Occurrence and predictors of abortion among women of the reproductive age group in a block of Darjeeling District, West Bengal, India

Background: Despite being a sensitive and less explored issue, abortion is a major preventable cause of maternal morbidity and mortality affecting millions of women in developing countries. Objectives: The study aimed to determine the occurrence, nature, and predictors of abortion among women in the reproductive age group in Naxalbari block of Darjeeling district. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Naxalbari block of Darjeeling district, West Bengal, India, from May 2015 to April 2016, among 420 women aged 15–49 years selected from 30 villages by cluster sampling technique. A predesigned, pretested interview schedule validated in the local vernacular was used. Binary logistic regression was used for finding out predictors of abortion among ever-pregnant women. Results: Lifetime occurrence of abortion was 33.6%. Among total 178 events of abortion, 51.7% were spontaneous and 48.3% induced. Majority of spontaneous abortions events were attended by a doctor (73.9%). About 59.3% of induced abortions were illegal, and unwanted pregnancy was major reason (62.4%) for induced abortion. Private facilities and over the counter drugs were preferred. Lower education, nuclear family, number of children <2, not having male child, domestic violence during pregnancy were significant predictors of abortion. Conclusions: Illegal abortions were highly prevalent in the area. Unwanted pregnancies hint toward unmet needs of family planning. Stigma and poor awareness were the root cause of not visiting a health facility in case of abortions. Building up of better infrastructure, better orientation of frontline workers, non-judgemental and confidential services will attract women to in government facilities.

Vaccine hesitancy for childhood vaccinations in slum areas of Siliguri, India

Background: Despite evidence regarding the beneficial effects of vaccines, vaccination uptake has not been up to the mark across the globe in various sociocultural and sociodemographic groups. Logistics and workforce have been issues of concern to public health managers, but the latent issue of vaccine hesitancy leading to vaccine delays and refusals has not been widely addressed particularly in the Indian context. Objectives: The present study was conducted to find out the proportion and factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy for childhood vaccinations in slums of Siliguri, India. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 194, 0–59 months' children residing in slums of Siliguri in 2016. Data were collected at the household with interviews of mothers/primary caregivers using a predesigned pretested interview schedule developed based on the validated version of vaccine hesitancy survey questionnaire originally developed by the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts working group on vaccine hesitancy. Associations were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Majority 161 (83%) of the families were vaccine-hesitant and only 33 (17%) were not hesitant. Nuclear families and mothers of lower educational status had significantly higher odds of vaccine hesitancy. Reluctance to vaccinate (26.1%) and to be unaware/having no reliable information (20.5%) were the major reasons cited for vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Most of the families of the children were vaccine-hesitant in the area. Uniformity in schedules in different health facilities in slum areas, appropriate antenatal information, and counseling regarding childhood vaccinations, widespread awareness, and improving mothers' education can address the issue of vaccine hesitancy.

A study of cardio-pulmonary efficiency in different categories of runners.

Selected short distance runners, middle distance runners and long distance runners were subjected to graded exercise on a treadmill. The maximum aerobic power (VO2 max) and other indices related to oxygen transport system viz. heart rate, ventilation volume, breathing reserve, dyspnoeic index, O2 pulse and RQ were recorded at respective VO2 max work loads, and the values were compared. Long distance runners and middle distance runners showed a significantly higher VO2 max than the short distance runners when VO2 max was expressed per unit of body weight. Among the endurance runners, long distance runners had a significantly lower resting pulse rate as well as the maximum heart rate during work than the middle distance runners. On comparison, Ventilation Volume, Breathing reserve, Dyspnoeic index, O2 pulse and RQ at VO2 max work loads do not differ significantly among different categories of runners.

Perinatal mortality in eclampsia in relation to drug therapy.

Fifty-nine babies were born to eclamptic mothers among 7500 deliveries giving incidence of occurrence of 0.77 percent. The perinatal mortality in eclamptic babies was 32.7%, whereas the total perinatal mortality rate amongst all the deliveries was 10.5%. The mothers were treated within Group I--diazepam, Group II i chlorpromazine (largactil), phenargan and diazepam and Group III--largactil, phethidine and phenargan. The mortality rate was 23.8%, 18.8% and 66.6% respectively. The highest number of still-born i.e. six out of 8 occurred in Group III. Hundred percent still-born was noted in 28-32 weeks of gestation and birth weight less than 1.5 kg irrespective of drug regimes. Iargactil potentiates the respiratory depressant effect of pethidine and may cause high rate of still-birth and death after birth.

Decrease in dopamine and norepinephrine concentration in different brain regions of mice during progression of Sarcoma 180 tumour.

The distribution and concentration of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE), the catecholamine neurotransmitters, were studied in discrete brain areas of Sarcoma 180 tumour bearing mice. With the progression of tumour, marked depletion of DA and NE concentration was observed in some brain areas richly innervated with dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons suggesting an inverse relationship between brain CA and tumour growth. Since brain CA influence different important physiological activities like hormonal and immunological functions, it's alteration in brain areas during malignant growth suggests the possibility that the hormonal and immunological alterations during tumour growth is at the level of brain CA.

Monoamine oxidase concentration in median eminence, pituitary and uterus of rat after estrogen and centchroman treatment.

Estradiol dipropionate (0.005 mg/kg) increased the monoamine oxidase levels in pituitary, median eminence and uterus of ovariectomized rats. Centchroman (3,4-trans-2, 2-dimethyl-3-phenyl-4-p-(-pyrrolidinethoxy)-phenyl-7 methoxy chroman, 1.25 mg/kg) decreased the enzyme levels in pituitary and median eminence but not in uterus. Centchroman, given to estradiol treated groups could not bring down the enhanced levels of the enzyme in the uterus.

Effect of copper intrauterine contraceptive device on carbohydrate metabolism in rat endometrium.

Activities of Phosphorylase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase in the rat endometrial tissue are significantly inhibited by an intrauterine copper device, while it stimulated glucose-6- phosphate dehydrogenase activity. The copper device decreased the lactate/pyruvate ratio in the tissue; pyruvate utilization in vitro by the rat endometrium is also blocked by copper. These findings suggested that the normal carbohydrate metabolism of the tissue may be affected in presence of copper, thus resulting in a change of the endometrial function, which may be one of the factors responsible for the contraceptive and pharmacological action of an intrauterine copper device.

Mode of action of centchroman at vaginal and ovarian level in immature rats.

Centchroman studied at various doses did not cause ovulation in immature rats as judged by morphological, histological and biochemical parameters whereas, 20 mg/kh dose caused early opening of vagina and cornification of the vaginal epithelial cells. However, no ovulation was detected by this regimen. No stimulatory effect was observed in the glycogen and cholesterol content in the ovaries of Centchroman treated rats. The effects on vagina persisted even in ovariectomised immature rats administered with Centchroman. The mode of various doses of Centchroman in immature rats as judged morphologically, histologically and biochemically has been discussed.