Effects of personalized oral hygiene management on oral health status of pregnant women

BACKGROUND The Cariostat caries activity test(CAT)was used to evaluate the effectiveness of personalized oral hygiene management combining oral health education and professional mechanical tooth cleaning on the oral health status of pregnant women.AIM To investigate whether personalized oral hygiene management enhances the oral health status of pregnant women.METHODS A total of 114 pregnant women who were examined at Dalian Women’s and Children’s Medical Center were divided into four groups:High-risk experimental group(n=29;CAT score≥2;received personalized oral hygiene management training),low-risk experimental group(n=29;CAT score≤1;received oral health education),high-risk control group(n=28;CAT score≥2),and low-risk control group(n=28;CAT score≤1).No hygiene intervention was provided to control groups.CAT scores at different times were compared using independent samples t-test and least significant difference t-test.RESULTS No significant difference in baseline CAT scores was observed between the experimental and control groups,either in the high-risk or low-risk groups.CAT scores were reduced significantly after 3(1.74±0.47 vs 2.50±0.38,P<0.0001)and 6 months(0.53±0.50 vs 2.45±0.42,P<0.0001)of personalized oral hygiene management intervention but not after oral health education alone(0.43±0.39 vs 0.46±0.33,P>0.05 and 0.45±0.36 vs 0.57±0.32,P>0.05,respectively).Within groups,the decrease in CAT scores was significant(2.43±0.44 vs 1.74±0.47 vs 0.53±0.50,P<0.0001)for only the high-risk experimental group.CONCLUSION Personalized oral hygiene management is effective in improving the oral health of pregnant women and can improve pregnancy outcomes and the oral health of the general population.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy among Pregnant Women: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceived Risks Survey in Lusaka, Zambia

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease of the respiratory tract caused by SARS-CoV-2. Since its emergence, there have been increased rates of transmission and spread, morbidity and mortality which led to the development of COVID-19 vaccines to address the pandemic. This study assessed acceptance, knowledge, attitude, and perceived risks regarding COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant women attending antenatal care at two First-Level Hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that was conducted among 241 pregnant women using a questionnaire from August 2023 to October 2023 in two First-Level Hospitals in Lusaka district, Zambia. The collected data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Statistical analysis was performed using a Chi-square test. The statistical significance was set at a 95% confidence level. Results: Of the 241 participants, 107 (42.7%) were aged between 24 and 34 years. Overall, 64.3% accepted the COVID-19 vaccines, of which 122 (50.6%) were already vaccinated. Further, 203 (84.6%) of the pregnant women had good knowledge, and 199 (82.6%) had positive attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines. However, 58.5% thought COVID-19 vaccines were not safe and could cause infertility. Alongside this, 70.1% thought that COVID-19 vaccines were harmful during pregnancy. Having good knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines was associated with age (p = 0.049), education status (p = 0.001), and employment status (p = 0.001). Having a positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccines was associated with education status (p = 0.001) and employment status (p = 0.001). Conclusion: This study found that most pregnant women had good knowledge, and positive attitudes, and the majority accepted the COVID-19 vaccine. Encouragingly, most of the pregnant women who accepted the COVID-19 vaccines were already vaccinated. Most pregnant women thought that COVID-19 vaccines had side effects, were not safe, and could be harmful during pregnancy. Consequently, this could have contributed to the hesitancy to receive a vaccine among some participants. The findings of this study demonstrate the need to provide pregnant women with continuous educational programs on the benefits of vaccinations for themselves and their children.

Socio-Demographic and Economic Factors Associated with Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccine among Pregnant Women at Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi County, Kenya

Introduction: Pregnant women are a highly vulnerable population for COVID-19 with increased risk of hospitalization, intensive-care unit admission, invasive ventilation support, and mortality. Objective: This study determined the socio-demographic and economic factors associated with the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine among pregnant women utilizing antenatal care services in Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Nairobi County-Kenya. Methods: The study was carried out from 15 June to 23 July 2023. Systematic sampling was used to select 302 women from whom data was collected through face-to-face interviews using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS software in which bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done at a significance level of p Results: A total of 302 pregnant women participated in the study. Of these, 105 (34.8%) were aged between twenty-six (26) and thirty (30) years. The mean age of the women was 28.60 ± (SD = 5.297). The uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine was 41.1%. The common side effects reported to be associated with the vaccines were fever, headache, joint pain, vomiting and skin rash. Uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine was significantly associated with being married (AOR = 3.65, 95% CI: 0.62 - 1.80, p = 0.001), having a secondary level of education (AOR = 3.78, 95% CI: 0.99 - 2.88, p = 0.001) and being employed (COR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.31 - 3.06, p = 0.001). Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination uptake remains low among pregnant women in seeking ANC in Nairobi. The individual factors associated with the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine among pregnant Women at Pumwani maternity hospital in Nairobi County were being married, having secondary level of education and being employed. Integration of the COVID-19 vaccine with other routine vaccinations as per the national immunization program in Kenya and the enhancement of education regarding the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy and breastfeeding and economic empowerment of women are recommended.

Effectiveness of Prophylactic Transvaginal Cervical Cerclage in Improving Clinical Outcomes among Pregnant Women with Cervical Insufficiency: Meta-Analysis

Background: Cervical insufficiency is one of the major causes of preterm birth among pregnant women that leads to severe mortality and morbidity issues among newborns. Prophylactic cervical cerclage is a surgical procedure performed between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation upon diagnosis of cervix insufficiency among pregnant women. Aims & Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of prophylactic cervical cerclage in comparison to other interventions to treat cervical insufficiency among pregnant women using a meta-analysis approach. Methods: We searched the three databases (Coachrane Library, PubMed, and MEDLINE) that were used for articles related to research aims by using MeSH keywords. The timeline of research was set from January 2015 to January 2024. The methodological quality assessment of included studies was performed by the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies—of Interventions (ROBINS-I). A recent meta-analysis was conducted by using Review Manager 5.4.0 software. Results: About 441 research articles were extracted from three electronic databases and only 125 articles were assessed for eligibility criteria. Finally, 8 studies were included in the analysis for a recent meta-analysis. Six out of eight included retrospective or pilot studies were graded as having a moderate risk of bias, and two studies had low risk on the basis of owning bias. About 1008 pregnant women with cervical insufficiency were analyzed in a recent meta-analysis. By pooled analysis, it was evaluated that significant difference found in prolongation of delivery weeks (Mean difference = 1.05;Cl: 0.81 to 1.29: p > 0.00001), number of deliveries > 37 weeks (OR = 0.59;Cl: 0.19 to 1.84: p > 0.006), and preterm birth (OR = 0.73;Cl: 0.42 to 1.28: p > 0.50) among pregnant women receiving prophylactic cervical cerclage as compared to other treatment strategies. Conclusion: Recent meta-analysis suggested the prophylactic cervical cerclage reduces the rates of preterm birth, abortion rates, number of deliveries > 37 weeks, and other complications as compared to the other cervical cerclage types and conservative treatments.

A causal model of eating behaviors among Thai pregnant women working in industrial factories

Objective:This study aimed to examine the causal model of eating behaviors among pregnant women working in industrial factories.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted on 210 participants,attending 4 healthcare centers,at a tertiary care hospital in Chonburi province,Thailand.Data were collected using 7 questionnaires:demographic form,eating behavior questionnaire,perceived benefits of the healthy eating questionnaire,perceived barriers to the healthy eating questionnaire,perceived self-efficacy questionnaire,social support questionnaire,and accessibility to healthy foods questionnaire.Descriptive statistics and path analysis were used for data analysis.Results:The participants had relatively high mean scores for eating behaviors.The final model fitted well with the dataχ^(2)=12.86,df=10,P=0.23;χ^(2)/df=1.29;comparative fit index(CFI)=0.98;goodness-of-fit index(GFI)=0.98;adjusted goodness-of-fit index(AGFI)=0.95;root mean square error of approximation(RMSEA)=0.04.Four factors-perceived benefits(β=0.13,P<0.05),perceived self-efficacy in healthy eating(β=0.22,P<0.001),pregnancy planning(β=0.28,P<0.001),and accessibility to healthy foods in the factory(β=0.12,P<0.05)-positively affected eating behavior,while only perceived barriers to healthy eating had a negative effect on eating behavior(β=−0.24,P<0.001).All the above factors explained 27.2%of the variance in eating behaviors.Conclusions:Nurses or healthcare providers can apply these findings to create an eating behavior modification program,focusing on pregnancy planning,behavior-specific variables,and interpersonal and situational influence,to promote the nutritional status of pregnant women working in industrial factories.

Analysis of Cardiac Functional Status and Factors Influencing Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Pregnant Women with Combined Heart Disease

Objective:To investigate the cardiac function of pregnant women with complicated heart disease during pregnancy and the factors influencing the adverse pregnancy outcome.Methods:A total of 162 cases of pregnant women with complicated heart disease admitted to the Beijing Anzhen Hospital from October 2021 to December 2023 were selected to compare the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with complicated heart disease at different levels of cardiac function and to analyze the single and multi factors leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with complicated heart disease.Results:Among 162 pregnant women with combined heart disease in pregnancy,the highest percentage of heart disease type was congenital heart disease(80/49.38%),and the lowest percentage was other(9/5.56%);the overall incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with combined heart disease in pregnancy with cardiac function grades of 3–4 cardiac function(30/68.18%)was higher than that in pregnant women with combined heart disease in cardiac function grades of 1–2(40/33.90%)(P=0.000);age,marital status,hypertension,and past history of all pregnant women were not statistically significant(P>0.05);gestational age,type of heart disease,and cardiac function grading were statistically significant(P<0.05),and these factors were all independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy resolution in pregnant women with combined heart disease(P<0.05).Conclusion:The overall incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes was higher in pregnant women with heart disease than in those with heart disease grades 1–2,and the number of pregnancies,the type of heart disease,and heart function grades were all independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with heart disease.

Understanding Suicide in Pregnant and Postpartum Women, Using the National Violent Death Reporting System Data: Are There Differences in Rural and Urban Status?

Background: Suicide rates in the United States have increased by 30% since 1999 and suicide is currently the 10th leading cause of death. Suicide has also become one of the leading causes of death in pregnant and postpartum women. The aim of this study is to examine whether rurality affects the risk of suicide in pregnant and postpartum women. Methods: This study used data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, Restricted Access Dataset (2003-2012). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to first describe the pregnant and postpartum population versus non-pregnant females (ages 15 - 54), who all died by suicide, and then to examine urban-rural differences. Results: Rural suicide decedents were much older, married, less likely to have had a mental health diagnosis, and more likely to use a firearm. Recent intimate partner crisis and intimate partner problems were both associated with increased odds that the suicide decedent was pregnant or postpartum in both urban and rural counties, whereas presence of job problems and report of history of suicide attempt decreased the odds that the suicide decedent was pregnant or postpartum in both urban and rural counties. Multivariable polytomous logistic regression analyses revealed differences in suicide risk factors among pregnant, postpartum and non-pregnant decedents when stratified by rural and urban status. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that pregnant and postpartum women should be screened for risk of suicide, in the clinical setting, especially if there are intimate partner problems or a crisis. With proper identification and response, suicide in pregnant and postpartum women might be decreased.

Malaria and Anaemia in Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women of Child-Bearing Age at the University Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana

Background: Malaria infection during pregnancy is a major public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions globally. Anaemia is often an adverse outcome of severe parasitic infections during pregnancy in developing countries. Pregnant women in malaria-endemic communities are more susceptible to Plasmodium falciparum infections than non-pregnant women of child-bearing age. Objective: To comparatively investigate malaria and anaemia in pregnant and non-pregnant women of child-bearing age. Design: A cross-sectional comparative study. Three hundred and eighty pregnant women and 380 non-pregnant women were screened for the study. Setting: The study was conducted at the University Hospital, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. Measurements: Participants’ demographic data were collected via the administration of questionnaires. In addition their blood samples were analyzed for haemoglobin level and malaria parasites, while stool samples from the pregnant women were examined for intestinal parasites. Results: The study revealed that pregnant women have higher malaria parasitaemia (12.6%) and anaemia (62.6%). The species of Plasmodium isolated from the pregnant women were P. falciparum (85.4%), P. malariae (4.2%) and P. ovale (10.4%). Malaria parasitaemia was higher in the primigravidae (14%). However multigravidae recorded the highest anaemia prevalence (67.1%). Age of pregnant women was a factor affecting malaria parasitaemia with a significant P-value and OR (P value = 0.0041, 0R = 7.61). Conclusions: Pregnant women were more susceptible to malaria and anaemia than non-pregnant women of child-bearing age. Most of the pregnant women reported at antenatal clinic during the second trimester. Primigravidae however recorded the highest malaria parasitaemia. The main species of Plasmodium observed in the blood samples was falciparum.

Antagonistic Potential against Pathogenic Microorganisms and Hydrogen Peroxide Production of Indigenous Lactobacilli Isolated from Vagina of Chinese Pregnant Women

Objective To investigate the indigenous lactobacilli from the vagina of pregnant women and to screen the isolates with antagonistic potential against pathogenic microorganisms. Methods The strains were isolated from pregnant women＇s vagina and identified using the API50CH system. The ability of the isolates to produce hydrogen peroxide was analyzed semi-quantitatively using the TMB-HRP-MRS agar. The antagonistic effects of the isolates on pathogenic microorganisms were determined with a double layer agar plate. Results One hundred and three lactobacilli strains were isolated from 60 samples of vaginal secretion from healthy pregnant women. Among them, 78 strains could produce hydrogen peroxide, in which 68%, 80%, 80%, and 88% had antagonistic effects against Candida albicans CMCC98001, Staphylococcus aureus CMCC26003, Escherichia coli CMCC44113, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa CMCC10110, respectively. Conclusion The recovery of hydrogen peroxide-producing lactobacilli decreases with the increasing pregnant age and time. The most commonly isolated species from vagina of Chinese pregnant women are Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus crispatus. Most of L. acidophilus and L. crispatus produce a high H2O2 level.

Experience of Clinical Management for Pregnant Women and Newborns with Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia in Tongji Hospital,China

Based on the New Diagnosis and Treatment Scheme for Novel Coronavirus Infected Pneumonia(Trial Edition 5),combined with our current clinical treatment experience,we recently proposed a revision of the first edition of“Guidance for maternal and fctal management during pneumonia epidemics of novel coronavirus infection in the Wuhan Tongji Hospital".This article focused on the issues of greatest concern of pregnant women including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection diagnostic criteria,inspection precautions,drug treatment options,indications and methods of termination of pregnancy,postpartum fever,breastfeeding considerations,mode of mother-to-child transmission,neonatal isolation and advice on nconatal nursing,to provide valuable experience for better management of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women and newborns.

Toxoplasmosis among pregnant women:High seroprevalence and risk factors in Kinshasa,Democratic Republic of Congo

Objective:To determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women,as well as the proportion of acutely infected and risk factors in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Methods:Thirty maternities in Kinshasa were randomly selected and women attending antenatal consultation were invited to participate.They were interviewed with a structured questionnaire about known risk factors(age,meat consumption,contact with soil,and presence of cat)and a venous blood sample was taken.Sera were analysed for total immunoglobulins(Ig)by VIDAS Toxo Competition using Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay.IgM was determined by VIDIA Toxo IgM and IgG avidity by VIDAS Toxo IgG avidity.Results:A total of 781 women were included.Median age was 28 years old(IQR:8.S).And 627women(80.3%;95%CI:77.5-83.1)were found to be positive to total Ig and 17 out of 387(4.4%;95%CI:2.3-6.4)were positive to IgM.IgC avidity was low for 2(11.8%)women,intermediate for 2(11.8%)and high for 13 women(76.4%).There was no statistically significant association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and any risk factors assessed.Conclusion:In Kinshasa,toxoplasmosis endemicity is highly prevalent.One woman out of twenty five had a recent toxoplasmosis infection and 20%were not protected against primoinfection,indicating a need for measures to prevent and control toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.

Expression of Resistin Protein in Normal Human Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue and Pregnant Women Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue and Placenta

The expression of resistin protein in normal human abdominal, thigh, pregnant women abdominal, non-pregnant women abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and placenta and the relationship between obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM）, pregnant physiological insulin resistance （IR） and gestational diabetes mellitus （GDM） was investigated. The expression of resistin protein in normal human abdominal, thigh, pregnant women abdominal, non-pregnant women abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and placenta was detected by using Western blotting method. Fasting serum glucose concentration was measured by glucose oxidase assay. Serum cholesterol （CHOL）, serum triglycerides （TG）, serum HDL cholesterol （HDL-C） and serum LDL cholesterol （LDL-C） were determined by full automatic biochemical instrument. Fasting insulin was measured by enzyme immunoassay to calculate insulin resistance index （IRI）. Height, weight, systolic blood pressure （SBP） and diastolic blood pressure （DBP） were measured to calculate body mass index （BMI） and body fat percentage （BF%）. Resistin protein expression in pregnant women placental tissue （67 905±8441） （arbitrary A values） was much higher than that in subcutaneous adipose tissue in pregnant women abdomen （40 718 ± 3818, P〈 0. 01 ）, non-pregnant women abdomen （38 288±2084, P〈0.01）, normal human abdomen （39 421±6087, P〈0.01） and thigh （14 942 ±6706, P〈0.001） respectively. The resistin expression in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue showed no significant difference among pregnant, non-pregnant women and normal human, but much higher than that in thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue （P〈0. 001）. Pearson analysis revealed that resistin protein was correlated with BMI （r=0.42）, fasting insulin concentration （r=0.38）, IRI （r=0.34）, BF% （r=0.43） andfasting glucose （r=0.39）, but not with blood pressure, CHOL, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C. It was suggested that resistin protein expression in human abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was much higher than that in human thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue. Resistin was closely related with central obesity, leading to IR, subsequently obesity and T2DM. Resistin protein expression in placental tissue was much higher than that in subcutaneous adipose tissue in normal human abdomen, pregnant abdomen, non-pregnant women abdomen and thigh. It was indicated that resistin protein could be secreted from human placental tissue. Resistin might be one of the factors that lead to pregnant physiological IR and GDM.

Knowledge, attitudes and practice survey on Zika virus infection among pregnant women in Brunei Darussalam

To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices(KAP) on Zika virus infection among pregnant women in Brunei Darussalam by a cross-sectional survey. Methods: Between February and June 2017, we recruited 234 pregnant women from all government healthcare centres at Brunei-Muara district, using a modified systematic sampling approach. A pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire was used and data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: The study participants were mainly Malay(87.2%) and their mean age was 28.0 years. The median knowledge score was 13, out of a possible score of 28. Most participants(92.7%) knew that Zika virus was transmitted by mosquito bites whereas some(34.6%) knew that sexual transmission was also possible. Media(radio, television or newspapers) was the preferred source of updated information on Zika virus, followed by healthcare workers(44.0%), government announcements(43.2%), and social media(38.0%). Pregnant women who were 25 years old or older [Adj. OR=3.62(95% CI: 1.57, 9.51)], not Malays [Adj. OR=3.32(95% CI: 1.35, 8.55)], and had an average monthly household income of more than BND $3 000 [Adj. OR=4.06(95% CI: 1.81, 19.44)] were more likely to score higher for knowledge on Zika virus. The median prevention practice score was 23, out of a possible score of 36. Most participants reported wearing covering clothes(98.3%) and kept their living surroundings clean(99.6%). Most participants(88.0%) agreed that Zika is an important issue in their community. Conclusion: We found a lack of knowledge on Zika virus infection among pregnant women attending government maternal and child healthcare centres in Brunei Darussalam, in particular that Zika virus can be sexually transmitted. Such information could be well disseminated at the healthcare centre level. Health literacy studies should be conducted to understand the facilitators and barriers of KAP on Zika virus infection among pregnant women.

Motivations, Challenges and Coping Strategies for Smoking Cessation: Based on Multi-ethnic Pregnant Couples in Far Western China

The present study aimed to clarify the smoking cessation motivations, challenges and coping strategies among pregnant couples. A qualitative design using a grounded theory approach was applied. Data were collected by individual semi-structured interviews with 39 married individuals(21 non-smoking pregnant women and 18 smoking or ever-smoking men with a pregnant wife) and 3 imams in an ethnically diverse region of far western China. The most common theme for smoking cessation motivation was 'embryo quality'(i.e., a healthier baby), followed by family's health. Most interviewees reported that husband's withdrawal symptoms were the greatest challenge to smoking cessation, followed by the Chinese tobacco culture. Coping strategies given by the pregnant women typically involved combining emotional, behavioral and social interventions. Social interventions showed advantages in helping to quit smoking. Pregnancy appears to be a positive stimulus for pregnant couples' smoking cessation. Our results suggest that pregnancy, a highly important life event, may help to reduce barriers to smoking cessation at the social level(e.g., limiting access to cigarettes, avoiding temptation to smoke), but does little to help with the withdrawal symptoms. Professional guidance for smoking cessation is still necessary.

Role of perceived family support in psychological distress for pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has caused major public panic in China.Pregnant women may be more vulnerable to stress,which may cause them to have psychological problems.AIM To explore the effects of perceived family support on psychological distress in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS A total of 2232 subjects were recruited from three cities in China.Through the online surveys,information on demographic data and health status during pregnancy were collected.Insomnia severity index,generalized anxiety disorder 7-item scale,patient health questionnaire-9,somatization subscale of the symptom check list 90 scale,and posttraumatic stress disorder checklist were used to assess the psychological distress.RESULTS A total of 1015(45.4%)women reported having at least one psychological distress.The women who reported having inadequate family support were more likely to suffer from multiple psychological distress(≥2 psychological distress)than women who received adequate family support.Among the women who reported less family support,41.8%reported depression,31.1%reported anxiety,8.2%reported insomnia,13.3%reported somatization and 8.9%reported posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD),which were significantly higher than those who received strong family support.Perceived family support level was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms(r=-0.118,P<0.001),anxiety symptoms(r=-0.111,P<0.001),and PTSD symptoms(r=-0.155,P<0.001).CONCLUSION Family support plays an important part on pregnant women’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.Better family support can help improve the mental health of pregnant women.

Comparison of Thyroglobulin and Thyroid Function in Pregnant Women between Counties with a Median Urinary Iodine Concentration of 100-149 μg/L and 150-249 μg/L

Objective This study explored whether thyroglobulin and thyroid disease prevalence rates were higher in pregnant Chinese women with a median urinary iodine concentration of 100-149μg/L,compared with those with a median urinary iodine concentration of 150-249μg/L maintained through sustainable universal salt iodization.Methods This was a cross-sectional study in which 812 healthy pregnant women were enrolled to collect samples of their household edible salt,urine,and blood during their routine antenatal care in the18 counties in Fujian Province,China.The levels of salt iodine concentration,urinary iodine concentration(UIC),free triiodothyronine(FT3),free thyroid hormone(FT4),thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH),thyroglobulin(Tg),thyroid peroxidase antibody and thyroglobulin antibody were assessed during the routine antenatal care visits.Results The median UIC(m UIC)in pregnant women was 130.8μg/L(interquartile range=91.5-198.1μg/L)in the counties with an m UIC of 100-149μg/L(Group I),and 172.0μg/L(interquartile range=123.5-244.4μg/L)in the counties with an m UIC of 150-249μg/L(Group II).Goiter prevalence and thyroid nodule detection rates showed no difference between Group I and Group II(P>0.05).Except for FT4 values,the TSH,FT4,FT3,Tg and Tg values>40(μg/L)and the thyroid diseases prevalence rate(TDR)showed no significant differences between Group I and Group II(P>0.05),whether or not iodine supplementation measures were taken.Conclusion Compared with an m UIC of 150-249μg/L,not only there was no difference in thyroid morphology,but also the Tg value,rate of Tg values>40μg/L,and TDR were not higher in pregnant women in the counties with an m UIC of 100-149μg/L achieved through sustainable universal salt iodization in Fujian Province,China.

Baseline Iron Status and Indices of Oxidative Stress in a Cohort of Pregnant Women in Kinshasa, DR Congo

Objective: To determine baseline iron and oxidative status in a cohort of pregnant women before iron supplementation in our setting. Background: Screening of iron deficiency before supplementation during pregnancy has been scarce. Therefore, following routine iron supplementation confounding results might be found in outcomes of groups of patients considered. Taking in account that body/serum iron status is reportedly linked to maternal oxidative status, we aimed to associate assessment of baseline iron and oxidative status of women in need of oral supplementation during pregnancy. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study concerning 74 women attending antenatal care at the University Clinics of Kinshasa from September 2017 throughout June 2018, with a singleton pregnancy not exceeding 19 weeks, regardless of age and parity. Variables of the study included sociodemographic and anthropometric ones along with parameters of iron status (hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin, serum iron, transferrin and iron saturation capacity). Oxidative status was assessed using superoxide dismutase (SOD) and uric acid as antioxidants, while oxidant agents were oxidized LDL and blood glucose (beside serum iron and ferritin). According to local standards anemia was defined as hemoglobin 10 g/L and pathologic serum ferritin as 15 ng/ml. For statistical calculations we used t-test, chi-square test and Pearson’s correlation test, the significance being stated at p ≤ 0.05. Results: At recruitment (15.9 ± 1.7 9 week gestational age) mean hemoglobin value of the overall study group was 10.3 ± 1.5 g/dl. Anemia was diagnosed to 39 women that represented 52.2% of the study group, most of anemic women belonging to low socioeconomic sub-group (69.2% vs 29%;P < 0.001). The majority was para 2, with average weight of 70.2 ± 14.5 Kg (P not significant between sub-groups) and BMI of 26 ± 5.2 Kg/m2 (P < 0.01). The proportion of obeses was 18.9%. The proportion of intestinal parasitosis was significantly higher among anemic women (61.5% vs 34.3%;P < 0.02) that had lower alimentary iron intake (22.8 ± 4.9 gr/day vs 31.4 ± 9.5 gr;P < 0.001). Of markers of iron status serum ferritin and iron were lower in anemic women (7.5 ± 3.9 ng/ml vs 35.7 ± 17.1 ng/ml;P < 0.001 and 52.7 ± 38.9 μg/dl vs 96.2 ± 41.8 μg/dl, respectively. Both sub-groups were similar in serum transferrin. As of markers of oxidative stress anemic women had significantly higher superoxide dismutases (SOD) (1056.4 ± 762.1 UI/L vs 682.6 ± 543.9 UI/L (P < 0.02) and oxidizedd anti LDL Ac (439.6 ± 209.5 UI/L vs 192.8 ± 136.3 UI/L (P < 0.001). Serum iron, ferritin, SOD and oxidized LDL were more likely to assess iron and oxidative status in our setting. Conclusion: The rate of anemic mothers found in our study (52.2%) has been quite constant in our setting for years, meaning endemicity. Serum iron and ferritin were significantly lower in anemic women, which is supportive of routine iron supplementation during pregnancy. Significantly higher level of SOD and oxidized LDL in anemic women suggests that maternal anemia may count into oxidative stress likely to be found in these women.

A possible association between cervical erosion in pregnant women and congenital abnormalities in their children-a population-based case-control study

Objective to study the possible association between erosion of cervix in pregnant women (ECP) and structural birth defects, i.e. congenital abnormalities (CA) in their offspring. Study design: Comparison of cases with CA and all matched controls without any CA born to wo- men with prospectively and medical record ECP in the population-based large data set of the Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance of Congenital Abnormalities (HCCSCA). Results: HCC- SCA contained 22,843 cases and 38,151 matched controls, the informative offspring of 40 (0.18%) case mothers and the newborns of 25 control mothers (0.07%) with ECP were compared and the higher risk for total CA (adjusted OR with 95% CI: 2.7, 1.6-4.4) was found explained by the higher risk of 9 cases with hypospadias (OR with 95% CI: 4.5, 2.1-9.7) and 10 cases with car-diovascular CAs (OR with 95% CI: 3.4, 1.6-7.1), particularly with conotruncal CAs. Conclusions: An unexpected possible association of ECP with higher risk for hypospadias and conotrun-cal cardiovascular CAs was found and these findings are considered as signals that need confirmation or

Dietary Intake of Vitamin A and Macronutrients among Pregnant Women in Ngaoundere Town, Adamawa Region, Cameroon

This paper examines the risk of Vitamin A deficiency among selected pregnant women in Ngaoundere, Adamawa Region, Cameroon. A total of one hundred (100) pregnant women attending ante natal visits at the Regional Hospital in Ngaoundere were involved in a survey conducted in 2012 which used a 24-hour dietary recall to assess their dietary intake. Food models were used to assist memory and portion sizes of food taken. Carotenoids were quantified in the meals commonly consumed, as well as proteins, sugar, fibers and oil, nutrients intervening in carotenoids absorption and vitamin A metabolism. The results indicated that the dietary intake of vitamin A was inadequate with 37.5% of the selected pregnant women exposed to acute vitamin A deficiency, while 20% of them were exposed to the severe form. The daily consumption of vitamin A was about 539.09 ± 43.09 μg, corresponding to a contribution of 67.39% to the vitamin A requirement of the pregnant women. The dietary intake of macronutrients was also inadequate with a daily consumption of 57.28 ± 12 g for oils, 177.88 ± 29 g for sugars, 47.34 ± 11 g for proteins and 11.28 ± 3 g for fibers corresponding respectively to a contribution of 63.6%, 70.8%, 78.90% and 45.1% of these nutrients requirement in these women. Given that over 50% of the women surveyed were exposed to vitamin A deficiency, there is a need for urgent intervention programs in the area to alleviate this situation.

Sero-prevalence and associated risk factors of Toxoplasma gondi infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, northwest Ethiopia

Objective: To determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis and to assess the possible risk factors associated with the infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care center at Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital, Bahir Dar town, northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women. Three hundred eighty four serum samples were collected from November 2013 to January 2014. Data on socio-demographic and predisposing factors were collected from each study participant with simple random sampling technique. The serum samples were examined for anti- Toxoplasma gondii(T. gondii) antibodies using latex agglutination test. Results: The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii among the pregnant women was 18.5%. All of T. gondii positive cases found to be positive only for Ig G antibody. Significant association was observed between seroprevalence and presence of domestic cats [AOR=2.85, 95% CI: 1.66-4.90, P=0.000], consumption of raw or undercooked meat [AOR=1.98, 95% CI: 1.15-2.43, P=0.014] and history of abortion [AOR=2.47, 95% CI: 1.40-4.34, P=0.002]. No significant association was observed between seroprevalence and socio-demographic characters, gestational age, gravidity, consumption of raw vegetable, and blood transfusion. Conclusions: The seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Bahir Dar town was relatively high. Presence of domestic cats at home and consumption of raw or undercooked meat were identified as main risk factors for T. gondii infection. Therefore, health education towards avoiding eating raw or undercooked meat and avoiding contact with cats are recommended for prevention of miscarriage or defects during pregnancy.