Variations in the investigation and management of group B streptococcus in Scotland.

This article describes the practice of Scottish obstetricians in terms of their investigation and treatment of group B streptococcus (GBS). This was a postal questionnaire survey of all 125 consultant obstetricians in Scotland. We recorded indications for testing for GBS, categories of women to whom treatment is given empirically and following confirmed infection, type of antibiotic used, and timing and route of administration. No respondents screened all pregnant women but 97% screened some or all of those at highest risk. Three-quarters administered antibiotics empirically to women with intrapartum pyrexia. However, other high-risk groups were unlikely to receive treatment without confirmation of colonisation. Only one-third of respondents gave antibiotics to all women with confirmed GBS, and up to one-half withheld them from some colonised women in high-risk groups. Contrary to US guidelines, only 29% tested for GBS using low vaginal swabs and only 13% administered intrapartum antibiotics intravenously. There are wide variations in investigating and treating GBS throughout Scotland. It is likely that similar variations exist throughout the United Kingdom. UK guidelines are required to reduce variations and ensure appropriate and effective management.

Uterine rupture during second trimester termination of pregnancy using mifepristone and a prostaglandin.

PIP: At the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in Scotland, a 26-year-old woman requested termination of her 18-week pregnancy. She had no history of cervical or uterine surgery. She was administered under supervision 200 mg oral mifepristone followed 48 hours later by 600 mcg vaginal misoprostol, which was repeated 6 hours later. Four hours later painful uterine contractions developed. She was administered slow intravenous (IV) diamorphine (total 10 mg) for analgesia. She had vaginal bleeding (about 100 ml). 30 minutes later, the fetus was delivered but not the placenta. Severe abdominal pain ensued, requiring 10 mg more IV diamorphine. She then blanched and peripherally shut down. Physicians had to perform emergency manual removal of the placenta under general anesthesia. They then checked the uterine cavity digitally and discovered a large defect in the uterine wall and a palpable ovary (right) within the uterine cavity. A laparotomy revealed an 8 cm right uterine side wall rupture with considerable hemorrhage into the broad ligament and abdominal cavity. The surgeons performed a hysterectomy and right salpingo-oophorectomy to control the bleeding. The patient lost about 4000 ml of blood. She required 7 units of packed red cells, 1500 ml gelofusine, and 2 l crystalloid and 2 units of fresh frozen plasma. She received 1.2 g augmentin and 120 mg gentamicin perioperatively. She recovered uneventfully. Pathological analysis confirmed the 8 cm rupture. It also revealed normal endometrial decidualization and myometrial hypertrophy and no underlying weakness. This case is the first recorded of uterine rupture after administration of oral mifepristone and vaginal misoprostol. Uterine rupture occurs rarely in second trimester medical terminations of pregnancy. Many cases had risk factors associated with uterine rupture. As a result of this 26-year-old case, the physicians have amended their regimen for drug-induced abortion in cases of second trimester termination of pregnancy.^ieng

Midtrimester chorionic villus sampling: an alternative approach?

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to audit midtrimester chorionic villus sampling after a positive maternal serum screening test for autosomal trisomy. STUDY DESIGN: From January 1990 until July 1993 chorionic villus sampling was offered to all screened positive women. RESULTS: Five hundred fifty-one mothers had chorionic villus sampling. The mean age was 31.7 years. The mean gestational age was 18.2 weeks. The mean time for direct karyotyping was 4.4 days and for culture results 20.2 days. Results were obtained in 99.6% of samples: direct plus culture results in 94%, direct results alone in 2.3%, and culture results alone in 3.3%. Fourteen pregnancies had abnormal karyotypes. There were five cases of placental mosaicism and one false-positive result. The loss rate was 0.4%. CONCLUSION: Midtrimester chorionic villus sampling, which is easier to perform than cordocentesis, provides a rapid and reliable karyotype. The complication rate is comparable to that of other invasive procedures.

Uroflowmetry in the puerperium.

One hundred women underwent uroflowmetry once per day for the first 3 days after delivery, and the results compared to those of 53 nonpregnant controls in an effort to determine 1) whether urinary flow in the puerperium is different to that found without pregnancy, 2) whether uroflow parameters change as the puerperium progresses, and 3) which characteristics of a patient or her labour bear most influence upon the results of uroflowmetry. Urinary flow in the puerperium was seen to be different from that of the nonpregnant female in that mean flow rates were lower. In addition to this, voided volume, total flow time, and time to peak flow were all significantly increased on day 1, but were comparable on days 2 and 3. Other than for falling voided volumes, uroflow parameters did not alter significantly as the puerperium progressed. Correlation of the variables age, parity, baby weight, length of first and second stage, use of epidural and perineal suturing with the parameters of urinary flow failed to show any significant relationship.

Second-trimester placental biopsy for rapid fetal karyotyping.

Since January 1988 the technique of first-trimester chorionic villus sampling (placental biopsy) has been extended to include cases in the second trimester. To date, 40 procedures have been performed. The main indication for the late chorionic villus sampling was a low serum alpha-fetoprotein value in association with an increased risk for Down syndrome (n = 28), abnormal ultrasonographic finding (n = 7), and failed amniotic cell culture (n = 3). Successful karyotype results were achieved in all but two cases. Most results were obtained within 48 hours with direct cytogenetic techniques. No cases of mosaicism were found. The highest yield of abnormal karyotypes was obtained from the cases with abnormal ultrasonographic findings (one trisomy 21, two 45,X). One case of trisomy 21 was identified in the 28 cases of low serum alpha-fetoprotein. No spontaneous losses have occurred. The technique is easy to learn, does not differ from first-trimester procedures, and may have a lower complication rate than cordocentesis. The reporting of cases to the CVS Newsletter should help evaluate late chorionic villus sampling as another method for rapid fetal karyotyping.