Background: Pregnancy is a normal process that results in ? series of both physiological and psychological changes in women that require adjustment and adaptation on the part of the mother. The observable result of physiological changes is minor discomforts. The most common discomforts are morning sickness, heartburn, constipation, backache, and leg cramps. Although minor discomforts are non-serious, their presences detract from the mother feeling of comfort and well-being in many instances they can be avoid by preventive measures or healthful practices once they do occur. Aim: This study was done to assess the practices adopted by rural pregnant women to relive their common minor discomforts. Subject & Methods: The study was conducted at six maternal and child health centers in El-Mahalla Elkobra. A sample of 300 pregnant women was selected. Data were collected by an interview questionnaire. Results: the mean age of mothers was 27.44±5.36, 61.0% of them had 3 pregnancies or more, 76.7% used antenatal care services during their previous pregnancies, and 74.4% of the study subjects had irregular follow-up visits. The majority of them used harmful measures to overcome their minor discomfort than useful ones. Women’s mothers were the main sources of women’s information about practices to overcome common minor discomforts. Significant statistical relationships were observed between traditional practices to overcome common minor discomforts and some times of women’s characteristics as educational level, occupational status, age at marriage, family income and utilization of antenatal care services by the studied subjects. Conclusion: Most of the rural dwellers used traditional measures to relieve associated pregnancy minor discomforts. Traditional practices among pregnant women to relieve common minor discomfort during pregnancy in the rural area tended to be more harmful than useful ones. Usage of traditional practiced affected by women’s education, occupation, age at marriage, family income, and regular utilization of ANC services. Recommendations: Continuous education and training programs about pregnancy and its accompanied minor discomforts should be conducted for physicians, nurses, midwives, and TBAs to manage minor discomforts. Measures to combat women’s delay in initiation antenatal care services should be taken.

Background: Mean sac diameter (MSD) is a sonographic measurement of the gestational sac which is usually first seen at around 5 weeks, when it measures about 2-3 mm, It's the average of measurements taken in three dimensions.Crown rump length (CRL) defined as the length of the embryo or fetus from the top of it's head to bottom of torso, it's the most accurate estimation of gestational age in early pregnancy, it's determined by the average of three measurements of the longest fetal length. Aim of the study Determine efficacy of mean sac diameter minus crown rump length  (MSD-CRL) in prediction of early pregnancy outcome. Methods: The study included 80 cases at (6:9) gestational weeks with singletone pregnancy. We examined the case at the initial visit, Mean sac diameter and Crown rump length were calculated for each case. The difference between the MSD and CRL in mm was calculated. Then follow up visit after two weeks later. Pregnancy outcome was then recorded between (11:14w). During transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) we observed location, size, number and regularity of gestational sac. Cardiac pulsation & Presence or absence of sub-chorionic hematoma. Results: 73 cases (91, 3%) continued normal pregnancy and 7 cases (8, 8%) had pregnancy failure. It was found that the age, body mass index, gravidity and history of abortion show insignificant relation with outcome (p >0.05).  Area under a curve was 0.984, p Value was <0.001, 95% CI was (0.961 – 1.000), at the cut off value (MSD-CRL) less than or equal 4, the sensitivity was 71.4%, the specificity was 97.2%, PPV was 71.4% and NPV was 97.3%, while at cut off value less than or equal 5, the sensitivity was 100.0%, specificity was 95.89, PPV was 70.0% and NPV was 100.0%. Conclusions: (MSD- CRL) is good prediction for early pregnancy outcome but, the optimum threshold for predicting pregnancy outcome needed to be established by further studies, also bigger sample size will provide more advantage.