Achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5: a snapshot of life in rural India.

The case studies presented here illustrate the poignant reality of life for mothers and children in rural India. We highlight the challenges of achieving millennium development goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, by exploring the reasons behind maternal and childhood mortality using the three-delays model as a framework. Gender disparities, lack of empowerment of women, poor understanding of life-threatening illness, the inability to know when and where to seek help, security issues, deficiencies in understanding cultural perceptions, poorly equipped health facilities and a lack of skilled personnel are all highlighted.

Spontaneous pregnancy after bilateral salpingectomy.

Objective: To report a rare case of spontaneous pregnancy following bilateral salpingectomy.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Maternity unit at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom.

The value of biochemical and ultrasound measurements in predicting pregnancy outcome in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.

In this study, the potential prognostic value of serial ultrasonographic, endocrinological and biochemical measurements in the early pregnancy of women with a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriage was examined. A total of 113 pregnancies among 93 women were studied, of which 77 (68%) resulted in live birth, whereas 36 (32%) ended in a miscarriage. The normal range (5-95th centile) of various measurements was derived from pregnancies which resulted in a live birth.

The measurement of CA 125 and placental protein 14 in uterine flushings in women with recurrent miscarriage; relation to endometrial morphology.

The concentrations of CA 125 and placental protein 14 (PP14) were measured in uterine flushings obtained throughout the luteal phase of the cycle from eight normal fertile women. The concentrations of both proteins increased in a similar pattern throughout the luteal phase of the cycle, with the most dramatic increase occurring 6 days after their luteinizing hormone surge (day LH +6). However, a greater variation in CA 125 concentrations was seen compared to that seen for PP14.

Endometrial differentiation in the peri-implantation phase of women with recurrent miscarriage: a morphological and immunohistochemical study.

Objectives: To study endometrial differentiation in the peri-implantation phase of women with recurrent miscarriage and to compare the results with endometrium of normal fertile women.

Design: A prospective study of endometrial specimens precisely timed from the LH surge, using traditional histologic dating (Noyes' criteria), quantitative histologic measurement (morphometric analysis), and immunohistochemical techniques.

Results: Fifteen of 25 (60%) subjects in the recurrent miscarriage group had retarded endometrial development in the peri-implantation period as monitored by morphometry.