Depression during pregnancy is a significant public health problem because of its negative effects on the health of both mother and infant. Data on its prevalence and determinants are lacking in Bangladesh. To estimate the prevalence of depression during pregnancy and to identify potential contributory factors among rural Bangladeshi women, a community-based study was conducted during 2005 in Matlab sub-district, a rural area of eastern Bangladesh. Three hundred and sixty-one pregnant women were identified through an existing health and demographic surveillance system covering a population of 110,000 people. The women were interviewed at home at 34-35 weeks of pregnancy. Information on risk factors was collected through structured questionnaires, with the Bangla version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-B) used to measure their psychological status. Both univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were applied using the SPSS 15.0 statistical software. The prevalence of depression at 34-35 weeks pregnancy was 33% (95% CI, 27.6-37.5). After adjustment in a multivariate logistic regression model, a history of being beaten by her husband either during or before the current pregnancy had the highest association with depression followed by having an unhelpful or unsupportive mother-in-law or husband, and family preference for a male child. Of the antenatally depressed women, 17 (14%) admitted to thoughts of self-harm during the pregnancy. This paper further explores the reasons why women have considered some form of self-harm during pregnancy. Depression during pregnancy is common among Bangladeshi women, with about a third being affected. The study highlights the need to allocate resources and develop strategies to address depression in pregnancy.

The high prevalence of PND in the study was similar to other countries in the South Asian region. The study findings highlight the need for programme managers and policy makers to allocate resources and develop strategies to address PND in Bangladesh.

In developing countries, postnatal depression (PND) is estimated to affect a high proportion of women following childbirth. There are no reliable estimates for the magnitude of the problem in Bangladesh, a country of 140 million people. The lack of a validated Bangla version of screening scale such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has hindered attempts to quantify and address the problem in the country. This study was carried out among Bangladeshi women to validate the Bangla version of the EPDS with the help of a multi‐disciplinary research consultative group. A research assistant administered the Bangla EPDS to a convenience sample of 100 mothers at 6–8 weeks postpartum attending an urban childhood immunization clinic. A psychiatrist examined all women using the Structured Clinical Interview (SCID) for DSM‐IV diagnosis of depression. Nine (9%) women were found to have depression. Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach\u27s alpha coefficient (0.84). The optimal Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) cut‐off score of Bangla EPDS was 10 with a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 87 %, positive predictive value of 40%, and negative predictive value of 99%. The Bangla EPDS is thus a valid and reliable screening scale for identifying PND in Bangladesh

Standardized questionnaires for screening common health problems in the community often need to be translated for use in non-English speaking countries. There is a lack of literature documenting the process of translation of such questionnaire/scale that would enable their application in cross-cultural settings and standardization of the procedure. This paper reports the process of translation into Bangla of the widely used Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for use in Bangladesh. Three methods: forward translation, committee translation, and back translation were used to ensure the equivalence of the translated version. Both the English and Bangla versions were piloted among 10 social science graduates who were proficient in both the languages. The concurrence of each respondent between the two versions showed a correlation coefficient of 0.98 (p<0.01). The BlandAltman test also showed a high degree of agreement. The piloted version was also tested with 15 women in the postnatal period and found to be suitable for women with lower educational attainment. The documentation of the translation process and the lessons learnt would be helpful in similar settings where screening questionnaires need to be adapted for local use.

Although iron and zinc deficiencies are known to occur together and also appear to be high in Ghana, a few supplementation studies addressed this concurrently in pregnancy. In a double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 600 pregnant women in Ghana were randomly assigned to receive either a combined supplement of 40 mg of zinc as zinc gluconate and 40 mg of iron as ferrous sulphate or 40 mg of elemental iron as ferrous sulphate. Overall, there was no detectable difference in the mean birthweight between the study groups, although the effect of iron-zinc supplementation on the mean birthweight was masked by a strong interaction between the type of supplement and the iron status of participants [F (1,179)=5.614, p=0.019]. Prenatal iron-zinc supplementation was effective in increasing the mean birthweight among anaemic and iron-deficient women but not among women with elevated iron stores in early pregnancy.

Dimensions of risks and impacts of occupational heat stress due to climate change on workers' health and safety, productivity, and social well-being are significantly deleterious. Aside from empirical evidence, no systematic review exists for policy development and decision making in managing occupation heat stress impacts and adaptation strategies of workers. This study sought to synthesise evidence on the social impacts of occupational heat stress and adaptation strategies of workers. From a review of existing literature, eight categories were obtained from 25 studies and grouped into three syntheses: (1) awareness of occupational heat stress, (2) social impacts of occupational heat stress and (3) workers' adaptation to occupational heat stress due to changing climate. Awareness of occupational heat stress among workers varied and their social impacts were related to workers' health and safety, productivity and social well-being. Sustainable adaptation to occupation heat stress due to climate change hinges on financial resource availability. Adequate investment and research are required to develop and implement policies to combat the threat of rising temperature and climate change to enhance workers' adaptive capacity, boost resilience and foster sustainable development.

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