RESUMO
UNLABELLED: Background and Objectives : Domestic violence against women is highly prevalent but under reported issue having social, legal, health and economic implications. It needs to be identified and addressed in order to decrease the sufferings of women. Our objective was to find out prevalence, instigating factors and help seeking behavior of physical domestic violence against married women. METHODS: A total of 378 married women who were attending Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Liaquat University Hospital from January 1, 2013 to March 31, 2013 for different obstetrical & gynaecological problems were randomly selected and interviewed. After informed consent, required information was collected on predesigned performa including demographic details, prevalence, instigating factors, help seeking behavior for physical domestic violence. RESULTS: About 31% (120) of women reported lifetime physical domestic violence. Husbands and in-laws were perpetrators in 70% (84) and 30% (36) cases respectively. Wives being disobedient and making arguments were the most common instigating factors for violence followed by husband's drug addiction, extra marital relationship and infertility. It was severe enough to require medical care in 24% (29) cases. Only 2% (2) women sought social and legal aid. CONCLUSION: Domestic violence was quite common among married women, however help seeking was minimal. There is need to identify and address this menace effectively.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To elaborate the relationship between serum homocysteine (hcy) levels and vascular related pregnancy complications in pregnant women as well as to assess the homocysteine lowering effects of folate, vitamin 812 and 86. The secondary objectives were to establish a link between serum homocysteine levels and maternal age, parity, gestational age, foetal birth weight, mean arterial pressure and albuminuria. METHODS: A total of 332 pregnant women (gestational age: >24 weeks) attending Liaquat University Hospital Hyderabad, Pakistan, were enrolled. Of these 112 were healthy normal pregnant women; 61 pregnant women had pre-eclampsia, 49 with eclampsia and 110 with placental abruption. A cohort of 30 patients with elevated hcy levels (>8.2 micromol/liter), were given folate, vitamin B12 and B6 as supplements for 6 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected, centrifuged and stored at 2 to 8 degrees C. Hcy levels were determined by IMx immunoassay. RESULTS: Higher serum hcy levels, higher mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), pre-term deliveries and low foetal birth weights were noted in women with pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia and eclampsia as compared to control and those with placental abruption. Significant hcy lowering effects of folate, vitamin 812 and B6 supplementation were observed. Significant and positive correlation was found between hhcy and MAP (r = 0.001; p < 0.001), albuminuria (r = 0.004; p < 0.01) and low birth weights (r = 0.05; p < 0.06). CONCLUSION: Higher hcy levels in pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia and eclampsia have been noted. Data support the hypothesis that folate, vitamin 812 and B6 lower hcy levels in hyperhomocysteinaemic women.
