METHOD: Information on demographic characteristics, dietary vitamin D intake from supplement and food, time spent outdoors, skin type and clothing were collected using a questionnaire. Plasma total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels were measured using an Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC). Maternal GC single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs4588 and rs7041) were determined using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique.
RESULTS: Results showed that 50.2% of pregnant women were vitamin D deficient (25OHD
METHODS: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study of 526 women with GDM. Depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms are defined as the final score in mild to extremely severe risk in the severity rating scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v.21, while multiple logistic regression was used to identify predictors of depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms.
RESULTS: Prevalence of anxiety symptoms was highest (39.9%), followed by depressive symptoms (12.5%) and stress symptoms (10.6%) among women with GDM. According to multiple logistic regression analyses, younger age (OR = 0.955, 95% CI = 0.919-0.993), comorbidity with asthma (OR = 2.436, 95% CI = 1.219-4.870) and a family history of depression and anxiety (OR = 4.782, 95% CI = 1.281-17.853) had significant associations with antenatal anxiety symptoms. Being non-Muslim (OR = 2.937, 95% CI = 1.434-6.018) and having a family history of depression and anxiety (OR = 4.706, 95% CI = 1.362-16.254) had significant associations with antenatal depressive symptoms. Furthermore, being non-Muslim (OR = 2.451, 95% CI = 1.273-4.718) had a significant association with antenatal stress symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS: Within a population of women with GDM in Malaysia, those at higher risk of having depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms can be identified from several baseline clinical characteristics. Clinicians should be more alert so that the high-risk patients can be referred earlier for further intervention.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the postnatal experiences and feeding practices between mothers who gave birth before MCO (B-MCO) and during MCO (D-MCO).
METHOD: 1,051 mothers with an infant under 18 months in Malaysia completed an online survey between July 2020 and October 2020. The survey advertisement was disseminated online via various social media platforms.
RESULTS: More D-MCO mothers faced a significant effect on the ability to pay rent/mortgage, with their spouses facing a higher impact on employment. D-MCO mothers were more likely to have changed their birth plans, perceived insufficient breastfeeding support, and experienced changes in postnatal services since MCO. In contrast, more B-MCO mothers had stopped breastfeeding during the MCO and started complementary feeding earlier than planned. Many mothers reported feeling down, lonely, and having sleeping trouble and a poor appetite. D-MCO mothers had more time to focus on their health, whereas B-MCO mothers spent more time outdoors.
DISCUSSION: MCO affected mothers' livelihood and postnatal experiences, potentially causing emotional distress. Hence, improved breastfeeding support, particularly at birth, is recommended, as is routine mental health screening during the postnatal check-up. Furthermore, since online contact was readily accessible during the pandemic, the efficacy of online breastfeeding support should be evaluated.
METHODS: In this case-control study, HSC were isolated from umbilical cord blood (UCB) procured at delivery from 63 mothers with GDM and 67 healthy mothers. Total nucleated cells (TNC) and CD34+ cells were quantified using BD FACSCalibur flow cytometer. The quantity and quality of stem cells were determined.
RESULTS: The GDM group had lower total cord blood volume and lower number of nucleated HSC compared with healthy mothers. Regarding stem cell quantity parameters, they had significantly lower UCB volume (P=0.041), TNC count (P=0.022), total viable NC count (P=0.014), and CD34+ percentage (P=0.014). Regarding the quality of stem cells, they had significantly lower viable TNC percentage (P=0.015). The predictors for total TNC count were longer labor duration (adjusted B coefficient [p]: 0.031 [0.046]), greater estimated blood loss (0.089 [0.005]), female neonates (12.322 [0.049]), and higher placenta weight (0.080 [0.033]). The predictors of total viable NC count were greater estimated blood loss (0.092 [0.003]), female neonates (13.16 [0.035]), and greater placenta weight (0.083 [0.026]).
CONCLUSION: The GDM group had much lower quantity and quality of UCB stem cells. Our results should be taken into consideration when drawing cord blood for unrelated stem cell banking in an obstetric unit to ensure the obtaining of optimal cord blood samples and to avoid unnecessary expenses.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires, recruiting 374 UTAR's students as the respondents by using convenience sampling method. Respondents were categorized as having good/poor level of knowledge and positive/negative attitude towards HPV vaccination.
RESULTS: Over half of the respondents were females (64.5%) and the majority were aged 20 years old and below (55.8%). Generally, 54.7% of the total respondents had a high level of knowledge towards HPV vaccine while 57.5% of the total respondents showed a negative attitude towards HPV vaccine. Female respondents aged 20 years old and below showed good knowledge (56.4%) and a more positive attitude (55.8%) towards HPV vaccine. Students from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) exhibited higher knowledge (67.3%) and positive attitude (62.4%) as compared to the Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) which showed only 32.7% of knowledge and 37.6% of positive attitude towards the HPV vaccination.
CONCLUSION: The majority of UTAR students possess good knowledge regarding HPV vaccination. Nonetheless, they demonstrated a negative attitude towards HPV vaccination, depicting the necessity to impart and further intensify the sense of health awareness among all students, especially among male students. The judicious use of social media apart from the conventional mass media should be an advantage as to enhance the practice of HPV vaccination among them and thereafter minimize the health and economic burdens of cervical cancer.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: Vitamin D intake from both food and supplement of 217 pregnant women was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Hypothetical effect of expanded supplementation and food fortifications strategies were modelled using the consumption data.
RESULTS: The results revealed that more than half (67.7%) of pregnant women had inadequate vitamin D intake (RNI < 15 µg/day). The modelling results demonstrated the potential of universal provision of 10 µg/day of multivitamins supplements in increasing vitamin D intake. Moreover, mandatory fortification of both milk and malted drink at single level of 5 µg/serving would lead to increase in vitamin D intake of Malaysians, particularly pregnant women.
CONCLUSIONS: The outcome of this study can be used as a reference for public health professionals to re-evaluate the existing Malaysian food fortification policies and supplementation recommendation for vitamin D for pregnant women.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 526 pregnant women with GDM in two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. Diabetes-related QOL was assessed using the Asian Diabetes Quality of Life Scale (AsianDQoL). Socio-demographic characteristics, glucose monitoring treatments for GDM, past obstetric history, concurrent medical problems and a family history of diseases were captured from patient records. A multiple logistic regression was used for analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 526 respondents with GDM entered the analysis. The median age of the respondents was 32 (interquartile range = 7) while 82.3% were Malay women. More than half of the respondents (69.5%) received an oral hypoglycaemic agent (OHA), and/or diet modification in controlling their GDM. The study reported that 23.2% of the respondents had poor-to-moderate QOL. Those with a family history of depression and/or anxiety (adjusted Odds ratio [AOR] 6.934, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.280-21.081), and a family history of GDM (AOR 1.814, 95% CI 1.185-2.778) were at higher odds of suffering from poor-to-moderate QOL compared to those without a family history. Similarly, those who received insulin, with or without OHA, and/or are on diet modification (AOR 1.955, 95% CI 1.243-3.074) were at higher odds of suffering from poor-to-moderate QOL compared to those receiving OHA and/or diet modification.
CONCLUSION: Nearly one-quarter of Malaysian women with GDM have poor-to-moderate QOL. GDM women with a family history of depression and/or anxiety, family history of GDM, and those who received insulin, with or without OHA, and/or are on diet modification were associated with poor-to-moderate QOL.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: NMRR-17-2264-37814.
DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study.
SETTING: Tertiary hospitals in Malaysia.
PARTICIPANTS: Mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (n = 418) who deliver their neonates at two major tertiary hospitals in Malaysia.
MEASUREMENTS: Neonatal outcomes, such as low birth weight, preterm birth, macrosomia, metabolic and electrolyte disorders, neonatal respiratory distress and congenital anomalies were determined.
FINDINGS: Prevalence of low birth weight in neonates born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus was 14.6%, followed by metabolic and electrolyte disorders 10.5%, preterm birth 9.1%, macrosomia 4.8%, neonatal respiratory distress 5.8% and congenital anomalies (2.4%). Among the adverse neonatal outcomes, neonatal respiratory distress was significantly associated with the presence of depression symptoms in mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus using univariate analysis (p = 0.010). After controlling for confounding factors, predictors for neonatal respiratory distress at delivery were the presence of depression symptoms in mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (Adjusted OR = 3.87, 95% CI = 1.32-11.35), living without a husband (Adjusted OR = 9.74, 95% CI = 2.04-46.51), preterm delivery (Adjusted OR = 7.20, 95% CI = 2.23-23.30), caesarean section (Adjusted OR = 3.33, 95% CI = 1.09-10.15), being nulliparous and primiparous (Adjusted OR = 3.62, 95% CI = 1.17-11.17) and having family history of diabetes (Adjusted OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.11-9.21).
KEY CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study demonstrate the positive association of neonatal respiratory distress with the presence of depression symptoms in mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: It is therefore important to identify depression symptoms after a diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant mothers is made to enable early referral and interventions.