Low birth weight is one of the major problems for the new born baby throughout its life. It is the single most important factor determining the survival chances of the child. Many of them die during their first year. The weight of the... more
Low birth weight is one of the major problems for the new born baby throughout its life. It is the single most important factor determining the survival chances of the child. Many of them die during their first year. The weight of the baby is the best indicator to evaluate the newborn as well as the maternal health and the nutritional status of the mother. Most of the extreme low birth weight baby dies in the early months or year. And those who survive will have various health problem in their future life like muscle weakness, low IQ, heart problem, diabetes etc. Low birth weight can be prevented by providing proper nutrition and avoiding various unwanted things like smoking, alcohol consumption, medication without prescription & over exertion of the body which will lead to tiredness & weakness. Various research studies were also done to find the causes, prevention & treatment of Low birth weight.
Evidence has been inconsistent and at times conflicting with little data focusing on how predictive and effective serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as a marker of poor pregnancy outcome. In addition, no... more
Evidence has been inconsistent and at times conflicting with little data focusing on how predictive and effective serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) as a marker of poor pregnancy outcome. In addition, no definite protocol has been developed on how to approach women found to have high level of serum AFP and hCG. The purpose of this study is to assess the association between the raised serum AFP on its own or combined with raised hCG with the adverse pregnancy outcome. At University Hospital Lewisham, all pregnant women are offered a second trimester quadruple test if they miss their first trimester screening due to late presentation. 281 women had raised serum AFP of >2 MoM and in 70 cases both serum AFP and beta-hCG were raised ( >2MoM). The result of this study demonstrates that pregnancy complications were increased in women with unexplained abnormal quadruple screen analytes (high AFP and beta hCG levels of >2MoM). Although caution must be undertaken not to cause unnecessary anxiety, we feel that increased awareness and patient education could prevent certain pregnancy complications. Serum markers, in combination with other modalities such as ultrasound and Doppler, may improve detection rates of abnormal pregnancy outcomes.
