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.
Recently, Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was considered as one of the autoimmune diseases that the genetic and environmental factors contributed in the disease etiological profile. According to the environmental factors, infectious agents have been concluded to have a role in the etiology and pathogenesis of SLE. Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae are among these infectious agents that have been suggested to be involved in the etiology of SLE. Accordingly, the current study was designed to assess the anti-C. pneumoniae and anti-M. pneumoniae IgG antibody status by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the sera of 64 Iraqi SLE females' patients and 32 Iraqi healthy females as controls. The patients' group were distribu
... Show MoreSeveral adipokines are produced and secreted from adipose tissue, such as retinol binding protein-4, which triggers metabolic syndromes and insulin resistance. Retinol binding protein-4 transfers vitamin A or retinol in the blood. Higher levels of retinol binding protein-4 are interrelated with progress of metabolic disease, comprising obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The present study investigates the role of retinol-binding protein-4 levels in type 2 diabetic Iraqi patients with metabolic syndrome. Sixty type 2 diabetic patients aged 40–53 years were examined. Of these 30 patients has metabolic syndrome and 30 without metabolic syndrome. The patients sampled were from the National Diabetes Center/ Mustansiriyah
... Show MoreThe musical sign was associated with the first appearances of acting that are based on human gestures and expressive and silent movements, and they contributed in accentuating and clarifying these gestures and explain their meanings and indications, and they remained with them until these gestures turned into artistic theatrical shows so that the musical sign would have many functions and constitute the main pillars for this kind of show.
The musical sign is a language not much different than the human language in the semiotic analysis. There has been an increased interest in it and its use in the mime shows by the graduates who realized its necessity and significance in the pantomime show intellectually, artistically and aesthetical
This is the first record of a new species of cyanobacteria Westiellopsis akinetica in the Iraqi environment, Samples were collected on June 2013 and the existence of it was not documented before. We isolated and purified this species ten years ago in Iraq, but we couldn't identify accurately based on all taxonomic handbooks. This is due to the species features being different from the other documented species in the available taxonomic lectures. It resembled many species by morphological characteristics such as Fischerella muscicola, Fischerella thermalis, Westiellopsis biateralis SA16. Westiellopsis interrupta, Westiellopsis persica SA33, Westiellopsis prolifica and Symphyonema bifilamentata. Describing a new species of the Westiellops
... Show MoreThe theater has live foundations that interact with all symbols and signs. It has never been far from these innovations and developments in the manner of dealing with those symbols and how and the extent of their effects on society through the world of technology because the theatrical performance contributes to its structure, a technique that is employed by designers in various technologies such as ( Music, lighting and sound effects engineer, as well as fashion designer, architecture, and modeling designer). The theater today also relied on various interactive techniques represented in the use of body language and a sign in order to communicate the meaning by forming movements, singing and dancing in order for the recipient to interact
... Show MoreThe electoral poster is the most important means and methods of the electoral campaign because of its advantages and capabilities if it is organized properly. It is an intensive propaganda message with psychological figures and semiotic connotations belonging to sub-culture. Its construction depends on a group of elements (logo, photo symbols, color and picture) and their consistency is varying from one to another. Posters must be committed the determinants of attraction, excitement, simplicity and clarity. They are working according to the following base: (fixed audience X moved recipients) and walking towards (moving X moving) due to the technical development of optical screens. These developments require double the force of the impact
... Show MoreThe research aims to verify the presence of correlation between the financial cycle and the economic cycle in the Iraqi economy. During the research period, the Iraqi economy witnessed a crisis cycle due to the permanent deviations in the state budget and the occurrence of sustainable deficits during the period of the economic blockade with the coincidence of an inflationary economic cycle due to the cheap money policy and the occurrence of Negative supply shocks due to the blockade and the madly high general level of prices, in addition to the weak financial planning of the state budget during the post-economic blockade and the entry of the economy into a stagnant economic cycle due to security and political instability, low levels of priv
... Show MoreBackground: Occupational exposure to hazardous drugs occurs in all aspects of anticancer drug handling. Proper recommendations and guidelines should be applied to control and reduce exposure. Objective: To assess pharmacists' knowledge and practice regarding the safe handling of anticancer drugs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at seven major hospitals in Baghdad City, Iraq, from December 2023 to February 2024. A pre-designed questionnaire was given to pharmacists who handled anticancer drugs in chemotherapy units. The questionnaire comprises sociodemographic data, knowledge of the safe handling of cytotoxic drugs and thoughts about exposure and risk, practices for safely handling cytotoxic drugs, and challenges for s
... Show MoreObjectives: This study aimed to identify and analyse ATP7B variants in Iraqi adults with Wilson disease (WD) by long-read next-generation sequencing. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Poisoning Consultation Center at Ghazy Al-Hariri Hospital for Surgical Specialties and the Gastroenterology Consultation Clinic at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City in Baghdad, Iraq. Unrelated patients with clinical and biochemical features suggestive of WD were recruited between October 2022 and October 2023. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. Variants in the ATP7B gene were identified using long-read next-generation sequencing and then analysed by in-silico tools. Results: A total of 45 patients were recruited in
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