Screening increases survival rates for both mother and child

Every year, at the Center for Prenatal and Neonatal Screening and Diagnosis, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital receives more than 20,000 pregnant women for prenatal screening examination and consultation. The unit has conducted interdisciplinary and inter-hospital consultations for about 2,000 cases of fetuses with congenital malformations, thereby managing and coordinating neonatal resuscitation for each case, increasing the ability to treat and save children.

Dr. Dinh Thuy Linh - Director of the Center for Prenatal and Newborn Screening and Diagnosis, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital said that every day and every week there are inter-hospital and inter-specialty consultations for each case, especially difficult cases.

All consultations are attended by leading pediatricians, pediatric surgeons and geneticists. For each patient with a medical condition, doctors provide management strategies throughout pregnancy, newborn resuscitation plans, ensuring the best options for pregnant women.

In particular, babies with congenital disabilities will receive medical care within the first hour after birth, helping to increase the survival rate and successful treatment later on.

Among the patients who came for screening at the Center for Prenatal and Newborn Screening and Diagnosis, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, there were many pregnant women who were found to have high blood pressure and a high risk of preeclampsia, such as Ms. NTL (Hanoi).

During her pregnancy, Ms. L. followed her doctor's treatment, took medication to control her blood pressure, took preventive medication, and regularly monitored her fetus. However, during her prenatal check-up, the doctors discovered that Ms. L.'s blood pressure was 200 mmHg. She was prescribed medication and had her blood pressure measured daily. Fortunately, at the 37th week, the baby was born healthy and the mother gave birth successfully.

Also at the Center for Prenatal and Newborn Screening and Diagnosis, Hanoi Obstetrics Hospital, pregnant woman NTQ (residing in Thach That district, Hanoi) was diagnosed with a monochorionic twin pregnancy with two amniotic sacs during her first pregnancy.

She was examined by a doctor and given prenatal screening tests, and one of the two fetuses was found to have an abnormality. Immediately after birth, the child was promptly managed and treated.

Comprehensive implementation of population solutions

In recent times, Thach That district has implemented population work well, organized a campaign to strengthen communication and mobilize the integration of population service provision in 2024. In the first 6 months of 2024, the district had over 97% of children screened prenatally; the rate of newborn screening reached 96%.

In Long Bien district, in the first 6 months of 2024, the population work targets in the district were basically completed as planned; 100% of pregnant women received health education and counseling; prenatal counseling and screening for 4 diseases were conducted for 3,081 pregnant mothers, reaching 99.2% of the plan; newborn counseling and screening for 5 diseases were conducted for 1,815 children, reaching 102.4% of the plan.

Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Health Tran Van Chung said that Hanoi is entering the period of “golden population structure”, the quality of the capital’s population has been gradually improved. In recent times, Hanoi’s population work has achieved remarkable achievements.

By the end of June 2024, the number of third or more children born was 2,950 (reaching 6.6%), a decrease of 155 children compared to the same period in 2023; the sex ratio at birth in Hanoi is no more than 112.5/100 girls; the rate of prenatal screening of pregnant mothers in the whole city is 82%; the rate of newborn screening of newborns is 86%.

In the coming time, Hanoi will continue to strengthen the leadership of all levels of government; the participation of sectors and organizations; and ensure resources to meet the requirements of comprehensively implementing tasks and solutions on population work.

The city continues to improve and enhance the capacity of the staff working on population work from the city to the grassroots level. At the same time, the city strengthens inspection and supervision of the implementation of goals, targets, contents and solutions for population work at all levels.

In addition, Hanoi has increased inspections of gender-selective interventions according to regulations to minimize gender disparity at birth.

It is expected that by the end of the year, the entire city will complete the proposed population targets, reduce births sustainably, improve population quality, build small families, each couple will have two children, be healthy, happy and have sustainable family development.