 women who had visited before 20 weeks of gestation and had healthy singleton term pregnancy. Data was categorized in three groups according to age (20s, early and late 30s). RESULTS: The monthly weight gain tables among 20s, early and late 30s have been determined. Monthly weight gain was not significantly different among three age groups. CONCLUSION: Although statistically insignificant among three age groups, more cautious prenatal care according to the monthly weight gain-gestational month tables for each age group is needed to prevent complications which may be associated with abnormal weight gain during pregnancy.
Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy* ; Prenatal Care ; Weight Gain*

Placenta percreta occurs when chorionic villi penetrate through the myometrium up to the serosa. The incidence of placenta percreta is extremely rare, but it is accompanied by serious complications of pregnancy and their prediction is very difficult. Since spontaneous uterine rupture during the second trimester is an obstetric emergency, it is critical that the proper management should be taken promptly in order to decrease the maternal morbidity and mortality. We present a case of spontaneous uterine rupture in 17 weeks of pregnancy.
Animals ; Chorionic Villi ; Emergencies ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mice ; Mortality ; Myometrium ; Placenta Accreta ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy* ; Serous Membrane ; Uterine Rupture*

Imperforate hymen is a rare congenital malformation, but it can make hematocolpometra and complications. In most cases definite finding is noticed after menarche as retention of menstrual flow results in abdominal pain, distension of the lower abdomen and often in acute urinary retention. A case of imperforate hymen associated with hematocolpometra at age of 12 was treated satisfactorily by simple crucial incision of hymen and drained of about 450 cc of tarry blood. We present a case of imperforate hymen with a brief review of literatures concerned.
Abdomen ; Abdominal Pain ; Female ; Hymen* ; Menarche ; Urinary Retention

Endometriosis in the abdominal scar following cesarean section is very rare condition among the extrapelvic endometriosis. Abdominal wall endometriosis secondary to cesarean section is being reported in less than 0.5% of patients undergoing cesarean section and has a distinct presentation and treatment. Three patients with history of cesarean section presented with a painful, enlarging mass involving the cesarean section scar. The pain was cyclic and the strongest just prior to menstruation. These patients were treated with surgical excision and specimens had endometriosis confirmed by histopathology. We have experienced three cases of endometriosis in the abdominal scar following cesarean section. So, we report the cases with a brief review of the concerned literatures.
Abdominal Wall ; Cesarean Section* ; Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Menstruation ; Pregnancy