Prevalence of torch infections and its associated poor outcome in high-risk pregnant women of Central India: Time to think for prevention strategies.

Introduction: The TORCH infections during pregnancy are associated with adverse congenital abnormalities, poor foetal outcome and subsequent reproductive failures. The absence of baseline data on status of TORCH infections and associated foetal outcomes prompted us to conduct the current study in Central India. Materials and Methods: : A total of 144 high-risk pregnant women attending tertiary care unit, suspected for TORCH infections were enrolled from August 2017 to December 2018. All the participants were tested for the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies and followed up to record the foetal outcome. Results: The overall TORCH infection (IgM positivity) positivity rate was 61.1% (88/144). Rubella was the most prevalent infection (46.5%) followed by herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1 and 2 (41%) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) (34.7%). The highest IgG sero-positivity was recorded against CMV (88.6%), followed by Rubella (86.8%), HSV 1 and 2 (28.4%), and toxoplasmosis (15.2%). Follow-up of IgM TORCH positive pregnant women revealed that majority of the neonates/infants are having congenital cardiac abnormalities (39.2%), followed by microcephaly/hydrocephaly (25%), low birth weight (10.7%), and deafness (3.6%). Thirty-two percent of neonatal mortality was associated to multiple TORCH infections. Conclusion: A high prevalence of IgM seropositivity of TORCH infection was noted in the present study with the increased rate of poor foetal outcome warrants the need of proper prenatal counselling, universal immunisation and nutritional supplements during pregnancy.

Susceptibility of Rubella Among Pregnant Women Attending the Antenatal Clinic in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Jabalpur, Central India.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate rubella susceptibility of pregnant women from central India as rubella infection can be devastating for the newborn if it occurs in the mother in the first trimester of pregnancy, which may lead to congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). There are very few studies about seroprevalence of rubella from India and none from central India. The study was conducted among women attending the obstetric department of a tertiary care hospital, in which 369 antenatal cases were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin G antibody for rubella and its titer. Data were analyzed using statistical tests. A total of 141 (38.2%) women were found susceptible to rubella. There was no significant difference in rubella susceptibility among different socioeconomic classes, ages, and gravidity. A large proportion of pregnant women were found to be rubella susceptible, posing immense threat of CRS to their newborns. A robust program for rubella immunization targeting young adult women is needed to avoid CRS.

Colposcopic Study of Lower Genital Tract Infections in HIV-Positive Women on Antiretroviral Therapy.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To study the colposcopic findings and prevalence of lower genital tract infections in HIV-positive women on anti-retroviral therapy. To find correlation between colposcopic finding, m RNA HPV and cytology of lower genital tract infections in HIV-positive women on anti-retroviral therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, Jabalpur, from 1 June 2013 to 31 October 2014. The data of the present study was recorded into computer and after proper validation, error checking, coding and decoding, the data was compiled and analysed using the SPSS Windows. Appropriate univariate and bivariate analysis were carried out using the Student's t test and two-tailed Fisher exact test or Chi-square test for categorical variables. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The present study concludes that the prevalence of lower genital tract infections is 25.3 % in HIV-positive women on anti-retroviral therapy. It revealed that 35 HIV-positive women on anti-retroviral therapy who were screened for m HPV RNA test, one came out to be positive (i.e. 2.8 %); thus, it can be said that there is an increased clearance of oncogenic HPV types in HIV-positive women on anti-retroviral therapy.