Introduction Low birth weight (LBW) is a well-known contributing factor to neonatal health, emphasizing the importance of maternal health and socio-economic conditions. The birth weight of a newborn is a major public health problem, which is more common in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). Objective The objective of this study is to assess the association of different socio-economic and maternal factors with LBW babies in Lahore. Methods This case-control study was carried out at the Obstetrics and Gynecological Department in Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan from September 25, 2023 to December 31, 2023. A total of 186 mothers who delivered in the maternity ward, categorized into two groups (93 cases and 93 controls), were included and data was collected with the help of a self-administered structured tool. A chi-square test was used to identify maternal risk factors significant for LBW babies. The strength of association between maternal risk factors and LBW babies was presented using the odds ratio (OR) with the respective 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The study revealed that maternal anemia [OR: 3.378, 95% CI: 1.568, 7.275] and inadequate nutritional status [OR: 1.031, 95% CI: 0.014, 0.071] were more likely to cause delivery of LBW babies. Regarding socio-demographic factors, household income < 25000 [OR: 5.185, 95% CI: 2.770, 9.707] and illiterate mothers [OR: 3.325, 95% CI: 1.820, 6.074] were associated with increased likelihood of LBW babies. Maternal age < 20 had a strong association [OR: 10.920, 95% CI: 2.455,48.575] with delivery of LBW children.  Conclusion The study concludes that multiple risk factors including anemia, inadequate nutritional status, household income < 25000, illiterate mother, and maternal age < 20 are strongly associated with LBW babies. It is apparent that a multimodal strategy is necessary to reduce the risk of LBW babies.

UNASSIGNED: The etiology and risk factors of congenital vertebral anomalies are mainly unclear in isolated cases. Also, there are no reports on the risk factors for different subgroups of vertebral anomalies. Therefore, we assessed and identified potential maternal risk factors for these anomalies and hypothesized that diabetes, other chronic diseases, smoking, obesity, and medication in early pregnancy would increase the risk of congenital vertebral anomalies.
UNASSIGNED: All cases with congenital vertebral anomalies were identified in the Finnish Register of Congenital Malformations from 1997 to 2016 for this nationwide register-based case-control study. Five matched controls without vertebral malformations were randomly selected. Analyzed maternal risk factors included maternal age, body mass index, parity, smoking, history of miscarriages, chronic diseases, and prescription drug purchases in early pregnancy.
UNASSIGNED: The register search identified 256 cases with congenital vertebral malformations. After excluding 66 syndromic cases, 190 non-syndromic malformations (74 formation defects, 4 segmentation defects, and 112 mixed anomalies) were included in the study. Maternal smoking was a significant risk factor for formation defects (adjusted odds ratio 2.33, 95% confidence interval 1.21-4.47). Also, pregestational diabetes (adjusted odds ratio 8.53, 95% confidence interval 2.33-31.20) and rheumatoid arthritis (adjusted odds ratio 13.19, 95% confidence interval 1.31-132.95) were associated with mixed vertebral anomalies.
UNASSIGNED: Maternal pregestational diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis were associated with an increased risk of mixed vertebral anomalies. Maternal smoking increases the risk of formation defects and represents an avoidable risk factor for congenital scoliosis.
UNASSIGNED: III.

Preeclampsia is one of the most worrisome complications during pregnancy, affecting approximately 1 out of 20 women worldwide. Preeclampsia is mainly characterized by a sustained hypertension, proteinuria, also involving a significant organ dysfunction. Moreover, 25% of the cases could be classified as severe preeclampsia (SP), a serious condition that could be life-threatening for both the mother and fetus. Although there are many studies focusing on preeclampsia, less efforts have been made in SP, frequently limited to some specific situations. Thus, the present study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of risk factors, maternal characteristics, obstetric and neonatal outcomes and maternal complications in patients with severe preeclampsia versus patients without severe preeclampsia. Hence, 235 cases and 470 controls were evaluated and followed in our study. We described a set of variables related to the development of severe preeclampsia, including maternal age > 35 years (69.8%), gestational (26.8%) or chronic arterial hypertension (18.3%), obesity (22.6%), use of assisted reproduction techniques (12.3%), prior history of preeclampsia (10.2%) and chronic kidney disease (7.7%) All patients had severe hypertension (>160 mmHg) and some of them presented with additional complications, such as acute renal failure (51 cases), HELLP syndrome (22 cases), eclampsia (9 cases) and acute cerebrovascular accidents (3 cases). No case of maternal death was recorded, although the SP group had a higher cesarean section rate than the control group (60% vs. 20.9%) (p < 0.001), and there was a notably higher perinatal morbidity and mortality in these patients, who had a prematurity rate of 58.3% (p < 0.001) and 14 perinatal deaths, compared to 1 in the control group. Overall, our study recognized a series of factors related to the development of SP and related complications, which may be of great aid for improving the clinical management of this condition.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) is strongly associated with premature birth, but it can also affect term neonates. Unlike the extent of research in preterm neonates, risk factors associated with incidence and severity of NRDS in term neonates are not well studied. In this study, we examined the association of maternal and neonatal risk factors with the incidence and severity of NRDS in term neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Cyprus.
METHODS: In a prospective, case-control design we recruited term neonates with NRDS and non-NRDS admitted to the NICU of Archbishop Makarios III hospital, the only neonatal tertiary centre in Cyprus, between April 2017-October 2018. Clinical data were obtained from patients\' files. We used univariate and multivariate logistic and linear regression models to analyse binary and continuous outcomes respectively.
RESULTS: During the 18-month study period, 134 term neonates admitted to NICU were recruited, 55 (41%) with NRDS diagnosis and 79 with non-NRDS as controls. In multivariate adjusted analysis, male gender (OR: 4.35, 95% CI: 1.03-18.39, p = 0.045) and elective caesarean section (OR: 11.92, 95% CI: 1.80-78.95, p = 0.01) were identified as independent predictors of NRDS. Among neonates with NRDS, early-onset infection tended to be associated with increased administration of surfactant (β:0.75, 95% CI: - 0.02-1.52, p = 0.055). Incidence of pulmonary hypertension or systemic hypotension were associated with longer duration of parenteral nutrition (pulmonary hypertension: 11Vs 5 days, p < 0.001, systemic hypotension: 7 Vs 4 days, p = 0.01) and higher rate of blood transfusion (pulmonary hypertension: 100% Vs 67%, p = 0.045, systemic hypotension: 85% Vs 55%, p = 0.013).
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the role of elective caesarean section and male gender as independent risk factors for NRDS in term neonates. Certain therapeutic interventions are associated with complications during the course of disease. These findings can inform the development of evidence-based recommendations for improved perinatal care.

BACKGROUND: Prematurity and low birth weight are significant predictors of perinatal morbidity and mortality and are influenced by the overall health and socioeconomic status of the pregnant mother. Although Cyprus is characterized by the highest prematurity rate in Europe (13.1% in 2014), the relationship between maternal health and socioeconomic characteristics with prematurity and low birth weight has never been investigated. We aimed to investigate the association of maternal demographic, clinical and socioeconomic characteristics with premature delivery and low neonatal birth weight in Cyprus.
METHODS: In a case-control design, questionnaire data were collected from 348 women who gave birth prematurely (cases) and 349 women who gave birth at term (controls). Information was obtained on gestation duration and birth weight as well as maternal demographic, socioeconomic and clinical profiles, including parameters such as smoking, body mass index, alcohol consumption, presence of gestational diabetes and mental health factors.
RESULTS: Premature delivery was associated with greater maternal age (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.06-1.18), absence of gestational diabetes (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.30-0.97), long working hours (OR: 3.77, 95% CI: 2.08-6.84) and emotional stress (OR: 8.5, 95% CI: 3.03-23.89). Within the cases group, emotional stress was also associated with lower birth-weight (β: -323.68 (95% CI: -570.36, - 77.00).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study demonstrate the positive association of maternal psychological factors, working conditions as well as maternal age with prematurity and low birth weight in Cyprus. Additional, prospective, studies are needed in the country to further investigate these associations and inform public health intervention measures.