Chromosome abnormalities in a maternity hospital in UAE: a 4.5 year retrospective study

To determine the pattern of chromosome abnormalities and the possible need for a cytogenetic service, a retrospective study was carried out from January 1993 to June 1997 on all requests for chromosome studies from the Al Corniche Maternity Hospital. There was a total of 1421 requests, of which 912 [64.1%] came from the Gynaecological Clinic, as part of the investigation of couples or patients with recurrent abortions, infertility or a bad obstetric history. A major abnormal karyotype was found in one of 36 partners with a female to male ratio of 3.2. From the Antenatal Clinic there were 186 requests for amniocentesis [including one chronic villous biopsy], of which 10 were abnormal [5.4%] and 395 requests for the Triple Test, 84 of which were abnormal, [66 for Down's syndrome and 17 for neural tube defect], but only 8 babies were found to be abnormal at birth. There were 323 requests from the Paediatric Department for studies on infants with congenital abnormalities or dysmorphic features. Of these 108 were abnormal out of which 81 [75%] were Down's syndrome, an incidence of 2.16/1000 live births. In all 3 study groups, a wide spectrum of abnormalities was seen including balanced and unbalanced Robertsonian and reciprocal translocations trisomies, sex chromosome abnormalities and mosaicisms, population variants and markers. Ninety [6.3%] cultures failed to grow, a possible consequence of the need to send specimens abroad for culture, emphasising the need for cytogenetic facilities locally within the U.A.E. The overall results were comparable to previously published studies elsewhere

Breast feeding in a U.A.E. neonatal intensive care unit

A prospective study of the incidence of breast feeding was conducted, to evaluate the success of a breast feeding policy in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Al Corniche Hospital, Abu Dhabi, from June 1995 to January 1997, on [i] 527 consecutive babies discharged after the age of 4 days from the Unit, and [ii] 1138 selected infants with actual or potential medical problems in the Baby Clinic after discharge. Normal healthy full term infants from the post-natal wards were excluded. Two hundred and fifty four [48%] of 527 infants, birth weights ranging from 600g to 5.8kg, were discharged fully breast fed. All were either premature, many requiring varying degrees of intensive care, or term infants with medical problems. Full breast feeding was achieved in only 11 of 77 [14%] of infants of < 1.5kg at birth and was directly related to length of stay in the Unit. Birth by caesarian section, for whatever reason, adversely affected breast feeding, only 28% were discharged fully breast fed. In 1138 infants seen in the baby clinic,67% were exclusively breast fed at 1 month. At 3 months only 40% were exclusively breast fed although an additional 40% were still partially breast-fed. Most mothers began weaning from 3 to 4 months, only one mother was exclusively breast feeding at 7 months. 11 of 38 [29%] of mothers were still offering occasional breast feeds at 12 months. 42 exclusively breast feeding mothers had to introduce bottle feeds when returning to work at 6 - 7 weeks. More educated westernised mothers tended to introduce bottle feeding from 1 month. Mothers were from 38 nationalities, 26% were UA.E. citizens. The results of this study are comparable with the best breast feeding rates from many international studies on normal term infants