Contribution of obstetrical Doppler ultrasound in the fight against maternal and fetal complications of childbirth in workroom

Objective. To demonstrate the role of obstetric Doppler ultrasound in reducing the rate of maternal-fetal complications in childbirth. Patients and methods. Case-control study lasting 12 months carried out at the regional hospital center in Yamoussoukro (Ivory Coast). It involved 204 parturients who had a "complicated delivery". We have divided them into two groups with one group of cases, consisting of 151 parturients who did not have obstetric ultrasound and a group of controls, consisting of 53 parturients who had an obstetric ultrasound during labor. We studied the occurrence of maternal and neonatal complications in the two groups. Results. During the study period, 1182 vaginal deliveries were made. Of these, 204 were complicated (17.3%). Three maternal deaths and 12 cases of uterine rupture were observed in the case group against none maternal complication in the control group. Thirty-eight cases of stillbirth against zero in controls, 69 cases of neonatal brain injury cases against three among controls were evidenced. The causes of complications were dominated by the obstruction (21 cases) followed by abruptio placentae (eight cases) in the mother. Fetal distress (69 cases) followed by the circular of umbilical cord (48 cases) was the dominant causes in fetus. Conclusion. Complicated deliveries represent over a quarter of births in Ivory Coast. Most complications can be avoided by an ultrasound exploration of all new mothers in the labor ward. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.