This paper reports findings from a study of maternal mortality in Matlab, Bangladesh during the 1976-85 period. The study employed a multiple-step procedure to identify maternity-related deaths to all reproductive-aged women within the study area during this period. A total of 387 maternal deaths were identified, resulting in an overall maternal mortality ratio of 5.5 per 1,000 live births. The introduction of a family planning program in half of the Matlab study area led to a moderate but significant reduction in maternal mortality rates, relative to the comparison area. This appears to have been primarily due to a reduction in the overall number of pregnancies in the treatment area, since among women who became pregnant, mortality risks remained high. The results of this study underscore the need for a broad-based service strategy that includes but is not limited solely to family planning, in order to achieve significant reductions in maternal mortality levels in settings such as rural Bangladesh.

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Background: Accelerated decline of bone mass occurs in women after the menopause, and might lead to excessive bone resorption and eventually to osteoporosis. To find out the changes of bone mineral density (BMD) before and after menopause, the shown was undertaken. Materials and Methods: This comparative study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Sylhet M A G Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet during July 2008 to June 2009. Forty postmenopausal women; monthly income and BMI matched 40 premenopausal women were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. BMD of lumber vertebrae and femoral neck was determined using Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method (Norland XR 46, Pencil beam). Results: The parity of the postmenopausal women was significantly higher than that of premenopausal women (6.9 ± 2.6 vs 3.1± 1.5; p<0.01). The body weight was significantly lower in postmenopausal women than that of premenopausal women (54.1 ± 8.3 kg vs 61.0 ± 9.7 Kg; p<0.01). The height was significantly lower in postmenopausal women than premenopausal women (148.2 ± 5.7cm vs 153.4 ± 6.4cm; p<0.01). The BMD was lower in postmenopausal women than premenopausal women in lumber vertebrae (0.68 ± 0.13 gm/cm2 vs 0.94 ± 0.03 gm/cm2; p <0.01) and also in femoral neck (0.63 ± 0.12 gm/cm2 vs 0.84 ± 0.14 gm/cm2; p < 0.01). A significant positive correlation was present between BMD and height (r=0.512; p<0.05); and weight (r=0.489; p<0.05); and a negative correlation between BMD and age (r=-0.408; p<0.05); parity (r=-0.456; p<0.05) and years since menopause (r=-0.350; p<0.05). Conclusion: The BMD was significantly lower in postmenopausal women than that of premenopausal women and negative correlation was present between BMD and age, parity and years since menopause.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjmed.v22i1.13592 Bangladesh J Medicine 2011; 22: 1-7

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Background: The average life expectancy of the Bangladeshi population has been rising over the last decade due to the economic growth along with improved medicare. Although the increased number of geriatric people and their health is a matter of great concern, this issue remains unnoticed here. Objectives: To assess the nutritional status of the functionality and to analyze the association between nutritional status and functional ability of the selected Bangladeshi geriatric population. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 participants, covering Chittagong, Noakhali, Comilla, and Jessore district of Bangladesh from December 2019 to February 2020. A standard and pretested questionnaire containing Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), Activities of daily living scale (ADL), Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL), was used. Results: According to our study, The prevalence of malnutrition and people at risk of malnutrition have been 25.4% and 58.8%, respectively. In the case of functionality, 63.3% of subjects have high falling risk, and 61.8% of subjects can independently do their daily activities while 38.3% are dependent. Furthermore, almost 80% of people are dependent in terms of doing living skills. High risk of falling (OR=10.823; 95% CI: 5.846-20.37; p<0.001), poor skill in doing ADL (OR=6.206; 95% CI: 4.021-9.581; p<0.001), along with dependency in performing IADL (OR=4.477; 95% CI: 2.833-7.075; p<0.001) are significantly associated with malnutrition. Conclusions: Geriatric malnutrition can accelerate disability conditions, which can lead to early functional aging and subsequent loss in the quality of life.