The Impact of Birth Preparedness on Pregnancy Outcome

Annual global estimate of 287,000 maternal deaths were recorded in 2010 as a result of complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia accounted for 85% of this burden (245,000 maternal deaths).

Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR) is a relatively common strategy employed by numerous groups implementing safe motherhood programs.

To determine the link between birth preparedness and complication readiness to pregnancy outcomes. Methods: Health facility based cross-sectional study was used among women in the reproductive age group 15-49 years at 36 weeks and above of gestation who were attending Antenatal care (ANC).

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The National Quality Plan and More Caesarean Sections, Less Wound Infections,more Gestational Diabetes (GDM) and Fewer Smokers in Northern Norway: A Registry-based Retrospective Study

The Ministry of Health and Care Service’s plan for improved maternity and delivery care was implemented in Northern Norway in March 2012. Selection criteria were standardized and economic resources allocated.

We explored the effects in a retrospective quality of care study employing data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). The prior study (2009-11) was compared with the 2012-14 period.

The levels of care were Midwife administered maternity units (MAMU), Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (DOG) and Regional Clinics of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG). National data on post-caesarean surgical wound infection (2009-2014) was added.

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Prenatal Depression Risk Factors, Developmental Effects and Interventions

This narrative review based on a literature search in PubMed and PsycInfo on the two terms prenatal and antenatal depression includes empirical studies, reviews and meta-analyses that have been published during the last 5 years on risk factors, developmental effects and interventions for prenatal depression.

Risk factor studies that met criteria feature demographic measures (lower socioeconomic status, less education, non-marital status, nonemployment, less social support and health locus of control, unintended pregnancy, partner violence and history of child abuse) and physiological variables (cortisol, amylase, and pro-inflammatory cytokines and intrauterine artery resistance).

The negative effects include postpartum depression, paternal depression, and prematurity and low birth weight.

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Preference of Birth Delivery Modes among Women Attending Antenatal and Postnatal Clinics in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana

Spontaneous vaginal delivery is the commonest mode of delivery globally, particularly in remote areas of resource constrained countries where modern healthcare is limited.

This study sought to establish among antennal and post natal attendees, women’s preferences regarding modes of delivery and the factors influencing their choices of delivery.

This cross sectional hospital based study was conducted at the antenatal and post-natal care units of the obstetrics and gynaecology department of the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

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Maternal and Child Health: The Perinatal Paradox in a Developing Country

Several recent studies have demonstrated the exposure of social groups to bad health conditions. That puts individuals at the risk of experiencing adverse outcomes, which includes mostly transgenerational effects.

Concerning the mother’s and the newborn’s health, their socioeconomic conditions contribute to the occurrence Low Birth Weight (LBW) and preterm cases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), among all the births in the world, around 20.6 million (15.5%) of babies are born with LBW.

Most of these cases are in developing countries (e.g. 27% in Asia against 6.4% in Europe), in which the rate of child mortality is similar to the maternal mortality, with a great incidence particularly in Africa and Asia.

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Maternal and Child Health: The Perinatal Paradox in a Developing Country

Several recent studies have demonstrated the exposure of social groups to bad health conditions. That puts individuals at the risk of experiencing adverse outcomes, which includes mostly transgenerational effects.

Concerning the mother’s and the newborn’s health, their socioeconomic conditions contribute to the occurrence Low Birth Weight (LBW) and preterm cases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), among all the births in the world, around 20.6 million (15.5%) of babies are born with LBW.

Most of these cases are in developing countries (e.g. 27% in Asia against 6.4% in Europe), in which the rate of child mortality is similar to the maternal mortality, with a great incidence particularly in Africa and Asia.

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Understanding HIV Positive Women’s Experiences with Antenatal Care in Rural Maputo Province, Mozambique

The journey to motherhood among pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS is considered perilous in most of the countries of Sub- Saharan Africa. Carrying a pregnancy implies to follow biomedical norms recommended by campaigns on prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.

These recommendations consist of attending first antenatal care from the first trimester of the pregnancy, as well as adherence and compliance to antiretroviral therapy (ARTs) to prevent transmission of HIV during the pregnancy, as recommended by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health of Mozambique.

Moreover, women are recommended to give childbirth at a health facility, to adhere to ARTs for the newborn, to practise exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life and to adhere to lifelong ARTs for their own health. However, HIV infected women also face stigma and discrimination in their communities, contributing to a limited or lack of access to adequate health services and stress

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Community Awareness Pregnant Women and Child Health in Four North Carolina County

Exercise and good nutrition improve overall health during pregnancy and childhood. North Carolina (NC) has a high rate of obesity, yet few programs intervene during and after pregnancy especially in rural communities. Prior to initiating programs for pregnant women and children in rural NC communities, we wanted to understand community awareness, resources, barriers, and solutions.

The purpose of the study was to assess community awareness, barriers, solutions, and resources regarding healthy lifestyles in pregnancy and childhood in rural NC communities. We conducted focus groups in four Eastern NC counties (Harnett, Hertford, Pasquotank, Pitt). Each session addressed: awareness, barriers, solutions and availability of resources for a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and childhood. Qualitative analysis was done using NVivo.

All communities have common barriers such as lack of education, limited healthy food options, high rates of teenage pregnancy, and limited resources for physical activity.

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Statistical Analysis of Socioeconomic Factors Correlating to Caesarean Section Rates 2015-2016

Caesarean section rates have significantly increased in the past decade in the United States. To make an attempt at lowering these rates, it is important to first understand how states’ rates compare with each other and which factors correlate with these rates.

Then, possible ways to impact these rates can be suggested. This investigation sought to determine whether or not there is a significant difference between the rates of caesarean sections in Utah, United States and New Jersey, United States using representative hospitals’ data. Also, we sought to evaluate selected socioeconomic factors and their possible correlation with higher or lower caesarean rates in each United States’ states.

Information collected from various federal and private sources were utilized to collect caesarean section rate data. These data were correlated to selected variables including average birthing age, logarithm of the percent of females in the workforce, median household income, number of hospitals, logarithm of the percent of people who have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, average number of people in a household, and the standard of living.

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The Effects of the Wild African Potato (Hypoxis hemerocallidea) Supplementation on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats Reproductive Function

Sixty adult male Wistar rats (230-260 g) were randomly divided into 5 equal groups: normal, diabetic, diabetic +800 mg/kg H. hemerocallidea diabetes+200 mg/kg H. hemerocallidea and non-diabetic+800 mg/kg H.

hemerocallidea. Diabetes was induced with a single intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) and monitored during the study period. Blood glucose levels showed a significant increase (5.117 ± 0.2412 vs. 30.70 ± 1.2630; p<0.05) 3 days after diabetes was induced using STZ. No mortality was observed during the study period.

Blood samples, testes and epididymis were collected on the day of sacrifice. Testicular and epididymal lipid peroxidation (LPO) also showed a significant increase when diabetic control was compared to normal control. Body weights (315.7 ± 9.348 (g) vs.

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Correlation of Endometrial Thickness and Histopathology in Women with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

Postmenopausal bleeding is a clinically important complaint in general gynecologic practice. The incidence of spontaneous postmenopausal bleeding in the general population is approximately 10% immediately after menopause, and 5% in all menopausal women. Various benign genital causes of postmenopausal bleeding include atrophic vaginitis, endometrial and cervical polyps, endometrial hyperplasia.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy and the fourth most frequent site of malignant neoplasm in females. Endometrial cancer comprises only 1.9% of all types of cancer in increasing trend along with the average lifespan.

Transvaginal sonography is a noninvasive procedure for detecting changes in the endometrium and has been used as a screening method in asymptomatic postmenopausal women before or during hormonal replacement therapy. Screening methods such as cervical or vaginal cytology are not sufficiently accurate for the detection of endometrial carcinoma, and direct intrauterine cell sampling and hysteroscopy are not practical screening methods because of their invasive nature

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