Prevalence and risk factors for spousal violence among women attending health care centres in Alexandria, Egypt

We conducted a cross-sectional survey to determine the prevalence of, and factors affecting, spousal violence among 3271 ever-married women attending 12 randomly selected family health centres in Alexandria Governorate. More than three-quarters of the participants [77%] reported experiencing spousal violence during their marital life. Emotional violence was the most common type reported [71.0%], followed by physical [50.3%], economic [40.8%] and sexual [37.1%] violence. The study confirms the high prevalence of spousal violence across all socioeconomic strata. Logistic regression analysis indicated large family size, divorce or separation, low educational attainment of husband, smoking habit and drug use in husband, husband's psychological status and history of exposure to physical violence during adolescence were associated with spousal violence. This high rate of spousal violence highlights the urgent need for government and civil society to address the issue, which hinders progress toward Egypt's development goals

Survey of hormonal levels in meat and poultry sold in Alexandria, Egypt

An analysis of residues from anabolic agents found in commercially available meat and poultry was undertaken in Alexandria, Egypt. This study shows that beef meat samples purchased from government cooperative supermarkets exhibit higher levels of the synthetic growth promoter, trenbolone acetate, than meat from private butchers; however, estrogen levels were much higher in chicken obtained from private growers. A comparison of different cooking methods was conducted on the chicken samples; boiling without skin is recommended to reduce the consumer's intake of hormonal residues

Some aspects of the use of oral contraceptives as growth-promoting agents in poultry

There are now several hormone and hormone-like agents that can improve the rate of growth and efficiency of feed use of farm animals. Feeding chickens with oral contraceptive steroids at the dose used by some poultry growers in Egypt has led to the formation of high estrogen residues in the muscles and the liver compared with controls. Electron microscopy of the livers of treated chickens revealed changes at the ultrastructural level. These alterations involve both the nucleus and cytoplasmic organelles, and are similar to those induced by 7, 12 dimethylbenz [a] anthracene in chickens. It is concluded that the use of oral contraceptive steroids in chickens as anabolic agent is a specific risk to chickens and probably to the consumer

Achondrogenesis: report of a case

A case of achondrogenesis diagnosed on ultrasonography and confirmed postnatally was presented. The role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of these cases was discussed

development of a chemiluminescence-immuno-assay for the measurement of progesterone in saliva

An assay for the determination of the minute concentrations of progesterone in saliva using the novel and non-isotopic technique of chemiluminescence immunoassay is described. The assay has been validated and shows a high degree of specificity, sensitivity, precision and hence accuracy. The serial determination of progesterone concentration in the saliva of 14 human volunteers with regular menstrual cycles showed a well defined pattern similar to its pattern in plasma

development of a chemiluminescenceimmuno-assay for the measurement of estradiol in saliva

An assay for the measurement of the minute concentrations of oestradiol in saliva using the novel and non-isotopic technique of chemiluminescence immunoassay is described. The assay has a high degree of sensitivity, specificity, precision and hence accuracy. The serial determination of oestradiol in the saliva of 13 human volunteers with regular cycles shows a well defined pattern similar to that of its concentration in plasma

simple device for monitoring the progress of labor

A simple device for monitoring the progress of labour is described. The device is applied to the fetal head during labour and allows the accurate and continuous determination of the amount of descent and rotation of the head as well as the amount of cervical dilatation without the need of repeated vaginal examinations. The device has been incorporated into a reusable fetal scalp electrode and can therefore allow the dual mechanical and electronic monitoring during labour. A preliminary study of 50 multiparous subjects with spontaneous vaginal deliveries has shown that the device is practical, simple to use and can accurately determine the amount of descent, rotation and cervical dilatation

study of urinary estrogen glucuronides in ultrasound monitored patients treated with human menopausal gonadotropins

Urinary concentrations of estrone-3-glucuronide [E1-3-G], estradiol- 17-beta glucuronide [E2-7b-G] and estriol-16-alpha glucuronide [E3- 16a-G] were determined in 36 cycles in women treated with human menopausal gonadotrophins and monitored with ultrasound scanning of their ovarian follicles. The results showed a good correlation between the concentration of total estrogens and each of the metabolites concentration in 24 hour collections of urine. The rate of increase in the concentration of the three urinary metabolites was exponential and the best temporal regression with log 10 concentration of the three metabolites was found with E1-3-G. It was concluded that ultrasound scanning of follicles combined with the determination of E1-3-G in 24 hour collections of urine is an ideal combination of a biophysical parameter and a simple biochemical parameter for monitoring gonadotrophin therapy. A chart was constructed combining both parameters to help determine the best timing for HCG administration

relationship between hyperlactacidaemia and uric acid clearance in acute fetal distress

Fifteen women in labor with acute fetal distress were studied by determining the concentration of lactic acid and uric acid in both maternal serum and fetal cord blood as well as by studying the maternal uric acid clearance. The findings were compared to those in fifteen women in spontaneous uncomplicated deliveries. The results showed that there was a significant increase in lactic acid concentrations in maternal and cord blood in cases of fetal distress than in the normal control cases and that this increase was significantly higher in cord blood than in maternal blood. There was no significant difference in serum uric acid concentrations between cases of acute fetal distress and the normal controls and there was no correlation between maternal blood lactic acid and uric acid concentrations. There was also no significant difference in maternal uric acid clearance between cases of acute fetal distress and normal controls or between maternal lactic acid concentrations and uric acid clearance. It was concluded that in cases of acute fetal distress, the resulting hyperlactacidemia does not alter renal h and ling of uric acid and that lactic acid has no major physiological role in the regulation of blood uric acid or its renal excretion in these cases

ultrasound and radiological study of fetal lower limb ossification centers in prolonged pregnancy

Twenty subjects with prolonged pregnancy [more than 294 days] and five control full term subjects [280 +/- 3 days] were studied by detailed ultrasound examination of the fetal lower limb ossification centers. The findings were compared to a prenatal X-ray examination of the fetus, a postnatal X-ray of the fetal left hemiskeleton and the postnatal Dubowitz scoring system. The results showed that prenatal radiology predicted the presence or absence of the distal femoral epiphysis [DFE] in 84%, the proximal tibial epiphysis [PTE] in 64%, and the cuboid ossification center [COC] in 50% of instances, while ultrasonography predicted the presence or absence of the DFE and PTE in all studied cases with prolonged pregnancies but failed to predict the presence of the COC in all cases. Compared to the Dubowitz scoring system, ultrasonography was able to predict postmaturity in 20% of the cases, while radiology predicted 10% of the cases only. It was concluded that ultrasound examination of the fetal lower limb ossification centers is a valuable parameter for the determination of fetal age, but cannot be used on its own to determine fetal wellbeing

construction of a standard symphysis pubis-uterine fundus distance chart for pregnant Egyptian women

A standard chart for the symphysis pubis-uterine fundus distance in 100 pregnant Egyptian women with uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries was constructed. An early ultrasound scan was used as the reference point. Individual charts were also constructed for primipara and multipara as well as tables for women delivering of male or female babies. These charts offer a simple and practical method for screening the small for dates fetuses when used in the antenatal clinic

study of urinary oestrogen glucuronides in spontaneous and induced ovarian cycles

The concentrations of estrone-3-glycuronide [E-1-G], estradiol-17-beta glycuronide [E-2-G] and estradiol-16-alpha glycuronide [E-3-G] in serial samples of early morning urine [EMU] were determined in 15 spontaneous cycles, 10 cycles in women treated with human menopausal gonadotrophins [HMG]. The results showed that there was a defined pattern for all three metabolites similar to the pattern of estradiol in plasma and that their concentrations in stimulated cycles were significantly higher than in spontaneous cycles. It was concluded that the measurement of these metabolites in samples of early morning urine offers simple and practical methods for the biochemical monitoring of folliculogenesis in spontaneous and induced ovarian cycles

Effect of cord clamping time and cord milking on hematological parameters of the newborn

The effect of delaying cord clamping and milking of the umbilical cord on some hematological parameters of the newborn were studied in 100 uncomplicated vaginal deliveries. The results showed that increasing the time of cord clamping beyond the cessation of cord pulsations [i.e. Up to placental separation] together with milking of the cord result in a higher hemoglobin concentration, a higher red cell count, a higher hematocrit percentage and a lower reticulocyte percentage in the newborn. The same practice showed no effect on the white cell count, the mean corpuscular volume, the mean corpuscular hemoglobin, the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration or the color index. It was suggested that delaying the time of cord clamping beyond placental separation together with milking of the cord should be performed in all uncomplicated vaginal deliveries in order to prevent the occurrence of iron deficiency anemia of the newborn and hence reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity

use of the symphysis-fundus distance chart as a screening test for the diagnosis of intrauterine growth retardation

A standard chart for the symphysis pubis-uterine fundus [S-F] distance was compared to a single ultrasound measurement of the fetal biparietal diameter [BPD] performed between 32 and 34 weeks, for the diagnosis of small for dates [SFD] and large for dates [LFD] fetuses in 100 women with high risk pregnancies. The weight of the newborn was taken as the reference point. The results showed that the S-F distance was superior to the BPD in the diagnosis of SFD babies [85.71% compared to 57.14%] as well as in the diagnosis of LFD babies [100% compared to 38.46%]. Both methods were equally accurate in diagnosing the appropriate for dates [AFD] fetuses [71.67% and 73.33%, respectively]. Both methods had a similar incidence to false positive results [17% and 18% respectively], but the BPD had a higher incidence of false negative results [20%] compared to the S-F distance method [2%]

Ultrasonography in the prenatal diagnosis of Meckel-Gruber syndrome: report of a case

A case of Meckel-Gruber syndrome was diagnosed on ultrasonography. Termination of pregnancy was carried out with postmortem confirmation of the diagnosis. The role of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of this syndrome was discussed

Ultrasound measurement of ovarian volume a possible screening test for ovarian cancer

The volume of the ovary was determined by ultrasonography as well as by direct measurement during laparotomy in 20 women. The results showed a good correlation between both measurements. This fact was used to establish normal ovarian volumes in the follicle- bearing ovary and the contralateral ovary in different phases of the menstrual cycle in 30 normal subjects. The same method was used to determine the normal range of ovarian volume in another group of 30 postmenopausal women. An age specific ovarian volume table was also constructed. The possibility of using serial measurement of ovarian volumes by ultrasound as a screening test for ovarian cancer was raised

ultrasound study of folliculogenesis in spontaneous and induced ovarian cycles

144 ovarian cycles were studied by serial ultrasound scanning of the follicles. The cycles included 30 cycles with spontaneous ovulation, 41 cycles in women using clomiphene citrate and 73 cycles in women treated with human menopausal gonadotrophins [57 menstrual and 16 conceptional cycles]. The results showed that there was a significantly higher incidence of follicular development of multiple ovulations and in observing the corpus luteum in clomiphene citrate and HMG-treated cycles. The maximum follicular diameter and the maximum diameter of the corpus luteum were not significantly different between spontaneous and induced cycles. There was also no statistically significant difference in the number of growing follicles, those reaching the pre-ovulatory size, the number of double ovulations or in the incidence of observing the corpus luteum between HMG induced cycles which resulted in pregnancy [conceptional cycles] and those which resulted in menstruation [menstrual cycles]

comparison between three non-invasive methods for the prediction and detection of ovulation

Three groups of noninvasive methods for monitoring ovarian function were compared regarding their ability to predict ovulation and detect ovulation. The three groups included serial ultrasound scanning of ovarian follicles, the serial measurement of oestrone-3-glucuronide [E-3-G], pregnanediol-3- alpha glucuronide [Pd-3-G] and LH in samples of early morning urine [EMU] as well as the serial measurement of estradiol [E2] and progesterone [P] in early morning saliva [EMS]. The results showed that ultrasonography was the most reliable index for early prediction of ovulation, LH the most reliable index for the immediate prediction of ovulation and that salivary progesterone and Pd-3-G in EMU were equally reliable for the detection of ovulation

Cordocentesis in the management of non-immune hydrops fetalis: report of a case

A case of non immune hydrops fetalis presenting at 22 weeks of pregnancy was studied by detailed analysis of the fetal blood obtained by ultrasound guided cordocentesis. The fetus who had alpha thalassemia could not be salvaged