Modes of delivery at Siriraj Hospital, 1981-1990.

The medical records of 182,562 births at Siriraj Hospital during the years 1981-1990 were analyzed in order determine the trends of changes in the method of delivery. It was found that the total number of deliveries decreased from 17,082 (82.5%) in 1981 to 13,143 (73.8%) in 1990 while the caesarean birth rate increased from 7.6 percent in 1981 to 15.6 percent in 1990. For breech assists, vacuum extraction and forceps extraction, there were slight changes, ranging from 3.2 to 3.8 percent for assisted breech deliveries, 4.4 to 6.2 percent for vacuum extraction and 1.4 to 2.5 percent for forceps extraction. The four common indications for caesarean births were previous caesarean section, cephalopelvic disproportion, breech presentation and foetal distrese.

Incidence of cleft lip and/or cleft palate in hospital born during 1987.

To estimate the incidence of cleft lip and/or cleft palate among 16,812 Thai babies new born during the period from January 1, 1987 to December 31, 1987 in Siriraj hospital were investigated. It was found that 36 babies (0.21%) had these abnormalities, and that the ratio of the birth of such babies was approximately one per 467 in the population. Of the 36 affected babies, 30.5% presented cleft lip (CL). 44.4% cleft lip and palate (CL/p), and 25% cleft palate (CP).

Outcome of pregnancy after threatened abortion.

In a prospective study of 203 pregnancies complicated by threatened abortion, obstetrical and neonatal data were analysed for pregnancy outcome. Comparison was made with a selected group of 496 non-risk pregnancies. There was a high incidence of pre-term birth, low birth weight infants and antepartum haemorrhage. The incidences of perinatal mortality and congenital malformations did not differ significantly from those of the control group. These findings suggest that early gestational virginal bleeding is one predictor of suboptimal pregnancy outcome.