Sonographic findings with little or no pathological significance, known as soft markers, are often found in aneuploidy fetuses. After normal screening for the aneuploidy in first trimester, there are no uniform recommendations regarding when to disregard or put on clinical significance in isolated soft markers. Associations between some soft markers and adverse pregnancy outcomes including intrauterine fetal death, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and congenital infection have been reported in euploidy fetuses. The present article aims to review recent literatures about the clinical significance of soft markers after normal first trimester combined screening or noninvasive prenatal testing, and propose a simple clinical summary for management of specific soft markers in pregnancies.
Aneuploidy ; Clothing ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Fetal Development ; Fetus ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimester, First ; Premature Birth ; Ultrasonography*

BACKGROUND: Under certain situations, women with twin pregnancies may be counseled to undergo invasive prenatal diagnostic testing. Chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis are the two generally performed invasive prenatal diagnostic tests. Studies comparing procedure-related fetal loss between first-trimester chorionic villus sampling and second-trimester amniocentesis in twin pregnancies are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the procedure-related fetal loss and the obstetrical outcomes of these two procedures, chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis in twin pregnancies. METHODS: The data from dichorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancies on which first-trimester chorionic villus sampling (n = 54) or second-trimester amniocentesis (n = 170) was performed between December 2006 and January 2017 in a single center were retrospectively analyzed. The procedure-related fetal loss was classified as loss of one or all fetuses within 4 weeks of procedure, and overall fetal loss was classified as loss of one or all fetuses during the gestation. The groups were compared with respect to the procedure-related and obstetrical outcomes. RESULTS: The difference in proportion of procedure-related fetal loss rate (1.9% for chorionic villus sampling vs. 1.8% for amniocentesis; P = 1.000) and the overall fetal loss rate (7.4% for chorionic villus sampling vs. 4.7% for amniocentesis; P = 0.489) between the two groups was not significant. The mean gestational ages at delivery were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Both the overall fetal loss rate and the procedure-related fetal loss rate of chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis in dichorionic twin pregnancies had no statistical significance. Both procedures can be safely used individually.
Amniocentesis ; Chorion ; Chorionic Villi Sampling ; Chorionic Villi ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Female ; Fetus ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy, Twin ; Retrospective Studies ; Twins

Purpose: The effects of aerobic exercise training on soleus muscle morphology, mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signaling, and atrophy/hypertrophy signaling in ovariectomized rat skeletal muscle were investigated. Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control (CON), ovariectomy (OVX), and ovariectomy plus exercise (OVX+EX) groups. After ovarian excision, exercise training was performed using a rat treadmill at 20 m/min, 50 min/day, 5 days/week for 12 weeks. Protein levels of mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signaling and atrophy/hypertrophy signaling in the skeletal muscle (soleus) were examined through western immunoblot analysis. Results: The number of myocytes and myocyte cross-sectional area (CSA) were increased and the extramyocyte space was decreased in the OVX group compared to those in the CON group. However, aerobic exercise training significantly increased myocyte CSA and decreased extramyocyte space in the OVX+EX group compared to those in the OVX group. The protein levels of proapoptotic signaling and muscle atrophy signaling were significantly increased, whereas the protein levels of muscle hypertrophy signaling were significantly decreased in the OVX group compared to that in the CON group. Aerobic exercise training significantly decreased the protein levels of proapoptotic signaling and increased the protein level of antiapoptotic protein in the OVX+EX group compared to that in the OVX group. Aerobic exercise training significantly increased the protein levels of hypertrophy signaling and decreased protein levels of atrophy signaling in the OVX+EX group compared to those in the OVX group. Conclusions Treadmill exercise improved estrogen deficiency-induced impairment in skeletal muscle remodeling, mitochondria-mediated apoptotic signaling, and atrophy/hypertrophy signaling in skeletal muscle.