Background: Folic acid (vitamin B9) is one of the important vitamins that are necessary for growth and development of the embryo and preventing the occurrence of congenital malformations which are one of the important health problems in the developing countries and the world as it has a direct effect on the affected babies, their families and the community. It affects an estimated 3% of newborns worldwide.Periconceptional supplementation with folic acid (before conception and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy) was found to decrease many important types of these anomalies. Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of periconceptional use of folic acid in pregnant women who are attending antenatal care unit in three Primary Health Care Centers in Baghdad / AL-Russafa side. Type of the study: Descriptive cross-sectional study Patients and Methods: The study used a convenient sample technique for pregnant women who are attending antenatal care unit in three primary health care centers in Baghdad/ALـRussafa at the period from January to April 2014. The sample size was 200. Non-pregnant women were excluded. Results: a large proportion (86%) of pregnant women who had been interviewed knew about folic acid. 61% of them gained the information about it from doctors and 44.5% know its importance in protection from congenital anomalies. Although there was a good practice regarding folic acid supplementation during the current pregnancy; only 10% of them had used it in the proper time (at least one month before pregnancy to the end of the first trimester). It has been found that the largest rate of its use was in the second month (28%), Still 22% of them realize that it must be taken before pregnancy. Conclusion: From 200 pregnant women interviewed in the current study, the majority knew about folic acid but nearly only half of them states its importance in protection from congenital anomalies. Most of the women usedfolic acid in the current pregnancy on a daily bases and take it as pure folic acid. Although some of the pregnant women were aware about the proper time of taking folic acid, only few took it before pregnancy. Doctors were the main source of information.
(21)
(21)
The lowest layer of the atmosphere is called the atmospheric mixed layer, characterized by small-scale, irregular air motions defined by winds that change in speed and direction. Aerosol radiative effects impact the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), which holds most aerosols in the lower atmosphere. Aerosol absorption and scattering both lower the quantity of solar energy that reaches the ground, which has an impact on the spectral signature of the land coverings. In this study, 51 locations in downtown Baghdad were chosen for four different types of land cover (water bodies, farms, open areas, and residential areas) for Sentinel 2 satellite imagery, and the time the pictures were taken was 8:00 am ( 22 March, 22 June, 20 September,
... Show More
(2)
(2)
Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) virus is a recognized important cause of congenital CMV infection which carries a significant risk for symptomatic disease and developmental defects in newborns. Its prevalence varies from place to other and time to time. This study is conducted to estimate its prevalence in Baghdad among infants suspected of having a congenital infection and to study the associated findings.
Subjects and Methods: The study was carried out in Al-Alwyia pediatrics teaching hospital. Data were collected, and blood samples were taken for infants suspected to have intrauterine infections over a period of one year, from 1 October 2019 to 1 October 2020. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) tests for CMV w
... Show More
Background: Listeria monocytogenes, a member of the genus Listeria, is widely distributed in agricultural environments, such as soil, manure and water. The genus of Listeria bacteria is about 15-17 species. It is a pathogenic bacterium that can cause a rare but dangerous infection called listeriosis.
Objectives: Studying the rate of salads contaminated with Listeria bacteria. and Listeria monocytogenes according to International, Arabic and Iraqi specifications and finding the correlation between commitments of restaurants to standard health conditions with contamination with these bacteria
Methods: The study included
... Show More
Social factors may affect the available sources of toxic substances and causes of poisoning, and these factors may change over time. Additionally, understanding the characteristics of poisoning cases is important for treating such patients. Therefore, the present study investigated the characteristics of poisoning cases in Baghdad Poisoning Consultation Center (PCC) and Forensic Medicine Institute (FMI). Data on all poisoning cases reported in PCC and FMI during 2013 were retrospectively obtained from medical records. Total of 1131 reports of poisoning cases (1082 from PCC and 49 from FMI) were analyzed according to age, sex, geographical distribution and causes of poisoning according to the type and class of poisoning agent. The results
... Show More
(1)
Acuaria skrjabini Ozerskaya, 1926 and Dispharynx nasuta (Rudolphi, 1819) Stiles and Hassall, 1920, were found embedded in the mucosa of the gizzards of 26.97% of house sparrows, Passer domesticus biblicus collected in Baghdad City. Their morphometric and meristic features were expressed and compared with that reported in other studies.
This work deals with the nematode parasitesfrom the midgut of (16) specimens of Green
toad (Bufo viridis) Laurenti, 1768 collected from Baghdad area,central Iraq.
The parasites are:Cosmocercoides variabilis (Cosmocercidae) that considered as the first
report in Iraq on it and Oswaldocruzia filiformis (Molineidae).
Reproduction potential and age –specific fecundity of the Mealybug Planococcus citri Risso were studied in the laboratories of Biological control research unit,college of Agriculture –Baghdad university at 25± 2Cº and 60-70% R.H.with 16 light:8 dark photo period.The results showed that the survival ratio began to decline at the 38th day, the average female age was 20 days ,while the average age was 8 days at the first reproduction . Net reproduction rate ( Ro ) was 58.59 female female generation which prove that the population of the mealybug was of the unstable kind , intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was 0.118 femalefemale and the average length period of generation ( T ) was 34.30 days . Many local predators attack the mealybug
... Show More
Background: changing in lifestyle like displacing place could cause depression which is a common mental disorder that change general health that affect dental caries incidence and severity. The aims of this study were to assess the relation of depression status on prevalence and severity of dental caries among internally displaced people. Material and Method: The sample include 121 internally displaced people aged from 13-17 years. Method for depression measuring is by using Children Depression Inventory (CDI2) questionnaire. Dental caries is measured by using caries experience (DMFs) and caries severity D1-4. Result: the mean value for decayed and missing surfaces were higher in high depression grade as compering with low and medium dep
... Show More
(3)
230 stool samples were collected from 2 state homes for (males and females) to investigate
the infection of different intestinal parasites (pathogenic and non-pathogenic).
The infection rate was higher among males 15.7% than females 6%, these rates were
increased when concentration method was employed up to 54.8% for males and 8.7% for
females significantly.
Most infected orphans were found to harbor single parasite followed by double, triple
parasites.
The highest rate of infection was found among young age group (1-5) years old, while
the older age groups got lowest rates.
Of helminthes, the commonest parasite was Hymenolepis nana 5.7% and of protozoa, the
commonest intestinal parasite was Giardia lamblia