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Background: Great importance has been attributed to birthweight all over the world because it is considered one of the best predictors of perinatal survival and a good indicator of life quality. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for low birth weight among term babies in Babil maternity and children teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Babil maternity and children teaching hospital. The study was carried out in the neonatal care unit from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020. Seven hundred and fifty-four term singleton live births were included in the study. All the neonates were checked for birth weight, and their gestational age was determined from maternal last menstrual period and early (first trimester) ultrasound examination and New Ballard score. Neonates with normal birth weight were considered as gestationally full term (≥37 weeks) with birth weight 2500–4000 g. Results: Babies with normal birth weight represent 87.9% of the study sample (663 babies). The number of term neonates with low birth weight was 69/754, with 9.2% and large for gestational age represent 2.9% of the study sample (22 babies). Low birth weight of 2100–2400 g represents 6.3% of the study sample (47 babies). Low birth weight of 1500–2000 g represents 2.9% of the study sample (22) babies. Age of mother, residency, family income, maternal education, antenatal care, bad obstetrical history, illnesses during pregnancy, and parental consanguinity were considered to be risk factors for low birth weight at P values of 0.05, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, 0.001, 0.002, and <0.001, respectively. However, gender of the baby, parity, and paternal age were not considered to be risk factors. Conclusion: The problem of low birth weight among term babies is still common in our country. There was a higher incidence of low birth weight among term neonates in the rural areas and in mothers with low education level and those who live in families with low income. The most common associated risk factors associated with low birth weight were young age mothers, positive parental consanguinity, bad obstetrical history, and illnesses during pregnancy (e.g., hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and urinary tract infection). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to isolate and diagnose the most important bacterial types causing urinary tract infection from the inpatients and outpatients to Salah El Din General Hospital using routine isolation and diagnosis methods. 70 samples were isolated, and the results showed two types of growth: Gram positive bacteria and Gram negative bacteria, where 10 bacterial types were isolated as follows: E. coli 42.85%, Kleibsiella. pneumonia 21.42% roteus mirabilis (11.42%), Staphylococcus aureus (7.14%), Enterobacter cloaca (5.71%), Serratia marcescens (2.85%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2.85%), Staphylococcus Saprophyticus. 2.85%, Micrococcus luteus 1.42%, and Citrobacter freundii 1.42%. The results of the susceptibility test for 9 types of antibiotics using the discs method showed a change in the level of resistance to different antibiotics. The most effective antibiotics were Imipenem, Ciprofloxacin and Sulfamethoxaole. Plant extracts (both aqueous and alcoholic) of Sambucus nigra and Tribulus terrestris fruits were used, and tested for their ability to inhibit the most isolated bacteria (E. coli, K. pneumonia P. mirabilis and S. aureus ). All alcoholic extracts were effective in the direction of Bacterial isolates, while aqueous extracts, have little or no effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infant formula is considered an effective alternative to breast milk. Safe preparation of infant formula is a crucial goal by the World Health Organization for infants receiving some or all of their feeding using infant formula. Objectives: The objective is to find out the errors in the method of bottle-feeding which leads to feeding problems in infants in Al-Hilla city. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenient sample of 384 infants (who attended the general wards in Babylon Maternity and Pediatric Hospital, AL-Noor Hospital and some primary health-care centers). Results: The percentage of mothers who had followed all the recommended steps for feeding and sterilization of infant bottle was (16.90%). Conclusions: Very low percentage of mothers were found to follow all the proper steps of bottle-feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacifier is a rubber, a plastic or silicon nipple given to infant or other young children to suck upon. The debate about pacifier started at 1970s when the breastfeeding promotion movement appeared and many studies accomplished after that time to detect the effects of pacifier on child health and most of these studies found many side effects for using pacifier on child health. So this study is design to test the effects of pacifier on general health of children. This study is a cross sectional study targeting a convenient sample of 400 children at ages two years and less who are accompanied by their mothers to primary health care centers in Al-Hilla city. The mothers interviewed with questionnaires to take informations about the child age, gender, residence, and education level of mother, pacifier using, type of feeding after birth and present, health state of child and weight of child body. Then a comparison between the children who used pacifier and those who are not used in these variables carried out to know the effects of pacifier on child. The prevalence of pacifier use was 46%. The males use pacifier more than female but no significant difference. P value = 0.6.Pacifier is used more in urban areas, but without significant differences. From 184 pacifier user children there are 61.4% in urban areas. From non pacifier use children there were 62.5% from urban areas. For mothers, who are gave pacifier to their children there were 29.1% completed high education. While mothers, who are not give pacifier to their children, 32.4% completed high education and no significant difference p value 0.82. Regarding association of pacifier to infections. There is no significant association to lower respiratory tract infection p. value 0.9, but there is a significant association between using pacifier gastroenteritis, otitis media and oral thrush with p. value 0.0004, 0.0001, 0.0002. Giving pacifier to children adversely effect on child's healthand, it associated with problems like gastroenteritis, otitismedia and oral thrush. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]