ABSTRACT
This paper presents a case of an emotionally deprived child with some evidence of child neglect resulting from separation of parents (maternal deprivation). It also further confirms the long recognized fact that the most successful treatment of growth failure and weight loss due to psychosocial deprivation is restoration of a normal social environment. In particular, it highlights the need for a high index of suspicion and awareness on the part of medical personnel with regard to emotional disorders in children.
ABSTRACT
Background: The incidence of twin delivery in Nigeria may have changed, in view of the worldwide increase in the rates of twinning attributed to increasing maternal age and use of fertility therapies. Twin gestation is associated with increased risk of adverse perinatal outcome. Objective: To determine the current incidence of twin delivery in Benin City and document their perinatal outcome. Methods: A four-year cross-sectional study of twin deliveries in a Nigerian mission hospital was conducted. The perinatal outcome in 115 sets of twin was compared with that of 230 singleton controls. Results: The current incidence of twin delivery was 25.3 per 1000 deliveries or one in 40 births. Sex ratio was 0.98 : 1 in favour of females. The highest incidence was in the month of August while the lowest incidence was in the month of November (p<0.05). Twin pregnancies are at a significantly higher risk of adverse perinatal outcome such as low birthweight (LBW), preterm delivery, birth asphyxia and Caesarean delivery compared to singleton pregnancies (p<0.001). Conclusions: Although the incidence of twin delivery remains high in Benin City, it appears to have dropped. Twin pregnancy is associated with a significantly increased risk of delivery of preterm and low birthweight infants as well as birth asphyxia.
ABSTRACT
Twin gestations are commonly associated with delivery of low birthweight infants. Despite the fact that Nigeria has the highest incidence of twinning in the world; there is paucity of information on the characteristics ofLBWtwin infants in Nigeria. To determine the incidence and document some of the characteristics of low birth weight (LBW) twin infants. Adescriptive analysis of data on 119LBWtwin infants delivered between 1st January; 2000 and 31st December; 2003 in a Nigerian mission hospital in Benin City was carried out. The characteristics of the LBW twin infants was studied in relation to perinatal mortality. The overall incidence of LBWtwin infants was 51.7with a female preponderance. Of the 107 liveborn LBWtwins; 74 (69.2) compared to 33 (30.8) were preterm and term small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants respectively (p