Mahbubul Alam Shaun

Background: Iron–Folic Acid Supplementation (IFAS) is an effective strategy to prevent iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. We aimed to explore the key factors associated with compliance to IFA tablets in Bangladesh. Methods: This study analyzed the 2017–2018 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey data of 3828 pregnant women aged 15–49 years. We categorized compliance into two categories; at least 90 days and full 180 days of consumption. We performed multivariable logistic regression to identify the association between key factors and IFAS compliance. Results: The prevalence of consumption of IFA tablets for at least 90 days was 60.64%, and only 21.72% of women consumed the IFA for the full 180 days. About three-quarters of the women (73.36%) having at least four antenatal care visits (ANC) consumed IFA for at least 90 days, whereas only three in ten women (30.37%) consumed IFA for a minimum of 180 days. For compliance with IFA for at least 90 days, respondent’s age of 20–34 years (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03–1.54), respondent’s educational qualification of secondary (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.16–2.70) or higher (aOR 2.73, 95% CI 1.65–4.53), husband’s educational qualification of secondary (aOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.00–1.77) or higher (aOR 1.75, 95% CI 1.22–2.52), and having received at least four antenatal care (ANC) visits from medically skilled providers (aOR 2.53, 95% CI 2.14–3.00) were significantly associated with higher odds of compliance. For compliance with IFA for at least 180 days, respondent’s educational qualification of higher (aOR 2.45, 95% CI 1.34–4.48), and having received at least four ANC visits from medically skilled providers (aOR 2.43, 95% CI 1.97–3.00) were significantly associated with higher odds of compliance. Intimate partner violence was negatively associated with compliance with IFA for at least 180 days (aOR 0.62, 95% CI 0.48–0.81). Conclusions: The full compliance to IFAS is still sub-optimal in Bangladesh. Further precise context-specific intervention strategies must be developed and implemented with fidelity.

Background: Adequate good quality of sleep is essential for physical fitness during pregnancy as well as being a depressive symptoms-free mind. However, there is little evidence of the relationship between depressive symptoms and poor sleep quality among pregnant women in Bangladesh. This study aimed to find the association between depressive symptoms and poor sleep quality among pregnant women in northern rural Bangladesh.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out from May 2021 to June 2021 among 481 pregnant women tested positive in the pregnancy test of Jaldhaka and Dimla Upazila of Nilphamari district, Rangpur Division. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire including socio-demographic conditions, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms, comprising the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Patient Health Questionnaire- 9 (PHQ-9).Results: 8.94% of the women had depressive symptoms, whereas 38.88% of the participants were bad sleepers. However, women who had depressive symptoms [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.55; 95% CI 1.33-4.9] and educational qualifications above 10 years [AOR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.39-0.92] were associated with poor sleep quality.Conclusions: A higher percentage of pregnant women had poor sleep quality, whereas depressive symptoms and academic background of the participants were significantly associated with poor sleep quality. Ensuring adequate sleep time and better quality could be helpful to prevent depressive symptoms.