Lack of mother-to-newborn transmission of hepatitis C virus in Iraqi women: a prospective study with hepatitis C virus RNA testing

The risk of mother to infant transmission of hepatitis C virus varies according to the population studied and the testing used. Patients and In this study, the polymerase chain reaction was employed for the first time in Iraqi research in a prospective study to assess the risk of vertical transmission in an unselected population of Iraqi pregnant women. Hepatitis C antibodies [Abs] were sought with third generation enzyme immunoassay [EIA-3] in 3491 pregnant women. A positive reaction was then confirmed by a third generation immunoblot assay [LiaTek-111]. Positive confirmation occurred in 112 serum samples. The study followed 26 babies of 25 anti-HCV positive mothers at the first month of life. Eight of these babies were followed for 6 months postnatally. All of the neonates were positive for HCV antibodies [EIA-3 and Lia Tek-111] during the first month of life. None were positive at 6 months. Hepatitis C virus RNA was consistently negative in 22 sera [14 infants at 1 month and 8 repeated at 6 months] regardless of the hepatitis C virus polymerase chain reaction status of their mothers, of whom 9 were positive for hepatitis C RNA. The study showed no evidence of vertical transmission of HCV from pregnant Iraqi women to their offspring

Should normal saline be used instead of glucose for oxytocin induction of labour

To avoid the higher incidence of hyperbilirubinaemia in the newborn after induction of labour, 5% dextrose was replaced by normal saline as a vehicle lor oxytocin in the intravenous drip. 202 mothers took part in a controlled trial. Results showed significant lowering of cord bilirubin levels when normal saline was used instead of 5% dextrose for this purpose, with no untoward side-effects

Vesico-vaginal fistula: a simplified method of repair

A study of 309 cases of post - partum vesico -vaginal fistula operated upon i over a period of twenty years.The principles of the simplified repair include early operation precise but very limited freshening of the edges, and simple-layer repair.These cases were compared with 142 cases treated by standard two-layer technique. A success rate of 94% at first operation is achieved

Ovarian teratoma with peritoneal gliomatosis followed up to 18 years

This is a case of an 18-year-old female who, in 1968, presented with grade 2 ovarian of the solid type with peritoneal implants composed of glial tissue. Diagnosis was made by exploratory laparotomy and treatment was simple removal of the primary tumor with the peritoneal implant, following which no additional treatment was given. The patient later married and now has 2 children 18 years after the original diagnosis. The survival of this patient suggests that a conservative surgical approach without therapy to the implant is adequate to effect cure, and, that the presence of mature glial implants does not affect adversely the prognosis of ovarian teratoma