Unintended pregnancy and the associated factors among pregnant females: Sukh survey-Karachi, Pakistan

Objective: Unintended pregnancy has become a substantially growing reproductive health concern in South Asian region. The objective of this survey was to assess the magnitude of unintended pregnancy along with its correlates among currently pregnant women residing in Karachi.Methods: A community based, multistage, cross-sectional study was carried out among 612 currently pregnant women from squatter settlements of Karachi, inquiring for unintended pregnancy , outcome of interest. Multivariable logistic analysis was done using SPSS v.19 to determine associated factors.Results: Of 612 pregnant women interviewed, 168(27.4%) reported their pregnancies as unintended. The multivariable regression identified a high likelihood of unintended pregnancy among females aged ≥ 35 years (adjusted odds ratio =3.0, 95% Confidence Interval =1.2 to 4.9)], having: ideal family structure perceived as ≤ two children (Adj. OR=2.3, CI=1.3 - 4.5), no media exposure (Adj. OR=2.9, CI=1.7 to 5.0), no inter-spousal communication about planning a family (Adj. OR=1.5, CI=1.1 - 2.3), ≥5 children (Adj. OR=7.2, CI: 3.4 to 15.1), more sons than daughters (Adj. OR=4.0, CI=1.7 to 6.7), and positive attitude towards using family planning method (Adj. OR=1.8, CI=1.2 to 2.8). Unintended pregnancy decreased with increased age at marriage (Adj. OR= 0.8, CI=0.8, 0.7 - 0.9) and with use of contraceptive methods ever in life (Adj. OR=0.7, CI=0.5 - 0.9).Conclusions: We found important predictors which suggest policy measures for enhancing media exposure, promoting effective family planning usage, and incorporating behaviour change models in reproductive health clinics to modify fertility intentions of couples

Prevalence, determinants, and management of chronic kidney disease in Karachi, Pakistan - a community based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing being recognized as a global public health problem. However, there is dearth of information on the prevalence, determinants, and management of CKD from low- and middle-income countries. The objectives of the study were to determine the 1) prevalence of CKD; 2) socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with CKD; and 3) the existing management of these patients with regards to blood pressure control, and use of antihypertensive medications. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 2873 participants aged ≥ 40 years in 12 representative communities in Karachi, Pakistan. The primary outcome was clinically significant CKD defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \u3c60 mL/min/1.73 m2 estimated by CKD-EPI (CKD Epidemiology Collaboration) Pakistan equation (0.686 × CKD-EPI1.059) or urinary albumin to creatinine ratio ≥ 3 mg/mmol (i.e. KDOQI CKD stage G3, A2 or worse). RESULTS: The overall prevalence (95% CI) of CKD was 12.5% (11.4 - 13.8%). The factors independently associated with CKD were older age, hypertension, diabetes, elevated systolic blood pressure, raised fasting plasma glucose, raised triglycerides, and history of stroke (p\u3c0.05 for each). About 267 (74.4%, 69.5 - 78.8%) adults with CKD had concomitant hypertension. Of these, 130 (48.7%, 42.6 - 54.9%) were on antihypertensive medications, and less than 20% had their BP controlled to conventional target of ≤ 140/90 mm Hg, and only 16.9% (12.6 - 21.9%) were on blockers of renin-angiotensin system alone or in combination with other drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically significant CKD is common among Pakistani adults. The conventional risk factors for CKD and poor control of blood pressure among patients with CKD highlight the need to integrate CKD prevention and management in the primary care infrastructure in Pakistan, and possibly neighbouring countries

Desire to limiting child birth and the associated determinants among married females: Sukh survey-Karachi, Pakistan

Objective: High rates of population growth negatively influence the social and economic development of a country. This study aimed to determine the women\u27s desire to limiting child birth in future (fertility intention) and its determinants among Pakistani women of reproductive age resident of Karachi.Methods: A community-based, multistage cross-sectional study was carried out among residents of the squatter settlements in Karachi. The were 4,485 married residents, and currently non-pregnant females of 18 to 49 years old. Framework adapted has been based on Pullum 1980 to operationalize the outcome of determining the desire to limiting childbearing and the factors related with controlling the family size. Multivariable logistic regression using SPSS 13.0 was used.Results: The survey comprised of a total sample of 4485 females who participated and acquiring a median (interquartile range) age of 30 (25 to 35) years. Whereas, the living children count was found to be [median: 3 children; (IQR: 2 to 4)]. From the total, 2109 (47%) wanted to limit the future child birth. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that women who did not want to limit child birth significantly (p-value 37 years (referent category), who belonged to poor wealth category (aOR=0.41), were ever contraceptive users (aOR=0.49), were currently not a contraceptive user (aOR=0.53), not educated (aOR=0.34), and having sons less than the daughters (aOR=0.74). Conversely, females with perceived family structure of ≤two children ideally (aOR=2.62), were autonomous (aOR=1.25) and who had equal daughters and sons (aOR=1.13) rather than more number of sons, had more probability to limiting child birth at a statistically significance (p-value) of less than 0.05.Conclusions: The survey highlights the strategic independent determinants and there is a need of devising behaviour modification modalities accordingly to expedite the use of contraceptive methods and to encourage fertility decline among women

Perceptions and experiences of men and women towards acceptability and use of contraceptives in underserved areas of Karachi, Pakistan: A midline qualitative assessment of sukh initiative, Karachi Pakistan

Background: Family planning (FP) is an essential component of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and contributes directly to SDG targets 3.7 and 5.6. In Pakistan, contraceptive use has remained stagnant over the past 5 years. This change has been very slow when compared to the FP2020 pledge. The Sukh initiative project was conceived and implemented to alleviate these challenges by providing access to quality contraceptive methods in some underserved areas of Karachi, Pakistan. A qualitative study was conducted to understand the perceptions and experiences of men and women towards acceptability and contraceptive use.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted at ten Sukh stations located in four towns of Karachi. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with married women of reproductive age (MWRA) and married men who received FP services through the Sukh initiative. Study participants were purposively sampled for focus group discussions (FGDs). Interview data was manually transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: A total of 20 FDGs (Men = 10 FGDs; MWRA = 10 FGDs) were conducted. Three overarching themes were identified: (I) Appropriateness and means to promote contraceptive use; (II) Equity and Accessibility to contraceptives; and (III) Perspective on available FP services. Generally, both men and women were informed about FP methods but women were more cognizant of FP information. The door to door services by community health workers in Sukh initiative areas was largely appreciated both by women and men as it has made the accessibility and availability of the information and services easy. Women suggested that the Sukh initiative should bring some strategies that can help men broaden their perspective towards FP. The study informed that the men feel left out from the FP programs. Therefore, male participants expressed keen interest in initiatives for men in their communities that would cater to their FP needs.Conclusions: This qualitative study provided a unique opportunity to understand the perceptions of men and women towards the phenomena of contraceptive use. The study identified the need for trained and qualified female and male healthcare providers and well-established health facilities alongside door-to-door services

Assessing the effects of training on knowledge and skills of health personnel: a case study from the family health project in Sindh, Pakistan

Background: The Family Health Project (FHP) was implemented in the province of Sindh during 1992-99 with the assistance of the World Bank. The project was designed to bring substantial changes in health care system for achieving improvement in the health status by strengthening the quality and integration of primary health care services. One of the major components of the project was to develop the institutional capacity of Ministry of Health in Sindh. This is a comparative analysis to assess the knowledge and skills of health care providers in Area Focus Approach (AFA) health facilities with the ones in non-AFA health care facilities.Methods: In order to obtain a representative sample, 8 districts were selected which included, Larkana, Khairpur, Nawabshah, Dadu, Tharparkar, Thatta, Karachi South, and Karachi West. A structured questionnaire was designed with various sections to assess the knowledge and skills of various cadres of health facility staff.Results: This comparative assessment has come up with some interesting results; there is a difference between the scores of knowledge and skills between AFA and non-AFA health care providers. This assessment identified some important methodological issues such as the use of base-line information for comparing the results and the selection of a comparable study population for controlling the confounding factors.CONCLUSIONS: These findings can be used as important lessons learned for producing better results of any post training assessment intervention

Factors associated with the discontinuation of modern methods of contraception in the low income areas of Sukh Initiative Karachi: A community-based case control study

Introduction: Discontinuation of a contraceptive method soon after its initiation is becoming a public health problem in Low middle income countries and may result in unintended pregnancy and related unwanted consequences. A better understanding of factors behind discontinuation of a modern method would help in designing interventions to continue its use till desired spacing goals are achieved. |Objective: To determine factors associated with the discontinuation of modern contraceptive methods within six months of its use compared to continued use of modern method for at least six months in low-income areas of Karachi, Pakistan. Method: Community-based case-control study was conducted in low-income areas of Karachi. Cases were 137 users who discontinued a modern contraceptive method within 6 months of initiation and were not using any method at the time of interview, while controls were 276 continuous users of modern method for at least last six months from the time of interview. Information was collected by using a structured questionnaire. Applied logistic regression was used to identify the associated factors for discontinuation. Result: The mean ages of discontinued and continued users were 29.3±5.3 years and 29.2±5.4 years respectively. A larger proportion of the discontinued users had no formal education (43.8%) as compared to the continued users (27.9%). The factors associated with discontinuation of a modern method of contraception were belonging to Sindhi ethnicity [OR: 2.54, 95%CI 1.16-5.57], experiencing side effects [OR: 15.12; 95% CI 7.50-30.51], difficulty in accessing contraceptives by themselves [OR: 0.40, 95%CI 0.19-0.83] and difficulty in reaching clinics for management of the side effects [OR: 4.10, 95%CI 2.38-7.05]. Moreover, women having support from the husband for contraceptive use were less likely to discontinue the method [OR: 0.58, 95% CI 0.34-0.98]. Conclusion: Sindhi ethnicity and side effects of modern methods of contraception were identified as major factors for discontinuation in low-income populations. Similarly, women who had difficulty in travelling to reach clinics for treatment also contributed to discontinuation. Furthermore, women using long acting methods and those supported by their husbands were less likely to discontinue the contraceptive methods. Findings emphasize a need to focus on Sindhi ethnicity and trainings of service providers on management of side effects and provision of high quality of services

The relationship between birth intervals and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in six low and lower-middle income countries

Background: Due to high fertility rates in some low and lower-middle income countries, the interval between pregnancies can be short, which may lead to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.Methods: We analyzed data from women enrolled in the NICHD Global Network Maternal Newborn Health Registry (MNHR) from 2013 through 2018. We report maternal characteristics and outcomes in relationship to the inter-delivery interval (IDI, time from previous delivery [live or stillborn] to the delivery of the index birth), by category of 6-17 months (short), 18-36 months (reference), 37-60 months, and 61-180 months (long). We used non-parametric tests for maternal characteristics, and multivariable logistic regression models for outcomes, controlling for differences in baseline characteristics.Results: We evaluated 181,782 women from sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Kenya, Guatemala, India, and Pakistan. Women with short IDI varied by site, from 3% in the Zambia site to 20% in the Pakistan site. Relative to a 18-36 month IDI, women with short IDI had increased risk of neonatal death (RR = 1.89 [1.74, 2.05]), stillbirth (RR = 1.70 [1.56, 1.86]), low birth weight (RR = 1.38 [1.32, 1.44]), and very low birth weight (RR = 2.35 [2.10, 2.62]). Relative to a 18-36 month IDI, women with IDI of 37-60 months had an increased risk of maternal death (RR 1.40 [1.05, 1.88]), stillbirth (RR 1.14 [1.08, 1.22]), and very low birth weight (RR 1.10 [1.01, 1.21]). Relative to a 18-36 month IDI, women with long IDI had increased risk of maternal death (RR 1.54 [1.10, 2.16]), neonatal death (RR = 1.25 [1.14, 1.38]), stillbirth (RR = 1.50 [1.38, 1.62]), low birth weight (RR = 1.22 [1.17, 1.27]), and very low birth weight (RR = 1.47 [1.32,1.64]). Short and long IDIs were also associated with increased risk of obstructed labor, hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, fetal malposition, infection, hospitalization, preterm delivery, and neonatal hospitalization.Conclusions: IDI varies by site. When compared to 18-36 month IDI, women with both short IDI and long IDI had increased risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.Trial registration: The MNHR is registered at NCT01073475

Safety of daily low-dose aspirin use during pregnancy in low-income and middle-income countries

Background: The daily use of low-dose aspirin may be a safe, widely available, and inexpensive intervention for reducing the risk of preterm birth. Data on the potential side effects of low-dose aspirin use during pregnancy in low- and middle-income countries are needed.Objective: This study aimed to assess differences in unexpected emergency medical visits and potential maternal side effects from a randomized, double-blind, multicountry, placebo-controlled trial of low-dose aspirin use (81 mg daily, from 6 to 36 weeks\u27 gestation).Study design: This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Aspirin Supplementation for Pregnancy Indicated Risk Reduction In Nulliparas trial, a trial of the Global Network for Women\u27s and Children\u27s Health conducted in India (2 sites), Pakistan, Guatemala, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Zambia. The outcomes for this analysis were unexpected emergency medical visits and the occurrence of the following potential side effects-overall and separately-nausea, vomiting, rash or hives, diarrhea, gastritis, vaginal bleeding, allergic reaction, and any other potential side effects. Analyses were performed overall and by geographic region.Results: Between the aspirin (n=5943) and placebo (n=5936) study groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the risk of unexpected emergency medical visits or the risk of any potential side effect (overall). Of the 8 potential side effects assessed, only 1 (rash or hives) presented a different risk by treatment group (4.2% in the aspirin group vs 3.5% in the placebo group; relative risk, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.43; P=.042).Conclusion: The daily use of low-dose aspirin seems to be a safe intervention for reducing the risk of preterm birth and well tolerated by nulliparous pregnant women between 6 and 36 weeks\u27 gestation in low- and middle-income countries

Low-dose aspirin for the prevention of preterm delivery in nulliparous women with a singleton pregnancy (ASPIRIN): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth remains a common cause of neonatal mortality, with a disproportionately high burden in low-income and middle-income countries. Meta-analyses of low-dose aspirin to prevent pre-eclampsia suggest that the incidence of preterm birth might also be decreased, particularly if initiated before 16 weeks of gestation. METHODS: ASPIRIN was a randomised, multicountry, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial of low-dose aspirin (81 mg daily) initiated between 6 weeks and 0 days of pregnancy, and 13 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy, in nulliparous women with an ultrasound confirming gestational age and a singleton viable pregnancy. Participants were enrolled at seven community sites in six countries (two sites in India and one site each in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guatemala, Kenya, Pakistan, and Zambia). Participants were randomly assigned (1:1, stratified by site) to receive aspirin or placebo tablets of identical appearance, via a sequence generated centrally by the data coordinating centre at Research Triangle Institute International (Research Triangle Park, NC, USA). Treatment was masked to research staff, health providers, and patients, and continued until 36 weeks and 7 days of gestation or delivery. The primary outcome of incidence of preterm birth, defined as the number of deliveries before 37 weeks\u27 gestational age, was analysed in randomly assigned women with pregnancy outcomes at or after 20 weeks, according to a modified intention-to-treat (mITT) protocol. Analyses of our binary primary outcome involved a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test stratified by site, and generalised linear models to obtain relative risk (RR) estimates and associated confidence intervals. Serious adverse events were assessed in all women who received at least one dose of drug or placebo. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02409680, and the Clinical Trial Registry-India, CTRI/2016/05/006970. FINDINGS: From March 23, 2016 to June 30, 2018, 14 361 women were screened for inclusion and 11 976 women aged 14-40 years were randomly assigned to receive low-dose aspirin (5990 women) or placebo (5986 women). 5780 women in the aspirin group and 5764 in the placebo group were evaluable for the primary outcome. Preterm birth before 37 weeks occurred in 668 (11·6%) of the women who took aspirin and 754 (13·1%) of those who took placebo (RR 0·89 [95% CI 0·81 to 0·98], p=0·012). In women taking aspirin, we also observed significant reductions in perinatal mortality (0·86 [0·73-1·00], p=0·048), fetal loss (infant death after 16 weeks\u27 gestation and before 7 days post partum; 0·86 [0·74-1·00], p=0·039), early preterm delivery (\u3c34 \u3eweeks; 0·75 [0·61-0·93], p=0·039), and the incidence of women who delivered before 34 weeks with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (0·38 [0·17-0·85], p=0·015). Other adverse maternal and neonatal events were similar between the two groups. INTERPRETATION: In populations of nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies from low-income and middle-income countries, low-dose aspirin initiated between 6 weeks and 0 days of gestation and 13 weeks and 6 days of gestation resulted in a reduced incidence of preterm delivery before 37 weeks, and reduced perinatal mortality. FUNDING: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

The efficacy of low-dose aspirin in pregnancy among women in malaria-endemic countries

Background: Low dose aspirin (LDA) is an effective strategy to reduce preterm birth. However, LDA might have differential effects globally, based on the etiology of preterm birth. In some regions, malaria in pregnancy could be an important modifier of LDA on birth outcomes and anemia. Methods: This is a sub-study of the ASPIRIN trial, a multi-national, randomized, placebo controlled trial evaluating LDA effect on preterm birth. We enrolled a convenience sample of women in the ASPIRIN trial from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya and Zambia. We used quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect malaria. We calculated crude prevalence proportion ratios (PRs) for LDA by malaria for outcomes, and regression modelling to evaluate effect measure modification. We evaluated hemoglobin in late pregnancy based on malaria infection in early pregnancy. Results: One thousand four hundred forty-six women were analyzed, with a malaria prevalence of 63% in the DRC site, 38% in the Kenya site, and 6% in the Zambia site. Preterm birth occurred in 83 (LDA) and 90 (placebo) women, (PR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70, 1.22), without interaction between LDA and malaria (p = 0.75). Perinatal mortality occurred in 41 (LDA) and 43 (placebo) pregnancies, (PR 0.95, 95% CI 0.63, 1.44), with an interaction between malaria and LDA (p = 0.014). Hemoglobin was similar by malaria and LDA status. Conclusions: Malaria in early pregnancy did not modify the effects of LDA on preterm birth, but modified the effect of LDA on perinatal mortality. This effect measure modification deserves continued study as LDA is used in malaria endemic regions