[Prevalence and maternal risk factors of preterm laboring in Qom, 2007]

Prematurity remains the most significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Knowing which group of women is at risk for developing preterm labor will define a target population for better prenatal care and preventive modalities. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of premature birth and compare the maternal risk factors among premature and term newborns. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 400 pregnant women were assessed 200 of whom were patients with preterm delivery and the other 200 were women with the term delivery. The data were gathered through interview and patients' medical record. Finally The results were compared by statistical tests. In order to determine the prevalence of premature birth all deliveries were taken under study from 86/4/1 to 86/9/30 in hospitals of Qom. The prevalence of preterm delivery in Qom hospitals was [%5/6].This evaluation showed a significant statistical difference between the preterm delivery and the following determining factors: number of delivery, emotional stress, prenatal care, ante partum hemorrhage and surgery, infectious diseases, diabetes, anemia, history premature birth and UTI. There was no significant statistical difference between the preterm delivery and maternal age, BMI, employment, history of abortion, infertility, route of contraception, drug use during pregnancy, preclamcy and patient's medical history. Addressing prematurity in this population will require earlier initiation of prenatal care to allow for early detection and management of complications of pregnancy

[Malignant ovarian mixed germ cell tumor: a rare case]

Mixed germ cell tumors of the ovary, uncommon but aggressive tumors are seen most often in young women or adolescent girls, and are generally curable if found and treated early. Use of chemotherapy after initial surgery has dramatically improved the prognosis for many females with these tumors. This study reports a case of successful pregnancy in a patient with malignant ovarian mixed germ cell tumor. The patient was an 18-year old nulliparous woman who had pelvic pain, menstruation delay, right Adnex mass and positive B-HCG. She was found to have a malignant mixed germ cell tumor comprising of both embryonal carcinoma and immature teratoma. Treatment consisted of salpingo-oophorectomy with adjunctive chemotherapy. In view of malignant germ cell tumors occurring almost exclusively in young females, preservation of their ovarian function and fertility was an important issue. The present study, confirmed that normal gonadal function and fertility are possible after conservative surgery for ovarian germ cell malignancies, even with adjuvant chemotherapy