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Background: Development of the human fetal stomach starts at the 4th week of intrauterine life. The knowledge of histogenesis of the musculature of the stomach is important for understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of gastric adenomyoma, congenital anomalies like congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, and abnormalities in the development of the enteric nervous system. The aim of this study was to find out the histogenesis of the submucosa (SM), muscularis mucosa (MM), and muscularis externa (ME) in the human fetal stomach. Methodology: Sixty-three freshly aborted fetuses which were free from any gross abnormality were collected from the obstetrics and gynecology department and studied for 2 years. The fetuses were dissected, the stomach was removed, and the tissue was processed for a histological study. Staining was done by hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome, and Van Gieson's stain. Slides were studied under Zeiss branded light microscope using ×10 and ×40 objectives. Results: MM was discontinuous initially and became well defined by 21 weeks in the fundus and body and by the 23rd week in the pyloric region. The density of collagen fibers increased gradually in SM and was seen in bundles from the 23rd week onward. The thickness of SM was more than ME till 22 weeks, and after 27 weeks, it was less than that of ME. In the fundus and body of the stomach, till 18 weeks, ME consisted of two layers, with the inner oblique layer being thicker than the circular layer. The circular layer thickened gradually, and the longitudinal layer appeared by the 25th week. In the pyloric region, initially, there was only a circular layer. The oblique and longitudinal muscle layers appeared at 17–18 weeks and 25th week, respectively. The thickness of the circular layer was found to be more than that of the body from the 21st week onward and became much thicker at around the 27th week. The histological feature of MM, ME, and SM of the stomach resembled an adult pattern by the 28th week of gestational age. Conclusion: The findings of the present study about the time of appearance and further development of MM and ME and the thickness and formation of SM of the human fetal stomach are quite comprehensive. These findings are expected to aid in the knowledge of histogenesis of the stomach in the human fetuses and help in the diagnosis and treatment of various congenital anomalies and clinical conditions involving gastric connective tissue and musculature.

Background: Caesarean section (C-section) delivery is a serious maternal health concern in the long run. Notedly, there is a lack of studies dealing with understanding the ways and reasons of C-section deliveries becoming a public health issue in today's time in India and the measures to reduce the unnecessary caesarean sections. We have conducted this study to study the changes in the state-wise prevalence of C-section deliveries in India and understand C-section delivery's socioeconomic and biomedical predictors. Materials and Methods: The study uses data from the fourth and fifth rounds of the National Family Health Surveys (NFHS). The per cent differences in the C-section deliveries from NFHS-4 to NFHS-5 across the states were measured through relative changes. The association between the C-section delivery and socioeconomic and biomedical factors were assessed using multiple logistic regression. Results: This study revealed that the C-section deliveries are higher in the southern states than in the other parts of India. Literacy plays a vital role in C-section deliveries. The probabilities of C-section deliveries are more in 30–40 and 40 + years. The women belonging to the median wealth index category were more likely (OR–CI, 1.62 [1.55–1.66]) to undergo the C-section followed by the women from wealthy households (OR–CI, 1.46 [1.41–1.52]). Conclusion: The Government's health policymakers should take the initiative to reduce the C-section section delivery by means of building maternal health literacy and awareness among women and the community so that its future implications can be minimised. It is crucial to formulate a mandate and implement it in the states where C-sections are too high through community health workers and primary care providers.

Background and Aims: Human fetal olfactory bulbs have a six layered laminar architecture where mitral cells are the largest neurons. Volume of the bulbs is considered as an indicator of olfactory function. Fetal bulb cell transplants are used to treat many diseases of the central nervous system. The present study aims to trace the development of the fetal bulbs with respect to it’s gross appearance, volume, arrangement and the number of mitral cells. Materials and Methods: Sixty two normal fresh aborted fetuses were collected from Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Impbal. The fetuses were dissected and olfactory bulbs were gently taken out and fixed in 10% formal saline. Once fixed, the volume of the bulbs were measured using a measuring cylinder and insulin syringe. This was followed by tissue processing and staining with Toluidine Blue and Cresyl Violet, Stained slides were photographed and number of mitral cells were counted using Image J software. The correlation of bulb volume with fetal age, crown rump length [CRL] and fetal body weight was analysed using SPSS software. Similar analysis was also done between mitral cell number and fetal age. Result: Fetal bulbs attained adult morphology at 20 weeks. Bulb volume was found to rise significantly with advancing fetal age until it slowed down 32 weeks onwards. Mitral cells were identifiable at 16 weeks and maintained a laminar arrangement and showed progressive increase in number until 28 weeks. There after the orderly arrangement of cells as well their number declined. Conclusion: Very few studies have been conducted so far regarding the fetal olfactory bulbs in India. The present study is expected to supplement known data and knowledge regarding the development of the fetal bulbs and the mitral cell population and help in the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system diseases.

Background and aims: Human fetal stomach starts developing at 4th week of gestational age. The precise knowledge of development of gastric mucosa is important for better understanding, diagnosis and treatment of different clinical conditions like Intestinal metaplasia, pernicious anaemia, heterotopic pancreatic tissue, atrophic gastritis etc. All these conditions are related to anomalous histogenesis of stomach. The aim of the study was to find out development of lining epithelium, gastric pits and glands and their ratio, time of appearance of different gastric mucosal cells in different weeks of gestation. Materials and methods : Sixty three normal fresh aborted fetuses were collected from obstetrics and gynaecology department of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal. The fetuses were dissected and stomach was gently taken out, fixed in 10% normal saline and Bouin’s fluid followed by processing of the tissue. Staining was done with Haematoxylin and Eosin and Masson’s Trichrome. Results : The lining epithelium of stomach was seen to be simple cuboidal at 15 to 16 weeks which changed to columnar at 17th week of age. Gastric pits were seen to be very shallow in fundic part at 15th week and attained adult pattern by 28th week where as in pyloric part pits were deeper than fundic part from 17th week onwards. Parietal cells were first appreciated by 19th-20th week, chief cells and mucous neck cell were first seen by 25th-26th and 23rd-24th weeks respectively. Entero- endocrine cells were seen from 26th week onwards. No finding was suggestive of intestinal metaplasia or heterotopic pancreatic tissue or any other histogenetic anomaly. Conclusion : Very few studies have been conducted so far regarding histogenesis of human fetal stomach in India. The present study is expected to supplement known data and knowledge regarding histogenesis of human fetal stomach and help in diagnosis and treatment of related congenital anomalies.

Background and aims: The morphology of human stomach is subjected to wide variations and changes during developmental stage . Congenital anomalies of stomach like hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and thoracic stomach are common in new borns. Some rare anomalies like duplication, diverticula and hypoplasia of stomach also may occur. The present study attempts to analyze the morphological changes like change in shape, height, width, length of greater and lesser curvatures, capacity and localization of stomach in the quadrants of abdomen in different age groups of human foetuses and also to look for congenital anomalies. Materials and methods: Fifty normal fresh still born foetuses of age varying from 15 to 40 weeks were dissected and morphological study was carried out. Parameters like height, width, length of greater and lesser curvature,capacity of stomach were measured and location, shape, internal appearance of stomach were noted. Results: Significant changes in shape and in location of stomach in different quadrants of the abdomen were found in different foetal age groups. Localization of stomach is seen as that in adults by 25th week of foetal age. Typical ‘J’ shaped stomach is seen by 28th week of foetal age. Height, width, length of greater and lesser curvatures and capacity of stomach increased with increasing foetal age. A sudden increase in width was seen at 17th week and a sudden increase in height was noted at 25th week. Well developed rugae and gastric canal were seen in inner surface of stomach by 28th week. Capacity of stomach increased from 1 ml at 15th week to 32 ml at 40th week. Conclusion: The obsevations of the present study show that morphology and location of the stomach in different age groups show great variations. This study may help in study of development of stomach and in diagnosis of different developmental anomalies, ailments and pathology of stomach.