Background: Post-partum depression (PPD) is a form of postnatal depression that affects mothers. Clinical manifestations usually appear within six months after delivery. Risk factors that influence the severity of post-partum depression are not fully known in the Iraqi population.
Objectives: We aim to evaluate the risk factors and identify potential predictors that may influence the symptom levels (severity) of post-partum depression among Iraqi women from Baghdad.
Subjects and Methods: The current study is cross-sectional, and we used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a cut-off value of 13 to differentiate patients into two those with lower symptom levels (LSL) and higher symptom levels (HSL). We also explored patients' attributes, newborn-related parameters, and socio-demographics.
Results: The total sample included almost one hundred patients (n=101), including females with lower symptom levels (EPDS<=13, 48.51%) and others with higher symptom levels (EPDS>13, 51.49%). There were two significant risk factors of PPD, including marital problems (OR=3.60, 95% CI=1.54 to 8.41, p=0.003) and perinatal mood disturbances (OR=3.23, 95% CI=1.40 to 7.46, p=0.005). The former results are congruent with our multivariable ordinal regression, while path analysis and structural modeling conveyed an additional risk factor: the personal history of depression. ROC analysis did not convey any significant difference between the two groups (LSL versus HSL) based on age. However, mothers with HSL were older than the other group (29.19±0.88 versus 27.08±0.79, p=0.099).
Conclusion: Post-partum depression with higher symptom levels is frequent among Iraqi mothers. Healthcare institutes should be vigilant concerning the underlying risk factors. Intervention requires integrating the role of social workers to understand the patient's family dynamics.
Background: Molar Incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) is one of the biggest challenges with great clinical interest. Currently, the etiology of MIH remains unclear. There is no previous study concerning school children aged 7 – 9 years in Al-Najaf governorate in order to estimate the prevalence and severity of molar incisor hypomineralisation and the possible associated risk factors. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, severity and the possible associated etiological factors of molar incisor hypomineralisation and also to study the correlation between body mass index and molar incisor hypomineralisation. Material and Methods: Across sectional study conducted at Al-Najaf Governorate. A total of 600 children were enrolled those
... Show MoreA Pap test can identify the pre-cancerous and cancerous problem in the vagina and uterine cervix. Cervical tumour is the easiest gynecologic disease to be diagnosed, treated and prevented using regular screening tests and follow-up. This review aimed to explore the opinion of specialists about cytological changes and the precancerous lesions with Pap smear test and visual inspection of the cervices, also to determine the relationship of this malignancy with demographic characteristics of patients. Results showed that few cervical cancer and pre-cancer were with women in postmenopausal period, but more were with women in the premenopausal period. Visual inspection of the cervix can show erosion lesions by gross inspection. Upon cytology exam
... Show MoreOsteoporosis (OP)is one of the most important metabolic disorder also affected by interaction of genetic and environmental factors by almost 70% and 30% respectively. Genetic components are identified to strongly effect bone mineral density, bone building and turnover, so they play an important role in determining risk of OP and fragility fractures. This study consists of patient and control group; Group A: (70) postmenopausal women with OP and osteopenia, Group B: (20) control group. five milliliters of blood sample were divided into three tubes; one tube (1ml) contain gel for obtain serum to measure glucose level, the others tubes containing ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA), in 2 tube 2ml stored in deep freeze at (–40
... Show MoreBackground: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early-onset CAD, also known as PCAD, is a severe form of CAD associated with high mortality and a poor prognosis. Early diagnosis is crucial to reducing complications. While hsCRP is an established biomarker for CAD, kalirin is a potential novel biomarker due to its role in promoting smooth muscle proliferation and endothelial dysfunction. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between serum kalirin and hsCRP levels with the presence and severity of PCAD and to compare the diagnostic value of both biomarkers. Method: The study recruited 92 participants into two groups: the PCAD group (46) included patients with confirmed CAD by an
... Show MoreThis study evaluated the knowledge and practice of breast self-examination (BSE), among a sample of educated Iraqi women. The study sample comprised 858 women aged 18–62 years affiliated to 6 major Iraqi universities, categorized according to occupation as teaching staff (11.5%), administrative staff (18.0%) and students (70.5%). Data were collected by a self-completed questionnaire. In all, 93.9% of the women had heard about BSE, the main source of information was television (39.9%), doctors (18.4%) and the awareness campaign of the Iraqi National Breast Cancer Research Programme (11.6%). Only 53.9% of the women practised BSE; the most common excuses by those that did not were lack of knowledge of the significance of BSE (42.0%) and lack
... Show MoreBreast cancer becomes a major threat to female health, many reports refer to a high incidence of breast cancer in Iraq; especially, in the last years. The micro RNA-370 molecules have not been reported in Iraqi cancer patients. Our objective in this study was to identify the expression of micro RNA-370 molecules in breast cancer patients as an early detection biomarker of breast tumors and detect its relation with clinicopathological characters of breast cancer patients. Fifty fresh tissue samples were collected from benign and malignant breast patients in addition to ten normal tissue samples collected as a control group, the age ranged was(19 - 77) years for patients. The miR-370 gene expression level was measured by the quantitative r
... Show MoreIn the present study, the aim was made to identify the relationship between thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) and female infertility. The study was performed on 30 infertile women and 22 age-matched healthy fertile control age (33 ± 5 years). Overall, serum prolactin (PRL), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) assay is the key test for the diagnosis and management of hypo and hyperthyroidism. Anti-TPO Ab and anti-TG Ab were measured. The mean ± SE of serum PRL (31.080 ± 3.06) ng/ml was significantly (P<0.05) higher in infertile group compared with control (16.191±1.36) ng/ml. Serum TSH was significantly (P<0.05) higher in infertile group (5.689 ± 1.12) µIU/ml compared to control group (2.282 ± 0.18) µIU/ml. The prevalence of positive
... Show MoreBackground: Hypothyroidism is a clinical syndrome prevalent in women, even those of reproductive age. Ovarian reserve can be defined as the number and quality of follicles in the ovary at any given time. Evaluation of ovarian reserve is recommended for patients at risk of decreased ovarian reserve. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effect of hypothyroidism on ovarian reserve in Iraqi women by hormonal measurements of serum anti-mullerian hormones AMH, FSH, and LH. Subjects and methods: This case–control study was carried out at the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, in collaboration with Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, and National Center for Teaching Labo
... Show MoreFibromyalgia (FM) is a common, debilitating, and chronic pain syndrome. The women are more likely to have more tender points on examination than are their male counterparts. Iraqi study showed that FM occur in 1.5% among adolescents of Iraqi population. In compare to normal healthy women, present study was revealed that Iraqi women with FM have significant elevation of calcium (p = 0.003) with significant reduction of magnesium (p = 0.001), whereas the inorganic phosphorous was not differs (p = 0.31). In conclusion, magnesium and calcium would play a crucial role in etiopathogenesis of fibromyalgia.
Key words: calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, Fibromyalgia.
Objectives: To study the prevalence of rs1799964 (-1031 T/C) and rs361525 (- 238 G/A) SNPs and their effect on the disease activity, severity, and cytokines production in newly diagnosed Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Patients and Methods: sixty-three patients were diagnosed by a specialist physician while attending the rheumatology unit and twenty control participated. The inflammatory markers were measured and PCR amplification and sequencing were performed to demonstrate TNF-α SNPs. Results: Regarding (-1031 C/T) SNP, the TT genotype and allele C were significantly present in the controls, and the CT genotype was distributed significantly in the patients. The TT genotype was mostly distributed in the mild-moder
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