Understanding the Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Intention regarding Abortion among Federal and Provincial Policymakers.

Background: For more than two decades abortion is legalized in Nepal, recognizing unsafe abortion as one of the leading but preventable cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. To safeguard safe abortion as women’s rights, several policies, guidelines, training manuals have been developed along with training human resources and increasing access to abortion services across Nepal. However, access to safe abortion services remains a challenge.

Service Readiness for Safe Abortion Services.

 Health service readiness is a prerequisite to accessing quality services. This study analyzes the readiness of health facilities in Nepal to provide comprehensive abortion services by focusing on the availability and quality of care.   Methods:  This is a cross-sectional study, and a multi-stage sampling approach was used to select health facilities.

Association of air pollution and homocysteine with global DNA methylation: A population-based study from North India.

Background: Anthropogenic air pollution has been implicated in aberrant changes of DNA methylation and homocysteine increase (>15μM/L). Folate (<3 ng/mL) and vitamin B12 (<220 pg/mL) deficiencies also reduce global DNA methylation via homocysteine increase. Although B-vitamin supplements can attenuate epigenetic effects of air pollution but such understanding in population-specific studies are lacking.

Why parents agree or disagree for minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) to identify causes of death in under-five children and stillbirth in North India: a qualitative study.

Background: Information on exact causes of death and stillbirth are limited in low and middle income countries. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) is increasingly practiced in place of autopsy across several settings. A formative research documented the experiences of counselling and consenting for MITS in north India.

Perceptions of the parents of deceased children and of healthcare providers about end-of-life communication and breaking bad news at a tertiary care public hospital in India: A qualitative exploratory study.

Background: Parents of dying children face unique challenge and expect compassionate support from health care providers (HCPs). This study explored the experiences of the parents and HCPs about the end-of-life care and breaking bad news and related positive and negative factors in Indian context.

Methods: This qualitative exploratory study was conducted at paediatrics department of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphism, global DNA methylation and blood pressure: a population based study from North India.

Background: Hypertension is a complex disorder affected by gene-environment interactions. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene is one of the genes in One Carbon Metabolic (OCM) pathway that affects both blood pressure and epigenetic phenomenon. MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism leads to reduced methylation capacity via increased homocysteine concentrations.

Grief reaction and psychosocial impacts of child death and stillbirth on bereaved North Indian parents: A qualitative study.

Background: Grief following stillbirth and child death are one of the most traumatic experience for parents with psychosomatic, social and economic impacts. The grief profile, severity and its impacts in Indian context are not well documented. This study documented the grief and coping experiences of the Indian parents following stillbirth and child death.

Perceptions of the healthcare providers regarding acceptability and conduct of minimal invasive tissue sampling (MITS) to identify the cause of death in under-five deaths and stillbirths in North India: a qualitative study.

Background: India contributes the highest share of under-five and neonatal deaths and stillbirths globally. Diagnostic autopsy, although useful for cause of death identification, have limited acceptance. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) is an alternative to autopsy for identification of the cause of death (CoD).

Metabolic distress in lipid & one carbon metabolic pathway through low vitamin B-12: a population based study from North India.

Background: Dyslipidemia and hyper-homocysteinemia are the major independent risk factors of cardio vascular disease. Deficiency of folate and vitamin B-12 are associated with both hyper-homocysteinemia and dyslipidemia. The aim of the study is to evaluate the relationship of homocysteine and its associated dietary determinant levels (Folate and Vitamin B-12) with lipids and obesity parameters (WC, BMI, WHR) in North Indian population.

Association of DD genotype of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene (I/D) polymorphism with hypertension among a North Indian population.

Hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Genetic predisposition to the risk of developing hypertension due to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion(I)/deletion(D) polymorphism (through altered serum ACE activity) is well documented among various populations. The present study investigated the possible association between ACE (DD) genotype and hypertension using a nested case-control study design including 451 individuals (of either sex in the age group 30-65 years) from a rural North Indian population practicing agriculture and lacto-vegetarianism.