Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(10):653-657
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001001000007
Purpose: to verify if there is an association between the mean blood velocity in the descending thoracic aorta and fetal anemia diagnosis. Methods: this is a prospective, cross-sectional study in which the mean blood velocities in the fetal aorta, in 66 fetuses at risk for severe anemia due to severe Rh immunization, and cord blood hemoglobin levels were analyzed comparatively. The hemoglobin level was obtained by cordocentesis if an intravascular transfusion was performed for severe anemia, however, if the fetus received an intrauterine transfusion by the intraperitoneal route or if the fetus did not receive a transfusion at all, hemoglobin level was measured at the time of pregnancy termination by umbilical cord puncture. The authors made a statistical association between the mean blood velocity in fetal descending thoracic aorta and the diagnosis of fetal anemia. The c² test was used for statistical analysis and a p value <0,05 was used to indicate significance. Results: there was a significant and indirect association between the mean blood velocity in the descending thoracic aorta and the detection of fetal anemia. The mean blood velocity in fetal thoracic aorta had a sensitivity of 47.4% for the diagnosis of moderate fetal anemia (Hg<10.0 g/dL), with a p value <0.01 by the Fisher exact test, and a sensitivity of 54.5% for severe Rh isoimmunization (Hg<7.0 g/dL), with a p value =0.01. Conclusion: this study revealed a significant indirect correlation between mean blood velocity in the descending thoracic aorta and the detection of fetal anemia due to Rh isoimmunization.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(10):659-665
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001001000008
Purpose: evaluation of perinatal outcome of brain-sparing effect detected by color Doppler. Methods: brain-sparing effect was detected in 32 fetuses at the Ultrasound Service of the Center for Integral Attention to Women's Health at Campinas State University (UNICAMP). The diagnosis of brain-sparing effect was made when the ratio between middle cerebral artery and umbilical artery pulsatility indexes was below one (IPACM/IPAU <1). The measurement was obtained with color Doppler equipment Toshiba SSH-140A. Results: admission to neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) was necessary in 26 fetuses (89.6%). The number of days in ICU varied from 1 to 83 days, with a mean of 22 days. Fetal mortality rate was 3 in 32 (9.4%) and perinatal mortality was 9 in 29 (31%). Considering the gestational age by the Capurro method, the incidence of birth below 36 weeks was 21 in 32 (65.6%). Intrauterine growth restriction occurred in 71.8% of the cases and hypoglycemia in 44.8%. Conclusions: brain-sparing effect is a condition in which the fetus is at serious risk of adverse perinatal outcome and Doppler studies might be helpful in the obstetric management.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(10):667-673
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001001000009
Purpose: the repetitive use of antenatal corticosteroid therapy for acceleration of fetal lung maturation has been common in cases at risk of preterm delivery. We studied the corticosterone levels at term and the morphologic aspects in the maternal and fetal adrenal glands submitted to the effect of betamethasone in the second half of rat pregnancy in order to verify its consequences. Methods: thirty female pregnant rats were divided into three groups of ten animals each. Group I received betamethasone on the 11th, 12th, 18th and 19th day of pregnancy. Group II received distilled water on the same days (control group). Group III did not receive any drug (stress control group). All rats were sacrificed on the 20th day of pregnancy when plasma corticosterone levels of dams were assessed and the maternal and fetal adrenal glands were studied by light microscopy. Results: plasma corticosterone level of dams was lower in the group treated with betamethasone (4.8 mg/dL) when compared with the control groups (17.7 and 26.8 mg/dL). The light microscopy study revealed cytoplasmatic vacuolation in the fasciculate zone in the maternal and fetal adrenal glands, which indicates adrenal suppression. Conclusions: the antenatal repetitive and prolonged use of corticosteroids in pregnant rats for acceleration of lung fetal maturation causes maternal and fetal adrenal suppression.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(1):15-20
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000100003
Purpose: to evaluate the seroprevalence of infection caused by HSV-2 among pregnant women delivering at the University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (UHFMRP-USP) and to standardize laboratory techniques to be used for this purpose. Methods: a total of 1500 blood samples from pregnant women seen at the Obstetric Center of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, UHFMRP-USP, between January 1st and October 31st, 1996, were evaluated. To determine the real prevalence of HSV-2 infection, the ELISA technique was standardized but, during its initial use, it was found to be not sufficiently specific to discriminate between the two viral types (75%). Thus, it became necessary to use a more specific technique and the method standardized for this purpose was Western blot, which can detect the specific HSV-2 viral protein. Results: the seroprevalence of herpes infection induced by the two viral types (HSV-1 and HSV-2) was 94.5% when ELISA was used. With the use of Western blot, a 32% seroprevalence of HSV-2 infection was detected in the studied population, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic. Conclusion: a high prevalence of carrier status for HSV-2 and HSV-1 infection was detected, as shown by the high rate of positivity for antibodies against this virus. ELISA did not show sufficient specificity to discriminate between HSV-2 and HSV-1 antibodies.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(1):21-27
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000100004
Purpose: nucleated red blood cell counts are increased in several hypoxic conditions. The authors aimed to establish if there is a correlation between erythroblast counts in the umbilical vein of newborns and the presence of perinatal hypoxia detected by acid-base balance parameters. Methods: blood samples were obtained from the umbilical vein of pregnant subjects with at least 37 weeks of gestation attended at the Hospital de Alvorada-RS, just before the newborns' first breathing movement. Part of the blood was placed in an EDTA-containing vial and white and red blood cells were analyzed. The remaining amount of blood was aspirated into insulin type syringe previously washed with heparin and pH, pO2, pCO2 and acid-base excess/deficit were analyzed. Slides were also prepared with the panoptic stain for visual identification and count of the erythroblast number. The erythroblast/leukocyte ratio was calculated. Results: of the 158 cases included in the study, 55 were considered free of perinatal hypoxia. In this population, the average erythroblast rate was 3.9% with a standard deviation of 2.8%. The minimum and maximum values were 0% and 10%, respectively. When considering all the cases, the average was 5.7%, with a standard deviation of 5.3%. The minimum and maximum values were 0% and 28%, respectively. Application of Pearson's test for the analysis of the erythroblast rate and acid-base parameters showed a significant correlation for pH and pCO2. The construction of a Receiver Operation Curve showed that for an erythroblast rate of 5%, a 7.25-pH cutoff yields a sensitivity of 54% and a specificity of 56%. Out of the 23 newborns whose normoblast rate was greater than 10%, there was acidemia in 7 (30.4%), 11 (48.7%) were large for gestational age, 3 (13%) were small for gestational age, 7 (30.4%) were anemic, and in 3 (13%) there were no abnormalities. Conclusions: in newborns from uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries, the erythroblast rate was less than 10%. When it was greater than 10%, a correlation was found mainly with large or small for gestational age, fetal anemia and acidemia.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(1):31-37
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000100005
Purpose: to evaluate the prognosis of fetal omphalocele after prenatal diagnosis. Methods: fifty-one cases with prenatal diagnosis of fetal omphalocele were divided into three groups: group 1, isolated omphalocele; group 2, omphalocele associated with structural abnormalities and normal karyotype; group 3, omphalocele with abnormal karyotype. The data were analyzed for overall survival rate and postsurgery survival, considering associated malformations, gestational age at delivery, birth weight and size of omphalocele. Results: group 1 corresponded to 21% (n = 11), group 2, 55% (n = 28) and group 3,24% (n = 12). All of Group 3 died, and trisomy 18 was the most frequent chromosomal abnormality. The survival rate was 80% for group 1 and 25% for group 2. Sixteen cases underwent surgery (10 isolated and 6 associated), 81% survived (8 isolated and 5 associated). The median birth weight was 3,140 g and 2,000 g for survivals and non-survivals after surgery, respectively (p = 0.148), and the corresponding gestational age at delivery was 37 and 36 weeks (p = 0.836). The ratio of omphalocele/abdominal circumference decreased with gestation, 0.88 between 25-29 weeks and 0.65 between 30-35 weeks (p = 0.043). The size of omphalocele was not significantly different between the 3 groups (p = 0.988), and it was not associated to postsurgery prognosis (p = 0.553). Conclusion: the overall and postsurgery survival rates were 25 and 81%, respectively. Associated malformations were the main prognostic factor in prenatally diagnosed omphaloceles, since they are associated with prematurity and low birth weight.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(1):41-45
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000100006
Purpose: the morphologic and morphometric aspects of the breasts of rats in permanent estrus submitted to danazol were studied. Methods: the animals were divided into three groups: group A (n = 12) received water and was used as control, group B (n = 13) was exposed to 20 mg danazol kg-1 day-1, and group C (n = 10) was exposed to 80 mg danazole kg-1 day-1 for 35 consecutive days. The microscopic study evaluated the ductal and acinar distribution. Histometry of the relationship duct/stroma was based on the principles of stereology with a Zeiss k-10X ocular, with Integrationsplatte I reticulum of Weibel of 25 hits, with 100X magnification. For each studied section, 10 aleatoric fields were counted, with a total of 250 points. The variance analysis test (Kruskal-Wallis) was applied to compare the three groups in relation to the mean number of alveoli and ducts (alpha = 0.05). Results: when submitted to morphological study, all groups presented lobules with alveoli lined with cubic cells with nuclei in their central or basal portion. Small amounts of eosinophilic material were observed in some cases in the lumen, with no differences between the groups. At morphometry, with a magnification of 100X, a mean number of 28.6 ducts/10 fields was found in group A, 28.4 in group B and 29.2 in group C (Kruskal-Wallis test: Hcrit = 0.1). The mean number of alveoli in 10 fields was 5.9, 9.3 and 6.5 in groups A, B and C, respectively (Kruskal-Wallis test: Hcrit = 2.9), with no significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: danazol did not cause any changes in the morphology and morphometry of the permanent estrus mammary epithelium.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2001;23(1):47-51
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032001000100007
Purpose: to evaluate the incidence of thermal damage to the specimens excised through large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) and to determine qualitatively and quantitatively the thermal injury to the ectocervical and endocervical epithelia as well as the influence of the menstrual phase on such process. Methods: we performed a prospective study of 100 patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HGSIL). Thermal damage was subdivided into three grades according to Messing et al¹. Results: thermal injury occurred in all the cases, however, through statistical analysis we found that in 91% of the cases it was insignificant, thus leading to a precise histological evaluation, hence to measure the thermal injury was unnecessary. The grade and extent of thermal damage in excised specimens using LLETZ had no relation to the menstrual phase. The extension of thermal tissue alteration in the endocervical epithelia was 271,6 mu while the extension in ectocervical epithelia was 254,8 mu, showing that the extension of thermal damage is significantly higher in endocervical epithelia. Of the one hundred patients, 80 were in menacme and 20 in menopause correlating the grade and extension of thermal damage with the menstrual state. Conclusion: there was no significant difference in both qualitative and quantitative evaluations. There is no need to measure the thermal damage.