Prevalence of abnormal uterine bleeding according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Classification (PALM-COEIN) among reproductive-aged women admitted in a tertiary hospital in Las Piñas

Objective@#To determine the prevalence of the causes of abnormal uterine bleeding based on the FIGO (PALM-COEIN) Classification, among patients admitted at a tertiary hospital in Las Pinas City@*Methods@#A cross sectional (retrospective) study was done. Patients aged 15-50 years old who were admitted due to abnormal uterine bleeding from January 2017 to December 2019 were included. Patients with AUB due to pregnancy, vaginitis, bleeding before menarche, and bleeding after menopause were excluded from the study. Patient’s data as to age, obstetrical score, co-morbidity, bleeding patterns were tabulated.@*Results@#A total of 455 subjects were included in the study. Results showed that the most common causes of abnormal uterine bleeding among admitted patients in Perpetual Help Medical Center Las Piñas from January 2017 – December 2019 were due to structural causes (91%). Most prevalent was bleeding due to polyps (50.5%), followed by adenomyosis (18.8%), leiomyoma (16.04%), and malignancy (6.2%). Prevalence of non-structural causes of bleeding was 0.4% for coagulopathy, 3.3% due to ovulatory dysfunction, 4.6% due to endometrial dysfunction, and 0.2% for AUB-N.@*Conclusion@#Based on this 3-year retrospective study, structural causes are the most common causes of AUB, comprising about 91% of all patients admitted for AUB. The most common structural causes are AUB-P (50.5%), followed by AUB-A, AUB-L and AUB-M. Prompt recognition of the causes of AUB is very important, to prevent complications such as severe anemia and shock. Proper treatment, be it surgical or medical, also depends on the exact cause of AUB.

Peripheral precocious puberty with ovarian new growth: A case report

@#Precocious puberty is defined as appearance of secondary sexual characteristics that begins earlier than usual, and may be central or peripheral in origin. It is the physician’s duty to undertake a detailed investigation of the cause of the condition so as not to overlook a potentially correctable pathologic lesion, and prevent long-term somatic and psychosocial consequences in the child. This paper presents a case of 10 year old female with clinical signs and symptoms and laboratory results that point to a possible peripheral type of precocious puberty , and with a huge ovarian mass, which intraoperatively yielded inconclusive histopathologic findings due to massive necrosis. This paper aimed to discuss the possible etiologies for the development of precocious puberty in the index case, and the treatment options for both precocious puberty and ovarian new growth.

2020 POGS report on obstetrical and gynecological indicators of health care / Philippine Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Background@#The POGS committee on nationwide statistics uses an electronic census platform called the POGS nationwide statistics system (PNSS) to collect the statistical data on obstetric and gynecologic health indicators. @*Objectives@#The article aims to present 2020 data gathered and compare these with the 2019 census. Obstetrical and gynecological indicators of health care and preliminary data on COVID-19 cases are reported.@*Methodology@#This cross-sectional study reports the data generated from the submissions of POGS-accredited hospitals from January to December 2020, through the PNSS. @*Results@#The number of accredited hospitals that submitted their census with 100% compliance is 94%. There was a total of 329,972 number of cases reported, 92% were obstetric cases. Live birth rate was the highest in the National Capital Region at 33.5%, with the highest age-specific birth rate in the 25–29 age group. Most live births were term pregnancies. Adolescent birth rate was 6.45 per 1000 women. Cesarean section rate, stillbirth rate, neonatal mortality rate, and perinatal mortality rate were higher than 2019. The maternal mortality ratio was 121.6 per 100,000 live births. There were 2,858 cases of confirmed COVID-19 infection. There were 26,164 gynecologic admissions, with the most common diagnosis being abnormal uterine bleeding. The most common gynecologic procedures performed were hysterectomy, salpingo-oophorectomy, medical management, and blood transfusion. Majority of the deaths from gynecologic cases had gynecologic malignancies and among these, cervical cancer (19%) had the greatest number of deaths. @*Conclusion@#Obstetric and gynecologic admissions are lower compared to last year. A deterioration in obstetrical indications can be seen and explanations for this occurrence must be explored further. Preliminary data on COVID-19 cases was likewise presented. Timely and accurate statistics will help us define the areas we need to improve on, as well as the unmet needs of our patients.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fertility centers in the Philippines

Objective@#The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the COVID – 19 pandemic on fertility centers in the Philippines as reflected in the change in caseload for the different types of fertility procedures and modifications in the physical set up of laboratories, staff and patient screening.@*Methods@#A descriptive cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was administered to all Philippine Society for Reproductive Medicine (PSRM) accredited fertility centers on November 2020. The study underwent ethics and technical review approval. The medical director or manager of the centers was requested to answer the questionnaire. All data were collated, summarized and analyzed.@*Results@#All seven PSRM accredited fertility centers participated in the study. There was an overall decrease in fertility procedures performed in all the centers with most of the centers reporting a less than 50% decrease in oocyte pick up, less than 75% decrease in frozen embryo transfer and around 50 – 75% decrease in intrauterine insemination cases. All fertility centers implemented social distancing, triaging of patients by symptoms, use of personal protective equipment for doctors and staff, placing alcohol dispensers at the reception area and limiting the number of people allowed inside the center. Clinical visits were now scheduled and revisions in informed consent were done. @*Conclusion@#The majority of local fertility centers experienced a significant decline in fertility procedures. Modifications to the conduct of their clinic for safety of their staff and patients were compliant with local and international guidelines.

Hormonal Contraceptives and Breastfeeding: A Review of Literature

@#<p>The use of hormonal contraceptives in a breastfeeding patient has been questioned by breastfeeding advocates. Their fear was that hormonal contraceptives will affect the milk production of the patient. This review of literature showed that progestins do not affect breastmilk supply whether it is the progestin only pill (POP), depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, levonorgestrel-containing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) or the etonogestrel implant (ENG). The timing of administration of the progesterone derivative contraceptive method also does not affect milk production, whether immediately postpartum (within 48 hrs after delivery) or delayed (4 - 6 weeks postpartum). With this in mind, clinicians may safely advise these to breastfeeding patients to prevent unplanned pregnancies.</p>

Cystic degeneration of submucous uterine leiomyoma after an incomplete course of ulipristal acetate treatment

@#Ulipristal acetate (UPA) is a selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRM) indicated for the medical treatment of myoma. Several theoretical mechanisms help explain how it induces apoptosis and cystic degeneration of a submucous myoma, leading to its expulsion. This paper presents the case of a young nulligravid diagnosed with heavy menstrual bleeding secondary to submucous myoma, who was started on UPA treatment but with very poor compliance. Despite the very short and incomplete course of treatment, degenerative changes still took effect, which led to the expulsion or prolapse of the pedunculated submucous myoma.

Retained placenta accreta: An unusual cause of abnormal uterine bleeding in a non-gravid woman

@#Placenta accreta is one of the most feared complications among gravid women, as it is associated with massive and potentially life-threatening intrapartum and postpartum hemorrhage. Due to its natural history, placenta accreta is only naturally seen or expected as a cause of bleeding only among obstetric patients. This case report describes a rare manifestation of profuse abnormal uterine bleeding secondary to a placenta accreta in a non-gravid patient. The non-pregnant state was evidenced by the absence of history of amenorrhea and pregnancy signs and symptoms, a negative urine pregnancy test and normal serum bhcg results. A diagnosis of placenta accreta was mainly based on a post-hysterectomy histopathological examination. Theoretical explanations to explain this phenomenon is discussed in this case report.

Conservative Surgery for a young nulligravid with ovarian yolk sac tumor and concurrent contralateral mature teratoma

@#<p>Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecologic cancer worldwide and the six most common cancer among females. Germ cell tumorbs are the most common ovarian neoplasm in the first two decades of life constituting approximately two-thirds of all ovarian tumors. Malignant germ cell tumors constitute one-third of germ cell origin tutors and two-thirds of all ovarian malignancy in this age-group. This paper presents a case of a 19 year-old nulligravid who presented at the emergency room with abdominal pain, and was intraoperatively diagnosed with yolk sac tutor of the right ovary, stage 1A mature cystic teratoma of the left ovary. She subsequently underwent unilateral salpingooophorectomy and contralateral oophorocystectomy, left. Patient is advised chemotherapy postoperatively, with Bleomycin, Etoposide and Paclitaxel. This paper discusses the incidence, risk factors, prognosis and management of yolk of sac tutor in a young nulligravid.</p>

Fertility-sparing surgery for a prepubertal female with malignant ovarian germ cell tumor

@#<p style="text-align: justify;">Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors are rare ovarian malignancies accounting for 3 to 5% of all ovarian malignancies. They are mostly seen in adolescents and young women and are usually unilateral making fertility preservation imperative. Raised alpha-feto protein level is the hallmark of this tumor. Presented is a case of a premenarcheal 13 year old female diagnosed with yolk sac tumor and who underwent fertility-sparing surgery and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy post-operatively, with good outcome. In young patients, conservative surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy has made the preservation of fertility possible, even in patients with advanced disease. The increase in cure rates has shifted the focus of recent studies to the long term menstrual, reproductive, and gynecologic outcomes in these patients. </p>

Expectant management of heterotopic pregnancy

@#Heterotopic pregnancy or the coexistence of an intrauterine and an extrauterine pregnancy occurs in about 1 out of 30,000 pregnancies. Between assisted reproductive techniques and ovulation induction, it is said to occur more commonly with the former. The patient presented in this case is a 29 year old primigravid who underwent ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate and was later on diagnosed to have both an intrauterine and a non-viable extrauterine pregnancy. The management for this kind of pregnancy can be medical, surgical or expectant. The patient in this case was managed expectantly. This case study presents a review of literature on heterotopic pregnancy, and describes how this rare type of pregnancy developed in this index patient, how it is diagnosed and managed, and to showcase how expectant management can be a safe option for cases of heterotopic pregnancy.

Infertilty and pregnancy complications in PCOS

@#Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), one of the most common endocrine disorders occurring during reproductive age, is characterized by ovulatory dysfunction, biochemical or clinical hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries.1 Its prevalence ranges from 5% to 10% based on population studies, and largely depends on the diagnostic criteria used, and ethnicity of the population being investigated. PCOS is currently considered a syndrome with metabolic and reproductive consequences that could affect women's health during different stages of reproductive age. There is increasing body of evidence suggesting a negative effect of PCOS on fertility and pregnancy outcomes.

Perceptions and health-seeking behaviour of two young women with Iatrogenic premature menopause

Background@#Premature menopause is a frequently overlooked condition with significant morbidity without timely intervention.@*Objective@#This descriptive study explored the perceptions, concerns, and health-seeking behavior of two women diagnosed with premature menopause, regarding their illness.@*Methods@#Authors interviewed two nulligravid patients less than 30 years old diagnosed with premature menopause. Verbal consent was sought prior to the interview. An interview guide adapted from the Explanatory Model (Kleinman) to probe each patient's perceptions, concerns and health-seeking behaviour regarding PM was used. Data validation was immediately sought after the interview with each patient before analysis. Thematic analysis was used to explore the patients' perceptions (physical, psychological, and social effects of PM) and health-seeking behavior that resulted from these effects.@*Results@#Results showed that vasomotor symptoms, infertility, and treatment costs are important issues for these patients to help them undertsand their illness. The neglected role of physicians in fully disclosing the effects of the disease is highlighted in one patient that hindered her from making informed choices for treatment. The behavioural responses of these patients were influenced by the following factors: ability to make informed decisions over disease management, degree of disruption of activities of daily living, infertility, amount of social and financial support.@*Conclusion@#Looking at the underlying motivations of women diagnosed with premature menopause about their illness may help physicians better understand patients' circumstances, how it affects them and their families, and their expected recovery process.