Impact of training and case manager support for traditional birth attendants in the linkage of care among HIV-positive pregnant women in Southwest Nigeria: a 3-arm cluster randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) accounts for 90% of all new paediatric HIV infections in Nigeria and for approximately 30% of the global burden. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a training model that incorporated case managers working closely with traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to ensure linkage to care for HIV-positive pregnant women. METHODS: This study was a 3-arm parallel design cluster randomized controlled trial in Ifo and Ado-Odo Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study employed a random sampling technique to allocate three distinct TBA associations as clusters. Cluster 1 received training exclusively; Cluster 2 underwent training in addition to the utilization of case managers, and Cluster 3 served as a control group. In total, 240 TBAs were enrolled in the study, with 80 participants in each of the intervention and control groups. and were followed up for a duration of 6 months. We employed a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical test to evaluate the differences between baseline and endline HIV knowledge scores and PMTCT practices. Additionally, bivariate analysis using the chi-square test was used to investigate linkage to care. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was utilized to identify TBA characteristics associated with various PMTCT interventions, including the receipt of HIV test results and repeat testing at term for HIV-negative pregnant women. The data analysis was performed using Stata version 16.1.877, and we considered results statistically significant when p values were less than 0.05. RESULTS: At the end of this study, there were improvements in the TBAs' HIV and PMTCT-related knowledge within the intervention groups, however, it did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). The referral of pregnant clients for HIV testing was highest (93.5%) within cluster 2 TBAs, who received both PMTCT training and case manager support (p ≤ 0.001). The likelihood of HIV-negative pregnant women at term repeating an HIV test was approximately 4.1 times higher when referred by TBAs in cluster 1 (AOR = 4.14; 95% CI [2.82-5.99]) compared to those in the control group and 1.9 times in cluster 2 (AOR = 1.93; 95% CI [1.3-2.89]) compared to the control group. Additionally, older TBAs (OR = 1.62; 95% CI [1.26-2.1]) and TBAs with more years of experience in their practice (OR = 1.45; 95% CI [1.09-1.93]) were more likely to encourage retesting among HIV-negative women at term. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of case managers and PMTCT training was more effective than training alone for TBAs in facilitating the linkage to care of HIV-positive pregnant women, although this effect did not reach statistical significance. Larger-scale studies to further investigate the benefits of case manager support in facilitating the linkage to care for PMTCT of HIV are recommended. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was retrospectively registered in the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry, and it was assigned the unique identification number PACTR202206622552114.

Picture Cards Versus Physical Examination: A Proof-of-Concept Study to Improve the SOSAS Survey Tool.

INTRODUCTION: The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Needs (SOSAS) survey tool is used to determine the unmet surgical needs in the community and has been validated in several countries. A major weakness is the absence of an objective assessment to verify patient-reported surgically treatable conditions. The goal of this study was to determine whether a picture portfolio, a tool previously shown to improve parental recognition of their child's congenital deformity, could improve the accuracy of the SOSAS tool by how it compares with physical examination. This study focused on children as many surgical conditions in them require prompt treatment but are often not promptly diagnosed. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional community-based study to determine the prevalence of congenital and acquired surgical conditions among children and adults in a mixed rural-urban area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. The picture portfolio was administered only to children and the surgical conditions to be assessed were predetermined using an e-Delphi process among pediatric surgeons. The modified The Surgeons OverSeas Assessment of Surgical Needs-Nigeria Survey Tool (SOSAS-NST) was administered to household members to collect other relevant data. Data were analyzed using the REDCap analytic tool. RESULTS: Eight hundred and fifty-six households were surveyed. There were 1984 adults (49.5%) and 2027 children (50.5%). Thirty-six children met the predetermined criteria for the picture portfolio-hydrocephalus (n = 1); lymphatic malformation (n = 1); umbilical hernia (n = 14); Hydrocele (n = 5); inguinal hernia (n = 10) and undescended testes (n = 5). The picture portfolio predicted all correctly except a case of undescended testis that was mistaken for a hernia. The sensitivity of the picture portfolio was therefore 35/36 or 97.2%. CONCLUSIONS: The SOSAS-NST has improved on the original SOSAS tool and within the limits of the small numbers, the picture portfolio has a high accuracy in predicting diagnosis in children in lieu of physical examination.

Advance misoprostol distribution to pregnant women for preventing and treating postpartum haemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Advance community distribution of misoprostol for preventing or treating postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) has become an attractive strategy to expand uterotonic coverage to places where conventional uterotonic use is not feasible. However, the value and safety of this strategy remain contentious. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2012. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of the strategy of advance misoprostol distribution to pregnant women for the prevention or treatment of PPH in non-facility births. SEARCH METHODS: For this update, we searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Trial Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (19 December 2019), and reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised, cluster-randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials of advance misoprostol distribution to pregnant women compared with usual (or standard) care for the prevention or treatment of PPH in non-facility births. We excluded studies without any form of random design and those that were available in abstract form only. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: At least two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias in included studies. Two review authors independently assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: Two studies conducted in rural Uganda met the inclusion criteria for this review. One was a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial (involving 2466 women) which assessed the effectiveness and safety of misoprostol distribution to pregnant women compared with standard care for PPH prevention during non-facility births. The other study (involving 748 women) was a pilot individually randomised placebo-controlled trial which assessed the logistics and feasibility of community antenatal distribution of misoprostol, as well as the effectiveness and safety of self-administration of misoprostol for PPH prevention. Only 271 (11%) of women in the cluster-randomised trial and 299 (40%) of the women in the individually randomised trial had non-facility births. Data from the two studies could not be meta-analysed as the data available from the stepped-wedge trial were not adjusted for the study design. Therefore, the analysed effects of advance misoprostol distribution on PPH prevention largely reflect the findings of the placebo-controlled trial. Neither of the included studies addressed advance misoprostol distribution for the treatment of PPH. Primary outcomes Severe PPH was not reported in the studies. In both the intervention and standard care arms of the two studies, no cases of severe maternal morbidity or death were recorded among women who had a non-facility birth. Secondary outcomes Compared with standard care, it is uncertain whether advance misoprostol distribution has any effect on blood transfusion (no events, 1 study, 299 women), the number of women not using misoprostol (2% in the advance distribution group versus 4% in the usual care group; risk ratio (RR) 0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13 to 1.95, 1 study, 299 women), the number of women not using misoprostol correctly (RR 4.86, 95% CI 0.24 to 100.46, 1 study, 290 women), inappropriate use of misoprostol (RR 4.97, 95% CI 0.24 to 102.59, 1 study, 299 women) or maternal transfer or referral to a health facility (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.11 to 3.91, 1 study, 299 women). Compared with standard care, it is uncertain whether advance misoprostol provision increases the number of women experiencing minor adverse effects: shivering/chills (RR 1.84, CI 95% 1.35 to 2.50, 1 study, 299 women), fever (RR 1.87, 95% CI 1.16 to 3.00, 1 study, 299 women), or diarrhoea (RR 3.92, 95% CI 0.44 to 34.64, 1 study, 299 women); major adverse effects: placenta retention (RR 1.49, 95% CI 0.25 to 8.79, 1 study, 299 women) or hospital admission for longer than 24 hours (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.66 to 15.73, 1 study, 299 women) after non-facility birth. For all the outcomes included in the 'Summary of findings' table, we assessed the certainty of the evidence as very low, according to GRADE criteria. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Whilst it might be considered reasonable and feasible to provide advance misoprostol to pregnant women where there are no suitable alternative options for the prevention or treatment of PPH, the evidence on the benefits and harms of this approach remains uncertain. Expansion of uterotonic coverage through this strategy should be cautiously implemented either in the context of rigorous research or with targeted monitoring and evaluation of its impact.

Intravenous versus intramuscular prophylactic oxytocin for the third stage of labour.

BACKGROUND: There is general agreement that oxytocin given either through the intravenous or intramuscular route is effective in reducing postpartum blood loss. However, it is unclear whether the subtle differences between the mode of action of these routes have any effect on maternal and infant outcomes. This review was first published in 2012 and last updated in 2018. OBJECTIVES: To determine the comparative effectiveness and safety of oxytocin administered intravenously or intramuscularly for prophylactic management of the third stage of labour after vaginal birth. SEARCH METHODS: We searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Trials Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (19 December 2019), and reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Eligible studies were randomised trials comparing intravenous with intramuscular oxytocin for prophylactic management of the third stage of labour after vaginal birth. We excluded quasi-randomised trials. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We assessed the certainty of the evidence with the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: Seven trials, involving 7817 women, met the inclusion criteria for this review. The trials compared intravenous versus intramuscular administration of oxytocin just after the birth of the anterior shoulder or soon after the birth of the baby. All trials were conducted in hospital settings and included women with term pregnancies, undergoing a vaginal birth. Overall, the included studies were at moderate or low risk of bias, with two trials providing clear information on allocation concealment and blinding. For GRADE outcomes, the certainty of the evidence was generally moderate to high, except from two cases where the certainty of the evidence was either low or very low. High-certainty evidence suggests that intravenous administration of oxytocin in the third stage of labour compared with intramuscular administration carries a lower risk for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) ≥ 500 mL (average risk ratio (RR) 0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66 to 0.92; six trials; 7731 women) and blood transfusion (average RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.77; four trials; 6684 women). Intravenous administration of oxytocin probably reduces the risk of PPH ≥ 1000 mL, although the 95% CI crosses the line of no-effect (average RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.08; four trials; 6681 women; moderate-certainty evidence). In all studies but one, there was a reduction in the risk of PPH ≥ 1000 mL with intravenous oxytocin. The study that found a large increase with intravenous administration was small (256 women), and contributed only 3% of total events. Once this small study was removed from the meta-analysis, heterogeneity was eliminated and the treatment effect favoured intravenous oxytocin (average RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.88; three trials; 6425 women; high-certainty evidence). Additionally, a sensitivity analysis, exploring the effect of risk of bias by restricting analysis to those studies rated as 'low risk of bias' for random sequence generation and allocation concealment, found that the prophylactic administration of intravenous oxytocin reduces the risk for PPH ≥ 1000 mL, compared with intramuscular oxytocin (average RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.94; two trials; 1512 women). The two routes of oxytocin administration may be comparable in terms of additional uterotonic use (average RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.25; six trials; 7327 women; low-certainty evidence). Although intravenous compared with intramuscular administration of oxytocin probably results in a lower risk for serious maternal morbidity (e.g. hysterectomy, organ failure, coma, intensive care unit admissions), the confidence interval suggests a substantial reduction, but also touches the line of no-effect. This suggests that there may be no reduction in serious maternal morbidity (average RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.22 to 1.00; four trials; 7028 women; moderate-certainty evidence). Most events occurred in one study from Ireland reporting high dependency unit admissions, whereas in the remaining three studies there was only one case of uvular oedema. There were no maternal deaths reported in any of the included studies (very low-certainty evidence). There is probably little or no difference in the risk of hypotension between intravenous and intramuscular administration of oxytocin (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.15; four trials; 6468 women; moderate-certainty evidence). Subgroup analyses based on the mode of administration of intravenous oxytocin (bolus injection or infusion) versus intramuscular oxytocin did not show any substantial differences on the primary outcomes. Similarly, additional subgroup analyses based on whether oxytocin was used alone or as part of active management of the third stage of labour (AMTSL) did not show any substantial differences between the two routes of administration. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous administration of oxytocin is more effective than its intramuscular administration in preventing PPH during vaginal birth. Intravenous oxytocin administration presents no additional safety concerns and has a comparable side effects profile with its intramuscular administration. Future studies should consider the acceptability, feasibility and resource use for the intervention, especially in low-resource settings.

Ectopic pregnancy at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, South-Western Nigeria: Temporal trends, clinical presentation and management outcomes from 2005 to 2014.

BACKGROUND: There is uncertainty in the trend of ectopic pregnancy incidence in the Southwest region, though the region has a lower fertility rate and a higher contraceptive use than some other regions of Nigeria. The study objective was to determine the temporal trends, presentation and management outcome of ectopic pregnancy at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos, South-Western Nigeria over a decade. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study of ectopic pregnancies at LUTH, Lagos, Nigeria, from January 2005 to December 2014. Participants' medical records were used to extract socio-demographic, clinical characteristics, management and outcome data. Joinpoint regression modelling (version 4.7.1) was used to evaluate the trends while descriptive statistics were conducted using Stata version 14 software. RESULTS: There were 434 cases of ectopic pregnancies giving an overall incidence of 2.2/100 deliveries and 3.50/100 gynaecological admissions. Overall, there was a 59.7% increase in the ectopic pregnancy rate from 1.81/100 deliveries in 2005 to 2.89/100 deliveries in 2014. Join point regression revealed two trends. There was an initial non-significant decrease in incidence of ectopic pregnancy from 2005 to 2010 (annual percent change [APC] = -1.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -8.1% to 5.6%, P = 0.6). However, there was a statistically significant increase in incidence of ectopic pregnancy at an average of 11.6% per annum from 8.6/100 deliveries in 2011 to 25.4/100 deliveries in 2014 (APC = 11.6%, 95% CI: 1.2% to 23.1% P < 0.001). About one-third (33.9%) of the patients with ectopic pregnancy were within the age range 25-29 years while the majority (68.0%) presented at 9-10 weeks of gestational age. The most common identifiable risk factor was previous pelvic infection (35.71%). Majority (96.5%) had tubal pregnancy and all the cases had laparotomy. There were six maternal deaths giving a case fatality rate of 1.4%. CONCLUSION: The hospital had an increased trend in the incidence of ectopic pregnancy from 2005 to 2014. Frontline health workers need high index of suspicion in the prompt diagnosis and intervention of ectopic pregnancy among women in the reproductive age.

Intramuscular versus intravenous prophylactic oxytocin for the third stage of labour.

BACKGROUND: There is general agreement that oxytocin given either through the intramuscular or intravenous route is effective in reducing postpartum blood loss. However, it is unclear whether the subtle differences between the mode of action of these routes have any effect on maternal and infant outcomes. This is an update of a review first published in 2012. OBJECTIVES: To determine the comparative effectiveness and safety of oxytocin administered intramuscularly or intravenously for prophylactic management of the third stage of labour after vaginal birth. SEARCH METHODS: We searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Trials Register, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (7 September 2017) and reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials comparing intramuscular with intravenous oxytocin for prophylactic management of the third stage of labour after vaginal birth. We excluded quasi-randomised trials. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: Three studies with 1306 women are included in the review and compared intramuscular versus intravenous oxytocin administered just after the birth of the anterior shoulder or soon after the birth of the baby. Studies were carried out in hospital settings in Turkey and Thailand and recruited women with singleton, term pregnancies. Overall, the included studies were at moderate risk of bias: none of the studies provided clear information on allocation concealment or attempted to blind staff or women. For GRADE outcomes the quality of the evidence was very low, with downgrading due to study design limitations and imprecision of effect estimates.Only one study reported severe postpartum haemorrhage (blood loss 1000 mL or more) and showed no clear difference between the intramuscular and intravenous oxytocin groups (risk ratio (RR) 0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01 to 2.04; 256 women; very low-quality evidence). No woman required hysterectomy in either group in one study (no estimable data, very low-quality evidence), and in another study one woman in each group received a blood transfusion (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.06 to 15.82; 256 women; very low-quality evidence). Other important outcomes (maternal death, hypotension, maternal dissatisfaction with the intervention and neonatal jaundice) were not reported by any of the included studies. There were no clear differences between groups for other prespecified secondary outcomes reported (postpartum haemorrhage 500 mL or more, use of additional uterotonics, retained placenta or manual removal of the placenta). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Very low-quality evidence indicates no clear difference between the comparative benefits and risks of intramuscular and intravenous oxytocin when given to prevent excessive blood loss after vaginal birth. Appropriately designed randomised trials with adequate sample sizes are needed to assess whether the route of prophylactic oxytocin after vaginal birth affects maternal or infant outcomes. Such studies could be large enough to detect clinically important differences in major side effects that have been reported in observational studies and should also consider the acceptability of the intervention to mothers and providers as important outcomes.

Prophylactic versus selective blood transfusion for sickle cell disease in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women with sickle cell disease (HbSS, HbSC and HbSßThal) may require blood transfusion to prevent severe anaemia or to manage potential medical complications. Preventive blood transfusion in the absence of complications starting from the early weeks of pregnancy or blood transfusion only for medical or obstetric indications have been used as management policies. There is currently no consensus on the blood transfusion policy that guarantees optimal clinical benefits with minimal risks for such women and their babies. This is an update of a Cochrane review that was published in 2013. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of a policy of prophylactic versus selective blood transfusion in pregnant women with sickle cell disease. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (30 May 2016) and reference lists of retrieved studies. We did not apply any language or date restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials evaluating the effects of prophylactic versus selective (emergency) blood transfusion in pregnant women with sickle cell disease (SCD). Quasi-randomised trials and trials using a cluster-randomised design were eligible for inclusion but none were identified. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. Two review authors independently assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: Out of six relevant reports identified by the search strategy, one trial involving 72 women with sickle cell anaemia (HbSS) met our inclusion criteria. The trial was at unclear risk of bias. Overall, there were few events for most of the reported outcomes and the results were generally imprecise. The included trial reported no maternal mortality occurring in women who received either prophylactic or selective blood transfusion. Very low-quality evidence indicated no clear differences in maternal mortality, perinatal mortality (risk ratio (RR) 2.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61 to 13.22; very low-quality evidence) or markers of severe maternal morbidity (pulmonary embolism (no events); congestive cardiac failure (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.07 to 15.38; very low-quality evidence); acute chest syndrome (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.12 to 3.75)) between the treatment groups (prophylactic blood transfusion versus selective blood transfusion). Low-quality evidence indicated that prophylactic blood transfusion reduced the risk of pain crisis compared with selective blood transfusion (RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.67, one trial, 72 women; low-quality evidence), and no differences in the occurrence of acute splenic sequestration (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.01 to 7.92; low-quality evidence), haemolytic crises (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.04 to 3.06) or delayed blood transfusion reaction (RR 2.00, 95% CI 0.54 to 7.39; very low-quality evidence) between the comparison groups.Other relevant maternal outcomes pre-specified for this review such as cumulative duration of hospital stay, postpartum haemorrhage and iron overload, and infant outcomes, admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and haemolytic disease of the newborn, were not reported by the trial. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from one small trial of very low quality suggests that prophylactic blood transfusion to pregnant women with sickle cell anaemia (HbSS) confers no clear clinical benefits when compared with selective transfusion. Currently, there is no evidence from randomised or quasi-randomised trials to provide reliable advice on the optimal blood transfusion policy for women with other variants of sickle cell disease (i.e. HbSC and HbSßThal). The available data and quality of evidence on this subject are insufficient to advocate for a change in existing clinical practice and policy.

Antibiotics for treating septic abortion.

BACKGROUND: A septic abortion refers to any abortion (spontaneous or induced) complicated by upper genital tract infection including endometritis or parametritis. The mainstay of treatment of septic abortion is antibiotic therapy alone or in combination with evacuation of retained products of conception. Regimens including broad-spectrum antibiotics are routinely recommended for treatment. However, there is no consensus on the most effective antibiotics alone or in combination to treat septic abortion. This review aimed to bridge this gap in knowledge to inform policy and practice. OBJECTIVES: To review the effectiveness of various individual antibiotics or antibiotic regimens in the treatment of septic abortion. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and POPLINE using the following keywords: 'Abortion', 'septic abortion', 'Antibiotics', 'Infected abortion', 'postabortion infection'. We also searched the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov for ongoing trials on 19 April, 2016. SELECTION CRITERIA: We considered for inclusion randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs that compared antibiotic(s) to another antibiotic(s), irrespective of route of administration, dosage, and duration as well as studies comparing antibiotics alone with antibiotics in combination with other interventions such as dilation and curettage (D&C). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently extracted data from included trials. We resolved disagreements through consultation with a third author. One review author entered extracted data into Review Manager 5.3, and a second review author cross-checked the entry for accuracy. MAIN RESULTS: We included 3 small RCTs involving 233 women that were conducted over 3 decades ago.Clindamycin did not differ significantly from penicillin plus chloramphenicol in reducing fever in all women (mean difference (MD) -12.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) -25.12 to 0.52; women = 77; studies = 1). The evidence for this was of moderate quality. "Response to treatment was evaluated by the patient's 'fever index' expressed in degree-hour and defined as the total quantity of fever under the daily temperature curve with 99°F (37.2°C) as the baseline".There was no difference in duration of hospitalisation between clindamycin and penicillin plus chloramphenicol. The mean duration of hospital stay for women in each group was 5 days (MD 0.00, 95% CI -0.54 to 0.54; women = 77; studies = 1).One study evaluated the effect of penicillin plus chloramphenicol versus cephalothin plus kanamycin before and after D&C. Response to therapy was evaluated by "the time from start of antibiotics until fever lysis and time from D&C until patients become afebrile". Low-quality evidence suggested that the effect of penicillin plus chloramphenicol on fever did not differ from that of cephalothin plus kanamycin (MD -2.30, 95% CI -17.31 to 12.71; women = 56; studies = 1). There was no significant difference between penicillin plus chloramphenicol versus cephalothin plus kanamycin when D&C was performed during antibiotic therapy (MD -1.00, 95% CI -13.84 to 11.84; women = 56; studies = 1). The quality of evidence was low.A study with unclear risk of bias showed that the time for fever resolution (MD -5.03, 95% CI -5.77 to -4.29; women = 100; studies = 1) as well as time for resolution of leukocytosis (MD -4.88, 95% CI -5.98 to -3.78; women = 100; studies = 1) was significantly lower with tetracycline plus enzymes compared with intravenous penicillin G.Treatment failure and adverse events occurred infrequently, and the difference between groups was not statistically significant. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found no strong evidence that intravenous clindamycin alone was better than penicillin plus chloramphenicol for treating women with septic abortion. Similarly, available evidence did not suggest that penicillin plus chloramphenicol was better than cephalothin plus kanamycin for the treatment of women with septic abortion. Tetracyline enzyme antibiotic appeared to be more effective than intravenous penicillin G in reducing the time to fever defervescence, but this evidence was provided by only one study at low risk of bias.There is a need for high-quality RCTs providing reliable evidence for treatments of septic abortion with antibiotics that are currently in use. The three included studies were carried out over 30 years ago. There is also a need to include institutions in low-resource settings, such as sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South Asia, with a high burden of abortion and health systems challenges.

Peripartum hysterectomy in a Nigerian university hospital: An assessment of severe maternal outcomes with the maternal severity index model.

BACKGROUND: Peripartum hysterectomy is life-saving and a life-threatening criterion of the World Health Organization (WHO) maternal near-miss concept. The maternal severity index (MSI) model was developed to assess the outcome of severe maternal morbidities. This study assessed severe maternal outcomes of peripartum hysterectomy using the MSI model and related maternal severity score with mortality. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Records of women with peripartum hysterectomy over a 20-year period were retrieved and the documented WHO life-threatening conditions (severity markers) extracted. Severity markers were related with booking status, the level of specialist care and mortality. Comparison of dichotomous variables was done with Mantel-Haenszel statistics, and with one-tailed Fisher's exact test when the variable was <5, at 95% confidence interval andP< 0.05. RESULTS: There were 30,553 deliveries and 145 women had a peripartum hysterectomy with an incidence of 4.8/1000 deliveries. Fifty women (50/116; 43%) had no associated severity markers. Fifty-eight (58/116; 50%) and 5% (6/116) women, respectively, had one and five severity markers. All women without a severity marker survived, but there was an exponential increase in mortality to 20.7% (12/58) in women with massive blood transfusion (MBT) and 66.7% (12/18) in women with both MBT and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Overall, peripartum hysterectomy case fatality was 13.8%. Other morbidities were anaemia (100%), febrile morbidities (55.2%), urinary tract infection (20.7%) and ureteric injuries (5.1%). CONCLUSION: The onset of severity markers was positively related to mortality. There should be early intervention to improve survival when an indication for peripartum hysterectomy occurs.

Immediate postabortal insertion of intrauterine devices.

Background The use of an effective contraceptive may be necessary after an abortion. Insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD) may be done the same day or later. Immediate IUD insertion is an option since the woman is not pregnant, pain of insertion is less because the cervical os is open, and her motivation to use contraception may be high. However, insertion of an IUD immediately after a pregnancy ends carries risks, such as spontaneous expulsion.Objectives To assess the safety and efficacy of IUD insertion immediately after spontaneous or induced abortion.Search methods We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, POPLINE, ClinicalTrials.gov,and ICTRP in January 27, 2014. We also contacted investigators to identify other trials.Selection criteria We sought all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with at least one treatment arm that involved IUD insertion immediately after an induced abortion or after curettage for spontaneous abortion.Data collection and analysis We evaluated the methodological quality of each report and abstracted the data. We focused on discontinuation rates for accidental pregnancy, perforation, expulsion, and pelvic inflammatory disease.We computed the weighted average of the rate ratios.We compute drisk ratios (RRs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs).We performed an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis by including all randomised participants in the analysis according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.Main results We identified 12 trials most of which are of moderate risk of bias involving 7,119 participants which described random assignment.Five trials randomised to either immediate or delayed insertion of IUD. One of them randomised to immediate versus delayed insertion of Copper 7 showed immediate insertion of the Copper 7 was associated with a higher risk of expulsion than was delayed insertion(RR 11.98, 95% CI 1.61 to 89.35,1 study, 259 participants); the quality of evidence was moderate. Moderate quality of evidence also suggests that use and expulsion of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system or CuT380A was more likely for immediate compared to delayed insertion risk ratio (RR) 1.40 (95% CI 1.24 to 1.58; 3 studies; 878 participants) and RR 2.64 ( 95% CI 1.16 to 6.00; 3 studies; 878 participants) respectively. Another trial randomised to the levonorgestrel IUD or Nova T showed discontinuation rates due to pregnancy were likely to be higher for women in the Nova T group. (MD 8.70, 95% CI 3.92 to 13.48;1 study; 438 participants);moderate quality evidence.Seven trials examined immediate insertion of IUD only. From meta-analysis of two multicentre trials, pregnancy was less likely for the TCu 220C versus the Lippes Loop (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.75; 2 studies; 2257 participants ) as was expulsion (RR 0.61, 95% CI0.46 to 0.81; 2 studies; 2257 participants). Estimates for the TCu 220 versus the Copper 7 were RR 0.42 ( 95% CI 0.23 to 0.77; 2 studies, 2,274 participants) and RR 0.68, (95% CI 0.51 to 0.91); 2 studies, 2,274 participants), respectively. In other work, adding copper sleeves to the Lippes Loop improved efficacy (RR 3.40, 95% CI 1.28 to 9.04, 1 study, 400 participants) and reduced expulsion(RR 3.00, 95% CI 1.51 to 5.97; 1 study, 400 participants).Authors' conclusions Moderate quality evidence shows that insertion of an IUD immediately after abortion is safe and practical. IUD expulsion rates appear higher immediately after abortions compared to delayed insertions. However, at six months postabortion, IUD use is higher following immediate insertion compared to delayed insertion.

Prophylactic versus selective blood transfusion for sickle cell disease in pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women with sickle cell disease (HbSS, HbSC and HbSßThal) may require blood transfusion to prevent severe anaemia or to manage potential medical complications. Preventive blood transfusion in the absence of complications starting from the early weeks of pregnancy or blood transfusion only for medical or obstetric indications have been used as management policies. There is currently no consensus on the blood transfusion policy that guarantees optimal clinical benefits with minimal risks for such women and their babies. The present review replaces and updates a Cochrane review that was withdrawn in 2006. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of a policy of prophylactic versus selective blood transfusion in pregnant women with sickle cell disease. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 October 2013) and reference lists of retrieved studies. We did not apply any language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised and quasi-randomised trials evaluating the effects of prophylactic versus selective (emergency) blood transfusion in pregnant women with sickle cell disease. Trials were considered for inclusion whether the unit of randomisation was at individual or cluster level, however, no cluster-randomised trials were identified. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and assessed trial quality. Two review authors independently extracted data. Data were checked for accuracy. MAIN RESULTS: Out of six relevant reports identified by the search strategy, two trials involving 98 women with sickle cell anaemia (HbSS) met our inclusion criteria. The two trials were at moderate risk of bias. Overall, there were few events for most of the reported outcomes and the results were generally imprecise. One trial (involving 72 women) reported no maternal mortality occurring in women who received either prophylactic or selective blood transfusion. The same trial (involving 72 women) indicated no clear differences in maternal mortality, perinatal mortality (risk ratio (RR) 2.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61 to 13.22) or markers of severe maternal morbidity [pulmonary embolism (no events); congestive cardiac failure (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.07 to 15.38); acute chest syndrome (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.12 to 3.75)] between the treatment groups (prophylactic blood transfusion versus selective blood transfusion). Prophylactic blood transfusion reduced the risk of pain crisis compared with selective blood transfusion (RR 0.42, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.99, two trials, 98 women); however, the margin of uncertainty around the effect estimate ranged from very small to substantial reduction. One trial (involving 72 women) indicated no differences in the occurrence of acute splenic sequestration (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.01 to 7.92) and haemolytic crises (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.04 to 3.06) and delayed blood transfusion reaction (RR 2.00, 95% CI 0.54 to 7.39) between the comparison groups. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from two small trials of low quality suggests that prophylactic blood transfusion to pregnant women with sickle cell anaemia (HbSS) confers no clear clinical benefits when compared with selective transfusion. Currently, there is no evidence from randomised or quasi-randomised trials to provide reliable advice on the optimal blood transfusion policy for women with other variants of sickle cell disease (i.e. HbSC and HbSßThal). The available data and quality of evidence on this subject are insufficient to advocate for a change in existing clinical practice and policy.

Scaling up prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV infection to primary health facilities in Nigeria: findings from two primary health centres in Northwest Nigeria.

Nigeria is scaling up prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV interventions to primary health care centres (PHCs). This retrospective study of PMTCT was at two PHCs in Northwest Nigeria with the main outcome measure being HIV infection rate of exposed infants at 6 weeks of life. Of 10,289 women who had antenatal HIV test, 74 had positive results. This gave a prevalence of 0.7%. The uptake of antenatal (99.8%) and intrapartum (97.3%) tests was high at both centres. 30% of HIV infected mothers and 25% of exposed infants were lost to follow-up (LFU). Most women (85.7%) had highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and vaginal delivery (98%). Perinatal mortality rate was 66/1000 births and 95.3% of exposed infants had negative HIV-DNA polymerase reaction test at 6 weeks of life. Despite a high LFU, a new vista has been opened to attaining a zero infection rate.

Places Nigerians visited during COVID-19 government stay-home policy: evidence from secondary analysis of data collected during the lockdown.

Introduction: Compliance with the Government's lockdown policy is required to curtail community transmission of Covid-19 infection. The objective of this research was to identify places Nigerians visited during the lockdown to help prepare for a response towards future infectious diseases of public health importance similar to Covid-19. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of unconventional data collected using Google Forms and online social media platforms during the COVID-19 lockdown between April and June 2020 in Nigeria. Two datasets from: i) partnership for evidencebased response to COVID-19 (PERC) wave-1 and ii) College of Medicine, University of Lagos perception of and compliance with physical distancing survey (PCSH) were used. Data on places that people visited during the lockdown were extracted and compared with the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all independent variables and focused on frequencies and percentages. Chi-squared test was used to determine the significance between sociodemographic variables and places visited during the lockdown. Statistical significance was determined by P<0.05. All statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 22. Results: There were 1304 and 879 participants in the PERC wave-1 and PCSH datasets, respectively. The mean age of PERC wave-1 and PCSH survey respondents was 31.8 [standard deviation (SD)=8.5] and 33.1 (SD=8.3) years, respectively.In the PCSH survey, 55.9% and 44.1% of respondents lived in locations with partial and complete covid-19 lockdowns, respectively. Irrespective of the type of lockdown, the most common place visited during the lockdown was the market (shopping); reported by 73% of respondents in states with partial lockdown and by 68% of respondents in states with the complete lockdown. Visits to families and friends happened more in states with complete (16.1%) than in states with partial (8.4%) lockdowns. Conclusions: Markets (shopping) were the main places visited during the lockdown compared to visiting friends/family, places of worship, gyms, and workplaces. It is important in the future for the Government to plan how citizens can safely access markets and get other household items during lockdowns for better adherence to stay-at-home directives for future infectious disease epidemics.

Intramuscular versus intravenous prophylactic oxytocin for the third stage of labour.

BACKGROUND: There is a general agreement that oxytocin given either through the intramuscular or intravenous route is effective in reducing postpartum blood loss. However, it is unclear whether the subtle differences between the mode of action of these routes have any effect on maternal and infant outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To determine the comparative effectiveness and safety of oxytocin administered intramuscularly or intravenously for prophylactic management of the third stage of labour after vaginal birth. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 December 2011). SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials comparing intramuscular with intravenous oxytocin for prophylactic management of the third stage of labour after vaginal birth. We excluded quasi-randomised trials. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors planned to independently assess trials for inclusion, assess risk of bias and extract data. MAIN RESULTS: The search strategies identified no trials for consideration but we identified one ongoing study. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence from randomised trials to evaluate the comparative benefits and risks of intramuscular and intravenous oxytocin when given to prevent excessive blood loss after vaginal birth. Randomised trials with adequate design and sample sizes are needed to assess whether the route of prophylactic oxytocin after vaginal birth affects maternal or infant outcomes. Such trials should be large enough to detect clinically important differences in major side effects reported in observational studies and also to consider the acceptability of the intervention to mothers and providers as important outcomes.

Sustainability of the Effects and Impacts of Using Digital Technology to Extend Maternal Health Services to Rural and Hard-to-Reach Populations: Experience From Southwest Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Nigeria has one of the worst health and development profiles globally. A weak health system, poor infrastructure, and varied socio-cultural factors are cited as inhibitors to optimal health system performance and improved maternal and child health status. eHealth has become a major solution to closing these gaps in health care delivery in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This research reports the use of satellite communication (SatCom) technology and the existing 3G mobile network for providing video training (VTR) for health workers and improving the digitization of healthcare data. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the expected project outcomes that were achieved at the end-line evaluation of 2019 were sustained 12 months after the project ended. METHODS: From March 2017 to March 2019, digital innovations including VTR and data digitization interventions were delivered in 62 healthcare facilities in Ondo State, southwest Nigeria, most of which lacked access to a 3G mobile network. Data collection for the evaluation combined documents' review with quantitative data extracted from health facility registers, and 24 of the most significant change stories to assess the longevity of the outcomes and impacts of digital innovation in the four domains of healthcare: use of eHealth technology for data management, utilization of health facilities by patients, the standard of care, and staff attitude. Stories of the most significant changes were audio-recorded, transcribed for analysis, and categorized by the above domains to identify the most significant changes 12 months after the project closedown. RESULTS: Findings showed that four project outcomes which were achieved at end-line evaluation were sustained 12 months after project closedown namely: staff motivation and satisfaction; increased staff confidence to perform healthcare roles; improved standard of healthcare delivery; and increased adoption of eHealth innovations beyond the health sector. Conversely, an outcome that was reversed following the discontinuation of SatCom from health facilities is the availability of accurate and reliable data for decision-making. CONCLUSION: Digital technology can have lasting impacts on health workers, patients, and the health system, through improving data management for decision-making, the standard of maternity service delivery, boosting attendance at health facilities, and utilization of services. Locally driven investment is essential for ensuring the long-term survival of eHealth projects to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in LMICs.

Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Migraine in Adults: A Review of the Evidence.

Background: Medical cannabis (MC) has been hypothesized as an alternative therapy for migraines, given the undesirable side effects of current migraine medications. The objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of MC in the treatment of migraine in adults. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science for eligible studies in adults aged 18 years and older. Two reviewers independently screened studies for eligibility. A narrative synthesis of the included studies was conducted. Results: A total of 12 publications involving 1,980 participants in Italy and the United States of America were included.Medical cannabis significantly reduced nausea and vomiting associated with migraine attacks after 6 months of use. Also, MC reduced the number of days of migraine after 30 days, and the frequency of migraine headaches per month. MC was 51% more effective in reducing migraines than non-cannabis products. Compared to amitriptyline, MC aborted migraine headaches in some (11.6%) users and reduced migraine frequency. While the use of MC for migraines was associated with the occurrence of medication overuse headaches (MOH), and the adverse events were mostly mild and occurred in 43.75% of patients who used oral cannabinoid preparations. Conclusions: There is promising evidence that MC may have a beneficial effect on the onset and duration of migraine headaches in adults. However, well-designed experimental studies that assess MC's effectiveness and safety for treating migraine in adults are needed to support this hypothesis.

Fetal macrosomia, fetal insulin, and insulin-like growth factor- 1 among neonates in Lagos, Nigeria: A case-control study.

PURPOSE: Fetal macrosomia is associated with perinatal injuries. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between fetal insulin, insulin-like Growth factor-1(IGF-1), and macrosomia in a resource-limited setting. METHOD: This was a case-control study at tertiary and secondary health facilities in Lagos, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty mother-neonate pairs were recruited, and their socio-demographic and obstetric history was recorded. Fetal cord venous blood was collected at birth, and neonatal anthropometry was measured within 24hrs of life. Insulin and IGF-1 assay were measured with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Pearson's Chi-square was used to assess the association between categorical variables and macrosomia. Spearman's rank correlation of insulin, IGF-1, and fetal anthropometry was performed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of insulin and IGF-1 with fetal birth weight. A statistically significant level was set at P-value < 0.05. RESULTS: Macrosomic neonates had mean fetal weight, fetal length, and occipitofrontal circumference (OFC) of 4.15±0.26kg, 50.85±2.09cm and 36.35± 1.22cm respectively. The median Insulin (P = 0.023) and IGF-1 (P < 0.0001) were significantly higher among macrosomic neonates as compared to normal weight babies. Maternal BMI at birth (p = 0.003), neonate's gender (p < 0.001), fetal cord serum IGF-1 (p < 0.001) and insulin assay (P-value = 0.027) were significant predictors of fetal macrosomia. There was positive correlation between cord blood IGF-1 and birth weight (r = 0.47, P-value < 0.001), fetal length (r = 0.30, P-value = 0.0002) and OFC (r = 0.37, P-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among participating mother-neonate dyad, maternal BMI at birth, neonate's gender, and fetal cord serum IGF-1 and serum insulin are significantly associated with fetal macrosomia.

Interventions to increase early infant diagnosis of HIV infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV infection increases antiretroviral therapy initiation, which reduces pediatric HIV-related morbidity and mortality. This review aims to critically appraise the effects of interventions to increase uptake of early infant diagnosis. DESIGN: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions to increase the EID of HIV infection. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to identify eligible studies from inception of these databases to June 18, 2020. EID Uptake at 4-8 weeks of age was primary outcome assessed by the review. We conducted meta-analysis, using data from reports of included studies. The measure of the effect of dichotomous data was odds ratios (OR), with a 95% confidence interval. The grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess quality of evidence. SETTINGS: The review was not limited by time of publication or setting in which the studies conducted. PARTICIPANTS: HIV-exposed infants were participants. RESULTS: Database search and review of reference lists yielded 923 unique titles, out of which 16 studies involving 13,822 HIV exposed infants (HEI) were eligible for inclusion in the review. Included studies were published between 2014 and 2019 from Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, and India. Of the 16 included studies, nine (experimental) and seven (observational) studies included had low to moderate risk of bias. The studies evaluated eHealth services (n = 6), service improvement (n = 4), service integration (n = 2), behavioral interventions (n = 3), and male partner involvement (n = 1). Overall, there was no evidence that any of the evaluated interventions, including eHealth, health systems improvements, integration of EID, conditional cash transfer, mother-to-mother support, or partner (male) involvement, was effective in increasing uptake of EID at 4-8 weeks of age. There was also no evidence that any intervention was effective in increasing HIV-infected infants' identification at 4-8 weeks of age. CONCLUSIONS: There is limited evidence to support the hypothesis that interventions implemented to increase uptake of EID were effective at 4-8 weeks of life. Further research is required to identify effective interventions that increase early infant diagnosis of HIV at 4-8 weeks of age. PROSPERO NUMBER: (CRD42020191738).

Examining vulnerability and resilience in maternal, newborn and child health through a gender lens in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Gender lens application is pertinent in addressing inequities that underlie morbidity and mortality in vulnerable populations, including mothers and children. While gender inequities may result in greater vulnerabilities for mothers and children, synthesising evidence on the constraints and opportunities is a step in accelerating reduction in poor outcomes and building resilience in individuals and across communities and health systems. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review that examined vulnerability and resilience in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) through a gender lens to characterise gender roles, relationships and differences in maternal and child health. We conducted a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature in popular scholarly databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar. We identified and analysed 17 published studies that met the inclusion criteria for key gendered themes in maternal and child health vulnerability and resilience in low-income and middle-income countries. RESULTS: Six key gendered dimensions of vulnerability and resilience emerged from our analysis: (1) restricted maternal access to financial and economic resources; (2) limited economic contribution of women as a result of motherhood; (3) social norms, ideologies, beliefs and perceptions inhibiting women's access to maternal healthcare services; (4) restricted maternal agency and contribution to reproductive decisions; (5) power dynamics and experience of intimate partner violence contributing to adverse health for women, children and their families; (6) partner emotional or affective support being crucial for maternal health and well-being prenatal and postnatal. CONCLUSION: This review highlights six domains that merit attention in addressing maternal and child health vulnerabilities. Recognising and understanding the gendered dynamics of vulnerability and resilience can help develop meaningful strategies that will guide the design and implementation of MNCH programmes in low-income and middle-income countries.

Vulnerability in maternal, new-born, and child health in low- and middle-income countries: Findings from a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: To identify and synthesise prevailing definitions and indices of vulnerability in maternal, new-born and child health (MNCH) research and health programs in low- and middle-income countries. DESIGN AND SETTING: Scoping review using Arksey and O'Malley's framework and a Delphi survey for consensus building. PARTICIPANTS: Mothers, new-borns, and children living in low- and middle-income countries were selected as participants. OUTCOMES: Vulnerability as defined by the authors was deduced from the studies. RESULTS: A total of 61 studies were included in this scoping review. Of this, 22 were publications on vulnerability in the context of maternal health and 40 were on new-born and child health. Definitions used in included studies can be broadly categorised into three domains: biological, socioeconomic, and environmental. Eleven studies defined vulnerability in the context of maternal health, five reported on the scales used to measure vulnerability in maternal health and only one study used a validated scale. Of the 40 included studies on vulnerability in child health, 19 defined vulnerability in the context of new-born and/or child health, 15 reported on the scales used to measure vulnerability in child health and nine reported on childhood vulnerability indices. As it was difficult to synthesise the definitions, their keywords were extracted to generate new candidate definitions for vulnerability in MNCH. CONCLUSION: Included studies paid greater attention to new-born/ child vulnerability than maternal vulnerability, with authors defining the terms differently. A definition which helps in improving the description of vulnerability in MNCH across various programs and researchers was arrived at. This will further help in streamlining research and interventions which can influence the design of high impact MNCH programs. SCOPING REVIEW REGISTRATION: The protocol for this review was registered in the open science framework at the registered address (https://osf.io/jt6nr).