Socioenvironmental predictors of abortion and stillbirths in an industrial community in Egypt

Air pollution is considered to be one of the overgrowing problems of cosmopolitan distribution, due to marked progress in industrialization. The applied epidemiological and environmental studies related to reproductive health in the community are considered as the main principles for comprehensive health development in industrial cities. The present study focused on the role of air pollution on the occurrence of abortion and stillbirths among married fertile women during the childbearing age [15-50 years] in two industrial areas, namely Helwan in Cairo Governorate and Tenth of Ramadan City in Sharqyia Governorate. A cross-sectional epidemiological study based on community background was implemented in the two studied areas. The unit of observation was the family including married fertile women based on specific inclusion criteria. Cluster sampling procedure was used in which the unit of sampling was the household, selected within a radius of not less than five Kilometers around the factories. Using Epi-info program, the total sample size in the two studied areas was 1934 women. The interview questionnaire was the tool adopted for data collection, which includes gynecological and obstetric data related to reproductive health. The socio-economic status of studied women was determined using scoring system that includes the education and occupation of both couples. The environmental study was carried-out in the two areas in order to assess the levels of air pollutants and their chemical nature. Data management using Logistic regression analysis was done to determine the effect of independent variables, such as socio-economic factor, exposure to air pollutants on the occurrence of abortion and stillbirths as examples of reproductive health problems. The mean age of the studied women was 33.8 +/- 8.8 years in Helwan and 28.1 +/- 6.5 years in Tenth of Ramadan. Also the study showed significant differences in both the socio-economic status, smoking inside houses and parity between the studied women in Helwan and Tenth of Ramadan City. The overall prevalence of abortion and stillbirths among women in the studied areas were 29.2% and 4.5%, respectively. However, the prevalence of such reproductive health hazards among women in Helwan was significantly higher than in Tenth of Ramadan City. Also the results of environmental study indicated that Helwan has higher mean values of total dust count, suspended and respirable dust concentrations as well as lead concentration in the ambient air than in Tenth of Ramadan City. The Logistic regression analysis showed that the respirable dust concentration in the air and smoking inside houses are the significant independent factors for the occurrence of abortion. Moreover, Lead concentration in the air and women education is the main predictors of both abortion and stillbirths. Accordingly, the Egyptian authorities should attempt to improve air quality in urban industrial communities to promote reproductive health and prevent woman's health hazards

Child abuse as an inhibiting factor for family planning

The aim of this study is to determine the magnitude of the problem of using children as an economic asset to the family thus, in one way increasing the prevalence of child abuse in Egypt and also hindering the family planning program. Two focus-group interviews were conducted in urban and rural areas for 10 women with the same age range and socioeconomic background. All were non-users of any contraception. Subsequently an interview was conducted for all women who attended the Ob. and Gyn. Clinic at Ain Shams University Hospital in the period from June to August 1991, their ages ranged from 30-35 years and they never used contraception. Another group of women with the same characteristics were interviewed from a rural area at Fayoum Governorate. A questionnaire was filled for each interviewed woman. The total women interviewed in urban area is 340 while in the rural area they were 400 women. Sixty percent of urban women and 80% of rural women are illiterate, 70% of the urban and 100% of rural women are housewives. Their years of marriage ranged between 10-20 years and all of them have more than five children. A percentage of 73.5% of urban women and 85% of rural women stated that children are used as an economic asset to their families, they work in urban areas as assistants in motor repairs, hair-dressers, beggars, bakeries, shops, restaurants and factories while in rural areas they work as agricultural workers

study of the epidemiology of preterm labor

A case-control study was designed in order to identify risk factors associated with preterm labor. All cases fulfilling the criteria of eligibility as preterm labor and attending the Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital during the period from January 1991 to June 1991 were included in the study. In the meanwhile, all women delivering after the 37th week of gestation during that period and in the same hospital and matched according to age [ +/- 5 years] were included as the control group. Two hundred and thirty four cases and 216 controls were included in the study. An interview was performed to fill an epidemiologic and clinical questionnaire. Results showed that the lower the socioeconomic standard, the more the risk for preterm labor [p < 0.05], smoking whether active or passive is associated with preterm labor [p <0.001] threatened or induced abortion, unwanted pregnancy, psychological trauma and surgical intervention during current pregnancy are associated with preterm labor [p < 0.001]. History of preterm labor is associated with the present condition [p < 0.001]. Anemia, hypertension, body weight less than 70 kgm are associated with preterm labor [p < 0.001]

epidemiologic study of papanicolaou smear data at Ain-Shams University Hospitals

This study is designed to find out the association between some risk factors for cancer cervix and the sensitivity and specificity of pap. smear test. Data from the Cyto-Diagnostic Unit of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ain-Shams University are used. Women included in the study are those, who have had both cytology and directed biopsies irrespective of the cytology results. 757 women from 1981-1989 met that criteria and data for them are retreived from computer files. It is found that there is association between age of women [P 0.05 for specificity], age at marriage [P < 0.05 for sensitivity, P> 0.05 for specificity], and duration of marriage [p> 0.05 for sensitivity, P < 0.05 for specificity], and the sensitivity and specificity of Papanicolaou smear

Child growth among Palestinian refugees in an Egyptian village

Palestinians constitute a large sector of refugees in Egypt. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees define refugee as every person who owing to the external aggression, occupation, foreign domination or events seriously disturbing public order in either part or whole of his country of origin or nationality, is compelled to leave his place of habitual residence in order to seek refugee in another place outside his country of origin or nationality. The objective of this study is to provide a base-line data about the nutritional status of Palestinian preschool children in Egypt. The rural area of Mudiriyat El-Tahrir was chosen as it represents the largest gathering of Palestinians in Egypt where 252 Palestinian families live since 1967. All the children aged 1-5 years were included in the study with a total number of 369 children. However, 9 children were excluded after interview and clinical examination for reasons including, congenital malformation, clubfoot and dislocation of hip joint [2 children], mental retardation [one child], poliomyelitis [one child], congenital heart disease [one child] and 4 children of multiple birth mothers. Data about their socioeconomic standard revealed that 98% of fathers were agricultural labourers, 30% of fathers and 100% of mothers has no cash income, 68% of fathers were paid L.E 20-50 while 4.7% of fathers and none of mothers were university graduates. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, mid-arm circumference and triceps skinfold thickness were done. Results showed that increments in the mean body weight during the age period 12-60 months among Palestinian children of both sexes to be of lower figures than Egyptian, Jordanians and Americans. Moreover, increments in the mean body weight among Palestinian children showed an almost identical pattern to that of the body weight. The triceps skinfold thickness was lower than the British standards, Tanner [1970]. Comparing mid-arm circumference of boys and girls in this study with the standard by Jelliffe [1966], the pattern of growth was similar but with lower values than the British Standards. According to Waterlow [1972], weight/height is an index of wasting or an indicator of current malnutrition, while weight for age is a measure of stunting or an indicator of chronic malnutrition. This classification revealed the presence of 182 [50.56%] stunted children 4 [1.1%] wasted and stunted children, and 3 [0.48%] severely wasted and stunted children, in other words 7 [1.94%] were severely malnourished or their weights were according to Morley [1976] below the 10th percentile. On the other hand, it was found that 353 [98.1%] were well nourished which according to Morely their weights were always above the 50th percentile

Premenstrual syndrome among a group of Egyptian students an epidemiologic study

Premenstrual syndrome [PMS] is a common condition characterised by various physical, emotional or behavioral changes which at times reach such levels of severity that they may have her work. The aim of this study is to find out the prevalence of PMS among young Egyptian girls and to study epidemiologic factors associated with it. PMS was diagnosed when symptoms have occurred 7-10 days prior to menstruation and relieved by the onset of bleeding in a minimum of three consecutive cycles. Moreover, at least one symptom of the somatic group and one of the psychological group should be present at a time, symptoms included headache, colics, backaches, edema of breast and/or legs for the somatic manifestations. Suffering from forgetfulness, lowering concentration, bouts of crying easy provoked and preference to stay at home for the psychological manifestations. This study was conducted among students in the final year at Ain Shams University in the Departements of Biology and philosophy. The studied group constituted of 160 students. Prevalence of PMS was found to be 48%, out of which 12.5% have severe PMS and 35.5% have moderate PMS. The younger the age at menarche the more was the probability of getting PMS. Those with irregular menstruation were more apt to get PMS than those whose menstual cycles were regular. Dysmenorrhea was associated with PMS. The amount of bleeding lost each cycle had no relation with PMS. Moreover, whether the students lived in dormitories or with their families it had no statistical association with PMS