Current Issue : January-March Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 1 Articles : 5 Articles
Coxsackievirus group B (CVB), a member of the Picornaviridae family and enterovirus genus, poses risks during pregnancy due to its potential to cause severe fetal and neonatal infections. Transmission primarily occurs through fecal–oral routes, with infections peaking mostly in warmer months. Vertical transmission to the fetus can lead to conditions such as myocarditis, encephalitis, and systemic neonatal disease, presenting clinically as severe myocardial syndromes and neurological deficits. Diagnostic challenges include detecting asymptomatic maternal infections and conducting in utero assessments using advanced techniques like RT-PCR from amniotic fluid samples. Morbidity and mortality associated with congenital CVB infections are notable, linked to preterm delivery, fetal growth restriction, and potential long-term health impacts such as type 1 diabetes mellitus and structural cardiac anomalies. Current treatments are limited to supportive care, with emerging therapies showing promise but requiring further study for efficacy in utero. Preventive measures focus on infection control and hygiene to mitigate transmission risks, which are crucial especially during pregnancy. Future research should aim to fill knowledge gaps in epidemiology, improve diagnostic capabilities, and develop targeted interventions to enhance maternal and fetal outcomes....
Background: Although maternal mortality is declining in most countries, it remains a significant public health problem worldwide, with high rates, particularly in developing and insecure countries like ours. Objective: To study the epidemiological factors and factors associated with the occurrence of maternal death in the Gynecology-Obstetrics Department of University Hospital of Tengandogo. Method: It was a retrospective case-control study with a descriptive and analytical purpose over a period of 6 years from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2022. Cases were women with maternal deaths during the study period. Data processing and analysis were performed using Stata version 13 software. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with Stata version 13 software, and logistic regression modeling was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR), their 95% confidence intervals (CI), and the threshold for statistical significance was set at a p value < 0.05. Results: A total of 372 patients were included in the study, including 146 cases of maternal death. The in-hospital maternal mortality rate was 1933 deaths per 100,000 live births. The average age was 28.5 years. 58.9% of patients lived in rural areas. Married patients accounted for 88.7% of cases. The average parity was 3. Direct obstetrical causes were the main causes of death, accounting for 72.6%. They were dominated by post-partum hemorrhage (24.2%), puerperal infection (18.6%), pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (16.1%) and retroplacental hematoma (8.9%). Chronic anemia (12.9%) was the main indirect obstetric cause. Risk factors associated with maternal death were primiparity (OR for paucigravida and multigravida at 0.05; P = 0.001); ambulance transport (OR for patients referred and brought in by personal vehicle = 0.3, p < 0.001) and vaginal delivery (OR for cesarean deliveries = 0.4, p < 0.001). Conclusion: To reduce maternal mortality in Burkina Faso, strategies such as educating women about danger signs during pregnancy and promoting women’s education can be adopted....
Background: In Africa, female genital mutilation (FGM) is a widespread and harmful practice, with Somalia having the highest incidence at 98%. This practice has severe and long-lasting physical and mental health consequences. The aim of the study was to evaluate the different types of FGM; immediate and long-term complications associated with the practice, and identify factors related to its prevalence. Method: In a one-year cross-sectional hospital-based study, data were collected from females aged 18 - 50 with a history of FGM. Face-to-face semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, utilizing univariate and bivariate analyses to identify correlations between variables, which were presented in tables. Results: In a study involving 255 female participants, 65.5% were between 18 and 30 years old. The majority (82.7%) were married, while 47.1% were illiterate. FGM cases were more prevalent in rural areas (61.6%). Among the participants, 45.1% were employed. Type 3 FGM was the most common (44.3%), followed by Type 2 (32.2%) and Type 1 (23.9%). In terms of short-term complications experienced by circumcised women, the most common were bleeding, reported by 29.8% of participants, followed by infection (25.1%), and urinary retention (19.2%). Among the long-term complications observed, recurrent vaginal infections were the most prevalent, affecting 29.8% of the surveyed females. This was episiotomy during delivery (22.3%) and genital scarring (10.2%). Conclusion: The study reveals that Type 3 FGM is highly prevalent among the surveyed females, contributing to an increased risk of recurrent vaginal infections, prolonged second stage of labor, higher likelihood of episiotomy during delivery, and genital scarring. These findings emphasize the urgent need for effective preventive strategies and implementation from both international and local organizations to eliminate the harmful practice of FGM....
Background: Endometriosis is known to be a common chronic disease that often aects the quality of life of patients. Especially for deep endometriosis (DE), the most challenging form of the disease, surgery remains an important component of treatment. However, long-term outcomes after surgery are poorly studied. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the postoperative clinical course of women with DE who underwent surgery, particularly with regard to pain relief, fertility, and reoperations. Methods: Thus, women who underwent surgical treatment for DE between 2005 and 2015 were included in this retrospective questionnaire-based analysis. Results: A total of 87.0% of the patients who underwent surgery for pain reported a postoperative relief of their complaints. Moreover, 44.6% even stated that they were free of pain at the time of the questionnaire. Patients who underwent surgery for infertility and tried to become pregnant postoperatively gave birth to a child in 45.9% of cases. Approximately one-third of the patients had to undergo another surgery because of endometriosis-related symptoms. The main reasons for re-operation were pain and infertility. The median time to re-operation was 2.1 years. Conclusions: In this extraordinarily long follow-up with a remarkable response rate, we show that surgical treatment of DE leads to pain relief and improved fertility in most cases. However, the risk of recurrence and the need for reoperation remains remarkable....
Background: Very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants often experience feeding intolerance owing to organ immaturity, and the most frequent sign is the presence of abdominal distention. Daikenchuto (DKT), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, is used to improve gastrointestinal function, particularly in adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of DKT in reducing abdominal distention and intestinal gas in VLBW infants. Methods: This study involved a retrospective chart review of 24 VLBW infants treated with DKT at Hamamatsu University Hospital between April 2016 and March 2021. The effects of DKT treatment at a dose of 0.3 g/kg/day were evaluated through clinical parameters and abdominal radiography. Results: Before treatment, marked abdominal distention was observed in 46% of the infants, which reduced to 4% within a week of DKT administration. The gas volume score (GVS) decreased in 92% of the patients within the first week of treatment and markedly decreased by ≥20% in 46% of the patients. The effects of improving abdominal distention and decreasing the GVS on radiography persisted for 1–2 weeks after treatment initiation. No clinical parameters affecting a GVS reduction of ≥20% and no notable adverse effects were observed. Conclusions: While the preliminary findings suggest that DKT may help manage abdominal distention in VLBW infants, further studies with placebo-controlled trials, larger sample sizes, use of advanced image processing software, and consideration of additional influencing factors are required to substantiate these results and identify predictors of treatment response....
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