Oral nifedipine versus nitroglycerine patch for tocolysis in preterm labour

Background: Preterm delivery is a major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Various modalities have been used to prediction of patient at risk of preterm labor. But due to multi-factorial etiology these predictors are not always useful. Tocolysis has a major role in arresting preterm labor. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of oral nifedipine with transdermal nitroglycerine in the inhibition of preterm labour.Methods: This single blinded randomized control trial was conducted in the labour room of department of Obstetrics and Gynecology from January 2011 to June 2012. One hundred women with singleton pregnancy between 28 weeks to 34 weeks preterm labour and no contraindication for tocolysis were enrolled in the study. After taking the informed consent subjects were randomized into two groups. Randomization was done by random number table. Fifty-one subjects in nifedipine group received oral nifedipine (Tab Depin 10mg). Forty-nine subjects receiving transdermal nitroglycerine patch (Nitroderm Patch 10) were included in NTG group. The variables analysed were delay in delivery for 48 hours, 7 days or more than 7 days, period of gestation at delivery and side effect profile of drugs.Results: The percentage of women delivering after 48hours of administration of nifedipine group (52.9%) and nitroglycerine group (53.1%). Failure of tocolysis, defined as delivery within 48 hours, with nitroglycerine group (32.7 %) was comparable to nifedipine (33.3 %). Headache was significantly higher in nitroglycerine group as compared to nifedipine group (p≤0.001). Maternal tachycardia was more common in nifedipine group compared to NTG group (p=0.001).Conclusions: Oral nifedipine and transdermal nitroglycerine have similar efficacy as tocolytic agent in patients with preterm labour.

Maternal serum median levels of alpha-foetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin & unconjugated estriol in second trimester in pregnant women from north-west India.

Background & objectives: Triple test as prenatal screening procedure does not form a part of routine health care of pregnant women in India. Hence, median values of triple test biomarkers are lacking for Indian population. This study was undertaken to establish population-specific medians for biomarkers viz. alpha-foetoprotien (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCGβ), and unconjugated estriol (uE3) for detection of Down’s syndrome, Edward’s syndrome and neural tube defects (NTDs) in pregnant women in north-west India. Methods: Serum biomarker values were derived from 5420 pregnant women between 15-20 wk of gestation who were enrolled for triple test investigations at Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India, between January, 2007 to December, 2009. Median values were calculated for rounded weeks using database comprising pregnancies with normal outcomes only. Simple statistical analysis and log-linear regression were used for median estimation of the biomarker values. Results: The levels of the three biomarkers were found to be ranging from 1.38 to 187.00 IU/ml for AFP, 1.06 to 315 ng/ml for hCGβ, and 0.25 to 28.5 nmol/l for uE3. The age of women ranged from 18 to 47 yr and mean weight was 57.9 ± 9.8 kg. Data revealed that AFP, hCGβ and uE3 medians in our study population were not significantly different from those reported from other countries or when compared ethnically. Interpretation & conclusion: The population-specific median values for the three biomarkers (AFP, hCGβ, uE3) may be used as reference values during prenatal screening in Indian pregnant women.

Risk factors for Perinatal Mortality Due to Asphyxia Among Emergency Obstetric Referrals in a Tertiary Hospital.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical, behavioral and health-care associated risk factors of intrapartum perinatal mortality (IPPM). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Labor room and postnatal wards of a teaching hospital in North India. Participants: Pregnant women were eligible for enrolment in the study if period of gestation at delivery was 35 weeks or more or baby weighed at least 2000 g at birth, index pregnancy was not booked in antenatal clinic of the study hospital and fetus was delivered within 24 h of admission in the hospital. Methods: Information about antenatal care and events surrounding labor and delivery were retrieved from antenatal care records, referral notes, hospital clinical records and interview of mothers. Multivariate analysis was conducted using forward stepwise logistic regression analysis. Main Outcome Measure: IPPM was defined as asphyxiaspecific stillbirth or asphyxia-specific early neonatal death. Results: Among 248 emergency obstetric referrals during the study period, rate of IPPM was 8% (20/248, 18 fresh stillbirths and 2 asphyxia-specific neonatal deaths). District hospitals and community health-centers/first referral units contributed threefourths of all referrals. On logistic regression analysis significant risk factors for IPPM were presence of obstructed labor (OR: 23, 95% CI: 1.9-275.8), father engaged in unskilled labor (OR: 10, 95% CI: 1.3-77.7) and absence of urine examination during antenatal period (OR: 5.5, 95% CI: 1.8-16.3). Conclusions: Low socioeconomic status, inadequate antenatal care and poor intrapartum care due to unskilled birth attendance are risk factors of IPPM.

Unruptured postdated pregnancy with a live fetus in a noncommunicating rudimentary horn.

Pregnancy in a noncommunicating rudimentary horn is an extremely rare and a life-threatening condition as it mostly terminates by rupture by the second trimester of pregnancy. Postdated pregnancy and delivery of a live fetus in a rudimentary horn have been rarely reported. A case of noncommunicating unruptured rudimentary horn pregnancy progressing to 41 weeks and 3 days period of gestation where the diagnosis was initially missed at obstetric sonogram at 18 and 34 weeks and then misdiagnosed later as abdominal pregnancy is being reported. Preoperative diagnosis, successful delivery of a live fetus and excision of the rudimentary horn was performed.

Choriocarcinoma with negative urinary and serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin (betaHCG)--a case report.

This was a rare case where a patient presented clinically as a case of post abortal sepsis and ultrasound showing the picture of an intramural degenerating fibroid. Her serum and urine both were negative for beta human chorionic gonadotropin (betaHCG). Patient succumbed to choriocarcinoma 1 month later. Failure to detect urinary and serum betaHCG lead to maternal mortality due to the choriocarcinoma. The failure to detect, certain degradation products of HCG which may predominate in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, by many common HCG testing kits lead to the error of diagnosis. Only 3 of the 7 common commercial serum HCG tests appropriately detects nicked HCG and its free betaHCG, DPC immulite assay, being the most sensitive method. Though of rare occurrence, this awareness is important for diagnosis and follow-up of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and could have been life saving in our case.