Comparison of efficacy and safety of two parenteral iron preparations in pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety with a fixed dose of two parenteral iron preparations, iron sucrose complex and iron sorbitol citric acid as per the current practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized open label study was conducted. In this study, 60 pregnant women with hemoglobin less than 8.5 g/dl received a fixed dose of either IV iron sucrose or IM iron sorbitol citric acid therapy. The efficacy of the therapy was assessed by laboratory parameters such as hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, and serum ferritin level after 14 and 28 days. To assess the safety, adverse drug reactions with both the therapies were recorded. RESULTS: Hemoglobin concentration increased significantly (P < 0.001) with respect to time in both the groups. The rise in the hemoglobin level in third and fourth weeks was significantly higher in iron sucrose (0.92 g/dl) than iron sorbitol citric acid therapy (0.56 g/dl). There was no significant change in the rise of the serum ferritin level after both the therapies. Adverse events were common with iron sorbitol citric acid therapy. However, no serious adverse drug reactions were observed. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference in the efficacy of both of the therapy. However, adverse events and dropout rates were much more common in the group of pregnant women who received iron sorbitol citric acid.

Changing trends in MTP at SSG hospital, Baroda--a retrospective study.

This is a retrospective study carried out in the postpartum unit of Medical College and SSG Hospital, Baroda, Gujarat with an aim to assess the changes in the practices of medical termination of pregnancy over the last 20 years. Randomisation was achieved by selecting every tenth year from 1983 as a study year. Chi-square test was used as the test of significance. There was a rise in the total number of medical termination of pregnancies performed in the postpartum unit from 1983 to 1993 and then to 2003 (498 to 965 and then to 1054 respectively). Majority of the beneficiaries in all the 3 study years belonged to the urban population in the age group of 21-30 years with two living children. Number of unmarried beneficiaries were on rise but the difference was not statistically significant (1.6% to 1.8% and then to 2.8% respectively). There was a positive trend of coming for medical termination at earlier weeks and significant decline in the number of second trimester medical termination of pregnancies (57.0% to 13.3% and then to 13.4% respectively). There was a significant increase in the beneficiaries opting for temporary methods of contraception from 1983 to 1993 (48.6% to 55.6%). Copper-T was the most favoured method of temporary contraception in all the 3 study years. Medical termination of pregnancy was like an entry point for contraception, either temporary or permanent in all the study years.

A two-year follow-up study of women sterilized in India.

For large-scale program implementation, it is important to document both early and long-term safety and effectiveness of female sterilization methods. The results of this controlled, prospective, two-year study of 2,053 women who underwent sterilization in Baroda, India, show a marked decline in gynecological abnormalities over time; the incidence of gynecological pathology following sterilization was not significantly higher than what might be expected in the general population. The incidence of post-sterilization gynecological surgery was low. Significantly more women had weight gain than weight loss after sterilization. After sterilization, no change in menstrual cycle parameters was reported for the vast majority of women. Both favorable and unfavorable changes in menstrual cycle parameters were noted. The one-year and two-year pregnancy rates were 0.0 and 0.4 percent, respectively. No ectopic pregnancies were reported.