Giving birth in Switzerland: a qualitative study exploring migrant women's experiences during pregnancy and childbirth in Geneva and Zurich using focus groups.

BACKGROUND: Migrant mothers in high-income countries often encounter more complications during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period. To enlighten health care providers concerning potential barriers, the objective of this study was to explore positive and negative experiences with maternal health services in the University Hospitals of Geneva and Zurich and to describe barriers to maternity services from a qualitative perspective. METHODS: In this qualitative study, six focus groups (FGs) were conducted involving 33 women aged 21 to 40 years. All FG discussions were audio-recorded and later transcribed. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach assisted by the Atlas.ti qualitative data management software. RESULTS: Positive experiences included not only the availability of maternity services, especially during emergency situations and the postpartum period, but also the availability of specific maternity services for undocumented migrants in Geneva. Negative experiences were classified into either personal or structural barriers. On the personal level, the main barriers were a lack of social support and a lack of health literacy, whereas the main themes on the structural level were language barriers and a lack of information. CONCLUSION: Structural adaptation is necessary to meet the needs of the extremely diverse population. The needs include (1) the provision of specific information for migrant women in multiple languages, (2) the availability of trained interpreters who are easily accessible to health care providers, (3) specifically trained nurses or social assistance providers to guide migrants through the health system, and (4) a cultural competence-training programme for health care providers.

Neglect of attention to reproductive health in women with HIV infection: contraceptive use and unintended pregnancies in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Women with HIV infection are mainly of reproductive age and need safe, effective and affordable contraception to avoid unintended pregnancies. The aim of this study was to evaluate contraceptive use and unintended pregnancies in this population in Switzerland. METHODS: A self-report anonymous questionnaire on contraceptive methods, adherence to them, and unintended pregnancies was completed by women included in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) between November 2013 and June 2014. Sociodemographic characteristics and information related to combined antiretroviral therapy and HIV disease status were obtained from the SHCS database. RESULTS: Of 462 women included, 164 (35.5%) reported not using any contraception. Among these, 65 (39.6%) reported being sexually active, although 29 (44.6%) were not planning a pregnancy. Of 298 women using contraception, the following methods were reported: condoms, 219 (73.5%); oral hormonal contraception, 32 (10.7%); and intrauterine devices, 28 (9.4%). Among all women on contraception, 32 (10.7%) reported using more than one contraceptive method and 48 (16%) had an unintended pregnancy while on contraception (18, condoms; 16, oral contraception; four, other methods). Of these, 68.1% terminated the pregnancy and almost half (43.7%) continued using the same contraceptive method after the event. CONCLUSIONS: Family planning needs in HIV-positive women are not fully addressed because male condoms remained the predominant reported contraceptive method, with a high rate of unintended pregnancies. It is of utmost importance to provide effective contraception such as long-acting reversible contraceptives for women living with HIV.

Validation of an emergency triage scale for obstetrics and gynaecology: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability of a four-level triage scale for obstetrics and gynaecology emergencies and to explore the factors associated with an optimal triage. DESIGN: Thirty clinical vignettes presenting the most frequent indications for obstetrics and gynaecology emergency consultations were evaluated twice using a computerised simulator. SETTING: The study was performed at the emergency unit of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Geneva University Hospitals. SAMPLE: The vignettes were submitted to nurses and midwives. METHODS: We assessed inter- and intra-rater reliability and agreement using a two-way mixed-effects intra-class correlation (ICC). We also performed a generalised linear mixed model to evaluate factors associated triage correctness. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Triage acuity. RESULTS: We obtained a total of 1191 evaluations. Inter-rater reliability was good (ICC 0.748; 95% CI 0.633-0.858) and intra-rater reliability was almost perfect (ICC 0.812; 95% CI 0.726-0.889). We observed a wide variability: the mean number of questions varied from 6.9 to 18.9 across individuals and from 8.4 to 16.9 across vignettes. Triage acuity was underestimated in 12.4% of cases and overestimated in 9.3%. Undertriage occurred less frequently for gynaecology compared with obstetric vignettes [odds ratio (OR) 0.45; 95% CI 0.23-0.91; P = 0.035] and decreased with the number of questions asked (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.88-0.99; P = 0.047). Certification in obstetrics and gynaecology emergencies was an independent factor for the avoidance of undertriage (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.17-0.70; P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The four-level triage scale is a valid and reliable tool for the integrated emergency management of obstetrics and gynaecology patients. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: The Swiss Emergency Triage Scale is a valid and reliable tool for obstetrics and gynaecology emergency triage.

Emergence of Acquired HIV-1 Drug Resistance Almost Stopped in Switzerland: A 15-Year Prospective Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Drug resistance is a major barrier to successful antiretroviral treatment (ART). Therefore, it is important to monitor time trends at a population level. METHODS: We included 11 084 ART-experienced patients from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) between 1999 and 2013. The SHCS is highly representative and includes 72% of patients receiving ART in Switzerland. Drug resistance was defined as the presence of ≥1 major mutation in a genotypic resistance test. To estimate the prevalence of drug resistance, data for patients with no resistance test was imputed based on the patient's risk of harboring drug-resistant viruses. RESULTS: The emergence of new drug resistance mutations declined dramatically from 401 to 23 patients between 1999 and 2013. The upper estimated prevalence limit of drug resistance among ART-experienced patients decreased from 57.0% in 1999 to 37.1% in 2013. The prevalence of 3-class resistance decreased from 9.0% to 4.4% and was always <0.4% for patients who initiated ART after 2006. Most patients actively participating in the SHCS in 2013 with drug-resistant viruses initiated ART before 1999 (59.8%). Nevertheless, in 2013, 94.5% of patients who initiated ART before 1999 had good remaining treatment options based on Stanford algorithm. CONCLUSIONS: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 drug resistance among ART-experienced patients in Switzerland is a well-controlled relic from the era before combination ART. Emergence of drug resistance can be virtually stopped with new potent therapies and close monitoring.

Postnatal retention in HIV care: insight from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study over a 15-year observational period.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to quantify loss to follow-up (LTFU) in HIV care after delivery and to identify risk factors for LTFU, and implications for HIV disease progression and subsequent pregnancies. METHODS: We used data on pregnancies within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study from 1996 to 2011. A delayed clinical visit was defined as > 180 days and LTFU as no visit for > 365 days after delivery. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for LTFU. RESULTS: A total of 695 pregnancies in 580 women were included in the study, of which 115 (17%) were subsequent pregnancies. Median maternal age was 32 years (IQR 28-36 years) and 104 (15%) women reported any history of injecting drug use (IDU). Overall, 233 of 695 (34%) women had a delayed visit in the year after delivery and 84 (12%) women were lost to follow-up. Being lost to follow-up was significantly associated with a history of IDU [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-5.88; P = 0.007] and not achieving an undetectable HIV viral load (VL) at delivery (aOR 2.42; 95% CI 1.21-4.85; P = 0.017) after adjusting for maternal age, ethnicity and being on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at conception. Forty-three of 84 (55%) women returned to care after LTFU. Half of them (20 of 41) with available CD4 had a CD4 count < 350 cells/µL and 15% (six of 41) a CD4 count < 200 cells/µL at their return. CONCLUSIONS: A history of IDU and detectable HIV VL at delivery were associated with LTFU. Effective strategies are warranted to retain women in care beyond pregnancy and to avoid CD4 cell count decline. ART continuation should be advised especially if a subsequent pregnancy is planned.

Prevention of preterm delivery with vaginal progesterone in women with preterm labour (4P): randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of 200 mg of daily vaginal natural progesterone to prevent preterm birth in women with preterm labour. DESIGN: Multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Twenty-nine centres in Switzerland and Argentina. POPULATION: A total of 385 women with preterm labour (24(0/7) to 33(6/7) weeks of gestation) treated with acute tocolysis. METHODS: Participants were randomly allocated to either 200 mg daily of self-administered vaginal progesterone or placebo within 48 hours of starting acute tocolysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was delivery before 37 weeks of gestation. Secondary outcomes were delivery before 32 and 34 weeks, adverse effects, duration of tocolysis, re-admissions for preterm labour, length of hospital stay, and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The study was ended prematurely based on results of the intermediate analysis. RESULTS: Preterm birth occurred in 42.5% of women in the progesterone group versus 35.5% in the placebo group (relative risk [RR] 1.2; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.93-1.5). Delivery at <32 and <34 weeks did not differ between the two groups (12.9 versus 9.7%; [RR 1.3; 95% CI 0.7-2.5] and 19.7 versus 12.9% [RR 1.5; 95% CI 0.9-2.4], respectively). The duration of tocolysis, hospitalisation, and recurrence of preterm labour were comparable between groups. Neonatal morbidity occurred in 44 (22.8%) cases on progesterone versus 35 (18.8%) cases on placebo (RR: 1.2; 95% CI 0.82-1.8), whereas there were 4 (2%) neonatal deaths in each study group. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence that the daily administration of 200 mg vaginal progesterone decreases preterm birth or improves neonatal outcome in women with preterm labour.

[Prevention of preterm birth with vaginal progesterone in women with preterm labor: which are the evidences?]. / Progestérone par voie vaginale chez les femmes avec une menace d'accouchement prématuré: quelles évidences?

The presence of uterine contractions and a short cervix at less than 37 weeks of gestation (preterm labor) is an important risk factor for a preterm birth. Currently, there is not treatment able to reduce the risk of preterm birth in this high risk group of women. Vaginal progesterone has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of preterm birth in asymptomatic women with a prior preterm birth and in women with a short cervix, measured by vaginal ultrasound before 24 weeks of gestation. Unfortunately, vaginal progesterone has not been shown to be efficacious in women with preterm labor. A recent clinical trial has shown that it can even be deleterious in this group of women.

[Management of liver diseases during pregnancy]. / Maladies hépatiques liées à la grossesse.

Liver tests abnormalities during pregnancy should encourage the clinician to seek liver diseases of pregnancy. The liver diseases of pregnancy are those proper to pregnancy including hyperemesis gravidarum, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, all the "hypertensive" related diseases and acute fatty liver of pregnancy. These pathologies can involve the vital prognosis of the mother and the child. An adequate management reduces maternal-fetal complications. Close monitoring of pregnancy with sometimes induction of labour and verification of the normalization of liver tests after childbirth are essential.

[What's new in gynecology and obstetrics in 2012?]. / Gynécologie-obstétrique.

Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) has been shown to be as effective as traditional radiotherapy in the management of early stage breast cancer. IORT is performed in a single session and consists in a single irradiation in the tumorectomy cavity. Medically assisted procreation does not seem to favor neither gynecological nor non-gynecological cancers. Nevertheless medically assisted procreation technique ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is associated with an increased risk of birth defect. This is not the case of IVF (in vitro fertilization). The causality of the treatment or of the infertility itself is unclear. During pregnancy, nicotine-replacement patches at usual dosage do not seem to increase abstinence smoking rates. A selective, and not a systematic thyroid screening strategy, is now recommended during first trimester of pregnancy.

Vaccination against seasonal flu in Switzerland: The indecision of pregnant women encouraged by healthcare professionals.

BACKGROUND: The recommendation for seasonal flu immunization from the second trimester of pregnancy, adopted in summer 2010 in Switzerland, is situated within a social context characterized by reluctance toward some vaccinations, a relatively low vaccination coverage against flu in the general population, and still heated debates fuelled by vaccination campaigns organized around the A(H1N1)pdm09 flu pandemic in winter 2009 to 2010. This study examines Swiss pregnant women's representations of the risks associated with seasonal flu and its vaccination. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 women, while in the maternity unit in March 2011, 3 to 5 days after giving birth. The interviews addressed the risks associated with flu, modes of protection, motivations for, and obstacles to vaccination. RESULTS: The interviewees did not show major preoccupations regarding seasonal flu and they tended to distance themselves from the at-risk status. They did not directly challenge seasonal flu immunization; however, they were reluctant to do it. Their attitudes were supported by their personal experience and the experience of their social networks. Healthcare professionals, particularly medical doctors, gave very little direction, or even did not raise the issue with them. CONCLUSIONS: Between the rather moderate positions of those who are against vaccination and those who support it, an intermediate grey zone, characterized by hesitation, was observed. Furthermore, the indecision of pregnant women is reinforced by doubts among the persons they are close to and also among the professionals they met during their pregnancy.

Flu and pertussis vaccination during pregnancy in Geneva during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multicentric, prospective, survey-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine pertussis and influenza vaccination coverage during pregnancy among women delivering in all the maternities of Geneva (Switzerland), during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: All women delivering in all the maternity centres of the canton of Geneva from 1st November 2020 to 30th November 2020 (beginning of the flu vaccination season) and from 8th March 2021 to 7th April 2021 (end of the flu vaccination season) had their records checked upon admission to the labour ward regarding pertussis and influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Reasons for non-vaccination were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to identify predictors of vaccine uptake. RESULTS: 951 women delivered in Geneva during the two study periods, of which 950 were included in the study. 86.2% were vaccinated against pertussis, with no significant difference between the study periods (87.5% vs 85% at the beginning and end of the flu vaccination season respectively). 49.8% were vaccinated against influenza, with no significant difference between the study periods (48.8% vs 50.7% beginning and end of the flu vaccination season respectively). The influenza vaccine was 5 times more likely not to be proposed (8.9% vs. 1.7%) and 3 times more likely to be refused (26.6% vs. 8%) than the pertussis vaccine. Main reason for refusal was a lack of maternal desire for both vaccines, but not vaccine fear. Maternal parity ≥ 1 was significantly associated with pertussis vaccine uptake at univariate analysis. Women were significantly more likely to accept the influenza vaccine if they had a university degree or if they did not deliver in a midwife-only run delivery unit in both univariate and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In Geneva, most gynaecologists offer pertussis immunization during antenatal care and uptake is high, but more efforts must be done to increase influenza vaccination coverage. Education level impacts maternal flu vaccination uptake, but other social disparities did not.

High specificity of line-immunoassay based algorithms for recent HIV-1 infection independent of viral subtype and stage of disease.

BACKGROUND: Serologic testing algorithms for recent HIV seroconversion (STARHS) provide important information for HIV surveillance. We have shown that a patient's antibody reaction in a confirmatory line immunoassay (INNO-LIA HIV I/II Score, Innogenetics) provides information on the duration of infection. Here, we sought to further investigate the diagnostic specificity of various Inno-Lia algorithms and to identify factors affecting it. METHODS: Plasma samples of 714 selected patients of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study infected for longer than 12 months and representing all viral clades and stages of chronic HIV-1 infection were tested blindly by Inno-Lia and classified as either incident (up to 12 m) or older infection by 24 different algorithms. Of the total, 524 patients received HAART, 308 had HIV-1 RNA below 50 copies/mL, and 620 were infected by a HIV-1 non-B clade. Using logistic regression analysis we evaluated factors that might affect the specificity of these algorithms. RESULTS: HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/mL was associated with significantly lower reactivity to all five HIV-1 antigens of the Inno-Lia and impaired specificity of most algorithms. Among 412 patients either untreated or with HIV-1 RNA ≥ 50 copies/mL despite HAART, the median specificity of the algorithms was 96.5% (range 92.0-100%). The only factor that significantly promoted false-incident results in this group was age, with false-incident results increasing by a few percent per additional year. HIV-1 clade, HIV-1 RNA, CD4 percentage, sex, disease stage, and testing modalities exhibited no significance. Results were similar among 190 untreated patients. CONCLUSIONS: The specificity of most Inno-Lia algorithms was high and not affected by HIV-1 variability, advanced disease and other factors promoting false-recent results in other STARHS. Specificity should be good in any group of untreated HIV-1 patients.

Adverse side effects and route of administration of opioids in combined spinal-epidural analgesia for labour: a meta-analysis of randomised trials.

BACKGROUND: Studies report an increased risk of maternal and fetal adverse side effects when combined spinal-epidural, rather than standard epidural, analgesia is provided for labour and delivery. Intrathecal opioids used with local anaesthetic in combined spinal-epidural analgesia may be a cause. It is not known whether this is due to the addition of opioid to local anaesthetic in the intrathecal space only or due to concomitant administration into the intrathecal and epidural spaces. METHODS: We searched for randomised trials comparing maternal, obstetrical and neonatal outcomes in parturients having combined spinal-epidural or standard epidural analgesia, and compared subgroups of patients according to the route of administration of opioids in combined spinal-epidural techniques. Studies were evaluated for eligibility and quality. Fixed and random-effects models were used for pooled data analysis and outcomes were compared using relative risk (RR) or mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: We identified 1658 reports and 41 fully published randomised controlled trials. In patients who received combined spinal-epidural techniques, an increased risk of nausea/vomiting (RR 1.31, CI 1.0 to 1.72), pruritus (RR 4.26, CI 2.59 to 7.0) and fetal bradycardia (RR 2.38, CI 1.57 to 3.62) was observed regardless of the route of administration. In contrast, hypotension occurred more frequently after combined intrathecal and epidural opioid (RR 1.54, 1.22 to 1.93; P-value 0.02 for subgroup difference). CONCLUSION: For combined spinal-epidural techniques, the administration of opioids in combination with local anaesthetic, particularly when used in both the intrathecal and epidural space, should be carefully considered.

[Congenital Chagas disease in Geneva: diagnostic and clinical aspects]. / Dépistage et prise en charge de la maladie de Chagas congénitale à Genève.

Chagas disease, a parasitic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, recently emerged in Europe and in Switzerland. Mother-to-child infection represents a major mode of transmission in non endemic areas. In 2008, 305 Latin American pregnant women consulting at the Geneva University Hospitals were screened by serology. Overall prevalence was 2% and 8.8% in Bolivian women. All infected women were in the indeterminate form of the chronic phase. Two newborns were congenitally infected. Considering the potential for vertical transmission and the risk of long-term complications, screening programs for persons at risk need to be implemented.

Collateral damage from oral ciprofloxacin versus nitrofurantoin in outpatients with urinary tract infections: a culture-free analysis of gut microbiota.

Recent treatment guidelines for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) discourage fluoroquinolone prescription because of collateral damage to commensal microbiota, but the ecologic impact of alternative agents has not been evaluated by culture-free techniques. We prospectively collected faecal samples at three time points from ambulatory patients with UTIs treated with ciprofloxacin or nitrofurantoin, patients not requiring antibiotics and household contacts of ciprofloxacin-treated patients. We described changes in gut microbiota using a culture-independent approach based on pyrosequencing of the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. All groups were similar at baseline. Ciprofloxacin had a significant global impact on the gut microbiota whereas nitrofurantoin did not. The end of ciprofloxacin treatment correlated with a reduced proportion of Bifidobacterium (Actinobacteria), Alistipes (Bacteroidetes) and four genera from the phylum Firmicutes (Faecalibacterium, Oscillospira, Ruminococcus and Dialister) and an increased relative abundance of Bacteroides (Bacteroidetes) and the Firmicutes genera Blautia, Eubacterium and Roseburia. Substantial recovery had occurred 4 weeks later. Nitrofurantoin treatment correlated with a reduced relative proportion of the genus Clostridium and an increased proportion of the genus Faecalibacterium. This study supports use of nitrofurantoin over fluoroquinolones for treatment of uncomplicated UTIs to minimize perturbation of intestinal microbiota.

Strong Impact of Smoking on Multimorbidity and Cardiovascular Risk Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals in Comparison With the General Population.

Background. Although acquired immune deficiency syndrome-associated morbidity has diminished due to excellent viral control, multimorbidity may be increasing among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons compared with the general population. Methods. We assessed the prevalence of comorbidities and multimorbidity in participants of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) compared with the population-based CoLaus study and the primary care-based FIRE (Family Medicine ICPC-Research using Electronic Medical Records) records. The incidence of the respective endpoints were assessed among SHCS and CoLaus participants. Poisson regression models were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking. Results. Overall, 74 291 participants contributed data to prevalence analyses (3230 HIV-infected; 71 061 controls). In CoLaus, FIRE, and SHCS, multimorbidity was present among 26%, 13%, and 27% of participants. Compared with nonsmoking individuals from CoLaus, the incidence of cardiovascular disease was elevated among smoking individuals but independent of HIV status (HIV-negative smoking: incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-2.5; HIV-positive smoking: IRR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.6; HIV-positive nonsmoking: IRR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.44-1.4). Compared with nonsmoking HIV-negative persons, multivariable Poisson regression identified associations of HIV infection with hypertension (nonsmoking: IRR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.5-2.4; smoking: IRR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.6-2.4), kidney (nonsmoking: IRR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.9-3.8; smoking: IRR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.9-3.6), and liver disease (nonsmoking: IRR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.4-2.4; smoking: IRR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.4-2.2). No evidence was found for an association of HIV-infection or smoking with diabetes mellitus. Conclusions. Multimorbidity is more prevalent and incident in HIV-positive compared with HIV-negative individuals. Smoking, but not HIV status, has a strong impact on cardiovascular risk and multimorbidity.

Incident Hepatitis C Virus Infections in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study: Changes in Treatment Uptake and Outcomes Between 1991 and 2013.

Background. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemic is evolving rapidly in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We aimed to describe changes in treatment uptake and outcomes of incident HCV infections before and after 2006, the time-point at which major changes in HCV epidemic became apparent. Methods. We included all adults with an incident HCV infection before June 2012 in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, a prospective nationwide representative cohort of individuals infected with HIV. We assessed the following outcomes by time period: the proportion of patients starting an HCV therapy, the proportion of treated patients achieving a sustained virological response (SVR), and the proportion of patients with persistent HCV infection during follow-up. Results. Of 193 patients with an HCV seroconversion, 106 were diagnosed before and 87 after January 2006. The proportion of men who have sex with men increased from 24% before to 85% after 2006 (P < .001). Hepatitis C virus treatment uptake increased from 33% before 2006 to 77% after 2006 (P < .001). Treatment was started during early infection in 22% of patients before and 91% after 2006 (P < .001). An SVR was achieved in 78% and 29% (P = .01) of patients treated during early and chronic HCV infection. The probability of having a detectable viral load 5 years after diagnosis was 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-0.77) in the group diagnosed before 2006 and 0.24 (95% CI, 0.16-0.35) in the other group (P < .001). Conclusions. In recent years, increased uptake and earlier initiation of HCV therapy among patients with incident infections significantly reduced the proportion of patients with replicating HCV.