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Pregnant women are more susceptible to influenza virus infections due to the immunological and physiological changes in the course of pregnancy. Vaccination during pregnancy is a safe and effective method for protecting both the mothers and the infants from influenza and its complications. This study was conducted in order to determine the knowledge and attitudes of Polish pregnant women towards influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire-based and self-administered study was carried out fully online and a total of 515 women participated. A total of 52% (n = 268) of surveyed women answered that vaccination against influenza during pregnancy was safe. However, only 21% (n = 108) were vaccinated against influenza during their current pregnancy and 17.5% (n = 90) intended to be vaccinated. The participants indicated many concerns about getting vaccinated during pregnancy, but also many benefits that come with the vaccination. General knowledge about influenza, its complications, and vaccination was quite high in the study group.

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is considered as a valuable potential source of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. A process of collecting and storing UCB in the immediate period after the birth is called UCB banking. The study was conducted in order to determine women’s knowledge, awareness, preferences and attitude towards UCB banking in Poland, considering the sociodemographic and obstetric factors. A cross-sectional, self-administered, online questionnaire-based study including mostly multiple choice questions concerning attitude and awareness regarding UCB banking was conducted entirely online among Facebook female users in Poland. A total of 1077 participants correctly completed the survey. Most participants (n = 911, 84.6%) were aware of the possibility of UCB banking. Social media were considered as the main source of information (47.5%). However, the participants mostly indicated the doctor as their preferred source of reliable information (86.8%). The majority of women (61.8%) assessed their level of knowledge of UCB banking as still insufficient. Among the participants who supported UCB banking (70%), the following reasons were considered as the most vital: potential possibility of helping their child (93.9%) and helping other relatives (64.4%). More than half of the respondents (66.9%), who have not stored and are not willing to store their children’s UCB, indicated the high cost of UCB banking as the main reason of this decision. The knowledge and awareness of UCB storage and banking possibilities amongst women in Poland could be improved. The professional medical personnel should be a source of reliable information.

Infantile hemangiomas are the most common vascular tumors of infancy. They usually appear within the first few weeks after birth and undergo regression over time, usually by the age of four. They are more common in girls, Caucasians, twins, infants born preterm or with a low birth weight. The pathogenesis of hemangiomas remains not fully understood. Infantile hemangiomas can be classified based on their depth and anatomical configuration. Superficial hemangiomas appear as a red macule or patch, while deep hemangiomas appear as a bluish papule or nodule. In most cases the diagnosis is based on the clinical picture. The differential diagnosis includes vascular anomalies, pyogenic granuloma or Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma. In most cases, infantile hemangiomas do not require any treatment. Only 10-20% of cases need to be treated because of complications. Propranolol administered orally is the treatment of choice.

Gitelman syndrome (GS) is a rare renal disorder, and little is known about its impact on pregnancy. We report the successful outcome of pregnancy in a patient with GS that was managed with aggressive oral and intravenous potassium supplementation.