Ellika Andolf

Transvaginal ultrasonographic findings in the uterus and the endometrium: Low prevalence of leiomyoma in a random sample of women age 25-40 years

Background. In articles and textbooks the prevalence of uterine leiomyomas is said to be 20–25% in women over the age of 30. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of uterine leiomyoma, the thickness and the texture of the endometrium, and the size of the uterus in a random sample of asymptomatic women 25–40 years old.

Insidious Urinary Retention after Vaginal Delivery: Prevalence and Symptoms at Follow-Up in a Population-Based Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of postpartum urinary retention in women after vaginal delivery and to determine whether parturients with retention develop voiding problems later. During a 3-month period, all parturients in the catchment area of the University Hospital, Lund, were investigated 3 days after delivery, residual volume being measured by ultrasonography. All those with postpartal retention were contacted 4 years after delivery, when they were reexamined by ultrasonography and asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding urinary problems. In all, 539 women were scanned post partum, and 8 (1.5%) had a residual volume exceeding 150 ml (range 156-320 ml). Retention was more common among primiparae after instrumental delivery or epidural analgesia. The symptoms were normalized spontaneously within a few days in all cases. At follow-up 4 years later, the prevalence of urinary symptoms was not higher than that in the general population. Ultrasonography to detect urinary retention does not seem to have any place in the normal postpartal care. However, extended supervision may be appropriate in parturients receiving epidural analgesia or in those submitted to instrumental deliveries.

Ultrasonography for early detection of ovarian carcinoma

Summary. Ultrasound scan for detection of ovarian enlargements was performed in a target group of out‐patients attending the clinic for various reasons in the 40–70 years range. Overall 805 women were examined, in 99% of whom the ovaries and/or their vessels could be identified. Pathological findings were suspected in 83 patients at the first scan, and were confirmed in 50 after a repeat scan, 39 of whom subsequently underwent surgery. Various ovarian lesions were found in 35 women, including five mucinous and serous cystadenomas, one carcinoma, two borderline tumours, and a cancer of the caecum. None of the borderline or malignant ovarian lesions were found by manual pelvic examination. Ultrasound screening appears to be a useful diagnostic aid, though its usefulness might be further improved if other risk factors such as heredity and period of ovulatory activity are taken into consideration.

Ultrasound measurement of the ovarian volume

The ovaries of 377 women between the age of 40 and 70 years were measured by ultrasound. About one third of the patients were postmenopausal. Mean value, standard deviation and S.E.M. of the ovarian volume were calculated and related to age, parity and menstrual cycle. Ovarian size decreased with age in all women but bore no relation to parity and day of menstrual cycle in the menstruating group of women over 40 years of age. A diagram of the ovarian volume related to age is presented.

Personality and mode of delivery

Background. Womens rights to request an elective cesarean section without a specific medical indication has been intensively debated during the last decade among healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to investigate if women requesting a cesarean section differ in their personality from those who plan a vaginal delivery. The aim was also to study differences between the groups in age, perceived health, and place of birth, IVF treatment, and family size planning.

Cystic lesions in elderly women, diagnosed by ultrasound

Summary. A retrospective review of an entire clinical series of 152 women over 50 years of age, in whom cystic lesions without solid parts had been diagnosed by ultrasound, found there were no malignancies in 58 completely anechoic lesions <5 cm in diameter. Of 10 small lesions (<5 cm in diameter) with some echogenicity or septa, one was a borderline tumour. In contrast, in patients with lesions >5 cm in diameter there were three malignancies in the group of 33 totally anechoic cysts, five in the group of 32 cysts with some echogenicity, and as many as eight malignancies in the 18 lesions where several septa were present. Two borderline and one malignant tumour had been missed at previous clinical examination. We conclude that small anechoic lesions are seldom, if ever, malignant in elderly women. Sonography is helpful in patients with a negative clinical examination when pelvic pain or signs of malignancy are present.

Amniocentesis before the 15th gestational week in single and twin gestations ‐ complications and quality of genetic analysis

BACKGROUND Early amniocentesis has been claimed to confer a higher risk of fetal loss than standard amniocentesis after the 15th gestational week. Our experience of early amniocentesis in single and twin gestations from 1990 - 1995 is presented with 99.3% follow-up. METHODS Amniocentesis was performed between 11 gestational weeks + 5 days and 14 gestational weeks + 6 days. RESULTS In 1646 pregnancies 1678 amniocenteses were performed. Thirty-two reamniocenteses were done, 17 due to amniocyte culture failure and 15 due to failure to obtain sufficient amount of amniotic fluid on the first occasion. After puncture 1.49% (25/1678) suffered a spontaneous abortion. Twenty twin pregnancies were included. One spontaneous abortion was noted in this group, as well as three cases where one fetus was normal and the other had a severe defect. Selective abortions were performed without complications. CONCLUSIONS The difference of postprocedure fetal loss in our population between early and standard amniocentesis is 0.8%. A comparison of postprocedure losses is not appropriate when amniocenteses are performed at a different gestational age, as spontaneous loss decreases with increased gestational age. Our results compare well with the only randomized study between early and standard amniocentesis where the fetal loss after early amniocentesis is similar to that in standard amniocentesis.

Seventeen Week Pregnancy IN a Rudimentary Uterine Horn Revealed at Routine Ultrasonography

Pregnancy in a rudimentary horn of a bicornuate uterus is a rare and often fatal event. A case is presented of such a pregnancy detected in the second trimester routine ultrasonographic examination.