ABSTRACT
Background: Out-of-wedlock childbearing is a global phenomenon that has lifelong consequences on the lives of both mothers and their children. The aim of this study is to identify the sociodemographic characteristics, causes, and consequences of outof-wedlock pregnancy among single mothers in Khartoum, Sudan. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Mygoma Orphanage Center (MOC) and Shamaa Rehabilitation Center (SRC) using convenience sampling among 200 participants. A validated questionnaire with 25 items was used to collect data. The data were entered into Epi-Data Manager and analyzed using the SPSS. Results: The study found that most of the single mothers in Khartoum who gave birth out of wedlock were young and had just completed their university education. Most of them discovered their pregnancy during the second or third trimester, and nearly half of them did not receive any antenatal care. The majority of the children born to these mothers were preterm and had a low birth weight. Additionally, many mothers reported experiencing social stigma and rejection from their families due to their out-of-wedlock pregnancy. The study also highlighted loneliness, stress, and romantic relations as the main causes of out-of-wedlock pregnancy among single mothers in Khartoum, Sudan Conclusion: The study provides useful insights into the sociodemographic characteristics, causes, and consequences of out-of-wedlock pregnancy among single mothers in Khartoum, Sudan. Social stigma and lack of support were identified as significant barriers to the reintegration of single mothers and their children into society. Future research should focus on investigating the long-term effects of out of-wedlock pregnancy on mothers and their children
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Cross-Sectional Studies , Single-Parent Family , Pregnant WomenABSTRACT
Background: The prevalence of breakthrough seizures in persons with epilepsyis very high in developing countries. Consequently, patients and physicians should be aware of the possible factors that may cause breakthrough seizures.Objective: The aim of our study is to determine the possible factors that may be a precipitating cause for breakthrough seizures in patients with epilepsy.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 persons with epilepsywith idiopathic epilepsy receiving antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). They were divided into two groups. Group 1 included 50 persons with epilepsywith a history of recent breakthrough seizures. Group 2 included 50 persons with epilepsywho had not experienced any recent breakthrough seizures. Patients were subjected to a thorough questionnaire addressing precipitating factors. All participants were subjected to an electroencephalogram (EEG) and medication adherence assessment.Results: There was no significant differences between group 1 and group 2 regarding age, sex, ageOriginal Research Article of onset of epilepsy, occupation and marital status (P value range 0.5 –0.2). The patients in group 1 were found to have longer durations of epilepsy, lower adherence to AEDs (P= 0.001), moremissed doses of AEDs (P= 0.0001), more side effects of AEDs (P = 0.0005), more sleep deprivation, lower level of AEDs (P= 0.0006), more frequently on AED polytherapy (P = 0.0002), and more flickering lights(P= 0.04) than the participants in group 2. In terms of the EEG, group 1 showed a higher percentage of abnormal EEGs and more frequent focal epileptiform discharges (P = 0.003). Also, pathological findings in MRI brain were associated with higher breakthrough seizures (P = 0.005). No significant difference was found in both group1 and group 2 regarding emotional stress (P = 0.55), substitution of brand AEDs by generic one (P = 0.83), concurrent illness (P = 1), or the use of non AEDs (P = 0.79). Conclusion: The precipitating factors of breakthrough seizures are multifactorial and it is very important to educate patients about these precipitating factors to achieve better control of epilepsy