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Background: Lowbirthweight(LBW)contributes substantially to neonatal, infant, and childhood mortality and morbidity. Several maternal factors contribute to the incidence of LBW, majority of which are biologically and socially interrelated, are modifiable; making LBW a potentially preventable condition. Objective: To evaluate the association of maternal risk factors with birth weight of newborn. Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in Mugda medical college, Dhaka, a government health center of Bangladesh, from January 2019 to 30 June 2019. A total of 180 recently delivered pregnant mother were included in this study and categorized into two groups: Group A- 90 mother who had given birth of low birth weight baby, and Group B- another 90 mother who delivered normal birth weight baby.Face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire and a review of medical records were carried out. Statistical analyses of the results were obtained by using window-based computer software devised with SPSS version 23. Results: Highest percentage of patients from both group A and B were belonged to 20 - 34 years of age (62.2% and 81.1% respectively) and para £3 (76.7% and 88.8% respectively) with significant odds ratio for delivering low birth weight baby at advanced maternal age (³35 years) (OR=2.14, p value 0.037) and high parity (para >3) (OR=2.44, p value 0.03).Majority mothers from group A had hypertension (58.9%) whereas 90% mothers from group B were normotensive with significant odds ratio (OR= 12.89, p value 3 (OR= 2.66, p value 0.257). Conclusion: Gestational hypertension, advanced maternal age and high parity are the significant risk factors for delivering LBW baby. However, further larger multicenter study is recommended. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2021; 47(1): 50-56

Introduction: Potassium dichromate, a chromium {Cr(VI)} compound is the most toxic form of Cr(VI) which causes nephrotoxicity associated with oxidative stress in animals and humans. The study of toxicity and biological effects associated with chromium has generated a lot of interest due to its wider distribution in the environment and its use. Aim: To study the potassium dichromate-induced nephrotoxicity and ameliorative role of vitamin E in albino rats. Materials and Methods: The present experimental study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Subharti Medical College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India. Study population consisted of 36 albino rats which were randomly divided into four equal groups (n=9, each). Group I served as control while groups II and III were administered Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) dissolved in sterile distilled water 10 mg/kg body weight single dose orally for 1, 14 and 42 days, 3 rats in each sub-groups. In addition to Cr(VI), group III also received α-tocopherol 125 mg/kg body weight daily orally. Group IV rats were maintained as α-tocopherol control and they received α-tocopherol as above daily for 42 days. At the end of 1, 14 and 42 days, all the rats were sacrificed for the estimation of the histopathological changes in kidney. The Z-proportion test was used for evaluation of data. Results: Thirt-six albino rats of both sex, age about 60 days weighing approximately 140±10 gm were studied. Prominent pathological changes like glomerular mesangial proliferation and obliteration of bowman’s space were observed in the kidney of group II rats. Co-treatment with α-tocopherol in group III significantly reversed the Cr(VI) induced changes with a p-value=0.009 and 0.007 for glomerular mesangial proliferation and obliteration of bowman’s space respectively. Conclusion: The α-tocopherol exhibited protective effect against Cr(VI) induced damage to the kidney.

Rickets causes bone deformities through the impaired mineralization of actively growing bone affecting young children in developing countries and frequently found in Africa, Asia and Middle Eastern countries. This cross sectional study was conducted with a view to assess the dietary pattern among the rachitic children among the 151 subjects of 3 north-eastern districts of Bangladesh. Out of 151 subjects 52 were having at least one visible sign of rickets and considered as rickets case. Rest of the subjects was from their neighborhoods with no such symptoms or sign. More than half of the rachitic children were aged between 6 to 15 years, with a mean of 8.61+4.07 years. Almost all of the respondents were from low family income group. Subjects were primarily children of parents with low level of education. Most frequent complaints of the patients were bending of leg and leg pain. Average intake of calcium containing food in rachitic children was lower than normal subjects and the difference was statistically significant (p

Introduction. Use of lead acid battery (LAB) in Bangladesh has risen with sharp rise of motor vehicles. As result, manufacture of LAB is increasing. Most of the lead used by these industries comes from recycling of LAB. Workers in LAB industry are at risk of exposure lead and thus development of lead toxicity.Objective. The objective of this study was to measure the blood lead concentration and to assess the magnitude of health problems attributable to lead toxicity among the LAB manufacturing workers.Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among the workers of LAB manufacturing industries located in Dhaka city.Result. Mean blood lead level (BLL) among the workers was found to be high. They were found to be suffering from a number of illnesses attributable to lead toxicity. The common illnesses were frequent headache, numbness of the limbs, colic pain, nausea, tremor, and lead line on the gum. High BLL was also found to be related to hypertension and anemia of the workers.Conclusion. High BLL and illnesses attributable to lead toxicity were prevalent amongst workers of the LAB manufacturing industries, and this requires attention especially in terms of occupational hygiene and safety.

Background: Menopause is a natural biological process, not a medical illness. Although it is associated with hormonal, physical and psychosocial changes in life, it is not the end of youth or of sexuality. Several generations ago, few women lived beyond menopause, Today, women may spend as much as half of their life after menopause. Hormone therapy (HT) has been widely used in recent decades to relieve the signs and symptoms of menopause and - doctors thought- to prevent disease associated with aging. However, new long term evidence has demonstrated that hormone therapy may actually increase risk of serious health conditions, such as heart disease , breast cancer and stroke. Oestrogen therapy is still a safe, short -term option for some women, but numerous other therapies also are available to help women manage menopausal symptoms and stay healthy during this important phase of life. DOI: 10.3329/bmj.v36i2.3612 Bangladesh Medical Journal 36(2) 2007 48-51

To compare the level of knowledge about menopause in terms of its cause, problems and care seeking pattern among the rural women after a health education intervention program. It was a cross sectional intervention type study. In the study, the outcome of intervention was obtained by comparing pre intervention and post intervention of same study population to test if there is any difference in knowledge level. The total intervention program was evaluated ranking their answers and found that before the intervention the only 27.8% respondents had some knowledge regarding menopause related problems and 72.2% had no such perception. After intervention it was observed that 49.27% respondents improved their knowledge, statistically it was found significant. The study was conducted to assess and compare the improvement of knowledge of rural women regarding menopause through educational interventions program. From the study findings, it revealed the significant achievement among the respondents regarding the knowledge on menopause, health care seeking behaviour through an educational intervention program imparted to them. The aim of intervention program is that there should be some degree of changes about knowledge, attitude and behaviour. From the intervention program knowledge of the rural women upgraded. Though this study may not necessarily reflect the actual picture. Through the study the intervention program was found very effective which might be replicate in the country through a national program. Key word: Knowledge on menopausal problems, Health care seeking pattern. DOI: 10.3329/bmj.v38i1.3580 Bangladesh Medical Journal 38(1) 2009 9-14