Introduction: Birth weight is a reliable index of intra-uterine growth and a major factordetermining child survival, future physical growth and mental development.Objectives: The present study was designed to explore the association of maternalserum as well as cord serum vitamin A level with birth weight.Materials and Methods: This prospective randomized study was carried out in Maternityand Child Health Training Institute (MCHTI), Azimpur, Dhaka during the period fromJanuary to July, 2002 on 100 healthy pregnant mothers of 38-40 weeks of gestationand on 100 new born babies born to these mothers.Results: Mean birth weight was 2804 gm (±43.1) with a range of 1600-3900 gm. Cordserum vitamin A level was 583 (±1.73) μg/dl with a range of 4.9-102.04 μg/dl, whilematernal serum vitamin A level was 53.5μg/dl (±1.5) with a range of 17.2-89.2 μg/dl.Newborn having birth weight ≥ 2500gm was found to have higher level of maternalserum vitamin A than the newborn having weight <2500gm, (54.5±1.6 μg/dl vs 49.4±3.04μg/dl, p=.06) but the difference was not statistically significant. There was no significantdifference in cord serum vitamin A level between two groups of newborn (57.8±2.06μg/dl vs. 60.2±2.03 μg/dl, p=.2).Key words: Vitamin A concentration; birth weight.DOI: 10.3329/bjch.v33i2.5676Bangladesh Journal of Child Health 2009; Vol.33(2): 46-49

Low birth weight (LBW) is a common problem in Bangladesh associated with poor survival, growth and development. Among many factors, Vitamin A deficiency is thought to be associated with LBW. To investigate this relation a study was conducted at Maternity and Child Health Training Institute at Azimpur, Dhaka during January 2000 - July 2002. One hundred pregnant women (38-40 wks of gestation) with their newborns were included. Weights of the newborns were recorded within 20 - 30 minutes of delivery. Vitamin A level was estimated in maternal and cord serum. The newborns having weight <2500gm showed Vitamin A level of 49.40 ± 3.04μg/dl in their maternal serum while those weighing ≥2500gm had a Vitamin A level of 60.18 ± 2.03μg/dl in their maternal serum. A trend of increased maternal serum Vitamin A level was observed with increasing birth weight. Thus neonates with higher birth weights were found to be associated with higher values of maternal serum Vitamin A, though not being statistically significant. Ibrahim Med. Coll. J. 2009; 3(1): 9-12 Key words: LBW, Vitamin A, cord blood, neonates     doi: 10.3329/imcj.v3i1.2911

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common health issue among pregnant women, leading to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Despite this, the etiology of UTIs among pregnant women, particularly in resource-limited settings like Bangladesh, is poorly understood. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 120 pregnant women with UTIs, admitted between January 2021 and June 2022, were included in the study following specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Result: The majority of the women was aged 18-24 years (35.83%) and had secondary education (32.50%). Anemia and proteinuria were present in 31.67% and 20.00% of the women, respectively. The primary obstetric characteristic was being primigravida (60.00%). Key risk factors of UTIs included a history of UTI (25.00%), diabetes mellitus (12.50%), frequent sexual activity (33.33%), history of urinary tract abnormalities (8.33%), use of urinary catheters (4.17%), and recent antibiotic use (20.83%). The primary etiological agent was Escherichia coli (60.00%). Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for comprehensive antenatal care, including routine screening for UTIs, anemia, and proteinuria among pregnant women in Bangladesh. Targeted interventions, such as health education and improved sanitation, are recommended to mitigate the identified risk factors. Further research on antimicrobial resistance patterns among the identified etiological agents is warranted to guide appropriate antimicrobial therapy.