Applicability of the External Genitalia Score (EGS) in Indian neonates and children up to 2 years of age.

OBJECTIVES: To generate normative data and validate the recently developed, gender-neutral, External Genitalia Score (EGS) in Indian preterm and term neonates and children up to 2 years of age with normal and atypical genitalia. METHODS: This observational study included 1,040 neonates born between 28 and 42 weeks of gestation and 152 children between 1 and 24 months of age. In addition, 50 children with disorders of sex development (DSD) were also enrolled in the study. The Prader stage/external masculinization score (EMS) (as applicable), anogenital ratio (AGR) and EGS were assessed for all neonates and children with typical and atypical genitalia. RESULTS: Median EGS values in newborn males with typical genitalia were 9.5 at 28-31 weeks, 10.5 at 32-33 weeks, 11 at 34 weeks and 11.5 in males at 35-42 weeks of gestation. For all females with typical genitalia, the EGS was 0. EMS and EGS showed a positive correlation in males with typical genitalia (r=0.421, p=0.000**) and all children with DSD (r=0.857, p=0.000**). Mean AGR in males and females with typical genitalia and those with DSD were 0.52±0.07, 0.31±0.05 and 0.47±0.13, respectively. EGS correlated with AGR in all males with typical genitalia (r=0.107, p=0.008**), and in all children with DSD (r=0.473, p=0.001**). CONCLUSIONS: The EGS enables accurate, gender-neutral and comprehensive assessment of external genitalia in Indian neonates and children with typical and atypical genitalia/DSD. Evaluation for DSD is recommended in any child with EGS greater than 0 and ≤10th percentile for gestation or age (10.5 in a term neonate).

B12 Deficiency is the Commonest Cause of Anaemia During Pregnancy in Northern India: Study from a Tertiary Care Institute.

Iron deficiency anemia is considered the leading cause of anemia during pregnancy; however, there is a lack of comprehensive studies on the etiological factors of anemia in pregnant women. The objective of this study was to systematically investigate the causes of anemia in pregnancy. Five hundred women with hemoglobin levels < 11 g/dl between 6 and 40 weeks of pregnancy underwent a complete hemogram, iron studies, serum folate, serum B12, serum copper, and serum zinc level assessments using standard methods. The median age of the patients was 26 years (range 24-29 years). The majority of patients were in the third trimester (449/500, 89.8%). Among the patients, 325 (65%) had vitamin B12 deficiency, with 159 (31.8%) having isolated B12 deficiency and 142 (28.4%) having combined B12 and iron deficiency. Isolated iron deficiency anemia was present in 74 patients (14.8%). Additionally, 28 patients (5.6%) had beta-thalassemia minor, and anemia of chronic disease was found in 17.2% (86) of the patients. Vitamin B12 deficiency was the most common cause of anemia, followed by combined B12 and iron deficiency. Further studies in diverse populations are warranted as they have broader implications for nutrient supplementation during pregnancy. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12288-023-01682-x.

Naturalistic Evaluation of ERAS Bundle Implementation Feasibility in Elective Cesarean Deliveries of Tertiary Care Hospital in a Low-Middle-Income Country.

The present study assessed whether applying enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) guidelines for cesarean delivery is feasible in the tertiary care setting with an add-on objective to identify barriers to successful implementation. The cross-sectional study included women undergoing elective CS and willing to participate. The study attempted to understand barriers to ERAS implementation through timely interviewing study participants. Sixty-two patients participated in the study. Antenatal and fetal complications were observed in 39(63%) and 32(51%) participants. The study observed that at least 80% of the proposed components could be applied to 71% of the study population. All 15 components could be applied to 7(11.2%) patients, and at least 50% could be applied to 58(94%) patients. The least applied component was minimizing starvation by taking clear liquids until 2 hrs before surgery in 26(42%) patients due to waiting hours outside the operation-theater (OT). When fitness-for-discharge was assessed against the percent components of ERAS implemented, the area under the curve (AUC) value was 0.75, with a specificity value of 95.65% and a positive predictive value of 94.12%. In the postoperative ERAS bundle, fitness-for-discharge on day-two was statistically associated with early and frequent breastfeeding (p = 0.000) and prevention of intra-op hypotension (p = 0.03). In conclusion, the primary barriers to implementing ERAS were resource limitations in the form of single functional OT and limited doctors.

Simultaneous Cesarean Section and Maternal Cardiac Surgery: Outcomes and Feasibility from a Tertiary Care Hospital in India.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of pregnancy-related mortality, and it has gradually increased over time; this rise has been attributed to numerous reasons including the growing number of women with congenital heart disease who are surviving to childbearing age. Valve surgery during pregnancy is a high risk, with a fetal and maternal mortality rate of 35% and 9%, respectively. Prior knowledge about the cardiovascular disease opens up a host of options for the mother even during pregnancy, but presentation in the 3rd trimester puts both the mother and the baby at risk. Simultaneous caesarean section and maternal cardiac surgery is a suitable option for this subset of patients, and with this study we aim to assess its outcomes and feasibility. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of five pregnant patients who presented with predominant symptoms of heart failure in the 3rd trimester between June 2019 and June 2021. Intraoperative and postoperative intensive care unit charts of all the patients were reviewed. RESULTS: All five patients underwent simultaneous cesarean section and maternal cardiac surgery successfully with no fetal or maternal mortality and are doing well in the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Cesarean section followed by definitive maternal cardiac surgery in the same sitting is a safe and feasible approach in the management of such patients. A well-prepared team is pivotal for a safe delivery with a cardiopulmonary bypass machine on standby. Specialized multidisciplinary care in the antepartum, peripartum, and postpartum period is essential to improve outcomes.

Estimation of Reference Values for External Genitalia Parameters in North Indian Preterm and Term Female Newborns.

OBJECTIVES: To establish gestation-wise normative data of external genitalia measurements in North Indian term and preterm female newborns. METHODS: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, institutionally-born female neonates between 28-42 wk gestation were consecutively enrolled between 24-72 h of life. Newborns with major congenital malformations, chromosomal anomalies, multifetal gestation and birth injuries were excluded. Data on various genital measurements were collected [Clitoral length (CL), clitoral width (CW), ano-clitoral distance (AGDAC), ano-fourchette distance (AGDAF) and anogenital ratio (AGR)]. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-eight of 508 neonates (39%) were preterm and 310 (61%) were term. Mean (± SD) CL and CW were 4.6 ± 1.8 mm and 3.9 ± 1.6 mm, respectively. Mean (± SD) values for AGDAF, AGDAC and AGR were 9.3 ± 1.8 mm, 30.2 ± 3.9 mm, and 0.31 ± 0.05, respectively. According to these results, term female newborns with CL more than 7 mm and/or CW more than 6 mm (95th centile) warrant evaluation for clitoromegaly. An anogenital ratio greater than 0.45 should be considered as a sign of virilization in a female neonate. Gestation-wise percentile charts for CL, CW, AGDAF, AGDAC and AGR were generated. CONCLUSIONS: The percentile values defined in the study can serve as local normative data for accurate interpretation of genital measurements in North Indian female newborns and enable health care professionals for early identification of genital virilization.

Estimation of Reference Values for External Genitalia Parameters in North Indian Preterm and Term Male Newborns.

OBJECTIVES: To generate gestation-wise normative data of external genitalia measurements in North Indian term and preterm male newborns. METHODS: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional observational study. Male neonates born between 28-42 wk of gestation (at 24-72 h of life) were consecutively recruited in the study. Newborns with major congenital malformations, chromosomal anomalies, multifetal gestation and birth injuries were excluded. Data on various genital measurements were collected [Stretched penile length (SPL), penile width (PW), upper anogenital distance (AGDu), lower anogenital distance (AGDl) and anogenital ratio (AGR)]. RESULTS: Out of 532 newborns, 208 (39.1%) were preterm. Mean (± SD) SPL and PW were 27.9 ± 3.6 mm and 10.6 ± 1.3 mm respectively. The mean values for AGDl, AGDu and AGR were 20.13 ± 4.04 mm, 39.2 ± 5.59 mm, and 0.51 ± 0.07, respectively. SPL less than 21 mm in a term male newborn and 17.5 mm in preterm should be considered micropenis (<2.5 SD) in our population. Gestation-wise percentile charts for SPL, PW, AGDl, AGDu and AGR were generated. CONCLUSIONS: The reference values and percentile charts generated can serve as local normative data for accurate interpretation of genital measurements in North Indian newborns, assessment of ambiguous genitalia and avoiding diagnostic errors.

Acute kidney injury and it's outcome following maternal near miss event: A prospective observational study from a tertiary care hospital.

Purpose: Haemorrhage, preeclampsia and sepsis are the leading causes of renal dysfunction in women with a maternal nearmiss(MNM) complication. The study aimed to assess the prevalence, pattern and follow up of these women. Methods: This was a hospital based prospective observational study, conducted over one year. All women with a MNM leading to acute kidney injury (AKI) were analysed for fetomaternal outcomes and renal function at 1 year of followup. Results: The incidence of MNM was 43.04 per 1000 livebirths. 18.2% women developed AKI. 51.1% women developed AKI in the puerperal period. Most common cause of AKI was haemorrhage seen in 38.3% women. The majority of women had s.creatinine between 2.1 to 5 mg/dl and 44.68% required dialysis. 80.8% women recovered fully when the treatment was initiated within 24 h. One patient underwent renal transplant. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and treatment of AKI results in full recovery.

Successful in vitro fertilization following conservative surgery for synchronous endometrioid tumor of ovary and uterus.

BACKGROUND: Successful pregnancy outcome in women with synchronous ovarian and endometrial cancers is very rare. We report successful pregnancy outcome in a young woman managed conservatively for synchronous endometrial and ovarian cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: Thirty years old nulliparous lady presented following exploratory laparotomy, left salpingo-oophorectomy and hysteroscopic polypectomy for left adnexal mass. Histology revealed endometrioid carcinoma of left ovary and moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma in the resected polyp. She underwent staging laparotomy along with hysteroscopy which confirmed above findings without any evidence of further tumor spread. She was treated conservatively with high dose oral progestin (megestrol acetate, 160 mg) and leuprolide acetate 3.75 mg monthly injections for three months along with four cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel based chemotherapy followed by monthly injection of leuprolide for further three months. After failure of spontaneous conception, she underwent ovulation induction for six cycles along with intrauterine insemination which failed. She underwent in vitro fertilization with donor egg followed by elective cesarean section at 37 weeks of gestation. She delivered a healthy baby of weight 2.7 kg. Intraoperatively 5 × 6 cm right ovarian cyst was found which drained chocolate coloured fluid on puncture and cystectomy was carried out. Histological examination revealed endometrioid cyst of right ovary. Uterus was spared as she wanted to preserve her fertility. She is being followed periodically and is normal nine months following delivery. She is on injection Depot medroxy progesterone acetate once every three months.

Challenges and outcomes of pregnancy in an uncorrected Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and major aorta-pulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCA): a case report.

BACKGROUND: Tetralogy of Fallot is a severe type of congenital heart disease (CHD) and one of the leading indirect causes of mortality & morbidity among women with CHD. We came across a rare case of an uncorrected Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries in pregnancy. CASE PRESENTATION: We are reporting the challenges in managing a pregnancy of 25-years-old G3 P0110, previous one stillbirth and who was diagnosed to have congenital heart disease during pregnancy following spontaneous abortion. CONCLUSIONS: This case report highlights the role of multidisciplinary care in managing such a high risk case. It also emphasizes the role of cardiac examination of every woman before pregnancy so that definitive treatment or optimization can be done in time for a better outcome.

Pregnancy in Eisenmenger syndrome: a case series from a tertiary care hospital of Northern India.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in medical care, we still come across pregnancy in Eisenmenger syndrome. Eisenmenger syndrome represents the severe end of the spectrum for disease in pulmonary artery hypertension associated with CHD. Due to very high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, pregnancy is contraindicated among these women. Current guidelines also recommend that the women who become pregnant should opt for early termination of pregnancy. Here, we present a case series of 11 women of Eisenmenger syndrome and their pregnancy outcome. METHODS: It was a retrospective analysis of 12 pregnancies among 11 women with Eisenmenger syndrome who were managed in a tertiary care referral centre of Northern India. RESULTS: The mean age of these women was 28 ± 4 years (range 22 to 36 years). Almost 80% of them (9/11) were diagnosed with Eisenmenger syndrome during pregnancy. The commonest cardiac lesion was Ventricular Septal defect (54.5%) followed by Atrial Septal defect (27.3%) and Patent Ductus arteriosus (9.1%). Only three women opted for medical termination of pregnancy, rest eight continued the pregnancy or presented late. Pregnancy complications found include pre-eclampsia (50%), abruption (22%), and fetal growth retardation (62.5%). There were three maternal deaths (mortality rate 27%) in postpartum period. CONCLUSION: This case series highlights the delay in diagnosis and treatment of CHD despite improvement in medical care. Women with Eisenmenger syndrome require effective contraception, preconceptional counselling, early termination of pregnancy, and multidisciplinary care.

XAI-FR: Explainable AI-Based Face Recognition Using Deep Neural Networks.

Face Recognition aims at identifying or confirming an individual's identity in a still image or video. Towards this end, machine learning and deep learning techniques have been successfully employed for face recognition. However, the response of the face recognition system often remains mysterious to the end-user. This paper aims to fill this gap by letting an end user know which features of the face has the model relied upon in recognizing a subject's face. In this context, we evaluate the interpretability of several face recognizers employing deep neural networks namely, LeNet-5, AlexNet, Inception-V3, and VGG16. For this purpose, a recently proposed explainable AI tool-Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME) is used. Benchmark datasets such as Yale, AT &T dataset, and Labeled Faces in the Wild (LFW) are utilized for this purpose. We are able to demonstrate that LIME indeed marks the features that are visually significant features for face recognition.

Antenatal depression and anxiety in Indian women: A systematic review.

There is good evidence to suggest that high prevalence of depression and anxiety in the postpartum period. However, very few studies have focused on antenatal depression and anxiety disorders and their associated risk factors. Further, there are only a handful of studies from India on common antenatal mental health disorders. With this background, we reviewed the existing evidence on antenatal depression and anxiety from the studies conducted in Indian pregnant women during the antenatal period and to explore the associated risk factors. All the major databases were searched systematically for English language studies on prevalence and risk factors for antenatal depression and anxiety in Indian pregnant females, published during the period January 2000 to May 2022. Quality assessment of studies was done with the modified version of Newcastle Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional studies. We found the overall prevalence of antenatal depression was ranged from 3.8% to 65% and antenatal anxiety from 13 to 55%. The most relevant risk factors associated with antenatal depression and anxiety during pregnancy were preference to have a male child, intimate partner violence, history of abortions, marital conflict, poor relationship with the husband/in-laws and lack of social support. To conclude, the systematic review suggests that depressive and anxiety disorders are quite common in Indian pregnant women in antepartum period with varying prevalence depending on various settings and scales used. Steps should be taken to promote obstetricians for regular mental health screening during the antenatal visits and prompt referral to mental health professionals when suspected.

Prospective assessment of mental and physical health of maternal near-miss women: A low-middle-income country's experience.

Background: Traumatic birth experience is an unaddressed arena, especially in Asian women, with several societal stigmas lingering around. Aim: A study was undertaken to simultaneously assess the post-partum mental and physical health follow-up of maternal near-miss (MNM) women and compare it with women of uneventful deliveries. Materials and Methods: The prospective cohort study enrolled 88 MNM women (case cohort) and 80 women with an uneventful peri-partum period (control cohort) at the same time. The participants were followed up with Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EDPS), PTSD Checklist - Civilian Version (PLC-C), and a 36-item short-form-survey form over 6 months after the delivery. Results: The case group had higher mean EPDS and PLC-C scores, with poor quality of life (QOL) performance, compared to the control group at 6 weeks and 3 months, and 6 months follow-up (P < 0.05). At the sixth-week follow-up visit, the study observed that 28 (31.8%) women from the case group required a psychiatry consultation compared to the control group with only two (2.5%) participants (P < 0.001). At 3 months, an evident difference was noted on various QOL parameters, such as limitations due to physical health and emotional problems, energy fatigue, general health, and health change parameters between the two groups (P < 0.05). The difference persisted at 6-month follow-up as well for limitations due to physical health, energy fatigue, and general health parameters only (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There is an urgent need for a multi-departmental collaborative approach at the hospital level and policy-making decisions at higher levels for the mental health of Asian women facing MNM events.

Simultaneous Cesarean Section and Maternal Cardiac Surgery: Outcomes and Feasibility from a Tertiary Care Hospital in India

ABSTRACT Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of pregnancy-related mortality, and it has gradually increased over time; this rise has been attributed to numerous reasons including the growing number of women with congenital heart disease who are surviving to childbearing age. Valve surgery during pregnancy is a high risk, with a fetal and maternal mortality rate of 35% and 9%, respectively. Prior knowledge about the cardiovascular disease opens up a host of options for the mother even during pregnancy, but presentation in the 3rd trimester puts both the mother and the baby at risk. Simultaneous caesarean section and maternal cardiac surgery is a suitable option for this subset of patients, and with this study we aim to assess its outcomes and feasibility. Methods: This is a retrospective study of five pregnant patients who presented with predominant symptoms of heart failure in the 3rd trimester between June 2019 and June 2021. Intraoperative and postoperative intensive care unit charts of all the patients were reviewed. Results: All five patients underwent simultaneous cesarean section and maternal cardiac surgery successfully with no fetal or maternal mortality and are doing well in the follow-up period. Conclusion: Cesarean section followed by definitive maternal cardiac surgery in the same sitting is a safe and feasible approach in the management of such patients. A well-prepared team is pivotal for a safe delivery with a cardiopulmonary bypass machine on standby. Specialized multidisciplinary care in the antepartum, peripartum, and postpartum period is essential to improve outcomes.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Pregnancy: A Retrospective Analysis From a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Pregnancy in women with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is not well described. In this retrospective study, we analyzed data on pregnant women with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who were under follow-up care in the cardiology department of a tertiary care hospital. We reviewed data on all women registered in the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cohort and those who attended the cardio-obstetric clinic and delivered between January 2010 and June 2019. From these 2 groups, we identified 7 pregnant women with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who delivered during this period. These 7 women (mean [SD] age, 25 [3.3] years) had a total of 15 pregnancies (range per woman,1-4). This was a high-risk cohort, as 7 (46.7%) pregnancies were in the modified World Health Organization class III. The mean (SD) left ventricular wall thickness was 19.71 (2.56) mm in all pregnancies. Two of the 7 women with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction developed severe symptoms in the third trimester; these improved soon after delivery. Eight pregnancies without obstruction were well tolerated. Two pregnancies occurred after successful alcohol septal ablation. Both remained asymptomatic throughout pregnancy. All women tolerated labor well. Adverse maternal outcomes, including death, were not seen in any patient. All women who became symptomatic during pregnancy had relief of symptoms after delivery. Most women remained asymptomatic or had mild symptoms during pregnancy. Of the women with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, 28.6% had severe symptoms that improved after delivery. Pregnancy was well tolerated after successful alcohol septal ablation.

Impact of covid 19 pandemic on severe maternal outcomes -An observational study from a referral institute of India.

Introduction: Covid 19 pandemic has taken the world by storm. As far as maternal health is concerned, it has been affected both directly and indirectly. Not only are the women getting affected by COVID disease but also the health services are suffering in terms of availability, approachability and access. The study aimed to analyze the change in the trends of maternal near and maternal mortality comprising severe maternal outcome (SMO) between 2019 and 2020 in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology of our hospital due to COVID pandemic. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. The maternal death review data and maternal near miss statistics were analysed. This included assessing the change in the number of maternal deaths and obstetric near miss, their respective causes, and case fatality rate specific to COVID during pregnancy. Results: The total births decreased from 6056 in 2019-4140 in 2020 whereas women with severe maternal outcomes increased from 4.6% in 2019 to 6.5% in 2020(p value < 0.001). The incidence of nearmiss increased significantly from 3.5% in 2019 to 5.1% in 2020(p value < 0.0001) and maternal mortality ratio increased from 1122 per 1 lakh births to 1425 per 1 lakh births. Haemorrhage was the most common cause of maternal near miss with 45.8% in 2019 and an increase to 50.2% in 2020. The percentage of illiterate patients with near miss statistically reduced in 2020(p value - 0.004). Average hospital stay also reduced from 16.5+/-2.1 days to 12.6+/-6.3 days (p value < 0.0001). The average time taken to reach the hospital, however, increased from 27+/-3 h to 36+/-4 h (p value < 0.0001). The rate of direct maternal deaths increased from 45.6% to 52.5% between 2019 and 2020(p-value-0.434). Conclusion: Covid 19 pandemic has affected both maternal mortality and morbidity. Keeping the current situation in mind, it becomes increasingly important to develop patient education via electronic media and teleconsultations. One-stop portals and helplines which involve multidisciplinary teams should be available to all such pregnancies.

Maternal and Fetal Outcomes Following Percutaneous Transluminal Mitral Commissurotomy in Pregnant Women with Critical Mitral Stenosis: An Experience of a Tertiary Care Center from Northern India.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatic mitral stenosis is the common valvular heart disease seen during pregnancy. Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy is an effective, safe, and recommended treatment for critical mitral stenosis during pregnancy. We hereby report the maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnant women subjected to percutaneous trans- venous mitral commissurotomy at our institute. METHODS: Seventy consecutive pregnant women with critical mitral stenosis, who under- went PTMC during the last 10 years, were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had a detailed clinical and obstetric evaluation and were optimally managed with drugs, before the intervention. A comprehensive pre- and post-percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation was performed. Detailed obstetric and fetal outcomes were noted at the time of delivery. Six weeks of post-partum follow-up was noted in all patients. RESULTS: The mean gestational age at the time of percutaneous transvenous mitral com- missurotomy was 29.5 ± 6.68 weeks. Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy was successful in 97% of patients. Post-percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurot- omy New York Heart Association functional class, mitral valve area, trans-mitral pres-sure gradient, and left atrial pressure had a significant improvement (P < .001). The mean gestational age at the time of delivery was 36.92 ± 3.02 weeks. The mean birth weight of live newborn was 2.29 ± 0.55 kg. The fetal complications include growth restriction in 62.85%, preterm delivery in 34.37%, and low birth weight in 67.21%. A delayed percutane- ous transvenous mitral commissurotomy at about 30 weeks of gestation did not affect the maternal and fetal outcomes. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy is safe and efficacious in managing pregnant women with critical mitral stenosis. There was a significant improve- ment in clinical symptoms and echocardiographic parameters following percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy.