Objectives: Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to respiratory infections such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but insufficient research has investigated pregnancy and its outcomes in women with COVID-19. This cross-sectional study compared birth outcomes related to COVID-19 between Bangladeshi pregnant women with and without COVID-19.Methods: The study was conducted at 3 tertiary referral hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from March to August 2020. Pregnant women admitted for delivery at these hospitals with laboratory results (reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction) were analyzed. Using convenience sampling, we included 70 COVID-19-positive and 140 COVID-19-negative pregnant women. Trained and experienced midwives conducted the interviews. Data were analyzed using the t-test, the chi-square test, and univariate and multivariable linear and logistic regression.Results: Pregnant women with COVID-19 were more likely to give birth to a preterm baby (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 4.37) and undergo a cesarean section (aOR, 3.27; 95% CI, 1.51 to 7.07). There were no significant differences in birth weight, premature rupture of membranes, and the Apgar score at 1 minute or 5 minutes post-delivery between women with and without COVID-19. All the newborn babies who were born to COVID-19-positive women were COVID-19-negative.Conclusions: Our study suggests that pregnant women with COVID-19 were more likely to give birth to a preterm baby and undergo a cesarean section. For this reason, physicians should be particularly cautious to minimize adverse birth outcomes among pregnant women with COVID-19 and their newborn babies.

Background: E-learning is making education globally and conveniently attainable with the deliverance of advanced technology. However, this mode of academia is still not commonly practiced locally. Thus, the study aimed to investigate technological availability, usability, and association to university students' perceived stress due to e-learning curriculum. Methods: A cross-sectional study commenced among Bangladeshi university students enrolled in the e-learning curriculum. A total of 1162 university students were included. The main explanatory variables were related to the availability of technology and the use of technology. The outcome variable was perceived e-learning stress. In statistical analysis, p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant with a 95% confidence interval. Results: In this study, lack of technological availability and usability were associated with higher level of perceived e-learning stress. Being female, living in rural areas, and outside of Dhaka division were found the associated factors in the lack of technological availability and usability. Conclusions: A significant association between the availability and usability of technology with perceived e-learning stress was observed. Thus, measures should be taken to initialize e-learning adaptivity by increasing technological growth across the nation, considering educational preparedness for future catastrophes.

The planet has been greatly influenced by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Bangladesh is no difference. The pandemic has resulted in a decline in the availability of health care, notably for women's health problems, leading to an increase in difficulties for an increasingly marginalized group. Maternity care, maternal health programs, medical interventions, nutritional counseling and mental health care are not discussed and women's health and well-being in Bangladesh is vulnerable with a spike in domestic violence and needs to be resolved urgently.

The rate of caesarean section (C/S) has been increasing globally. The proposed study aims to evaluate the effects of ultrasonography (USG) and health education in reducing unnecessary C/S among pregnant women. The secondary objectives are to increase antenatal care (ANC) and post-natal care (PNC) visit rates, increase USG use, increase institutional (hospitals and clinics) delivery, reduce delivery related complications and reduce the number of still births. This is a prospective, open-label, two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT). A total of 288 pregnant women are enrolled from two urban and two rural hospitals in Bangladesh. Women were screened during their first ANC visits, then written informed consent was taken from the participants. Women in intervention hospitals receive eight ANC visits, two additional USG, and health education eight times during their ANC visits. In contrast, participants at control hospitals receive usual care consisting of four ANC visits and two USG during their ANC visits. The primary outcome is to compare the rate of unnecessary C/S during PNC visits. This study obtained approval from the Institutional Review Board of North South University (2021/OR-NSU/IRB/0804), Bangladesh in November 2021 and was registered in clinicalTrails.gov (#NCT05135026).