Objective. The purpose of this study was to explore individuals’ beliefs, values, and experiences surrounding stillbirth evaluation decisions. Design. Qualitative research Setting. University of Utah Health Population. Parents who experienced a stillbirth in the past 5 years (n=19) were interviewed about their experiences and decision to consent or decline postmortem evaluations Methods. Qualitative content analysis Main outcome measures. Barriers and facilitators to parents’stillbirth postmortem decision-making. Results. Participants communicated several facilitators and barriers that contributed to their stillbirth evaluation decision. Reasons for consenting to evaluations were belief in science, background in medicine, altruism, to inform future pregnancies, thinking about preventing another stillbirth, and how patients viewed the care of their stillborn by the medical team. Reasons for declining evaluations were receiving a diagnosis prior to being offered a postmortem evaluation, intent to avoid causing further harm to the baby, interest to spend more time with their baby, and cost of the evaluation. Conclusion. Participants identified stillbirth as one of their most difficult experiences as a parent. Diagnostic and emotional barriers create further challenges to decision-making for stillbirth postmortem evaluations. Parents often rely on inadequate information and personal values and beliefs during this time-sensitive decision process. Decision support for stillbirth evaluations and training for medical providers could benefit parents, may increase stillbirth evaluation uptake, and potentially prevent decisional regret.

Objective To examine the association of placental and fetal DNA copy number variants (CNVs) with fetal structural malformations (FSMs) in stillborn fetuses. Design A secondary analysis of stillbirth cases in the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network (SCRN) study. Setting Multicenter, 59 hospitals in 5 geographic regions in the USA. Population 384 stillbirth cases of the SCRN study (2006-2008). Methods FSMs were grouped by anatomic system and specific malformation type (e.g., central nervous system, thoracic, cardiac, gastrointestinal, skeletal, umbilical cord and craniofacial defects). Single-nucleotide polymorphism array detected CNVs of at least 500kb. CNVs were classified into two groups: normal, defined as no CNVs>500kb or benign CNVs, and abnormal, defined as pathogenic or variants of unknown clinical significance. Main outcome measures The proportions of abnormal CNVs and normal CNVs were compared between stillbirth cases with and without FSMs using the Wald Chi-squared test. Results The proportion of stillbirth cases with any FSMs was higher among those with abnormal CNVs compared with those with normal CNVs (46.7% vs. 19.6%; p-value<0.001). The most common organ system-specific FSMs associated with abnormal CNVs were cardiac defects, followed by craniofacial and skeletal defects. A pathogenic deletion of 1q21.1 involving 46 genes (e.g., CHD1L) and a duplication of 21q22.13 involving 4 genes (SIM2, CLDN14, CHAF1B, HLCS) were associated with a skeletal and cardiac defect, respectively. Conclusion Specific CNVs involving several genes were associated with FSMs in stillborn fetuses. The findings warrant further investigation and may inform counseling and care surrounding pregnancies affected by FSMs at risk for stillbirth.

OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between allostatic load in early pregnancy and CVD, 2 to 7 years postpartum, and potential pathways contributing to racial disparities in CVDs. DESIGN Secondary analysis of an observational cohort study. SETTING nuMom2b Heart Health Study. POPULATION Pregnant individuals. METHODS Our primary exposure was dichotomous high allostatic load in the first trimester, defined as four or more out of 12 biomarkers in the “worst” quartile. The primary outcome was new diagnosis of composite CVD, consisting of HTN and or MD (fasting glucose greater than 100 mg/dL or medication for diabetes). Each outcome and allostatic load component was analyzed secondarily. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test the association between high allostatic load and CVD adjusted for potential confounders. Mediation and moderation analyses assessed the role of high allostatic load in racial disparities of CVD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Composite CVD. RESULTS Among 4,022 individuals, CVD was identified in 1,462 (36.4%); 26.6% had HTN, and had 15.4% MD. High allostatic load was present in 33.0%. After adjustment for covariates, high allostatic load was associated with CVD (aOR 2.0, 1.8-2.3), HTN (2.1, 1.8-2.4), and MD (1.7, 1.5-2.1). There was a reduction in the magnitude of the relationship between race and CVD with the addition of allostatic load. Self-reported race did not significantly moderate the relationship between allostatic load and CVD. CONCLUSION High allostatic load is associated with CVD. Allostatic load was a partial mediator between race and CVD. Race did not moderate the relationship between allostatic load and CVD.

Objective To conduct a feasibility whole-genome sequencing (WGS) study in families to identify genetic variants relevant to unexplained pregnancy loss. Methods We conducted a pilot WGS study of four families with recurrent pregnancy loss, including parents, healthy live births, and losses, which included an embryonic loss (<10 weeks’ gestation), fetal deaths (10-20 weeks’ gestation) and stillbirths (≥ 20 weeks’ gestation). We used the Illumina platform for WGS and state-of-the-art protocols to identify single nucleotide variants (SNVs) following various modes of inheritance. Results We identified 87 SNVs involving 75 genes in embryonic loss (n=1), 370 SNVs involving 228 genes in fetal death (n=3), and 122 SNVs involving 122 genes in stillbirth (n=2). Of these, 22 de novo, 6 autosomal dominant and an X-linked recessive SNVs were pathogenic (probability of being loss-of-function intolerant >0.9), impacting known genes (e.g., DICER1, FBN2, FLT4, HERC1, and TAOK1) involved in embryonic/fetal development and congenital abnormalities. Further, we identified missense compound heterozygous SNVs impacting genes (e.g., VWA5B2) in two fetal death samples that were absent from live births and population controls, providing evidence for haplosufficient genes relevant to pregnancy loss. Conclusions In this pilot study, we provide evidence for de novo and inherited SNVs relevant to pregnancy loss. Our findings provide justification for conducting WGS using larger numbers of families and warrant validation by targeted sequencing to ascertain causal variants. Elucidating genes causing pregnancy loss may facilitate the development of risk stratification strategies and novel therapeutics.

Objective To examine the association of DNA copy number variants (CNVs) with pathologic placental lesions (PPLs) in stillborn fetuses. Design A secondary analysis of stillbirth cases in the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network case-control study. Setting Multicenter, 59 hospitals in 5 geographic regions in the USA. Population 387 stillbirth cases (2006-2008). Methods Using standard definitions, PPLs were categorized by type including maternal and fetal vascular, inflammatory and immune/idiopathic lesions. Using single-nucleotide polymorphism array, CNVs of at least 500 kb were detected. CNVs were classified into two groups: normal, defined as no CNVs>500 kb or benign CNVs, and abnormal, defined as pathogenic or variants of unknown clinical significance. Main outcome measures The proportions of abnormal CNVs and normal CNVs were compared between stillbirth cases with and without PPLs using the Wald Chi-squared test. Results Of 387 stillborn fetuses, 327 (84.5%) had maternal vascular PPLs and 60 (15.6%) had abnormal CNVs. Maternal vascular PPLs were more common in stillborn fetuses with abnormal CNVs compared with those with normal CNVs (81.7% vs. 64.2%; p=0.008). The proportions of fetal vascular, maternal/fetal inflammatory, and immune/idiopathic PPLs were similar among stillborn fetuses with abnormal CNVs compared to those with normal CNVs. Pathogenic CNVs in stillborn fetuses with maternal vascular PPLs spanned several genes with known relevant mechanisms. Conclusions Abnormal placental/fetal CNVs were associated with maternal vascular PPLs in stillborn fetuses. Findings may provide insight on the mechanisms of specific genetic abnormalities associated with placental dysfunction and stillbirth.