ABSTRACT
Background: Pre-eclampsia is the most common pregnancy complication associated with serious maternal and fetal morbidity. Uterine artery Doppler reflects the impaired trophoblastic invasion of the uterine spiral arteries, which is involved in the aetiology of preeclampsia. Thus, uterine artery Doppler was proposed as a screening test for pre-eclampsia.Methods: A prospective cohort study of 100 singleton pregnancies was conducted in a tertiary centre and the study population were subjected to uterine artery Doppler study at 18-22 weeks gestation. Uterine artery Doppler indices of pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI) and persistence of diastolic notch was obtained and the outcome of pre-eclampsia was studied.Results: Out of 100 women, 14 women developed pre-eclampsia in which the resistance index showed a sensitivity of 21.4%, specificity of 91.8%, positive predictive value of 30% and negative predictive value of 87.7% and pulsatility index showed sensitivity of 35.7%, specificity of 90.6%, positive predictive value of 38.4% and negative predictive value of 89.6%. Diastolic notch had a sensitivity of 35.7%, specificity of 98.8%, positive predictive value of 83.3% and a negative predictive value of 90.4%.Conclusions: The high negative predictive values, indicated that women with normal Doppler velocimetry were unlikely to develop preeclampsia. Uterine artery Doppler, being non-invasive can be included during routine sonography to identify patients at risk of developing pre-eclampsia. Early, screening for pre-eclampsia will help in individualized antenatal surveillance and initiation of prophylactic therapy, early to reduce the adverse maternal and foetal complications of preeclampsia.
ABSTRACT
Background: Caesarean section represents the most significant operative intervention in obstetrics and its development and application has saved the lives of countless mothers and infants. However there has been a steady increase in the rate of caesarean sections worldwide. In this study, we aim to find the primary caesarean section rates and strategies to cut it down.Methods: This was a prospective observational study done from January 2018 to June 2019 at Justice K. S. Hegde Charitable Hospital, Deralakatte, Mangaluru which included 379 cases of primary cesarean sections. All patients undergoing primary caesarean section with gestational age >28 weeks confirmed by dates, clinical examination and ultrasound were included in this study. Patients who had undergone previous caesarean section or were less than 18 years of age or were less than 28 weeks of gestation were excluded from the study.Results: In this study the rate of primary caesarean section was found to be 14.5% and the majority of the study subjects belonged to the age group of 18-27 years (62.3%). With respect to parity, primigravida were high in number (71.2%), followed by multigravida. The number of emergency caesarean sections were (79%) more than elective (21%). The most common intra-operative complication was post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) in 2.8% and the most common postoperative complication was wound gape in 2.1%.Conclusions: Maximum efforts should be made to allow progression of vaginal delivery in primigravida which helps us to bring down the primary caesarean rate.