Introduction: Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease with endemic foci in Cameroon. Epidemiological data on schistosomiasis in pregnancy are scarce in the country. This study describes the prevalence, diversity and factors associated with schistosomiasis in pregnant women in Njombe-Penja where schistosomiasis was first reported in 1968.
Methodology: Two hundred and eighty-two (282) pregnant women were enrolled at first antenatal consultation between April and December 2016. A questionnaire was used to document socio-economic and obstetric information. Stool and terminal urine samples were collected and analysed using Kato-Katz/Formol-Ether concentration techniques and centrifugation methods respectively. Haemoglobin concentration was measured from finger prick blood, using an URIT®-12 electronic haemoglobinometer. Bivariate and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses with Epi-Info version 7.2.1.0. Statistical significance level was set at 0.05.
Results: The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis was 31.91%. Schistosoma guineensis, S. haematobium and S. mansoni infections were found in 0.35% (n = 1), 4.96% (n = 14) and 28.01% (n = 79) of participants, respectively. Co-infection with two species of Schistosoma was found in 4.44% of these women. The prevalence of this disease was significantly higher in younger women (≤ 20 years old) and among residents of Njombe. All S. haematobium infected women were anemic and infection was associated with significantly lower haemoglobin levels (p = 0.02).
Conclusion: The prevalence of schistosomiasis is high among pregnant women in Njombe-Penja, with some adverse effects on blood levels. Three Schistosoma species were found. Female of childbearing age should be considered for mass drug administration.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3855/jidc.11767 | DOI Listing |
J Echocardiogr
January 2025
Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, 1035 Dalgubeol-Daero, Dalseo-Gu, Daegu, 42601, Republic of Korea.
Background: With the growing number of high-risk pregnant women, echocardiography frequently reveals pericardial effusion (PE). However, the clinical implications of PE are unknown.
Method: We analyzed a cohort of 406 high-risk pregnant women who underwent echocardiography in the third trimester between November 2019 and December 2022.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth
January 2025
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Reina Sofía Hospital, Tudela, Spain.
Background: There is evidence that exercise may reduce the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and improve other obstetric outcomes in overweight or obese pregnant women. However, the available evidence is of low quality and inconclusive. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of exercise, compared with usual care, in reducing GDM and other obstetric risks, in overweight and obese pregnant women.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMJ Open
January 2025
Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Introduction: Optimising the micronutrient status of women before and during reproduction confers benefits to them and their offspring. Antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), given as a daily tablet with nutrients at ~1 recommended dietary allowance (RDA) or adequate intake (AI) reduces adverse birth outcomes. However, at this dosage, MMS may not fully address micronutrient deficiencies in settings with chronically inadequate diets and infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZ Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes
January 2025
Department Digital Health Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany.
Background: Pregnant women and their families, especially those navigating chronic illness or challenging life situations, often seek information and counseling. The pregnancy period and the transition to parenthood can exacerbate these circumstances, leaving families particularly vulnerable. Addressing stressful situations becomes a hurdle in this context.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Obstet Anesth
December 2024
Department of Anesthesiology, 8700 Beverly Blvd #4209, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90064, United States. Electronic address:
Introduction: Over 90% of pregnant women and 76% expectant fathers search for pregnancy health information. We examined readability, accuracy and quality of answers to common obstetric anesthesia questions from the popular generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots ChatGPT and Bard.
Methods: Twenty questions for generative AI chatbots were derived from frequently asked questions based on professional society, hospital and consumer websites.
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