Background: Inadequate child feeding practices lead to malnutrition, higher under-five mortality rates and adverse effects on quality of life. This study aimed to assess the breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices of mothers as well as the influence of various sociodemographic factors on them in local families of Lahore. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study. It was conducted in CMH (Combined Military Hospital), Lahore in 2018. It comprises a sample of 203 mothers with children of at least two years of age, from various urban areas of Lahore. The subjects were selected on the basis of the inclusion criteria. Mothers with psychiatric illnesses and children with congenital anomalies were excluded from the study. Mothers were approached in the paediatric outpatient departments of four tertiary care hospitals of Lahore. Responses were recorded using a modified version of the Action Contre La Faim (ACF) questionnaire. Independent sample t-test and chi-square test were applied for analysis of the data. Results: Early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour from birth was observed in 83.3% children. Most children were administered colostrum (69.5%). The rate of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months was 45.3%.  A child was being breastfed 8.21 ± 6.67 (mean ± SD) times a day. Maternal educational status, total number of adults in a household, and access to free healthcare were identified as important factors influencing the practice of breastfeeding. Porridge, khichdi, eggs, fruit and yoghurt were the most frequently used complementary foods. Conclusions: A high rate of an early start of breastfeeding and a low rate of exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months were predominant in our population. Administration of colostrum was observed in approximately two-thirds of the study participants. Education of the mother, type of the family system (nuclear or combined), and access to free healthcare strongly influence the breastfeeding practices.

Background and Objective: Obesity is becoming a global issue related to many health problems, and infertility is one of them. It has been established in literature that obesity or increased body mass index (BMI) harms the ability of a woman to conceive. Assisted reproductive techniques e.g., in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) are helping infertile women to conceive. This study's objective was to analyze the effect of BMI on IVF/ICSI treatment outcomes in infertile women. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Samples of 500 patients aged less than 40 years were selected at a tertiary care infertility center: Lahore Institute of Fertility and Endocrinology, Hameed Latif Hospital. The sample was collected from January 2019 to June 2019. A structured proforma was used to collect information about selected anthropometric measurements and ultrasonography findings from the files and follow-ups of the selected patients. Data was processed and analyzed in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: The age of the subjects ranged from 18 to 39 years, with a maximum number of subjects in the age category 31 to 35 years. BMI was significantly associated with number of follicles retrieved and clinical pregnancy rate (P= 0.001). Conclusion: Normal BMI has positive impact both on follicular response in controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) and clinical pregnancy rates in women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment.

Background and Objective: Globally infertility affects between 60 million and 168 million all over the world. Regardless of the fact that Pakistan being currently among the most overpopulated nations of the globe and a populace development pace of around 2%, confronts with the higher pace infertility (21.9%); 3.5%primary and 18.4% secondary. The aim of the study was to assess the understanding of gynecologist of Pakistan regarding Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART).Methods: It was a descriptive study, conducted only for gynecologists who attended the "Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction" (ASPIRE) conference held in Lahore, Pakistan, from 29 th Nov to 1 st December 2019. Data was collected from the n = 252 gynecologist who were attending the conference.Results: Out of n = 252 doctors, 82.9% participants considered test tube baby a social norm and acceptable option while 55.6% participants were in the opinion of basically a stigma attached to society. According to 77.8% participants, socially and legally involvement of 3 rd party like donor eggs, sperms and gametes cannot justify. Conclusion:Pakistan, gynecologists are the mainstream dealing with infertility. Apart from general population, there are certain myths and controversies among the gynecologist as well. So that gynecologists' knowledge and perception is the most important point regarding infertility and ART.

<p>Background and Objective: The discrimination between benign and malignant adnexal masses is important for clinical management and surgical planning in such patients. The risk of malignancy index (RMI) is a combined parameter that is a simple, highly sensitive, and more specific scoring system based on three factors: serum cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) levels, ultrasonographic (USG) score, and menopausal status. The objective of the study is to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of RMI for the primary evaluation of ovarian masses in females presenting at a local tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.</p> <p>Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out at the Gynecology outdoor clinic of Fouji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The study comprised 141 females admitted for surgical exploration of ovarian masses. Pre-operative USG evaluations of ovarian mass, menopausal status, and serum CA-125 levels were determined for all the patients. RMI was calculated and post-operative histopathology of resected ovarian masses was done in all the cases to confirm the diagnosis.</p> <p>Results: The sensitivity and specificity of CA-125 alone at a cut-off value of 35 U/ml was 67.64% and 83.17% respectively. Using a cutoff value for RMI at 200 U/ml, the specificity and sensitivity of CA-125 were 85.98% and 76.47%, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that RMI was a better discriminate than CA-125, ultrasound, and menopausal status alone.</p> <p>Conclusion: The RMI is a useful tool in the primary evaluation of ovarian masses. It can be used to differentiate between benign and malignant ovarian masses with high sensitivity and specificity. Suspected malignant patients can be referred to a gynecological oncologist for further management.</p>

No abstract