Medicine
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This repository contains the published and unpublished research of the Faculty of Medicine by the staff members of the faculty
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Item Micronutrient status of plantation workers in Sri Lanka during pregnancy and post partum(Wiley-Blackwell Pub. Asia, 1996) de Silva, L.D.R.; Athukorala, T.M.S.Iron, zinc and vitamin A status was assessed in 309 plantation workers during pregnancy and in a sub-sample of 108 subjects at 20 to 36 weeks postpartum and the birth weights of their newborn were noted. A significant positive correlation was noted between haemoglobin concentration at 10-26 weeks of gestation of anaemic mothers (n = 180) and birth weights of their new born. Depleted iron stores (serum ferritin < 12 micrograms/l) were noted in 33.3% of subjects at 10-26 weeks of gestation. There was no significant change in serum ferritin concentration at > 32 weeks of gestation. Iron deficiency persisted at 20-36 weeks postpartum. Marginal vitamin A deficiency was also noted, as, 46.2% and 15.6% of the subjects respectively, had low serum vitamin A levels in pregnancy and postpartum. Low serum zinc levels were noted only in pregnancy. Iron supplementation during pregnancy was only effective in preventing further deterioration in iron status and it should be continued for about 12 weeks after deliveryItem Evaluation of effectiveness of iron-folate supplementation and anthelmintic therapy against aneamia in pregnancy - a study in the plantation sector of Sri Lanka(American Society of Clinical Nutrition, 1994) Athukorala, T.M.S.; de Silva, L.D.R.; Dechering, W.H.J.C.; Dissanayake, T.S.Intervention measures against anemia available to plantation workers during pregnancy include fortified food supplements (thriposha) and iron-folate supplements containing 60 mg elemental Fe. The effectiveness of these intervention measures was studied in 195 subjects whose iron and nutritional status were assessed at < 24 and > 32 wk of gestation. Taking thriposha conferred no significant benefit on maternal nutritional status, probably because sufficient amounts were not consumed. An increase in the duration of iron-folate supplementation to > 17 wk caused a significant positive change (P < 0.01) in hemoglobin, whereas an increase in the dose frequency had no significant benefit. Anthelminthic therapy in addition to iron-folate supplements caused a significant positive change in hemoglobin (P < 0.001) and serum ferritin (P < 0.005) compared with no supplementation. Thus, anthelminthic therapy significantly increased the beneficial effects of iron supplementation on hemoglobin concentration and iron status.