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Background: Daily requirement of iodine increases during pregnancy making pregnant women a high-risk group for iodine deficiency disorders. The limited available literature shows that even in iodine sufficient population, pregnant women are iodine deficient. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the current iodine nutrition status among pregnant women in Ballabgarh, district Faridabad, Haryana. Materials and Methods: Pregnant women were recruited from antenatal clinic (ANC) of subdistrict hospital (SDH), Ballabgarh, Haryana. Consecutive sampling strategy was followed to recruit pregnant women, and women of all trimesters were included in the study. Urinary iodine estimation was done using simple microplate method, and salt iodine was estimated using iodometric titration. The study was approved by Institute Ethics Committee, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Results: Out of the total 1031 pregnant women, 90.9% were using adequately iodized salt. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) salt consumption by the pregnant women was 8.3 (6.7, 11.1) g/day. Median (IQR) urinary iodine concentration (UIC) for the pregnant women was 260 (199, 323) µg/L. Only 13.5% of pregnant women had insufficient iodine intake (UIC <150 µg/L). There was no significant difference in median UIC values by household salt iodine content and across three trimesters of pregnancy. Conclusion: Iodine nutrition status of the pregnant women attending ANC clinic of SDH Ballabgarh was adequate with attainment of universal salt iodization goal of >90% adequately iodized salt coverage in the study population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preeclampsia in pregnancy has been shown to be associated with low serum calcium level. Though the evidence is abundant, it is equivocal. Objectives: The study aimed to estimate the dietary calcium intake and serum calcium status among pregnant women, and to document the association of the dietary calcium intake and serum calcium status with incidence of preeclampsia in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site, Ballabgarh, Haryana, India. All pregnant women between 28 weeks and 36 weeks of gestation were interviewed. A semi-structured interview schedule and a 24-h dietary recall questionnaire were administered to assess the dietary calcium intake. AutoAnalyser (Biolis 24i) was used for measuring serum calcium. Results: We enrolled 217 pregnant women. The mean [standard deviation (SD)] dietary calcium intake was 858 (377) mg/day. The mean (SD) serum calcium level was 9.6 mg/dL (0.56). Incidence of preeclampsia was 13.4%. Preeclampsia was not associated with hypocalcemia [odds ratio (OR) = 1.2 95% confidence interval (CI); 0.27-3.98]. Conclusion: The majority of pregnant women had inadequate dietary calcium intake. The prevalence of hypocalcemia was low. Low serum calcium level was not associated with preeclampsia. Calcium supplementation may not reduce preeclampsia in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Induced abortion has been legal in India on a broad range of medical and social grounds since 1980s. Often, induced abortion is resorted to as a means for contraception, and has a potential to be misused for sex selective feticide. We assessed the rates, trends, causes and determinants of induced abortions from 2008-12 in a rural community of northern India. Methods: Present study is a secondary data analysis of pregnancy outcomes at Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System from 2008-12. The data was retrieved from the Health and Management Information System maintained at Ballabgarh. Cause of abortion was self-reported by the women who underwent abortion. Results: Of the 11,102 pregnancies, 1,226 (11 %) culminated as abortions of which 425 (3.8 %) were induced abortions. Spontaneous abortion rate (7.2 %) was twice that of induced abortion rate (3.8 %). Both abortion rates had an increasing trend during the course of the study period. Self-reported reasons for opting for induced abortions were bleeding per vaginum (23 %), unwanted pregnancy (16 %), and unviable fetus diagnosed by ultrasonography (11%). Eight percent of the induced abortions were due to the female sex of the fetus. About 11% of the abortions were performed beyond 20 weeks of gestation which was the upper legal permissible gestational age for performing induced abortions in India. About 10 % of the abortions were performed by unqualified practitioners. Caste, wealth index, birth order and size of the village population were the factors that were significantly associated with induced abortion. Conclusions: Though the abortion rate was low, the proportionate contribution of induced abortion was more than what could be expected. Unsafe and sex selective abortion, though illegal, was prevalent. Upper caste and higher socio-economic status families were more likely to opt for induced abortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To review the studies on iodine nutrition of pregnant women in India. Methods: A systematic review of published literature assessing the iodine nutrition status of pregnant women in India was performed. Percentage households using adequately iodised salt, Urinary Iodine (UI) concentration, Total Goitre Rate (TGR) and serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) were the indicators studied. The cut off values for iodine nutrition sufficiency for the studied indicators as defined by WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD guidelines were used. For studies which provided data only as per old cut-offs, the new estimates were imputed. Results: Five out of nine studies were community based studies. The percentage of pregnant women consuming adequately iodised salt ranged from 59.5% to 95%. Median UI concentration value ranged from 95 µg/L to 178 µg/L and in only one study pregnant women had median UI concentration greater than 150 µg/L. TGR was reported in 5 studies, ranging from 1.9% to 45%. Conclusions: Review of available studies from India shows a significant iodine deficiency in pregnant women. There is a need to conduct national level representative survey to better quantify the iodine nutrition of pregnant women in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To review the studies on iodine nutrition of pregnant women in India. Methods: A systematic review of published literature assessing the iodine nutrition status of pregnant women in India was performed. Percentage households using adequately iodised salt, Urinary Iodine (UI) concentration, Total Goitre Rate (TGR) and serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) were the indicators studied. The cut off values for iodine nutrition sufficiency for the studied indicators as defined by WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD guidelines were used. For studies which provided data only as per old cut-offs, the new estimates were imputed. Results: Five out of nine studies were community based studies. The percentage of pregnant women consuming adequately iodised salt ranged from 59.5% to 95%. Median UI concentration value ranged from 95 µg/L to 178 µg/L and in only one study pregnant women had median UI concentration greater than 150 µg/L. TGR was reported in 5 studies, ranging from 1.9% to 45%. Conclusions: Review of available studies from India shows a significant iodine deficiency in pregnant women. There is a need to conduct national level representative survey to better quantify the iodine nutrition of pregnant women in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]