Serum ferritin concentration in gestational diabetes mellitus and risk of subsequent development of early postpartum diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: To compare the serum ferritin concentrations of normal pregnant women with those having gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to determine the possible role of ferritin in predicting pregnancy outcome and early development of postpartum glucose intolerance and diabetes mellitus. METHOD: This case-control study consisted of 128 pregnant women (64 women with GDM and 64 age-matched healthy pregnant women) seen at a university hospital in Zanjan, Iran. Anthropometric measurements were determined, and serum ferritin, C-reactive protein, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)), and hemoglobin levels were measured. Pregnancy outcomes were recorded in all subjects. In the women with GDM, a diagnostic oral glucose tolerance test was performed eight weeks after delivery. RESULTS: Women with GDM had a higher concentration of serum ferritin (112 ± 28.4 pmol/L in GDM versus 65 ± 16.9 pmol/L in controls, P < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between serum ferritin level and mid-pregnancy fasting plasma glucose and HbA(lc) levels. Although women in the highest quartile of serum ferritin had a greater than two-fold increased risk of GDM, no significant correlation was found between ferritin levels and early postpartum oral glucose tolerance test results. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum ferritin concentrations in mid-pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of GDM independent of C-reactive protein and body mass index. Ferritin levels in GDM cannot be used as an indicator to predict subsequent glucose concentration in early postpartum oral glucose tolerance test

Outcomes of circumcision in women: A review of existing studies

Background & Objective: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves the withdrawal or damage to a part or all of the external genitalia of women without a medical reason. According to the WHO, 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are circumcised and in various studies, the numerous consequences of this action are mentioned. In this review, we investigated the studies on the outcomes of FGM. Method: In this study, the results of studies on the effects of FGM between years 2013 – 2003 in PubMed, Medline, Cochran library, Cinahl, Emro, WHO, Iranmedex and SID databases were investigated. In order to gather the information, first, articles that had one of the following keywords in their text (cutting / female genital mutilation, Infibulations, Female circumcision) either alone or with words Obstetrics / Gynecologic Consequence Psychiatric consequence health outcome, were searched and at the end a sum of 74 articles were collected. Results: FGM is accompanied with complications, such as infection, painful intercourse, frequent urination, constant bleeding, painful menstruation, infection during pregnancy, and possibility of developing hepatitis and infertility in women. But since only few case-control studies have been conducted on investigating these effects in different countries, it›s not possible to deduce from some complications associated with FGM. Conclusion: FGM is one of the manifestations of human rights violations and violence against women and girls who have the right to have a healthy body. Despite the global efforts, there are still areas of the world that respect this tradition, Thus stronger and more serious measures to stop such actions are strongly suggested