Robotic surgery and colour doppler ultrasound hold great hope in ensuring safe pregnancy and in reducing mother and child mortality in obstetrics and gynaecology,  said Dr Pankaj Desai, renowned expert, researcher and teacher in OG and former Dean at Baroda Medical College.

He said while inaugurating ‘OG Quest -2017’ at Sri Ramachandra University in Chennai.

These high-tech gadgets, already in vogue in some leading hospitals, are more precise and less complicated and traumatic to the mother and baby.  Fibroids and tumours in uterus and in endometriosis where endometrial tissues similar to that which lines the interior of the uterus are found grown in locations outside of the uterus, require surgeries and endoscopic robotic surgery will be a better option for the patients.  This technology, though is very costly, will take time to be available for all, he said.

Another area of promise is use of colour doppler ultrasound (CDU) which is very useful in knowing what is happening in blood vessels of pregnant women.  Some of the high risk cases in OG have origin in blood supply. For example, pre eclampsia and IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction)  can be detected early before it becomes fatal for the mother and the baby.  Pre-eclampsia is a disorder of pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure and often a large amount of protein in the urine. If not detected early and treated, it can kill the mother and baby.  Similarly IUGR is a condition in which an unborn baby is smaller than it should be because it is not growing at a normal rate  inside the womb. It can be detected with colour doppler ultrasound as early as 16 weeks.  The problem normally manifests only in 32 weeks of pregnancy by which time much damage may be done, he added.
 
With increasing number of cesarean surgeries invasive placenta can be detected as early as 20 weeks of pregnancy.  If not detected and treated in time it can lead to severe bleeding and kill the mother and the baby.  Nearly 60 percent of pregnancy related mother and child mortality are linked to these conditions, Dr Pankaj Desai said.
 
Over 400 postgraduate students and practicing OGs from across India attended the six day conference.  Dr JSN Murthy, Vice Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra University.  Dr G Usha Rani, HOD, OBG and professors Dr N Palaniappan and Dr K S Rajeswari were among those who participated in the event.