World Birth Defects Day. Towards a national registry for birth defects in Saudi Arabia

Change in Growth Status and Obesity Rates among Saudi Children and Adolescents Is Partially Attributed to Discrepancies in Definitions Used: A Review of Anthropometric Measurements

Anthropometric measurements are the first step in determining the health status in children and adolescents. Clinicians require standardized protocols for proper assessment and interpretation. Therefore, this study aims to review the literature of international and Saudi national guidelines and studies previously conducted in Saudi children and adolescents to provide recommendations to establish Saudi guidelines in line with the Saudi 2030 Vision. Systematic search was conducted in several databases: Medline, PubMed, Saudi Digital Library and Google Scholar from January 1990 to January 2021. Further, 167 studies measured anthropometrics in Saudi children/adolescents; 33 of these studies contributed to the establishment/adjustment of Saudi growth charts or specific cutoffs or studied the trend of growth in representative samples or adjusted the international curves to be used in Saudis. This review warrants updating growth charts and establishing the standard cutoffs of Saudi adolescent anthropometrics to avoid over/underreporting. This review provides insights and recommendations regarding the resources that can be used to establish national guidelines in anthropometric measurements for Saudi children/adolescents. This review will help policymakers and the Ministry of Health to establish standardized protocols to be used in Saudi Arabia for anthropometric measurements that may assist in detecting malnutrition.

Determinants of Neural Tube Defects among Newborns in Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, an estimated 300,000 neonates are born with neural tube defects (NTDs) each year. However, NTDs are underreported in Ethiopia though it causes substantial mortality, morbidity, disability, and psychological and economic cost in the country. Moreover, the factors attributed to NTDs were not addressed. Hence, this study intended to identify the determinants of neural tube defects in Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

METHODS

A case-control study design was conducted among 400 newborns (133 cases and 267 controls) who were born at randomly selected public hospitals. Cases were identified using the physician diagnosis of confirmed NTDs, and the two consecutive controls were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The data analysis was done using Stata 14.0. Variables with p value < 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were entered into the multivariable logistic regression model, and a corresponding 95% confidence interval was used to identify the predictors of NTDs.

RESULTS

In this study, fifty percent (48%) of the cases were contributed by anencephaly. After controlling the covariates, living in rural areas (AOR = 1.78: 95% CI 1.02, 3.11), being illiterate (AOR = 1.81: 95% CI 1.07, 4.61), being female newborn (AOR = 1.95: 95% CI 1.09, 3.50), having no ANC follow-up (AOR = 1.93: 95% CI 1.17, 5.04), and having a previous history of NTDs (AOR = 4.39: 95% CI 2.42, 7.96) were the risk factors for NTDs. However, being supplemented with folic acid or multivitamins before or during pregnancy (AOR = 0.37: 95% CI 0.21, 0.65), never having taken any substance during pregnancy (AOR = 0.42: 95% CI 0.21, 0.88), and being free from medical illnesses during pregnancy (AOR = 0.27: 95% CI 0.11, 0.69) were the protective factors of NTDs.

CONCLUSION

The study revealed different factors associated with NTDs among newborns in the region. Therefore, comprehensive preventive strategies focused on identified risk factors are needed at regional and national levels.