A case report on heterotopic pregnancy

Heterotopic pregnancy is a rare clinical condition where both intrauterine and extrauterine pregnancy coexists. In a spontaneous conception, the diagnosis is difficult to make, but an important one to consider in the presence of acute abdominal pain, haemorrhagic shock and intrauterine pregnancy. Presenting a case of 27-year-old female G3P1A1L1 with previous C-section who presented with chief complaints of acute abdominal pain and signs of haemorrhagic shock at a gestational age of 10 weeks 1 day. The diagnosis of ruptured ectopic pregnancy coexisting with viable intrauterine gestation was made with ultrasound findings as well as clinical features necessitating emergency exploratory laparotomy. Successful treatment was done for ruptured ectopic pregnancy and intrauterine pregnancy was found viable which continued to full term uneventfully and live MCH of 3.5 kg was delivered by C-section.

Analysis of risk factors associated with caesarean section surgical site infections: a case control study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is defined as infection occurring within 30 days after a surgical procedure and affecting either the incision or deep tissues at the operation site. SSIs are the most common nosocomial infections, accounting for 38% of hospital-acquired infections. Despite the advances in SSI control practices, SSIs remain common causes of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. This study was undertaken with an objective to determine and analyze the risk factors associated with cesarean section SSIs.Methods: The study was carried out at Medical College and SSG Hospital, Baroda. After obtaining informed consent to be a part of the study, 140 subjects having cesarean section SSI as per the definition, were included as cases in the study. The controls (140) were also selected from the hospital subjects. The primary post-operative care was similar for the cases as well as controls. For patients who had SSI, samples of discharge from the cesarean section wound were collected and transported for culture. Antibiotics were given accordingly. Details about patient characteristics and outcomes were collected in the proforma for cases and controls and data analyzed.Results: The cesarean section SSI rate was 4.78%. Of the parameters studied, maternal age, parity, gestational age, HIV status, meconium stained amniotic fluid, amount of blood loss, previous surgery, duration of surgery were not associated with cesarean section SSI.Conclusions: Number of antenatal care (ANC) visits, haemoglobin, total white blood cells (WBC) count, pre eclampsia, premature rupture of membranes (PROM), non-progression in 2nd stage and subcutaneous tissue thickness were the independent significant risk factors associated with post-cesarean SSI

The influence of religiosity on food choice among British Muslims:A qualitative study

Background: Religiosity is known to have a socio-cultural influence on food choice. However, to date, research exploring the influence of Islam on food selection has almost exclusively focused on fasting during Ramadan and has not explored the influences of Islam on everyday food choices among Muslim people. Aim: This qualitative study explored the influence of Islamic religiosity on everyday food choices among Muslim people. Methods: Thirty-two adult participants residing in the United Kingdom (n = 16 faith leaders and n = 16 lay Muslim people) were recruited from three Sunni mosques, and data was collected using semi-structured interviews. The data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and a constant comparison method was applied to draw out similarities and differences between faith leaders and lay Muslim people. Results: The results revealed that Islamic religiosity had an influence over food choice with two main overarching themes 1) Demonstrating religious obedience through food choices and, 2) Spheres of influence on food choice; and five sub-themes 1a) Trusting in familiar food providers, 1b) Verification of halal authenticity, 1c) Seeking purity within food, 2a) The Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) as a role model for food choice and, 2b) Islamic jurisprudence.Conclusion: These findings provide important insights into the influence of Islam on food choice and could be used support the design of faith-informed dietary interventions among Muslim people. Further research is required to examine the role of faith-informed dietary intervention in the Muslim community

A survey regarding the role of UK dietitians in spiritual care

AbstractBackgroundUsers of dietetic services have unmet spiritual needs, although no study has yet explored dietitians' opinion, perceptions or experience of assessing spiritual needs and delivering spiritual care in clinical practice.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey assessed the role of UK dietitians in spiritual care.ResultsThirty‐seven practicing dietitians, with experience ranging from newly qualified to over 21 years of practice, took part in the survey containing open and closed questions. Almost half (49%) of dietitians said they always conducted spiritual assessments and most (57%) said they sometimes made a referral for spiritual concerns. When spiritual issues arose, dietitians were highly likely to listen well (score 4.6 out of 5) and encourage service users in their own (the service user) spiritual or religious practices (score 4 out of 5). However, the likelihood of taking the initiative and enquiring about religious and spiritual issues was lower (score <3 out of 5) in all areas of practice including end of life care. This may have been because confidence around spiritual care was also low (score 4.7 out of 10), uncertainty was high (score >3.5 out of 5) and there was a strong desire to receive training (>4 out of 5). Qualitative responses expanded further on these results suggesting that there was positive “intention” to provide spiritual care, but lack of training was a significant barrier (qualitative theme: “inadequacies”). The recognition of necessity but uncertainty of how to meet spiritual needs was also shown through qualitative findings to be a source of “emotional labour”, particularly where there were conflicting beliefs between a dietitian and service user.ConclusionsAlthough limited by a small sample size, these results provide new knowledge that spiritual care is considered an important part of the dietitians' role and that this is the case regardless of the dietitians own spiritual identity or religion. Dietitians would value training in spiritual care so that they can support service user needs more readily and confidently

Harnessing Wisdom for Managing Watersheds: Honey Bee Perspective on Innovations, Institutions and Policies for Marginal Environments

Participatory approaches for watershed management are now considered essential for sustainable natural resources management and yet there is very little opportunity for intellectual participation by the people. This requires understanding of the local knowledge systems and their institutional context. In this paper, we provide an overview of the conceptual framework which can facilitate such participation. The full report being published separately includes case studies of farmers’ innovations in natural resources management.

The development of the Religious Health Interventions in Behavioural Science (RHIBS) Taxonomy: a scientific classification of religious practices in health

The development and delivery of religiously integrated health interventions is increasing, however lack of nomenclature to specify the religious components presents barriers to replication, implementation, and evidence synthesis. We describe the development of the “Religious Health Interventions in Behavioural Sciences (RHIBS)” Taxonomy, the first scientific classification of religious intervention components to be used globally by chaplains, healthcare providers, and researchers interested in the scientific study of religion, spirituality, and health. We developed a taxonomy of empirically used religious intervention components in health, sought international cross-disciplinary consensus for definitions and tested its usability. Study 1: systematic review of intervention studies to identify religious components tested within healthcare; development of taxonomy nomenclature, definitions, and categories. Study 2: Delphi exercise with 19 international, cross-disciplinary experts from a variety of religions. Study 3: “think aloud” study and usability testing with 10 end-users. Study 1: 12,337 papers identified from search, 167 intervention studies included, plus an additional 74 from hand-searching 14 systematic reviews. A taxonomy of 191 religious components, grouped into 27 categories resulted. Study 2: two Delphi rounds resulted in international and cross-disciplinary consensus of a revised taxonomy of 81 religious components grouped into 23 categories. Study 3: usability testing by participants (range of disciplines, geography, and religions) led to a final taxonomy comprising 82 religious components grouped into 22 categories and supported by online training. The “RHIBS Taxonomy,” is the first multidisciplinary, global shared language within religion, spirituality, and health, ushering in a new era for religious interventions to be precisely defined, developed, and tested; shaping the evidence-base for future healthcare research/practice

Placenta previa: risk factors, feto-maternal outcome and complications

Background: Placenta previa is defined as placenta that is implanted somewhere in the lower uterine segment either over or very near the internal cervical os. Placenta previa and coexistent accrete syndromes contribute substantively to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.Methods: All This is a retrospective study of 88 cases of placenta previa, which were admitted under department of obstetrics and gynecology in our institute during July 2017 to June 2019. All patients of placenta previa with gestational age > 28 weeks up to full term were included in the study. All cases were confirmed by ultrasound examination. Outcome measures prevalence of placenta previa, maternal and neonatal outcomes, and case fatality rate.Results: The total number of deliveries performed during the study period was 16330, of them, 88 cases were placenta previa. Thus, the prevalence of PP was 0.53%. Multiparity was one of the etiological factors in 84.09%, whereas previous LSCS was 47.73%, previous H/O D and E was 14.73%, previous H/O placenta previa was 7.95%. Obstetric hysterectomy was done in 7 (7.95%) patients out of 88 patients. 92.04% of patients delivered with cesarean section and 7.95% patients delivered with normal vaginal delivery. 22 (26.50%) babies out of 83 live born were admitted in NICU.Conclusions: Advancing maternal age, multiparity, prior cesarean section, and prior abortions are independent risk factors for placenta previa. Placenta previa remains a risk factor for adverse maternal and perinatal outcome. The detection of placenta previa should encourage a careful evaluation with timely delivery to reduce the associated maternal and perinatal complications. Measures to reduce the primary caesarean section rate should be adopted

The Ethical Implications of Intersex Surgery

Intersex individuals are born with sex characteristics that do not align with the binary expectations of male or female bodies. While intersex describes a wide variety of body phenotypes, some cases present visible intersex characteristics at birth, later on in life (puberty), or not at all. Intersex surgery uses medical intervention to modify atypical or ambiguous genitalia or sex characteristics. Individuals or their parents elect to undergo intersex surgery though it is not always medically necessary or advisable. The purpose of our study is to explore the biological and ethical underpinnings of intersex surgery over time

'I never leave my house without praying': a qualitative exploration of the psychospiritual experiences of ethnically diverse healthcare staff during the COVID-19 pandemic

The study aimed to understand the psychospiritual experiences and support needs of ethnically diverse healthcare staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative study using focus groups conducted remotely on Microsoft Teams. The study took place across 10 National Health Service Trusts in England: 5 were Acute Hospital Trusts and 5 were Community and Mental Health Trusts. Fifty-five participants were recruited to the study across 16 focus group meetings. Participants were all National Health Service staff from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Psychospiritual concerns were central to participants' understanding of themselves and their work in the National Health Service. Participants felt there was limited recognition of spirituality within the health service. They described close links between their spirituality and their ethnicities and felt that the psychospiritual support offered within the healthcare setting was not reflective of diverse ethnic and spiritual needs. Improved psychospiritual care was viewed as an opportunity to connect more deeply with other colleagues, rather than using the more individualistic interventions on offer. Participants requested greater compassion and care from leadership teams. Participants described both positive and negative changes in their spirituality as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Culturally sensitive psychospiritual support is a key aspect of healthcare staff's well-being, despite identified gaps in this area. Aside from affecting physical, psychological, social and financial aspects of healthcare staff's lives, the pandemic has also had a significant impact on the ways that people experience spirituality. [Abstract copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.