Oligohydramnios

Background and methodsCaesarean section (C-section) is a major obstetric intervention for saving lives of women and their newborns from pregnancy and childbirth related complications. Un-necessary C-sections may have adverse impact upon maternal and neonatal outcomes. In Bangladesh there is paucity of data on clinical indication of C-section at population level. We conducted a retrospective study in icddr,b Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) area of Matlab to look into the indications and determinants of C-sections. All resident women in HDSS service area who gave birth in 2013 with a known birth outcome, were included in the study. Women who underwent C-section were identified from birth and pregnancy files of HDSS and their indication for C-section were collected reviewing health facility records where the procedure took place, supplemented by face-to-face interview of mothers where data were missing. Indications of C-section were presented as frequency distribution and further divided into different groups following 3 distinct classification systems. Socio-demographic predictors were explored following statistical method of binary logistic regression.FindingsDuring 2013, facility delivery rate was 84% and population based C-section rate was 35% of all deliveries in icddr,b service area. Of all C-sections, only 1.4% was conducted for Absolute Maternal Indications (AMIs). Major indications of C-sections included: repeat C-section (24%), foetal distress (21%), prolonged labour (16%), oligohydramnios (14%) and post-maturity (13%). More than 80% C-sections were performed in for-profit private facilities. Probability of C-section delivery increased with improved socio-economic status, higher education, lower birth order, higher age, and with more number of Antenatal Care use and presence of bad obstetric history. Eight maternal deaths occurred, of which five were delivered by C-section.ConclusionsC-section rate in this area was much higher than national average as well as global recommendations. Very few of C-sections were undertaken for AMIs. Routine monitoring of clinical indication of C-section in public and private facilities is needed to ensure rational use of the procedure.

AIM. To revisit the role of first trimester homocysteine levels with the maternal and fetal outcome. METHODS. This was a cohort study comprising 100 antenatal women between 8 and 12 weeks of gestation. Serum homocysteine levels were checked after overnight fasting. RESULTS. There were significantly elevated homocysteine levels among women with prior history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and prior second or third trimester pregnancy losses. There was no significant difference in homocysteine levels among women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus, preterm deliveries, or fetal malformations. Homocysteine levels were significantly elevated in those who developed hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, oligohydramnios, and meconium stained amniotic fluid, had a pregnancy loss, or delivered a low birth weight baby. There was no significant difference in homocysteine levels for those who developed gestational diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS. Increased first trimester serum homocysteine is associated with history of pregnancy losses, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and preterm birth. This is also associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, pregnancy loss, oligohydramnios, meconium stained amniotic fluid, and low birth weight in the current pregnancy. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov CTRI/2013/02/003441.

BackgroundOligohydramnios is a condition of abnormally low amniotic fluid volume that has been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. To date, the prevalence of this condition and its outcomes has not been well described in low and low-middle income countries (LMIC) where ultrasound use to diagnose this condition in pregnancy is limited. As part of a prospective trial of ultrasound at antenatal care in LMICs, we sought to evaluate the incidence of and the adverse maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes associated with oligohydramnios.MethodsWe included data in this report from all pregnant women in community settings in Guatemala, Pakistan, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who received a third trimester ultrasound as part of the First Look Study, a randomized trial to assess the value of ultrasound at antenatal care. Using these data, we conducted a planned secondary analysis to compare pregnancy outcomes of women with to those without oligohydramnios. Oligohydramnios was defined as measurement of an Amniotic Fluid Index less than 5 cm in at least one ultrasound in the third trimester. The outcomes assessed included maternal morbidity and fetal and neonatal mortality, preterm birth and low-birthweight. We used pairwise site comparisons with Tukey-Kramer adjustment and multivariable logistic models using general estimating equations to account for the correlation of outcomes within cluster.ResultsOf 12,940 women enrolled in the clusters in Guatemala, Pakistan, Zambia and the DRC in the First Look Study who had a third trimester ultrasound examination, 87 women were diagnosed with oligohydramnios, equivalent to 0.7% of those studied. Prevalence of detected oligohydramnios varied among study sites; from the lowest of 0.2% in Zambia and the DRC to the highest of 1.5% in Pakistan. Women diagnosed with oligohydramnios had higher rates of hemorrhage, fetal malposition, and cesarean delivery than women without oligohydramnios. We also found unfavorable fetal and neonatal outcomes associated with oligohydramnios including stillbirths (OR 5.16, 95%CI 2.07, 12.85), neonatal deaths ConclusionsOligohydramnos was associated with worse neonatal, fetal and maternal outcomes in LMIC. Further research is needed to assess effective interventions to diagnose and ultimately to reduce poor outcomes in these settings.Trial registrationNCT01990625.

BackgroundOur aim was to investigate the association of different neonatal and fetal anatomical abnormalities with polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios during prenatal ultrasonography.MethodsIn our study, we processed prenatal sonographic and postnatal neonatal clinical and pathological data from 2,622 fetuses with malformations over a 12-year period. We investigated the association of neonatal and fetal abnormalities with polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios. To characterize the prevalence of association between a given disorder and polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios, we used our proprietary "association factor" (AF) for statistical calculations.ResultsAmniotic fluid volume abnormalities were most frequently detected in urogenital, abdominal, and abdominal wall anomalies. In urogenital anomalies, amniotic fluid volume abnormalities were found in more than half of the fetuses, 54.86% (oligohydramnios 34.72%, polyhydramnios 20.14%). In abdominal and abdominal wall anomalies, 43.82% of fetuses had abnormalities in the volume of amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios 31.44%, oligohydramnios 12.38%). Overall, we found abnormalities in the volume of amniotic fluid in over 30% of the fetuses with craniospinal, thoracic and pulmonary anomalies, limb anomalies, and ossification disorders. In craniofacial and cardiovascular anomalies, amniotic fluid volume abnormalities were only detectable in around 20%. For polyhydramnios, the "Association Factor" (AF) was very high for craniospinal, abdominal, and abdominal wall disorders, and it was high for cardiovascular, urogenital, limb, and ossification disorders. For oligohydramnios, the association factor (AF) was very high for urogenital disorders.ConclusionsIf the amniotic fluid volume during ultrasonography is less or more than average, special attention should be paid to the ultrasound examination of the fetus' urogenital system, abdominal organs, skull, spine, chest, lungs, as well as limbs and skeletal system. In the case of polyhydramnios, fetal echocardiography is recommended.