Clinical and hematological profile of newborns delivered to mothers with pregnancy induced hypertension: a tertiary centre study

Background: Pregnancy induced hypertension in women is a major cause of pregnancy related maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidities and mortalities. Aim was to compare the clinical and hematological profile of newborns of mothers with and without pregnancy induced hypertension.Methods: This hospital-based case control study was conducted in Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital, Kanpur. Clinical and hematological profile of newborns of mothers with or without PIH were compared.Results: The low gestational age (35.44�89 weeks), low birth weight, thrombocytopenia (1.31�65 lakhs/mm3), absolute neutropenia (7.71�3�24�3cells/mm3) and deranged coagulation profile in newborns was found to have significant association with PIH in their mothers (p<0.05).Conclusions: This study concluded that newborns of hypertensive mothers carry a risk for prematurity, small for gestational age, infection and bleeding in early neonatal life.

Ethmocephaly: a rare but lethal congenital anomaly

Ethmocephaly is a rare but lethal congenital anomaly. Its incidence rate is 1 in 15,000 live births and 1 in 250 in abortuses. Babies have typical dysmorphic facies in form of orbital hypotelorism, proboscis and low set malformed ears. 32 years old, daily wage labourer delivered a baby with ethmocephaly. Baby had typical facies, and no extracranial abnormality present. Baby was stillborn. She had no antenatal checkup or ultrasonogram done. However, she had history of ingestion of certain plants during early months of pregnancy. Ethmocephaly is a lethal anomaly and mostly eliminated prenatally. Although there is no diagnostic test for ethmocephaly, and confirmation of it is done only by appearance of baby after birth, important clues like recognition of risk factors like maternal diabetes, alcohol intake, ingestion of certain plants, antenatal hydrocephalus, should not be missed. Importance of routine antenatal checkup and ultrasonogram is emphasized. Recognition of risk factors and a possible co-relation with ingestion of certain other plants is also emphasized.

Spectrum of congenital heart diseases in children (<5 years) in a tertiary care centre

Background: Congenital heart diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity in children. The aim of the study was to know the spectrum of congenital heart diseases in a tertiary care centre.Methods: This was a prospective, hospital based observational study done in Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital, Kanpur. Duration of study was 12 months. Patients with strong clinical suspicion of cardiac disease were enrolled and detailed clinical examination and laboratory findings of these cases were noted in a pre-structured proforma. The confirmation of presence of congenital heart disease was done by echocardiography.Results: 150 patients aged below 5 years presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of CHD were evaluated in this study. 91 were found to have congenital heart disease. We found VSD in 31.87%, ASD in 29.98%, PDA in 9.9% TOF in 5.49% and complex heart diseases in 16.48% cases. When considering the age at presentation, we found maximum number of cases (46.15%) in 1 to 12 months of age, 37.37% cases in neonatal period, 16.48% cases in 1 to 5 years of age. Most common presenting complaint was difficulty in breathing, followed by feeding difficulty.Conclusions: Ventricular septal defect 31.87% was the commonest heart disease, followed by ASD 29.98%. The majority of these patients were seen in the age group 1 to 12 months of age.