Reaction and attitude of medical and paramedical lady students towards womanhood, menstruation, and reproductive events

To explore the reaction and attitude of preclinical lady students towards certain aspects of female reproduction, custom-made questionnaires were group-administered to two batches of Second MBBS students (mean age + or - SD: 20.3 + or - 0.5 yr; n=443) of Yangon Institutes of Medicine, and to the First and Second Year students (19.9 + or - 1.0 yr; n=114) of Yangon Institutes of Pharmacy and Paramedical Sciences. Menarche alarmed or upset about half (47.03

) of therespondents while 42.9

reported indifference. Almost 80

of the respondents hadprior knowledge about menarche. The proportion of respondents who accepted menstrual periods as natural (32.9

) was about the same as those distressed by the periods (32.7

). Those expressing positive attitudes towards marriage, childbearing and womanhood outnumbered those expressing negative ones (30

vs 12.2

, 43.6

vs 11.1

, 41.4

vs 20.8

respectively). Certain differences in the responses amongthese groups of Myanmar students and a group of Japanes students (n=28, exposed to the same question-naires) were highlighted and the implications discussed.

Hormonal profile comparison of women with menstrual symptoms and those without, in a population of medical students

This study was carried out on 102 medical students attending the 2nd M.B.,N.S course, inthe Institute of Medicine (1) at the Department of Physiology, between the period of April 1994 to May 1994. Out of 102 volunteers, 74.5 percent had premenstrual symptoms: PMS (+), and 25.5 percent were symptoms free: PMS(-). The mean menarcheal age of PMS(-) group was 12.8 + 0.8 yrs whereas PMS(+) was 13.1 + 1.2 yrs. Student's "t" test showed that they were not significantly different. In the PMS(+) group the commonest symptom was hritability and abdominal pain (26.4 percent and 25.2 percent, respectively). 21.9 percent presented with fullness and bloating. 13.2 percent had headaches and 13.2 percent presented with weight gain. A hormonal profile using immunometric assay kit to determine FSH, LH, PRL and Progesterone level was carried out during the follicular, peri-ovulatory and luteal phases. The levels were within the normal standard range. Mann- Whitney's test showed that there was no significant differences between the PMS(+) and PMS(-) groups. This study suggests that hormonal level differences may not be responsible for the symptoms.

Effect of food supplementation during the third trimester, on outcome of pregnancy

The effect of energy supplemention during pregnancy on outcome was assessed in a trial in Sanchaung Township, Yangon, Myanmar Women who were 26-28 weeks pregnant coming to the Sanchaung Health Centre for antenatal care were assigned to three study groups. Group I consisted of women who had normal weight-for-height according to gestational age. Group II and III consisted of women who were malnourished (< 80 percent weight-for height) pregnant women matched by age and parity. Group II was supplemented with 500 kcal/d during the third trimester, whereas Group III was unsupplemented. There was a positive correlation between socio-economic score and total caloric intake and protein intake per day. There was also a significant difference between supplemented and unsupplemented malnourished group. However, there was no significant difference between the normal and malnourished group with supplementation. Thus, energy supplementation for short duration, during the third trimester is sufficient of improve outcome of pregnancy as judged by birth weight, length and head circumference of infants.

Role of vegetable protein in maternal nutrition in wistar rats

This research was performed in the Department of Medical Research, Yangon, Myanmar. The experimental work was done during the period of April 1987 to January 1988.This paper is part of a thesis submitted in partial filfilment for the degree of Master of Medical Science (Physiology) by Dr. Hla Hla Aye. It was read at the Research Paper Reading Session, the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Department of Medical Research on the 31st December 1988.

The effect of "Third Trimester" maternal nutrition on the offspring in Wistarrats

This research was performed in the Department of Medical research, Yangon, Myanmar. The experimental work was done during the period of April 1987 to 1988. This paper is part of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Medical Science (Physiology) by Hla Hla Aye. It was read at the Research paper Reading Session, Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Department of Medical Research, on 31st December, 1988.