Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2019;41(7):419-424
To assess maternal and perinatal outcomes in pregnancies after kidney transplantation in a tertiary center in Brazil.
Retrospective cohort of pregnancies in women with kidney transplantation at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas, from January 1995 until December 2017. Medical charts were reviewed, andmaternal and perinatal outcomes were described as means and frequencies. Renal function and blood pressure were evaluated during pregnancy and postpartum.
A total of 22 women had at least 1 pregnancy during the considered timeinterval, and 3 of them had > 1 pregnancy, totalizing 25 pregnancies. The mean age at transplantation was of 24.6 ± 4.2 years old, and the mean time interval until pregnancy was of 67.8 ± 46.3months. Themost frequent complication during pregnancywas hypertension, which affected 11 (64.7%)women. The gestational age at delivery was 34.7 ± 4weeks, and 47% of these pregnancies were preterm (< 37 weeks). A total of 88.2% of the women delivered by cesarean section. Renal function, measured by serum creatinine, remained stable during pregnancy, and the systolic blood pressure increased significantly, while the diastolic blood pressure did not differ during pregnancy.
Pregnancy after kidney transplantation is a rare event. Pre-eclampsia and prematurity were frequent complications, and cesarean section rates were very high. A specialized antenatal and postpartum care with a multiprofessional approach and continuous monitoring of graft function are essential for the early diagnosis of complications and improved outcomes.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2018;40(5):242-250
To assess the cost-effectiveness of carbetocin versus oxytocin for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) due to uterine atony after vaginal delivery/ cesarean section in women with risk factors for bleeding.
A decision treewas developed for vaginal delivery andanother one for cesarean, in which a sequential analysis of the results was obtained with the use of carbetocin and oxytocin for prevention of PPH and related consequences. A third-party payer perspective was used; only directmedical costs were considered. Incremental costs and effectiveness in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were evaluated for a one-year timehorizon. The costs were expressed in 2016 Colombian pesos (1 USD = 3,051 Col$).
In the vaginal delivery model, the average cost of care for a patient receiving prophylaxis with uterotonic agents was Col$ 347,750 with carbetocin and Col$ 262,491 with oxytocin,while theQALYs were 0.9980 and 0.9979, respectively. The incremental costeffectiveness ratio is above the cost-effectiveness threshold adopted by Colombia. In the model developed for cesarean section, the average cost of a patient receiving prophylaxis with uterotonics was Col$ 461,750 with carbetocin, and Col$ 481,866 with oxytocin, and the QALYs were 0.9959 and 0.9926, respectively. Carbetocin has lower cost and is more effective, with a saving of Col$ 94,887 per avoided hemorrhagic event.
In case of elective cesarean delivery, carbetocin is a dominant alternative in the prevention of PPH compared with oxytocin; however, it presents higher costs than oxytocin, with similar effectiveness, in cases of vaginal delivery.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2012;34(12):536-543
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012001200002
PURPOSES: To identify and to analyze maternal mortality causes, according to hospital complexity levels. METHODS: A descriptive-quantitative cross-sectional study of maternal deaths that occurred in hospitals in Paraná, Brazil, during the periods from 2005 to 2007 and from 2008 to 2010. Data from case studies of maternal mortality, obtained by the State Committee for Maternal Mortality Prevention, were utilized. The study focused on variables such as site and causes of death, hospital transfer, and avoidability. Maternal mortality rate, proportions, and hospital lethality ratio were calculated according to subgroups of low and high-risk pregnancy reference hospitals. RESULTS: Maternal mortality rate, including late maternal deaths, was 65.9 per 100.000 live-borns (from 2008 to 2010). Almost 90% of all maternal deaths occurred in the hospital environment, in both periods. The hospital lethality ratio at the high-risk pregnancy reference hospital was 158.4 deaths per 100,000 deliveries during the first period and 132.5/100,000 during the second, and the main causes were pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, puerperal infection, urinary tract infection, and indirect causes. At the low-risk pregnancy reference hospitals, the hospital lethality ratios were 76.2/100,000 and 80.0/100,000, and the main causes of death were hemorrhage, embolism, and anesthesia complications. In 64 (2005 - 2007) and in 71% (2008 - 2010) of the cases, the patients died in the same hospital of admission. During the second period, 90% of the casualties were avoidable. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitals of both levels of complexity are having difficulties in treating obstetric complications. Professional training for obstetric emergency assistance and the monitoring of protocols at all hospital levels should be considered by the managers as a priority strategy to reduce avoidable maternal deaths.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2012;34(10):459-465
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012001000005
PURPOSES: To assess whether an enoxaparin-based intervention using a score system was effective in improving perinatal outcome in women with thrombophilia. METHODS: Study Design: Prospective, not randomized, uncontrolled, performed at a Clinic of High-Risk Pregnancy from November 2009 to November 2011. We included women with a diagnosis and therapeutic intervention for thrombophilia acquired and/or inherited in the current pregnancy. The obstetric and perinatal outcomes of pregnant women before the intervention were compared with outcomes after the intervention, and statistically analyzed using the χ2 test with Yates correction, considered significant when p<0.05. The initial dose of low-molecular-weight Heparin (LMWH) was guided by a scoring system based on the clinical and gestational history of the patients and screening tests for acquired and/or inherited thrombophilia. RESULTS: We included 84 pregnant women with 175 pregnancies before diagnosis, 20.0% of which resulted in fetal ou perinatal death, 40.0% resulted in abortion, 17.7% developed preeclampsia/eclampsia, 10.3% resulted in full-term births, and 29.7% in premature births. In the 84 pregnancies after intervention, 6.0% resulted in fetal ou perinatal death, 1.2% in abortion, 4.8% developed preeclampsia/eclampsia, 22.6% resulted in premature birth, and 70.2% in full-term birth. A significant reduction in the rate of stillbirths/perinatal death (p<0.05) and abortion (p<0.0001) and a significant increase (p<0.05) in the number of live births were observed after intervention. CONCLUSION: Enoxaparin-based intervention using a score system in pregnant women with thrombophilia is effective in improving perinatal outcome.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2011;33(10):280-285
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032011001000002
PURPOSE: To analyze the results of assessment of fetal well-being in pregnancies complicated by moderate or severe maternal thrombocytopenia. METHODS: Data from April 2001 to July 2011 of 96 women with a diagnosis of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy were retrospectively analyzed. We analyzed the following tests performed during the antepartum period for fetal assessment: cardiotocography, fetal biophysical profile, amniotic fluid index and umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry. RESULTS: A total of 96 pregnancies with the following diagnoses were analyzed: gestational thrombocytopenia (n=37, 38.5%) hypersplenism (n=32, 33.3%), immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP, n=14, 14.6%), secondary immune thrombocytopenia (n=6, 6.3%), bone marrow aplasia (n=3, 3.1%), and others (n=4, 4.1%). Cardiotocography showed normal results in 94% of cases, a fetal biophysical profile with an index of 8 or 10 in 96.9% and an amniotic fluid index >5.0 cm in 89.6%. Doppler umbilical artery velocimetry showed normal results in 96.9% of cases. In the analysis of the major groups of thrombocytopenia, the diagnosis of oligohydramnios was found to be significantly more frequent in the group with ITP (28.6%) compared to the other groups (gestational thrombocytopenia: 5.4% and hypersplenism: 9.4%, p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that in pregnancies complicated by moderate or severe maternal thrombocytopenia, even though the fetal well-being remains preserved in most cases, fetal surveillance is important in pregnant women with ITP, with emphasis on amniotic fluid volume evaluation due to its association with oligohydramnios.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2011;33(9):227-233
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032011000900002
PURPOSE: To evaluate the coping strategies of women facing a diagnosis of fetal heart disease. METHODS: We interviewed 50 women who had received a diagnosis of fetal heart disease. For data collection we used a semi-directed and Coping Strategy Inventory. The interview was conducted, on average, 22 days after the diagnosis. RESULTS: When asked how they felt about the baby, 56.0% reported concern and fragility, while the remaining 44.0% said they were happy and well. The strategies most used by women were problem solving (73.0%), social support (69.1%) and escape/avoidance (62.7%), and the least used strategy was removal (17.3%). It was found that women with partners, as well as those with 1 or 2 children, used more the problem-solving strategy (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The active coping strategies, focused on problem solving and seeking social support, coupled with the responsibility and the need for specific care for the survival and welfare of the baby, brought about a closer relationship with the pregnancy, strengthening the maternal-fetal bond.