Obstetrics and Gynecology Commons^™

Massive Primary Postpartum Haemorrhage: Setting Up Standards Of Care, Lumaan Sheikh, Nadeem F. Zuberi, Rubab Riaz, Javed H. Rizvi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To review practice of massive primary postpartum haemorrhage management and develop a protocol.
Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi between January 1, 2003 and July 31, 2004. Women with primary postpartum haemorrhage and had blood loss >1000ml were included in the study. Medical record files of these women were reviewed for maternal mortality and morbidities which included mode of delivery, possible cause of postpartum haemorrhage, supportive, medical and surgical interventions.
Results: Approximately 3% (140/4881) of women had primary postpartum haemorrhage. 'Near miss' cases with blood loss …

The Accuracy Of Ultrasound In The Diagnosis Of Congenital Abnormalities, Shama Munim, Salva Nadeem, Nadya Ali Khuwaja

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To determine the accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of congenital abnormalities at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
Methods: The data of congenital abnormalities was obtained from the obstetrical database and medical records of all cases complicated by congenital abnormalities, delivering from January 2001 to December 2003 and was reviewed. Antenatal ultrasounds had been performed by operators with different level of experience. In addition this data was retrieved from the termination and Congenital anomaly register. A structured data collection form was used to collect information of different variables of interest.
Results: Congenital abnormalities, complicated 2.8% (n=170), of all …

Breast Cancer Risk Factor Knowledge Among Nurses In Teaching Hospitals Of Karachi, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study, Faiza Ahmed, Sadia Mahmud, Juanita Hatcher, Shaista M. Khan

Community Health Sciences

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in both the developed and the developing world. The incidence of breast cancer in Karachi, Pakistan is 69.1 per 100,000 with breast cancer presentation in stages III and IV being common (>or= 50%). The most pragmatic solution to early detection lies in breast cancer education of women. Nurses constitute a special group having characteristics most suited for disseminating breast cancer information to the women. We assessed the level of knowledge of breast cancer risk factors among registered female nurses in teaching hospitals of Karachi. We also identified whether selected …

Comparison Between Gram Stain And Culture For The Characterization Of Vaginal Microflora: Definition Of A Distinct Grade That Resembles Grade I Microflora And Revised Categorization Of Grade I Microflora, Rita Verhelst, Hans Verstraelen, Geert Claeys, Gerda Verschraegen, Leen Van Simaey, Catharine De Ganck, Ellen De Backer, Marleen Temmerman, Mario Vaneechoutte

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: The microbiological diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis is usually made using Nugent's criteria, a useful but rather laborious scoring system based on counting bacterial cell types on Gram stained slides of vaginal smears. Ison and Hay have simplified the score system to three categories and added a fourth category for microflora with a predominance of the Streptococcus cell type. Because in the Nugent system several cell types are not taken into account for a final score, we carried out a detailed assessment of the composition of the vaginal microflora in relation to standard Gram stain in order the improve the …

Increased Risk Of Hiv In Women Experiencing Physical Partner Violence In Nairobi, Kenya, Karoline Fonck, Leye Els, Nancy Kidula, Jeconiah Ndinya-Achola, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

As part of a study on etiology of sexually transmitted infections (STI) among 520 women presenting at the STI clinic in Nairobi, data on partner violence and its correlates were analyzed. Prevalence of lifetime physical violence was 26%, mainly by an intimate partner (74%). HIV seropositive women had an almost twofold increase in lifetime partner violence. Women with more risky sexual behavior such as early sexual debut, number of sex partners, history of condom use and of STI, experienced more partner violence. Parity and miscarriage were associated with a history of lifetime violence. We found an inverse association between schooling …

Comparison Of Pap Smear, Visual Inspection With Acetic Acid, Human Papillomavirus Dna-Pcr Testing And Cervicography, H De Vuyst, Patricia Claeys, S Njiru, L Muchiri, Sophia Steyaert, Petra De Sutter, E Van Marck, J Bwayo, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objective: To assess the test qualities of four screening methods to detect cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia in an urban African setting.

Method: Six hundred fiftythree women, attending a family planning clinic in Nairobi (Kenya), underwent four concurrent screening methods: pap smear, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), PCR for high risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) and cervicography. The presence of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) was verified by colposcopy or biopsy.

Result: Sensitivity (for CIN2 or higher) and specificity (to exclude any CIN or cancer) were 83.3% (95% CI [73.6, 93.0]) and 94.6% (95% CI [92.6, 96.5]), respectively, for pap smear; 73.3% …

Signs And Symptoms Of Urethritis And Cervicitis Among Women With Or Without Mycoplasma Genitalium Or Chlamydia Trachomatis Infection, Rita Verhelst, Hans Verstraelen, Geert Claeys, Gerda Verschraegen, Joris Delanghe, Leen Van Simaey, Catharine De Ganck, Marleen Temmerman, Mario Vaneechoutte

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objectives: To study the prevalence, symptoms, and signs of Mycoplasma genitalium and Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women attending a Swedish STD clinic, accessible for both sexes, and in a group of young women called in the cervical cancer screening programme.

Methods: A cross sectional study among female STD clinic attendees in Örebro and a study among women called for Papanicolaou smear screening. Attendees were examined for urethritis and cervicitis. First void urine and endocervical samples were tested for M genitalium and C trachomatis.

Results: The prevalence of C trachomatis and M genitalium in the STD clinic population was 10% …

Maternal Anaemia And Its Impact On Perinatal Outcome In A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan, F W. Lone, R N. Qureshi, F Emmanuel

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Maternal anaemia is a common problem in pregnancy, particularly in developing countries. We investigated the relationship between maternal anaemia and perinatal outcome in a cohort of 629 pregnant women from October 2001 to 2002. Of these, 313 were anaemic (haemoglobin < 11 g/L). Perinatal outcomes included preterm delivery, low birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation, perinatal death, low Apgar scores and intrauterine fetal death. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. The risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight among the anaemic women was 4 and 1.9 times more respectively than the non-anaemic women. The neonates of anaemic women also had 1.8 times increased risk having low Apgar scores at 1 minute and there was a 3.7 greater risk of intrauterine fetal death among the anaemic women than the non-anaemic women.

Effectiveness Of Early Pregnancy Ultrasound In Diagnosing Fetal Abnormalities In High Risk Women, S Munim, N Khowaja

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To assess the efficacy of 11-14 weeks ultrasound in the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities in high risk women.
Methods: Prospective study conducted at a teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. One hundred ultrasound (mini-anomaly) scans were performed on 97 high-risk women, between 11-14 weeks of gestation.
Results: The most common indication for the ultrasound scan in the study, was previous history of structural or chromosomal abnormalities (40%) followed by advanced maternal age (22%). Out of 100 ultrasounds performed, two were found to have structural abnormalities at the time of mini-anomaly scan performed at 11-14 weeks. None of the ultrasound scans …

Knowledge And Awareness Of Pregnant Women About Ultrasounsd Scanning And Prenatal Diagnosis, S Munim, N A. Khawaja, R Qureshi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: Antenatal screening and ultrasound scan has become an integral part of the antenatal care in the present time. The aim of this study is to accurately describe the background knowledge and awareness of pregnant women about ultrasound scan and prenatal diagnosis.
Methods: It is a clinic based cross sectional study. Four hundred women, attending the antenatal clinics, were asked to fill in a pre tested structured questionnaire. Different variables of interest were collected. Statistical Program for the social sciences (SPSS) was used for the data management.
Results: Over 93.5% of the women were aware that ultrasound examination is an …

First Trimester Diagnosis Of Meckel Gruber Syndrome In Pregnancy, S Munim, S Nadeem, R Sikandar

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Cervical Smears In A Muslim Population, Shahnaz Wasti, Waleed Ahmed, Abbas Jafri, Behram Khan, Rizwan Sohail, Sheema Hassan

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: Screening for cancer of the cervix remains a neglected health care issue in Pakistan. To provide baseline data for future efforts to improve screening, we conducted a retrospective analysis of cervical smears taken in the obstetrics and gynaecological clinics of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
Method: We collected data on cervical smear cytology for cervical smears taken from January 1, 1990 to December 31,1996. We assessed risk factors for dysplasia, including age, age at first marriage, and number of pregnancies.
Results: The overall prevalence of abnormal smears in our study was 0.5%. Of 20,995 cervical smears, 12,451 …

Congenital Duodenal Diaphragm In Eight Children, Akhtar Nawaz, Hilal Matta, Alic Jacobsz, Omar Trad, Ahmed H. Al Salem

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: Congenital duodenal obstruction (CDO) is a common and usually easy to diagnose cause of intestinal obstruction in the newborn, except when the cause of the obstruction is a duodenal diaphragm. We describe our experience with eight children who had intrinsic duodenal obstruction secondary to a duodenal diaphragm.
Methods: The medical records of 22 children with the diagnosis of congenital intrinsic duodenal obstruction were reviewed for age at diagnosis, sex, gestation, birth weight, clinical features, associated anomalies, method of diagnosis, treatment and outcome. Operative findings and procedures were obtained from the operative notes.
Results: Eight of the 22 children (36.4%) …

What Is Wrong With Medical Audit?, J H. Rizvi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

No abstract provided.

Critical Appraisal Of Endometriosis Management For Pain And Subfertility, N F. Zuberi, J H. Rizvi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To critically appraise current best available management of pain and subfertility ascribable to endometriosis.
Methods: Medline and specialist computer databases were searched along with reference lists of known reviews and primary articles to identify cited articles not captured by electronic searches. We included all studies pertaining to treatment of pain and subfertility ascribable to endometriosis.
Discussion: Medical and surgical management options for pain and subfertility are presented as Evidence-based inquiries for critically appraised topics. Each problem is presented as an answerable question followed by assessment of literature search for level of evidence. This is followed by critical appraisal of …

Breast Diseases: A Histopathological Analysis Of 3279 Cases At A Tertiary Care Center In Pakistan, M. S. Siddiqui, Naila Kayani, Shahid Pervez, S. A. Aziz, S. Muzaffar, Z. Setna, M. Israr, S. H. Hasan, M. S. Gill

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To know the frequency of breast diseases in Pakistani females.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 3279 breast specimens received over a period of 4 years (1 993-1996) at the department of pathology, the Aga Khan University Hospital.

Results: Out of a total of 3279 breast specimens, common breast lesions included infiltrating duct carcinoma 37%, followed by fibro adenoma 16.95%, fibrocystic change13.96%, mastitis 6.83% and duct ectasia 5.33%. Majority of the cases of infiltrating duct carcinoma were encountered in the 5th and 6th decades of life. Tumour size was 2 or >2 cms. in 93% of cases and 40% of …

Increased Risk Of Cervical Canal Infections With Intracervical Foley Catheter, S Siddiqui, Nf Zuberi, Afia Zafar, Rn Qureshi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intracervical Foley catheter insertion, for the induction of labor, on cervical canal infection.
DESIGN: A prospective interventional study with paired analysis.
PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The study was conducted in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, between June 1 and August 31, 2002.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In 45 women undergoing cervical ripening with intracervical Foley catheter for the induction of labour at term, cervical swabs were taken for culture and sensitivity before its insertion and again after its spontaneous expulsion or removal.
RESULTS: Intracervical …

Comparative Study--Efficacy, Safety And Compliance Of Intravenous Iron Sucrose And Intramuscular Iron Sorbitol In Iron Deficiency Anemia Of Pregnancy, A Wali, A Mushtaq, Nilofer

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: (1) To determine an alternative iron supplementation with better efficacy, compliance & safety in treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy, (2) to reduce blood transfusion during pregnancy, labor and puerperium.
Material and Method: A prospective comparative study. A total number of 60 pregnant women with the gestational age of 12 - 34 weeks were included in the study who were suffering from iron deficiency anemia. They were divided in 3 groups (A, B and C). Group A (n15) received intravenous iron sucrose according to recommended dose containing 500 mg of iron sucrose for storage, in group B (n=20) …

Histiocytosis X Of The Vulva, R M. Rizvi, C Nasreen, N Jafri

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

No abstract provided.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (Egfr) As A Prognostic Marker: An Immunohistochemical Study On 315 Consecutive Breast Carcinoma Patients, S. A. Aziz, Shahid Pervez, N. Kayani, M. H. Rahbar, S. Khan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: To assess the independent and interdependent prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in carcinoma of breast in female population. The Type I family of growth factor receptors includes epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR also known as EGFRI).

Methods: The expression of EGFR protein was analysed immunohistochemically on 315 tumour specimens of infiltrating ductal carcinoma of breast. These patients also had axillary lymph nodes sampling.

Results: Overexpression and/or amplification of EGFR was observed in 70 (22.00%) tumours. Eleven (16%) were grade I, 43 (61%) grade II and 16 (23%) grade Ill tumours. Axillary lymph node metastasis had significant …

Infected Endometrioma With Ascites And Bilateral Pleural Effusion, T Naru, N Chaudhury

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

No abstract provided.

Maternal Deaths In A Developing Country: A Study From The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan 1988-1999, R N. Qureshi, S Jaleel, R Hamid, S F. Lakha

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: The maternal deaths occurring over a twelve-year period (1988-1999) in a tertiary referral center were reviewed. The purpose of the study was to assess the causes of these maternal deaths.
Setting: The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: The medical records of maternal deaths were reviewed. These were women who had either registered for delivery at the hospital; or were referred from another hospital or from home, when an emergency developed. They were either admitted to the Medicine, Surgery and the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments at the hospital.Results: A total of 81 maternal deaths were identified, of …

Female Genital Tuberculosis Revisted, R N. Qureshi, S Samad, R Hamid, S F. Lakha

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: To assess the clinical presentation of genital tuberculosis and to study various modes of diagnosis and treatment.SETTING: The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi.
Method: A retrospective case review of all index female cases of genital tuberculosis, admitted to AKUH over twelve years of period.
Result: A total of 40 cases of genital tuberculosis were reported during this time period. Majority of cases were between 25-45 years. The commonest presenting symptoms were infertility (42.5%) and abdominal pain (42%). Others included fever, ascites, irregular vaginal bleeding, oligomenorrhea, chest pain and pain in the flanks. Main mode of treatment was antituberculous …

Dna Ploidy Analysis Of Borderline Epithelial Ovarian Tumours, Saba Lodhi, Sabeen Najam, Shahid Pervez

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Objective: Borderline epithelial ovarian tumors not uncommonly pose a great difficulty to surgical pathologists as morphologically they may show very similar features as those of malignant epithelial tumors except invasion. However it is important to separate these from their invasive counterparts because of their superior prognosis. Recently, attention has been focussed on the prognostic value of flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy in borderline epithelial ovarian tumors. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether flow cytometric analysis of cellular DNA content acts as a useful adjunct to the histopathological diagnosis of borderline malignancy.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen histologically …

Uterine Atony At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan: A Risk Factor Analysis, S H. Feerasta, A Motiei, S Motiwala, N F. Zuberi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objectives: To identify risk factors for uterine atony following assisted or unassisted vaginal delivery.
Design: This hospital based case control study was done at The Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan. Cases were defined as all women with uterine atony within 24 hours of an assisted or unassisted vaginal delivery. Controls were based on women with normal assisted or unassisted vaginal delivery without uterine atony. Data abstracted form the medical records; adjusted odds ratios were estimated by multiple logistic regression.
Results: Factors having a significant association with uterine atony were gestational diabetes mellitus (odds ratio 7.6, 95% CI 6.9-9.0, p = …

The Effect Of Grandmultiparity On Pregnancy Related Complications: The Aga Khan University Experience, S Munim, M H. Rahbar, M Rizvi, N Mushtaq

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: Grandmultiparity has been associated with complications for both mother and the fetus.Objective: To evaluate if grandmultiparity is a risk factor in the presence of adequate antenatal care.
Setting: A tertiary care teaching hospital.
Methods: It was a retrospective study conducted in the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at The Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. During this period 9253 women were delivered, out of these 143 booked grandmultiparas (GMP) served as cases. The outcome of these women was compared with 430 non-grandmultiparas (NGMP). Logistic regression model was used to adjust for potential confounders.
Results: Grandmultiparas had almost three times …

Effect Of Prepregnancy Body Mass Index And Gestational Weight Gain On Birth Weight, S S. Merchant, I A. Momin, A A. Sewani, N F. Zuberi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objective: Nutritional status of women has been considered an important prognostic indicator of birth outcome. The study aims to show the effect of various prepregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI) categories and corresponding gestational weight gain on newborn birth weight.
Methods: Two hundred women were included in the study. These women had regular antenatal visits and later delivered at The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) between the period January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1997.
Results: For women with prepregnancy BMI < 19., mean birth weight of newborns was lower for those gaining < 12.5 kg than those gaining > 12.5 kg (P < 0.001). Women who started their pregnancy with BMI 19.8-26 and gained weight above expected range gave birth to high birth weight babies (P = 0.009). Gestational weight gain did not have a significant association with birth weight for women having prepregnancy BMI > 26.
Conclusion: Efforts should be made to attain adequate prepregnancy weight to reduce the likelihood of low …

A Comparison Of Severe Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia In Patients With And Without Hellp Syndrome, N F. Zuberi, K Arif, F M. Khan, J A. Pal

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: The relationship of Haemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzymes and Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome with maternal and perinatal health and its presentation in Pakistani population is not known.
Purpose: To determine the mode of presentation along with maternal and perinatal outcome of patients with HELLP syndrome.
Methods: Case records of patients with severe hypertension in pregnancy who delivered between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1994 at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Out of 120 cases of severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, there were 36 cases of HELLP syndrome (Group-A). These were then compared with cases without HELLP syndrome (Group B) for their …

Effects Of First And Second Trimester Vaginal Bleeding On Pregnancy Outcome, S A. Karim, I Bakhtawar, A T. Butta, M Jalil

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

The effects of vaginal bleeding during first and second trimester on pregnancy outcomes was assessed in a hospital-based population of 268 non-diabetic women. The group of non-bleeders comprised 173 females whereas, there were 71 females with first and 24 with second trimester bleeding. Fetal loss (abortion) occurred in 34% of first trimester and 25% of second trimester bleeders. Low birth weight and preterm delivery were significantly associated with second trimester haemorrhage. The results suggest that first and second trimester vaginal bleeding correlates with adverse infant outcomes.

Diagnostic Evaluation Of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology In The Management Of Palpable Breast Lesions, S. H. Shah, Naila Kayani, S. H. Hasan, I. N. Soomro, Shahid Pervez, A. S. Hussainy

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

A total of 113 fine needle aspirates of the breast masses were evaluated in which the subsequent biopsy or mastectomy specimen were also available for histological examination. The age ranged from 16 to 80 years with a mean of 42 years. In benign conditions the mean age was 34.7 years while in malignant cases it was 48 years. The cytological diagnoses were compared with the histological results which revealed that the specificity and sensitivity of fine needle aspiration cytology in the palpable breast lesions was 86.1% and 89.2% respectively with a positive predictive value of 93% and efficiency of 88.2%. …