Vol 4, No 4 (December 2010)

Original Articles

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 236 | views: 247 | pages: 149-154

    Objective: To compare maternal complications and labor outcome in obese and non-obese women.
    Materials and methods: It is a retrospective comparative study conducted at the Department of obstetrics and gynecology, Unit 1, Civil Hospital, Karachi from December 2008 to December 2009. A sample size of 220 gravid women is selected by Non Probability Convenience sampling technique. In these 110 obese women as cases was compared with 110 non-obese women as controls, booked at <20 weeks of gestation. Data were collected regarding maternal complication, mode of delivery and neonatal outcome by trained medical officers. Data were entered and analyzed by SPSS version 11.0 through descriptive analysis, chi-square test  and independent sample t test. The p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.
    Results: Pregnancy induced hypertension was present in 9 (8.2%) women in control group and 21 (19.1%) in cases (p=0.01). Gestational diabetes was seen in one (0.9%) in control compared to 8 (7.3%) in obese women (p=0.01). Obese women were found to be at increased risk of caesarean section [17 (15.5%)  Vs. 39 (35.4%), p=0.002]. Apgar score at 1 and 10 minute were lower in cases compared to controls (p=0.0001).
    Conclusion: Obese women are at increased risk of pregnancy induced obesity and associated with an increased risk of hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, thromboembolic disease and urinary tract infection.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 218 | views: 340 | pages: 155-160

    Objective: To compare maternal complications and labor outcome in obese and non-obese women.
    Materials and methods: It is a retrospective comparative study conducted at the Department of obstetrics and gynecology, Unit 1, Civil Hospital, Karachi from December 2008 to December 2009. A sample size of 220 gravid women is selected by Non Probability Convenience sampling technique. In these 110 obese women as cases was compared with 110 non-obese women as controls, booked at <20 weeks of gestation. Data were collected regarding maternal complication, mode of delivery and neonatal outcome by trained medical officers. Data were entered and analyzed by SPSS version 11.0 through descriptive analysis, chi-square test and independent sample t test. The p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.
    Results: Pregnancy induced hypertension was present in 9 (8.2%) women in control group and 21 (19.1%) in cases (p=0.01). Gestational diabetes was seen in one (0.9%) in control compared to 8 (7.3%) in obese women (p=0.01). Obese women were found to be at increased risk of caesarean section [17 (15.5%)  Vs. 39 (35.4%), p=0.002]. Apgar score at 1 and 10 minute were lower in cases compared to controls (p=0.0001).
    Conclusion: Obese women are at increased risk of pregnancy induced obesity and associated with an increased risk of hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, thromboembolic disease and urinary tract infection.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 226 | views: 263 | pages: 161-164

    Objective: The objective of our study was to compare uric acid, iron and TIBC levels in normal and preeclamptic pregnant women and determine their relations with maternal and fetal complications.
    Materials and methods: A case control study was conducted in 200 normal and preeclamptic pregnant women. At 32-40 weeks of pregnancy (third trimester) a blood test was taken in order to measure the uric acid, iron and TIBC and their relation with maternal and fetal complications.
    Results: Uric acid level showed significant difference (4.58 ± 0.73, 4.87 ± 0.58, p=0.002) between  two groups of pre-eclamptic and normal women.  The iron and TIBC level had no significant difference in either group. The uric acid level and iron had significant differences between two groups with and without maternal complication, respectively (4.69 ± 0.66, 5.05 ± 0.59, p<0.05) (387.42 ± 82,  405.24 ± 57, p<0.05). There was not any difference in three parameters between groups with and without fetal complication. The BMI was significantly higher in preeclamptic group and has positive relation with uric acid level. If we consider 29 as BMI cut-off point; it will be associated with 73% sensitivity and 67% specificity in preeclampsia determination. Using 4.55 as uric acid cut-off point, the sensitivity is 76% and specificity is 49%.
    Conclusion: Although the higher level of uric acid, higher BMI scale and positive roll-over test are associated with preeclampsia, but they are not very strong predictors as single test.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 201 | views: 265 | pages: 165-168

    Objective: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of metformin on prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus in women with high risk of GDM.
    Materials and methods: Total number of 189 pregnant women aged between 25 to 35, and 10 to 14 weeks pregnancy,admitted to  Mirza Koochakkhan Hospital, Tehran in January 2008 - January 2009 entered to this randomized controlled clinical trial. The women had one of the three risk factors; history of GDM, family history of diabetes, or BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, with normal results in the glucose challenge test (GCT) or the glucose tolerance test (GTT). Subjects were randomly split to two groups; 63 women (group A) who received metformin (500 mg, twice a day) and 126 women (group B) did not use metformin. Incidence  of gestational diabetes was compared between two groups.
    Results: The incidence  of gestational diabetes was significantly different between two groups (%1.4 in group A, %15.4 in group B) (p<0.001). The study also showed that the insulin requirement was significantly different between two groups after developing GDM (group A %3.6, group B %9.5, p=0.001).
    Conclusion: Using Metformin can effectively reduce the incidence of GDM in pregnant women at risk.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 239 | views: 330 | pages: 169-174

    Objective: Despite Intra Uterine Device (IUD) has the advantage of providing long-term contraception and does not require daily attention, only %8 of Iranian women use it. This study was conducted to enhance understanding of why women in the Isfahan appear reluctant to consider IUD as a contraceptive method.
    Materials and methods: It was a qualitative study that was done in Isfahan in May 2009. Five urban health centers of Isfahan city were selected randomly. In each center by purposive  opportunistically sampling, interview was done with referring women of reproductive age that had never used IUD without any contraindication by one interviewer. One to one semi-structured interviews were continued until a level of information saturationwas reached and no new themes were emerging. Each  woman's believe about IUD and her reasons for not using IUD as a contraceptive method was asked by interviewer. Also all participants were asked about the official (leaflets, health care  professionals, books and school) and unofficial (personal narratives recounted by friends and relatives) sources of their information. Eleven interviews were conducted in total. Key words in ideas of each woman were identified to develop major misconceptions about IUD use.
    Results: Fear of side effects of IUD, religious believes, anxieties related to fitting of an IUD, make difficulty in intercourse and damage to fetus were the major misconceptions about IUD use. Religious believes were the most impediment factor for IUD use.
    Conclusion: All of the items identified mirrored those found in other studies except the prominent worries about religious aspects of using IUD that are new and need wider exploration.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 310 | views: 424 | pages: 175-178

    Objective: To evaluate, the efficacy of sub hypnotic doses of midazolam and propofol, in prophylactic control of postoperative nausea and vomiting, in parturients undergoing elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia.
    Materials and methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, 114 ASA physical status I-II parturient undergoing elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia (using 0.5% bupivacaine 12 mg) were allocated randomly to receive propofol (20 mg bolus and 1.0 mg/kg/hr infusion, n=38)
    or midazolam (1 mg bolus and 2.0 mg/hr infusion, n=38) or saline (2 cc IV, n=38) immediately after clamping of umbilical cord. The occurrence of nausea and/or vomiting and respiratory depression was recorded during operation until 12 hr after that.
    Results: The incidence of nausea and vomiting was significantly lower in midazolam and propofol groups compared with saline group in all 12 hr, (nausea: 19%, 15.8% versus 57.9%), vomiting (7.9%, 5% versus 34.2%). There was not manifestation of respiratory depression at the time of surgery and after it.
    Conclusion: Sub hypnotic dose of midazolam was as effective as the sub hypnotic dose of propofol for preventing of nausea and vomiting in parturients undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. We undertook this study in regard to examine a simple, safe and non-expensive antiemetic method.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 259 | views: 368 | pages: 179-185

    Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate inhibition and anti-cancer effects of Linoleic acid on the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells.
    Materials and methods: Cell lines Human breast cancer MCF-7 (GDC055) and MDA-MB-231 (HTB-26) cell lines were obtained from ATCC. MCF-7 estrogen receptor positive human breast cancer cell line and  the estrogen receptor negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, were grown in DMEM. MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines were observed. For each experiment, seven doses were considered diluting from the highest to the lowest doses by half, respectively. MTS apoptosis  and cytotoxic activity assay were used in order to find toxic effects, and the results were supported by flow cytometry (Cell cycle analysis).
    Results: The results showed the cytotoxic effect of Linoleic acid on the breast cancer cell lines that can be posed as an anti-cancer effect of lionleic acid. According to our findings, when the concentration of lionleic acid was increased, compared with the concentrations currently being reported, it shows anti-cancer effects.
    Conclusion: It was concluded that Linoleic acid has an inhibiting effect on human breast cancer cell lines which can be due to its two double-bandings molecular structure.

  • XML | PDF | downloads: 316 | views: 377 | pages: 187-190

    Objective: The aim of our study is to determine the impact of cochlear implantation on anxiety anddepression in mothers of children with cochlear implant.
    Materials and methods: In a Cohort design, 35 mothers of deaf children with cochlear implantion admitted to the clinic of Baqiyatallah hospital during January 2008 – January 2010 were selected through systematic sampling. Information of demography, depression and anxiety are obtained from the parents by checklist and beck questionnaires, respectively.
    Results: Mean depression and anxiety scores in cochlear implant candidates were more than cochlear implant recipients. The difference was significant in depression and anxiety (P=0.001).
    Conclusion: It seems that cochlear implant use leads to decrease of depression and anxiety but still high prevalence of these complications than the normal population.