Can Tho OB-GYN Program (Began in 2019)
Dr. Cheng, Dr. Fay and Dr. Reed traveled to Can Tho, Vietnam again this year in December 2019 to continue the UW collaboration through MEET with Can Tho Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital (CTGOH) and meet with Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy (CTUMP) Obstetrics and Gynecology. This has been an incredibly enriching experience yet again.
2018 OB-GYN Program Trip Photos
This year the UW Ob Gyn team worked with both hospitals to deliver nearly 20 lectures, with themes of prenatal genetics, menopause, and preventing surgical site infections. Dr. Fay spoke on fetal growth restriction, amniotic fluid abnormalities, updates in gestational diabetes, and obstetric anal sphincter injuries. Dr. Reed spoke on midlife and postmenopausal women's health including menopause, epidemiology, physiology, endocrinology, symptoms and treatment, as well as diagnosis and management of abnormal uterine bleeding. Dr. Cheng discussed prenatal diagnosis and management of diabetes and chronic hypertension and hypertension crisis in pregnancy.
Perhaps even more valuable than the lectures though, were the discussions Dr. Cheng, Fay and Reed had with the department leadership and hospital physicians. Since our visit last year we have already seen positive changes at CTGOH, including changing their working definition of active labor to 6cm (from 4cm previously), white boards in the patient rooms to allow better patient involvement in their care and aide in patient hand offs, as well as greater use of surgical checklists. The department remains excited and committed to continued growth and change. In the coming year we will be in contact with Dr. Cam from CTGOH and Dr. Bao from CTUMP to continue exchange of ideas.
We also had the pleasure of speaking at the first meeting of the newly created group “Women’s Health Support Organization” led by the students of the medical school. At this meeting we discussed contraception and menstruation, and had a lively discussion with all the attendees. The group plans to continue to hold regular meetings to continue to broaden the focus on women’s health in the community.
Dr. Edith Chang, MD, MS and Dr. Emily Fay, MD from the University of Washington Medical Center, participated in an educational exchange at the OB/GYN Hospital in Can Tho, Vietnam on the November 2018 team trip.
They concentrated their full week there providing consultation and lectures that had been requested by the hospital director, well in advance of our team’s arrival. This excellent planning resulted in materials being available to participants in a bound booklet, providing both Vietnamese and English translations. Translators from the OB/GYN Hospital and MEET volunteers were additionally available to Dr. Chang and Dr. Fay throughout the week.
CTUMP Women's Health Support Organization (WHSO)
WHSO is a CTUMP faculty, staff and student organization dedicated to women's health education for urban and rural women as well as the CTUMP community.
Guest participants were Susan Reed, Edith Cheng and Emily Fay. CTUMP participants included CTUMP medical students and CTUMP Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty (including Dr. Tuan and Dr. Bao)Some of the topics that were covered included Non-invasive Testing and Screening, 3-D Prenatal Ultrasound, Vaginal Birth After Caesarian Delivery, Recurrent Reproductive Loss, Strategies for Reducing Caesarian Delivery, New Faces in Women’s Health Care, and Prenatal Diagnosis 21st Century. The hospital participants were very pleased with the opportunity to discuss these very mutually relevant topics in the care of children and maternal health. There were excellent tours of the environment and opportunities to meet patients and interact with caregivers.
Photos by Dr. Binh
Our partners at OB/GYN are gracious hosts. Participants and Trip Leaders enjoyed lovely lunch excursions, a special dinner, and a surprise Birthday Party for Dr. Gertler, MD.
Dr. Quynh Thy Ton, MD provided photos for the MEET website from some of the weeks highlights with the OB/GYN Hospital staff. Thy was an excellent guide and translator for our team.
Photos courtesy of Quỳnh Thy Tôn
