Full-term abdominal extrauterine pregnancy complicated by post-operative ascites with successful outcome: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Advanced abdominal (extrauterine) pregnancy is a rare condition with high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Because the placentation in advanced abdominal pregnancy is presumed to be inadequate, advanced abdominal pregnancy can be complicated by pre-eclampsia, which is another condition with high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis and management of advanced abdominal pregnancy is difficult. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 33-year-old African woman in her first pregnancy who had a full-term advanced abdominal pregnancy and developed gross ascites post-operatively. The patient was successfully managed; both the patient and her baby are apparently doing well. CONCLUSION: Because most diagnoses of advanced abdominal pregnancy are missed pre-operatively, even with the use of sonography, the cornerstones of successful management seem to be quick intra-operative recognition, surgical skill, ready access to blood products, meticulous post-operative care and thorough assessment of the newborn

Changes in causes of pregnancy-related and maternal mortality in Zimbabwe 2007-08 to 2018-19 : findings from two reproductive age mortality surveys

BACKGROUND: Reducing maternal mortality is a priority of Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 which requires frequent epidemiological analysis of trends and patterns of the causes of maternal deaths. We conducted two reproductive age mortality surveys to analyse the epidemiology of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe and analysed the changes in the causes of deaths between 2007-08 and 2018-19. METHODS: We performed a before and after analysis of the causes of death among women of reproductive ages (WRAs) (12-49 years), and pregnant women from the two surveys implemented in 11 districts, selected using multi-stage cluster sampling from each province of Zimbabwe (n=10); an additional district selected from Harare. We calculated mortality incidence rates and incidence rate ratios per 10000 WRAs and pregnant women (with 95% confidence intervals), in international classification of disease groups, using negative binomial models, and compared them between the two surveys. We also calculated maternal mortality ratios, per 100 000 live births, for selected causes of pregnancy-related deaths. RESULTS: We identified 6188 deaths among WRAs and 325 PRDs in 2007-08, and 1856 and 137 respectively in 2018-19. Mortality in the WRAs decreased by 82% in diseases of the respiratory system and 81% in certain infectious or parasitic diseases' groups, which include HIV/AIDS and malaria. Pregnancy-related deaths decreased by 84% in the indirect causes group and by 61% in the direct causes group, and HIV/AIDS-related deaths decreased by 91% in pregnant women. Direct causes of death still had a three-fold MMR than indirect causes (151 vs. 51 deaths per 100 000) in 2018-19. CONCLUSION: Zimbabwe experienced a decline in both direct and indirect causes of pregnancy-related deaths. Deaths from indirect causes declined mainly due to a reduction in HIV/AIDS-related and malaria mortality, while deaths from direct causes declined because of a reduction in obstetric haemorrhage and pregnancy-related infections. Ongoing interventions ought to improve the coverage and quality of maternal care in Zimbabwe, to further reduce deaths from direct causes.The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Department for International Development, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO Zimbabwe offices, University of Zimbabwe and Ministry of Health.http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpublichealthSchool of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

Reducing fresh full term intrapartum stillbirths through leadership and accountability in a low-resource setting, Mpilo Central Hospital, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Abstract Background Stillbirths are distressing to the parents and healthcare workers. Globally large numbers of babies are stillborn. A number of strategies have been implemented to try and reduce stillbirths worldwide. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of leadership and accountability changes on reducing full term intrapartum stillbirths. Methods Leadership and accountability changes were implemented in January 2016. This retrospective cohort study was carried out to assess the impact of the changes on fresh full term intrapartum stillbirths covering the period 6 months prior to the implementation date and 12 months after the implementation date. The changes included leadership and accountability. Fresh full term stillbirths (>37 weeks gestation) occurring during the intrapartum stage of labour were analysed to see if there would be any reduction in numbers after the measures were put in place. Results There was a reduction in the number of fresh full term intrapartum stillbirths after the introduction of the measures. There was a statistical difference before and after implementation of the changes, 50% vs 0%, P = 0.025. There was a reduction in the time it took to perform an emergency caesarean section from a mean of 30 to 15 min by the end of the study, a 50% reduction. Conclusions Clear and consistent clinical leadership and accountability can help in the global attempts to reduce stillbirth figures. Simple measures can contribute to improving perinatal outcomes

Postpartum hemorrhage: incidence, risk factors, and outcomes in a low-resource setting

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/).,Background: Primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is defined as blood loss from the genital tract of 500 mL or more following a normal vaginal delivery (NVD) or 1,000 mL or more following a cesarean section within 24 hours of birth. PPH contributes significantly to maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Women can rapidly hemorrhage and die soon after giving birth. It can be a devastating outcome to many young families. Women giving birth in low-resource settings are at a higher risk of death than their counterparts in resource-rich environments. PPH is a leading cause of maternal deaths globally, contributing to a quarter of the deaths annually. Aims: This study aims 1) to document the incidence, risk factors, and causes of PPH in a low-resource setting and 2) to document the maternal outcomes of PPH in low-resource setting. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive cohort study carried out at Mpilo Central Hospital, a tertiary referral government hospital in a low-resource setting in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Data were obtained from the labor ward birth registers for patients who had a diagnosis of PPH during the period from January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016. The case notes were retrieved and the demographic, clinical, and outcome data were gathered. Blood loss was estimated postdelivery by the attending clinician – either a midwife or a doctor. At this maternity unit, blood loss is not measured but estimated owing to prevailing resource constraints. The SPSS Version 21 statistical tool was used to calculate the mean and standard deviation (SD) values. Simple statistical tests were used on absolute numbers to calculate percentages. Results: There were 4,567 deliveries at the institution during the period from January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016. There were 74 cases of PPH during the study period. The incidence of primary PPH was 1.6%. The mean age was 27.7 years (SD ±6.9), mean gestational age was 38.6 weeks gestation (SD ±2.2), and mean birth weight was 3.16 kg (SD ±0.65) for the studied group of patients. Three-quarters (75.7%) of the cases had NVD. The majority of the cases (77.0%) had an identifiable risk factor for developing primary PPH. The most identifiable risk factor for primary PPH was pregnancy-induced hypertension followed by prolonged labor. Uterine atony was the most common cause of postpartum hemorrhage (82.4%). The women who delivered by NVD, who were diagnosed with a PPH, and who lost an estimated 500–1,000 mL of blood were 73.2%; 25% lost 1,000–1,500 mL of blood, and 1.8% lost more than 1,500 mL of blood. The women who delivered by lower-segment cesarean section, who were diagnosed with a PPH, and who lost an estimated 1,000–1,500 mL of blood were 77.8%, and 22.2% bled an estimated 1,500 mL of blood or more. The majority of the cases of primary PPH (94.6%) survived the condition and 5.4% died. Conclusion: The incidence of PPH at Mpilo Central Hospital was 1.6% during the study period, lower than that reported elsewhere in similar setting in the literature. This study, therefore, is important as it documents for the first time for this maternity unit and for a Zimbabwean setting, the incidence of one of the most important causes of global maternal deaths. Future studies should involve the effect on maternal outcomes of PPH following widespread introduction of misoprostol therapy into practice. This data can help in mobilizing global efforts to improve women’s health

Determinants of eclampsia in women with severe preeclampsia at Mpilo Central Hospital, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

From PubMed via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2020-12-04, accepted 2021-07-15Publication status: aheadofprintGlobally, preeclampsia is a significant contributor to adverse maternal outcomes. Once women develop eclampsia, they face considerable risks especially in countries with limited resources to deal with such a life-threatening complication. This study was carried out to investigate determinants of eclampsia in pregnant mothers with severe preeclampsia. This institutional based study was completed at Mpilo Central Hospital, a quaternary referral unit from 1st January 2016 - 31st December 2018. In this study, pregnant women with severe preeclampsia/eclampsia were the study participants. The independent variables included socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, and maternal outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine independent association with p < 0.05 taken as statistically significant with 95% Confidence Interval (CI). Eclampsia. Development of eclampsia was more frequent in women aged 14-19 years compared to women aged ≥ 35 years (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 6.64, 95% CI 1.20-22.06, p = 0.02) and in primiparous women compared to women with parity ≥ 3 (AOR 2.76, 95% CI 1.48-5.15, p = 0.001). Eclampsia was more frequent in women with diastolic blood pressure of 131-150 mmHg (AOR 5.48, 95% CI 1.05-28.75, p = 0.04), and ≥ 150 mmHg (AOR 5.78, 95% CI 1.05-31.78, p = 0.04) compared with those with diastolic blood pressure of ≤ 110 mmHg. Symptoms of visual disturbances were also associated with eclampsia (AOR 2.13, 95% CI 1.08-4.18, p = 0.03). This study has identified independent determinants of eclampsia which can be used to identify which women should receive magnesium sulphate prophlyaxis or more intensive monitoring to prevent deterioration in maternal condition. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2021 International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Full-term abdominal extrauterine pregnancy complicated by post-operative ascites with successful outcome: a case report

Abstract Introduction Advanced abdominal (extrauterine) pregnancy is a rare condition with high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Because the placentation in advanced abdominal pregnancy is presumed to be inadequate, advanced abdominal pregnancy can be complicated by pre-eclampsia, which is another condition with high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis and management of advanced abdominal pregnancy is difficult. Case presentation We present the case of a 33-year-old African woman in her first pregnancy who had a full-term advanced abdominal pregnancy and developed gross ascites post-operatively. The patient was successfully managed; both the patient and her baby are apparently doing well. Conclusion Because most diagnoses of advanced abdominal pregnancy are missed pre-operatively, even with the use of sonography, the cornerstones of successful management seem to be quick intra-operative recognition, surgical skill, ready access to blood products, meticulous post-operative care and thorough assessment of the newborn.</p

Changes in causes of pregnancy-related and maternal mortality in Zimbabwe 2007-08 to 2018-19 : findings from two reproductive age mortality surveys

BACKGROUND: Reducing maternal mortality is a priority of Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 which requires frequent epidemiological analysis of trends and patterns of the causes of maternal deaths. We conducted two reproductive age mortality surveys to analyse the epidemiology of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe and analysed the changes in the causes of deaths between 2007-08 and 2018-19. METHODS: We performed a before and after analysis of the causes of death among women of reproductive ages (WRAs) (12-49 years), and pregnant women from the two surveys implemented in 11 districts, selected using multi-stage cluster sampling from each province of Zimbabwe (n=10); an additional district selected from Harare. We calculated mortality incidence rates and incidence rate ratios per 10000 WRAs and pregnant women (with 95% confidence intervals), in international classification of disease groups, using negative binomial models, and compared them between the two surveys. We also calculated maternal mortality ratios, per 100 000 live births, for selected causes of pregnancy-related deaths. RESULTS: We identified 6188 deaths among WRAs and 325 PRDs in 2007-08, and 1856 and 137 respectively in 2018-19. Mortality in the WRAs decreased by 82% in diseases of the respiratory system and 81% in certain infectious or parasitic diseases' groups, which include HIV/AIDS and malaria. Pregnancy-related deaths decreased by 84% in the indirect causes group and by 61% in the direct causes group, and HIV/AIDS-related deaths decreased by 91% in pregnant women. Direct causes of death still had a three-fold MMR than indirect causes (151 vs. 51 deaths per 100 000) in 2018-19. CONCLUSION: Zimbabwe experienced a decline in both direct and indirect causes of pregnancy-related deaths. Deaths from indirect causes declined mainly due to a reduction in HIV/AIDS-related and malaria mortality, while deaths from direct causes declined because of a reduction in obstetric haemorrhage and pregnancy-related infections. Ongoing interventions ought to improve the coverage and quality of maternal care in Zimbabwe, to further reduce deaths from direct causes