Risk Factors of Neonatal Mortality in Bangladesh.

Introduction: To address United Nations Millennium Develop ment Goal 4 (MDG 4) on reducing childhood mortality rates by two-thirds by 2015, there is a need for better population-based data on the rates and causes of neonatal death. This study aims to identify the risk factors of neonatal mortality in Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: The study used data from the nationally representative 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. The survey gathered information regarding socioeconomic, demographic, environmental and maternal and child health care of 10,996 ever married women and 6,058 children. Both bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to assess the relationship between neonatal mortality and contextual factors. Results: The prevalence of neonatal mortality was 37/1,000. The statistical analyses yielded quantitatively important and reliable estimates of neonatal death. The multivariate logistic regression analysis yielded significantly increased risk of neonatal mortality for children with mother who had no formal education, the Muslims, whose mother were adolescents of age 15-19, first ranked birth and twin babies. Conclusion: Emphasis should be given to improve female education in Bangladesh for a better chance of satisfying important factors that can improve infant survival: the quality of infant feeding, general care, household sanitation, and adequate use of preventive and curative health services.

Epidemiological study of risk factors of stroke and its immediate consequence.

The study was a cross sectional study conducted among 48 stroke patients in Medicine & Neuromedicine department of Mymensingh Medical College & Hospital. The objective of the study was to reveal the risk factors and other relevant information & immediate outcome of stroke patients. The sample size was 48 who were selected purposively and study area was selected for easy access. Study period was from 15th May 2007 to 15th July 2007. Forty eight (48) respondents and their reliable attendants were interviewed by pre tested structured questionnaire. Among 48 stroke patients 60% were male& 40% were female. Occupations of the patients were 21% desk job, 15% laborious work, 37% housewife, 6% businessman &21% in other profession. Age group of respondents were 13% below 45 years of age, 25% were 45-55 years of age, 29% were 55-65 years of age & 33% were over 65 years of age. Among 48 stroke patients 62.5% had 1st attack & others had multiple attacks. Among all the stroke patients 37.5% performed physical exercise. Forty six percent (46%) patients have family history of Hypertension. 27% have no family history of Hypertension & 27% have no idea. Sixty six percent (66%) patients have suffering from Hypertension, 23% have no history of Hypertension & 10% have no idea. Sixty percent (60%) patients had habit of Smoking, 40% had no habit of Smoking. 21% patients have family history of Diabetes, 48% have no family history of Diabetes & 31% have no idea about family history of Diabetes. Complications among stroke patients are 51% have Hemiplegia, 10% have Paraplegia, 23% have Paresis, 10% have Aphasia & 6% have others complications.

Style of lecturing of medical teacher--an evaluation by medical students of Mymensingh Medical College.

It was a cross sectional descriptive type of study carried out among the 3rd year, 4th year and 5th year medical students of Mymensingh Medical College (MMC) with the objective of finding out the various lecture style followed by medical teachers of MMC and other relevant information regarding teaching tools used related to lecturing. The sample size was 134 who were selected purposively. The study was conducted in the month of June 2004. One thirty four (134) respondents were interviewed by pre tested questionnaire. From the study it was revealed that majority (66%) of these respondents were male and 34% were female and 57%, 28.5% and 14.5% were 3rd, 4th and 5th year students respectively. A good number of students (82.5%) expressed their opinion that lecture time was sufficient for their learning. Among the medical teachers the lecture methods followed were VIG (81%) OP (54%) EP (47.2%) EL (25.5%) AT (23%). Eighty Seven percent of the students gave their opinion that the best style of lecture was EP. Seventy and half percent students disliked the AT style followed by OP, which was 85.5%. Seventy two percent of the students were not satisfied with the teaching aids used by the teachers. OHP (90%) was the most commonly used teaching material. Most of the respondents (97.5%) expressed their opinion that SGT was the most suitable way for imparting information.

Contraceptive prevalence: experience from rural areas of Mymensingh.

Contraceptive prevalence although increased over the last decade but has not yet achieved the desired level. The present descriptive type of cross-sectional study aimed at exploring the status of Contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) along with relevant issues in two rural areas in Mymensingh. A total 223 respondent was interviewed. Majority respondents were females and young aged 36 years or below. Around a half of the respondents were illiterate while more than half was earning less than 3000 taka a month. Majority women were married earlier than the legal age of marriage with 15.92 years. Around two third (63%) respondents were found using any contraceptives while female partners' shyness and male partners' disliking were reported as reasons for non-use. Increase in female literacy and involvement of family planning worker in motivational programme at individual level could help in improving the situation.

Pregnancy outcome in adolescent and adult - a case comparison study.

This study outlined the consequences of adolescent pregnancy with comparison to adults in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Mymensingh. It was a case-comparison study. The study population was the mothers who admitted and delivered at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology ward of hospital during April-June 2003. Sample size was 220 mothers, out of which 110 were primigravidae adolescent mothers and 110 were adults. The study finding showed that adolescents were 2.105 times and 3.679 times more at risk than adults to suffer from anaemia and UTI during pregnancy. Among adolescents 74(67.3%) and in adults 39(35.5%) had obstetric complications during pregnancy and the adolescents were 3.742 times more at risk than the adults. PET and Eclampsia were more common in adolescent than adult mothers. 86(78.2%) adolescents and 36(32.7%) adult mothers had complications before delivery. Pre term labour, Premature rupture of membrane (PROM) and Intra-uterine foetal death (IUD) were more common in adolescents than adult mothers. Stillbirths were more in adolescent mothers 23(20.9%) and adults 11(10.0%). There was more low birth weight (LBW) newborns in adolescents 42(38.2%) than adults 18(16.4%). As a result the adolescents were 3.157 times more likely to give birth to low birth weight babies .The newborns of the adolescent mothers were nearly 2 times more at risk to develop asphyxia neonatorum (p< 0.030, odds ratio=1.806).