Positive Effect of Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiatives on Improving Mothers' Intention for Successful Breastfeeding in Korea

BACKGROUND: In Korea, the breastfeeding (BF) rate of infants aged 6 months or more is drastically decreasing, and this phenomenon is particularly worrisome for the future health of the population. The present study aimed to identify an antenatal strategy for initiation and continuation of human BF, and to identify how Baby-Friendly Hospitals (BFHs) may positively influence the intention to breastfeed. METHODS: A total of 414 pregnant Korean antenatal women were surveyed using questionnaires to determine current knowledge of the benefits of human breast milk, whether they planned to breastfeed after delivery, to continue BF after reinstatement in the workforce, are willing to abide by rooming-in care for infants, and plan to give birth at BFHs. RESULTS: We found that planning room-in care, greater awareness of BF benefits for infant and mother, participation in antenatal education programs, and provision of BF facilities in the workplace were positively associated with plans for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and longer BF duration. The mothers who planned to give birth at BFHs also desired to breastfeed immediately after birth, implement in-room care, continue BF at their workplace, participate in antenatal BF educational programs, and were more aware of the benefits of BF. CONCLUSION: If the beneficial effects of BFHs were well known to individuals, these would enhance the success rate of BF in Korea. Antenatal education and consequent acquisition of better knowledge of the benefits of BF are important for increasing the rate of BF practices.

The effect of lymph-vascular space invasion on clinicopathologic features in patients with endometrial cance / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) on clinicopathologic features and outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS: All women who were surgically treated for endometrial cancer at the Cheil General Hospital & Women's Healthcare Center between January 2000 and December 2003 were eligible. One hundred-forty one patients underwent retrospective review of medical record. Pathologic findings of LVSI were reviewed and divided in LVSI-positive group and LVSI-negative. Statistical analysis was performed by dBSTAT-4. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (39%) were LVSI-positive and eighty-six patients (61%) were LVSI-negative. LVSI-positive patients were statistically older than LVSI-negative. LVSI-positive patients had more abnormal cytology, poorer differentiation, larger tumor size (diameter>2 cm), more myometrial invasion. more pelvic nodal metastasis, more paraaortic nodal metastasis, and more advanced stage. There was no difference between the two groups in the percentage of patients with gravidity, parity, histologic types (endometrioid vs nonendometrioid). CONCLUSION: LVSI-positive patients with endometrial cancer are generally older, consistent with more abnormal cytology, poorer differentiation, larger tumor size, more myometrial invasion, more lymph-node metastasis, and more advanced-stage disease. So, LVSI should be a consideration in appropriate treatment in endometrial cancer.

Clinicopathologic study of ovarian granulosa cell tumors / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic characteristics of granulosa cell tumor of the ovary (OGCT). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 27 patients with OGCT at our hospitals from January 1995 to December 2003. RESULTS: The mean age was 48.3 years (24~70) and mean follow up period was 56.7 months (12~102). The most common symptom was vaginal bleeding (n=11, 40.7%). The tumors were ranging from 3 cm to 21 cm in diameter (mean: 9.9). Post-surgical FIGO stage was stage I in 20 (74.1%), stage II in 6 (22.2%), and stage III in 1 (3.7%). Endoemetrial samples were available in 21 patients and the results were endometrial carcinoma in 1 and endometrial hyperplasias in 5. Staging operation was performed in 17, unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in 6, total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in 2, and fertility sparing operation in 2. Postoperative chemotherapy was administered in 13 patients (48.2%). Two patients had recurred and recurrence rate was 7.4% (2/27). Two recurred patients finally died of the disease at 42 months and 103 months after first operation respectively. During follow-up period, 2 patients had 3 pregnancies and all of them delivered at term. CONCLUSION: These results shows that most OGCT is detected in early stage and have relatively excellent survival. However, because OGCT is a slow-growing tumor and has a late recurrence, long time follow-up is required.

The clinicopathologic significance of glandular cell abnormality on preoperative abnormal PAP smears in endometrial carcinoma / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the results of preoperative PAP smears and known poor prognostic factors in patients with endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: Between Jan. 2000 and Dec. 2003, preoperative evaluation of PAP smears were done in 111 patients with endometrial carcinoma who underwent surgical staging. Pathologic parameters of permanent specimens were evaluated and correlated with the results of PAP smears. chi-square-test was used for statistical analysis and p-values <0.05 was considered as statistically significant result. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 49 years with range between 24 and 75 years old. The results of preoperative PAP smears were normal in 70 patients (57.7%), atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS) in 22 patients (22.5%), adenocarcnoma in 19 patients (19.8%) on preoperative PAP smears. Statistically significant associations were found between preoperative PAP smears and poor histologic grade (p=0.000), depth of myometrial invasion (p=0.000), lymph-vascular space invasion (p=0.003), cervical involvement (p=0.004), adnexal involvement (p=0.024), positive peritoneal cytology (p=0.042). However, old age, poor histologic type, higher surgical staging, pelvic nodes metastasis and para-aortic lymph node metastases were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: This study revealed glandular cell abnormalities on preoperative PAP smears in patients with endometrial carcinoma were significantly associated with poor histologic grade, deep myometrial invasion, lympho-vascular invasion, cervical involvement, adnexal involvement, positive peritoneal cytology. Therefore, the results of preoperative PAP smears could be considered as an important part of the preoperative evaluation in patients with endometrial carcinoma.

Hysterectomy; Is it essential for the correction of uterine prolapse? / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of sacrospinous colpopexy without hysterectomy and with hysterectomy for symptomatic uterine prolapse. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed in the women who underwent sacrospinous ligament suspension between March 1998 and March 2002. A hundred fifty five women with a symptomatic uterine prolapse were treated with either sacrospinous colpopexy without hysterectomy and/or anterior-posterior repair (83 cases=Group A) or sacrospinous colpopexy with hysterectomy and/or anterior-posterior repair (72 cases=Group B). RESULTS: The mean duration of surgery, hemoglobin change, catheter days and inpatient days were shorter in group A compared with group B. (Group A 102.5+/-33.4 min, 2.4+/-0.7 mg/dL, 5.2+/-1.4 days, 7.6+/-2.2 days vs. Group B 135.3+/-33.9 min, 2.9+/-0.8 mg/dL, 6.1+/-2.1 days, 9.4+/-3.7 days, p<0.05 respectively) Recurrent pelvic organ prolapse developed in 14.5% in group A and 12.5% in group B. Six patients (7.2%) in group A and 5 patients (6.9%) in group B required repeat operation for recurrent pelvic organ prolapse. CONCLUSIONS: Sacrospinous colpopexy without hysterectomy and with hysterectomy are equally effective surgical operation for uterine prolapse. This study shows that hysterectomy is not essential for the correction of uterine prolapse.

Clinical Usefulness of Transvaginal sonography and sonohysterography in evaluation of endometrial abnormalities / 대한산부인과학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of transvaginal sonography (TVS) and saline infusion sonohysterography (SHG) in the evaluation of endometrial abnormality. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 370 patients with abnormal uterine bleeding or uterine cavity abnormalities confirmed by TVS. SHG was carried out by experienced gynecologist, on the same setting in an outpatient clinic after the performance of TVS. Two hundred nineteen patients aged between 23 and 69 years (mean age 41+/-8.2) had operative hysteroscopy (88.2%), hysterectomy (9.1%) and dilatation/curettage (2.7%) within 3 months which provided a detailed description of uterine cavity. Surgical-pathologic findings were compared with the results obtained from TVS and SHG. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity were 71.7% and 31.4% for TVS, and 98.4% and 67.6% for SHG respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 84.6% and 17.5% for TVS, and 94.3% and 92.3% for SHG, respectively. Twenty one cases showed a discrepancy between the TVS and SHG, and 16 cases showed a discrepancy between SHG and the pathologic diagnosis. Fifty five cases (25%) in TVS were unconfirmed, but SHG showed 51 pathologic confirmed intracavitary lesion. CONCLUSION: SHG is a sensitive tool and is superior to TVS used alone for evaluation of endometrial abnormalities. SHG definitely enhances the diagnostic potential of TVS in assessment of endometrium and intracavitary pathologies.