a 13th congress to improve the care of women, mothers and children in Guyana

“This is an important meeting for local health professionals”assures Doctor Nadia Thomas, president of the Périnat Guyane Network. From November 13 to 15, the 13^th congress of gynecology, obstetrics, neonatology and anesthesia of Guyana is held in Cayenne.

The meeting is open to health professionals in the region with guests from Martinique, Guadeloupe and France. The objective is “to discuss themes that concern us on a daily basis”, explains Doctor Nadia Thomas, president of the Périnat Guyane Network, to further improve the care of women, mothers and children in the region.

“We have a lot of pregnancies here, it is important to talk about antenatal diagnosis, HIV, nutrition during pregnancy”lists Doctor Nadia Thomas.

There are also more and more topics on anesthesia, because we have women who have many children and hemorrhages during delivery.

In Guyana, early pregnancies are very numerous: 12% of women who give birth are under 20 years old, compared to 1.2% in mainland France. “There is a psychological support issue to take into account”estimates Doctor Nadia Thomas.

This congress is an opportunity for professionals to discuss current research topics. “We collect a lot of data, Guyana is very dynamic from the point of view of university research,” underlines the president of the Périnat Guyane Network.

Watch his interview on Guyane 1ère:

the 13th congress of gynecology, obstetrics, neonatology and anesthesia of Guyana

Recently, researchers from the Public Health Innovation Research Department of Cayenne hospital presented the results of the Guyaconso and Nutri pou Ti'Moun studies, with an alarming figure. One in three pregnant women are food insecure during their pregnancy, and even one in six are severely insecure.

“During the covid crisis, we noticed that many of our patients were falling into food insecurity, but the situation got worse, notes Doctor Nadia Thomas. One in two women is anemic, 81% of women have a deficiency in trace elements or vitamins. We see it every day.”

We diagnose pathologies in patients who tell us “I can't buy fruits and vegetables, I have my children eat first and I eat if there are any leftovers”.

Still on the subject of research, an announcement will also be made during this conference. It will now be possible to breastfeed for women carrying HIV.

“In Guyana, HIV is very present and from now on if the viral load is undetectable, breastfeeding will be authorizedexplains Doctor Nadia Thomas. This is important in Guyana where patients are very attached to breastfeeding because forbidding them to breastfeed was stigmatizing for these women with HIV.”

This congress will also be an opportunity to address the subject of endometriosis. “We still need to raise awareness among health professionals in the department, this diagnosis is not easy and we are not sufficiently trained in the small signs of endometriosis”recognizes the president of the Périnat Guyane Network.

For three days, gynecologists, infectious diseases specialists, department heads and anesthesiologists will be able to deepen their discussions at the Mercure Royal Amazonia hotel in Cayenne, under the chairmanship of Professor Olivier Picone, obstetrician-gynecologist from Paris.

There will also be training in specialized ultrasounds, imaging, training in prevention and support for women victims of genital mutilation, awareness of newborn respiratory pathologies, and vital maternal emergencies. A morning will be devoted to the subject of prenatal, with the diagnoses of pathologies before birth, such as cerebellar anomalies, and infectious diseases.

Obstetric anesthesia, pelvic ultrasound, contraception, fertility, pelvic pain, endometriosis, PCOS, uterine fibroids, preeclampsia and its screening, maternal vaccination: the subjects are numerous from conception to death. childbirth through pregnancy.

The meeting is organized by La Quinzaine Obstétricale, in collaboration with the Cayenne Hospital Center, the Regional Health Agency of Guyana and the Périnat Guyane Network. Find the entire program by clicking here.