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Background Anaemia during pregnancy is a major public health problem in developing countries. It is important to regularly monitor haemoglobin level in pregnancy and factors associated with it to inform clinical and preventive services. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of anaemia in pregnant women attending antenatal clinic (ANC) of a tertiary referral hospital in Northern Ghana. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study involving 400 pregnant women receiving antenatal care in Tamale Teaching Hospital was conducted. Using a semi-structured questionnaire and 24-h dietary recall, data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, health practices, dietary diversity, anaemia knowledge and haemoglobin level of the women. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin concentration less than 11 g/dl. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were used to identify the independent determinants of pregnancy anaemia. Results The mean age and haemoglobin of the women were 28.3 (±4.5) years and 10.81 (±1.41) g/dl respectively. About half of the women 50.8% [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 45.8–55.7] were anaemic and the prevalence of anaemia increased with pregnancy trimester. Among a host of socio-demographic, dietary, and preventive health service factors evaluated, the women’s knowledge on anaemia and pregnancy trimester at interview were the independent determinants of anaemia in pregnancy. Compared to women of the highest anaemia knowledge tertile, women belonging to the lowest (AOR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.50–4.61) and middle (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.12–3.27) anaemia knowledge tertiles were about 3 and 2 times more likely to be anaemic respectively. Similarly, women in third trimester of pregnancy were about 4 times more likely to be anaemic compared to those in first trimester at the time of interview (AOR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.91–6.67). Conclusions There is a high prevalence of anaemia, which increases with pregnancy trimester, in pregnant women attending ANC in a tertiary referral hospital in Northern Ghana. The women’s knowledge on anaemia and pregnancy trimester at the time of interview are associated with their anaemia status. The high prevalence of anaemia in pregnancy needs urgent intervention to prevent the occurrence of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Education on anaemia should be intensified at ANCs.

Folate is a vitamin B-related substance needed by expectant mothers during the period right before and after conception (peri-conceptional period) to help protect foetuses against neural tube defects (NTDs). Despite efforts to promote the peri-conceptional uptake of folic acid (FA), adherence remains low. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and determinants of peri-conceptional FA uptake among childbearing women in northern Ghana. In a cross-sectional study, data from 303 women accessing antenatal care services in the Upper East Region of Ghana between February and July 2017 were collected and analysed in Stata (Version 12.1). Chi-square and logistic regression analysis were used to identify the independent determinants of peri-conceptional uptake of FA. The mean age of the study population was 27.4 (±5.73) years. The prevalence of uptake of peri-conceptional FA was 28.7% (95% confidence interval: 26.7%-34.2%); 66% of the women were aware of FA and 52% had acceptable knowledge about FA. Initiating ANC after 3 months of pregnancy was associated with 91% less chance of peri-conceptional FA use [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04-0.22; P

Background Unmet need for contraception contributes to the burden of unwanted pregnancies, which are correlated with a host of adverse maternal and child outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and identify the determinants of unmet need for contraception in North Gonja District, Ghana. Methods A cross-sectional survey involving 386 randomly selected women of childbearing age was conducted in North Gonja district, Ghana, with the use of a questionnaire in household interviews. Women were classified as having unmet need for contraception if they were fecund, sexually active and wished to postpone the next birth or halt childbearing completely but were not using any form of contraception. Chi-square/Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression analysis were used to identify the determinants of unmet need. Results The mean age of the study population was 26.1 (±8.4) years and awareness on contraception was almost universal in the district (95.9%). The overall prevalence of unmet need for contraception was 38.9%, with 27.5% having unmet need for limiting and 12.2% unmet need for spacing. In multivariate analysis, compared to women aged 25–29 years, those aged 20–24 years [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 0.26; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.11–0.58] and 30 years and above (AOR 0.25; 95% CI 0.09–0.73) were less likely to have unmet need for contraception. However, uneducated women (AOR 5.06; 95% CI 1.07–24.01) compared with those educated to tertiary level; those unaware of family planning (AOR 3.93; 95% CI 1.12–13.80) compared to those aware; and those who had not previously practised contraception (AOR 1.81; 95% CI 1.09–3.00) compared to those who did were more likely to have unmet need. Conclusions The present study found high prevalence of both awareness on and unmet need for contraception among the study population. Unmet need for contraception is associated with age, educational status, awareness on family planning and previous contraception practice. Educational campaigns to promote contraception should prioritize women of middle age and low educational status. Further studies are needed to understand the low correlation between awareness on and unmet need for contraception.

Objective Malnutrition is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional status of children under 5 years of teenage and adult mothers in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. A case–control study involving 300 (150 cases, 150 controls) mother–child pairs was carried out. A questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics of mothers and children and anthropometry was used to assess the nutritional status of children. Anthropometric z-scores derived based on WHO Child Growth Standards were used to determine stunting, wasting and underweight statuses of children. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the nutritional status of children of teenage and adult mothers. Results Children of teenage mothers, compared to those of adult mothers, were 8 times more likely to be stunted [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 7.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.20–13.63], 3 times more likely to be wasted (AOR = 2.90; 95% CI 1.04–8.04), and 13 times more likely to be underweight (AOR = 12.78; 95% CI 4.69–34.81) after adjusting for potential confounders. The risk of child malnutrition increases with young maternal age; interventions should be targeted at teenage mothers and their children to reduce the risk of malnutrition. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13104-018-3980-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective Maternal depression may affect child feeding practice which is an important determinant of child nutritional status. The objective of this study was to explore the association between maternal depression and WHO complementary feeding indicators [minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF) and minimum acceptable diet (MAD)] or stunting status of children (6–23 months) in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out involving 200 mother–child pairs randomly sampled from three communities in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. Results The prevalence of MDD, MMF, and MAD were 56.5, 65.0, and 44.0% respectively and 41.0% of the children sampled were stunted. A third of the mothers (33.5%) screened positive for depression. Maternal depression did not influence significantly MDD (p = 0.245), MMF (p = 0.442), and MAD (p = 0.885) or children’s risk of stunting (p = 0.872). In conclusion maternal depression and child stunting are prevalent in Northern Ghana but there is a lack of evidence of an association between maternal depression and child feeding practices or nutritional status in this study population. Further research is needed to assess the effect of maternal depression on feeding practices and growth of young children. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13104-018-3528-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This study sought to assess maternal growth monitoring knowledge and its effect on stunting, wasting and underweight among children 0-18 months in the Tamale Metropolis. An analytical cross-sectional study design, involving 340 mother-child pairs randomly selected from 4 health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis, was used. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics and maternal growth monitoring knowledge. Weight and length of children were taken to assess nutritional status (stunting, underweight and wasting). Chi-square/Fisher’s exact test was used to determine the association between maternal growth monitoring knowledge level and child nutritional status.This study sought to assess maternal growth monitoring knowledge and its effect on stunting, wasting and underweight among children 0-18 months in the Tamale Metropolis. An analytical cross-sectional study design, involving 340 mother-child pairs randomly selected from 4 health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis, was used. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics and maternal growth monitoring knowledge. Weight and length of children were taken to assess nutritional status (stunting, underweight and wasting). Chi-square/Fisher’s exact test was used to determine the association between maternal growth monitoring knowledge level and child nutritional status.

Objective Depression in mothers is a risk factor for poor health, and pregnancy and child outcomes. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of depression and identify its determinants in mothers of children under 5 years in Bole District, Ghana. Results We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study consisting of 244 mothers (mean age 28.7 ± 6.29 years) in Bole District, Ghana. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to screen for depression and the determinants of depression were identified using logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of depression in this study population was 16.8% (95% confidence interval 12.1–22.0%). The independent determinants of depression were marital status, occupation, lighting source and type of cooking fuel. Being currently unmarried (p

Background There has been a steady increase in the prescription of antidepressants in developed countries in recent decades. Antidepressant treatment prevalence and sociodemographic pattern data can inform the review of clinical guidelines for depression treatment. We determined the one-year prevalence and sociodemographic pattern of antidepressant dispensing among women of childbearing age (15–45 years) in Northern Ireland (NI). Methods A cross-sectional study using individual electronic prescribing data for 2009. Our study population was 268,917 women of childbearing age (15–45 years), with/without prescriptions, registered with the 246 out of 363GP practices in NI with high electronic prescribing data coverage. Socioeconomic deprivation (in quintiles) was measured by an area indicator attached to residential postcode. Results The one-year prevalence of redeemed antidepressant prescriptions was 16.3% (95% CI 16.1–16.4). More than two-thirds of antidepressant prescriptions were for SSRIs. Thirty-five per cent of the women who redeemed prescriptions for antidepressants also redeemed prescriptions for psycholeptics within 2 months of the antidepressant prescriptions. Redeemed antidepressant prescription prevalence increased from 4.8% (15–19 years) to 24.6% (40–45 years), from 13.5% (quintile 1, least deprived) to 20.7% (quintile 5, most deprived), and with urbanity of GP practice location. Limitation Only GP practices with high capture of electronic prescribing data were included, which may not be entirely representative of NI. We could not assess the appropriateness of prescribing according to national guidelines. Conclusions Antidepressant use is high among women of childbearing age in NI and increases with age and socioeconomic deprivation. This reinforces the need to address the determinants of depression, and assess the appropriateness of treatment policies and practices.

Evidence of an association between early pregnancy exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and congenital heart defects (CHD) has contributed to recommendations to weigh benefits and risks carefully. The objective of this study was to determine the specificity of association between first trimester exposure to SSRIs and specific CHD and other congenital anomalies (CA) associated with SSRI exposure in the literature (signals). A population-based case-malformed control study was conducted in 12 EUROCAT CA registries covering 2.1 million births 1995-2009 including livebirths, fetal deaths from 20 weeks gestation and terminations of pregnancy for fetal anomaly. Babies/fetuses with specific CHD (n = 12,876) and non-CHD signal CA (n = 13,024), were compared with malformed controls whose diagnosed CA have not been associated with SSRI in the literature (n = 17,083). SSRI exposure in first trimester pregnancy was associated with CHD overall (OR adjusted for registry 1.41, 95 % CI 1.07-1.86, fluoxetine adjOR 1.43 95 % CI 0.85-2.40, paroxetine adjOR 1.53, 95 % CI 0.91-2.58) and with severe CHD (adjOR 1.56, 95 % CI 1.02-2.39), particularly Tetralogy of Fallot (adjOR 3.16, 95 % CI 1.52-6.58) and Ebstein's anomaly (adjOR 8.23, 95 % CI 2.92-23.16). Significant associations with SSRI exposure were also found for ano-rectal atresia/stenosis (adjOR 2.46, 95 % CI 1.06-5.68), gastroschisis (adjOR 2.42, 95 % CI 1.10-5.29), renal dysplasia (adjOR 3.01, 95 % CI 1.61-5.61), and clubfoot (adjOR 2.41, 95 % CI 1.59-3.65). These data support a teratogenic effect of SSRIs specific to certain anomalies, but cannot exclude confounding by indication or associated factors.

Background Though the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) indicators have been in use, little is known about their association with child nutritional status. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between IYCF indicators (timing of complementary feeding, minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet) and child growth indicators. Methods A community-based cross-sectional survey was carried out in November 2013. The study population comprised mothers/primary caregivers and their children selected using a two-stage cluster sampling procedure. Results Of the 1984 children aged 6–23 months; 58.2 % met the minimum meal frequency, 34.8 % received minimum dietary diversity (≥4 food groups), 27.8 % had received minimum acceptable diet and only 15.7 % received appropriate complementary feeding. With respect to nutritional status, 20.5 %, 11.5 % and 21.1 % of the study population were stunted, wasted and underweight respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that compared to children who were introduced to complementary feeding either late or early, children who started complementary feeding at six months of age were 25 % protected from chronic malnutrition (AOR = 0.75, CI = 0.50 - 0.95, P = 0.02). It was found that children whose mothers attended antenatal care (ANC) at least 4 times were 34 % protected [AOR 0.66; 95 % CI (0.50 - 0.88)] against stunted growth compared to children born to mothers who attended ANC less than 4 times. Children from households with high household wealth index were 51 % protected [AOR 0.49; 95 % CI (0.26 - 0.94)] against chronic malnutrition compared to children from households with low household wealth index. After adjusting for potential confounders, there was a significant positive association between appropriate complementary feeding index and mean WLZ (β = 0.10, p = 0.005) but was not associated with mean LAZ. Conclusions The WHO IYCF indicators better explain weight-for-length Z-scores than length-for-age Z-scores of young children in rural Northern Ghana. Furthermore, a composite indicator comprising timely introduction of solid, semi-solid or soft foods at 6 months, minimum meal frequency, and minimum dietary diversity better explains weight-for-length Z-scores than each of the single indicators. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2494-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.