Obstetrics/ Gynecology

The strong commitment by LAMB to this area exists because it goes right to the core of the LAMB Vision, serving especially women and children, these typically being under-privileged groups.

Obstetrics

Maternity cases are referred to the Obstetric unit by the LAMB Hospital Antenatal Clinic, by LAMB clinics in the community, by other clinics or hospitals, or simply through self-motivated or emergency arrival.

Most babies in this region of Bangladesh are delivered at home, although now increasingly in Safe Delivery Units in LAMB community areas, but LAMB’s trained community health workers refer any woman with a high risk pregnancy or labour to the Hospital.

In the 9 bed labour and delivery room we deliver nearly 2,500 babies per year. 60% of these births have complications, hence their presence in the hospital.

Common problems in pregnant mothers include severe anaemia, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. The relatively young age of many first time mothers increases problems and risks.

We have a team of 8 doctors (ideally, though numbers vary with foreign volunteers or Bangladeshi staff transitions) and more than 20 advanced midwives performing all deliveries and other necessary care. We provide 24 hr./7 days service including Caesarean sections (around 20% of deliveries) and assisted vaginal deliveries (around 10%).

LAMB’s maternal mortality rate, perinatal mortality rate and Caesarean section rate appear good compared with other similar institutions in Bangladesh, but there are many uncontrollable factors, making these figures an imprecise indicator.

Gynecology

Much emergency gynecology work deals with the complications of early-pregnancy loss of the fetus, (through whatever cause). We also carry out elective gynaecological procedures such as endometrial biopsy, abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy.

LAMB Hospital is a centre for Female Genital Fistula repair operations. These operations aim to restore the capability of a normal life to women who have suffered internal damage, typically during prolonged obstructed labour (though increasingly occur after hysterectomies done in other hospitals). The women tend to suffer serious social stigma through perceived uncleanliness. LAMB receives invaluable financial support from EngenderHealth, Women’s Hope International (Swiss), and UNFPA to enable these operations to be carried out free for the patients.

LAMB has its own surgeons trained in obstetric fistula repair operations, and also at intervals has visiting surgeons who hold intensive ‘camps’ to operate on a significant number of patients.