Maternity And Children Hospital Research Articles

A cross-sectional analysis of preterm birth incidence and survival in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.

To understand the prevalence and survival rates of preterm birth (PTB) is of utmost importance in informing healthcare planning, improving neonatal care, enhancing maternal and infant health, monitoring long-term outcomes, and guiding policy and advocacy efforts. The medical records of preterm infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with a diagnosis of prematurity at the Maternity and Children's Hospital (MCH), Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, were reviewed between January 2018 and December 2022. Data were collected on birth weight (BW), gender, number of live births, gestational age, mortality, nationality, APGAR score, length of stay in the NICU, and maternal details. A total of 9809 live births were identified between 2018 and 2022, of which 139 (3.9%) were born preterm. The overall mortality rate of the included sample was 7.19%, whereas the mortality rate according to BW was 38.4% of those born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW). The most common intrapartum complications were malpresentation (15.1%), placental complications (4.3%), and cord complications (3.6%). This study provides valuable insights into the prevalence of PTB in the country, particularly focusing on the vulnerability of extremely preterm babies.

Assessment of Diverse Pelvic Pain in the First Trimester of Pregnancy with Ultrasound Guidance

Identifying and treating a pelvic pain during pregnancy can be challenging. Pregnant women still use ultrasound as their primary imaging modality. The current study set out to investigate the potential function of ultrasonography guidance in various pelvic pain sources during the first trimester of pregnancy. The Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) and the Department of Radiology collaborated together to perform this cross-sectional descriptive study. 50 pregnant women, ages ranging from under 20 to over 30, who had pelvic pain throughout the first trimester (up to 12 weeks gestational age) participated in the study. All women had undergone clinical evaluations then to be referred for ultrasonography scans for the confirmation of diagnosis. SPSS software (version 25) was used to analyze the data and association using Odds ratio and multivariable logistic regression. In a study of 50 pregnant women with an assisted ultrasound. Among 22 (44%) and 28(56%) women were viable and non-viable pregnant. 60 percent of the women were primigravida, and 40 percent were multigravida. With a mean BMI of 28.7±4.21, the average age was 27.3±13.18 years. The most frequent causes of pelvic pain were abortion (22%), uterine fibroid (14%), and corpus luteal cyst (12%) in addition to Scar site pregnancy, Sub chorionic hematoma, ectopic pregnancy, and acute appendicitis were 8%,6%,6% and 1% respectively. whereas 30% of a normal pregnancy was found. The most reliable and non-invasive diagnostic technique for identifying various types of pelvic pain in pregnant women is ultrasound. It has been demonstrated that the timely treatment of women through the use of ultrasonography reduces the mortality rates linked with pregnancy problems.

Examining the Prevalence of Congenital Anomalies in Newborns: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Care Maternity Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Congenital anomalies, representing structural or functional abnormalities present at birth, pose a substantial global health challenge, affecting 8 million newborns annually. With 3.3 million succumbing before age five and 3.2 million facing physical or mental disability, their diverse causes necessitate comprehensive understanding for effective healthcare planning. This study explores the prevalence of congenital anomalies among newborns in the Abha Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) in Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional record-based study was conducted on newborns born between 2018 and 2022. Data were gathered in 4 months from September to December 2023. Purposive sampling was employed to select the case records of newborns with congenital anomalies after careful screening and considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was acquired through a self-designed study tool, and the data were entered into Google Forms. Results: Congenital anomalies' five-year prevalence was 3.21%, and one year, in 2022, the prevalence was 4.02%. Female neonates exhibited higher anomalies (59.3%), and preterm births accounted for 39.6%, emphasizing their vulnerability. The findings indicate that consanguineous marriages are linked to 63.3% of anomalies, notably neural tube defects (25%) and congenital heart diseases (19.7%). Anomalies are not significantly associated with consanguinity or birth order, but maternal age, education, employment, and antenatal maternal medical issues are associated considerably. Conclusions: These study insights contribute to health planners planning targeted interventions and awareness programs that are crucial to mitigate risks associated with preterm births and consanguineous marriages. The promotion of 100% antenatal screening and prophylactic medication for high-risk women and couples is necessary to prevent inherited deformities. In future the Ministry of Health must plan large-group prospective research to better understand the associated risk factors that will help public health initiatives minimize congenital-associated neonatal mortality and improve pregnancy outcomes.

Prevalence of High Blood Pressure in Pregnant Women in Aljouf, Saudi Arabia

Raised blood pressure during pregnancy may result in the death of the mother and the fetus. In frontline healthcare settings, there aren't enough studies on its prevalence and associated factors. Our goal was to assess the prevalence of HBP and its risk factors among pregnant women in the Aljouf area. A cross-sectional study conducted in the obstetrics department of Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) Sakaka, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia, included a pregnant woman with high blood pressure (HBP). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the causes of HBP. A bout 451 pregnant women with high blood pressure were included among 3750 other pregnant women. In general, the prevalence of HBP was 12% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7-2.3); among women, it was 0.7% (95% CI 0.3-1.1), 1.6% (95% CI 0.8-2.1), and 3% (95% CI 1.2-8.6) in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Trimester of pregnancy, age, income, occupation, and parity, were not linked to HBP during pregnancy in the multivariable analysis. HBP was present in 12% of pregnant women in the Aljouf region, which is considered to be of moderate-high prevalence. High blood pressure during pregnancy can harm both the mother and the fetus. As a result, the prevalence research has the benefit of encouraging medical professionals to conduct early screening, which helps with prevention, treatment, and also decreases the burden of negative pregnancy outcomes

Microbiological profile and antibiotic resistance of urinary tract infections in Maternity and Children Hospital, Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia within 2022

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the antibiotic sensitivity, microbial resistance, and prevalence of the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections (UTIs) at Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH), Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Analysis was done on 1273 culture samples that were processed in the microbiology lab between January and December of 2022. Results: In all, 1273 urine culture (UC) samples were gathered. Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 46.9% of the 1273 positive UC, followed by Gram-positive bacteria with 28.8%, fungal pathogens with 13.1%, and Gram-negative non-fermenting bacteria with 11.2%. The most common uropathogenic organism (76.8%) was Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which was followed by Escherichia coli (55.6%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (22.9%), and Klebsiella pneumonia (24.3%). Candida albicans (69.5%) was determined to be the most frequent agent in terms of fungus, followed by C. glabrata (19.2%). The study revealed that the bacterial isolates exhibited effective resistance to antimicrobial drugs such as Amikacin, Cefepime, Ciprofloxacin, Gentamicin, imipenem, Levofloxacin, and Piperacillin/Tazobactam when administered against Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, the most effective antibiotics against Gram‑positive was Erythromycin but were sensitive to Vancomycin. Conclusions: One of the most typical infections that affect women is bacterial urinary tract infection. Using antibiotics for a very long time, and their misuse will result in the widespread growth of resistant bacteria.

Parental Knowledge of Appendicitis and Its Management Options Among Children of Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia.

Despite decades of studies, appendicitis in children still presents several uncertainties regarding optimal treatment. To assess parental understanding of appendicitis, along with its risks and treatment, and to determine attitudes to operative and non-operative treatment of uncomplicated appendicitis. This is a cross-sectional study. The current study has targeted all parents who visited the pediatric outpatient departments or clinics at three different hospitals in Makkah and Jeddah City, including Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) in Makkah, King Fahad Armed Force Hospital (KFAFH), and Saudi German Private Hospital (SGH) in Jeddah. Data was collected via an online Google form and was analyzed by using SPSS. A total of 408 subjects were involved in this study. The majority of them were females (74.5%); 25.5% weremales. Most of the study participants aged between 25 and 34 years. Our results found that the average knowledge score of the study population was 4.1±1.81 out of 11. Only 23.5%of them had good knowledge about appendicitis. More than half of the respondents identified the appendix as a part of the digestive system and most of the study population were aware of the currenttreatment for appendicitis, which is surgery (80.9%). Female participants and respondents who knew someone that has been treated for appendicitis were significantly associated with a better level of knowledge about appendicitis (P-values: 0.011 and 0.033, respectively). Moreover, we found that educational level significantly influenced preference for treatment with antibiotics and surgeryif appendicitis happened again (P-value: 0.049). The study population had poor knowledge of appendicitis and its management options. The highlighted criteria of self-reported relevance to parents should be addressed in all appendicitis counseling and consent. We advocate for the establishment of national public awareness campaigns, as well as increased research and clinical trials. Understanding lay views of treatment alternatives and efficacy will influence future approaches to appendicitis therapy by analyzing the community's preference for emerging treatment modalities and identifying future directions for patient-centered clinical trials.

Antibiotic-Prescribing Patterns Among Patients With Respiratory Symptoms in the Eastern Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Background Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) represent the most common diagnosis in ambulatory care settings. Some of these infections are properly treated with antibiotics, but evidence points to an inappropriate overuse of antibiotics in URTI management. This overuse is linked to antibiotic resistance, drug-related adverse effects, and increased costs. Objective This study evaluated the prevalence and predictors of antibiotic prescription for patients with URTI symptoms at the primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) and pediatric emergency department (ED) of the Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Methods A prospective study was conducted in the PHCCs and pediatric ED of MCH. Trained physicians collected data on patients with URTI symptoms aged three years and older. Scores based on modified Centor criteria were calculated, and rapid antigen detection tests(RADTs) were conducted for all study participants. Results Out of 469 patients with a URTI, 141 (30.1%) received a prescription for an antibiotic, with a smaller proportion in the PHCCs (n=85; 24.4%) than in the pediatric ED (n=56; 46.3%). The main significant predictors of antibiotic prescription in terms of odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were a positive RADT result (OR=41.75, 95%CI=4.76-366.28), the presence of tonsillar exudate (OR=5.066, 95%CI=3.08-8.33), tender and/or swollen anterior cervical lymph nodes (OR=4.537, 95%CI=1.96-10.54), and fever (OR=3.519, 95%CI=2.33-5.31). A higher Centor score was also a predictor (2 to 5 vs. -1 to 1) (OR=2.72, 95%CI=1.8-4.12). The absence of a cough was not a significant predictor (OR=1.13, 95%CI=0.74-1.72). Conclusions Although a positive RADT increased the likelihood that a patient would be prescribed an antibiotic at the time of assessment, most antibiotic prescriptions were not justified. To control expenses, prevent adverse effects, and limit the spread of antibiotic resistance, efforts should be made to reduce unnecessarily high antibiotic usage.

Does Good Nebulization Therapy in the Emergency Room Reduce the Need for Hospitalization in Asthmatic Children?

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by obstruction, hyperresponsiveness, and inflammatory changes in the airways. The overall prevalence of asthma in Saudi Arabian children ranges from 8% to 25%. Studies have shown that children who did not respond adequately to treatment in the emergency room (ER) were admitted to hospital for additional treatment which increased the cost and risk of hospital-acquiredinfections. The quality of nebulization therapy is influenced by several factors such as the position, dose, oxygen flow rate, and duration of treatment. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to explore factors that affect nebulization therapy in ER and to assess the relation between nebulization technique in ER and hospital admission for asthmatic children, and these aims were achieved over the period from December 2021 to May 2023. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) in Medina at the ER over the period from December 2021 to May 2023 for all children admitted to ER with asthma exacerbation. The sample size used to include patients in the study is 289 calculated using the Openepi website. Data were collected by observation and using medical records of the patients and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The total number of the sample was 289 children ages between two to 14 years. Sixty-four percent (n=185) reported as their gender as male while 36% (n = 104) as female.The median age of the children was four years old (interquartile range [IQR] = 4), and their median weight was 15 kg (IQR = 8.15). Also, more than 83% of the patients has mild asthma, while 16.3% of the sample were diagnosed with moderate to severe asthma. Besides, 92.4% of the sample was discharged from a hospital, and 76.5% received an appropriate dose of nebulization. After reviewing the results of the statistical analysis, the main findings were that the severity of asthma exacerbation was the most important factor influencing the outcome. It was found that 0.4% of patients with mild asthma were admitted to the hospital, compared to 44.7% of patients with moderate to severe asthma. Our study assessed whether effective nebulization therapy in the ER will reduce the need for hospitalization in asthmatic children and the results indicate that the severity of asthma exacerbation was the most significant factor impacting hospital admission in asthmatic patients and influenced other factors of nebulization therapy. However, the other factors, such as the patient position, oxygen flow rate, and the dose of medications did not show any clinically significant impact on hospitalization rates.

Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Hospitals: Age-Specificity and Potential Zoonotic-Zooanthroponotic Transmission Dynamics.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) lineages are a devastating clinical and public health issue. Data on local lineage profiles are limited. We report on the frequency of community-acquired and hospital-acquired cases (CA-MRSA, HA-MRSA). We studied 147 isolates from King Khalid tertiary care hospitals (KKH), each from a case in a patient and including 33 patients at the Maternity and Children's Hospital (MCH). Of the 147 isolates, 87 males (59%) and 60 females (41%) were in KKH. The overwhelming majority (80%; n = 119/147) were CA-MRSA in KKH. Intriguingly, despite significant differences between males (70%) and females (53%), lineage-acquisition remained age-specific around 58-60 years in both genders. However, while CA-MRSA dominated early in life (0-20, 70% MCH), it increased with age in KKH adults; 21-50 (28%), >50 (59%) until the overall 80% (n = 144/180). Major specimens included skin-wounds, surgeries (70.3%), blood (13.5%), sputum (8.8%), very rarely urine (4.1%), and nasal (3.4%), albeit most patients showed severe enteritis and necrotizing pneumonia. Antibiograms showed high beta lactam resistances, including amoxicillin-clavulanate (83%), oxacillin (84%), cefoxitin FOX (100%), penicillin and ampicillin (~100%), as well as high resistance (82%) to carbapenem. Fortunately, high susceptibility was seen to non-beta lactams and, to a lesser extent, gentamicin, erythromycin, and fusidic acid; 33%, 34%, and 38%, respectively, in KKH. A similar pattern was seen in MCH except for a low resistance pattern to gentamicin CN, clindamycin CD, erythromycin E, and tobramycin TOB; 34%, 31%, 39%, and 41%, respectively, except for fusidic acid. These findings have significant clinical implications for MRSA patient management strategies. Clinical- and lineage-profiles imply host-selection and zoonotic-zooanthroponotic transmission dynamics. Future molecular typing, sequencing, and characterization of dominant clone(s) is imperative.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on key performance indicators in three Saudi hospitals.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) disrupted healthcare systems and medical care worldwide. This study attempts to assess the performance of three Saudi hospitals during COVID-19 by comparing waiting times for outpatient appointments and the volume of elective surgeries before and after COVID-19. We used ADA'A data collected from three Saudi hospitals for this retrospective cohort study. The outcome variables were "Waiting Time for Appointment" and "Elective OR Utilization". The hospitals included in this study were: a 300-bed maternity and children's hospital; a 643-bed general hospital; and a 1230-bed tertiary hospital. We included all patients who visited the OPD and OR in the time period from September 2019 to December 2021. A two-way ANOVA test was used to examine the differences in the outcome variables by hospital and by the phase of COVID-19. For the elective OR utilization rate, the results showed that both the hospital and the phase of COVID-19 were significantly different (p-value < 0.05). On average, the elective OR utilization rate dipped considerably in the early phase of COVID-19 (33.2% vs 44.9%) and jumped sharply in the later phase (50.3%). The results showed that the waiting time for OPD appointment was significantly different across hospitals and before and after COVID-19 in each hospital (p-value < 0.05). the waiting time dropped during the early phase of COVID-19 for both the general hospital (GEN) (24.6 days vs 34.8 days) and the tertiary hospital (MDC) (40.3 days vs 48.6 days), while the maternity and children's hospital (MCH)'s score deteriorated sharply (24.6 days vs 9.5 days). This study indicates that COVID-19 led to a significant impact on elective surgery rates and waiting time for OPD appointments in the early stage of the pandemic when the lockdown strategy was implemented in the country. Although the elective surgery rate had decreased at the designated COVID-hospital, the waiting time for OPD appointment had improved. This is a clear indication that the careful planning and management of resources for essential services during pandemic was effective.

The knowledge of infant CPR among parents visiting Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) in Al –Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

Background: CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is a medical procedure that anyone can learn which can help to save a life in the event of a medical emergency. Resuscitation Council UK report that for every minute that a person in cardiac arrest does not receive CPR its survival chance drops by up to 10%. However, an inadequate public awareness and knowledge of infant and pediatric CPR have been documented. Therefore, parents and caregiver should be educated about infant CPR which can help in correctly implementing it and save the life of infant. This study was conducted on the mothers attending the MCH for the baby care is to assess their knowledge on infant CPR skill. Material and methods: This was a Cross sectional study conducted at Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) in AL- Ahsa. All the parents visiting MCH with their children for the treatment were the study population. The website Raosoft was used to calculate the sample size (n=284). Convenient sampling technique was used to collect the sample. Pretested and predesigned self-reported questionnaire from the previous regional study was distributed to the selected sample participants. The data were entered and analyzed by using the SPSS; version 21. Descriptive statistics were presented using counts, proportions (%), mean ± standard deviation whenever appropriate. Descriptive statistics (e.g. number, percentage) and analytic statistics using Chi Square tests (χ2) to test for the association and/or the difference between two categorical variables were applied. A p-value equal to or less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 254 out of 284 subjects responded the questionnaires. The mean age of the participants was 38.65 years ± Std. Dev. 9.90 years .The majority of the participants (61.0%) were graduate Almost sixteen percent (15.7%) of the participants had family history of heart disease. Fifty percent of the participants had attended the CPR course. An overwhelming majority of the participants (87.0%) were willing to take a short course of infant CPR if it is available in MCH. The mean knowledge sore in infant CPR of the participants was 2.42 ± Std.Dev.1.33 (Range 00-6). More than forty one percent of the participants had poor knowledge regarding Infant CPR while 58.7% had good knowledge. As educational qualification increased the percent of good knowledge significantly also increased .The participants who did not have the family history of cardiac disease were having significantly good knowledge about infant(P=0.01).Those participants who had attended infant CPR course had significantly higher knowledge score than those who did not attend the infant CPR course (76.37% vs.40.94%, P=0.000) Those participants who were not willing to take a short course of infant CPR had significantly better knowledge score on infant CPR as compared to those participants who were willing to join the course on infant CPR (69.69% vs.57.01%,P=0.021). Conclusion: The present study has shown a better knowledge among the females regarding infant CPR as compared to other studies conducted in Saudi Arabia. The participants in this study were found very motivated to learn the skills of infant CPR. However there is a need to develop programmers for teaching the infant CPR to the mothers at all level of health care facility attending the MCH, Al Ahsa.

A Histopathological Profile of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease in the Madinah Region of Saudi Arabia

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a rare and often curable group of diseases that has a large range of morphological features, sometimes making the diagnosis difficult. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the pathological frequency and histopathological profile of GTD diagnoses in the Madinah region of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The computerized record of the pathology department of the Maternity and Children's Hospital (MCH) in Madinah, KSA, was reviewed from July 2015 to June 2021. During the study period, all the pathology reports with diagnosis of GTD were included in the study for the following parameters: age, nationality, year of diagnosis, type of GTD, and total annual number of pregnancies. Simple statistical analysis was performed, utilizing the SPSS-19 software. A total of 289 cases of GTD were diagnosed during the study period. The mean age was 33.47 ± 9.3, and most of the patients (n = 106, 36.2%) were in the fourth decade [31-40 age group]. Histologically, the most common type diagnosed was Hydatidiform mole [HM] (n = 284, 98.6%), followed by three cases of trophoblastic neoplasm (1.0%) and one case of tumor-like condition called exaggerated placental site (0.3%). Complete HM (n = 53, 50%) was common in the fourth decade, whereas partial HM (n = 50, 53.8%) was common in the third decade. In the Al Madinah region of KSA, the most common type of GTD in women was HM. Most GTD cases were found in women between the ages of 31 to 40 years. The frequency of GTD, its histopathological subtypes are consistent with most of the studies on GTD; however, larger studies involving multiple centers are recommended, for confirmation of present study's findings.

Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Northeastern Saudi Hospitals

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for serious threats to human health, causing various syndromes worldwide. Here, our purpose was to estimate the prevalence of nosocomial MRSA among isolates from King Khalid Hospital (KKH) and Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) at Hafar Al-Batin Governorate, Saudi Arabia, and to determine the resistance of these isolates to common antibiotics used for treatment. One-hundred clinical specimens were collected from admitted patients during a six month period, and subjected to MRSA screening using traditional microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was also performed and confirmed by the VITEK2 automated system. Among the 37 S. aureus strains isolated from KKH, 23 (62.16%) were identified as MRSA. In MCH, 38 (60.31%) out 63 isolated strains were identified as MRSA. According to AST, few MRSA strains were resistant to teicoplanin, fosfomycin, linezolid, and mupirocin in both hospitals. Vancomycin resistance was not detected in any of the MRSA strains. Twelve MRSA strains from KKH and 17 strains from MCH were considered multidrug resistant (MDR). In conclusion, prevention is critical to reduce the high prevalence of MRSA.

Assessment of Saudi Women's Adherence and Experience with Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis after Cesarean Section Delivery Using Telemedicine Technology.

Background Telemedicine technology is widely used especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be used to give medical advice as well as follow up with the patients at home in the outpatient setting. Low molecular weight heparin, such as enoxaparin, decreases the risk of venous thromboembolism after cesarean delivery. Objective assessing postcesarean women's adherence and experience to enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis regimens in the outpatient setting via telephone calls. Methods prospective cohort study was conducted in the Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH). Postcesarean women were interviewed at the postnatal ward in the MCH. The participants were followed up for 10 days of the delivery to assess their adherence to and experience with enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis. Suboptimal adherence was defined as the missing of one or more doses of enoxaparin. Results 170 women participated in this study. The majority of them (78.8%) were fully adherent to enoxaparin while 21.2% missed at least one dose. The most-reported causes for suboptimal adherence were perceived lack of necessity (44.4%), forget to take the injection (30.6%), feeling of high load going to the primary care unit to take injection (27.8%), and fear of injection (11.1%). Conclusion Telemedicine technology could be used to assess patients' adherence. The study results showed that the majority of participants were fully adherent to postcesarean enoxaparin but more than 20% of the participants were suboptimal adherent. Proper patient education techniques could influence patients' adherence and potentially decrease the risk of DVT in those populations.

Pregnancy related complications due to obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus among women in Saudi Arabia.

Gestational Diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the major maternal health problems in Middle East countries. In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence rates of GDM fall in the range of 16.2% to 24.2%. The study determined the antenatal complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with GDM among a sample of Obese/GDM and Non-Obese/GDM women. A record based retrospective study was conducted including females who received obstetric care in a tertiary care hospital in Ha'il city of Saudi Arabia from December 2020 to June 2021. We gathered data from the medical records of 376 pregnant females who were registered and delivered at Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH). Multinomial regression analysis was applied to determine independent association of GDM and Obesity with pre-postnatal health outcomes. Out of 376 pregnant women 29.2% were identified as (Non-Obese/Non-GDM); 37.1% of women as having both conditions (GDM/Obesity); 19.2% as (Non-Obese/GDM) and 14.1% as (Obese/Non-GDM). The proportion of underweight and overweight babies were high in women with both conditions (Obese/GDM). Findings from our regression analysis demonstrated that Non-Obese/GDM women were 2.7 times more likely to have high child birthweight (p <0.001) when compared to Non-Obese/Non-GDM. Obese/GDM women were more likely to have low Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration (APGAR) scores (p <0.001) and increase neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions (p<0.01). Healthcare policy makers and professionals should revisit gaps in existing obstetrical care to prevent adverse impact on women and newborn health. Non-Obese women at risk of GDM should also be given due attention for early screening, timely diagnosis, and appropriate pre-postnatal care.

Macrosomia predictors and pregnancy outcomes in Gestational Diabetes patients: An observational study from Ha'il, Saudi Arabia.

Objectives:To determine the prevalence, risk factors for macrosomia and pregnancy outcome in women with gestational diabetes (GDM).Methods:In this prospective observational study, we included the data of 161 pregnant females diagnosed with GDM. The study was conducted from December 1st, 2020 to June 30, 2021, at the Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH) of Hail, Saudi Arabia. The data regarding risk factors of macrosomia was obtained from each patient. The patients were followed till the delivery of the baby. The data regarding the prevalence of fetal macrosomia and its associated outcomes was noted.Results:The prevalence of fetal macrosomia was 19.8%. Maternal obesity (OR 4.87), poorly controlled diabetes (OR 3.3), previous history of good-sized baby (OR 2.30), previous history of congenital abnormalities (OR 7.2) were the significant risk factors of fetal macrosomia. The prevalence of maternal and fetal complications was high among pregnancies complicated by fetal macrosomia. The prevalence of fetal macrosomia and other fetal complications was high in poorly controlled GDM patients in comparison to optimal control GDM patients.Conclusion:Fetal macrosomia is a common complication among GDM patients. Maternal obesity and poorly controlled diabetes are the common modifiable maternal factors contributing to macrosomia.

The Prevalence of Antenatal Depression among Women in Medina, Saudi Arabia

Background: Antenatal depression is a recognized global burden. However, it has remained an ignored part of public health. Most of the maternal depression interventions have been directed towards post-natal depression.&#x0D; Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study was to understand the third-trimester antenatal depression risk factors and prevalence among Saudi Arabian women.&#x0D; Method: This study employed cross-sectional study design from April 2020 to June 2020 and 201 participants were recruited for this study. The study was conducted at Medina in the Maternity and Children's Hospital (MCH) from April 2020 to June 2020. The inclusion criteria were pregnant women who visited the outpatient clinic of antenatal care in MCH. Pregnant women who had a known familial history or already been diagnosed with depression before pregnancy were excluded from this study. The collection of the data was through researcher administered questionnaire to the pregnant women meeting eligibility criteria who were visiting the clinic of antenatal care at the Maternity and Children's Hospital. Data were collected using a structured and validated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). All the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Anova and t-test statistics. &#x0D; Results: Antenatal depression among participants stands at 35.8% for normal/ minimal depression, 31.3% for mild depression, 3.9% for moderate depression, 5.5% for moderately severe, and 3.5% for severe depression. Antenatal depression was mostly prevalent in the third trimester.&#x0D; Conclusion: The antenatal depression prevalence among pregnant women in Medina is high. Screening for mental health problems and provision of supportive mental health services as a component of antenatal care services is recommended.

Impact of COVID-19 on Antenatal Care Utilization Among Pregnant Women in Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Background and objectivesCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected routine service delivery which might affect antenatal care (ANC) utilization among pregnant women. This study aimed to assess the proportion of missed appointments among pregnant women in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among pregnant women admitted for delivery in Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH), Buraidah. Data were collected on socio-demographics, obstetric history, missed appointments and reasons for missing the appointment. Analysis was carried out in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Medians with interquartile range (IQR) were presented for continuous variables and frequency and proportions for categorical variables. Logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with the missed appointment.ResultsA total of 400 women were included in the study. About one-third (30%) of the women had missed at least one ANC appointment in their current pregnancy. The most common reasons for missing the appointments in primary care and hospitals, respectively, were: fear of infection 52% and 47%, facility not working usual 25% and 7.5%, fear of infection to child 19% and 17%. Family size and gravidity were the significant factors associated with missed appointments in our study.ConclusionsNearly one-third of women missed their ANC appointments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Major reasons were related to COVID-19 fear and its effect on services. This calls for proper health communication in the general population and delivering routine care with evidence-based guidelines to maintain continuity of care.

The potential effects of vitamin D deficiency on respiratory distress syndrome among preterm infants.

Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most commonly deficient vitamins worldwide. Preterm infants usually suffer from different complications. However, the relationship between vitamin D levels and RDS prevalence has been emerging in the last few years. This study aimed to assess the severity of respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants who are ≤34weeks GA, with a birth weight of ≤2kg, and its relation to their serum blood level of vitamin D. This is a multicenter study conducted at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH), Qassim, Saudi Arabia. We observed prospectively all preterm babies who were ≤34weeksGA with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) serum level ≤30ng/ml at 24h of life or less. Included infants were divided into 2 groups; infants with 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of ≤30ng/ml were the deficient group and those with >30ng/ml were considered in the normal group. 174 preterm infants were included in this study with an average gestational age of 30.2± 2.7 weeks. The mean vitamin D level was 30.5 (SD 19.5). Vitamin D deficiency was detected among 99 infants (56.9%). Of the deficient infants, 26.3% were severe, 42.4% moderate and 31.3% were mild. Pneumothorax was 2.9% and mortality rates were recorded among 14 cases (8%). Vitamin D deficiency was widely prevalent among preterm neonates. Pneumothorax, surfactant doses, oxygen, and mechanical ventilation requirements were statistically significant at vitamin D deficiency.

Prevalence of Anemia among Pregnant Women in Maternity and Children Hospital at Buraidah City

Introduction: Anemia is the common health problem in the developing and developed world and vulnerablegroups are pregnant mother, adolescent girls and children. Iron deficiency anaemia exhibits the icebergphenomenon of the disease.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of anemia, socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habits andsome risk factors associations with anemia.Materials and Method: The present hospital based cross sectional study was conducted at Maternity andChildren Hospital. A total of 233 pregnant women aged between 18-42 years’ age group people were selectedand a structured self-administered questionnaire submitted to all eligible pregnant women and hemoglobinestimation report was taken from the lab record. Data cleaned and entered in Statistical Package for SocialSciences (SPSS) 21.0 Version. Necessary statistical tests like simple proportions and chi square tests wereapplied.Results: Prevalence of anemia among pregnant women was 29.3% in Buraidah city. Prevalence of anemiaincreases with increasing parity and prevalence of anemia among parity >3 was 35.7%. high prevalence ofspacing of > 3 years was observed in 37-42 years’ age group. In the study population, 12.5% were givinganemia history, 10.2% were thyroid problems. About 44.7% were taking iron supplements regularly.Conclusions: Based on the study results, the prevalence of anemia was not very high comparatively toother studies conducted in the kingdom. There was no severe anaemia people in our study. Among pregnantwomen, there is a need to strengthen about the anemia awareness, periodical screening from the adolescentage group, regular intake of iron supplements during pregnancy,