Association between anaemia during pregnancy and blood loss at and after delivery among women with vaginal births in Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

The study sought to identify determinants of blood loss at childbirth and 24 hours postpartum. The study was nested in a community-based randomized trial of treatments for anaemia during pregnancy in Wete Town, Pemba Island, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania. Status of anaemia during pregnancy, nutritional information, obstetric history, and socioeconomic status were assessed at enrollment during routine antenatal care. Pregnant women presented for spontaneous vaginal delivery, and nurse-midwives collected information on labour and delivery via partograph. Blood-stained sanitary napkins and pads from childbirth and 24 hours postpartum were quantified using the alkaline hematin method. Moderate-to-severe anaemia (Hb <90 g/L) at enrollment was strongly associated with blood loss at delivery and the immediate postpartum period, after adjusting for maternal covariates and variables of biological relevance to blood loss. Greater blood loss was associated (p<0.10) with duration of the first stage of labour, placental weight, receipt of oxytocin, preterm birth, and grand multiparity. The findings provide unique evidence of a previously-suspected link between maternal anaemia and greater blood loss at childbirth and postpartum. Further research is needed to confirm these findings on a larger sample of women to determine whether women with moderate-to-severe anaemia are more likely to experience postpartum haemorrhage and whether appropriate antenatal or peripartum care can affect the relationships described here.

Histopathological changes in liver and kidneys of male albino rat due to tribenuron- methyl

Histopathological changes were detected in liver and kidneys of male rats Rattus norvegicus var. albus following treatment with tribenuron- methyl. Rats were given orally tribenuron-methyl technical or formulation once per 48 hours as 5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg b.w over 10 days. Acute hepatitis was the common feature among all tested doses represented by focal necrosis and proliferation of Kupffer cells with infiltration of mononuclear cells in liver. Acute nephritis showed as degeneration in kidney tubules without seeing any phagocytes, also acute interstitial nephritis at 25 and 100 mg/kg b.w of the formulation and technical form, respectively. The changes seem to be dose related