"They should ask about our feelings": Mongolian women's experiences of postpartum depression.

Between 16 and 20% of perinatal women in low- and middle-income countries experience depression. Addressing postpartum depression (PPD) requires an appreciation of how it manifests and is understood in different cultural settings. This study explores postpartum Mongolian women's perceptions and experiences of PPD. We conducted interviews with 35 postpartum women who screened positive for possible depression to examine: (1) personal experiences of pregnancy/childbirth; (2) perceived causes and symptoms of PPD; and (3) strategies for help/support for women experiencing PPD. Unless extreme, depression was not viewed as a disease but rather as a natural condition following childbirth. Differences between a biomedical model of PPD and local idioms of distress could explain why awareness about PPD was low. The most reported PPD symptom was emotional volatility expressed as anger and endorsement of fear- or anxiety-related screening questions, suggesting that these might be especially relevant in the Mongolian context. Psychosocial factors, as opposed to biological, were common perceived causes of PPD, especially interpersonal relationship problems, financial strain, and social isolation. Possible barriers to PPD recognition/treatment included lack of awareness about the range of symptoms, reluctance to initiate discussions with providers about mental health, and lack of PPD screening practices by healthcare providers. We conclude that educational campaigns should be implemented in prenatal/postnatal clinics and pediatric settings to help women and families identify PPD symptoms, and possibly destigmatize PPD. Healthcare providers can also help to identify women with PPD through communication with women and families.

Influence of vitamin D supplementation on fracture risk, bone mineral density and bone biochemistry in Mongolian schoolchildren: multicenter double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCT) of vitamin D supplementation to reduce fracture risk in children are lacking. Methods: We conducted a Phase 3 RCT of weekly oral supplementation with 14,000 IU vitamin D3 for 3 years in Mongolian schoolchildren aged 6-13 years. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations and the proportion of participants reporting ≥1 fracture were secondary outcomes for the main trial. Radial bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed in a nested sub-study, with serum concentrations of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) determined in a subset of participants. Findings: 8851 children were enrolled in the main trial, of whom 1465 also participated in the sub-study. Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent at baseline (25[OH]D <20 ng/mL in 90.1%). The intervention elevated 25(OH)D concentrations (adjusted inter-arm mean difference [aMD] 20.3 ng/mL, 95% CI 19.9 to 20.6) and suppressed PTH concentrations (aMD -13.6 pmol/L, 95% CI -23.5 to -3.7), but it did not influence fracture risk (adjusted risk ratio 1.10, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.29, P=0.27) or radial BMD z-score (aMD -0.06, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.07, P=0.36). Vitamin D suppressed serum BALP concentrations more among participants with baseline 25(OH)D concentrations <10 vs. ≥10 ng/mL (Pinteraction=0.04). However, effects of the intervention on fracture risk and radial BMD were not modified by baseline vitamin D status (Pinteraction≥0.67). Interpretation: Weekly oral vitamin D supplementation elevated serum 25(OH)D concentrations and suppressed PTH concentrations in vitamin D-deficient schoolchildren in Mongolia. However, this was not associated with reduced fracture risk or increased radial BMD. Funding: National Institutes of Health.

Prevalence of pregnancy hypertensive disorders in Mongolia.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of preeclampsia in a contemporary population of Mongolian women living in urban and rural areas. We determined the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis based on established diagnostic criteria and assessed whether local diagnostic criteria were similar to those used in the US. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of urban and nomadic pregnant women recruited in Ulaanbaatar (n=136) and rural provinces (n=85). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Preeclampsia defined as hypertension new to pregnancy after 20weeks and proteinuria (or protein creatinine ratio ⩾0.3 and dipstick reading>+1) or in the absence of proteinuria, hypertension and onset of: renal insufficiency, impaired liver function, thrombocytopenia, pulmonary edema, cerebral/visual symptoms. Prevalence of preeclampsia based on established criteria was compared with prevalence based on local physician's diagnosis. RESULTS: Prevalence of local physician diagnosed preeclampsia was 9.5% (13.2% urban, 3.5% rural). Prevalence based on established diagnostic criteria was 4.1% (4.4% urban, 3.5% rural). Sensitivity of physician's diagnosis was 23.8%, specificity was 98.0%, false negative rate was 2.0% and false positive rate was 76.2%. While prevalence based on local physician's diagnosis was over double that based on diagnostic criteria, overdiagnosis did not result in adverse effects. Women fulfilling diagnostic criteria for preeclampsia had babies with higher birth weights than women who did not (p-value=0.006). CONCLUSION: The 4.1% prevalence of preeclampsia in Mongolia was consistent with global estimates of 2-8%, suggesting the pathophysiology of preeclampsia here may be similar to that found globally. Sensitivity of physician's diagnosis was low, specificity was high.