Articles: disease.
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Ninety neonates were ventilated over a period of 33 months of whom 50 (55.5%) survived. Fifty seven babies received IPPV while 33 CPAP. IPPV mode was being used more frequently recently and survival rates have steadily improved over past 3 years. ⋯ Two babies developed BPD and one ROP. Neonatal ventilation should be ventured in centres where basic facilities for level II care already exist. It may not be cost effective to ventilate extremely low birth weight neonates.
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We report on the determinants and consequences of induced abortion among 803 women admitted to hospital with abortion complications in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1991. 458 (57%) women reported using misoprostol to induce abortion, 74% in the first 4 months of pregnancy. Doses of 200-16,800 micrograms were reported, with a median of 800 micrograms. 65% of the women took the drug orally, 29% used a combination of oral and vaginal routes, and 6% administered it intravaginally. Vaginal bleeding and uterine cramps were the commonest reasons for seeking hospital care. ⋯ A significantly smaller proportion of women taking misoprostol than of those who induced abortion by catheter insertion presented signs of infection or physical injuries or required blood transfusion (< 0.0005). Among 803 women interviewed at delivery as controls, 6% had taken misoprostol but abortion had not ensued. Misoprostol has an important role as an abortifacient among the women studied.