Why are they having infant colic? A nested case-control study.

We aimed to analyse infant (birth characteristics, feeding type, faecal enzyme activities) and environmental (maternal smoking, nutrition and psychological status, mother-child bonding, family structure, support for the mother, familial atopy) risk factors for infant colic and to follow infants with respect to physical growth, sleeping status up to 8 months of age in a nested case-control study. 660 mothers who delivered at Dr Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity Hospital, were enrolled within 3-72 h post delivery. Each infant with inconsolable persistent crying and four matched infants with no crying episodes were invited by phone to Hacettepe University Ihsan Dogramaci Children's Hospital at 30-45 days post partum. At 40-55 days, we examined the infants and gave mothers a questionnaire, including crying characteristics of the infants; 47 infants were diagnosed with colic and 142 as non-colic. When the infants were 7-8 months old, another interview was done. The colic group had higher proportions of less-educated (≤ 8 years) and smoking mothers, extended family and families with domestic violence than the non-colic group. The colic group of mothers had significantly higher rates of 'impaired bonding' in the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, higher scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, higher scores for hostility subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory and a more irregular sleep pattern than the non-colic group. No differences were revealed for faecal enzyme activities. At 7-8 months, the colic group was shorter than the non-colic group. Colic was associated with various perinatal factors (maternal education, smoking habits, cheese consumption, hostility scores and domestic violence) and having colic in infancy negatively affected the sleeping pattern and the height of the infant.

Factors associated with breastfeeding initiation time in a Baby-Friendly Hospital.

The purpose of this study was to investigate maternal, gestational, and neonatal features associated with the early initiation of breastfeeding. A descriptive study was done between July-October 2006 in the maternity ward of Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Maternity and Research Hospital, a certificated Baby-Friendly Hospital. Babies with postpartum health problems and those hospitalized in the newborn intensive care unit were not included into the study. A total of 577 mothers participated within 4 to 36 hours' postpartum on a voluntary basis. The mothers completed a questionnaire about the gestational, maternal, neonatal, and first suckling characteristics. Of the 577 cases, 35.2% initiated breastfeeding within the first hour while 72.8% of them initiated breastfeeding within the first two hours of birth. In the multivariate logistic analysis, it was found that the factors affecting early breastfeeding status (within the first 2 hours of birth) were maternal illness during pregnancy, cesarean section and preterm birth. We concluded that the prevention of premature birth, limitation of cesarean section indication, management of maternal anemia, regular and effective pregnancy follow-up visits are important for the early initiation of breastfeeding.

Risk factors for tubal ligation: regret and psychological effects impact of Beck Depression Inventory.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation of sterilization and depression in association with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and to analyze whether preoperative BDI scores have predictive value on satisfaction. METHODS: One hundred sixty-two women who had laparoscopic surgical sterilization were recruited into the study. Patients identified to have an intra-abdominal disease such as pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis or adnexal lesions, myoma uteri and previous cesarean delivery were excluded from the study. Women were administered the BDI 1 week prior to the operation and 1 year after the procedure, and patients were asked if they were satisfied with their new state of fertility. RESULTS: Mean BDI scores were 10.1+/-2.7 and 12.9+/-4.0, preoperatively and postoperatively, respectively (p<.001). The difference between preoperative and postoperative BDI scores was affected by age and satisfaction status; younger patients had significantly increased postoperative scores. Dissatisfied women had higher pre- and postoperative BDI scores (p<.001). The difference between pre- and postoperative scores was increased significantly in the dissatisfied group. Preoperative BDI score was found to be a significant predictor of satisfaction status 1 year after the operation. CONCLUSION: Preoperative application of BDI can identify women who are at greater risk for regret and dissatisfaction.