A new conservative surgical approach for placenta accreta spectrum in a low-resource setting.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of a new surgical approach for uterine preservation among patients with placenta accreta spectrum in a low-resource setting. METHODS: The present prospective cohort included 63 women diagnosed with placenta accreta spectrum undergoing cesarean deliveries who desired future fertility at the obstetrics department of Menoufia University Hospital from January 2018 to November 2019. Surgical management involved direct bilateral uterine arteries clamping below placental bed after broad ligament opening by round ligaments division and ligation and gentle downward dissection of vesical from myometrial tissues from lateral aspect toward trigone of the bladder. Outcomes included intraoperative and postoperative adverse events, hysterectomy rate, and postoperative hospitalization. RESULTS: Mean operative blood loss was 1860 ± 537 mL (range, 1040-3111 mL) and the incidence of bladder and ureteric injuries were 6.3% (n = 4) and 0%, respectively. The mean length of hospital stay was 4.46 ± 1.39 days. Overall, 7 patients (11.1%) required postoperative blood transfusion, and 2 patients (3.2%) required ICU admission. Five patients required peripartum hysterectomy (7.9%). CONCLUSION: Our conservative surgical approach is a safe alternative to peripartum hysterectomy with high uterine preservation rate, less intraoperative and postoperative morbidity and less need for blood transfusion in low resource settings. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT04161521.

Changes in ovarian reserve and ovarian blood flow in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome following laparoscopic ovarian drilling.

This prospective cohort study was conducted on 80 patients with clomiphene citrate (CC)-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD). Pre- and post-LOD ovarian reserve parameters (anti-Mullerian hormone: AMH, ovarian volume: OV, and antral follicle count: AFC) and ovarian stromal blood flow indices (Vascularization index: VI, flow index: FI, and vascularization flow index: VFI) were measured to explore the effect of LOD and to find out the correlation between serum AMH and different clinical, hormonal, and ultrasonic variables. There was a highly significant reduction of the serum AMH (p < .001) after LOD with significant reduction in OV, AFC and vascular indices (VI, FI and VFI) of the right and left ovaries (p < .05). LOD significantly reduced ovarian reserve parameters (AMH, OV and AFC) and ovarian stromal blood flow indices (VI, FI and VFI) with no observed correlation between AMH levels and Doppler indices.

Body mass index is linked to cervical length and duration of pregnancy: An observational study in low risk pregnancy.

In this prospective cohort study, one hundred participants were allocated into four groups according to their body mass indices. Vaginal ultrasound was performed at enrolment to measure cervical length. The shortest cervical measurement was recorded. Overweight and obese groups had significantly longer mean cervical length than women in the normal weight group when measured at 20-22 weeks of gestation (p < .001). Underweight women had the shortest mean cervical length. The incidence of preterm delivery was the highest in underweight women (RR; 1.5). The incidence of post-term delivery was 10% in total in overweight and obese women. Underweight women were more likely to have short cervical length and subsequent preterm delivery compared to overweight and obese women.

Management of postpartum hemorrhage with intrauterine balloon tamponade using a condom catheter in an Egyptian setting.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate uterine balloon tamponade using a condom catheter for the management of early postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). METHODS: In a prospective observational study at Menoufia University Hospital, Shebin Elkom, Egypt, women with early PPH were enrolled between May 2011 and September 2012. Uterine balloon tamponade with a condom catheter was applied in women who were unresponsive to uterotonics and bimanual compression; patients with successful catheter placement were included in analyses. The primary outcome was successful control (reduction or cessation) of bleeding. RESULTS: A condom catheter was successfully placed for 50 of the 151 women enrolled. The overall success rate of the procedure was 96% (48/50). The condom catheter was successful in all 28 cases of atonic PPH after vaginal or cesarean delivery. It successfully controlled PPH due placental site bleeding in 20 (91%) of 22 patients with placenta previa and a well-contracted uterus. CONCLUSION: Condom balloon catheter was found to effectively control PPH. The procedure is simple, inexpensive, and safe, and can preserve reproductive capacity, as well as saving the life of the mother. ClinicalTrials.gov:NCT02672891.

Value of first-trimester serum lipid profile in early prediction of preeclampsia and its severity: A prospective cohort study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of first-trimester serum lipid profile with preeclampsia (PE) and if so, its association with the severity of the disease. STUDY: Prospective cohort study. PATIENT AND METHODS: A total of 251 pregnant women participated in this study in their first trimester. Maternal blood samples were collected between 4 and 12 weeks of gestation. Fasting serum triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were drawn and measured by ELISA. From the cohort, 26 women developed PE (16 mild and 10 severe) and 174 remained normotensive and used as control subjects. RESULTS: There was a significant rise in fasting serum TGs, TC, and LDL-C and a significant decrease in HDL-C in women who developed PE than in those who remained normotensive and more significantly evident in severe preeclamptic cases compared to mild cases of PE (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Early pregnancy dyslipidemia, particularly hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia, may help in predicting women who later develop PE and may help in prediction of its severity.

Predictors of patient responses to ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome experiencing infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of clomiphene citrate-induced ovulation in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: A prospective observational study of patients 18-40 years of age with PCOS experiencing infertility was conducted at Menoufia University Hospital between January 2011 and January 2013. A range of potential predictors of ovulation were recorded before patients received a 50-mg dose of clomiphene citrate. Following ovulation or no response to increasing clomiphene-citrate doses, correlations between predictors and treatment responses were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 150 patients with PCOS experiencing infertility were enrolled. Following treatment, 110 (73.3%) patients ovulated. Highly significant differences were observed between treatment responders and non-responders in baseline amenorrhea, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, total testosterone, anti-Müllerian hormone, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and visceral fat area (P<0.001). Significant differences in mean ovarian volume (P<0.009) and ovarian stromal artery pulsatility index (P<0.003) were also observed. Total testosterone was the best individual predictor of clomiphene citrate treatment response. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in a multivariate prediction model was 0.98. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of patient amenorrhea, BMI, total testosterone, anti-Müllerian hormone, ovarian volume, ovarian stromal artery pulsatility index, and visceral fat area could be used to predict clomiphene-citrate treatment response in patients with PCOS experiencing infertility. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02269306.

Comparison of intravaginal misoprostol and intracervical Foley catheter alone or in combination for termination of second trimester pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effectiveness, safety and acceptability of intravaginal misoprostol and intracervical Foley catheter alone or in combination for termination of second trimester pregnancy. METHODS: This clinical study was conducted on 90 pregnant patients intended for termination of pregnancy between 13 and 24 gestational weeks for any indication. Enrolled women are equally allocated into three groups: • Group I (Misoprostol group): a standard regimen of moistened misoprostol (400 µg) 4 hourly inserted vaginally. • Group II (Catheter group): intracervical Foley catheter inserted, inflated and placed on traction. • Group III (Combined group): intracervical Foley catheter inserted with a standard regimen of moistened misoprostol (400 µg) 4 hourly intravaginally was used. Procedure efficacy (defined as complete abortion performed on site), safety and acceptability were assessed. RESULTS: The induction to abortion interval was 7.5±1.25 h in the combined group, compared to 11.76±1.63 h in the misoprostol group and 19.76±1.52 h in the catheter group (p value<0.001) with a success rate of 100% and no major complications reported. CONCLUSIONS: The present results confirmed the high success rate with the shortest induction to abortion interval with a combined use of intracervical Foley catheter and misoprostol for termination of second trimester pregnancy.

Antibiotic prophylaxis at elective cesarean section: a randomized controlled trial in a low resource setting.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the best time to administer prophylactic antibiotics at Cesarean delivery in order to reduce the postoperative maternal infectious morbidity in a low resource setting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred term primigravidae with singleton pregnancy were recruited and randomly allocated to two equal groups. Each woman received 2 g intravenous Cefazoline. Women in Group I received it prior to skin incision while those in Group II had it immediately after cord clamping. We measured the following outcome parameters: (1) Surgical site wound infection; (2) Endometritis and (3) Urinary tract infection. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in any of the patients' characteristics between both groups. In Group I, three cases developed surgical site infections but four in Group II (p > 0.05). In Group I, the infected cases had Cesarean because of malpresentations while in Group II, two cases had Cesarean because of patients' request, one because of maternal heart disease and one due to intra-uterine growth restriction. Seven and nine cases had urinary tract infection in Groups I and II, respectively, (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Prophylactic antibiotic administration either prior to surgery or after cord clamping is probably equally effective in reducing the postoperative infectious morbidity after Cesarean in low resource settings.