Pyomyoma after caesarean section: a rare entity

Pyomyoma, a rare complication of a myoma undergoing infarction and subsequent infection, may be a diagnostic challenge in patients with unexplained puerperal fever. A woman in her 30s presented with fever and foul-smelling discharge per vaginum, 6 months after her first caesarean section (CS). She underwent an elective CS for symptomatic placenta praevia at 34 weeks of gestation. Intra-operatively, post-partum haemorrhage was managed with uterotonics and blood transfusions. However, 2 weeks later, she developed a high-grade fever that was non-responsive to parenteral antibiotics. She continued to have intermittent episodes of high-grade fever, which were treated on an outpatient basis. Six months later, she developed purulent vaginal discharge, which grew Escherichia coli on bacterial culture. She received intravenous antibiotics and blood. Radiology confirmed the presence of a large fibroid with a focal capsular breach and peripherally enhanced collection extending to the endometrial cavity. The patient subsequently underwent a myomectomy. Intra-operatively, a large fundal myoma with endometrial breach and purulent discharge in the fibroid and endometrial cavity was noted. She sustained the procedure well and recovered uneventfully.

Systematic review of the results of fenestrated endovascular aortic repair in octogenarians

INTRODUCTION

With the increasing life expectancy of Western populations, more octogenarians are presenting with large abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Endovascular repair offers a less invasive alternative and older patients who may not have been offered open repair in the past are now being considered for elective repair with this approach. Age in isolation may not be the only consideration in recommending elective aneurysm repair. We aimed to review the literature on complex endovascular AAA repairs (mainly fenestrated endovascular aortic repair [FEVAR]) in octogenarians.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using the Ovid Medline®, Embase® and Cochrane Library databases for articles published up to January 2022. All English language publications from 1995 onwards were eligible for inclusion. Search terms included: "FEVAR", "F-EVAR", "fenestrated EVAR", "fenestrated endovascular aortic repair", "fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair", "fenestrated AAA repair", "fenestrated endograft", "fenestrated stent graft", "fenestrated", "endograft", "EVAR", "octogenarian", "elderly", "above 80" and "over 80".

METHODS

The literature search identified 134 potential articles. Following qualitative assessment by two independent appraisers, this was refined to 11 studies, in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement.

RESULTS

The primary outcome measure was 30-day mortality, which was highly variable, ranging from 0% to 9% in octogenarians and from 0% to 5% in non-octogenarians. However, these differences were only found to be statistically significant in two studies. The secondary outcome measures included technical success rates, major adverse events, reintervention rates, freedom from reintervention, target vessel patency, freedom from target branch instability, and length of hospital and intensive care unit stay. No statistically significant differences were found between octogenarians and non-octogenarians. Long-term survival was significantly lower for octogenarians in two studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The perioperative outcomes of FEVAR in octogenarians are comparable with those of younger patients. FEVAR therefore appears to be an acceptable option for complex endovascular aneurysm repairs in carefully selected octogenarians. Nevertheless, this review highlights the paucity of published data on the outcomes of endovascular repair of complex aneurysms in octogenarians.

Multi-criteria decision making to validate performance of RBC-based formulae to screen [Formula: see text]-thalassemia trait in heterogeneous haemoglobinopathies

BACKGROUND

India has the most significant number of children with thalassemia major worldwide, and about 10,000-15,000 children with the disease are born yearly. Scaling up e-health initiatives in rural areas using a cost-effective digital tool to provide healthcare access for all sections of people remains a challenge for government or semi-governmental institutions and agencies.

METHODS

We compared the performance of a recently developed formula SCS[Formula: see text] and its web application SUSOKA with 42 discrimination formulae presently available in the literature. 6,388 samples were collected from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, in North-Western India. Performances of the formulae were evaluated by eight different measures: sensitivity, specificity, Youden's Index, AUC-ROC, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and false omission rate. Three multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, TOPSIS, COPRAS, and SECA, were implemented to rank formulae by ensuring a trade-off among the eight measures.

RESULTS

MCDM methods revealed that the Shine & Lal and SCS[Formula: see text] were the best-performing formulae. Further, a modification of the SCS[Formula: see text] formula was proposed, and validation was conducted with a data set containing 939 samples collected from Nil Ratan Sircar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, in Eastern India. Our two-step approach emphasized the necessity of a molecular diagnosis for a lower number of the population. SCS[Formula: see text] along with the condition MCV[Formula: see text] 80 fl was recommended for a higher heterogeneous population set. It was found that SCS[Formula: see text] can classify all BTT samples with 100% sensitivity when MCV[Formula: see text] 80 fl.

CONCLUSIONS

We addressed the issue of how to integrate the higher-ranked formulae in mass screening to ensure higher performance through the MCDM approach. In real-life practice, it is sufficient for a screening algorithm to flag a particular sample as requiring or not requiring further specific confirmatory testing. Implementing discriminate functions in routine screening programs allows early identification; consequently, the cost will decrease, and the turnaround time in everyday workflows will also increase. Our proposed two-step procedure expedites such a process. It is concluded that for mass screening of BTT in a heterogeneous set of data, SCS[Formula: see text] and its web application SUSOKA can provide 100% sensitivity when MCV[Formula: see text] 80 fl.

Comparison of B1 and RE 529 gene targets by real time PCR and LAMP assay for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in pregnant females

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to accurately diagnose the presence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. In this study we evaluated two gene targets B1 and RE-529 using two different molecular methods i.e., real-time PCR and LAMP.

PROCEDURE

A total of 150 blood samples were collected from pregnant women attending the PGIMER outpatient clinic. The serum and Buffy layer were extracted and various serological (ELISA) and molecular tests (qPCR and LAMP) targeting B1 and RE-529 were carried out.

FINDING

Out of 150 patients, 32 were seropositive. Amongst which for the RE-529 gene, 18 were LAMP positive and 16 were qPCR positive, while for the B1 gene, 14 were LAMP positive and 13 were qPCR positive.

CONCLUSIONS

Molecular methods were more sensitive than serological tests to diagnose congenital toxoplasmosis in antenatal females. Few seronegative patients were reported positive using molecular methods. In addition, LAMP targeting the RE-529 gene is more sensitive than qPCR, and LAMP targets the B1 gene.

Preliminary impact of an mHealth education and social support intervention on maternal health knowledge and outcomes among postpartum mothers in Punjab, India

Background

Significant disruptions in the perinatal continuum of care occur postpartum in India, despite it being a critical time to optimize maternal health and wellbeing. Group-oriented mHealth approaches may help mitigate the impact of limited access to care and the lack of social support that characterize this period. Our team developed and pilot tested a provider-moderated group intervention to increase education, communication with providers, to refer participants to in-person care, and to connect them with a virtual social support group of other mothers with similarly aged infants through weekly calls and text chat.

Methods

We analyzed the preliminary effectiveness of the pilot intervention on maternal health knowledge through 6 months postpartum among 135 participants in Punjab, India who responded to baseline and endline surveys. We described change in knowledge of maternal danger signs, birth preparedness, postpartum care use, postpartum physical and mental health, and family planning use over time between individuals in group call (synchronous), other intervention (asynchronous), and control groups.

Results

Participant knowledge regarding danger signs was low overall regarding pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period (mean range of 1.13 to 2.05 at baseline and 0.79 to 2.10 at endline). Group call participants had a significantly higher increase over time in knowledge of danger signs than other intervention and control group participants. Birth preparedness knowledge ranged from mean 0.89-1.20 at baseline to 1.31-2.07 at baseline, with group call participants having significantly greater increases in comparison to the control group. Group call participants had nearly three-fold increased odds of postpartum health check with a clinical provider than other intervention participants (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.07-7.74). No differences were noted in postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions

Preliminary effectiveness results are promising, yet further robust testing of the MeSSSSage intervention effectiveness is needed. Further development of strategies to support health knowledge and behaviors and overcoming barriers to postpartum care access can improve maternal health among this population.

Incidence of Interstitial Alveolar Syndrome on Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasonography in Pre-eclamptic Women With Severe Features: A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Lung interstitial edema is a clinically silent pathology that develops before overt pulmonary edema among pre-eclamptic women with severe features. Point-of-care lung ultrasonography (LUS) has been suggested as an accessible bedside tool that may identify lung interstitial edema before developing clinical signs and symptoms. Thus, we planned to use bedside LUS as a diagnostic tool in admitted pre-eclamptic women with severe features, with the aim of identifying alveolar-interstitial fluid, seen as B-lines. Our primary objective was to assess the incidence of interstitial alveolar syndrome on lung ultrasonography.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective, single-center, observational study on parturients with pre-eclampsia with severe features over a period of 15 months. LUS in 4 intercostal spaces (ICS) was performed on all eligible patients. The number of single or confluent B-lines in each space was recorded by an independent observer. A scoring system was used to grade the lung fluid content based on the number of single and confluent B-lines per ICS, with scores ranging from 0 to 32 (low, 0-10; moderate, 11-20; and high, 21+). The incidence of B-lines at admission and before and after delivery was calculated. In addition, bedside 2D echocardiography was performed to assess left ventricular systolic and diastolic function. Any correlation between presence of B-lines on LUS and blood pressure, clinical symptoms, or echocardiography findings was assessed.

RESULTS

Seventy patients were enrolled in the study. On LUS, B-lines were seen in 64.3% patients at admission (45/70 vs 25/70 without B-lines; P = .02), 65.7% patients before delivery (46/70 vs 24/70 without B-lines; P = .01), and 58.6% patients 24 hours postpartum (41/70 versus 29/70 without B-lines; P = .15). Nearly all patients (94.3%) exhibited low to moderate severity of pulmonary fluid burden at admission. Echocardiography revealed diastolic dysfunction in 47.1% (n = 33/70) patients with associated B-lines in the majority (n = 32/33). The total B-line score and E/e' ratio among patients with diastolic dysfunction was found to be strongly correlated (r = 0.848; P < .001). All pre-eclamptic women with presence of breathlessness (11/11; 100%) and facial puffiness (16/16; 100%) on admission had B-lines on LUS.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that ultrasonographic pulmonary interstitial syndrome is present in more than half of the women with pre-eclampsia with severe features and correlates with diastolic dysfunction, high blood pressure records, and acute-onset breathlessness.

Cervical Cancer Screening Coverage at Tertiary Care Institutes Across India

OBJECTIVES

The 70% screening coverage target proposed in the global cervical cancer elimination strategy is not achieved even at tertiary centres in India. A situational analysis was done to assess the currently existing facilities and barriers in tertiary care institutes.

METHODS

This cross sectional multicentric study was conducted from August to September 2021 in six tertiary care institutes across India. Women aged 30-49 years attending outpatient services (OPD) were invited for cervical screening. Women and health care professionals (HCPs) were administered structured questionnaires to assess knowledge, attitude and practices regarding cervical cancer screening services.

RESULTS

Out of 6709 eligible women who attended OPD, 1666 (24.8%; range:19-57%) received screening. Availability of screening kits was limited to 10-25 Pap/HPV tests per day. Visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and HPV testing were offered only at certain centres. Colposcopy and treatment facilities were optimal at all centres. Knowledge, attitude and practices were analysed for 1800 women: 45.7% had heard of cervical cancer, 78.0% did not know that it is preventable, 75.8% never heard about screening. Common symptoms correctly identified included postmenopausal bleeding (4.8%), postcoital bleeding (5.7%), intermenstrual bleeding (5.8%) and vaginal discharge (12.4%). Risk factors were identified by minority: poor menstrual hygiene (6.6%), oral contraceptive pill use (6.4%), multiparity (4.4%), and HPV infection (3.0%). Out of 21, mean total knowledge score (MTKS) was 2.07± 2.67. Out of 317 HCPs, 96.5% knew that cervical cancer is caused by HPV infection, is preceded by premalignant stage, and that it is preventable by screening and treatment (80.1%). Knowledge about screening modalities was present in 87.4% for cytology, 75.1% for VIA, 68.8% for HPV test. MTKS of HCPs was 20.88±6.61 out of 32.

CONCLUSION

Even at tertiary centres, limited availability of HPV tests, reluctance to implement VIA and lack of awareness among women remain the major barriers.

A qualitative study to understand sociocultural beliefs around perinatal and neonatal health in rural areas of Mohali, Punjab, India

Introduction

Globally, 600,000 mothers (15-49 years) die every year due to pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. Wide variations are seen in cultural practices and beliefs surrounding this period of a woman's life. The present study explores the cultural beliefs and practices of women and families during pregnancy and the postnatal period in order to understand what behavioral management strategies are required to improve maternal and infant outcomes during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Methods

The study was conducted in a rural area of Punjab, from December 2019 to March 2021. A total of 20 women (up to 3 months postpartum, age >18 years, were interviewed.

Results

In general, women described eating varied and fairly healthy diets during pregnancy, especially nutritious warm food, following traditional practices. Other cultural practices included restrictions on movement and mobile phone use and the use of unsafe home remedies to promote infant safety and wellbeing, such as using gripe water, applying black pencil to the baby's eyes, and feeding the baby honey. A few were not inclined to engage with these and other cultural expectations, preferring instead to follow contemporary practices influenced by social media. These practices included being accompanied by a family member during delivery, celebrating the baby's birth regardless of sex, and early bathing post-delivery.

Discussion

It can be concluded that while many traditional practices are still followed in India, there are new beliefs and behaviors arising from an intersection between culture and technology. Developing strategies that acknowledge older beliefs and modern approaches is essential to promoting better antenatal and postpartum care.

User Acceptability and Perceived Impact of a Mobile Interactive Education and Support Group Intervention to Improve Postnatal Health Care in Northern India: A Qualitative Study

Background

Postnatal care, crucial for preventing and assessing complications after birth, remains low in India. An interactive mHealth community-based postnatal intervention was implemented to promote healthy maternal behaviors through knowledge and social support in rural Northern India. However, there is limited information on how virtual health interventions in resource-constrained settings are perceived by the users and which elements influence their engagement and sustained participation.

Objective

We explored the user perceptions of acceptability and impact of a virtual interactive maternal and child health intervention pilot tested in Punjab State, India, including their perspectives on barriers and facilitators to engage with this intervention.

Methods

This qualitative study was embedded within extensive mixed-method research, and oriented by the Realist Evaluation approach. Sixteen participants were recruited from the parent study. They were identified by purposive sampling to cover diverse levels of attendance and engagement with the intervention. In-depth interviews were conducted by phone. Following translation, a framework analysis was completed to search for the main themes. Feedback was requested from intervention moderators during the process to prioritize local interpretation.

Results

Study participants reported overall satisfaction with the intervention. The mothers appreciated the educational material provided and the communication with other participants and health professionals. Across context, intervention, and actor domains, the barriers most commented on were network and connectivity challenges, lack of time due to household responsibilities, and feeling uncomfortable sharing personal experiences. Family buy-in and support were fundamental for overcoming the high domestic workload and baby care. Another facilitator mentioned was moderators' guidance on using the different intervention modalities. Regarding perceived impact, participants shared that MeSSSSage increased their capability and motivation to breastfeed, seek care as needed, and use contraception according to their preferences. Finally, participants suggested adding more topics to the educational content and adjusting the dynamics within the group calls to improve the intervention.

Conclusions

This study identifies the high acceptability and perceived impact of a novel postnatal care program in a rural setting, including the users' perceived barriers to engaging with the intervention and possible solutions to overcome them. These findings enable refinement of the ongoing intervention, providing a more robust framing for its scalability and long-term sustainability. On a larger scale, conclusions from this research provide new insights and encouragement to global stakeholders who aspire to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries through mHealth.

Expediting labor induction in severe pre-eclampsia by earlier initiation of oxytocin after cervical ripening: A randomized study from India

OBJECTIVE

To observe whether induction of labor (IoL) among women with severe pre-eclampsia (PE) can be expedited by initiating oxytocin early (after 6 h) than after 12 h following cervical ripening with a combined method.

METHODS

Women with severe PE and Bishop's < 6 (n = 96) were randomized into two groups. All women received cervical ripening with a combined method (intracervical Foley's plus dinoprostone gel 0.5 mg) following which Group 1 women received oxytocin after 6 h (with Foley's in-situ) and Group 2 after 12 h (after removing Foley's) RESULTS: Majority were nulliparous (63% in group 1 and 77% in group 2) and the mean gestation was similar (35.3 ± 2.98 weeks in group 1 and 35.5 ± 3.09 in group 2). Nearly half the women had partial HELLP/ HELLP (47.9% and 54.1%; in groups 1 and 2, respectively). The induction-delivery interval (IDI) was significantly reduced in group 1 (16 h 6 min vs 22 h 6 min in group 2; p = 0.001). The cesarean section (CS) rate was 37.5% in group 1 and 31.3% in group 2 (p = 0.525), but the study was underpowered to assess this outcome. The neonatal outcome was similar, 92/96 neonates were discharged after a hospital stay of 3-52 days. There were 4 neonatal deaths (1 in group 1 and 3 in group 2) of extreme or very preterm neonates (27-30 + 6 wks) with birth weight of 735-965 gm.

CONCLUSION

Among women with severe PE undergoing IoL, initiating oxytocin 6 h after cervical ripening with a combined method reduced the IDI significantly as compared to initiating it after 12 h, with a similar CS rate and neonatal outcome.

Association of intermediate Nugent Score and bacterial vaginosis with sexually transmitted infections and vulvovaginal candidiasis

Background Bacterial vaginosis is a common vaginal syndrome among females, which leads to significant morbidity and complications, if left untreated. The association of bacterial vaginosis with various sexually transmitted infections has been mentioned in previous literature. However, studies on the intermediate Nugent Score are lacking. This study was planned to examine the association of sexually transmitted infections with the intermediate Nugent Score. Materials and Methods The study included was conducted to include females presenting with vaginal discharge, burning micturition, itching, lower abdominal pain and infertility. The Nugent scoring was used to categorize patients into those having normal flora, intermediate or bacterial vaginosis. Conventional and molecular techniques targeting Trichomonas vaginalis, Chlamydia trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, Syphilis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and vulvovaginal candidiasis were performed. Results A total of 3,531 clinical samples were collected from females with a median age of 28.0 years. The number of patients with bacterial vaginosis and intermediate Nugent Score and positive cases were significantly higher in the 21-35 years age group (P < 0.0001). We observed that the likelihood of test results being positive for Trichomonas vaginalis was higher (P < 0.05), as the abnormality of the vaginal flora increased. Mycoplasma hominis was observed to be significantly higher in the intermediate Nugent Score group than the BV-positive patients (0.6 vs 0.2, P = 0.002). The number of vulvovaginal candidiasis cases in both the bacterial vaginosis-negative and bacterial vaginosis-positive groups were nearly the same (9.3 vs 9.8%). Limitation Individual follow-up couldn't be performed on the patients. Conclusion We observed that the dysbiosis in vaginal microbiota, with an increase in Nugent scoring, was significantly associated with an increased risk for the acquisition of sexually transmitted infections and vulvovaginal candidiasis.

Extramammary Paget's disease of vulva and metastatic adenocarcinoma: A rare conundrum

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare intraepithelial adenocarcinoma. To increase awareness and knowledge regarding this rare dermatosis, we hereby reported a case of ulcerated plaque on genitalia.

Validation of Grobman’s graphical nomogram for prediction of vaginal delivery in Indian women with previous caesarean section

Purpose

To validate Grobman's nomogram for prediction of trial of labour after caesarean section (TOLAC) success in the Indian population.

Methods

A prospective observational study of women with previous lower segment caesarean sections (LSCS) who were admitted for TOLAC between January 2019 and June 2020 at a tertiary care hospital We compared the Grobman's predicted VBAC success probability to the observed VBAC rate in the study population and devised a receiver-operator characteristics (ROC) curve for the nomogram.

Results

Among the 124 women with prior LSCS who chose TOLAC and were included in the study, 68 (54.8%) had a successful VBAC and 56 (45.2%) had a failed TOLAC. The mean Grobman's predicted success probability for the cohort was 76.7%, significantly higher in VBAC women versus CS women (80.6% vs. 72.1%; p 0.001). The VBAC rate was 69.1% with a predicted probability of > 75% and only 42.9% with a probability of 50%. Women in the > 75% probability group had a nearly similar observed and predicted VBAC rate (69.1% vs. 86.3%; p = 0.002), and a greater number of women in the 50% probability group had successful VBAC than predicted (42.9% vs. 39.5%; p = 0.018). The area under the ROC curve for the study was 0.703 (95% CI 0.609-0.797; p 0.001). Grobman's nomogram had a sensitivity of 57.35%, a specificity of 82.14%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 79.59%, and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 61.33% at a predicted probability cut-off of 82.5%.

Conclusions

Women who had a higher Grobman's predicted probability had greater VBAC success rates than those with low predicted probability scores. The prediction ability of the nomogram was highly accurate at higher predicted probabilities, and even at lower predicted probabilities, women did have good odds of delivering vaginally.

Prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis by polymerase chain reaction-based molecular method among symptomatic women from Northern India

Introduction

Trichomoniasis remains one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, which is curable. To prevent complications and transmission, prompt and correct diagnosis is essential to treat Trichomonas vaginalis. The present study was done to evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with other conventional techniques for the diagnosis of T. vaginalis infection and determine the prevalence of T. vaginalis in women with vaginal discharge based on PCR assay.

Methods

Vaginal swabs were collected by the trained health-care professional using FLOQSwabs™ (Copan, Italy) during routine pelvic examinations among 1974 symptomatic females. The wet microscopy, culture, and PCR were performed.

Results

The sensitivity of wet mount and culture in comparison to PCR was 60.87% and 56.52%, respectively. The kappa inter-rater agreement of T. vaginalis PCR showed substantial agreement with wet mount microscopy (κ = 0.742) and culture (κ = 0.707). The PCR detected an additional 17 cases that were missed by conventional techniques.

Discussion

The study highlights the importance of PCR for T. vaginalis screening among symptomatic females.

Biallelic NLRP7 variants in patients with recurrent hydatidiform mole: A review and expert consensus

Hydatidiform mole (HM) is an abnormal human pregnancy characterized by excessive growth of placental trophoblasts and abnormal early embryonic development. Following a first such abnormal pregnancy, the risk for women of successive molar pregnancies significantly increases. To date variants in seven maternal-effect genes have been shown to cause recurrent HMs (RHM). NLRP7 is the major causative gene for RHM and codes for NOD-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin domain containing 7, which belongs to a family of proteins involved in inflammatory disorders. Since its identification, all NLRP7 variants have been recorded in Infevers, an online registry dedicated to autoinflammatory diseases (https://infevers.umai-montpellier.fr/web/). Here, we reviewed published and unpublished recessive NLRP7 variants associated with RHM, scored their pathogenicity according to the American College of Medical Genetics classification, and recapitulated all functional studies at the level of both the patients and the conceptions. We also provided data on further variant analyses of 32 patients and genotypes of 36 additional molar pregnancies. This comprehensive review integrates published and unpublished data on NLRP7 and aims at guiding geneticists and clinicians in variant interpretation, genetic counseling, and management of patients with this rare condition.

Folic Acid Levels During Pregnancy Regulate Trophoblast Invasive Behavior and the Possible Development of Preeclampsia

Background

One of the unique features of placentation is its similarity to tumorigenesis yet being very well regulated. It allows rapid proliferation, migration, and invasion of mononuclear trophoblast cells into the maternal uterus and remodeling the maternal vasculature. This pseudomalignant nature of trophoblastic cells is strictly regulated and its importance becomes evident in abnormal pregnancies that are characterized by aberrant trophoblast proliferation/invasion like preeclampsia. In addition to this, the importance of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy is well documented. We aimed to analyze the molecular and epigenetic regulation of the pseudomalignant nature of placentation via folic acid levels.

Methods

Placental tissue samples were collected from different pregnancies in three different gestational stages. We estimated the impact of folic acid levels on global methylation, LINE1 methylation, and expression of DNMTs in all three gestational stages in pregnant women and preeclampsia pregnancies. We also analyzed the effect of folic acid supplementation on trophoblastic invasion using placental derived cells viz, JEG-3 and HTR-8/SVneo cell line and verified the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms involved in this regulation.

Results

Development of preeclampsia was observed to be associated with lower folate levels in placental tissue, higher global methylation level, and higher expression of DNMT1and DNMT3A. Folic acid supplementation was found to increase the invasive potential of placental trophoblasts by almost two folds which were associated with the decreased expression of tumor suppressor genes and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases; and increased expression of oncogenes, telomerase gene, and matrix metalloproteinases. These folic acid-mediated changes were observed to be regulated by CpG methylation in the case of many genes. Folic acid supplementation was also observed to significantly decrease global methylation in placental trophoblasts related to decreasing expression of DNMT1 and DNMT3A.

Conclusion

Lower folic acid levels are associated with preeclampsia development and folic acid supplementation regulates the invasive potential of placental trophoblasts as mediated by various epigenetic changes in the placenta suggesting the protective effect of folic acid against preeclampsia.

A randomized controlled trial to compare antibiotic prophylaxis in elective gynecological surgeries: Single dose of cefazolin versus single dose of cefazolin and tinidazole

Objectives:

To evaluate if addition of an anti-anaerobic agent to standard drug-cefazolin for antimicrobial prophylaxis would further decrease postoperative infectious morbidity or not. This is relevant as most of the infections in gynecological surgeries are anaerobic but cefazolin does not protect against anaerobes.

Materials and Methods:

The study design was a parallel randomized controlled trial. Two hundred patients undergoing benign gynecological surgeries were divided into two groups of 100 each. Group A received 2 g cefazolin 30–60 min before incision and Group B received 2 g cefazolin 30–60 min and 1.6 g tinidazole 60–120 min before incision. The patients were followed for any infectious morbidity for 1 month postoperatively. The analysis was done separately for abdominal, laparoscopic, and vaginal surgeries. The analysis was also done for surgeries according to the wound category, i.e. clean and clean-contaminated.

Results:

The two groups were comparable for age and body mass index (BMI). The two groups were comparable for the factors affecting infectious morbidity such as duration of surgery, blood loss, blood transfusions, duration of hospital stay, and need for additional antibiotics. The postoperative infectious morbidity was analyzed in terms of fever, surgical site infection (SSI), and urinary tract infection (UTI). No patient in vaginal and laparoscopic groups suffered from infectious morbidity. In abdominal surgeries group, postoperative fever occurred in 6/74 (8.1%) and 11/74 patients (14.8%) in Groups A and B, respectively (P = 0.38). SSI occurred in 1/74 (1.3%) and 2/74 (2.7%) patients in Groups A and B, respectively (P = 1.0). UTI occurred in 5/74 patients (6.7%) and 2/74 patients (2.7%) in Groups A and B, respectively (P = 0.44). The data were also analyzed for infectious morbidity for clean and clean-contaminated wound categories, and the results were nonsignificant between both groups for each type of wound category (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Cefazolin alone is a sufficient antibiotic prophylaxis for benign gynecological procedures.

A Simple Infection Prevention 'Bundle' Including Preoperative Bath With Hair-Wash to Reduce Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Following Elective Caesarean and Gynaecological Surgery in India

Background:

Surgical site infections (SSIs) may be reduced by following SSI prevention measures. We assessed the SSI rate following caesarean section (CS) and gynaecologic surgery after implementing a simple SSI prevention bundle including preoperative bath and hair wash

Methods:

The study was carried out in two hospitals in North India (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research [PGIMER] and Civil Hospital CH) from August 2018 to July 2019. The SSI rate during intervention period (9 months) was compared with baseline rate (3 months). Womens’ knowledge about SSI was assessed preoperatively and after counselling, postoperatively

Results:

The baseline SSI rate after CS (n = 165) was 11.1% at PGIMER and 8.5% at CH. After gynae surgery (n = 172), it was 13% at PGIMER and 11.5% at CH. During intervention, (CS = 585, gynae surgery = 503), SSI rate was reduced significantly at PGIMER (CS: 11.1% to 3.7%, P = 0.048; gynae surgery: 13% to 7.1%, P = 0.027), but not at CH (CS: 8.5% to 8.2%, P = 0.903; gynae surgery: 11.5% to 11.4%, P = 0.984). Three measures were followed more often at PGIMER than at CH: before CS, bath with hair-wash: 99.3% vs 78.5%, P = 0.00, hair-clipper vs razor: 100% vs 5.1%, P = 0.00 and antibiotic prophylaxis ≤120 min: 100% vs 92.4%, P = 0.00; and before gynae surgery, bath with hair-wash: 93.2% vs 71%, P = 0.00, hair-clipper vs razor: 93.6% vs 1.9%, P = 0.00 and antibiotic prophylaxis ≤120 min: 100% vs 80.8%, P = 0.00. Postoperatively, womens’ knowledge about SSI prevention improved significantly at the two sites

Conclusion:

The reduction in SSI at PGIMER was attributed to better compliance to SSI prevention measures listed above. Counselling women about simple SSI prevention method like preoperative bath with scalp hair wash increased their knowledge about these significantly.

Socio-behavioural determinants of maternal near miss: a prospective case control study from a tertiary care centre of India

Near miss occurs in far greater numbers than maternal deaths and allows a more robust quantification on risk factors and determinants of life-threatening complications. A 'Three delay model' has been proposed in identification of causes of near miss and maternal deaths. There may be delay in seeking and obtaining health care: delay in recognising danger signs and deciding to reach source of care, delay in reaching appropriate source of care and delay in obtaining appropriate and adequate treatments. We compared various delays between near miss cases (n = 100) and controls (n = 200). Women who fulfilled criteria of near miss were taken as cases. Women who had obstetrical complications like near miss but were managed successfully and did not reach near miss state were labelled as controls. Near miss were then compared with maternal death. For normally distributed measurable data, outcome was compared using Student's t-test, for non-normally distributed/ordinal data, outcome was compared using Mann-Whitney's test. For categorical/classified data, association with outcome was analysed using Chi-Square test/Fisher's exact test.Delay in all three levels was seen among the groups. Lack of knowledge, non-availability of decision maker, and concern of cost of transport were main contributors of these delays.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Nonavailability of healthcare and low socio-economic status strongly correlate with maternal morbidity and mortality.What do the results of this study add? Lack of knowledge, non-availability of the decision maker, and concern of cost of transport were the main contributors of delay in seeking medical care. Majority of the cases of near miss were attributed to poor utilisation of health resources, ignorance and lack of emergency obstetric care at the primary level.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Patient and attendant education to ensure follow-up visits, recognise danger signs and report without undue delay, compliance to dietary modifications, medications given needs to be addressed at every visit to reduce the impact of socio-behavioural determinants on maternal near miss and mortality which are preventable in majority of cases.

Pregnancy Outcome of Rh D Alloimmunized Pregnancies: A Tertiary Care Institute Experience of a Developing Country

Aim

To determine the socio-demographic characteristics and pregnancy outcome of Rh D alloimmunized women monitored with MCA PSV (middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity).

Materials and Methods

In total, 363 Rh D alloimmunized women attended antenatal clinic or obstetric emergency between January 2006 and December 2014. MCA PSV was the screening method for detection of fetal anemia. Intrauterine blood transfusion (IUT) was given when MCA PSV was > 1.5 MOM. Totally, 162 women (164 fetuses) received 492 transfusions. Forty-eight women had fetal hydrops at presentation. Five women (three received IUT) were lost to follow-up. Pregnancy outcome of 358 women and socio-demographic characteristics of 363 women were analyzed.

Results

The perinatal mortality was 421, 66 and 87 per 1000 live births in hydrops group, non-hydrops IUT group and non-IUT group, respectively.

Conclusion

Rh alloimmunization is still a major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The higher gravidity, previous history of pregnancy wastage, still births and hydrops increase the requirement of intrauterine transfusion. MCA PSV is an excellent tool for monitoring of Rh alloimmunized pregnancies to detect fetal anemia. Early detection and monitoring by MCA PSV improve its outcome.

Dynamics of Married Women’s Mobile Phone Access and Use in India: Insights From a Secondary Analysis of a Postpartum mHealth Intervention Pilot in Punjab (Preprint)

Background

As mobile phone uptake in India continues to grow, there is also continued interest in mobile platform–based interventions for health education. There is a significant gender gap in mobile phone access—women’s access to mobile phones is constrained by economic and social barriers. Pregnancy and postpartum care is one of many targets for mobile health (mHealth) interventions that particularly rely upon women’s access to and facility with mobile phone use.

Objective

We aimed to describe the dynamics and patterns of married pregnant and postpartum women’s mobile phone access and use (among both phone owners and nonowners) who participated in an mHealth postpartum care intervention and to identify potential barriers to their participation in mobile platform–based interventions.

Methods

A secondary analysis was performed on mixed methods data obtained for a pilot mHealth intervention for postpartum care of mothers in rural Punjab from July 2020 to February 2021. Two formative sources included exploratory in-depth interviews among postpartum women (n=20; 1-3 months postpartum) and quantitative maternal health survey among women who were pregnant or who had recently given birth (n=102). We also utilized mixed methods intervention assessment data from early postpartum women who participated in the pilot intervention (n=29), including intervention moderator perspectives. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed, and pertinent findings were grouped thematically.

Results

The majority of women owned a phone (maternal health survey: 75/102, 74%; demographic survey: 17/29, 59%), though approximately half (53/102, 52%) still reported sharing phones with other family members. Sharing a phone with female family members typically allowed for better access than sharing with male family members. Some households had strict preferences against daughters-in-law having phones, or otherwise significantly restricted women’s phone access. Others reported concerns about phone use–related health hazards for mother and infant during the pregnancy or postpartum period.

Conclusions

These findings suggest nuance regarding what is meant by women’s phone ownership and access—there were numerous additional constraints on women’s use of phones, particularly during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Future research and mHealth interventions should probe these domains to better understand the dynamics governing women’s access, use, and fluency with mobile phones to optimally design mHealth interventions.

A mobile education and social support group intervention for improving postpartum health in northern India: Development and usability study (Preprint)

Background

Structural and cultural barriers limit Indian women’s access to adequate postnatal care and support despite their importance for maternal and neonatal health. Targeted postnatal education and support through a mobile health intervention may improve postnatal recovery, neonatal care practices, nutritional status, knowledge and care seeking, and mental health.

Objective

We sought to understand the feasibility and acceptability of our first pilot phase, a flexible 6-week postnatal mobile health intervention delivered to 3 groups of women in Punjab, India, and adapt our intervention for our next pilot phase, which will formally assess intervention feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy.

Methods

Our intervention prototype was designed to deliver culturally tailored educational programming via a provider-moderated, voice- and text-based group approach to connect new mothers with a social support group of other new mothers, increase their health-related communication with providers, and refer them to care needed. We targeted deployment using feature phones to include participants from diverse socioeconomic groups. We held moderated group calls weekly, disseminated educational audios, and created SMS text messaging groups. We varied content delivery, group discussion participation, and chat moderation. Three groups of postpartum women from Punjab were recruited for the pilot through community health workers. Sociodemographic data were collected at baseline. Intervention feasibility and acceptability were assessed through weekly participant check-ins (N=29), weekly moderator reports, structured end-line in-depth interviews among a subgroup of participants (15/29, 52%), and back-end technology data.

Results

The participants were aged 24 to 28 years and 1 to 3 months postpartum. Of the 29 participants, 17 (59%) had their own phones. Half of the participants (14/29, 48%) attended ≥3 of the 6 calls; the main barriers were childcare and household responsibilities and network or phone issues. Most participants were very satisfied with the intervention (16/19, 84%) and found the educational content (20/20, 100%) and group discussions (17/20, 85%) very useful. The participants used the SMS text messaging chat, particularly when facilitator-moderated. Sustaining participation and fostering group interactions was limited by technological and sociocultural challenges.

Conclusions

The intervention was considered generally feasible and acceptable, and protocol adjustments were identified to improve intervention delivery and engagement. To address technological issues, we engaged a cloud-based service provider for group calls and an interactive voice response service provider for educational recordings and developed a smartphone app for the participants. We seek to overcome sociocultural challenges through new strategies for increasing group engagement, including targeting midlevel female community health care providers as moderators. Our second pilot will assess intervention feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness at 6 months. Ultimately, we seek to support the health and well-being of postpartum women and their infants in South Asia and beyond through the development of efficient, acceptable, and effective intervention strategies.

Cervical cytology in the detection of uterine clear cell carcinoma: Diagnostic predictors from a case-control study

INTRODUCTION

Uterine clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCC) is a rare, aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. The present study aimed to identify and describe its characteristic morphological features in cervical cytology.

METHODS

This was a 3-year retrospective case-control study. Cases included cervical samples of histopathologically proven endometrial and cervical CCC. Controls included cervical samples of histopathologically proven endometrial serous carcinoma (n = 15), endometrioid adenocarcinoma (n = 20), and endocervical adenocarcinoma (n = 15). Twenty-eight cytomorphological features were evaluated; the strength of association was determined by odds ratio (OR) and Cramer's V, and the diagnostic accuracy of statistically significant features was assessed.

RESULTS

Cases consisted of histopathologically proven 25 (34.7%) endometrial and 13 (18.0%) cervical CCC. Corresponding cervical samples were available for a total of 14 (36.8%) patients, of which 13 (92.8%) were positive for epithelial cell abnormality. On univariate analysis, three cytomorphological variables were significant predictors of uterine CCC: presence of dense cytoplasm (OR = 88; V = 0.72), deep nuclear membrane irregularities (OR = 17.5; V = 0.55), and coarse chromatin (OR = 21.3; V = 0.46). Dense cytoplasm had the highest positive predictive value (92%) and high specificity (97.8%), whereas coarse chromatin had the highest sensitivity (92.3%) and negative predictive value (96.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of dense cytoplasm and deep nuclear membrane irregularities in the tumour cells were strong predictors, and coarse chromatin a moderate predictor, of uterine CCC compared to its close cytological mimics.

Primary pure large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the ovary: histopathologic and immunohistochemical analysis with review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Primary ovarian large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (POLNEC) is an extremely rare and highly aggressive malignancy. Establishing a definite diagnosis requires histopathologic examination with immunohistochemical demonstration of neuroendocrine differentiation in the tumor cells. The histopathology may overlap with a variety of other ovarian malignancies; however, rendering an accurate diagnosis is essential, owing to the therapeutic and prognostic implications.

CASE

A 62-year-old, post-menopausal woman presented with complaints of abdominal fullness and dull-aching abdominal pain for the last three months. A pelvic ultrasound revealed the presence of a complex adnexal mass. Serum levels of tumor markers, CA125, carcinoembryonic antigen, alpha-fetoprotein, and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, were within normal limits. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging showed a heterogeneous lobulated right adnexal mass measuring 6.7×5.8×5.6 cm, which was T2-hyperintense and T1-hypointense. A provisional diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma was made, and a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed.

RESULTS

Histopathology showed an organoid and nesting pattern with a focal perivascular arrangement of the tumor cells with large, moderately pleomorphic, round to oval nuclei, granular chromatin, conspicuous nucleoli, and a moderate amount of pale-eosinophilic cytoplasm. Brisk mitosis and lymphovascular space involvement were noted. On immunohistochemistry, the tumor cells showed positivity for chromogranin, synaptophysin, and neuron-specific enolase and were negative for PAX8, WT1, vimentin, and epithelial membrane antigen. p53 showed wild-type, and SMARCB1/INI-1 showed retained nuclear expression. Based on the histopathologic and immunohistochemical features, a final diagnosis of POLNEC was rendered. The patient received 4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy and is disease-free, 28 months post-treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The present report highlights the characteristic histopathologic and immunohistochemical features of POLCNEC to distinguish it from other clinicopathologic mimics and present a comprehensive review of the published literature of all such cases.

ALDH1 & CD133 in invasive cervical carcinoma & their association with the outcome of chemoradiation therapy

Background & objectives:

Chemoradiation is the standard therapy for locally advanced invasive cervical cancer and response to treatment determines the outcome. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) play a role in response to treatment and hence the aim of this study was to evaluate if their levels in pre-treatment biopsies by immunohistochemistry (IHC) could predict response to treatment and outcome.

Methods:

The study comprised 60 patients with FIGO Stage IIB/III invasive cervical carcinoma treated by chemoradiation. They were divided into two groups based on their clinical outcome: group 1, 30 patients who had no evidence of disease at 48 month follow up and group 2, 30 patients who had disease relapse within 6-12 months of treatment completion. IHC was performed for CSC markers (ALDH1, CD133, Nanog and Oct-4), EMT markers (E-cadherin and vimentin) and squamocolumnar junction (KRT7) markers and H-scores determined. Intergroup comparison was performed. The expression of these markers was also evaluated in histological sections of cervical pre-cancer (CIN1 and CIN3) in comparison to normal cervix.

Results:

Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) showed high expression of ALDH1 and KRT7 as compared to normal cervical epithelium. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) and CD133 were overexpressed in 70 and 24 per cent cervical carcinoma cases whereas E-cadherin showed reduced expression in invasive carcinoma as compared to normal controls. ALDH1 overexpression was significantly associated with disease relapse in invasive cervical carcinoma treated by chemoradiation (P<0.01).

Interpretation & conclusions:

Determination of ALDH1 levels in pre-treatment cervical biopsies of invasive cervical carcinoma may be useful for prediction of response to chemoradiation, with high levels predicting for a poor response.

Successful outcome of giant chorioangioma

Chorioangioma is the most common benign non trophoblastic tumor of the placenta. It is a rare presentation with incidence of 0.6-1% of all pregnancies. It is associated with feto maternal complications like polyhydramnios, cervical incompetence, preterm labor, increased rate of cesarean delivery, abruptio placentae, malpresentation, postpartum hemorrhage, fetal growth restriction, fetal anemia, fetal thrombocytopenia, non immune hydrops, fetal cardiac failure, cerebral embolism, cerebral infarction, intrauterine fetal and neonatal death. Ultrasound is the gold standard for diagnosis . Here we present a case of giant chorioangioma of 6 * 5 cm with complication of polyhydramnios, preterm labor, abruptio placenta and placenta previa successfully managed with good maternal and fetal outcome.

Comparison of intracervical Foley catheter combined with a single dose of vaginal misoprostol tablet or intracervical dinoprostone gel for cervical ripening: a randomised study

We compared two combined methods for cervical ripening before induction of labour (IOL) Women (n = 150) were randomised into Foley's-misoprostol (n = 75) and Foley's-dinoprostone (n = 75) groups. A single dose of vaginal misoprostol tablet (25 µg) or intracervical dinoprostone gel (0.5 mg) were used alongwith intracervical Foley's. The primary outcome was induction-delivery interval (IDI) and secondary outcomes were change in Bishop's score, oxytocin requirement, caesarean section (CS) rate, chorioamnionitis and neonatal outcome. The mean parity, gestation and indications for IOL were similar in the two groups. The IDI (19 h 37 min and 19 h 20 min; p = .683), cervical ripening time, oxytocin requirement, CS rate (18.7 and 25.4%, p = .322) and neonatal outcome were similar. Hyperstimulation developed in 2.7% women with Foley's-misoprostol and in 1.3% with Foley's-dinoprostone (p = .55). No woman had chorioamnionitis. Thus, these two combined methods of cervical ripening and IOL were observed to be similarly efficacious. A low incidence of hyperstimulation and no chorioamnionitis may be attributed to using a single dose of prostaglandins. Misoprostol may be substituted for dinoprostone in resource limited countries.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Combined methods for cervical ripening (intracervical Foley's plus prostaglandins) before induction of labour (IOL) may be similarly or more efficacious than individual methods. Most studies comparing various combined methods have used repeated doses of prostaglandins. A combined method using repetitive doses of prostaglandins may increase the risk of hyperstimulation and also of infection consequent to repeated vaginal examination to administer prostaglandins. These two concerns may be offset by combining a single dose of prostaglandin with intracervical Foley's catheter.What do the results of this study add? Two combined methods for cervical ripening using a single dose of vaginal misoprostol (25 µg) or intracervical dinoprostone gel (0.5 mg) co-administered with intracervical Foley's catheter were found to be similarly efficacious. The IDI (19 h 37 min and 19 h 20 min; p = .683), cervical ripening time, oxytocin requirement, CS rate (18.7 and 25.4%, p = .322) and neonatal outcome were similar. The incidence of hyperstimulation was low (2.7 and 1.3% with Foley's-misoprostol and Foley's-dinoprostone, respectively) and no woman had chorioamnionitis.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Combined methods for cervical ripening using a single dose of prostaglandins (misoprostol or dinoprostone) were observed to be similarly efficacious. Misoprostol is a cheaper alternative to dinoprostone and may be utilised in resource limited countries. These methods may be compared with each other in more number of women in order to identify which combined method is more efficient and safe. Clinical Trials Registry of India: CTRI/2017/12/010738.

Different dietary combinations of folic acid and vitamin B12 in parental diet results in epigenetic reprogramming of IGF2R and KCNQ1OT1 in placenta and fetal tissues in mice

Genomic imprinting is important for mammalian development and its dysregulation can cause various developmental defects and diseases. The study evaluated the effects of different dietary combinations of folic acid and B12 on epigenetic regulation of IGF2R and KCNQ1OT1 ncRNA in C57BL/6 mice model. Female mice were fed diets with nine combinations of folic acid and B12 for 4 weeks. They were mated and off-springs born (F1) were continued on the same diet for 6 weeks postweaning and were allowed to mate. The placenta and fetal (F2) tissues were collected at day 20 of gestation. Dietary deficiency of folate (BNFD and BOFD) and B12 (BDFN) with either state of other vitamin or combined deficiency of both vitamins (BDFD) in comparison to BNFN, were overall responsible for reduced expression of IGF2R in the placenta (F1) and the fetal liver (F2) whereas a combination of folate deficiency with different levels of B12 revealed sex-specific differences in kidney and brain. The alterations in the expression of IGF2R caused by folate-deficient conditions (BNFD and BOFD) and both deficient condition (BDFD) was found to be associated with an increase in suppressive histone modifications. Over-supplementation of either folate or B12 or both vitamins in comparison to BNFN, led to increase in expression of IGF2R and KCNQ1OT1 in the placenta and fetal tissues. The increase in the expression of IGF2R caused by folate over-supplementation (BNFO) was associated with decreased DNA methylation in fetal tissues. KCNQ1OT1 noncoding RNA (ncRNA), however, showed upregulation under deficient conditions of folate and B12 only in female fetal tissues which correlated well with hypomethylation observed under these conditions. An epigenetic reprograming of IGF2R and KCNQ1OT1 ncRNA in the offspring was evident upon different dietary combinations of folic acid and B12 in the mice.

Managing Life-Threatening Malignant Superior Mediastinal Syndrome in Pregnancy: When Benefits of Radiation and Chemotherapy Outweigh the Risks—A Case Report and Review of Literature

There is scarce literature on managing superior mediastinal syndrome during pregnancy. We report a case of 26-year-old primigravida who presented with life-threatening superior mediastinal syndrome at 32 weeks of gestation. The diagnosis was significantly delayed and, as a result, she reached the emergency with stridor and impending respiratory failure. She was diagnosed with primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma Lugano Stage II with a bulky mediastinal mass. She was treated with chemoimmunotherapy and underwent a preterm vaginal delivery after a week. She delivered a 1.6 kg healthy child with no malformations. Later, she completed three cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisolone and five cycles of dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisolone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, rituximab, followed by radiotherapy. She continues to be in remission at 18 months of follow-up. Delaying diagnostic imaging that involves ionizing radiation exposure and chemotherapy to avoid teratogenic and obstetric complications during pregnancy can adversely affect the prognosis in certain patients with high-grade malignancies. On the contrary, prompt multidisciplinary management can lead to a gratifying outcome.

Evaluating Progestogens for Preventing Preterm birth International Collaborative (EPPPIC): meta-analysis of individual participant data from randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Preterm birth is a global health priority. Using a progestogen during high-risk pregnancy could reduce preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes.

METHODS

We did a systematic review of randomised trials comparing vaginal progesterone, intramuscular 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHPC), or oral progesterone with control, or with each other, in asymptomatic women at risk of preterm birth. We identified published and unpublished trials that completed primary data collection before July 30, 2016, (12 months before data collection began), by searching MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, the Maternity and Infant Care Database, and relevant trial registers between inception and July 30, 2019. Trials of progestogen to prevent early miscarriage or immediately-threatened preterm birth were excluded. Individual participant data were requested from investigators of eligible trials. Outcomes included preterm birth, early preterm birth, and mid-trimester birth. Adverse neonatal sequelae associated with early births were assessed using a composite of serious neonatal complications, and individually. Adverse maternal outcomes were investigated as a composite and individually. Individual participant data were checked and risk of bias assessed independently by two researchers. Primary meta-analyses used one-stage generalised linear mixed models that incorporated random effects to allow for heterogeneity across trials. This meta-analysis is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42017068299.

FINDINGS

Initial searches identified 47 eligible trials. Individual participant data were available for 30 of these trials. An additional trial was later included in a targeted update. Data were therefore available from a total of 31 trials (11 644 women and 16185 offspring). Trials in singleton pregnancies included mostly women with previous spontaneous preterm birth or short cervix. Preterm birth before 34 weeks was reduced in such women who received vaginal progesterone (nine trials, 3769 women; relative risk [RR] 0·78, 95% CI 0·68-0·90), 17-OHPC (five trials, 3053 women; 0·83, 0·68-1·01), and oral progesterone (two trials, 181 women; 0·60, 0·40-0·90). Results for other birth and neonatal outcomes were consistently favourable, but less certain. A possible increase in maternal complications was suggested, but this was uncertain. We identified no consistent evidence of treatment interaction with any participant characteristics examined, although analyses within subpopulations questioned efficacy in women who did not have a short cervix. Trials in multifetal pregnancies mostly included women without additional risk factors. For twins, vaginal progesterone did not reduce preterm birth before 34 weeks (eight trials, 2046 women: RR 1·01, 95% CI 0·84-1·20) nor did 17-OHPC for twins or triplets (eight trials, 2253 women: 1·04, 0·92-1·18). Preterm premature rupture of membranes was increased with 17-OHPC exposure in multifetal gestations (rupture <34 weeks RR 1·59, 95% CI 1·15-2·22), but we found no consistent evidence of benefit or harm for other outcomes with either vaginal progesterone or 17-OHPC.

INTERPRETATION

Vaginal progesterone and 17-OHPC both reduced birth before 34 weeks' gestation in high-risk singleton pregnancies. Given increased underlying risk, absolute risk reduction is greater for women with a short cervix, hence treatment might be most useful for these women. Evidence for oral progesterone is insufficient to support its use. Shared decision making with woman with high-risk singleton pregnancies should discuss an individual's risk, potential benefits, harms and practicalities of intervention. Treatment of unselected multifetal pregnancies with a progestogen is not supported by the evidence.

FUNDING

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Near miss: determinants of maternal near miss and perinatal outcomes: a prospective case control study from a tertiary care center of India

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

To study the causes of maternal near miss and compared maternal and perinatal outcome of maternal near miss cases with controls (women with potential life-threatening complication [PLTC]) and maternal death.

METHODS

Mothers (n = 100) who fulfilled the WHO criteria for maternal near miss (MNM) were identified and enrolled in the study. Two controls for each near miss case were taken. This included the women who had same PLTC but did not reach near miss within one week of enrollment. The comparison of maternal and fetal outcome was done between the two groups and with the maternal death (MD) group, who presented initially as near miss.

RESULTS

Obstetric hemorrhage was the most common potential life-threatening complication in MNM and MD group. On multiple logistic regression analysis, we found that the presence of organ dysfunction was the independent predictor of near miss and need of mechanical ventilation and coagulation dysfunction as an independent predictor of maternal death. A mother in the near miss group or death group had a higher chance of giving birth to a still-born child (p = < 0.001). Risk of neonatal death after NICU admission was numerically more among near miss and death group than controls, although statistically insignificant (p > .05).

CONCLUSION

Despite making tremendous progress in obstetric care facilities at a tertiary level, developing countries need to strengthen primary care infrastructure and referral system. To improve maternal care, there should be the provision of health education for all pregnant women and antenatal services should be improved.

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System with or without Metformin for Treatment of Endometrial Hyperplasia without Atypia in Indian Women

Background:

Endometrial cancer is the second most frequent genital malignancy in women, which is showing a constant rise all over world. Endometrial hyperplasia is the precursor of endometrial cancer. Levonorgestrel intrauterine system is the first line management in patients with endometrial hyperplasia without atypia. Metformin has shown to reverse endometrial hyperplasia, but its effectiveness and safety in endometrial hyperplasia is uncertain.

Objective:

To compare the efficacy in terms of histopathological response, clinical response and safety at the end of 6 months in patients with endometrial hyperplasia without atypia managed with levonorgestrel intrauterine system alone versus patients managed with levonorgestrel intrauterine system plus metformin.

Methods:

The randomized control trial was conducted on 51 cases of endometrial hyperplasia without atypia. Twenty-five subjects were prescribed metformin 500mg twice daily with levonorgestrel intrauterine system and 26 subjects, with levonorgestrel intrauterine system only for 6 months. At the end of 6 months, endometrial sampling was performed for histopathological response.

Results:

Clinical response was observed in 23 of 25 subjects in metformin group and 22 of 24 in levonorgestrel only group. The metformin group responded significantly with amenorrhea (p= 0.0053), while levonorgestrel only group responded with regular cycles (p=0.027). At the end of study, of 46 subjects available for histopathological evaluation, 100% subjects in metformin group and 95.45% in levonorgestrel only group (p=0.47826) showed complete response. The metformin group had a significant reduction in body mass index at end of study [P = 0∙023, 95% confidence interval (-1.7802, -0.1418)].

Conclusion:

No significant difference in regression of endometrial hyperplasia was observed on adjunctive use of metformin but a significant reduction in BMI was observed. Use of metformin in obese patients may improve the treatment response.

Second trimester medical abortion in a primigravida with lupus nephritis and rapidly progressive renal failure: challenges and outcome

In the second trimester, medical abortion is preferred as it is less invasive, and the surgical method carries more risk. There is a paucity of published literature on medical abortion in women with renal failure requiring haemodialysis. We came across a woman who presented with rapidly progressive renal failure at 18 weeks of gestation and required therapeutic abortion. We are reporting the challenges, outcomes, and precautions to be taken while performing a medical abortion in such a case.

Novel pathogenic variants in NLRP7, NLRP5, and PADI6 in patients with recurrent hydatidiform moles and reproductive failure

Recurrent hydatidiform moles (RHMs) are human pregnancies with abnormal embryonic development and hyperproliferating trophoblast. Biallelic mutations in NLRP7 and KHDC3L, members of the subcortical maternal complex (SCMC), explain the etiology of RHMs in only 60% of patients. Here we report the identification of seven functional variants in a recessive state in three SCMC members, five in NLRP7, one in NLRP5, and one in PADI6. In NLRP5, we report the first patient with RHMs and biallelic mutations. In PADI6, the patient had four molar pregnancies, two of which had fetuses with various abnormalities including placental mesenchymal dysplasia and intra-uterine growth restriction, which are features of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome and Silver Russell syndrome, respectively. Our findings corroborate recent studies and highlight the common oocyte origin of all these conditions and the continuous spectrum of abnormalities associated with deficiencies in the SCMC genes.

Detection of co-infection of Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae using qualitative PCR: A better predictor of bacterial vaginosis

The present study aimed to determine the utility of detection of co-infection of Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae using qualitative PCR for diagnosing bacterial vaginosis (BV). Vaginal samples (n = 385) categorized as positive (n = 108) or negative (n = 208) for bacterial vaginosis based on the Nugent scoring system, were analyzed for the presence of G. vaginalis and A. vaginae by conventional PCR. We compared the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and odds ratio for the detection of each bacterium alone with the combination of the two bacteria for diagnosing BV. The detection of co-infection of the two bacteria demonstrated a sensitivity of 96%, a specificity of 82.9%, a positive predictive value of 68.5%, a negative predictive value of 98.2% with an odds ratio of 116 (CI -32 - 409). In our study, we found a high sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and odds ratio for the detection of co-infection of A. vaginae and G. vaginalis for the diagnosis of BV.

Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells induce tissue repair and regeneration in collagen-induced arthritis in rats

The immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have prompted their therapeutic application in several autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MSCs derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue has earlier been tried with limited success. However, Wharton's jelly present in human umbilical cord is discarded after delivery which makes a rich source of MSCs with least ethical issues. The immunomodulatory properties of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) were evaluated in-vitro on the mononuclear cells from synovial fluid (SF) and peripheral blood of RA patients. The therapeutic potential of UC-MSCs was checked by transplanting the cells in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). MSCs isolated from Wharton's Jelly significantly suppressed the proliferation and activation of lymphocytes from both peripheral blood as well as SF of RA patients, down-modulated the functions of activated CD4+, CD8+ T-cells, suppressed the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and induced the expansion of T-regulatory cells. Xenotransplantation of UC-MSCs in CIA rats clearly indicated a sustained impact in terms of slowing down the progression of disease activity and reversal of arthritic processes along with triggering of joint tissue repair mechanisms, which could be observed till 6 weeks post-transplantation. The results from the current study suggest that human umbilical cord is a rich source of MSCs for allotransplantation. The UC-MSCs may be used successfully as a cell-based therapeutic option either in isolation or in conjunction with existing therapeutic drugs not only to relieve the joint inflammation but also regenerate the damaged bone and cartilage tissues in arthritis.

RELEVANCE TO PATIENTS

The current study highlights the potential use of MSCs as a cell-based therapeutic option for the treatment of inflammatory RA.

Management of pregnant laboring women during COVID-19 pandemic

Since its first outbreak in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global public health threat. In the midst of this rapidly evolving pandemic condition, the unique needs of pregnant women should be kept in mind while making treatment policies and preparing response plans. Management of COVID-19 parturients requires a multidisciplinary approach consisting of a team of anesthesiologists, obstetricians, neonatologists, nursing staff, critical care experts, infectious disease, and infection control experts. Labor rooms as well as operating rooms should be in a separate wing isolated from the main wing of the hospital. In the operating room, dedicated equipment and drugs for both neuraxial labor analgesia and cesarean delivery, as well as personal protective equipment, should be readily available. The entire staff must be specifically trained in the procedures of donning, doffing, and in the standard latest guidelines for disposal of biomedical waste of such areas. All protocols for the management of both COVID-19 suspects as well as confirmed patients should be in place. Further, simulation-based rehearsal of the procedures commonly carried out in the labor room and the operation theaters should be ensured.

Perioperative intravenous contrast administration and the incidence of acute kidney injury after major gastrointestinal surgery: prospective, multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the impact of preoperative exposure to intravenous contrast for CT and the risk of developing postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery.

METHODS

This prospective, multicentre cohort study included adults undergoing gastrointestinal resection, stoma reversal or liver resection. Both elective and emergency procedures were included. Preoperative exposure to intravenous contrast was defined as exposure to contrast administered for the purposes of CT up to 7 days before surgery. The primary endpoint was the rate of AKI within 7 days. Propensity score-matched models were adjusted for patient, disease and operative variables. In a sensitivity analysis, a propensity score-matched model explored the association between preoperative exposure to contrast and AKI in the first 48 h after surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 5378 patients were included across 173 centres. Overall, 1249 patients (23·2 per cent) received intravenous contrast. The overall rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery was 13·4 per cent (718 of 5378). In the propensity score-matched model, preoperative exposure to contrast was not associated with AKI within 7 days (odds ratio (OR) 0·95, 95 per cent c.i. 0·73 to 1·21; P = 0·669). The sensitivity analysis showed no association between preoperative contrast administration and AKI within 48 h after operation (OR 1·09, 0·84 to 1·41; P = 0·498).

CONCLUSION

There was no association between preoperative intravenous contrast administered for CT up to 7 days before surgery and postoperative AKI. Risk of contrast-induced nephropathy should not be used as a reason to avoid contrast-enhanced CT.

Insulin growth factor-1 pathway in cervical carcinoma cancer stem cells

Cancer stem cells (CSC) drive tumour progression and are implicated in relapse and resistance to conventional cancer therapies. Identification of differentially expressed genes by gene expression (GEP) profiling may help identify the differentially activated signalling pathways in cancer stem cells as opposed to bulk tumour cells which will provide new insights into cancer stem cell biology and aid in identification of novel therapeutic targets. Our study focused on the inhibition of CSC from cervical cancer cell lines by targeting insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which was identified by differential GEP. Targeted inhibition of IGF-1 by JB-1 trifluoroacetate (inhibitor of IGF) was carried out in SiHa, RSBS-14 and RSBS-43 cervical cancer derived cell lines. Effect of cisplatin was also evaluated. Inhibition of IGF-1 signalling was confirmed by demonstration of reduction in p-Akt levels. The cell biological effects of IGF-1 inhibition included an increase in G2M/S fraction, increased apoptosis and decreased invasive ability. JB-1 and cisplatin showed synergism. However, transcript levels of stemness and EMT markers showed variable levels following IGF inhibition. Overall, this proof-of-concept study has shown that IGF-1 is an attractive target for inhibition of CSC in invasive cervical cancer.

Genital Micro-Organisms in Pregnancy

The microbiome of the female genital tract may undergo changes in pregnancy due to metabolic, endocrinological, and immunological alterations. These dysbiotic states may cause infections which may ascend upwards to the feto-placental unit or may be seeded hematogenously. These low grade and often low virulent infectious states lead to chronic inflammatory states and maybe associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcome. Organisms have been isolated from amniotic fluid and placentae from women delivering pre-term; however the possibility of contamination cannot be conclusively ruled out. Common vaginal dysbiotic states often cause symptoms that are overlooked and often untreated. Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC), Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), and Trichomonas Vaginitis (TV) are the commonly occurring dysbiotic states leading to vaginal infective states in pregnancy. With the advent of novel technologies like Next Generation sequencing (NGS), it will soon be possible to comprehensively map the vaginal microbiome and assess the interplay of each microbial state with their effects in pregnancy. This may open new avenues for antibiotic recommendations, probiotics and potential alternate therapies for dysbiotic states leading to pregnancy complications.

Data showing differential expression of Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in response to symptomatic and asymptomatic T. vaginalis infection

Trichomoniasis is caused by Trichomonas vaginalis (a protozoan parasite). About 80% of the infected cases remain asymptomatic [1]. The differential response of showing symptoms or no symptoms is not yet explored. However, some studies gave us some insights on the pathogenesis of trichomonas and also about host defense mechanism. Host secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines to evade infection. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) is a strong chemoattractant of monocytes, NK-cells and T-lymphocytes. Many reports have shown high MCP-1 levels during trichomonas infection [2], [3], [4], [5] in human prostate stromal myofibroblast cells (WPMY-1), HeLa cells, vaginal epithelial cells (VECs) but levels in response to symptomatic and asymptomatic isolates is not yet reported. In this article, we have reported MCP-1 levels in the vaginal washes and serum samples of BALB/c mouse infected with symptomatic and asymptomatic T. vaginalis isolates for different time points. We found higher levels of MCP-1 in vaginal washes of symptomatic group on 2nd day post infection (dpi) than control uninfected group. While on 4th dpi and 14th dpi, higher levels of MCP-1 in vaginal washes was observed in asymptomatic group as compared to control group. However, significant level of MCP-1 was observed in asymptomatic group on 14th dpi as compared to symptomatic group in vaginal washes. We have also observed significantly higher levels of MCP-1 in the serum samples of symptomatic group on 2nd, 4th and 14th dpi as compared to control group. A higher level of MCP-1 was found at all the time points in serum samples of asymptomatic group as compared to control group. Interestingly, a significant higher level of MCP-1 was found in the serum samples of BALB/c mice in asymptomatic as compared to symptomatic group. The MCP-1 levels in both vaginal washes and serum were significantly higher in asymptomatic group at later time points.

A Rare Case of Grade 1 Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma of the Uterus With Omental Metastasis with Brenner Tumor of the Ovary in a Postmenopausal Female

Early-stage endometrial cancer may have microscopic omental metastases which is associated with a poor prognosis. There are no standard guidelines for omentectomy in early-stage endometrial cancer without risk factors. Brenner tumor is a rare ovarian tumor which is usually benign, but rarely, it may be malignant. Some Brenner tumors are endocrinologically active. Various studies have shown an association of Brenner tumor with endometrial hyperplasia, polyp, or early-stage carcinoma, probably due to its estrogen-secreting nature. We report a rare case of well-differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterus with <50% myometrial invasion with omental metastases associated with benign Brenner tumor of the ovary in a postmenopausal female.

DTI histogram parameters correlate with the extent of myoinvasion and tumor type in endometrial carcinoma: a preliminary analysis

Background

Myoinvasion and tumor-type determines surgical planning in endometrial carcinoma.

Purpose

To evaluate whole tumor diffusion tensor imaging histogram texture parameters in evaluating myoinvasion and tumor type in endometrial carcinoma.

Material and Methods

Twenty-seven patients with endometrial carcinoma underwent diffusion tensor imaging on a 1.5-T MRI system using echo-planar imaging sequence with 0 and 700 s/mm2 b values. Whole tumor histogram parameters were obtained from fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity maps. Mann–Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used

Results

The mean fractional anisotropy of tumors with no myoinvasion was significantly higher than tumors which underwent myoinvasion, suggesting higher anisotropy in tumors which did not invade the myometrium. Voxel-wise heterogeneity in distribution of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity was seen in the form of higher uniformity and lower entropy of tumors with superficial <50% myoinvasion versus >50% myoinvasion. Uniformity, entropy, and energy of voxel-wise fractional anisotropy distribution gave an area under the curve of 0.827, 0.821, and 0.796, respectively, in predicting the presence of deep myometrial invasion while energy, entropy, and uniformity of mean diffusivity distribution in tumor gave an area under the curve of 0.84, 0.815, and 0.809 respectively. Tumor type was predicted with an area under the curve of 0.747, 0.759, and 0.765 for the uniformity, energy, and entropy of voxel-wise fractional anisotropy distribution. A logistic regression combining all the important histogram parameters obtained 94% and 88% sensitivity and 88% and 80% specificity in predicting deep myoinvasion and tumor type, respectively.

Conclusion

Diffusion tensor histogram analysis can better characterize endometrial carcinomas and can be used as a quantitative marker of tumor behavior.