Birth defects reporting and surveillance in India: a narrative review.

Mortality attributable to birth defects (congenital anomalies, congenital disorders) is increasing in low and middle-income countries, including India. Surveillance is essential to inform strategies to address these disorders. The objective of this narrative review was to document the birth defects surveillance/reporting systems in India, their current status, structures and reporting formats.

Sources of bias in studies reporting birth prevalence of congenital anomalies: a scoping review and reporting checklist.

Background: Data on the birth prevalence of congenital anomalies in low- and middle-income countries report wide variations in prevalence estimates. We conducted a scoping review to identify the sources of bias in studies reporting birth prevalence of congenital anomalies in World Health Organization South-East Asia region (SEAR) countries.

Methods: PubMed and Google Scholar databases were screened for relevant literature.

Prevalence of beta thalassemia carriers in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A large number of studies have reported that the prevalence of beta thalassemia carriers in India varies by ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the published studies and conduct a meta-analysis to determine the prevalence of beta thalassaemia carriers in India. A PubMed database search using keywords "beta thalassaemia AND India" identified 1088 articles of which 69 articles were included in the review.

A history of thalidomide in India.

In contrast to the well-known stories of the embryotoxic drug, thalidomide, in countries where it was responsible for large numbers of birth defects, there is limited information on its history in India. Its presence before 2002, when the country issued the first marketing licence for a thalidomide-containing preparation, is assumed to be negligible. This article challenges this view by showing that the drug entered the Indian subcontinent through the former Portuguese territory of Goa around 1960.

"Fruits of our past karma": a qualitative study on knowledge and attitudes about congenital anomalies among women in Pune district, India.

Congenital anomalies are distressing events for future parents/parents when a foetal anomaly is detected during pregnancy or when the infant is born with a disability or a congenital disorder. Maternal health services in India do not provide information on these disorders as part of routine activities. The objective is to understand women's knowledge and attitude on causes, prevention, rights; attituted towards disability; and knowledge on medical care, rehabilitation, and welfare services in Pune district, India, with the goal of identifying the contents of birth defects education resources.

Undiagnosed haemoglobinopathies among pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in Pune, India.

Pregnant women with iron deficiency and those who are carriers of haemoglobinopathies present with anaemia of varying severity. There is no antenatal screening for haemoglobinopathies in India. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed haemoglobinopathy carriers in a random sample of pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics in Pune city, India.

Birth defect mortality in India 1990-2017: estimates from the Global Burden of Disease data.

India is yet to establish a national surveillance for birth defects (congenital disorders). The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of birth defects in the neonatal, post-neonatal, and 1-4-year age groups, using modelled estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. We extracted age- and condition-specific birth defect mortality data and analysed the magnitude and trends of these conditions in India, and across Indian states.

A Leishmania donovani dominant-negative mutant for eIF2α kinase LdeK1 elicits host-protective immune response.

Dominant-negative mutation of LdeK1 gene, an eIF2α kinase from Leishmania donovani, revealed its role in translation regulation in response to nutrient starvation earlier. However, whether the kinase influences the infectivity of the parasites which naturally encounters nutrient deprivation during its life cycle was interesting to investigate. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments resulted in decrease of the parasite burden in peritoneal macrophages and in splenic/ hepatic load, respectively.

The Leishmania donovani IMPACT-like protein possesses non-specific nuclease activity.

IMPACT (Imprinted and Ancient)-like proteins are known to be regulators of GCN2 (General control non-derepressible 2) kinases involved in translation regulation. Here, we report on cloning and characterization of an IMPACT-like protein, LdIMPACT from Leishmania donovani which harbours two domains. 'RWD domain' at the N-terminal end that mediates GCN2 regulation, while a conserved 'ancient domain' lies at the C-terminal end whose function remains elusive.

Prevalence and determinants of folate deficiency among urban Indian women in the periconception period.

Maternal folate insufficiency is of particular concern in developing countries due to its association with various adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of folate deficiency and its determinants among urban Indian women in the periconception period. Serum folate concentrations were measured in 584 women in early pregnancy (11 ± 3 weeks of gestation) using microbiological assay.

A national estimate of the birth prevalence of congenital anomalies in India: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: A quarter of all global neonatal deaths occur in India. Congenital anomalies constitute the fifth largest cause of neonatal mortality in the country, but national estimates of the prevalence of these conditions are lacking. The objective of the study was to derive an estimate of the birth prevalence of congenital anomalies in India.

Prevalence of Congenital Anomalies in an Indian Maternal Cohort: Healthcare, Prevention, and Surveillance Implications.

Background: India lacks a national birth defects surveillance. Data on the prevalence of congenital anomalies are available mostly from hospital-based, cross-sectional studies. This is the first cohort study from India, where 2107 women were followed till pregnancy outcome, in order to measure the prevalence and types of congenital anomalies, their contribution to neonatal mortality, implications for surveillance, and the health service needs for prevention and management.

A case-control study identifying the characteristics of patients providing incorrect contact information at registration for DOTS in Pune, India.

Background: Provision of incorrect contact information by the patient at the time of registration for treatment is a deterrent to treatment adherence.

Objective: To determine the characteristics of patients providing incomplete contact information at the time of registration for Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) at the tuberculosis units (TUs) in Pune, India.

Methods: A nested case-control study was conducted where the characteristics of patients who had provided incorrect contact information (cases) were compared with the characteristics of patients who could be traced (controls).

Health resources in a 200,000 urban Indian population argues the need for a policy on private sector health services.

Background: There are limited primary data on the number of urban health care providers in private practice in developing countries like India. These data are needed to construct and test models that measure the efficacy of public stewardship of private sector health services.

Objective: This study reports the number and characteristics of health resources in a 200 000 urban population in Pune.

Socio-economic determinants of helmet-wearing behaviour in Pune city, India.

This study was an attempt to investigate the socio-economic determinants of helmet wearing in an urban setting of India. A household survey using multistage cluster random sampling was conducted among 9014 individuals in Pune city from March 2008 to February 2009. Among 2259 individuals who reported driving two-wheeled vehicles, 1509 (66.

Systematic review of birth prevalence of neural tube defects in India.

Background: Neural tube defects are one of the most prevalent congenital anomalies. Data on the total birth prevalence, live birth and stillbirth prevalence of neural tube defects in India are lacking. The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of birth prevalence of neural tube defects in India and compare it with existing estimates.

Population-based approach to study unintentional injury occurrences in Pune city, India.

Most injury-related studies in developing countries are hospital based. In India, where there is a high level of poverty, limited access to the health care, many unregistered slums and pavement dwellers, this study attempted to use an innovative sampling method to identify the magnitude of injuries in a population of an urban city in India. Totally, 9014 individuals (2100 households), representative of more than 3.

Injury-related unsafe behavior among households from different socioeconomic strata in pune city.

Introduction: Behavior pattern influences the risk of unintentional injuries. This study was conducted to identify the pattern of household unsafe behavior in different socioeconomic strata, in Pune city, India.

Materials And Method: Population-based, cross-sectional study.