BackgroundVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity, with the highest incidence occurring during the postpartum period. This study compared the ability of two types of low-molecular-weight heparin, enoxaparin and bemiparin, to decrease the incidence of VTE following elective caesarean section, emergency caesarean section, and vaginal delivery in women who had risk factors for thromboembolism.MethodsIn this prospective clinical trial using a sequential group allocation method, 7020 haemodynamically stable women delivered vaginally or abdominally at the Maternity Teaching Hospital, Kurdistan region, Erbil, Iraq, between May 1, 2012, and November 1, 2013. These women had risk factors for VTE and were allocated to the following groups: treatment with 3500 IU/day of bemiparin, 4000 IU/day of enoxaparin, or no intervention (control). The first dose was administered 6 hours after vaginal or abdominal delivery, or 8 hours after delivery in women receiving spinal anaesthesia. Subsequent doses were administered daily for up to 6 days. The incidence of VTE was assessed for up to 40 days postpartum. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 19. Proportions were compared using the chi square test of association or Fisher’s exact test. Binary logistic regression analysis was used with VTE as the dependent variable.ResultsVTE occurred in 1 (0.042%) woman in the bemiparin group, two (0.085%) women in the enoxaparin group, and nine (0.384%) women in the control group (P = 0.017). Regression analysis showed that women on bemiparin (OR = 0.106; 95% CI = 0.013–0.838) and enoxaparin (OR = 0.226; 95% CI = 0.049–1.049) were at lower risk of developing VTE than control women. Adverse events in the enoxaparin group included wound dehiscence, haematoma, and separation. None of these occurred in the bemiparin group.ConclusionsPostpartum bemiparin is significantly effective as a prophylaxis for VTE. Wound complications develop after use of enoxaparin, but not after bemiparin.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov; Identifier: NCT01588171; date: April 26, 2012.

Background and objective: Abnormal uterine bleeding due to endometrial abnormalities is a common diagnostic challenge facing the radiologist and referring gynecologist. This study was aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of transvaginal ultrasound, transabdominal ultrasound and diagnostic curettage in the detection of endometrial pathologies in symptomatic women. Methods: A prospective comparison study of transvaginal ultrasound, transabdominal ultrasound and diagnostic curettage was conducted for evaluation of endometrial pathology in Maternity Teaching Hospital, Erbil city,Kurdistan region of Iraq, from September13 th , 2013 to September14 th , 2014. The study included 100 women presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding.Ultrasound findings were compared with histopathological results. The statistical package for the social sciences (version 17) was used for data entry and analysis. Results: The mean age (± SD) of sample size was 47 ±8.57 years. The mean parity was 5.17 ± 2.71. The highest percentages of women were in age group 40-59 years (73%). Of the total sample, more than half (52%) had regular cycles, 25% had irregular cycles and 23% were in menopausal state. In more than half of cases the indication for ultrasounds was for menorrhagia, followed by postmenapousal and intermenstrual bleeding (23% and 21%, respectively). Of 98 women (2 women were excluded from analysis), 19% had atrophic endometrium and 67% had endometrial hyperplasia in histopathological finding. Transvaginal ultrasound sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 92.9%, respectively while transabdominal ultrasound sensitivity and specificity were 92.8% and 65%, respectively. Conclusion:Transvaginal ultrasound scanning is an excellent tool for the determination of whether further investigation with histopathological examination of endometrial biopsy is necessary or not for women presented with abnormal uterine bleeding.