[Incidence of birth defects in Golestan province]

Background and Objective: Birth defects are important causes of childhood morbidity and disability. This study was done to determine the incidence and pattern of birth defects in live birth in cities of Golestan province, north of Iran

Methods: This descriptive study was carried out on 92420 live births in 13 hospitals in Golestan province, northern Iran from 21 January 2008 to 20 March 2011. The newborns were examined for the presence of birth defects. Gender, type of birth defects and residency of parents according to city in Golestan province was recorded for each newborn

Results: The incidence rate of birth defects, in Gorgan, Kordkoy, Aliabad and Gonbad was 20.46, 12.53, 10.86, and 8.99 per 1,000 live births, respectively. The incidence rate of birth defects western area [including Kordkoy, Bandargaz and Kordkoy], center [Gorgan, Capital city] and eastern area [including Aliabad, Gonbad, Minodasht and Kalaleh] of Golestan province] was 9.3, 20.46 and 8.79 per 1,000 live births, respectively. Cardiovascular anomaly was the most frequent birth defects

Conclusion: The incidence rate of birth defects varies in diferent area of Golestan provine and overally was lower than the other region in Iran

[Pattern and risk factors of cryptorchidism in Gorgan, northern Iran]

Cryptorchidism or undescending testis is a developmental defect and occurred in 2-4% of male newborns. This study was done to determine the pattern and risk factors of cryptorchidism in Gorgan, northern Iran. In this cohort study, 2851 male newborns were examined for cryptorchidism at the birth and follow up for one year after birth in Dezyani referral teaching hospital in Gorgan, northern Iran during April 2010 - December 2011. Mother ethnicity, working in farmland, addiction, consanguinity, age, infant maturity and birth weight were recorded for each subject. The rate of cryptorchidism was 18.9 per 1000 live birth. Bilateral and unilateral cryptorchidism was 11.7 and 7.1 per 1000, respectively. The rate of cryptorchidism in preterm newborns [30 per 1000] was significantly higher than the term [20 per 1000] and post term [11.4 per 1000] newborns [P<0.05]. The Mean +/- SD of newborns weight with unilateral cryptorchidism [3024 +/- 537grams] was significantly lower than the healthy newborns [3253 +/- 489 grams] [P<0.05]. The rate of cryptorchidism in Turkmens [10 per 1000 births] was significantly lower than Fars [21 per 1000 births] and Sistani [23 per 1000 births] newborns [P<0.05]. One year Follow up of newborns showed that 41 [77.3%] testes were descent to scrotum. Low births weight, prematurity and ethnicity are the main risk factors of cryptorchidism in northern Iran

[Associated malformations in newborns with imperforate anus in Gorgan, Iran [2006-10]]

Imperforate anus is a common anorectal malformation, which is associated with other anomalies. This study was done to determine the associated malformations in newborns with imperforate anus in northern Iran. This descriptive study was carried out on 40 hospitalized newborns [24 boys and 16 girls] with imperforate anus in Taleghani teaching hospital in Gorgan, northern Iran during 2006-10. From 40 newborns with imperforate anus, 23 newborns [57.5%] had associated anomalies. The commonest associated anomalies was genitourinary [65.2%] followed by heart [47.8%], gastrointestinal [13%] and musculoskeletal anomalies [8.7%]. Associated anomalies in newborns with imperforate anus in northern Iran have a high prevalence in comparison with other reports

[Effect of early prophylactic iron in the prophylaxis of iron deficiency anemia in term infants]

Iron Deficiency Anemia is the most common cause of anemia in children and one of the health threatening problems in all of the world. The high prevalence of Iron Deficiency Anemia and its effect on the growth retardation suggests more prophylactic methods. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of early iron supplementation on incidence of Iron Deficiency Anemia in term infants. This experimental .study was done on 4-months-old term breast-fed infants referred to the primary health care services for vaccination, without any underline disease or growth retardation or history of hospitalization. 60 infants selected and were divided randomly to two groups [n=30 in each] and a questionnaire was completed for each case. Two groups were matched for gender [kappa[2] [1]=1.714; P-value=0.19].Iron drop [2mg/kg] was given in the interventional group. Iron deficiency anemia was assessed in all 6-months-old infants. T-student test and chi-square were used to analyze the independent variables and comparing the hematologic indices, after entering in SPSS-13 software and testing the normal distribution with komologrof-smearnoff test. Relative risk index [RR] was used to compare the two groups. A p-value less than 0/05 were considered as Significant. The relative risk of iron deficiency anemia in the interventional group was 0.34 folds [RR=0.333, CI%95 for RR= [0.179, 0.620]]. Significant difference was seen between the two groups [p<0.001]. According to the effectiveness of earlier iron supplementation for prophylaxis of iron deficiency anemia in term infants; we suggest it in all cases