ABSTRACT
Background: Breastmilk is considered as one of the healthiest, nutrition-rich yet least expensive method of infant feeding. It is a universally accepted fact that breastmilk meets all the nutritional demands of the new-born. There are extensive benefits of breastfeeding for the new-born as well as for the nursing mother which have been documented from time to time.Methods: A multiple-choice questionnaire was used to interview the participants during data collection.Results: Using the IBM SPSS version 20 software, descriptive analysis of the categorical variables has been presented using frequency and percentage tables. Regarding the practices about breast feeding in primigravidas, their concepts about the same have been captured in this study.Conclusions: Though the knowledge about exclusive breast feeding was not extraordinary among the participants, they had a very favourable attitude towards the same. Almost all patients were also extremely receptive and inquisitive during the session for discussion about the same.
ABSTRACT
Background & objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main causative agent for cervical cancer. Variability in host immunogenetic factors is important in determining the overall cellular immune response to the HPV infection. This study was carried out to confirm the association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles and cervical cancer in HPV infected women. Methods: both low and high resolution methods were used to genotype HLA class II (DRB1 and DQB1) alleles in 75 women with cervical cancer (cases) and 75 HPV positive women and 100 HPV negative women with healthy cervix (controls). odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Co-occurring HLA alleles (haplotype) across cases and controls were also studied. Results: Significant association was found for HLA-DRB1*03(*13:01) and - DQB1*02(*02:01) with increased risk for cervical cancer. Also, HLA-DRB1*13(*13:01); -DQB1*06 and -DQB1*03:02 were significantly associated with decreased risk for cervical cancer. Haplotype analysis highlighted the significant association of HLA- DRB1*07:01-DQB1*02:02 and HLA DRB1*10:01-DQB1*05:01 with cervical cancer, while HLA-DRB1*14:04-DQB1*05:03 and DRB1*15:01-DQB1*06:01 conferred decreased risk for cervical cancer. Multivariate analysis highlighted the association of specific alleles with cervical cancer after adjusting for confounding factor age. Interpretation & conclusions: There were possible associations of specific HLA class II alleles either with risk of developing cervical cancer, or with its protection. Our results confirmed the assessment of DRB1*13 as a protective marker in HPV infection outcome. our study also revealed protective association of homozygous haplotype DRB1*15- DQB1*06 with cervical cancer.