1 Introduction In an era where debates over the number of genders or sexes have sparked significant public discourse, why, if there has always been an acknowledgment of at least two genders or sexes, have we not fully committed to studying both in depth? Currently, medical research has seen an outstanding commitment to sex-specific medicine for males, which is then applied to females. Within this minimal

Click on the article title to read more.

ObjectiveTo evaluate if metformin treatment prior to pregnancy reduces the likelihood of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) and hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) compared to no exposure.DesignObservational cohort study.SettingThe MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies in the United States and Canada.SampleLive‐born singleton pregnancies enrolled between 2012 and 2023, with HG diagnosis data available.MethodsData

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between caesarean birth in the second stage of labour and the risk of spontaneous preterm birth in a subsequent pregnancy.DesignNationwide register‐based cohort study.SettingThe Danish Medical Birth Registry and The Danish National Patient Register from 1997 to 2021.PopulationWomen with at least two consecutive births (index birth and subsequent birth) where

ObjectiveTo analyse temporal trends, inequalities and projections in anaemia burden among women of childbearing age (WCBA).DesignPopulation‐based study.SettingData from the Global burden of Disease (GBD) Study.PopulationWCBA (ages 15–49) diagnosed with anaemia.MethodsAccording to the GBD study, original data sources, including population‐based surveys, scientific studies and government reports, were

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of medium‐coverage whole genome sequencing (CMA‐seq) for prenatal diagnosis of foetal structural anomalies, and to compare its performance with conventional chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA).DesignA prospective clinical study combined with a systematic meta‐analysis.SettingA tertiary maternal and child health hospital in Chongqing, China.Population

Conflicts of Interest The author declares no conflicts of interest.

ObjectiveTo create and validate a machine learning (ML)‐based model for predicting the adverse perinatal outcome (APO) in foetal growth restriction (FGR) at diagnosis.DesignA retrospective study.SettingMulti‐centre in China.PopulationPregnancies affected by FGR.MethodsWe enrolled singleton foetuses with a perinatal diagnosis of FGR who were admitted between January 2021 and November 2023. A total of

Fox, C. and Shennan, A. (2025), Predicting Preterm Birth: An Evolving Landscape. BJOG, 132: 672–673. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.18067 Author affiliation needs to be corrected. Dr. Caroline Fox affiliations should be: Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK We apologize for this error.

ObjectiveTo evaluate virtual reality (VR) as a distraction technique to diminish pain perception and improve satisfaction in patients who underwent an outpatient hysteroscopy (OH).DesignA prospective, parallel group, 1:1 randomised controlled trial.SettingSpanish University Hospital.SampleA total of 120 patients between 18 and 70 years old underwent an OH.MethodA total of 120 patients were randomly

Between 2020 and 2022 in the United Kingdom (UK), there were 45 maternal deaths from venous thromboembolism (VTE), out of more than 2 million maternities. This occurred despite extensive risk assessment and prescribing of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) thromboprophylaxis, alongside clinicians' overestimate of risk and commitment to the cause. Whilst every maternal death is a tragedy, the challenge

ObjectiveTo assess foetal myocardial deformation in normo‐oxygenated foetuses in early labour and its relationship with intrapartum outcomes.DesignSingle centre prospective study.SettingReferral tertiary maternity unit.PopulationUncomplicated singleton term pregnancies in early labour.MethodsTwo‐dimensional (2D) ultrasound clips of the 4‐chamber view of the foetal heart were collected in labour and

To examine the variation in stillbirth rates between different ethnic and socioeconomic groups within each organisational hospital group (health trust).

Click on the article title to read more.

ObjectiveTo explore associations between measures of structural racism and stillbirth.DesignPopulation‐based cross‐sectional.SettingNew York City (NYC), USA.PopulationAll non‐Hispanic Black and White singleton births 2009–2018.MethodsWe modelled associations between measures of structural racism (Indices of Dissimilarity, Isolation and Concentration at the Extremes [ICE] and an Educational Inequity

Disclosure AI Detectors Used: GPTZero: https://gptzero.me; Quillbot: https://quillbot.com; Scribbr: https://www.scribbr.com/ai-detector; Surfer: https://surferseo.com/ai-content-detector (Accessed 2 April 2025).

ObjectiveTo analyse prescribing trends for oral and transdermal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in Wales from 1996 to 2023, including predictors of discontinuation within one year of initiation.DesignObservational study using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) databank.SettingPrimary and secondary care data from Wales, encompassing 86% of the population.PopulationAnnual HRT prescription

ObjectiveTo examine whether aspirin delays gestational age at delivery (GAD) in pregnancies with placental dysfunction (PD) phenotypes (preeclampsia [PE], small‐for‐gestational‐age [SGA], placental abruption and/or stillbirth).DesignA secondary analysis of a multicentre stepped‐wedge cluster randomised trial.Setting18 maternity/diagnostic units in Asia.PopulationSingleton pregnancies examined at 11–13+6

Disclosure K.N.W. – Aqua Therapeutics-consultant, Hologic-consultant, Karl Storz-consultant; M.T.S. – Applied Medical-consultant; R.M. – Intuitive Surgical, Claria Medical.

ObjectiveTo investigate women's experiences of being pregnant with cervical cerclage and managing the risk of preterm birth.DesignQualitative interview study.SettingDenmark.PopulationWomen who had undergone transvaginal cervical cerclage (elective or emergency) in at least one pregnancy, regardless of outcome.MethodsSemi‐structured, in‐depth interviews with 21 women. The interviews lasted 42–90 min

BackgroundPreterm birth is a priority area for practice improvement internationally. Clinical practice guidelines improve the efficiency of clinical decision‐making and, when implemented effectively, may advance the quality and consistency of care. Guideline implementation tools may help to further optimise the use of guidelines.ObjectivesTo determine if guideline implementation tools improve adherence

ObjectiveTo evaluate parents' psychological distress and emotional suppression in the antenatal and postnatal periods of a pregnancy following a perinatal death.DesignQuestionnaire.SettingTertiary Maternity Unit in the UK.SampleParents who were pregnant and attending a specialist antenatal clinic for pregnancy after loss.MethodsPartners and mothers completed questionnaire measures which evaluated their

BackgroundPostpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality. Uterotonics are the mainstay of PPH prevention.ObjectivesTo compare the efficacy of misoprostol and oxytocin for the prevention of PPH and to evaluate the trustworthiness of these randomised controlled trials (RCTs).Search Strategy and Selection CriteriaSeven databases were searched for peer‐reviewed literature meeting

Conflicts of Interest The author declares no conflicts of interest.

Pre-eclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. There are several determinants of individual pregnant women's risk of developing pre-eclampsia, including biomarkers and ultrasound markers.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between maternal neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and delivery within 24 h in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM).Study Design and SettingRetrospective cohort study in a single university‐affiliated tertiary medical centre.PopulationWomen with PPROM at ≤ 36 + 6 weeks' gestation planning vaginal delivery. Exclusions included women who lacked

BackgroundMedicinal plant supplements (MPS) have benefits in improving menopause‐like symptoms (MLS).ObjectivesTo investigate the effectiveness of MPS in reducing MLS in healthy women and those with breast cancer (BC).Search StrategyPubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database and Chinese Scientific Journals Database were searched from

BackgroundFollicle size was generally monitored during controlled ovarian stimulation, yet its predictive value for oocyte developmental potential and the discriminating threshold is debated.ObjectivesTo explore the predictive value of follicle size for oocyte developmental competency and establish the corresponding optimal threshold.Search StrategyWe searched PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE and Cochrane

Conflicts of Interest The author declares no conflicts of interest.

ObjectiveAmong women with uterine fibroids (UFs), we assess the extent to which the linzagolix effect on pain alleviation is explained by its effect on reducing heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and fibroid volume (FV).DesignPost hoc analysis on the pooled data from two randomised double‐blind placebo‐controlled phase 3 trials.Setting94 sites in the US (PRIMROSE 1 trial) and 95 sites in Europe/US (PRIMROSE

ObjectiveTo compare inspection‐informed ratings of individual maternity units published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) with clinical outcomes and practice measures.DesignObservational study using linked national maternity and administrative hospital data.SettingThe English NHS.PopulationWomen with singleton pregnancies who gave birth at term, April 2018–March 2019.MethodsOutcomes and practice

Click on the article title to read more.

Click on the article title to read more.

Click on the article title to read more.

Clinical trials of three poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, olaparib, niraparib and fuzuloparib, in platinum‐sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer (PSR OC) in China showed that PARP inhibitors improved progression‐free survival and achieved an all‐comer indication in this population. We reviewed the efficacy and safety of these PARP inhibitors in patient populations studied in clinical trials

BackgroundLuteal support is a core success factor of frozen embryo transfers (FET). However, inconsistency across recommended protocols generates notable heterogeneity across reproductive outcomes.ObjectiveTo determine the most effective luteal support strategy (LPS) based on five key factors related to the effectiveness of FET cycles.Search StrategyTwelve databases and two prospective registers were

ObjectiveMaternal immune activation has been proposed as a mechanism for adverse pregnancy outcomes, yet the mechanisms and effects of timing remain unclear. Immune disruption in early gestation may be particularly detrimental as this is an important period for placental development, which has been associated with the pathology of adverse obstetric outcomes. To increase our understanding of risk factors

ObjectiveLifestyle factors influence age at natural menopause, but the role of exercise remains uncertain. We aimed to identify adolescence to midlife exercise trajectories and study the associations of exercise trajectories with age at natural menopause.DesignRetrospective population‐based cohort study.SettingSelf‐administered questionnaires in the Norwegian breast cancer screening program (BreastScreen

BackgroundThe cost‐effectiveness of early induction of labour for suspected large‐for‐gestational‐age foetuses to prevent shoulder dystocia is unknown.MethodsA within‐trial economic evaluation of induction at 38 + 0 to 38 + 4 weeks' gestation for suspected large‐for‐gestational‐age foetuses. Resource use and costs were measured to 6 months postpartum. We estimated incremental cost per case of shoulder

Click on the article title to read more.

ObjectivePreeclampsia contributes to maternal cognitive problems, particularly involving executive functions. These higher‐order cognitive functions—including working memory, organisation of materials, and task focus—are essential for adaptive, purposeful, and goal‐directed behaviour. Similar cognitive problems are observed in metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. This study investigates whether

ObjectiveArtificial Amnion and Placenta Technology (AAPT), designed to improve outcomes in extreme prematurity, has shown promise in animal studies, with human trials anticipated soon. This study seeks to inform the responsible design of future trials by utilising insights from parents who experienced an (imminent) extremely premature birth and perinatal healthcare professionals (HCPs).DesignA qualitative

BackgroundTransvaginal cerclage is an important intervention used to decrease the risk of preterm delivery.ObjectiveWe performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to evaluate the efficacy of a reinforcing cerclage (RC) should the initial cerclage fail.Search StrategyScopus, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Medline, CINAHL and clinicaltrials.gov were searched from database

BackgroundSeveral studies have explored parent and public perspectives on screening and diagnostic genetic testing during pregnancy (prenatal testing). Little is known about how much people from Black communities have contributed to this research.ObjectiveTo examine whether Black people's views on prenatal testing are proportionately represented in UK and US studies.Search StrategySearches were conducted

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular dysfunction 1 year postpartum in Black African women who experienced pre‐eclampsia in a low‐resource setting in Uganda.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingTertiary referral hospital in urban Uganda.PopulationPregnant women who developed pre‐eclampsia between 2019 and 2021, matched to normotensive controls with maternal and

Moreira and Oliveira highlight the shortcomings of the current management of endometriosis symptoms based on exclusively lesion-centred models, and promote patient categorisation according to an individual's predominant neurobiological mechanism, that is, nociceptive, neuropathic, or nociplastic pain [1]. This should allow the tailored targeting of the different pain components, thus potentially optimising

Conflicts of Interest The author declares no conflicts of interest.

Click on the article title to read more.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjuvant chemotherapy of three steps (ACTS) in patients newly diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer.DesignRandomised clinical trial.SettingThe study was conducted at a single centre.PopulationNewly diagnosed patients with advanced ovarian cancer who showed a complete response to standard chemotherapy (paclitaxel plus carboplatin) were included in this

ObjectiveTo evaluate the treatment pattern, outcomes, safety and identify patient populations benefiting from PARP inhibitor (PARPi) rechallenge for recurrent ovarian cancer.DesignA multicentre, retrospective, real‐world study.SettingTwelve hospitals in China.PopulationSeventy patients with recurrent ovarian cancer underwent PARPi rechallenge between 1 June 2019 and 10 March 2023.MethodsData, including

Click on the article title to read more.

ObjectiveTo compare survival outcomes between patients with ovarian cancer with platinum‐sensitive recurrence (PSR) who underwent secondary cytoreductive surgery (SCS) at the first recurrence and those who underwent SCS at the second recurrence.DesignMulticentre cohort study.SettingData were retrospectively collected from five hospitals in China.PopulationPatients with ovarian cancer who underwent

ObjectiveWhile active monitoring of adolescent menstrual and mental health is advocated, research on their possible bidirectional relationship is limited. This study examines the association between adolescent dysmenorrhea and psychological symptoms.DesignCross‐sectional study.Setting116 schools in Stockholm, Sweden.Sample1054 postmenarchal school girls (mean age 14.1 ± 0.7) randomly sampled from a

ObjectiveTo compare local anaesthetic with adrenaline (LAA) with normal saline for hydrodissection at vaginal hysterectomy.DesignA double‐blind, two parallel group multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) was planned.Setting217 women undergoing vaginal hysterectomy were screened in the five participating centres between March 2015 and December 2018.Population156 patients were recruited.MethodsPatients

ObjectiveAssessment of whether maternal anaemia in early pregnancy is associated with offspring congenital heart disease (CHD).DesignMatched case–control study.SettingJanuary 1998–October 2020, United Kingdom.PopulationWomen with a haemoglobin measurement in the first 100 days of pregnancy and a CHD‐diagnosed child.MethodsData were extracted from the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink

ObjectiveTo investigate whether the combination of antiangiogenic therapy and poly‐ADP‐ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) can enhance the effectiveness of maintenance therapy in patients with progressive ovarian cancer who are progressing after PARPi maintenance therapy.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingSingle‐centre tertiary hospital in Beijing, China.PopulationPatients treated with combination

ObjectiveTo compare the effect of luteal‐phase progesterone supplementation in natural cycles to expectant management on live birth rates in women with unexplained infertility (UI).DesignAn open‐label, parallel‐arm, single‐centre randomised controlled trial.SettingOne tertiary NHS‐funded fertility unit.PopulationCouples with UI for at least 1 year.MethodA comparison of luteal phase micronised vaginal

BackgroundIn the first‐line (1L) maintenance treatment of newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer (OC), poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) have demonstrated significant benefits in progression‐free survival (PFS) and an encouraging trend in overall survival (OS).ObjectivesTo provide a summary of advances and evidence regarding the use of PARPi in the maintenance treatment of newly diagnosed