A recently published study has linked assisted conception involving in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with an increased risk of birth defects. A large observational study using Australian databases of infertility treatments from January 1986 to December 2002 confirmed previous findings of an increased risk
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Along with hemorrhage and hypertension, infection remains one of the most common causes of maternal mortality in developing nations (see related article Practical Advice on Preventing Maternal Death Due to Postpartum Hemorrhage on preventing maternal death due to post-partum hemorrhage). Puerperal sepsis, defined as an infection of the genital tract…
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Between 1990 and 2010, 48 out of 65 nations with reliable data in both the developed and developing world experienced an increase in preterm births, according to a recent study. Key Point: Preterm birth can lead to serious complications and death in the neonate. Physicians can counsel patients to lower…
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Women of child-bearing age commonly take over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for occasional aches and pains. They are also the most common medications women take during the first trimester of pregnancy. In a recent study, women who used common nonprescription NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) in early pregnancy were not found…
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Leptospirosis, a direct zoonotic disease, is a re-emerging infectious disease that can be fatal in pregnancy if undiagnosed. When diagnosed and treated early, leptospirosis is highly curable with routinely available antibiotics. “Leptospirosis is a totally preventable [cause of] maternal mortality with no residual sequelae if diagnosed early and managed accordingly.”…
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Implementation of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Safe Childbirth Checklist program during childbirth led to improvement in the delivery of essential care practices, according to a prospective pilot study conducted at a sub-district level birth center in Karnataka, India. Currently, the infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births in India…
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Risk of postnatal fever with misoprostol linked to dosage, administration route
The prostaglandin E1 analog misoprostol is widely used to prevent postpartum hemorrhage, which is the leading cause of maternal death in India. Misoprostol is especially practical in low-resource settings because of its efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and ease of administration (sublingual, oral, vaginal, or rectal). It’s also not heat labile, which makes…
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