Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(7):395-403
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000700005
Purpose: to establish a list of diseases promoting maternal death according to frequency. Methods: In 1996, 65,406 deaths were recorded in the City of São Paulo, 26,778 of which were of women. Of these, 4591 were within the 10-49 year age bracket. We analyzed the latter group, regarding at the field "Cause of Death" in the Death Certificate, trying to establish some correlation between the described pathology, and the pregnancy-puerperium cycle. We separated for a further study 293 Death Certificates, from which we selected, after hospital survey and/or home visits, a total of 119 positive cases for maternal death. The positive cases for maternal death were then tabulated, grouped and analyzed according to age and pathology, using the great medical care groups. Results: as regards the 119 positive cases for maternal death, we did not find any reference to the pregnancy-puerperium state in 53 of them (that is, 40.54% subnotifying). The cases were grouped according to pathology, where we found a predominance of eclampsia/pre-eclampsia cases (18.02%), followed by cases resulting from hemorrhagic complications in the third quarter and puerperium (12.61%), abortion complications (12.61%), puerperal infection (9.91%) and cardiopathies (9.91%). Conclusions: for the first time, we are publishing the Late Maternal Mortality Coefficient for the City of São Paulo, which was 51.33/100,000 born alive. However, we used for the official publication the Maternal Mortality Coefficient for death within up to 42 days of puerperium, which was, 48.03/100,000 born alive for the city of São Paulo. We should bear in mind that no correction factor should be applied to these figures since we have made an active search of cases.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(7):389-394
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000700004
Most authors agree on the negative impact of pregnancy in women with advanced maternal age on maternal and perinatal outcome. However, it is not usual to evaluate if some considered risk factors are only confounders because they are present in women over forty years. In order to identify the isolated effect of age on maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancies in women over forty, 494 pregnancies from this age group were compared to 988 pregnancies among women aged 20 to 29 years, matched by parity. After controlling possible confounding variables through multivariate analysis, advanced maternal age maintained its association with a higher prevalence of hypertension, malpresentation, cesarean section, postpartum hemorrhage, low Apgar score, perinatal death, late fetal death and intrapartum fetal distress. These findings show the need for adequate obstetrical care with special attention to those factors in order to improve maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancies in women with advanced age.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(7):381-387
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000700003
Objective: to evaluate the diagnosis, characteristics of pregnancy, maternal complications and perinatal outcome in cases of congenital hydrocephalus, and to associate them with pregnancy and delivery variables. Methods: 116 pregnancies with this diagnosis were evaluated before or after delivery, 112 of them occurring at the Maternity ward of CAISM/UNICAMP during the period between 1986 and 1995. For perinatal variables, complete data of 82 newborns were used. For data analysis, distributions and means were calculated and c² and Fisher exact tests were applied. Results: generally the diagnosis was made before delivery, confirmed by ultrasound and the delivery was through a cesarean section in cases. Cephalocentesis was performed in 11 cases and complications were more frequent in vaginal delivery than cesarean section. Low Apgar scores were more frequent among newborn babies delivered vaginally. Congenital hydrocephalus was also associated with important neonatal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, with other malformations, and a very low number of children without sequelae. Conclusions: the evaluation of these factors may be of great value for the obstetrician who is following pregnant women with this fetal malformation. This could better support the decisions that, although medical and ethical, should take into account the risk-benefit ratio of measures to be taken.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(7):377-380
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000700002
Parpose: to analyze the epidemiologic factors, clinical manifestations and forms of treatment of infection with papiloma virus. Method: all cases of condyloma acuminatum in children and adolescents assisted in the period from 1990 to 1995 in the Service of Children and Adolescent Gynecology were revised. We present the following data: age, diagnosis, clinical manifestations, sites of the lesions, transmission modes and treatment. Results: the average age of the 18 studied cases, was 6 years and 11 months (ranging from 2 to 15 years). The most common clinical manifestation was the presence of warts (61.1%). The lesions were located in the vulvoperineal area in 44.4% of the patients, and perianal and vulvar lesions were observed respectively in 27.8% and 22,2% of the cases. It was not possible to confirm the occurrence of sexual abuse or of condyloma lesions in the parents in 66.7% of the cases. Probable sexual abuse (not confirmed) was reported in 2 cases. The basic therapy was chemical cauterization. Conclusions: sexual abuse in children and adolescents with condyloma acuminatum should be investigated in spite of the existence of other transmission ways including auto- or heteroinoculation. The presentation forms at young age differ from those in adults, and thus an appropriate therapy for this is necessary for this population.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(7):371-376
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000700001
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate some epidemiological, clinical and pathological characteristics of the different grades of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), and its relation with the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV). The charts of 46 women with VIN, examined from 1986 through 1997, were reviewed. For statistical analysis the chi² with yates correction when appropriate, and Fisher's exact tests were used. Regarding the grade of VIN, six women presented VIN 1, six others had VIN 2 and the remaining 34 presented VIN 3. All women presented similar characteristics such as age, menstrual status and age at first sexual intercourse. Women with more than one lifetime sexual partner had a tendency to show more VIN 3 (p = 0.090). Cigarette smoking was significantly associated with the severity of the vulvar lesion (p = 0.031). HPV was significantly more frequent in women younger than 35 years of age (p = 0.005) and in women with multiple lesions (p = 0.089). Although the number of lesions were not related to the severity of VIN (p = 0.703), lesions with extensions greater than 2 cm were significantly associated with VIN 3 (p = 0.009). The treatment of choice for VIN 3 was surgery, including local resection and simple vulvectomy. Eight women relapsed, and only one had VIN 2. We concluded that among women with VIN, cigarette smoking and more than one lifetime sexual partner were associated with high-grade lesions. HPV was more frequent among patients younger than 35 years of age presenting multiple lesions. Women with VIN 3 presented lesions bigger than 2 cm and a high relapse rate, despite the type of treatment applied.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(10):551-555
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998001000002
Purpose: to assess the validity of fetal weight estimation by a method based on uterine height -- Johnson's rule. Methods: one hundred and one pregnant women and their newborn children were studied. The fetal weight was estimated using an adaptation of Johnson's rule, which consists of the clinical application of a mathematical model to calculate the fetal weight based on the uterine height and the height of fetal presentation. The estimated weight was obtained on the day of delivery and was compared to the weight observed after birth. This, in turn, was the control of the analysis of validity of the method used. On the same date, a detailed obstetrical ultrasonography (US) was conducted which included the fetal weight, calculated by the use of Sheppard's tables. This weight, estimated by US, was compared to the birth weight. Results: the results have proven that the clinical estimate used in this study has a similar value to that of the US calculation of birth weight. The accuracy of the clinical method, with variations of 5%, 10% and 15% between estimated and observed weights, was 55.3%, 73% and 86.7%, respectively. Those of the US were 60.7%, 75.4% and 91.1%, respectively. When comparing both sets of figures, values were not different from a statistical standpoint. Conclusion: the clinical evaluation has shown to be accurate, similarly to the US, when calculating the birth weight.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 1998;20(8):469-473
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72031998000800007
Purpose: to evaluate the association between second-degree family history of breast cancer and the risk to develop the disease. Methods: case-control study of incident cases. Sixty-six incident breast cancer cases and 198 controls were selected among women who were submitted to mammography in a private clinic between January 1994 and July 1997. Cases and controls were paired regarding age, age at menarche, at first live birth, at menopause, parity, oral contraceptives and use of hormonal replacement therapy. Results: there was no significant difference between cases and controls regarding all risk factors evaluated, besides second-degree family history. Patients with breast cancer were more likely to have second-degree relatives with breast cancer when compared to controls (OR=2.77; 95% CI, 1.03-7.38; p=0.039). Conclusions: malignant neoplasm of the breast is significantly associated with a second-degree family history of this disease.