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Biomedical subjects

A al-Meshari

Publications and source records attributed to A al-Meshari.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Trends in maternal mortality in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To identify trends and factors related to maternal death, and areas that need improvement. METHODS: A prospective national survey, a multistage sample of the hospitals of Saudi Arabia. The setting was a maternal mortality survey committee in Riyadh with field/area coordinators in different areas of the Kingdom. The subjects were women who died or who were dead on arrival in hospital during pregnancy or within 6 weeks of the end of pregnancy. All the data were coded and analyzed. EPINFO software was used to calculate the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and the relative risk for the necessary variables. RESULTS: The MMR was 18 per 100,000 births (155/880 248). Mortality was higher in older multiparous women of low income and no education. Hemorrhage, both antepartum and postpartum, was the leading cause of maternal death, together with rupture of the uterus and abortive bleeding, constituting 43% of direct and 29% of total maternal deaths. Substandard care was identified in 73% of direct maternal deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The MMR in Saudi Arabia compares favorably with that of developed countries and the oil-producing Gulf states. Improving the number of booked patients, especially older grand multiparas, increasing the availability of banked blood and adopting a positive approach towards life-saving surgery are likely to reduce maternal deaths.

Adult↗

Intravenous iron sucrose complex in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravenous iron sucrose complex (ISC) as compared with oral ferrous sulfate in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: prospective, open, controlled study in which pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia were sequentially selected from the antenatal clinic and assigned either to ISC (study group) or to ferrous sulfate (control group). METHODS: Each study patient was given the total calculated amount of ICS (Hb deficit (g/l) x body weight (kg) x 0.3) in divided doses (200 mg (elemental iron) in 100 ml normal saline intravenously over 1 h daily) followed by 10 mg/kg to replenish iron stores. Each patient of the control group was given ferrous sulfate 300 mg (60 mg elemental iron) orally three times a day. All patients were monitored for adverse effects, clinical and laboratory response. RESULTS: There were 52 patients and 59 controls. ISC group achieved a significantly higher Hb level (128.5 +/- 6.6 g/l vs. 111.4 +/- 12.4 g/l in the control group P < or = 0.001) in a shorter period (6.9 +/- 1.8 weeks vs. 14.9 +/- 3.1 weeks in the control group, P < or = 0.001). ISC complex group showed no major side effects while 4 (6%) of the control group could not tolerate ferrous sulfate, 18 (30%) complained of disturbing gastrointestinal symptoms and 18 (30%) had poor compliance. CONCLUSION: We conclude that ISC is safe and effective in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy.

Administration, Oral↗

Three consecutive recurrent ectopic pregnancies.

A case of three consecutive repeated ectopic pregnancies is presented in a 36-year-old woman who was being managed for infertility. The first two ectopic pregnancies occurred in the right fallopian tube, and both were treated conservatively. All three ectopic pregnancies were confirmed histopathologically. The aetiology, symptoms and management of the case are discussed, and the literature is reviewed.

Adult↗

Foetal hepatic calcification.

Thirty-three cases of 1,500 spontaneously-aborted foetuses showed hepatic calcifications. The exact location of these calcifications were confirmed by contrast studies, anatomic dissection, and further histology when necessary. Of them, 18 were calcified hepatic vein thrombi (CHVT), 12 were calcified portal vein thrombi (CPVT), 2 were parenchymal calcifications, and one was mixed. Associated anomalies were high (85% of cases). No significant difference was found between the type and percentage of anomalies of those with CHVT and those with CPVT. The most common anomalies encountered in all cases were meconium intraluminal calcification (27%), cystic hygroma (18%), and metaphyseal defect (18%). In view of this, it is suggested that a variety of severe foetal illnesses predispose to CHVT and CPVT. At correlation with maternal factors, it was found that the highest incidence was in the third decade. A significant high percentage of mothers (33%) had been on contraceptive pills, and there was interesting inverse relationship of hepatic calcification with gravidity. Practically, it is also hoped that the awareness of the presence of various types of hepatic calcifications will help in their detection prenatally by ultrasound.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Correlation of smoking and coffee drinking with sperm progressive motility in infertile males.

The objective of the study was to assess the effect of some social characteristics on the forward progressive motion of sperms in males of infertile couples. The study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, King Kahlid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh, from September 1, 1994 to February 28, 1995. Semen specimens were obtained from 68 Saudi males of infertile couples, and 29 fertile males. Using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA), sperm forward progressive motion was determined and graded on a scale of 1-4. The actuarial life table survival analysis method was used to investigate the sperm motility potentials across intervals 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, and 3-4 and the effect of smoking and coffee drinking was also determined on the sperm motility. Smoking was found to significantly improve sperm motility among the infertile group. Similarly, frequent coffee drinking was shown to enhance sperm motility. There is a need for further studies on the influence of smoking and coffee drinking, as well as the plethora of other influence of the daily life that may compound the detection of the subtle changes in semen quality.

Adult↗