Relationship between obstetric risk factors and postnatal depression among women who deliver at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

Objective To determine the prevalence of postnatal depression (PND) and its/ relationship with obstetric risk factors in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kota Bharu, Kelantan between March and August 2005. Material and Methodology This is a cross sectional study involving 293 women from postnatal ward HUSM. They were screened for depression at day 1 to day 5 postpartum and 4 to 6 weeks postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). At the first visit, the women completed questionnaires on socio-demography and obstetric risk factors, Brief Patient Health Questionnaire (BPHQ-9) and Life Event Scale questionnaire. At the second visit which is 4-6 weeks postpartum, they only completed EPDS. Results Two hundred and ninety-three women successfully completed the study 8 response rates. The prevalence of PND at 4-6 weeks postpartum using the EPDS score of 12 or more was 27.3% (80 out of 293 women). The prevalence of depression at early postpartum period based on EPDS was 22.5%. Women with the history of abortion (p<0.05) and early postnatal depression (p<0.05) was significantly associated with PND. Conclusion Postnatal depression among women in Hospital USM was more common compared to previously reported series in Malaysia. Women with the history of abortion and early postnatal depression was significantly associated with PND. Early identification of potential risk for postnatal depression should include assessment of socio-demography,personality, psychiatric history and recent life events, as well as past and present obstetric factors

Comparison of nutritional knowledge, attitudes and practices between urban and rural secondary school students:A cross-sectional study in Sabah, East Malaysia

Nutritional knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) may guide healthy meal choices. Here, nutritional KAP was compared across school students in Sabah based on locality and gender. A cross-sectional survey of students aged 15–19 years was conducted using multistage sampling. Nutritional KAP was measured via questionnaire. Anthropometric measures of weight and height were taken in person to calculate body mass index (BMI). Among the 994 participants, 80% were urban and 60% were female (mean age 16.5 ± 0.6 yr). Most were of Kadazan-Dusun (23%) ethnicity. Measured height for age Z score (HAZ) and BMI for age Z score (BAZ) differed between urban and rural students (−1.2 ± 0.8 versus −1.5 ± 0.7 for HAZ; p < 0.001; 0.2 ± 1.4 versus −0.1 ± 1.3; p = 0.02, respectively). No difference in nutritional knowledge was found, although urban students prioritized having a healthy/balanced diet (59.55% versus 48.50%, p = 0.03) and ate daily breakfast (57.4% versus 10.2%, p < 0.001) compared to rural. Females scored higher on nutritional knowledge than males (18.9 ± 2.8 vs. 18.1 ± 3.4, respectively, p = 0.0001), yet males selected more healthy/balanced foods (63.3% versus 53.3%, p = 0.041). The gap remains between nutritional KAP and translating this to healthy eating among adolescents, related to locality and gender

Psychiatry illnesses in Pregnancy: A Literature review

Background: Women of reproductive age frequently suffer from psychiatric disorders. The risk of developing anxiety, bipolar, and depressive disorders is especially significant during the perinatal period. Objectives: This article aims to identify and discuss the different psychiatric conditions that might affect pregnant women and update the mother’s carers about the recent and updated bidirectional relationship between psychiatric disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes, As well as the most updates in diagnostic and management strategies. Methods: A thorough analysis of the literature was conducted using database searches in EMBASE, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed to obtain the objectives and aim of the study. Results: The presence of maternal mental illness during pregnancy has been linked to preterm delivery, newborn hypoglycemia, poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, and disturbed attachment. Placental anomalies, small-for-gestational-age foetuses, foetal discomfort, and stillbirth are among more undesirable perinatal outcomes