Perinatal outcome in relation to mode of delivery in meconium stained amniotic fluid

Meconium staining of the amniotic fluid is a common complication during labour. When facilities like electronic monitoring, foetal blood sampling are not available, it is difficult to decide whether labour should be allowed to continue or caesarean section should be done. Even when caesarean section is done, meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) can still occur and considerable morbidity and mortality may result in the newborn. Amino infusion is being considered as useful in decreasing MAS and its sequelae. Before resorting to amino infusion, we decided to analyse the perinatal outcome in meconium stained liquor to compare whether early caesarean section offered any advantage. This is a retrospective study of 150 labours complicated by thick meconium stained liquor, during a 12 month period (1992-93).

Serological survey of hydatid disease in Pondicherry, India

A serological survey was carried out to determine the frequency of distribution of hydatid antibodies in Pondicherry during 1981 to 1984. 1325 apparently normal sera and 109 sera from clinically suspected hydatid disease cases were screened by the indirect haemagglutination (IHA) test. Results showed a diagnostic titre of 1:128 or higher in 6 normal sera and 27 sera of suspected hydatid cases. An antibody titre of 1:64 was observed in 8.17 per cent of the sera screened by this test.