A Cross-Sectional Study of Barriers in Prevention of Anemia in Pregnancy.

Introduction Anemia in pregnancy is a significant health challenge in India and other developing countries. Various health programs aiming anemia prevention are existing in India for many decades. Despite that, anemia affects more than half of pregnant women. Our objective for performing this study was to evaluate the barriers in the prevention of anemia and to evaluate the perceptions and practices of anemic women towards their condition. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, including 210 anemic women, was conducted in a tertiary care center in Delhi, India. In-depth interviews were conducted with 50 participants. Results Our important observations were that anemia was more prevalent in multigravida, and 43.80% of anemic patients were not taking iron supplements at the time of diagnosis. Chronic diseases were associated with 28.2% (n=59) of anemic women. Only 19% (n=40) of women sought antenatal care in the first and second trimester; the rest all booked themselves in the third trimester only. Twenty-two percent (n=48) of women reached our hospital after 36 weeks. Ignorance to anemia symptoms and the importance of consistent intake of the oral iron supplements was seen in 35.2% (n=74). One hundred and sixty-five (74.8%) women accepted that healthcare provider had informed them about iron-rich and high protein diet, but only 47.1% (n=98) actually made dietary modifications. Only 9.5% (n=20) of women were consistent in iron intake. Side effects of iron were reported by 30% (n=64) of women, and 15% (n=32) were intolerant to oral iron. Non-availability, change of residence, and forgetfulness were the main reasons behind non-compliance to oral iron. Conclusion We emphasize motivation for early registration, regular antenatal care, adequate iron supplement supply, and persistent counseling to ensure compliance to iron supplements by the antenatal care provider. Behavior-changing communication is needed at a societal level for antenatal mothers and their families aiming to prevent anemia in pregnancy instead of focussing on treatment.

Analysis of Transitional Milk of Post-Natal Cases in Non-Anaemic Mothers and Its Comparison With Anaemic Mothers in Rural Western Uttar Pradesh.

AIM: Present study is aimed at determining the analysis of transitional milk of post-natal non-anaemic mothers and its comparison with anaemic mothers in rural Uttar Pradesh. METHODS: Totally, 132 post-natal cases were enrolled for the study. After taking ethical committee approval, breast milk samples were collected from day 4 to 11. We measured the following important parameters in breast milk (fat, density, carbohydrates, solid not fat [SNF], protein and added water). Data were analysed by using SPSS-24 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Tests used in our study were the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, Chi-square test and independent T-test. RESULT: In our study, it was found that severe anaemia causes significant changes in fat, lactose and protein content of breast milk. We found that there are no significant changes in breast milk composition with age. Our study shows statistically no association between residence and breast milk content. CONCLUSION: As the severity of anaemia increases, protein and fat content in breast milk decreases, lactose content on the contrary follows a reverse relationship with maternal haemoglobin. Maternal anaemia not only affects the macronutrients in breast milk but also decreases the density of breast milk.

Vulval myiasis: An unusual presentation of a rare entity in an adolescent female.

Human myiasis refers to parasitic infestation of body tissues by larvae of several fly species. The entity has a simple management. Human myiasis is well-documented in the literature however genital myiasis in females is scarcely reported in the literature. We hereby report this entity in an adolescent female who presented with urinary retention and concomitant urinary tract infection.