The lipid composition of breast milk may have a significant impact on early infant growth and cognitive development. Comprehensive breast milk data is lacking from low‐income populations in the Indian subcontinent impeding assessment of deficiencies and limiting development of maternal nutritional interventions. A single breast milk specimen was collected within 6 weeks postpartum from two low‐income maternal cohorts of exclusively breastfed infants, from Dhaka, Bangladesh (n = 683) and Kolkata, India (n = 372) and assayed for percentage composition of 26 fatty acids. Mature milk (>15 days) in Dhaka (n = 99) compared to Kolkata (n = 372) was higher in total saturated fatty acid (SFA; mean 48% vs. 44%) and disproportionately lower in ω3‐polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), hence the ω6‐ and ω3‐PUFA ratio in Dhaka were almost double the value in Kolkata. In both sites, after adjusting for days of lactation, increased maternal education was associated with decreased SFA and PUFA, and increasing birth order or total pregnancies was associated with decreasing ω6‐PUFA or ω3‐PUFA by a factor of 0.95 for each birth and pregnancy. In Dhaka, household prosperity was associated with decreased SFA and PUFA and increased ω6‐ and ω3‐PUFA. Maternal height was associated with increased SFA and PUFA in Kolkata (1% increase per 1 cm), but body mass index showed no independent association with either ratio in either cohort. In summary, the socioeconomic factors of maternal education and household prosperity were associated with breast milk composition, although prosperity may only be important in higher cost of living communities. Associated maternal biological factors were height and infant birth order, but not adiposity. Further study is needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these effects.

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Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is the most common among all congenital anomalies. CHDs are majorly classied into either cyanotic or acyanotic variety and both may have septal defects. Isolated cardiac septal defects mainly constitute the acyanotic CHDs namely Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) and Endocardial Cushion Defects (ECD). With recent advances and ease of availability of diagnostic aids and specialists, CHDs have become a common disease entity faced by Paediatric practitioners today. Acyanotic cardiac septal defects are relatively easier to manage and treat as compared to the cyanotic and complex CHDs. Still data detailing the epidemiology of these defects in India are scarce. This study was aimed to typify ndings from pediatric CHD patients with septal defects at a medical college hospital in northern part of West Bengal, catering to a previously understudied demographic. A sequence of CHD cases, picked contiguously from the pediatric indoor and outdoor patients over a period, were surveyed. Data was recorded under multiple headings including demographics, clinical ndings, investigations and outcomes

Epidemic dropsy (ED) results from accidental ingestion of adulterated mustard oil with argemone oil. Chief organs involved in this disease are heart, subcutaneous tissue, eyes and kidneys. Nervous system involvement is very rare. Objective manifestation of neurological involvement is even rarer. The authors report two cases from the same family, who were victims of epidemic dropsy along with their parents. One of them showed objective neurologic involvement in the form of brachial neuritis and another showed palatal palsy.

Background:Respiratory distress is one of the commonest disorder encountered leading to hospital admission in neonates.Clinical presentation of respiratory distress in neonates include 2 or more of the following features- respiratory rate >=60/min, chest retractions, grunting, nasal aring, cyanosis. Early recognition and appropriate specic therapy of neonatal respiratory distress has impressive results. Aims and objectives: This study aimed to record risk factors for respiratory distress in neonates admitted in SNCU and NICU in a tertiary care medical college hospital. Material and Methods: The observational descriptive study included one hundred (100) newborns admitted in NICU and SNCU with clinical features of respiratory distress during 1 year study period in Malda Medical College and Hospital. Results: 68% neonates presented within 24 hrs of age. The occurrence of respiratory distress was high in male babies, 64% compared with female 36%.Several risk factors were associated with neonatal respiratory distress. Teenage pregnancy(44%), maternal anemia(73%), PIH (17%), antenatal fever(5%), APH (4%), GDM(8%), Thyroid disorders(11%) are present in varying degrees in mothers.RDS was the most common etiology, 32% followed by MAS(17%), TTNB(15%), CHD(15%), pneumonia(9%), birth asphyxia (7%), syndromic(2%).8 ELBWand 9 VLBWnewborns were all suffered from RDS.21 neonates born to teenage pregnancy developed RDS. Among preterm babies, RDS was the most common etiology, among term babies, TTNB was the commonest. Conclusion: Respiratory distress is one of the commonest cause of SNCU and NICU admission. RDS is common in preterm babies whereas TTNB is more common in term babies.Male gender, teenage pregnancy, low birth weight, gestational age, antenatal illness like PIH,GDM, thyroid disorders are the risk factors for neonatal respiratory distress.