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Competing Interests: Declarations of Conflicts of Interest: None

Objectives: New international guidelines for antenatal care (ANC) will likely result in an increase in nutritional supplements and preventative medications for pregnant women in low and middle-income countries. Our objective was to understand how pregnant women in Mali perceive and experience multi-drug regimens in ANC in order to reveal factors that may influence uptake and adherence., Methods: We conducted 29 semi-structured interviews and three focus groups with 21 pregnant women in two urban ANC sites in Bamako, Mali. Interviews focused on perception of purpose of ANC pharmaceuticals (particularly iron supplements, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine as intermittent prevention of malaria and antiretroviral therapy for HIV), beliefs regarding efficacy and risk, and understanding of dosage and regimen. Transcripts were inductively coded and analyzed using the 'Framework' method., Results: Participant descriptions of medication purpose, understanding of dosing, and beliefs about risks and efficacy varied widely, revealing that many pregnant women lack complete information about their medications. While some were burdened by side effects or complex regimens, women generally held favorable attitudes toward ANC medications. Responses suggest major barriers to adherence lie in the health system, namely insufficient patient-provider communication and inconsistent prescribing practices., Conclusions for Practice: National health programs looking to improve maternal and child health with ANC pharmaceuticals need to place greater attention on patient counseling and consistent implementation of administration guidelines. Communication that positions pharmaceuticals as beneficial to mother and child, while presenting understandable information about purpose, dosing and potential side effects can promote uptake of multi-drug regimens and ANC services in general.

Background/aim: It has been proposed that the narrow diameter of the appendix is important in providing a 'safe zone' for commensal intestinal flora, while the length of the appendix can be variable. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between appendiceal length, diameter and age, in children under the age of eighteen years, to determine if the appendix changes in size with age., Methods: The histological records of all cases of children undergoing appendicectomy at the Royal Children's Hospital (Melbourne) between 2009 and 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Participants were excluded on the basis of histological evidence of acute inflammation, and data on the diameter and length of the appendix were collected from 210 children, aged zero to seventeen years., Results: Data were stratified by age for analysis into ≤ 3 years, >3 and ≤ 9, >9 and ≤ 13 and >13 years. Mean diameters per group were 3.7 (± 1.3), 6.3 (± 1.2), 6.7 (± 1.6) and 6.9 (± 1.6) millimetres respectively. Mean lengths per group were 39.7 (± 16.1), 66.3 (± 15.3), 63.7 (± 21.3) and 68.8 (± 18.2) millimetres. Both diameter and length were higher in the older age groups, compared with the ≤ 3 year olds (p < 0.001). A positive correlation was seen between age and appendix diameter (R = 0.5, p < 0.001) and length (R = 0.3, p=0.03) in the ≤ 3 group only. Mean diameter and length values did not differ significantly between groups aged > 3 years old., Conclusion: This study showed that following an initial growth period during early infancy up to about 3 years, the appendix achieves its adult proportions and does not continue to grow throughout childhood., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)