Preventing maternal morbidity and mortality from preeclampsia and eclampsia particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a complex heterogeneous disorder with overlapping clinical phenotypes that complicate diagnosis and management. Although several pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed, placental dysfunction due to inadequate remodelling of uterine spiral arteries leading to mal-perfusion and syncytiotrophoblast stress is recognized as the unifying characteristic of early-onset PE. Placental overgrowth and or premature senescence are probably the causes of late-onset PE. The frequency of PE has increased over the last few decades due to population-wide increases in risk factors viz. obesity, diabetes, multifetal pregnancies and pregnancies at an advanced maternal age. Whilst multimodal tools with components comprising risk factors, biomarkers and sonography are used for predicting PE, aspirin is most effective in preventing early-onset PE. The incidence and clinical consequences of PE and eclampsia are influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors, therefore management strategies should involve multi-sector partnerships to mitigate the adverse outcomes.

Necrotising fasciitis presenting as a blister: A case report on improving early recognition of surgical site infection following caesarean delivery.

Early recognition and treatment of surgical site infection (SSI) may prevent devastating consequences of wound infections complicating caesarean delivery (CD). SSI complicates 3-15% of CDs; among the severe forms are necrotising fasciitis (NF) and clostridial gas gangrene, with the latter being the most rapidly spreading and fatal. The aim of this report is to improve early recognition of SSI complicating CD. An obese 32-year-old woman, gravida 2 para 1, with a previous uncomplicated vaginal delivery had a CD for fetal compromise in a district hospital. On day 6 after delivery, she presented to the same district hospital with a small blister located on her abdomen above the CD wound. The area around the blister was firm but had no crepitus. The blister was managed expectantly but spread rapidly and had a dusky colour. Both the blister and the surgical site for CD subsequently became foul smelling and the patient was managed in a regional hospital, where she had antibiotic therapy, wound debridement, negative-pressure wound therapy, and secondary wound closure. Healing was complete 69 days after the debridement. The histological report of the wound biopsy confirmed NF. In conclusion, blistering around a surgical site is suggestive of NF. Healthcare professionals managing surgical wounds should have ongoing training on SSI to prevent lack of problem recognition in wound care. All healthcare facilities managing surgical wounds should establish a functional wound care clinic to improve early recognition and treatment of SSI. This entails effective integration of postnatal and CD wound services to improve the care of SSI. Therefore, the algorithm included in this article will be invaluable to care providers.

Pregnancy outcomes of women presenting with stage 1 hypertension during the first prenatal clinic visit before 20 gestational weeks.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pregnancy outcomes of women who had 2017 American College of Cardiologists stage 1 hypertension during the first prenatal clinic visit before 20 gestational weeks in a tertiary hospital in South Africa. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study involving the review of medical records of 127 participants with stage 1 hypertension and 128 control with blood pressure (BP) less than stage 1 hypertension before 20 weeks' gestation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was progression to stage 2 hypertension (BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg). Secondary outcome measures were a combination of maternal variables (postpartum BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg, use of antihypertensives within 24 h postpartum, pulmonary oedema, and maternal death within 24 h postpartum) and perinatal variables (fetal growth restriction, gestational age at delivery, fetal compromise, abruptio placenta, birth weight, Apgar score in 1 and 5 min). RESULTS: The study and control arms were similar in age, parity, and comorbidities (p > 0.05). The following maternal outcomes were worse (p < 0.001) in the study compared to control arm: progression to stage 2 hypertension (46 % vs 1.6 %), postpartum systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg (33.9 % vs 1.6 %), postpartum diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg (22.1 % vs 1.6 %) and use of antihypertensives within 24 h postpartum (27.6 % vs 0.8 %). Other outcome measures did not differ between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Stage 1 hypertension occurring before 20 weeks' gestation increases the risk of progression to stage 2 hypertension in pregnancy and the use of antihypertensive drug therapy within 24 h postpartum.

Teaching Philosophy in a Teaching Portfolio: Domain Knowledge and Guidance.

Background: Teaching philosophy defines the beliefs and ideas that guide practices in teaching and learning. Writing teaching philosophy statements for promotion or employment is daunting for inexperienced new faculty members. Aim: This article aims to discuss the principles of relevant educational domains that academics need to know to be well informed when writing their teaching philosophy. It also provides a new perspective on how to write the personal statements. Methods: Journal articles published in English language between 2018 and 2023 (as well as important older ones) in electronic databases (Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PubMed, and SCOPUS) were searched, sifted, reviewed and used for this narrative literature review. Additionally, the websites of educational organisations such as higher education institutions were selected using convenience sampling method and searched to ascertain practices. Results: Educators need to link teaching philosophy statements to the literature about teaching. However, there is a scarcity of literature that provides a comprehensive overview of the required domain knowledge. These domains are Supervision, Curriculum development, Assessment, Mentorship, Pedagogy, and Scholarship of teaching and learning (S-CAMPS domains). Conclusion: Using various teaching practices and models to achieve the best quality learning and valued transformation is crucial in achieving a comprehensive Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Therefore, developing a personal philosophy provides the opportunity for reflection on utilizing the theory-practice-philosophy perspective best to serve the students, academic institution, and society.

Prevention of surgical site infection and sepsis in pregnant obese women.

Obesity is a major determinant of health outcomes and is on the increase in women worldwide. It predisposes to surgical site infection (SSI). Risk factors for the SSI include extremes of age, smoking, comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes, inappropriate vertical abdominal and or uterine wall incisions, increased operating time, subcutaneous layer of 3 cm or more, and unnecessary use of subcutaneous drain. Most bacteria that cause SSIs are human commensals. Common organisms responsible for SSI include Staphylococcus aureus and coliforms such as Proteus mirabilis, and Escherichia coli. A surgeon's gloves post caesarean section in the obese has a preponderance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, which increases SSI risk. The interaction of skin commensals and vaginal microbiome at the surgical incision site increases the risk of SSI in the obese compared to non-obese. Minimizing the risk of SSI involves modification of risk factors, timely treatment of SSI to prevent sepsis and compliance with the recommended care bundles.

The role of genetics in maternal susceptibility to preeclampsia in women of African ancestry.

Racial disparities exist in the prevalence of preeclampsia (PE), with women of African ancestry suffering the highest rates of morbidity and mortality. Genetic changes may play a role in the preponderance of PE among women of African ancestry. This review discusses 30 genes with variants that have been studied in PE in women of African ancestry. These studies found that a single gene is not responsible for PE susceptibility as 13 genes have been implicated. These genes subserve endothelial, immune, hemodynamic, homeostatic, thrombophilic, oxidative stress, and lipid metabolic pathways. Notably, maternal-fetal gene interactions also contribute to the susceptibility of the disease. For instance, the maternal KIR AA genotype and paternally inherited fetal HLA-C2 genotype confer risk for developing PE. Additionally, genetic changes such as epigenetic modulation of expression of the MTHFR gene through DNA methylation is also associated with the occurrence of PE. In contrast, some genes such as the KIR B centromeric region protect against development of PE in some women. The soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) contributes to the development of PE and is a potential novel therapeutic option for targeted gene silencing of anti-angiogenic sFLT-1 gene. Additionally, NOS3 gene is an important target for pharmacogenomics because it is responsible for the production of endothelial nitric oxide. In conclusion, maternal genetic and epigenetic variants confer susceptibility to PE, indicating the need for further studies to develop a screening tool incorporating maternal genetic variants to identify women at high risk for PE and offer them a preventive therapy.

Obstetric rectal buttonhole tear and a successful three-layer repair: A case report.

An obstetric rectal buttonhole tear (ORBT) is a rare obstetric complication with only 21 cases reported in the literature. The choice of two- or three-layer repair of ORBT is controversial. In this case, the author describes (with high-quality images) an ORBT repaired in three layers in order to provide clinical lessons to healthcare professionals involved in obstetrical care. The patient was a 26-year-old pregnant woman with a previous vertex delivery and 4 previous first-trimester miscarriages. In the index pregnancy, she had a spontaneous vertex vaginal birth of a 3095 g male baby at 39 weeks of gestation. During childbirth, she sustained an ORBT and a third-degree perineal tear involving <50% of the external anal sphincter. The ORBT was repaired in three layers using continuous 2-0 Vicryl to the rectal mucosa, and interrupted polydioxanone (PDS) 3-0 to the adjoining vagino-rectal fascia. Subsequently, the external anal sphincter was repaired end-to-end with interrupted PDS 3-0. Thereafter, the vagina was repaired with continuous Vicryl 2-0. The wound healed with no complications over the 12 weeks of postnatal clinic visits. A three-layer repair is arguably preferable given that closure of the fascia between the rectal and vaginal mucosae (vagino-rectal fascia) may improve the tensile strength at the injury site. However, a two-layer repair may be undertaken in rare cases where the vagino-rectal fascia is not identifiable.

Reproductive health challenges of an African school girl: a case report on non-bulging imperforate hymen with haematocolpometra during Covid-19 pandemic.

Background: Several schoolgirls attain reproductive age with undiagnosed gynaecological problems which pose challenges in their livelihood. These conditions include precocious puberty, congenital reproductive tract abnormalities, and delayed sexual development. Many children with these conditions face additional challenges including physical pain, psychological trauma and delayed diagnosis. Methods: A 14-year-old girl presented with acute on chronic pelvic pain and haematocolpometra due to imperforate hymen during COVID-19 pandemic. She has not undergone cultural virginity test in her community. The hymenal membrane was unusually non-bulging despite the haematocolpometra. A partial hymenotomy with a narrow margin of excision was performed. Results: The hymenal orifice later obliterated and resulted in a repeat partial hymenectomy where a wide surgical margin of the hymen was excised. Conclusions: A wide rather than narrow partial hymenectomy prevents obliteration of the hymenal orifice after surgery for imperforate hymen. There is a need for timely interventions such as counselling and community awareness that prevent undue consequences of an imperforate hymen and its treatment including pain and possible inability to pass cultural virginity test in some African communities.

Atypical preeclampsia-eclampsia syndrome at 18 weeks of gestation: A case report.

Background: Preeclampsia is currently defined as new-onset hypertension occurring with significant proteinuria, maternal organ dysfunction, and/or placental insufficiency at or after 20 weeks of gestation. In the majority of cases, it occurs before 48 h postpartum. Therefore, preeclampsia occurring before 20 weeks of gestation or after 48 h postpartum is atypical and may not be easily diagnosed. Aim: A case of atypical preeclampsia is presented to highlight the need for increased vigilance by healthcare professionals to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent adverse outcomes. Case Presentation: A 29-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 1, with one previous miscarriage, commenced antenatal care at 10 weeks of gestation. Based on history and physical examination, the only risk factor for preeclampsia identified was a primipaternity. The patient had a single mid-trimester scan but no robust multimodal screening for preeclampsia using ultrasound or biomarkers. At 18 weeks of gestation, she presented to a primary healthcare clinic with headache, epigastric pain, and a documented single blood pressure reading of 169/71 mmHg. She was placed on alpha-methyldopa and managed as an outpatient. A day later, she had two episodes of seizures and was transferred to a tertiary hospital. She was diagnosed with atypical eclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Following MgSO4 therapy and stabilization, an uneventful termination of pregnancy was performed, and she recovered fully. Conclusion: Robust screening for preeclampsia using history and physical examination, ultrasonography, and biomarkers in the first trimester to identify women at high risk of the disease for prophylactic therapy with aspirin may prevent this disorder.

Renal cyst mimicking hydronephrosis after uterine artery ligation for postpartum haemorrhage.

Background: The proximity of the uterus and the cervix to the urinary tract predisposes the latter to injury during obstetrical and gynaecological surgical procedures. Following a difficult surgical procedure on the lower uterine segment and or adnexa, urinary tract injury should be excluded. Methods: A booked 39-year-old G3P2 lady who suffered an ischaemic stroke in the index pregnancy had a caesarean delivery at 39 weeks of gestation and sustained an extensive tear that extended inferiorly on the left lateral aspect of the uterus and this resulted in postpartum haemorrhage. Following the repair of the tear, uterine artery ligation was performed to achieve haemostasis. Results: Postoperatively, conventional ultrasonography which was performed to exclude ureteric injury suggested left hydronephrosis and a preliminary report of computerized tomography (CT) showed the same finding. The patient subsequently had left ureteric stenting. The final report of the CT scan was delayed but showed a simple left renal cyst and no hydronephrosis. Conclusion: Renal cyst is a differential diagnosis of hydronephrosis. Delayed availability of the final result of medical investigations jeopardises patients' safety. A preliminary imaging report is prone to error and its use to determine the indication for an invasive procedure should be limited to emergencies.

Surgical excision of benign spindle cell neoplasm of the cervix predating miscarriage due to cervical insufficiency: A case report.

This case report is on cervical spindle cell neoplasm and complications of its excision. A 34-year-old multiparous woman presented with a one-year history of mild to moderate non-radiating lower abdominal pain and a sensation of a mass in the vagina when urinating. These symptoms were associated with a recurrent foul-smelling yellow vaginal discharge which was unresponsive to antibiotic therapy prescribed at a primary healthcare clinic. Vaginal examination at a gynaecological clinic revealed a firm circular cervical mass. Excision biopsy of the mass (attached between the 1 and 3 o'clock positions on the cervix) showed a benign spindle cell neoplasm. The patient became pregnant six months after the surgical excision and had a miscarriage at 18 weeks of gestation due to cervical insufficiency. The report highlights the importance of antenatal surveillance for women following surgical excision of a cervical lesion such as spindle cell neoplasm as they may be predisposed to cervical insufficiency.

Childbirth resulting in traumatic stretching and prolapsing of the anterior lip of the cervix outside the vagina: A case report.

Background: We report on childbirth trauma resulting in a rare stretching and prolapsing of the anterior lip of the cervix beyond the vaginal introitus, and describe the management. Case Presentation: A 17-year-old primigravida who had normal antenatal care delivered a live normal male baby weighing 3600 g at 39 weeks of gestation. The patient sustained a birth trauma resulting in the anterior lip of the cervix becoming stretched and prolapsing outside the vagina. There was an associated uterovaginal prolapse (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System grade 2). The prolapse of the cervix recurred after the initial repositioning of the cervix into the vagina. Subsequently, a vaginal ring pessary was applied to reduce the uterus and cervix. The most distal part of the prolapsed cervix was necrotic, remained outside the vagina despite the application of the ring pessary, and was excised. The use of the ring pessary was discontinued at 6 weeks postpartum, the cervix healed without obvious defect, and there was no prolapse at 3-month follow-up. Conclusion: A stretched cervix that prolapses beyond the vaginal introitus and uterovaginal prolapse are rare complications of childbirth that may be amenable to treatment with a ring pessary and to surgical excision of non-viable cervical tissue.

Fatal pulmonary oedema associated with severe pre-eclampsia: challenges and lessons.

Pre-eclampsia complicated by pulmonary oedema, severe hypertension, tachycardia and desaturation is a devastating condition. A comprehensive understanding of the aetiopathogenesis during such an emergency is challenging in the absence of functional and responsive point-of-care imaging, and laboratory and other critical-care services. An unbooked 26-year-old gravida 3 para 1+1 presented to a primary healthcare clinic with features of pre-eclampsia, severe hypertension and pulmonary oedema. The only available antihypertensive drug, methyldopa, was administered. The patient was transferred to a district hospital and subsequently referred to a tertiary hospital. On arrival, she was booked for caesarean delivery and in the maternity ward a central venous pressure (CVP) line was inserted. The patient developed pneumothorax and died in the intensive care unit undelivered. This case highlights many lessons, which are discussed. If CVP monitoring is indicated before caesarean delivery, consideration must be given to line insertion in the operating room to facilitate rapid delivery should the patient's condition deteriorate.

Pre-delivery angiogenic factors and their association with peripartum perceived stress and pain in pre-eclampsia with severe features and normotensive pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if any of maternal pre-delivery soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placental growth factor (PIGF), or sFlt-1/PIGF ratio correlate with either perceived stress scale (PSS) or verbal numeric rating scale (VNRS) pain scores. METHODS: Among 50 pregnant women with severe pre-eclampsia and 90 normotensive pregnant women observed from 48 h or less before delivery until day 3 postpartum, correlations between the following were performed: (1) serum concentrations of each angiogenic factor (sFlt-1, PIGF, and sFlt-1/PIGF ratio) sampled within 48 h before childbirth and a four-item PSS (pre-delivery and one-off 48-72 h postpartum score); (2) the same angiogenic factors above and VNRS ranging from 0 to 10; and (3) PSS and VNRS (both pre-delivery and postpartum). RESULTS: In the normotensive group, there was a positive correlation between sFlt-1 and postpartum PSS (ρ +0.214 and P = 0.043), and between sFlt-1/PIGF ratio and postpartum PSS (ρ +0.213 and P = 0.044). In the normotensive and severe pre-eclampsia groups there were non-significant negative correlations between PIGF and postpartum PSS (P > 0.096) and non-significant positive correlations between pre-delivery PSS and pre-delivery VNRS (P > 0.053). Other correlations were uninformative. CONCLUSION: Maternal pre-delivery sFlt-1/PIGF ratio in normotensive pregnancy is a promising biomarker for identifying risk of increased postpartum PSS to enable early counselling.

Induction of labour in low-resource settings.

Due to the disparity in resource availability between low- and high-resource settings, practice recommendations relevant to high-income countries are not always relevant and often need to be adapted to low-resource settings. The adaptation applies to induction of labour (IOL) which is an obstetric procedure that deserves special attention because it involves the initiation of a process that requires regular and frequent monitoring of the mother and foetus by experienced healthcare professionals. Lack of problem recognition and/or substandard care during IOL may result in harm with long-term sequelae. In this article, the authors discuss unique challenges such as insufficient resources (including staff, midwives, doctors, equipment, and medications) that result in occasional inadequate patient monitoring and/or delayed interventions during IOL in low-resource settings. We also discuss modifications in indications and methods for IOL, issues related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, the feasibility of outpatient induction, clinical protocols and a minimum dataset for quality improvement projects. Overall, the desire to achieve a vaginal birth with IOL should not cloud the necessity to observe the required safety measures and implement necessary interventions; given that childbirth practices are the major determinants of pregnancy outcomes and patient satisfaction.