Acta Medica Port
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Pre-eclampsia is associated with deficient intravascular production of prostacyclin, a vasodilator, and excessive production of thromboxane, a vasoconstrictor and stimulant of platelet aggregation. These observations led to the hypotheses that antiplatelet agents, low-dose aspirin in particular, might prevent or delay development of pre-eclampsia. This Cochrane review aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of antiplatelet agents, such as aspirin and dipyridamole, when given to women at risk of developing preeclampsia. ⋯ Interventions were administration of an antiplatelet agent, and comparisons were either placebo or no antiplatelet. The present review provides high-quality evidence that administering low-dose aspirin (50 - 150 mg) to pregnant women led to small-to-moderate benefits, including reductions in the risk of pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, small-for-gestational age fetus, and fetal or neonatal death. Overall, administering antiplatelet agents to 1000 women led to 20 fewer pregnancies with serious adverse outcomes.
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Endosalpingiosis is a rare benign condition characterized by the presence of tubal epithelium outside the Fallopian tube. The clinical presentation of endosalpingiosis is nonspecific, and the diagnosis is typically incidental in women undergoing surgery for pelvic pain, infertility, urinary symptoms, or a pelvic mass. It can only be confirmed with histopathological examination. ⋯ Florid cystic endosalpingiosis is a rare condition that may be associated with several bizarre hysteroscopic findings.
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Postpartum hemorrhage remains one of the leading causes of maternal death globally. Oxytocin is the uterotonic agent of choice for the prophylaxis of this complication. However, its use in low-resource settings is associated with clinical, political, economic and cultural constraints. The goal of this article is to describe the use of oxytocin for postpartum hemorrhage prophylaxis in low-resource settings. ⋯ In order to reduce maternal mortality caused by postpartum hemorrhage in low-resource settings, it is essential to improve the knowledge of healthcare professionals, to implement good practices on the use of uterotonics, to optimize resource management and to overcome cultural barriers that prevent the demand for health services.