Mangalore Diocese News

Media Release

Kankanady - Mangaluru, May 24 : Pre-eclampsia, a complex multisystem disease characterized by the sudden onset of hypertension in women past the 20-week mark of gestation, is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Timely detection, monitoring, and follow-up of this condition are crucial.

To mark World Pre-Eclampsia Day on May 22, 2024, Father Muller Medical College Hospital inaugurated a pre-eclampsia screening clinic. This event, organized by the departments of Radiodiagnosis, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Fetal Medicine, was supported by the Society of Fetal Medicine, Karnataka Chapter (SFM), and the Mangalore Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (MOGS).

The day commenced at 3 PM with an inaugural session in the conference hall on the 3rd floor of the hospital building. Dr. Mahesh, Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiodiagnosis, delivered the welcome address, followed by an introduction to the new pre-eclampsia clinic by Dr. Joylene D Almeida, Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The event was attended by esteemed guests, including the Dean, Dr. Antony Sylvan D'Souza, Vice Dean, Dr. Venkatesha B M, along with department heads, faculty members, postgraduate students, and nursing students.

A scientific session followed the inauguration, featuring informative talks by experts including Dr. Deepa Kanagal and Dr. Joylene from the Department of OBG, Dr. Muralidhar GK and Dr. Prathima Prabhu from the Department of Fetal Medicine, and Dr. Ram Shenoy Basti, HOD of the Department of Radiodiagnosis. The audience received a wealth of information ranging from accurate diagnosis and classification of the condition to the invaluable use of low-dose aspirin, objective diagnostic measurements like uterine artery Doppler, the Fetal Medicine Foundation calculator, and ophthalmic artery Doppler based on the latest guidelines.

As part of World Pre-Eclampsia Day celebrations, the departments of Radiodiagnosis, OBG, and Fetal Medicine at Father Muller Medical College have collaboratively established a novel service—the pre-eclampsia clinic. This clinic, unique in Dakshina Karnataka, offers comprehensive services, including patient risk assessment and counseling, NT scan with screening Doppler, PLGF marker test (which drops in patients prone to develop pre-eclampsia), BP monitoring and charting, and postnatal follow-up.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Krishna Kiran, Professor in the Department of Radiodiagnosis, acknowledging the team efforts in making the inauguration of the pre-eclampsia screening clinic a grand success.