Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
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Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a debilitating chronic inflammatory disorder of the bladder. It affects predominantly middle-aged Caucasian women. The diagnosis, made from the combination of symptoms, cystoscopic findings and bladder biopsies, is often delayed in the gynaecology setting because of a low index of suspicion. ⋯ A wide assortment of therapies is available and many more are under trial. Until the causes and pathogenesis of IC are unraveled, mainstream medical treatment will remain palliative and cystectomy with urinary diversion, the only potential cure. In addition to our long experience on managing this disorder, we present a comprehensive review of the current thoughts on the aetiology and management of IC.
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The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be transmitted vertically through the placenta in utero, during labour and delivery and through breast milk. In Nigeria, about 5.8% of women attending antenatal clinics were HIV infected as of December 2002. It was projected that by the end of the year 2002, there were about 849,000 orphans resulting from AIDS and about 755,000 established paediatric AIDS in this country. ⋯ All the infants received nevirapine suspension within 72 hours of delivery. Expensive and slow testing facilities, insufficient and inconsistent counsellors, lack of ARV drugs for both mother and baby as well as unaffordable caesarean delivery were some of the constraints being faced at this centre. It is recommended that the governments at various levels should show more commitment to the programme of preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.