Volume regulatory hormones and plasma volume in pregnant women with sickle cell disorder.

Background: Sickle cell disease (haemoglobin SS (HbSS)) mainly affects those of West African origin and is associated with hypervolaemia. Plasma volume rises by up to 50% in normal pregnancy but was previously found to be paradoxically contracted in late sickle cell pregnancy. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is activated very early in human pregnancy to support the plasma volume expansion.

Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Ectopic pregnancy is an important cause of maternal deaths in Nigeria and in other developing countries. In Lagos, Nigeria, it is responsible for 8.6% of maternal deaths, and has a case fatality rate of 3.

Prevalence of HIV among women with vaginal discharge in a gynecological clinic.

Objective: Vaginal discharge is a common complaint among women with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Nigeria. Given the association between STDs and HIV and the alarming rise in the prevalence of HIV in Nigeria, we performed this study to determine the prevalence of HIV in patients with vaginal discharge.

Study Design: Between April 2000 and August 2000, women who attended the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and complained of vaginal discharge were adequately counseled for HIV serotest.

Cervical cytology in an urban population in Lagos, Nigeria.

Eight hundred and eighty-four consecutive women had cervical smears in a clinic in Lagos, Nigeria between September 1998 and 31 August 1999. Mean age was 36.6 - 11.