Background: It was a randomized controlled prospective study. A large number of women in their advanced pregnancies often need labour induction for various reasons. This study aims to evaluate a safe, effective and inexpensive mode of medical induction. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of vaginal misoprostol versus oral misoprostol in induction of labour when used in equal doses.Methods: Two hundred patients were included in the study. They were divided into two groups of 100 patients each. One group i.e. Group A received vaginal misoprostol while the other group i.e. Group B received oral misoprostol. The dosage was 50μg every 6th hourly maximum of four doses. The progress of labour in both groups was charted on a partogram. The outcome of pregnancy, maternal and foetal outcomes were statistically analysed.Results: When compared with respect to age, height, gestational age, indication for induction, there was no difference in either of the groups. The numbers of doses of misoprostol for successful outcome of labour in the vaginal group i.e. 2.25±0.53 was lesser than the dosage needed in the oral group i.e. 2.71±0.60 (P value M 0.0001). which is highly significant. The induction-delivery interval was also less in the vaginal group compared to the oral group. (12.90±2.40 hours versus 15±75 hours). Only 13 women in the vaginal group needed acceleration with oxytocin in contrast to 17 women in the oral group. The need for caesarean section in women induced with vaginal misoprostol was 12 women in comparison to oral group which was 32 women. No statistically significant difference was seen in neonatal outcome in either of the groups.Conclusions: When given in equal doses the vaginal administration of misoprostol is more effective in successful induction of labour when compared to oral misoprostol.

Background: A woman's reproductive period begins at menarche and ends in menopause. It usually extends from 13 to 45 years. Many physiological and hematological changes do occur during the pregnancy period and after delivery. Aims and Objectives: The present study was done to evaluate the variations in red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) counts before and after normal vaginal delivery. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cohort study conducted on 500 pregnant females who got admitted to labor room for delivery at McGann Teaching District Hospital, Shivamogga. Blood samples were taken during the time of their admission to labor ward and within 12-24 h after normal vaginal delivery and the cell counts were estimated using Sysmex KX-21 automated hematology analyzer. Results: The mean values of RBC count before delivery were found to be 4.4 millions/mm 3 with standard deviation of ±0.5 which dropped to 4 millions/mm 3 with standard deviation of ±0.5 on the 1 st day of puerperium. The mean values of WBC count before delivery were found to be 12,495.6 cells/mm 3 with standard deviation of ±3663.5 cells/mm 3 which increased to 16,027 cells/mm

Background & Objectives: Placental examination has clinical value in preeclampsia (PE) and IUGR. The luminal diameter of the uterine spiral arterioles in women with PE is narrowed leading to placental ischemia thus causing fetal hypoxia and pathological changes in placenta. The main objective of the present study is to compare morphological and histomorphometrical changes in placentas of preeclamptic and normotensive mothers. Methods: 50 placentas from both vaginal and LSCS delivery were collected at Dept. of OBG in a tertiary care center, half of them from normotensive pregnancies and the rest from preeclamptic mothers. An inclusion criterion for control was normal blood pressure and no proteinuria. Exclusion criteria for both control and study group was DM, obesity, severe anemia or any systemic disorders. Placental thickness, weight, diameter and surface area were recorded. Histopathological sections stained with H&E were observed for surface area and diameter of TV. Results: The mean placental weight in PE was 430 g. The placental diameter was decreased in PE (16 cm) compared to controls (19 cm). Neonatal weight followed the same trend. Histologically, the changes in the TV and blood vessels was significant; there was decrease in the diameter of villi in PE cases(0.01 μm) when compared to controls (0.05 μm). There was significant decrease in the diameter of blood vessels in PE (0.0049 μm) than in controls (0.01 mm). Conclusion: This study has revealed that there are significant changes in the placenta in cases of PE both morphologically and histologically. There is also a need for further studies to prove the molecular and genetic factors involved in preeclampsia.

Background: To evaluate whether oligohydramnios (AFI≤5) has any significance in the outcome of low risk pregnancies. Normal amniotic fluid index in pregnancy is one of the indicators of fetal well-being.  In a term pregnancy, oligohydramnios, a condition associated with AFI≤5, could be a sign of placental insufficiency. An association of low AFI with complications like pregnancy induced hypertension, consistently leads to poor fetal outcome. A need to deliver the fetus by cesarean section often arises. Occasionally one comes across a full-term pregnancy with AFI ≤5 with no known high risk factors; this could lead to increased cesarean section rates. Thus, it becomes necessary to evaluate if AFI ≤5 in the absence of other risk factors has any significance on obstetric outcome.Methods: Prospective case controlled study was done. Fifty women with term pregnancies and (AFI≤5) cm not associated with any other high risk factors were enrolled for the study. They were matched with fifty controls with normal AFI.Results: Except for a slight increase in variable deceleration in the study group, no differences were noted with fetal heart rate recordings in NST.  Decreased AFI was not associated with increased cesarean section rates, instrumental deliveries or meconium stained amniotic fluid. Severe asphyxia, NICU admission or perinatal mortality was not noted in either group.Conclusions: When a low risk pregnancy is associated with Oligohydramnios (AFI≤5), it does not have any deleterious effect on labor outcome or perinatal outcome.