Obstetric Ultrasound Screening in a Rural Area of Lebanon One Small Step With a Promising Major Impact
| Autor: | Gihad E. Chalouhi, Anthony Sabbagh, Lea Daher, Elie Snaifer, Issa Farekh, Hala Hassan, Marwan Farah |
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| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
medicine.medical_specialty Population Gestational Age Consanguinity Ultrasonography Prenatal Young Adult Pregnancy Prenatal Diagnosis Health care Humans Medicine Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging Lebanon Family history education education.field_of_study Radiological and Ultrasound Technology business.industry Obstetrics Infant Gestational age medicine.disease Cross-Sectional Studies Gestation Female Rural area business |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine. 40:483-489 |
| ISSN: | 1550-9613 0278-4297 |
| Popis: | OBJECTIVES Our aim was to evaluate the conditions and to weigh the potential impact of an obstetrical ultrasound screening intervention on pregnant patients in an underserved area of Lebanon with the presence of refugees. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study in a rural region in North Lebanon. Monthly second-trimester obstetrical ultrasound scans were offered to patients. A thorough analysis of the population's characteristics was done, the anomalies discovered were documented and follow up recommendations were offered. RESULTS 268 screening ultrasounds were performed over a one-year period. The patients' mean age was 27.5 ± 8.5 years with a 35% consanguinity rate. A positive personal history of abnormalities was recognized in 34% of cases, and a positive family history in 21% of them. The average gestational age was of 23.3 ± 1.4 weeks of gestation. We found a rate of 8.6% inaccurate dating, 20% growth abnormalities, and 12% morphological abnormalities requiring follow-up. These latter included defects affecting multiple organ systems among which renal, neurological, and cardiac structures were the most frequently affected (2.5%, 2%, and 1.6% respectively). Overall, 35.8% of the screened cases required a follow-up for 1 or more abnormal findings. CONCLUSIONS The findings confirmed the necessity to introduce a prenatal ultrasound screening program in rural areas of Lebanon where refugees are settled. The lack of adequate ultrasound screening in these regions presents major threats that can hinder any pregnancy. Our simple intervention tackles the burden of diagnosis of these risks in up to 35.8% of pregnancies and thus can help improve outcomes. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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