Foeto-maternal complications associated with low birth weight: A prospective multicenter study in northern Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: The study evaluated the socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric variables and foeto-maternal complications associated with low birth weight (LBW) in order to provide better treatment and management options. METHODS: The prospective study conducted from February, 2019 to June, 2020 recruited 312 primigravid pregnant women who reported for antenatal care in three tertiary referral hospitals in northern Ghana. Their socio-demographic, obstetric and adverse foeto-maternal outcome information were obtained with a well-structured questionnaire according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Participants' blood samples were collected for haematological tests. Odds ratio [OR, 95% confidence interval (CI)] for the association between socio-demographic, obstetric characteristics, foeto-maternal complications and haematological tests in relation to LBW were assessed using logistic regression model. RESULTS: This study reported a LBW prevalence of 13.5%. Increasing maternal systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at 1st visit, before and after delivery significantly increased the odds of LBW. Preterm delivery (PTD<37 weeks) (COR = 9.92, 95% CI (4.87-2020), p<0.001), preeclampsia (PE) (COR = 5.94, 95% CI (2.96-11.94), p<0.001), blood transfusion (COR = 14.11, 95% CI (2.50-79.65), p = 0.003), caesarian delivery (COR = 3.86, 95% CI (1.96-7.58), p<0.001) and male sex neonates (COR = 2.25, 95%CI (1.14-4.47), P = 0.020) presented with increased odds of LBW. Increasing gestational age at delivery presented with 28% reduced odds of LBW (COR = 0.72, 95% CI (1.12-4.40), P = 0.023). Upon controlling for potential confounders in multivariate logistic regression, only gestational age at delivery (AOR = 0.67, 95% CI (0.47-0.96), P = 0.030) remained significantly associated with reduced odds of LBW. CONCLUSION: This study found that high blood pressure at 1st visit, before and after delivery results in increased chances of delivering a baby with LBW. Furthermore, PTD<37 weeks, having PE in current pregnancy, and male sex potentiate the risk of LBW. On the other hand, increasing gestational age reduces the risk of LBW. Thus, we recommend that midwives should intensify education to pregnant women on the benefits of regular ANC visits to aid in the early detection of adverse foeto-maternal complications. We also recommend proper clinical management of pregnancies associated with an elevated blood pressure at registration. Also, maternal intrapartum blood pressure measurement could be used to predict LBW in low resourced settings.

High prevalence of antibiotic resistance in commensal Escherichia coli from healthy human sources in community settings.

Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis that requires urgent action to stop its spread. To counteract the spread of antibiotic resistance, we must improve our understanding of the origin and spread of resistant bacteria in both community and healthcare settings. Unfortunately, little attention is being given to contain the spread of antibiotic resistance in community settings (i.e., locations outside of a hospital inpatient, acute care setting, or a hospital clinic setting), despite some studies have consistently reported a high prevalence of antibiotic resistance in the community settings. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in commensal Escherichia coli isolates from healthy humans in community settings in LMICs. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we synthesized studies conducted from 1989 to May 2020. A total of 9363 articles were obtained from the search and prevalence data were extracted from 33 articles and pooled together. This gave a pooled prevalence of antibiotic resistance (top ten antibiotics commonly prescribed in LMICs) in commensal E. coli isolates from human sources in community settings in LMICs of: ampicillin (72% of 13,531 isolates, 95% CI: 65-79), cefotaxime (27% of 6700 isolates, 95% CI: 12-44), chloramphenicol (45% of 7012 isolates, 95% CI: 35-53), ciprofloxacin (17% of 10,618 isolates, 95% CI: 11-25), co-trimoxazole (63% of 10,561 isolates, 95% CI: 52-73), nalidixic acid (30% of 9819 isolates, 95% CI: 21-40), oxytetracycline (78% of 1451 isolates, 95% CI: 65-88), streptomycin (58% of 3831 isolates, 95% CI: 44-72), tetracycline (67% of 11,847 isolates, 95% CI: 59-74), and trimethoprim (67% of 3265 isolates, 95% CI: 59-75). Here, we provided an appraisal of the evidence of the high prevalence of antibiotic resistance by commensal E. coli in community settings in LMICs. Our findings will have important ramifications for public health policy design to contain the spread of antibiotic resistance in community settings. Indeed, commensal E. coli is the main reservoir for spreading antibiotic resistance to other pathogenic enteric bacteria via mobile genetic elements.