VNUHCM Journal of Health Sciences

The study of maternal spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension during Cesarean section at Tu Du Maternal Hospital, Vietnam - the incidence and related risks

Nguyen Dinh Thuong — 2025-06-30

Background and Aims: This study aimed to identify the incidence of spinal anesthesia (SA)-induced hypotension in those mothers who underwent cesarean section (CS) and evaluate associated factors (related to pregnant women, fetus, and operation process).

Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on 319 pregnant women between January and March 2022 at Tu Du Maternal Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The data were collected with the permission of candidates and then analyzed by using R program (4.4.1 edition). The multivariable logistic regression was done on related variables and p<0.05 was defined as the level of statistical significance.

Results: The incidence of SA-induced hypotension was 68.03%, in which blood pressure (BP) in about two-thirds of these cases (142/217) begins dropping in the first 10 minutes after anesthetic injection, and severe hypotension (defined as BP decreased more than 40% compared with the baseline BP) was found in 63/217 (29%) cases. The women aged ≥35 (OR 2.85, 95% CI: 1.57-5.47), height <155 cm (OR 2.15, 95% CI: 1.26-3.79), gravidity ≥3 (OR 3.20, 95% CI: 1.73-6.04), history of CS ≥2 (OR 6.71, 95% CI: 2.53-23.7), overweight (OR 3.43, 95% CI: 1.07-12.0) and baseline heart rate ≥90 beats/minute (OR 1.82, 95% CI: 1.13-2.94) were found to be associated with increased risk of hypotension.

Conclusions: The proportion of hypotension after spinal anesthesia for elective CS remained comparatively high, so the need of a comprehensive pre-surgical preparation to minimize the negative impact of hypotension on those women and their children.

Students’ perspectives of E-learning utilization in medical students: A qualitative study at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City

Tan Thi Minh Nguyen — 2025-07-02

Introduction: The global landscape of medical education has been profoundly transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic. E-learning plays a significant role in promoting students’ self-directed learning. However, end-of-course surveys have indicated that students do not perceive e-learning to be as beneficial as anticipated. The current study explores e-learning utilization and the challenges impeding its effectiveness, highlighting the difficulties encountered by students during their initial experiences. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in the academic year–2022-2023 at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City (UMP). Sixteen students from years 3 to 5 participated in the interviews. Results: The findings revealed three themes: (1) the inadequacy of e-learning functions to support learning activities, (2) barriers preventing students from increasing e-learning usage for learning activities, and (3) recommendations for maximizing the utilization of e-learning platforms. Discussion and conclusions: To fully harness the e-learning potential, it is crucial to address the challenges faced by students and continuously improve the platform based on their feedback. This could involve expanding access to digital resources and developing new features tailored to different educational stages and disciplines. Addressing these issues can render e-learning a robust and effective tool for enhancing educational outcomes.

Prevalence of adolescent pregnancy giving birth at Delivery Department - Tu Du Hospital and associated factors

Linh Vi Tran — 2025-06-30

Background: The rate of adolescent pregnancy has been on the rise in recent years, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes for the mother and the fetus.

Objective: Determine the rate and factors associated with pregnant adolescents giving birth at Delivery Department- Tu Du Hospital.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study on 554 pregnant women giving birth at Tu Du Hospital Delivery Department from August 2023 to February 2024.

Results: The pregnancy rate among adolescent girls is 4.3%, with an average age of 16.9 ± 1.1 years. Factors associated with adolescent pregnancy include living in rural areas, not attending school, having no income, substance abuse, exposure to unhealthy sexual content, not living with relatives, lack of family support and concern, and family conflicts. Factors that can reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies of adolescent girls include living with family and having support from relatives and family. Adolescent pregnancy leads to adverse outcomes for both the mother and baby, such as small gestational age, preterm birth, and low birth weight.

Conclusion: The rate of adolescent pregnancy remains high, linked to factors originating from family and social issues. To achieve effective reduction, there needs to be coordinated care and support from family, school and society.

E-Learning in medical education at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City: Perspectives from academic staffs.

Thi Minh Tan Nguyen — 2025-06-30

In the post-COVID-19 era, medical education has undergone significant transformations, with a stronger emphasis on developing online learning platforms to support faculty in managing online teaching. However, the findings of this study indicate that the potential of online learning platforms for educational purposes remains underutilized, as users face various challenges during their use. A qualitative study was conducted during the 2022 – 2023 academic year. The research team conducted in-depth interviews with 11 faculty members at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City (UMP). The analysis of the interview data revealed four main themes: (1) Challenges in uploading and managing materials provided to students; (2) Lack of training on the E-learning platform for faculty; (3) Limited functionalities supporting interaction between faculty and students; (4) Suggestions for optimizing the use of the E-learning platform. To fully harness the features of the E-learning platform, it is essential to address the identified issues and continuously improve the platform by incorporating training, enhancing accessibility to digital resources, and developing new features based on user feedback and needs. Addressing these challenges can make the E-learning platform a more effective tool for improving the quality of education.