Folate supplementation as a strategy to reduce Neural Tube Defects

Folic acid is a vitamin known to prevent neural tube defects, megaloblastic anaemia, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, etc. The main natural sources of folate are plant and vegetables e.g. green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, citrus fruits (orange, strawberry), beans, nuts, cauliflowers, beets, corn etc. and meat products like liver. The primary function of folate is its contribution in the synthesis and repair of the DNA. The bioavailability of food folate is approximately 50%. The bioavailability of folic acid taken with meal compared to with water on empty stomach is 85% and 100% respectively.(1) Hence, it is easier to achieve the recommended daily allowances with fortified food as compared to natural food due to higher stability and bioavailability of synthetic folate when compared to natural food.(2

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding among Adolescents: A Neglected Problem

Onset of menstruation is an important indicator of puberty among girls. A large number of adolescents suffer from abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) during the initial months after the onset of menarche. Although menstrual problems seen among most of the adolescents are physiological, however, a large proportion of adolescents suffer from pathological AUB. The knowledge of magnitude and causes of abnormal uterine bleeding among adolescents, pathological as well as physiological, is important to plan strategies for management of this problem. Review of literature was done manually as well as electronically through PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane library, IndMed, Embase and WHO databases. Relevant studies conducted in India as well as other countries were searched. The most common cause (72-80%) of AUB among adolescents is anovulatory cycles due to immature hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Other causes include bleeding disorders, thyroid disorders, and Polycystic Ovarian Disease. AUB is an important health concern among the adolescents. There is a need to create awareness regarding the physiological and pathological causes of menstrual problems among adolescents. The health care providers also need to be trained for identification and management of this problem

Inner wellbeing: concept and validation of a new approach to subjective perceptions of wellbeing-India

© The Author(s) 2013. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits any use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and the source are credited.This paper describes the conceptual development of a multi-domain, psychosocial model of 'Inner Wellbeing' (IWB) and assesses the construct validity of the scale designed to measure it. IWB expresses what people think and feel they are able to be and do. Drawing together scholarship in wellbeing and international development it is grounded in field research in marginalised, rural communities in the global South. Results from research in India at two points in time (2011 and 2013) are reported. At Time 1 (n = 287), we were unable to confirm an eight-factor, correlated model as distinct yet interrelated domains. However, at Time 2 (n = 335), we were able to confirm a revised, seven-factor correlated model with economic confidence, agency and participation, social connections, close relationships, physical and mental health, competence and self-worth, and values and meaning (five items per domain) as distinct yet interrelated domains. In particular, at Time 2, a seven-factor, correlated model provided a significantly better fit to the data than did a one-factor model.This work is supported by the Economic and Social Research Council/Department for International Development Joint Scheme for Research on International Development (Poverty Alleviation) grant number RES-167-25-0507 ES/H033769/1. Special thanks are due to Chaupal and Gangaram Paikra, Pritam Das, Usha Kujur, Kanti Minjh, Susanna Siddiqui, and Dinesh Tirkey